Thr Pirates are much better than the Cubs even if Greg Polanco flops.

I believe someone called him a "star utility player"!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

You have to be completely fucking insane to look at Alcantara and think he's the next Ben Zobrist.

Fowler may draw a qualifying offer after the season which would net the Cubs an extra first round pick if they do not sign him.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I'd say the Pirates and the Brewers are better constructed. What I'm saying is, aren't Alcantara and Baez your future? If so, shouldn't they be playing every day? 2015 was supposed to be the year where all the young talent came up and played and got used to the MLB level. 2016 should have been the first year of full contention. Now the Cubs seem to want to be in both places, and my concern would be that the prospects won't get every day playing time. Have the Cubs determined that Alcantara is no good? I just expected a full rebuild with an emphasis on homegrown talent.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

I believe the way it works is that the Cubs have to make a qualifying offer. If he does not accept and gets signed by someone else they get a first round pick

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

What are you saying? I think you're reaching just to play contrarian.

Alcantara was never projected to be the long term CF. The whole reason he played there last season was so that when the time came for him to be a super sub, he could actually play multiple positions defensively. Last year was a success for him in CF. Whether or not he starts 2015 on the Cubs MLB roster, he will be a piece to the puzzle. He is raw, and maybe more time in AAA would HELP him develop. He is still going to get his at-bats when he is on the roster. He can play three outfield spots and the middle infield.

And again, he was not a part of the "core four" prospects.

Baez, Soler, Bryant, and Almora don't lose one at-bat from this move.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Maybe that's a bad thing.

lots of backtracking in post

I remember the day he was a top 35 prospect and a major part of the first wave. Now he is a super sub...whatever that means.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

IF Baez and Soler play every day this year, I'll be happy. I'd like to see Alcantara play every day too but he seems more like an IF prospect than an OF prospect. And who said this guy was a super sub the last few years?

Now, if they're going to trade any of the three players I've mentioned, then disregard what I said.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Factually speaking, he was a top 35 prospect. Also factually speaking, the Cubs had four prospects ranked higher than him.

I just got done saying he is still a major piece. That doesn't mean he should be or needs to be the starting CF in 2015.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Yes, if the Cubs obtain Jordan Zimmermann I'd be super pissed too.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Alcantara is dead. Maybe he puts together a decent career as a bench utility man after failing for a couple more years as a defensive replacement/pinch runner for a non contender, but that's about it. It's going to take a long time for him to just be below average as a hitter. The Cubs know this, everyone in baseball does too. I would almost guarantee the Cubs tried trading Alcantara for Fowler straight up and the Astros declined.

The Cubs are just holding onto him because he's worthless and unmovable. Also, there's always that chance a ballplayer just does what nobody expects. It's the right move, really.

Next they'll have to do the same with Baez, but I don't think that happens until he single handedly tanks the 2015 season.

Some odd pathological hatred for 23 and 22 year-old kids who've yet to play a full season.

THEY. ARE. STOCKED. WITH. NOTHING. BUT. CAN'T MISS. 5 TOOL. PLAYERS. Drafted by a really smart guy with a plan.

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Elections have consequences.

yeah, you lost me there. Alcantara's played how long? And Baez, I don't like the kid's prospects either but he could get more patient at the plate, one never knows for sure this early. That's WHY you take 2015 and sort these kids out at the major league level.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

says the guy who has a man crush on Semien

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

That was me, but he's dead to me now

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Semien at least showed a pulse at the major league level.

Baseball America ranked both Alcantara and Semien in their Top 100 in 2014. It was the first and only time both were ranked.

Semien was ranked #91 behind 3 other Sox Abreu #29, Johnson #63, Davidson #72. So he was the Sox #4 overall prospect going into 2014.

Alcantara was ranked #100 behind 7 other Cubs Baez #4, Bryant #8 soon to be acquired Russel #14, Edwards #28,Almora #36, Soler #41 and Johnson # 87. So on July 4th 2014 he was the 8th overall prospect in the Cubs system.

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What's the point of this post? To illustrate how worthless those ranking are? Baez will never have a season like the one Abreu already had, so whoever ranked him 25 spots above Abreu should probably look for different work.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

For those who subscribe to the "Arismendy is just so talented though!" because of his status on these lists... Erik Johnson (#61) is dead and Matt Davidson (#72) was as bad, maybe worse, than Javier Baez in AAA.

I haven't totally given up hope on Davidson the way I have Johnson quite yet, but this time last year the Sox could have packaged the two for a really good player. Like 2 years of David Price. They will never be that valuable again.

The POINT JORR is that Alcantara was NEVER the TOP Prospect ... he made barely made the list and was behind 6-7 other guys in the Cubs system. Someone on here had him as a Top 35 guy ...he wasn't EVER. He was and is more like Semien then he was like Baez , Bryant or even Abreu. Get it.

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I have my doubts Baez will have any kind of big league career. At least Alcantara will last as a utility man.

The thing that a lot of people seem to miss is that you hope and dream and wish and jerk off to someone like Baez for years and quite often you make a little trade nobody notices for La Stella and that guy is just better than your "future". And that's exactly why tanking five seasons for draft picks is the WRONG way.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

Baez is likely to have a better career than La Stella. Going out on a limb. Not saying he is a star, but that power will stick around. Adam Dunn did it for years, and all he had to do was occasionally leave the bat on his shoulders.

This is Baez' age 22 or age 23 season? We don't take hard stances about the careers of 23 year olds.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

This will be his age 22 season. A year younger than Bryant.

My stance is he'll probably fail. But like you said it's just a guess.

Glad they got Fowler. That OPB is nice. Valbuena was a good guy to have but what are you gonna do.


Alcantara can still be a valuable player. Baez too. Anyone attempting to conclude anything on players with that little experience is either foolish or has an agenda.

LaStella can hit big league pitching. I'm not sure about Baez. And if Baez could get on base like Dunn, hell, he might have a HOF career. I wouldn't hold my breath for that.

Will you be happy if Bryant is as good as Longoria? I know Elmhurst Steve thinks his rookie season will be better than Longoria has ever played.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

I don't really get that. I've seen enough of Baez's at-bats in the majors to know he isn't going to hit doing what he's doing. Sure, he might make adjustments. But guys don't always just get better. Most of the time they find the level where they can't hit. For most of us, that's at 11-12.

What I'd say is more foolish is touting players you wouldn't even recognize because somebody wrote good things about them in a magazine or on a website.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don