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General Discussion => Talk Zone => Topic started by: MusicMan on January 19, 2015, 10:01:52 am

Title: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: MusicMan on January 19, 2015, 10:01:52 am
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/01/cubs-close-to-dexter-fowler-trade.html

Astros reportedly getting big league players in return - who do the Cubs have at 3b other than Bryant?
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: austro on January 19, 2015, 10:06:48 am
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/01/cubs-close-to-dexter-fowler-trade.html

Astros reportedly getting big league players in return - who do the Cubs have at 3b other than Bryant?

Wrong question. Who's their catcher?
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: MusicMan on January 19, 2015, 10:18:13 am
@CSNMooney: Source confirms reports #Cubs will acquire Dexter Fowler from #Astros for Luis Valbuena and Dan Straily.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: MusicMan on January 19, 2015, 10:21:41 am
@EvanDrellich: Luhnow says Straily will complete for a spot in the rotation, not guaranteed one.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: subnuclear on January 19, 2015, 10:22:30 am
Valbuena had a pretty good offensive year last year and mostly played 3B. Also hits left.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: MusicMan on January 19, 2015, 10:22:51 am
@EvanDrellich: “If a player isn’t helping us win ballgames … we have other options. Valbuna will get a long hard look at third base.” - Luhnow
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: juliogotay on January 19, 2015, 10:45:46 am
Is Straily is comparable in ability as Lyles then the club is probably a little better off than they were prior to bringing Fowler in.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: roadrunner on January 19, 2015, 10:59:13 am
Feels like a good move.  Wasn't Matty D the worst regular in all of baseball last year?  Anything would be an upgrade.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Russ99 on January 19, 2015, 11:04:22 am
Is Straily is comparable in ability as Lyles then the club is probably a little better off than they were prior to bringing Fowler in.

Straily has a poor year, and a disastrous run out of the pen. Let's hope we get the guy who was solid starting for the A's in 2013.

Not sold on Valbuena, but at least he'll give us solid defense at 3B. The last thing we need is another sub .250 hitter with some power and 100+ strikeouts.

Had Fowler not been so far apart in arbitration numbers, I think we could have gotten more, or at least less risky players in return.

Sad to see him go, hope Marsinick can give us similar production at the top of the order.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: jbm on January 19, 2015, 11:07:52 am
Is Straily is comparable in ability as Lyles then the club is probably a little better off than they were prior to bringing Fowler in.
I'd be real surprised if Straily approximates Lyles, but I never expected McHugh to be so good either.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Mr. Happy on January 19, 2015, 11:58:28 am
I'd be real surprised if Straily approximates Lyles, but I never expected McHugh to be so good either.

I really liked Straily's arm when he was with the A's. We'll have to see how he fares in Houston.
Title: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: geezerdonk on January 19, 2015, 12:11:48 pm
Good trade.

Straily is only 26. Back in the AL West, maybe he can return to 2013 form and improve from there. He should be a good addition to the rotation.

It doesn't look like Valbuena is any great shakes but he is a big upgrade over Dominguez.

I wonder how Maddon is going to take to Fowler's desultory fielding and indifferent base running. 
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: austro on January 19, 2015, 12:18:10 pm
I wonder how Maddon is going to take to Fowler's desultory fielding and indifferent base running. 

He'll have the usual 30 or 40 games of injury to get over it.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Ty in Tampa on January 19, 2015, 12:18:50 pm
I wonder how Maddon is going to take to Fowler's desultory fielding and indifferent base running. 

BJ Upton was his CF for a number of years.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Reuben on January 19, 2015, 12:35:17 pm
Straily has a poor year, and a disastrous run out of the pen. Let's hope we get the guy who was solid starting for the A's in 2013.

Not sold on Valbuena, but at least he'll give us solid defense at 3B. The last thing we need is another sub .250 hitter with some power and 100+ strikeouts.

Had Fowler not been so far apart in arbitration numbers, I think we could have gotten more, or at least less risky players in return.

Sad to see him go, hope Marsinick can give us similar production at the top of the order.
I cannot imagine they view MarISnick as a leadoff hitter. He's a guy you're ecstatic if he can hit .270/.320/.420 with 15-20 HR and 20-30 SBs, batting 6th or 7th, because he's a huge asset in CF. But not an OBP guy.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: juliogotay on January 19, 2015, 12:48:45 pm
I cannot imagine they view MarISnick as a leadoff hitter. He's a guy you're ecstatic if he can hit .270/.320/.420 with 15-20 HR and 20-30 SBs, batting 6th or 7th, because he's a huge asset in CF. But not an OBP guy.

Those numbers would be huge for Marsinick. And, no, he is not a top of the order guy. I suppose Grossman has better job security today.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: subnuclear on January 19, 2015, 12:55:19 pm
Wouldn't Lowrie be a reasonable leadoff guy?

Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Nate Colbert on January 19, 2015, 01:05:19 pm
Fowler's projected salary was $9.7MM (midpoint of the salary arbitration offers) and Valbuena will earn $4.2MM in 2015. That net savings of $5.5MM knocks down payroll to around $62MM. Plenty of room to add salary later (like, say, at the trade deadline).
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: roadrunner on January 19, 2015, 01:31:21 pm
Good move adding depth at 3B and SP.  I think this makes the team better in 2015 and beyond. 

I also wouldn't be surprised if Tucker is in RF by mid-year with Springer in CF.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: HudsonHawk on January 19, 2015, 01:36:18 pm
Wouldn't Lowrie be a reasonable leadoff guy?

If you have no one else.  He's not exactly a get-on-base kind of guy, nor any kind of base stealing threat. 
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: roadrunner on January 19, 2015, 01:41:47 pm
Wouldn't Lowrie be a reasonable leadoff guy?



I don't think there is a good leadoff option on this team.  Altuve will probably be it by default.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: MusicMan on January 19, 2015, 01:45:22 pm
FanGraphs likes the deal:

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/astros-and-cubs-complete-swap-to-fill-current-needs/
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Fredia on January 19, 2015, 02:22:05 pm
the Astros need a Biggio...how old are his sons?
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Reuben on January 19, 2015, 07:14:40 pm
Those numbers would be huge for Marsinick. And, no, he is not a top of the order guy. I suppose Grossman has better job security today.
Actually, those numbers are not that far off from what he did with the Astros last year, and they're less than what he did in AA and AAA. Not that we should expect that from him, per se, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: juliogotay on January 19, 2015, 08:23:30 pm
Actually, those numbers are not that far off from what he did with the Astros last year, and they're less than what he did in AA and AAA. Not that we should expect that from him, per se, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility.

I just looked up his numbers from last year and I was surprised he hit .270. He has a ways to go though in the power dept. with just 3 HRs last year but he is big and strong enough to do it and to have a quantum leap one year, maybe this one. I like him and think he has alot of room to grow and his defense is outstanding.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Jacksonian on January 19, 2015, 09:47:51 pm
I just looked up his numbers from last year and I was surprised he hit .270. He has a ways to go though in the power dept. with just 3 HRs last year but he is big and strong enough to do it and to have a quantum leap one year, maybe this one. I like him and think he has alot of room to grow and his defense is outstanding.

His history is to struggle on first exposure to a level then when comfortable, usually his second season, to hit with more power and reasonable average.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: juliogotay on January 20, 2015, 07:24:06 am
His history is to struggle on first exposure to a level then when comfortable, usually his second season, to hit with more power and reasonable average.

His power started showing up late last year. IIRC his HRs came in the last 4-6 weeks. I remember him crushing one ball at home against Seattle.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: roadrunner on January 20, 2015, 09:08:17 am
If this team is actually going to be a contender it will require someone like Marisnick to perform well above expectations.  Same goes for Springer.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: MusicMan on January 20, 2015, 10:40:31 am
If this team is actually going to be a contender it will require someone like Marisnick to perform well above expectations.  Same goes for Springer.

I see Singleton as the key to the offense performing above expectations.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Jacksonian on January 20, 2015, 10:42:41 am
I see Singleton as the key to the offense performing above expectations.

I agree but would add Springer to that.  Marisnick's offense won't be the difference maker.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Duman on January 20, 2015, 11:19:51 am
I agree but would add Springer to that.  Marisnick's offense won't be the difference maker.

I would happy with Springer & Singleton simply performing up too expectations.  Expectations have been set so high, I am not sure how they can exceed them. 
Title: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: geezerdonk on January 20, 2015, 12:15:22 pm
Marisnick's size and speed make him an intriguing prospect and he still has time to develop. He is 18 months younger than Springer. If he gets the center field job, he will be a big upgrade over Fowler in defense and base running; but a big downgrade in OBP. He must improve on 14 walks in 355 major league PAs.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: Jacksonian on January 20, 2015, 12:41:29 pm
Marisnick's size and speed make him an intriguing prospect and he still has time to develop. He is 18 months younger than Springer. If he gets the center field job, he will be a big upgrade over Fowler in defense and base running; but a big downgrade in OBP. He must improve on 14 walks in 355 major league PAs.

He's never been a high OBP guy.  Nor has he been a high base stealing guy.  He's a high defense, decent power player.  He'd fit as a 6 or 7 hole hitter more than a 2 hole hitter, NTTAWTT.  But with the current team and if Dominguez is not playing he could end up hitting 8th or 9th.
Title: Re: Fowler a Cub?
Post by: roadrunner on January 20, 2015, 01:33:25 pm
I agree but would add Springer to that.  Marisnick's offense won't be the difference maker.

Singleton seems more fungible to me with the addition of Gattis.