Bleacher Bums Forum

Jackson has thrown a league-leading 7 wild pitches this year.  All seven have come in games that Navarro started.  We're probably at a point where Navarro just shouldn't catch Jackson.

I'm not sure that Wellington Castillo is really much better than Navarro but he certainly can't be worse.  Someone else suggested Steve Clevenger as his "personal catcher" once he's healthy.  I'm not sure Clevenger is all that much better, either.

Is there a free agent good-glove-league-average catcher available this off-season?

Always liked McCann very much.  But at 30 next season as a C, he'd test Theo's resolve about only signing FAs at their peak.  He'll probably get 4-5 years, around $13-15 million per as a guess.

Always liked McCann very much.  But at 30 next season as a C, he'd test Theo's resolve about only signing FAs at their peak.  He'll probably get 4-5 years, around $13-15 million per as a guess.

Would not surprise me at all if Theo is interested in McCann this off-season, so long as not having to give up a first-round pick to sign him (exempt with a top 10 worst record). 

Pretty obvious that the club needs some leadership on the field (and clubhouse) and a guy from a winning organization who has played on winning clubs.  (Nats did this with Jayson Werth--even though they knew the contract was a reach). Plus, other than Castillo, nobody in the system anywhere close to projecting as a #1 catcher).

Kind of doubt that McCann will get five years.  Plus, has to show that he's healthy rest of this season and medicals show that he can stay at catcher. 

Bruce Miles takes a look at the good and not so good acquisitions by the Theocracy in their first year and a half:

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130603/sports/706039715/

The Good:  Rizzo, Wood, DeJesus, Valbeuna, Feldman

The Bad:  Fujikawa, Stewart, Jackson (and possibly Baker)

Undetermined:  Vizcaino

Buster Olney talks to Jed Hoyer.  That interview starts a little after the 24:30 mark.

I thought Baker was a questionable buy from day one.  Even before he had his reinjury, Cub people didn't really seem to think he'd be ready before May if then.  Seemed like a lot of millions to pay for a late-start guy who'd be using the year for rehab.  Not every TJ guy is throwing at top efficiency the day he comes back.   

Rehab signings like Baker need to include a club option, and it appears the Cubs did not get one with him.

Speaking of Baker, do we have any idea of where he's at? 

Based on what they were saying for him in March, and how Garza went, I'd figure around two months from when he's pitching from mound, building up some velocity, building pitch count up some.  It's June now; if he isn't even throwing from a mound yet, I wonder if he has much change to work his way back to the majors before expanded rosters in September? 

I think Castro is seeing more pitches because he's fouling off a lot of pitches and getting into poor hitting counts.

I don't see improved plate discipline at all. He is now having a lot of trouble with heat up in the zone---mostly strikes.  Pitchers are making adjustments and he's going to have to adjust, if he can.

Cubs can say he's only 23 but it's very disappointing he hasn't improved offensively, considering what he did as a rookie at a ridiculously young age in the big leagues.

I guess we'll just have to be patient but I wonder if he has the baseball intelligence to make adjustments and get near his upside. An open question, I think.

Been watching Manny Machado in Baltimore and he is super smart in baseball terms.