wow soto is an exceptional hitting catcher according to duff...i guess pitching in the league has just gotten exponentially better since his rookie yr (only yr he was an above average hitter for a catcher).
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wow soto is an exceptional hitting catcher according to duff...i guess pitching in the league has just gotten exponentially better since his rookie yr (only yr he was an above average hitter for a catcher).
hawkfarmer
Well-Known Member
He also hit .280 in 2010 which was pretty good, but 3 out of 5 years he has not been very good.
thejumper5
Well-Known Member
One of the big things that really helps the Cubs is the number of potential buyers in this year's trade market. In addition to the 6 division leaders, the expanded Wild Card makes it so that 22 teams are within 5 games of a postseason spot right now. The Cubs are one of the few true sellers right now, so they should be able to get some decent quality back on their trades.
true but he only had 54 rbi that yr. since his rookie yr he hasnt had more than 54 rbi. for a hitter that some people think is above average for a catcher (which he isnt) you would expect more than an rbi once every 3 games.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
The Blue Jays have lost 3 of their starters to the DL. They are still in contention and could drive up the price on Dempster or Garza. Blue Jays are a small market team and the Cubs seem willing to pay most of the salary owed to Dempster for the rest of the year to get prospects in return.
I keep hearing the Pirates are interested in LaHair.
I keep hearing the Pirates are interested in LaHair.
Section136
Well-Known Member
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
RBI's are overrated IMO when it comes to determining someone's proficiency with a bat. It depends on where you're hitting in the lineup.. In Soto's defense, he has typically been hitting lower in the lineup and probably hasn't had as many chances as if he'd been hitting cleanup. Same thing for Leadoff hitters.. they don't get a lot of RBI's but it doesn't necessarily mean they aren't good hitters.
The C position isn't going to be one of your better hitting spots in the lineup. Catchers that drive in 100 runs every year are pretty rare, especially considering it's a position where guys aren't going to play 162 games a year. But Soto has still been pretty poor the last couple years - even for a catcher.
i am not saying drive in 100 but his great rookie yr that people look to he had over 80 rbi. he hasnt surpassed 54 since. that is a big g drop off. he isnt the player everyone thought he would be. he is a career .250 hitter and averages like 16 hrs (in a hitters park so really he isnt a power guy) and he is a 50 rbi guy. that is average for a starting catcher in the mlb. all i have said is he is an average hitter and below average defensively. the fact he is 29 means you probably arent going to see a lot of improvement from what he has shown. and the cubs have young catchers who can do similar or maybe better. he is very expendable.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
They have a few. Joel Carreño is one I might be interested in. He is a high strike out pitcher but has not had much success past AA. John Stilson would be high on my list and Sean Nolin would be as well.
BILLBUCKNER
Well-Known Member
I agree,it's time to cut Soto lose. He had a great rookie season,but nothing close to that since then. I would keep him if he was great defensively,but he is below avg. Get what they can for him.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
Good points, I do not expect Geovany to be one of the teams top hitters or run producers either as that position typically is not a high numbers position. But I either need someone who can hit well for that position or play exceptional defense, a catcher that can block about anything thrown to him and hold runners on first base. Geo is adequate defensively at best so he falls into the category that he needs to hit well for his position, and right now he is not doing that either. I look at what Clevenger and Castillo offer me and I see Soto, who will be a free agent in 2014, as expendable.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
I agree with you - I was just making a point that looking at RBI's isn't necessarily a great indicator of whether someone can hit or not. But certainly if someone stops hitting, their RBI's are going to go down as well.
Looking at Geo's other stats besides RBI, he definitely is not getting it done and agree that he hasn't been the same player since he was a rookie. And yeah, at age 29 - we have probably seen the best we're ever going to see from him, given that catchers wear out over time much more quickly than say a first baseman would.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Yep, agreed. If you can't hit, you'd better be Pudge Rodriguez behind the plate (or at least really good defensively). If you're neither, then it's time to give someone else a shot.
In fact, I would say that about any position on the field. You'd either better be able to hit, or be very good defensively. Or a little of both. Otherwise, you are pretty easy to replace.
All of this also makes me wonder if the Cubs could get much of anything for Soto in a trade.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
Last week I read a rumor that Tampa Bay might be interested. They have Jose Molina who is good defensively but has never hit much at any level. If Soto can show he can hit at all I would think that would be a team that could show some interest. Idk what they would offer in return but Tampa Bay has a deep farm system. I would even take a couple of their "B" level type prospects in return for Soto.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
It is looking more and more like the Cubs will be trading Garza:
Matt Garza Rumors: Cubs Primed to Trade Garza - MLB Daily Dish
Matt Garza Rumors: Cubs Primed to Trade Garza - MLB Daily Dish
hawkfarmer
Well-Known Member
Read an article that Freid the 7th pick in the draft signed yesterday. I really liked him and thought the cubs hsould have taken him. He has now been compared to Kershaw, highly unlikely he turns out that well, but still, I think the cubs may have missed, especially if Almora ends up going to college and it would have been a wasted pick.
hawkfarmer
Well-Known Member
I think this would be in the cubs best interest. Is Garza good, yes, but he is only in control until the end of 2013 then he is a FA. You would need to ink him now to an extension, which will be pricey or get some good prospects for him which the cubs desperately need and could get. I think he gets traded to AL East and Dempster probably to the Dodgers. I am holding out hope Demp comes back to the Cubbies in FA after the season though.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
Almora will sign, all this about him going to college is a typical Boras move to get more money.
I am hoping the Cubs make a deal with Toronto as they have the deepest pockets when it comes to prospects. The best prospects in the Dodgers system are in the lower levels.
Bleacher Report has an interesting rank of the farm systems (Cubs came in 15th).
MLB Power Rankings: Re-Ranking All 30 MLB Farm Systems Post-Draft | Bleacher Report
hawkfarmer
Well-Known Member
I don't think that the Jays would take both and my guess is they'd be more interested in Garza with his past in the AL east. Also if you can get more value for Dempster with lower level prospects if they are highly regarded, but just young that is ok too. I would love to see a close to ready starting prospect for both honestly. Either way Theo will come through I'm sure.
MisterLucky
Well-Known Member
Castillo has shown me nothing to indicate he belongs in the bigs. Clevenger has at least hit some as a lefty, but I have yet to seen him throw out a baserunner on a steal attempt. Soto has pretty much been a disappointment since his rookie year, although, like someone pointed out, he had a somewhat decent 2010 season.
