MLB: Official Chicago Cubs Offseason Thread
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David Ross Says Adbert Alzolay Will Make the Opening Day Roster (UPDATE: As a Starter!) - Bleacher Nation
Straight from the source.
www.bleachernation.com
Surprised to see Mills will not be in the rotation. Guy threw a no hitter last season, would have preferred they either put Adbert in the pen or stretched him out at Iowa if they wanted him to start. I see Nico is headed to Iowa too and while he's hit well this spring probably better to get everyday playing time while they sort the mess out in Chicago. If Bote and Sogard can't hold down 2B heat least when they bring him up he should be in a groove at the plate already.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
David Ross Says Adbert Alzolay Will Make the Opening Day Roster (UPDATE: As a Starter!) - Bleacher Nation
Straight from the source.
Surprised to see Mills will not be in the rotation. Guy threw a no hitter last season, would have preferred they either put Adbert in the pen or stretched him out at Iowa if they wanted him to start. I see Nico is headed to Iowa too and while he's hit well this spring probably better to get everyday playing time while they sort the mess out in Chicago. If Bote and Sogard can't hold down 2B heat least when they bring him up he should be in a groove at the plate already.
Nico was sent down on the Kris Bryant plan.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Sure, if you want to treat people like trash and chase them off.
The new CBA will likely fix it, but I can see why clubs do this under the current environment.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Oh, I get it. I'll enjoy Nico while he's here. He'll have at least one foot out the door now.
Nah, he loves being a Cub and will continue to love it when he’s called up in a month or two. Whether Tom will pay up when it’s time, that’s a whole other story.
If Nico is not going to be an everyday player to start the season in Chicago letting him develop in Iowa is the right move. He has significantly less AB than most guys the Cubs have fast tracked to Chicago over the years so even if it is about service time I would rather have him tear it up in AAA and force them to promote him than platoon at 2B with Bote and Sogard and get in a funk at the plate and force them to send him down to work it out. Bote has the guaranteed MLB so make him prove it by giving him the starting job. If he can't cut it then send him to the bench and bring Nico up.
Also have to realize this is a transition year so they probably are hoping Bryant gets hot and they can cash in on a trade and if Bote is hitting well then he slides over to 3B after a trade and Nico takes over at 2B. Pederson is only signed to a 1 year deal and if he keeps hitting homers like he is in the preseason he could probably be flipped for some prospects in a deal as well. I would not get too attached to the opening day roster because I think the front office will be looking to maximize returns on the trade market. The NL Central is not good this year and any team that wins the division is just going to get beat badly by any of the top 2 teams in the NL East or West. Even if the Cubs are in contention for the division at the deadline I still hope they sell off because I care more about long term success than going in on a lost cause this year and having nothing to show for it when guys walk in free agency.
This team is not good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs without committing significant resources to fill in the holes in the lineup and rotation while also locking up keep players to long term deal to stay competitive in the near future. The rotation is not going to scare anyone this year as after Hendricks they all are guys that would be no more than the 4 or 5 guy in a rotation for a contending team and can even argue a guy like Alzolay would be starting the year in AAA for a lot of clubs.
Also have to realize this is a transition year so they probably are hoping Bryant gets hot and they can cash in on a trade and if Bote is hitting well then he slides over to 3B after a trade and Nico takes over at 2B. Pederson is only signed to a 1 year deal and if he keeps hitting homers like he is in the preseason he could probably be flipped for some prospects in a deal as well. I would not get too attached to the opening day roster because I think the front office will be looking to maximize returns on the trade market. The NL Central is not good this year and any team that wins the division is just going to get beat badly by any of the top 2 teams in the NL East or West. Even if the Cubs are in contention for the division at the deadline I still hope they sell off because I care more about long term success than going in on a lost cause this year and having nothing to show for it when guys walk in free agency.
This team is not good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs without committing significant resources to fill in the holes in the lineup and rotation while also locking up keep players to long term deal to stay competitive in the near future. The rotation is not going to scare anyone this year as after Hendricks they all are guys that would be no more than the 4 or 5 guy in a rotation for a contending team and can even argue a guy like Alzolay would be starting the year in AAA for a lot of clubs.
The outrage over Nico being set to AAA is beyond stupid... first of all, he's not Kris Bryant type. Nico has struggled at the MLB level and has played basically half a season in the minors. There is a massive benefit to having him spend some time at Iowa developing his offensive game when you have Bote/Sogard who will likely produce at, or above, his level early on this year. Hoerner has good upside, but he needs the development time. He's just not ready yet.
www.nbcsports.com
Wittenmyer: Behold the one time Cubs didn't manipulate system
For all the outcry, the move to send Nico Hoerner to the minors Saturday does not have the look of service-time manipulation, which would make it a rare case for the Cubs and their top young players in recent years.
www.nbcsports.com
The outrage over Nico being set to AAA is beyond stupid... first of all, he's not Kris Bryant type. Nico has struggled at the MLB level and has played basically half a season in the minors. There is a massive benefit to having him spend some time at Iowa developing his offensive game when you have Bote/Sogard who will likely produce at, or above, his level early on this year. Hoerner has good upside, but he needs the development time. He's just not ready yet.
Wittenmyer: Behold the one time Cubs didn't manipulate system
For all the outcry, the move to send Nico Hoerner to the minors Saturday does not have the look of service-time manipulation, which would make it a rare case for the Cubs and their top young players in recent years.
While these rules obviously greatly benefit ownership, they also put management in a tough spot. I agree this isn't the Bryant situation. Nico has potential, but is probably best served in AAA for now. But you do have to consider how much ill-will you are creating with someone who has the potential to be a cornerstone for your rebuild. If you are hoping to get him early on some kind of team-friendly deal ala Rizzo, creating bad blood in a scenario that looks like manipulating service time probably doesn't help that.
