Tagged: Jeff Samardzija

Cubs Have Holes to Fill This Winter

Now that the World Series is over and the Cardinals lost (HOORAY!), we can get to the task at hand.  The off-season.  The Cubs are chocked full of needs this winter.  Those will have to be addressed going into 2014 to keep the rebuilding plan on schedule.

These are the most pressing…

1.  Find a new manager

After the firing of Dale Sveum, the next guy to lead the Cubs on-field is the first concern.  With the playoffs having ended, the obstacle of candidates still playing is over.  To be honest, I don’t care who they hire, as long as he fits the mold of what the front office is looking for.  That Dale was the guy for a while, then suddenly became not the guy doesn’t matter.  Great organizations are stable.  And since 2010, this will be the fourth manager.  That’s not stable.  Find the guy.  The right guy.  So we’re not going through this mess again in two years.

2.  Find some outfield depth

After losing Alfonso Soriano, David DeJesus, and Scott Hairston to midseason trades, it is going to be important for the Cubs to replace that lost depth at the major league level.  The preference would be to sign veterans on short (1-2 years) deals while the youngsters get ready.  With Nate Schierholtz, Ryan Sweeney, and Junior Lake, there is a need for two more outfielders.  Preferably one who can play center and one who hits right handed.  To be clear, I do not see Shin Soo Choo or Jacoby Ellsbury as viable options.  I have no visions of the Cubs spending on either of those players with the talent that is coming behind them.  I do see players like Curtis Granderson, Grady Sizemore, Corey Hart, and Tyler Colvin as options.  Colvin is the standard “buy low flier” that this front office has taken in the past, and with his talent and familiarity with the Cubs, and the admission that the Stewart – Colvin trade may have been a mistake, he could be back.  The others are veterans who have had some success, but have also had injury issues.  Any resurgence could make them trade bait in July, and they all likely come relatively cheap.  David DeJesus is also an option if the Rays decide not to pick up his option for next season

3. Trade Darwin Barney

The popular defensive wizard is not part of the core.  He’s a below average hitter.  And he’s getting a bit older.  There is a market for him, though.  His value, however, is at its highest point right now.  He’s just now entering arbitration.  Teams who have a need at second base can use him.  The Cubs do not have that need.  They are stocked full of middle infielders, from Starlin Castro to Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara, Logan Watkins, and Luis Valbuena, the Cubs have no shortage of middle infield options.  All of whom are younger than Barney.  And all of whom possess greater offensive upside and the potential to continue good defense at second base in the future.  The return for Barney won’t be ground breaking, but it should be a decent prospect, or maybe two if Epstein and Hoyer break out the mask and gun.  Now, though, is the best and most logical time to move him.

4.  Address the rotation

The rotation was surprisingly good last season, throughout the year.  There was a lot of depth that withstood trades, and some players emerged as legitimate long term options.  Travis Wood showed that he is a solid mid to back of the rotation starter.  Jake Arrieta showed that he is still talented and should get a shot going forward.  Edwin Jackson had a rough first year, but with his contract and history, he will be back in the rotation next season, and I would venture to guess he has a better second year with the Cubs.  It is the very top of the rotation and the very bottom that should be addressed.   Jeff Samardzija walked more, stuck out fewer, and allowed more runners to score in 2013 than 2012.  The differences aren’t startling, but they exist.  Could it have been fatigue from the most innings in a season he’s thrown?  Frustration from another near 100 losses?  Displeasure over his contract situation?  A combination of all three?  I don’t have the answer.  What I do have the answer to is Samardzija getting rocked a number of times.  And it happening a number of times at home.  That’s not an ace.  That’s a third in the rotation type pitcher, at best.  I am not sold on Japanese stud Masahiro Tanaka being an answer at the top of the rotation, either.  Too many Japanese pitchers have flamed out because of arm issues.  I understand his stuff is excellent, and he’s still young.   That may make him a nice investment, but not for the $100+ million it’s going to cost.  If the Cubs get him, I’ll hope for the best, but I won’t be at all surprised with the worst.  As far as the back end of the rotation is concerned, bringing back Scott Baker, giving Chris Rusin a shot at a full season, and low cost free agents are all options.

5.  Back-up catcher

I have a tough time with the idea of signing a Brian McCann (because of age and injury every bit as much as his high douche factor).  All things being equal, I would hope the starting catcher market doesn’t treat Dioner Navarro as he would like, and he comes back.  He had a nice year, seemed to have a good relationship with Wellington Castillo, and is a reliable backstop.  Whoever comes in should take a back seat to Castillo, though.  Big money free agent catchers shouldn’t (and probably won’t) be a priority.  If the Cubs can land a guy like Jarrod Saltalamacchia for a decent price, great.  if not, a LH hitting backup will work just fine.

One of the great parts about baseball is how this is going to play out throughout the off-season.  The Cubs are not going to compete for a World Series next season, most likely.  It could, though, bring the first wave of prospects to Wrigley Field.  Javier Baez and Kris Bryant very well could debut with the big league club at some point next summer.  In addition, could be up after being acquired in trades.  It appears that the worst is behind the Cubs in the rebuild.  Much of the “acquire talent at all costs” is over because of the amount of talent in the organization.  The time now is for the build up.  While the Cubs will continue to add pieces and make the team better and organization healthier, this off-season is the beginning of the build up of a contender.  Whether it be adding placeholders for a prospect, adding leadership to help those prospects grow, or the eventual hiring of a new manager, the fruits of two years of painful big league play are beginning to ripen.

Look no further than what’s been going on in Arizona.  Let the off-season begin!

 

TRADE DEADLINE: Is Samardzija The Next To Go?

Over the past day or so, the latest name to pop up in Cubs trade rumors is that of Jeff Samardzija.  Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports said the Cubs were “listening” to other teams as they call about Samardzija, which is essentially what really set off the entire conversation.

The reality about Samardzija trade speculation, as others have said, is that of course the Cubs are willing to listen to what other teams are offering.  That does not mean Shark is on the block in the same manner Ryan Dempster was last season or Matt Garza was this season.  That does mean that it would be irresponsible of the front office to not listen to what other teams have to offer for Jeff Samardzija, who is not a free agent until after 2015 and, although he is 28 years old, is relatively low mileage at this point in his career.  He’s only thrown 481.1 major league innings, which isn’t a whole lot for someone of Jeff’s age or his physical stature.

It would be a massive surprise if Samardzija was traded for all of those reasons…the price would be astronomical.  While the D-Backs, Red Sox, Pirates, Braves, and others may have interest, it is going to take an awful lot to acquire him.  The price tag takes him out of reach for most teams because they simply don’t have the prospects.  And he probably costs too much to part with for the teams with the prospect currency to actually get him.  It is not totally out of the question that somebody gets desperate for a starter with so few good ones on the market, though, so it is worth the front office’s time to listen to whoever calls.  The price is reportedly a top pitching prospect (or prospects), as it should be.

Theo and Jed aren’t stupid.  They know they have a huge piece to build a competitive Cubs team with (if the price is right), either as a front of the rotation starter or a player who can fetch a front of the rotation starter in a trade.  While Samardzija may not be “on the block,” he isn’t unavailable.  And since none of the Cubs have a no trade clause anymore, that’s the way it should be.  Everyone can be had if the price is right.  For Samardzija, the price is going to be high.  Really high.

Alfonso Soriano Traded To Yankees; A Lot of Questions Need Answering In His Absense

The Cubs and Yankees finalized the trade sending Alfonso Soriano to the Bronx today.  It breaks down as follows:

Yankees Get:  OF/DH Alfonso Soriano, Cash

Cubs Get:  RHP Corey Black

Corey Black pitched for the Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League.  He throws in the mid to upper 90s, and has touched 100, according to some reports.  He’s had some issues with walks, but has the big fastball to go with an above average change up.  John Arguello from Cubs Den had the following to say about Black:

“Of all the names mentioned, he’s the one that intrigues me the most.  He’s undersized, but has similar athleticism and build as Travis Wood.  He can also bring it, able to pitch last year at 95-98 with sinking movement. Some reports have him touching 100 mph in the instructional league.  His changeup is solid and his secondaries lag behind, though the slider is further along than the curve.  He has struck out 9.58 batters per 9 innings and although he has walked 4.90 per 9 IP, he does have the kind of athleticism to repeat his delivery and develop better command.”

Soriano being moved means the Cubs no longer have a player with a no trade clause, which gives the front office free reign to deal at their heart’s desire.  Ultimately, that’s probably the best thing for the organization.  Theo Epstein

had some comments about the Soriano deal, via Carrie Muskat:

“I don’t look at this as a watershed moment, or a transformative moment at all.  It was simply the right time for Sori to move on and open up some at-bats for Junior Lake and when [Ryan] Sweeney and [Brian] Bogusevic come back from injury, now that [David] DeJesus is back from injury, we have a chance to find out about left-handed bats and some on-base skills and see who might be in the mix for next year. It was just the right time for this particular move.”

Dale Sveum also had some strong words about Alfonso Soriano (via Paul Sullivan and the Tribune)

“It’s emotional for all of us.  You don’t usually gather teams together that often when people get traded to say your goodbyes. That just shows what kind of person he is.”

And from Carrie Muskat

“You say you’re prepared for it, but I don’t think you’re really prepared to lose somebody of that nature.  All the things he brings to a team, the fourth hole, the character, the clubhouse, the leadership and everything. You just don’t replace that.”

And lastly…

With Soriano being traded, Jeff Samardzija is the longest tenured Cub, and the only one remaining from the 2008 season.  It also leaves a gaping hole in the “veteran leader” spot.  David DeJesus is the first, best candidate to fill that role, and with the team getting younger and younger, he really doesn’t have an alternative, as long as he himself is still a Cub.  It also means that the youngster Soriano mentored on being a professional, Starlin Castro, is going to be thrust into the position of being one of the veteran leaders, at just 23 years old.  Such is life when you’re the longest tenured position player on the roster.

The line-up is another issue altogether.  It appears there is some solution to left field and to the clean-up slot…

That is a perfectly good solution for the time being.  Realistically, Junior Lake is going to regress.  He’s a talented player, but his obscene start is going to cool off and his numbers are going to come back to earth.  Nate Schierholtz manning the clean-up spot (as long as he is also still a Cub) isn’t really a good solution, either.  Realistically, the best option in the fourth spot in the line up is Anthony Rizzo.  Ultimately, there will likely be a number of different line-up combinations that we see through the end of the season, as Dale Sveum gets new players and returning players to move in and out of the line up.

The one certainty this trade brings the Cubs for the remainder of the season is uncertainty.  While it will likely not get as ugly as last season dd, it does mean that Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro, and Darwin Barney need to start performing at the level shown on the back of their baseball cards.  With difficulty comes opportunity.  It will be difficult to replace Soriano’s bat in the line-up, and there will be a number of players who get ample opportunity to prove they can do it.

Wood’s Bad Luck Continues, Starlin Castro Dogging It Cost Cubs A Run?

For the third time this season, the Cubs lost a 1-0 game today.  This was the first time it happened to Travis Wood (The first two happened to Jeff Samardzija).  Wood has been excellent all season long, and today was no exception.  The fact that he went six shutout innings and didn’t take a loss (like Shark did in his two 1-0 losses) is a small moral victory for him, but in reality, if you lose a game 1-0, regardless of who allows the run, or why the run scores (like today’s passed ball), some of the blame goes to the offense, and the other part of the blame goes to the opposing pitcher.  Remember, the other guys get paid, too.

Apparently, a lot of the blame for today needs to be directed at Starlin Castro for not hustling on the single by Alfonso Soriano in the fourth inning that resulted in Castro being thrown out by Yoenis Cespedes at the plate.  Since the Cubs lost today by a single run, I would argue that it all be placed solely on the 23 year old who is being accused off dogging it.

On second thought, maybe, and this is me just brain-storming here, but maybe Starlin didn’t break it off second to make sure the ball was going to drop.  Or maybe he slipped on the dirt.  Or maybe the A’s broadcast duo who accused Starlin of “half jogging” are morons and all of the replies Buster got for his tweet are biased based on the audio of the clip.  From what I saw on video (which is a horrible way of judging whether or not someone is at full speed), Starlin did turn it up some when he rounded, but it’s not like he can go full speed making a hard left turn.  Nothing suggested to me that he was dogging it.  Cubs’ Manager, Dale Sveum didn’t seem to think it was an issue, saying after the game via Carrie Muskat, “I thought he was [going to score].  It seemed like a no brainer right off the bat. I don’t know what happened there.”  If Sveum, who’s been pretty blunt about whether Castro, or anyone else, is playing the right way in his first year and a half as manager, didn’t say “he was dogging it until he got to third,” I don’t think there’s much of a story here.

In his own post game comments, via Carrie Muskat, Starlin said, “The guy made a great throw.  I thought I’d score easy. I never stopped, I never said to myself, ‘I’m out.’ I ran hard right away to second base. I was surprised I was out.”  I think Starlin said it best.  The guy (Cespedes) made a great throw.  In fact, it was a frozen rope right to A’s catcher Derrek Norris that beat Castro by a couple of steps.  If the throw had been anything but that perfect, Castro would have scored.  This should be chalked up to not knowing the guy in the field because this is the first time they’ve seen him.  You can watch all the video and read all of the advanced scouting you want…sometimes it takes being gunned down by a cannon arm to know just how good an arm is.

That, of course, won’t stop Buster Olney from putting a quarter in the masses who want to see Castro shipped out for being a space cadet and any other unfair labels they want to place on a kid, who in just over three full seasons (527 games), has 611 hits.  Like I said in a previous post, Starlin Castro moves the needle.  That is to say, he also gets a national reporter on a flailing network some mindless response on Twitter…in this case by rubbing two sticks together and yelling fire.

 

TRADE DEADLINE: Garza Could Fetch a Core Piece At Deadline

As the deadline approaches, the Cubs are in a full court press, trying to make moves to improve the overall talent level of the organization.  The good news is, they are actually well positioned to add one or more core pieces to the roster.  While it will probably take more than one of the Cubs’ chips to get a piece that would be significant enough to add to the big league roster right away, the Cubs do have Matt Garza, who can fetch a player who has upside and is Major League ready.

There are some destinations where Matt Garza could turn into a piece who is part of the team that Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and presumably, Dale Sveum are looking to push into the playoffs.  And those teams could all use a player like Garza to make a push in the second half of this season.  While it remains to be seen what happens, Garza is the player who will net the biggest reward, and it is he who should be watched the closest as the next month unfolds.

Rangers

Last year, it was reported that the Rangers were in on Matt Garza before being scared off by his medicals and settling on a deal for Ryan Dempster.  They were also the team that took Geovany Soto and sent Barret Loux when Jacob Brigham had a medical issue.  The point is, the Cubs and Rangers are no strangers to making deals, and the magic could be rekindled this year.

3B Mike Olt:  It is only a guess that Olt was the piece the Cubs were in on when trying to move Garza to Texas last summer.  He has the potential to be a nice core piece, especially if Kris Bryant has to move off the hot corner.  Keith Law rates him as a plus defender.  He probably won’t hit for a huge average, but he’ll get on base with his fair share of walks (12.4 walk rate at AAA this season).  He also has the power to hit the ball out.  The consensus is that all he needs is at-bats, and if he were to come to Chicago this season, there is no good reason why he couldn’t get his share of them immediately.

Padres

The Cubs have been rumored to be discussing a Matt Garza trade to the Padres.  A deal here would make some sense, considering Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod came to the Cubs from San Diego.  Familiarity can breed success, so being familiar with the players as deeply as the front office knows these players make the likelihood of a successful trade a little greater.

2B/3B Jedd Gyorko:  One thing the Cubs have done successfully is add big bats who will hit for a ton of power.  Gyorko isn’t one of those guys.  While he is playing second for the Padres this season, he is a natural third baseman, who will hit for good average, but will not put up gaudy power numbers.  He has a .284/.341/.461 so far this season, to go with eight long balls and 25 driven in while playing at a park and in a division that is not conducive to big time hitting numbers.  Coming to the more hitter friendly NL Central could really help his offensive game blossom, while giving the Cubs a good hitting third baseman to compliment the power that is already in the organization.

Dodgers

The Dodgers are eight under .500.  They are also only a mere seven games out of first place.  You know they’re not afraid to spend money and to take on as many good players as they can.  Anything short of the playoffs would be a disaster for the Dodgers and their obscene payroll.  And, after having too much starting pitching as the season started, are now in a position where another arm couldn’t hurt.

RHP Zach Lee:  While Lee is not ready for “The Show,” he is an athletic pitcher who has some solid middle of the rotation potential.  At the AA level, he would be the most developed Cubs’ prospect who is pitching this season.  It would be a surprise if he were the only piece coming back in return for Garza, but he would be a strong centerpiece if the Dodgers were so inclined to try to bring Garza out west.

Indians

The Indians haven’t been good recently, but are in the hunt this season.  They also have terrible pitching.  This is a match made in heaven.

RHP Trevor Bauer:  He is pitching much better in the early going in his Indians career after being traded from Arizona last off-season.  He would be a heavy price to pay for half of a season of Matt Garza.  Veteran pitching with his playoff experience is hard to come by, though.  While this is the least likely of any scenario, there is no denying the mid to upper 90s fastball to go with a very good curve ball.  Pairing the 22 year old Bauer up with Jeff Samardzija at the front end of the Cubs’ rotation for years would make for a solid 1-2 punch.

Cubs

The last destination for Garza is one where he doesn’t actually leave.  He’s had some injury issues the last couple of seasons, but throughout his career, he’s been durable, he’s been tested, and he’s had success as a player who’s gone to the World Series with the Rays.  Extending him for a contract similar to the one the Cubs dangled to Anibal Sanchez would be a good move, especially if the Cubs don’t get a deal they like at the deadline.

TRADE DEADLINE: Cubs Have Areas of Obvious Need

Through the beginning of their tenure, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have done nothing short of a masterful job of adding quality talent to the Cubs’ minor league system.  Between the inherited talent and the added talent, the Cubs now have what is a consensus top ten system in the game, and it is likely to get better with the addition of second overall pick Kris Bryant, international signings, and the trade deadline.

Not all of the positions in the organization are overflowing with talent, however.  With the international signing and the trade deadline looming, there are some clear areas of need.  To build the caliber of organization that the team needs to have and the front office wants to grow, weaknesses need to be addressed.

The focus needs to be on positions with glaring deficiencies.  There are positions that are strong at the lower levels of the minor leagues without much talent at the top end, while some are stronger throughout the system or aren’t strong at all.  The focus needs to be on picking up pieces to build a strong pipeline to the majors sooner than 2015-2016 and strengthen areas without much talent to speak of at all.

1. Pitching

This is a no-brainer.  Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have acknowledged that the Cubs will use the international pool and trade deadline to strengthen this piece of the puzzle.  There are some nice pieces at just about every level of the organization, but not nearly enough.  The best prospect in the organization is Arodys Vizcaino, who was acquired last July in the Paul Maholm trade.  When he gets healthy, he has front of the rotation stuff, but his arm trouble might limit him to a relief role.  Pierce Johnson just got his long overdue promotion to Daytona, and he appears to be on his way.  Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood are nice young pieces at the ML level.  The focus has been on arms in the draft, but none of them appear to be impact arms, with the Cubs grabbing position players with their last two top ten picks.  The clear lack of high end, projectable pitching talent makes it job one for the Cubs this July.  They could start out by signing Cuban prospect Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez.  He’s 26, and could realistically start in the upper levels of the minor leagues this season, if not at the major league level…and all he costs is money.  Which the Cubs don’t seem opposed to spending on international free agents.

2. Catching

Beyond Wellington Castillo and Steve Clevenger, there isn’t a lot of strength to one of the keystone positions.  While Castillo is a young player who is looking more and more like an everyday backstop, organizational depth is paramount at a position where injuries mount and nobody can catch everyday.  Dioner Navarro is a stop gap at the major league level.  While the Cubs can be active in signing veteran catchers for a year or two at a time, there is a ton of value in bringing catchers through the system who have a history with the pitchers coming up through the system.

3. Corner Infielders

Count me among the guys who really likes Christian Villanueva.  And Jeimer Candelario.  And Anthony Rizzo.  Beyond that, there are a ton of question marks.  Josh Vitters may never figure it out defensively.  I am not sold on the idea that Kris Bryant can stick at third base.  Dan Vogelbach appears to best project as a designated hitter.  Junior Lake is looking more and more like a super utility player.  Luis Valbuena is a utility player who is having a nice season as a starter for a rebuilding team, but in no way should or would be a starter on a playoff caliber team.  It really boils down to defense with this group.  While first base at the major league level appears to be filled for the foreseeable future, third base is a bit of a black hole and there is almost no depth in the system at first.  One thing that helps this group along is the potential for Javier Baez or Starlin Castro to slide over to third and fill the slot whenever Baez makes his way up to the majors.

Photo: Paul R. Gierhart/MiLB.com

Photo: Paul R. Gierhart/MiLB.com

4. Center Field 

The cupboard at the major league level is bare.  David DeJesus, Dave Sappelt, and Ryan Sweeney are really nice filler material during the rebuild, but they are similar to Luis Valbuena.  All three are reserves on playoff teams, and none of them figure to be around for the long haul.  Albert Almora looks fantastic at Kane County thus far.  He’s a few years away from being an option, though.  It is up in the air if Brett Jackson makes use of his incredible talent because he is endlessly afflicted by the strike out.  Jae-Hoon Ha and Matt Szczur both look like the DeJesus/ Sweeney type, as in they could be spare outfielders who can play all over as defensive replacements.  For those reasons, it wouldn’t hurt to add a center fielder with upside if the opportunity presents itself.

5. Corner Outfielders

There isn’t much for depth here in Iowa, but there is a lot to like about the potential for corner outfielders in the Cubs organization.  Jorge Soler is obviously the crown jewel of these guys at any level, but he won’t be in Chicago until September of 2014 at the absolute earliest.  The better bet is 2015 at some point.  Kris Bryant, to me, is probably going to end up in the corner not occupied by Soler, should everything go right.  This is a group that could also include Junior Lake, Josh Vitters if his defense stays as shaky at third as it has been.  Reggie Golden is at Kane County and is a sleeper to me.  Overall, I like the group of players the Cubs have stocked up on that could be turned into corner outfielder, where hitting is most important, and where defensive liabilities like Vitters can be hidden.  Again, it wouldn’t hurt to add to it if the opportunity arises, but there are definitely better places to add pieces.

6. Middle Infield

Starlin Castro, Darwin Barney, Logan Watkins, Arismendy Alcantara, Ronald Torreyes, Javier Baez…need I say more?  There is a legit prospect at just about every level of the minor leagues in the middle infield.  And the major league level has a two time All-Star and a Gold Glove winner in the line-up everyday, neither of whom is old by any stretch of the imagination.  The middle infield is the strength of the organization, and unless you’re getting Jurickson Profar in a deal, this area isn’t a priority in the least.

There is no argument to be made that the Cubs wouldn’t be best served to get the best players they can, regardless of the positions they play.  Weaknesses cannot be ignored, however, and the goal when moving players like Matt Garza should be to find high level talent in areas of need, which would make the trade good for both sides.  Again, if the Rangers are parting with Profar (for example), you have to pull the trigger.  Talent like that doesn’t come around very often.  At the end of the day though, the focus has to be on adding impact arms that can make a difference in the near future and catchers to work with them coming up through system.

 

The Cubs Will Be Sellers…But Won’t Empty the Store

I think we’re all sure that there is going to be a sell off at the deadline this season again.  The extent of that sell off is yet to be determined, but in comparison to last year, it will likely be pretty minor.  The reason for that is simple…there is less there for the Cubs to sell.  That’s not to say this team is less talented than last year’s team.  Actually, the opposite is true by a wide margin.  Looking at “the plan,” though, and what the Cubs have on their roster, who is likely to go is pretty limited.

STARTING PITCHING:

NOT GOING ANYWHERE:

Jeff Samardzija, Edwin Jackson, Travis Wood

The only player in this group who has any chance of being dealt is Travis Wood.  Jeff Samardzija is a stud who is under team control through 2016.  That type of pitcher is someone you don’t let go of if you’re lacking impact pitching talent in the first place.  Travis Wood has an outside shot of being traded because of his hot start to the season, with nine quality starts in his first ten outings.  He, too, is under team control for a long time.  He won’t hit free agency until 2017.  He is exactly the type of young, cost controlled asset the regime has said to want to keep around.  Dealing him at the deadline would be a huge shock to me, and I don’t see it happening without some type of high end prospect coming back in return.  And because Travis Wood is still only a good 4-5th starter, I can’t see a team willing to cough up that much for him.  Edwin Jackson’s not going anywhere.  He was signed to be a piece for when the Cubs compete.  And he will get ample opportunity to figure out what troubles him.

MAY BE GOING SOMEWHERE:

Matt Garza

He’s only been back for a week, so I think it is entirely too early to tell whether or not he is fully back from his arm/ lat injuries.  And it is too early to tell what kind of value he has.  I know that the Cubs are looking to get back impact prospects for Garza, and if they get the right package of them, he’ll be packing his bags and headed to another city.  It is just too early to tell if any team is going to be willing to ship the Cubs the right package of prospects for a pure rental player, who is due to become a free agent at season’s end.  It would figure to be just as likely that Garza stays in Chicago all season and the Cubs slap a qualifying offer on him.  If that happens, it would be entirely possible that Garza would return to the Cubs after watching Kyle Lohse wait until just before the season to be signed.  There is an outside shot that the Cubs extend him for a contract similar to the one they offered Anibal Sanchez.  He is worth that kind of money when healthy, and if he shows that he is, he’d be worth the investment.

DON’T GET COMFORTABLE:

Scott Feldman, Carlos Villanueva

Both of these guys are attractive pieces at the deadline.  Neither makes all that much money.  Both can come out of the pen.  Both can give you a good start every five days.  That makes them the two best candidates to be out the door this July.  Feldman was asked about being flipped at his introductory conference call, so none of this should come as news to him.  Villanueva, however, signed a two year deal, so he would likely net a bit more than

Photo: Rob Carr, Getty Images

Photo: Rob Carr, Getty Images

Feldman in a trade, simply for the extra year of inexpensive control.

BULLPEN:

NOT GOING ANYWHERE:

Hector Rondon, Shawn Camp, Kyuji Fujikawa, Carlos Marmol

I know you’re all upset that Marmol is on this list.  I am, too.  He’s not worth a day old hotdog, though.  At the deadline he’ll be due about $5M, and his numbers aren’t going to make that a good investment for a team looking for a quality reliever.  The only way he comes off this list is if he has a turn around like last year and the Cubs eat most (…or all) of his remaining contract.  And he won’t bring back very much in return.  The most likely scenario with him is finishing the season and walking away in free agency.  Shawn Camp is much more likely to be released than traded.  Kyuji Fujikawa has been injured too early to have any chance at being dealt, and Hector Rondon is a Rule 5 player who the front office likes.  That makes all of them mostly untradeable.

MAY BE GOING SOMEWHERE:

James Russell, Kevin Gregg

James Russell has proven to be a valuable commodity in the bullpen the last couple of years, which increases his value immensely, but since he is under team control through 2016, it stands to reason that the team would like to keep a controllable asset like him.  There are good teams looking for left handed relievers who can get guys out on both sides of the plate, though.  And if one of them offers up a good package for James Russell, it would not be outside of the realm of possibility that he gets shipped off for multiple pieces.  Kevin Gregg is having a bit of a resurgence with the Cubs, which makes him attractive.  He’s a cheap piece who could fit into a bullpen and occasionally close for a team looking for that type of player.  He probably wouldn’t net a whole lot, but considering the Cubs were just throwing a line in the water to see what he had, any return would be a nice profit on their low risk investment.

INFIELDERS:

NOT GOING ANYWHERE:

Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro, Wellington Castillo

Rizzo and Castro both signed long term extensions.  Those are obvious.  Castillo is a talented young catcher who is going to get every opportunity to win this spot long term.

MAY  BE GOING SOMEWHERE:

Darwin Barney, Luis Valbuena, Cody Ransom, Dioner Navarro

The most attractive piece in this group is obviously Darwin Barney.  His glove makes him an attractive trade piece for someone looking for a really good utility infielder.  Remember, he came up as a short stop and played some third base when he was initially called up.  If his bat keeps coming along, he could be a really good long term starter at second base for a contending team with a shortage in that spot.  He’s 27, so the Cubs may not see him as a long term piece of the core group of players.  He is under team control until 2017, though.  And if he continues to make progress with the bat, he is every bit the kind of player you want at 2B on a contending Cubs team.  Luis Valbuena and Cody Ransom both offer the same kind of value for a team that Jeff Baker added last year.  They are both utility players who can swing the bat some.  They may not bring a lot in return, but that probably wouldn’t stop the front office from sending them away for some intriguing young players.

OUTFIELD:

MAY BE GOING SOMEWHERE:

Alfonso Soriano, David DeJesus, Nate Schierholtz, Scott Hairston, Ryan Sweeney

The safest bet for any of the outfielders to go anywhere is David DeJesus.  A veteran, left handed hitter who can take pitches and work counts  while offering solid defense at all three outfield positions is always in demand.  If the price is right, DDJ is out the door.  It’s just not clear what his value is.  It can’t be too much higher than it was last year, and he wasn’t traded then.  I sense that he would have been traded last year if there was a market for him, which gives me some reason to think he’s not the slam dunk to be traded that some are calling him.  Soriano is going to be shopped aggressively, and if the Cubs find a team willing to package some good pieces together and Soriano is willing to waive his no trade rights, he likely goes at the deadline.  There is too much uncertainty with Soriano, though.  He’s picky.  And he has that right.  If the Cubs get a call about the other three players, I am sure they will listen, and if they can get a prospect of two that they like, there is almost no chance they refuse.

None of this is to say that the Cubs will stand pat at the deadline.  It just isn’t clear who will or will not be going anywhere.  There are not the sure things this season, like Ryan Dempster last season.  There are attractive pieces on this team for others to look at, but none of them are necessarily special.  Matt Garza would net the most in return, theoretically, but if Jed and Theo don’t get a package they like, it is hard to believe they will trade him for the sake of trading him.  That actually applies to pretty much everybody on the roster short of Feldman.  He is a true rental, even for the Cubs, so if they can squeeze a prospect out for him, they probably wouldn’t hesitate to do so.  They may be a little more choosey with Villanueva only because they have him next season, too, and if they plan on being in the hunt next year, he’s a nice piece to have.  Or, if we’re looking at another cold assessment that leads to selling, he has value then, too.

Expect some movement from the Cubs.  Just don’t expect them to send away everything not nailed down like last year.  This is year two.  It’s time to start hanging on to some of the talent.

Errors In Judgement

There is no denying that it’s been tough to watch at times in the early going.  The errors, the lack of hitting with runners in scoring position, the lack of patience at the plate, the base running blunders…it’s all been quite frustrating.  There is a bright side, though.  It can’t get any worse.

In my Central Division Preview, I called the Cubs an 80 win team.  I made my predictions, intentionally early, based on the on-paper roster.  It actually looks pretty good right now.  *Hold on, meatball…before you call me a moron and tell me to watch the games, you’re right.*  But hear me out.  The Cubs are losing games, which is to say they are not being beaten by the other teams, but by themselves.  We can agree they played well enough to win one against the Braves, two more than they did against the Giants, and probably the first two of this series against the Brewers without the mistakes which have cost them early.  There are five wins in there the Cubs don’t have, that they could have.  And really, if they win two or three of those five games, nobody’s saying anything about the errors or struggles with runners in scoring position because an 8-8 or a 7-9 record would be acceptable based on what we were expecting this season.

More silver lining:  the mistakes are inexcusable.  They are not, however, uncorrectable.  Change can happen with the defense, especially when the vast majority are effort mistakes.  Anthony Rizzo is a very good defensive first baseman, and has made two uncharacteristic plays in the last two nights.  Both of them were because he was trying to rush.  Friday, on a play against a speedy Nori Aoki, and last night trying to get an out and throw home on a play he wasn’t going to make.  Ultimately, the play last night didn’t matter.  Sure, he bobbled the ball, but they still got the out at first base, and he wasn’t going to hold Logan Schafer at third anyway.  That’s a “no harm, no foul” play.  The misplay was not relevant to the outcome of the play.  Starlin Castro is our favorite whipping boy, and it probably has a lot to do with his off the charts talent.  His issues have not been concentration related, either as much as they’re publicized as.  Say what you will about an error with the pitcher running, but that was a physical mistake, not taking his time and making the play.  Stop with the garbage “you have to be aware of who’s running” stuff.  Last night was no different.  Actually, it was the same play.  Two outs, and making the play ends the innings and ends the scoring threat.

Photo: Jeffrey Phelps/ AP

Photo: Jeffrey Phelps/ AP

None of this is to say that we shouldn’t be disappointed or frustrated or cover our eyes while we watch yet another defeat being snatched out of the jaws of victory.  At the end of the day, though, who cares?  The front office, and Theo Epstein, in particular make no qualms about “playoffs or protected pick.”  He said that they’re going to take the “cold assessment” in the middle of the season.  There is no valor in winning 78 vs 73.  He’s absolutely right, too.  Hell, I’ll take it a step further.  When you watch the game today, look across the field at the other dugout.  They won 83 last season.  Our guys got 61.  Everybody finished on the same day.  Their fans get to talk about the magical “winning season” and we get mocked for “101 losses.”  But in June, the Cubs get a prize.  They get Mark Appel or Jonathan Gray.  They get a chance at a college arm who can be teamed with Jeff Samardzija for years to come.  The Brewers coughed up a first round pick for three years of Kyle Lohse, and with it, stay stuck in mediocrity.  They can have their 75-84 wins each year.  If the Cubs go down with another 100+ losses this season, that’s alright. *Cue Meatball fan throwing closing the browser window…NOW*  It’s not like tthe Cubs have had a difficult time attracting free agents.  Edwin Jackson was one of the prizes of last winter’s class, and he came.

The Cubs are in the midst of culture change.  A welcome one.  Look across the field at the Brewers, again.  Now think back to 2011 and what the Cubs were.  In 2011, the Cubs didn’t have anybody but Starlin Castro who would actually be improving over the course of the next 4-5 years.  Everyone on the roster was either in or past their prime.  They won 71 games.  It was miserable.  It was worse than we have now because it was hopeless.  We wanted to think adding Carlos Pena and trading the farm for Matt Garza would be enough to have another magical winning season.  We hoped Carlos Zambrano wouldn’t be a complete headcase, and with him, Garza, and Ryan Dempster, there would be a rotation worth running out each day.  We had Kerry Wood and Sean Marshall setting up for Carlos Marmol, which turned out to be a decent pen when the Cubs actually led.  Aramis Ramirez was still at third and it didn’t look like an endless abyss of suck.  The reality of that team, though, is that the only player who played any considerable amount of time with any potential to grow was Starlin Castro.  *Meatball, if you’re still with me,  I’m talking to you again…yes, Starlin is getting better.  No, we shouldn’t trade him unless we get a lot in return, and yes, his defense is above league average.*  Now, look at the Brewers.  Lucroy is pretty good, but at 26 is probably not going to get much better, if at all.  Ryan Braun is in the twilight of his 20s, and is in his prime.  Jean Segura is a young and talented player who will improve.  But apart from that, who else is there?  Their minor league organization is bare, and Aramis Ramirez is two years older than the past his prime Rami we saw a couple of years ago.  Corey Hart can’t stay healthy, and is starting to get to the point of decline.  Rickie Weeks is a laughable shell of his former self.  It all looks very familiar to our situation a couple of years ago.

The point of all of this is that, like Wrigley Field, the product on the field was a real mess a couple of years ago.  That’s why Jim Hendry was fired, that’s why Theo Epstein was given the reigns, and that’s why we are where we are.  It needed to be done.  Like any massive renovation, some things are going to be broken down, some things are going to be ugly and tough to handle, but in the end, the foundation will be stronger and the finished product will look better.  If you take anything from this series, take it as progress.  Two short years ago, the Cubs may have won some games because a less talented team made some silly mistakes against a team of aging veterans who weren’t going to be better than 71 wins, but wouldn’t beat themselves as often.  Honestly, I would rather the Cubs throw the ball around the diamond and beat themselves than get run day after day.  That’s not happening.  What is happening is a young team learning to play together, and learning to win together.  It’s hard to watch.  It may result in being swept out of Milwaukee.

We knew what 2013 was coming in.  It still is.  A bridge to next year.

2013 Positional Preview: The Rotation

The positional previews return after a bit of a delay, but some clarification as to how the starting rotation is going to stack up when the Cubs break camp and head north.

Photo: Jesse Rogers, ESPN

Photo: Jesse Rogers, ESPN

While this preview is going to be the rotation as a whole, when injuries are settled, the start of the season, with the injury to Matt Garza and the delayed return of Scott Baker, is going to show off whatever depth the front office was able to assemble this winter.  Between a challenging schedule and the rotation not being at full strength to start the season, there is some real likelihood that this is going to be the rotation until the end of July, and no longer…

1. Jeff Samardzija

This differs from the division preview only in the manner that Jeff is taking the ball on Opening Day.  As hard as he’s worked, he’s earned the opportunity to start in Garza’s absence.  This season figures to be a step forward for “Shark,” after posting some solid numbers in his first season in the rotation and improving as the season wore on.  The most impressive improvement came in the walks department, issuing 56 free passes in 174.2 innings last season after walking 50 in 88 innings in 2011.  Samardzija has all of the tools to be an ace caliber pitcher and this season is going to be the first step toward that.

2. Matt Garza

Look, I know he’s starting on the DL.  I also know he might be back for a couple of months, then packing his bags for good.  I also know he is going to be a vital starter for the team when he gets back.  He’ll either display that he is healthy and the team will trade him for pieces for the future, or he will show that he is worthy of the extension that has been talked about since he got to Chicago.  This is a big year for Garza professionally, and I would expect that he shows it.  I love the guy and think he would be worth a deal similar to the one Edwin Jackson signed…but that’s not up to me.

3. Edwin Jackson

Photo: WGN

Photo: WGN

The aforementioned Jackson signed a 4 yr/ $52M deal this winter, which finally gave him some stability.  He’s been with five teams over the last three seasons, but he’s seemingly always been around winning teams.  His numbers aren’t jaw dropping, but he eats innings, and doesn’t walk very many.  At the tail end of his deal, the Cubs expect to be a contender, and are hoping he’s in the back of the rotation.  They also hope that some piece of mind about where he’s going to be and some stability in coaching and messaging helps improve his numbers.  He was a top prospect coming through the minor leagues, but his career has never quite matched that potential.  He’s been around for a long time, but is still young enough that he may improve some, yet.  It seems, though, that with Jackson, what you see is what you’re going to get.

4. Scott Feldman

Feldman, like Scott Baker is on  a one year contract to prove that he can be an effective starter.  His numbers make you cringe a little bit, but the man was pitching in Texas, where ERAs go to die.  His career has been spent swinging back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation, and again, here, with some certainty that he will be taking the ball every fifth day may help him pitch better.  He’s out to prove that he can be a major league starter, so I would expect him to come to work everyday because he’s going to be a free agent again next winter.

5. Travis Wood

Travis Wood is likely going to be the one sent to Iowa when Scott Baker returns.  The reality is, Wood is young and has minor league options remaining, so he’ll be the one to go.  That being said, Wood was solid at times last season for the Cubs, and showed some real growth in his first season after coming over from the Reds.  His future, either as a back end starting pitcher or a long reliever in the ‘pen, seems to be pretty bright at the moment.

**UPDATE**
As a reader was kind enough to point out, Travis Wood is out of options.  Thinking he had one more is a fine illustration of my ability to count.  That said, it doesn’t change that he is likely the odd man out of the rotation when Baker joins the club.  He will then probably join the cluster of pitchers in the bullpen. **

Other Contributors: Scott Baker, Carlos Villanueva

There is no doubt that Scott Baker will be in the rotation when he returns to the team in May.  The cautious approach to bringing him back from Tommy John surgery is being applied, and while Baker made it clear at the Cubs Convention that he feels good and is ready to go, the team is making sure he is 100% when he returns.  I can’t say I blame them.  That’s probably a wise move for a guy who is going to be trade bait at the deadline.  Carlos Villanueva is on a two year deal, and will be mostly used as a long man out of the bullpen, but he’s a very good spot starter.  He’s a guy who can be leaned on for a start without massacring the bullpen, which is an asset that nearly every team would love to have.

2013 NL Central Preview

Ah, yes…we have reached the time of the year where bats start cracking and gloves start popping.  Spring Training is upon us.  While pitchers and catchers are on the cusp of having to report, there are a number of position players who have already descended on Arizona.  It would not have been surprising to see players wait until the last possible day before reporting after last season’s 61 wins.  Many will do that, anyway.  It is good to see that there are players in camp and working, already.  It is evidence of the players having some optimism for this season.

Optimism is admirable, considering the Cubs will not contend this season, either.  Don’t get me wrong, here…they’re going to be much better than they were last season.  I predicted last season’s version of the Cubs would finish with a record of 77-85.  My prediction appeared to have some validity until the trade deadline.  While it was anticipated the team would sell at the deadline, the degree to which they did, coupled with the losses of Matt Garza to injury and Jeff Samardzija to an innings limit pushed the Cubs to the wrong side of 100 losses for the first time since 1966.  This season, even if they do end up trading some players (Matt Garza the most likely), they have some depth to keep the losses from piling up as quickly and as plentifully as they did in 2012.

A great many prognosticators are saying the Cubs are a lock for last place this year with the Astros leaving for the American League.  As ESPN’s Lee Corso would say, “NOT SO FAST MY FRIENDS!”  This season, it appears the Pirates walk the plank, right into the cellar…

Consider this the official prediction of the division in 2013, in both  final standing and record for each of the now five NL Central ball clubs.

1. Cincinnati Reds (94-68)

With the top of the division, it’s the status quo.  The Reds are still the most complete team in the division and have, arguably, the best bullpen in baseball.  I say that knowing full well that Dusty Baker plans on slowly sucking the life out of Aroldis Chapman’s arm.  For now, though, they are the best team, and with a healthy Joey Votto, there isn’t a good reason why they wouldn’t win the division this season.  A team without major holes is a team that seems destined to win a division.  That best explains the Reds, and the only thing I can see changing this is a rash of injuries.  Even that seems unlikely to cause the Reds to falter, as the team without Joey Votto for a sizable piece of 2012 still won the division by a wide margin.

Projected Line-Up
1. Shin-Soo Choo, CF
2. Brandon Phillips, 2B
3. Joey Votto, 1B
4. Jay Bruce, RF
5. Ryan Ludwick, LF
6. Todd Frazier, 3B
7. Zack Cozart, SS
8. Ryan Hanigan, C

Projected Rotation:
1. Johnny Cueto
2. Mat Latos
3. Bronson Arroyo
4. Aroldis Chapman
5. Homer Bailey

Key Relievers:
Set-Up: Sean Marshall
Closer: Jonathon Broxton

2. St. Louis Cardinals (89-73)

As sick as it makes me, the Cardinals are chalk for a winning season and competing for a Wild Card…especially since there are two of them, now.  Even with the loss of Chris Carpenter, there is a wealth of depth on this team and in this organization.  They seem to heal wounds better than any team in baseball.  That, in large part, comes from the best farm system in baseball, according to ESPN’s Keith Law.  Without any major changes to the way this team is constructed from last season and Adam Wainwright being a full season past Tommy John Surgery, there is no good reason why they would fail to meet their usual standards of being a complete pain in the neck.  Even after losing Albert Pujols, Tony LaRussa, and Chris Carpenter, they’re still pretty darn good.  Which blows.  Hard.

Projected Line-Up
1. John Jay, CF
2. Rafael Furcal, SS
3. Carlos Beltran, RF
4. Matt Holliday, LF
5. David Freese, 3B
6. Yadier Molina, C
7. Allen Craig, 1B
8. Daniel Descalso, 2B

Projected Rotation:
1. Adam Wainwright
2. Jaime Garcia
3. Jake Westbrook
4. Lance Lynn
5. Shelby Miller

Key Relievers:
Set-Up: Marc Rzepczynski
Closer: Jason Motte

3. Chicago Cubs (80-82)

Unlike the top two teams, everyone else has some question marks, starting with our beloved Cubs.  The outfield looks to be a strength of the organization…but not at the big league level.  Nate Schierholtz was looking for a one year deal to be an everyday player for a reason.  He is very talented, but that hasn’t translated well at the major league level, yet.  David DeJesus is a good on base player and can grind out an at-bat, but is not a prototypical lead off hitter.  He actually projects nicely into the 7th spot in a contending line up.  Third base looks like it will be held by Ian Stewart, if he’s healthy and shows some of the pop he had in Colorado.  He had flashes of it last year, but his wrist just didn’t let it happen like it needed to.  If he doesn’t get the job done, the hot corner will be ice cold for the Cubs again this season.  Luis Valbuena is a nice player, but doesn’t have the punch a corner infielder should have, and Josh Vitters appears to need more minor league time.  There is some question as to whether Wellington Castillo can be the everyday catcher.  Dioner Navarro is a nice addition to help, but Wellington is the most talented and will need to play to his level.  While the offense has some question marks, the rotation has been solidified by the additions of Scott Baker, Scott Feldman, Carlos Villanueva, and Edwin Jackson.  Even if the Cubs do end up trading Matt Garza or have injuries, it will not leave the devastation that trading Ryan Dempster and Paul Maholm and losing Garza to injury did last season.  With seven legitimate options to start, not including Arodys Vizcaino,  the Cubs figure to be in much better shape in the rotation.  The bullpen looks better, too.  Shawn Camp was retained, James Russell is another year in, the team signed Kyuji Fujikawa, and Carlos Marmol seemed to figure it out in the second half last season.  If Marmol gets dealt, which is a real possibility, Fujikawa is an option to step into the closer’s role that was so uncertain for the first half of last season.  Villanueva gives the Cubs a flexible option in the bullpen and as a spot starter, if needed.  Long story short, a much improved pitching staff is going to be a catalyst to a much improved Cubs team in 2013.

Projected Line-Up
1. David DeJesus, CF
2. Starlin Castro, SS
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Alfonso Soriano, LF
5. Ian Stewart, 3B
6. Wellington Castillo, C
7. Nate Schierholtz, RF
8. Darwin Barney, 2B

Projected Rotation:
1. Matt Garza
2. Jeff Samardzija
3. Edwin Jackson
4. Travis Wood
5. Scott Feldman

Key Relievers:
Set-Up: Kyuji Fujikawa
Closer: Carlos Marmol

4. Milwaukee Brewers (77-85)

Looking at the Brewers, they will score runs.  A lot of runs.  I did not include Corey Hart in the projected line-up because he is going to be sidelined for the beginning of the season.  When he comes back, and likely occupies first base, it is going to be full steam ahead at Miller Park.  If they can get some stability out of their starting pitching, if their bullpen improves to be average (or settles for better than worst in the NL), if Corey Hart comes back healthy sooner rather than later, if Aramis Ramirez doesn’t go on a six week slump out of the starting block, and if Ryan Braun emerges clear of PED links again, this team has the potential to have a record just the opposite of what I predicted, and could peak into the playoff window.  There is a lot of if with this team, though.  Generally, some of the ifs work out, but not all of them.  The pitching is suspect.  Mike Fiers was outstanding last season, but with a year to adjust to a guy most teams had never seen and with a season’s worth of tape on him, hitters may be able to get a better read on his less than overwhelming stuff.  I love the kid as a 4th or 5th starter…not as a 2.  The bullpen could be better, but they added nothing to instill confidence in it to anyone but the homeriest of homers up here in Wisconsin.  Too many questions, too many uncertainties, no way to give them the benefit of all of the doubts at their chances of being competitive.

Projected Line-Up
1. Norichika Aoki, RF
2. Rickie Weeks, 2B
3. Ryan Braun, LF
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Matt Gamel, 1B
6. Jonathon Lucroy, C
7. Carlos Gomez, CF
8. Jean Segura, SS

Projected Rotation:
1. Yovani Gallardo
2. Mike Fiers
3. Chris Narveson
4. Marco Estrada
5. Tom Gorzelanny

Key Relievers:
Set-Up: Mike Gonzalez
Closer: John Axford

5. Pittsburgh Pirates (76-86)

I’ll admit, my projected line-up here seems amiss.  I look at the parts they have, and they don’t seem to fit together that well.  I like a number of their offensive players individually, and I think they will score some runs, led by Andrew McCutchen, who is an absolute stud of the highest order.  Like the Brewers, I have major concerns about their pitching staff.  A.J. Burnett is getting older.  Wandy Rodriguez is a good pitcher, but he doesn’t match up well with other number two pitchers in good rotations.  He’s a good middle of the rotation guy.  James McDonald faded down the stretch last season, and will need to figure it out again.  The bullpen, once a strength, loses much of its force by losing its strongest asset in Joel Hanrahan to the Red Sox.  That move alone makes the bullpen average, at best.  With Jason Grilli becoming the closer, it appears to have sent the bullpen just over its head.  Everybody in it is elevated one spot, which to me, seems to be one spot too big for each player.  If Hanrahan were still a Pirate, I could make a good case for the team’s bullpen being the strength of the team.  Without him, it just doesn’t look the same, which is to say it does not look right.  Like the Brewers, too many ifs and concerns to see them being anything more than a team winning in the mid 70s.  For Pirates fans after the last couple of seasons, that may not be desirable, but they’re still much better than the Pirates of the last 20 years have been on average.

Projected Line-Up
1. Neil Walker, 2B
2. Starling Marte, LF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Garrett Jones, 1B
5. Travis Snider, RF
6. Pedro Alvarez, 3B
7. Russell Martin, C
8. Clint Barmes, SS

Projected Rotation:
1. A.J. Burnett
2. Wandy Rodriguez
3. James McDonald
4. Jeff Locke
5. Jeff Karstens

Key Relievers:
Set-Up: Mark Melancon
Closer: Jason Grilli