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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:39 am 
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Isnt' Maples hurt or something? Hasn't been at XSP, either.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:09 am 
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Big Chicagoan wrote:
Isnt' Maples hurt or something? Hasn't been at XSP, either.

Something must be up with him. I can't find a mention of him anywhere.

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:23 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Keyser Soze wrote:
The original question was Spangenberg for Baez. How many major league games has Baez been in? He has just as good a shot to bust out if not better because he's in a class lower and he was drafted by Hendry/Wilken. It's going to be funny to watch you turn tail when the Cubs trade for Spangenberg.

Apparently you missed my overall point. You do this often. I'll state everything I just said into one easy to follow sentence.

I would rather the Cubs take their chance on a highly touted prospect that projects as a solid middle of the order hitter rather than a highly touted prospect known for his 'grindiness' and speed.

YDG?

Your assessment that Spangenberg is just a scrappy grinder is laughable but it's not like I expected anything else.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:46 am 
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Shouldn't sox fans be more focused on tracking the minor league development of future all star Kenneth Williams instead of worrying about Padres and Cubs prospects?

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:52 am 
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So with the 10th pick in an absolutely loaded draft the Cubs scouting brain trust of Jed Hoyer and John Mcleod selected.......Ryan Theriot. Got it.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:19 pm 
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Cory Spangenberg, 2B San Diego Padres

3/16/1991

Height: 6’0 Weight: 185

Today we look at California League Single-A rookie Cory Spangenberg. The Padres first round pick of 2011 and tenth overall pick of the draft, Spangenberg excelled at a small high school in his home state of Pennsylvania. Winning several honors at Abington Heights High School and even making the Honor Roll.

In 2010 he played for the Virginia Military Institute and hit .380 with 11 HR, 49 RBI and 24 stolen bases earning a selection as the Big South Conference Freshman of the Year. From watching him play and checking out his stats with Indian River State Junior College he appears to be one of the best first round prospects the Padres have picked in years. Last spring he earned state player of the year with a .477 average, 3 HR, 32 RBI and stealing 33 bases in 37 tries.

Here’s a look at what Baseball Instinct’s Thomas Belmont had to say about him in Baseball Instinct’s 360°:

167°. Cory Spangenberg, 2B, Padres, 3/16/1991 - He shows good on base skills with a combined .316 batting average and .419 OBP in 275 ab’s across 2 levels of ball in 2011. Coupled with 25 stolen bases in that same time frame, the on-base skills translate into an excellent table-setting type player. Obviously, this sample size is small and Spangenberg has a ways to go to reach the majors, but it is very impressive how he adjusted so quickly to professional ball. ETA 2014.

The Bat

On my recent trip to Lake Elsinore, Cory helped spark a rally with a single driving in fellow Storm teammate Rico Noel and later scoring following a double by Tommy Medica. They took the lead 2-1 over Bakersfield but surrendered the tying run in the following inning. The game went into extras and Bakersfield finally ended the 16 inning marathon with the final score 4-2.

Spangenberg has a short compact swing and appears to have as smart of approach to hitting as his scholastic awards indicate. He has plus speed and great baseball instinct on the bases. While he could still develop some power I expect he’ll hit more for average than swing for the fences. A glaring weakness right now is his walk rate which is below 5%. To utilize his speed he will need to work deeper counts, drive the gaps and find ways to get on base and keep the offensive parade moving.

He already has 15 stolen bases this season and he finds a way to boost the current .311 OBP his SB chances will jump and he could be 30+ SB threat even at the higher levels.

Nice video put together by Bullpenbanter.com



The Glove

From his warm ups between inning to game play, Spangenberg has a very good feel at second base. He did boot a ball early in the game but it didn’t result in a run. Cory seemed to rush a fairly playable grounder and nobody felt worse than him as he kicked at the dirt. Second base is a wide open position for the Padres and his continued advancement could see him with a look in the next year or two depending on how he performs at the higher levels. He’s currently in direct competition with Jedd Gyorko and it’s a good chance that one of the two will be the Padres 2B of the near future.

Our Instinct

Cory Spangenberg has the makings of becoming a smart and valuable asset to the Padres organization. I will repeat that this overall appears to be one of the best draft choices San Diego has made in years.

This doesn’t speak as much as the bad picks that were made but more about the quality and character of what we’ve seen thus far.
Looking forward to seeing Cory Spangenberg develop further. While he probably is a year or two away from the big leagues he will probably stick with the team once he makes his debut.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:24 pm 
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55°. Javier Baez, SS/3B, Cubs, 12/1/1992 - Offensively he has lightning quick bat speed, which some have compared to another former Florida high school shortstop, Gary Sheffield. Baez is an aggressive hitter although he did show some ability to take walks as an amateur. He has a chance to be an impact hitter who can hit for average and power, decent speed, as well as a solid glove that will likely need to be moved to 3B or the outfield. ETA 2015.

Here’s what we see in Baez at the plate and in the field to rank him where we did.

The Bat

Baez is just entering his first season so the data for any type of statistical analysis isn’t available. But the fact that he hit .711 with 20 HR as a High School senior speaks volumes to his ability.

I had one of the top hitting instructors in the country take a look at the Baez video below:

Skills Show Video



Our friend Joe Francisco of The Performance Factory in New York had this to say about Baez hitting mechanics as he broke the swing down in detail:

Stance:
Relaxed comfortable slightly open stance
Stance is completely individual so it seems to work for him

Load:
Gets into a good launch position
Would like to see a smoother easy move getting back

Approach:
Aggressive approach
Creates momentum
Attacks the ball well

Swing Path:
Flattens out the bat and is able to keep it in line with the ball and in the hitting zone for a long time

Extension:
Gets good extension through the ball giving him the ability to make a mistake in the zone and still square the ball up

Finish:
Over rotates at times which can lead to him pulling off balls

Strengths:
Definitely has some bat speed and pop
Power potential – matches the plane of the ball well and has a good exit path
Aggressiveness – attacks the ball and doesn’t seem to get cheated

Weaknesses:
Technique – can definitely clean up his body position and improve his swing making him way more consistent and repeatable
Aggressiveness – may be susceptible to off speed pitches at higher levels

Overall:
Needs polish mechanically to maximize his ability and reach his high offensive ceiling. Without any game footage its hard to say how he can project but with the lack of instruction at the minor league level he can be hit or miss and is for the most part on his own.

Joe Francisco – March 12, 2012
www.YouTube.com/TeamFrancisco

The Glove

As a High School SS, Baez has the athleticism to handle any position change that may be in his future. His motions are smooth and his arm is well above average. While I would love to prognosticate his defensive home of the future, I just think there are far too many variables for that to be plausible.

If Junior Lake continues his development and proves that 2011 was not a fluke, it will be Lake that makes the first move to either 2B or 3B. I think that Baez may be able to handle either position as well depending on what happens with Lake.

With that being said, Baez seems to be getting a shot at stick at SS. It’s a very clouded picture in Chicago but a nice problem for them to have: three shortstops with major league bats and needs at other positions.

Our Instinct

The top prospect in the Cubs system, Baez has tools on both sides of the game that could make him one of the top hitters in the NL Central. His bat speed is legit and if he can hold onto any bit of his above average speed, he’ll have 5 tool ability when he reaches the majors.

He should start the season back in Boise but could move quickly up the ladder.

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:05 pm 
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Rizzo hurt his knee in todays game running into a fence :shock:

Day to day with a knee contusion.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:39 am 
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What do the Cubs do about Jackson? This guy is really scuffling in AAA right now. I'm hopeful this is just an shitty year for him and he will bounce back next year, but right now he seems to have lost "it". Disappointing.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:47 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
It isn't ideal, but he still is hitting .260 with 30 extra base hits. His OPS is .821.

He needs to get the K's down, and I think he will a bit...but it is fair to say he won't be a leadoff option in the future. Probably a 5 or 6 hitter.



The guy just isn't striking out "a lot", he is striking out more than Adam Dunn and at the AAA level. His OBP is in the toilet, too.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:54 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Big Chicagoan wrote:
immessedup17 wrote:
It isn't ideal, but he still is hitting .260 with 30 extra base hits. His OPS is .821.

He needs to get the K's down, and I think he will a bit...but it is fair to say he won't be a leadoff option in the future. Probably a 5 or 6 hitter.



The guy just isn't striking out "a lot", he is striking out more than Adam Dunn and at the AAA level. His OBP is in the toilet, too.

Isn't his OBP .33x ? That is a full .75 higher than his BA. That isn't bad at all.



Ian Stewart's OBP is .95 higher than his BA.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:01 am 
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He'll be an average starter. Angel Pagan is his ceiling.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:35 pm 
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Jackson is just not that good, another dumb signing...he is a 4th outfielder if he makes it in the Bigs.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:52 pm 
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I don't think you can call it dumb out of hand. The kid was thought to have pretty good tools, albeit a bit of a contact issue. Sometimes that can be developed. Draft picks are always a crapshoot.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:42 pm 
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I would propose that Jackson could actually benefit from being in the bigs as pitchers tend to be around the plate more. His spring training was encouraging.

But, as he had 10 Ks in 29 ABs in spring training, I could possibly be slightly wrong.

Oooh, look!! A straw!!

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 12:17 am 
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I do think BJax will benefit from being in the show. Yes, he will K alot, but I like his makeup and he does have some tools.

Let's give the guy a couple full seasons.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:28 am 
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Stewart to the DL. Looks like Valbuena is gonna get the call. He's been playing well at AAA.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:52 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Call up Vitters already, c'mon....

Theo is going to be strict about this 162 games in AAA thing.

I'm glad he wasn't calling the shots when it came to Castro coming up.



Vitters has not anything in AAA to warrant a call up. And they aren't bringing him up before Rizzo. So you can forget about him until then.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:17 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Do you for some reason believe that every prospect should be hitting .370 in AAA before they should be called up?



I think a guy hitting .268/.317 with minimal power in AAA will translate to completely useless at the major league level. The guy isn't that great at the moment. He's young, but he has shown nothing that would indicate that he could be a solid contributor to a major league team for several years.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:27 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Big Chicagoan wrote:
immessedup17 wrote:
Do you for some reason believe that every prospect should be hitting .370 in AAA before they should be called up?



I think a guy hitting .268/.317 with minimal power in AAA will translate to completely useless at the major league level. The guy isn't that great at the moment. He's young, but he has shown nothing that would indicate that he could be a solid contributor to a major league team for several years.

Yeah, Bryce Harper is terrible. What a useless major leaguer. After all, he only hit .250 in AAA, with minimal power.



Yeah, Vitters is Bryce Harper. Good comparison.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:27 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Big Chicagoan wrote:
immessedup17 wrote:
Do you for some reason believe that every prospect should be hitting .370 in AAA before they should be called up?



I think a guy hitting .268/.317 with minimal power in AAA will translate to completely useless at the major league level. The guy isn't that great at the moment. He's young, but he has shown nothing that would indicate that he could be a solid contributor to a major league team for several years.

Yeah, Bryce Harper is terrible. What a useless major leaguer. After all, he only hit .250 in AAA, with minimal power.



Yeah, Vitters is Bryce Harper. Good comparison.


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:27 am 
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immessedup17 wrote:
Call up Vitters already, c'mon....

Theo is going to be strict about this 162 games in AAA thing.

I'm glad he wasn't calling the shots when it came to Castro coming up.


Many people think Castro was called up too early. Certainly from the financial standpoint.

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:35 am 
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I don't know if I'd go highly touted at this point. He's probably out of or at the very top of an organizational Top 10 list. The only reason he would still be in there is he was prospect #1 at one point. He'll get a call in September most likely.

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:40 am 
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Let's argue semantics!

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:44 am 
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Vitters has a chance to be an above average major league 3rd basemen. He's shown the ability to adapt at every level so a full year at AAA, a Sept call up, then who knows?

He may be one of these guys that 3-5 years down the road develops into a consistent .270/22/80 type of guy with a decent at best glove.

If he gets to that level, I'd take it.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 7:08 pm 
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Hayden Simpson demoted to Boise. Won't be long before he goes the way of Mark Pawalek.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 10:43 pm 
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Simpson had absolutely no business starting the season in high A. I figured they'd knock him down to low A Peoria but they sent him all the way back to rookie ball?? Ouch Babe.


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:50 pm 
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Simpson can't even pitch well in relief in fucking short season rookie ball in boise. Just get this over with Theo and send him up, down or even to the bottom of the river.

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:53 pm 
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Put down the cool-aid everyone. Vitters has no chance of making it on this Cubs team.
Let’s face it, for someone who was drafted with the #3 overall pick 5 years ago he will never achieve what people thought he was capable of doing. When you look at his old scouting reports, the thing scouts kept talking about was how good his eye and power numbers were. Neither of those have ever shown up at the minor league level in any eye-popping fashion. He appears to be more of a gap hitter who NEVER walks. Last season he walked 22 times, but 8 of those times he was hit by a pitch. So that means 14 walks during an entire season. The other thing to be concerned with is his strikeout rate is going in the wrong direction. Throw in the fact that his defense is questionable at best and I can promise you he will drop out of the top ten of any organizational prospect list before next season rolls around (he’s all ready long gone from any national prospect rankings).
He simply does not fit the mold of what this organization wants to be going forward. Starlin Castro is an exception (so far) to this new philosophy (impatient hitter who does not work the count), and Vitters is no where near as talented. He should be traded away along with one of the veterans on the big league roster in an attempt to get more prospects back who fit what the Cubs are looking for because I think his value will continue to trend down. Mine as well get something for him now while you still can. Either way, Josh Vitters will never be a valuable player on the big league roster.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:04 pm 
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cpguy wrote:
Vitters has a chance to be an above average major league 3rd basemen. He's shown the ability to adapt at every level so a full year at AAA, a Sept call up, then who knows?

He may be one of these guys that 3-5 years down the road develops into a consistent .270/22/80 type of guy with a decent at best glove.

If he gets to that level, I'd take it.


Put down the cool-aid everyone. Vitters has no chance of making it on this Cubs team.
Let’s face it, for someone who was drafted with the #3 overall pick 5 years ago he will never achieve what people thought he was capable of doing. When you look at his old scouting reports, the thing scouts kept talking about was how good his eye and power numbers were. Neither of those have ever shown up at the minor league level in any eye-popping fashion. He appears to be more of a gap hitter who NEVER walks. Last season he walked 22 times, but 8 of those times he was hit by a pitch. So that means 14 walks during an entire season. The other thing to be concerned with is his strikeout rate is going in the wrong direction. Throw in the fact that his defense is questionable at best and I can promise you he will drop out of the top ten of any organizational prospect list before next season rolls around (he’s all ready long gone from any national prospect rankings).
He simply does not fit the mold of what this organization wants to be going forward. Starlin Castro is an exception (so far) to this new philosophy (impatient hitter who does not work the count), and Vitters is no where near as talented. He should be traded away along with one of the veterans on the big league roster in an attempt to get more prospects back who fit what the Cubs are looking for because I think his value will continue to trend down. Mine as well get something for him now while you still can. Either way, Josh Vitters will never be a valuable player on the big league roster.


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