http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140216&content_id=67835626¬ebook_id=67842904&vkey=notebook_chc&c_id=chc
MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs have yet to play a game under new manager Rick Renteria, but it appears Starlin Castro is the top candidate to be the leadoff man.Castro has a career .300 average batting first, but overall he also has a career .322 on-base percentage, which would not put in him the top 25 in the National League."Starlin has had that role in the past, and I think he did a pretty nice job," Renteria said Sunday. "He's not what you would consider a typical on-base guy. I think that as he continues to get more and more comfortable, hopefully, this year is a year he recovers some of his confidence and that little edge that he brought and that you guys all saw when he was coming up. He's an individual that is looking to do well."Castro batted .300 in 2010, his rookie season, and followed that with a .307 average in '11. But last season, he struggled to bat .245.Renteria is still tinkering with his lineup."We have the whole spring to develop a scheme as to who might fall into that role," he said.
Castro has a career .300 average batting first, but overall he also has a career .322 on-base percentage, which would not put in him the top 25 in the National League.
"Starlin has had that role in the past, and I think he did a pretty nice job," Renteria said Sunday. "He's not what you would consider a typical on-base guy. I think that as he continues to get more and more comfortable, hopefully, this year is a year he recovers some of his confidence and that little edge that he brought and that you guys all saw when he was coming up. He's an individual that is looking to do well."
Castro batted .300 in 2010, his rookie season, and followed that with a .307 average in '11. But last season, he struggled to bat .245.
Renteria is still tinkering with his lineup.
"We have the whole spring to develop a scheme as to who might fall into that role," he said.
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Monday, 17 February 2014 03:47 (ten years ago) link
fuck. why not bat the pitcher first?!
― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 17 February 2014 05:37 (ten years ago) link
The Cubs have Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo tied up for a good while. It will be interesting to see how those bets play out.
They did get a pretty decent starter in Travis Wood out of the Reds for Sean Marshall. Sadly it looks like Sean Marshall has some real injury problems. It doesn't look like he is going to be ready any time soon.
― earlnash, Thursday, 27 March 2014 05:26 (ten years ago) link
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkT82UgCAAAozeP.png
tbf, it was a late night for junior lake
― mookieproof, Thursday, 3 April 2014 16:54 (ten years ago) link
haven't scored in 24 innings
― mookieproof, Friday, 18 April 2014 20:21 (ten years ago) link
David Kaplan ✔ @thekapmanFollowHow about this stat: Starlin Castro at age 24 yrs/17 days 705 hits. Pete Rose at exact same age had 331 hits. #relaxtheguyisyoungandtalented
#convinced #intangibles #grit
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Friday, 18 April 2014 20:37 (ten years ago) link
Jason Hamel did a good job today getting his composure back to strike out Lucroy and get Ramierez in the sixth after giving up first hit to Gomez, walking Gennett, then making an error on a pick off to put them on 2nd and 3rd with one out.
― earlnash, Sunday, 27 April 2014 20:53 (nine years ago) link
three errors in three innings today
― mookieproof, Friday, 16 May 2014 19:25 (nine years ago) link
I'm going to Wrigley for the first time tomorrow. What is the best thing to eat there?
― Evan R, Sunday, 18 May 2014 00:23 (nine years ago) link
Vienna hot dog or, better yet, Italian beef.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Sunday, 18 May 2014 05:57 (nine years ago) link
Anecdotal obviously but the game yesterday against the Brewers was the worst I've seen them look so far this season, with some awful defense and uncharacteristically bad pitching from Samardzija.
― Immediate Follower (NA), Monday, 2 June 2014 18:09 (nine years ago) link
Matthew Kory: "After 90 years the Cubs are switching radio stations, which should make the 17 Cubs fans sober enough to change the station furious."
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 4 June 2014 20:39 (nine years ago) link
kris bryant promoted to iowa, led double-a southern league in batting/obp/slugging/h/bb/r/hr/rbi with tennessee. had a 1.160 ops
kyle schwarber, the fourth overall pick this month, went 12-for-20 with 4 HR and 10 RBI in five games with boise and has already been promoted to kane county
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 21:41 (nine years ago) link
1 run on 10 hits so far today.
― Immediate Follower (NA), Sunday, 6 July 2014 20:29 (nine years ago) link
kyle hendricks' big league debut is not going well : /
― mookieproof, Thursday, 10 July 2014 16:56 (nine years ago) link
travis wood: .256/.293/.538
+0.6 war as a hitter-0.4 war as a pitcher
― mookieproof, Saturday, 26 July 2014 00:19 (nine years ago) link
I missed the whole backup-catcher-wins-game-by-himself-angle
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/7/30/5950979/john-baker-cubs-extra-innings-win-position-player-pitching
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 16:09 (nine years ago) link
sometimes a backup catcher's gotta do what he's gotta do.. win the whole fuckin' thing
― panettone for the painfully alone (mayor jingleberries), Wednesday, 30 July 2014 17:38 (nine years ago) link
and it's Javier Baez debuting tonight, ladies and others
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 4 August 2014 18:48 (nine years ago) link
tomorrow
― mookieproof, Monday, 4 August 2014 18:50 (nine years ago) link
ok i don't always know what day it is
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 4 August 2014 18:54 (nine years ago) link
game-winning HR
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 11:50 (nine years ago) link
Arismendy Alcantara is my current fave baseball name.
― Immediate Follower (NA), Monday, 11 August 2014 00:24 (nine years ago) link
Beyond the name, that guy can run. He's pretty fast.
― earlnash, Monday, 11 August 2014 00:47 (nine years ago) link
I really love Baez' swing, something beautiful about it.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 11 August 2014 02:57 (nine years ago) link
http://giant.gfycat.com/AggressiveShimmeringBushsqueaker.gif
― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 11 August 2014 05:35 (nine years ago) link
just put one in the second deck at citifield dag
― mookieproof, Monday, 18 August 2014 18:48 (nine years ago) link
yeah the cubs are going to be scary
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 18 August 2014 18:54 (nine years ago) link
http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v35471285/chcnym-baezs-tworun-shot-reaches-second-deck
― mookieproof, Monday, 18 August 2014 19:01 (nine years ago) link
Guys
The Cubs blamed Tarpgate on ... Obamacare
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/08/22/the-cubs-grounds-crew-was-short-staffed-because-the-cubs-were-trying-to-avoid-obamacare/
― Immediate Follower (NA), Friday, 22 August 2014 17:28 (nine years ago) link
yeah, i remember alfonso soriano almost didn't sign because they didn't offer health insurance at the time
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Friday, 22 August 2014 17:35 (nine years ago) link
'It's a celebration of the 90's this homestand at Wrigley Field!'
queue Pharrell's Happy*
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 22 August 2014 19:40 (nine years ago) link
baez ~~~~> waveland
― mookieproof, Friday, 22 August 2014 20:05 (nine years ago) link
also wow cubs ownership
i mean, basically all sports team owners are assholes, but some really go the extra mile
― mookieproof, Friday, 22 August 2014 20:07 (nine years ago) link
I wonder what made Arrieta such a good pitcher, suddenly.
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 22 August 2014 21:41 (nine years ago) link
and if his performance his sustainable. and when he is going to be traded for prospects.
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 22 August 2014 21:42 (nine years ago) link
Also, Baez is "the first player in the last 100 years to record three Golden Sombreros in his first 17 games.'
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 22 August 2014 21:43 (nine years ago) link
I believe the GS was called the Golden Influenza in 1918
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Friday, 22 August 2014 21:47 (nine years ago) link
Cubs operate like a fast-food franchise, and that's a problem
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/8/25/6057227/tarpfail-2014-cubs-giants-protested-game-upheld-obamacare
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 25 August 2014 19:46 (nine years ago) link
We should poll the worst owners of the majors.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 25 August 2014 21:31 (nine years ago) link
hard/unpleasant to keep tabs on all of em
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Monday, 25 August 2014 21:53 (nine years ago) link
Is there a good article summing up the failings of the Cubs owners? I've heard people mention what shitheads they are before, but have never read a great summary
― Evan R, Monday, 25 August 2014 22:48 (nine years ago) link
i would like to nominate the owners of the Blue Jays... Rogers. one of the most loathed companies in Canadian history. to give you an idea: they charge $18 for a hot dog and beer and built a golden statue of ted rogers outside the stadium and not, like, an actual baseball player.
― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 26 August 2014 14:49 (nine years ago) link
jeez, that's too many toonies.
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 26 August 2014 15:01 (nine years ago) link
Soler comin' up btw
http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/11410088/jorge-soler-join-chicago-cubs
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 26 August 2014 16:52 (nine years ago) link
Baez thru 90 PA:
.198 / .233 / .465, 40 K
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 27 August 2014 14:14 (nine years ago) link
7 hr and a .267 ISO... downright Rob Deeresque.
― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 27 August 2014 15:09 (nine years ago) link
Since Javier Baez was called up on 8/5, he leads the league in swings & misses with 81. Jon Singleton next with 64
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 15:11 (nine years ago) link
soler, first MLB AB: home run
― LIKE If you are against racism (omar little), Wednesday, 27 August 2014 23:44 (nine years ago) link
just like chuck tanner
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 23:47 (nine years ago) link
off Matt Latos. Of course.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 28 August 2014 00:38 (nine years ago) link
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/next-year-really-might-be-the-year-cubs-fans-082714
― Immediate Follower (NA), Thursday, 28 August 2014 14:54 (nine years ago) link
Baseball Prospectus scouting guy and two-fisted drinking Brooklynite Jason Parks hired by Cubs
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 28 August 2014 15:44 (nine years ago) link
they got a lot of young stud hitters – but I haven't heard anything about pitching.
― Porto for Pyros (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 28 August 2014 17:32 (nine years ago) link
arrieta and wada could be a great start and a horrible what-if for orioles fans.
in general i think we're all stuck in the strd era idea that a good team needs to be dominant both in hitting and pitching when several contending teams have been disproving that and a bunch of teams are doing it with simple mediocrity on one or both sides. mb we just used to figure a playoff team would at least be dominant at hitting based on old not-era-adjusted metrics, so quality pitching seemed like the real factor. idk.
but cameron's also falling into the every-prospect-will-prosper black hole, which fails a lot. how many world series teams -- or even playoff teams -- are constructed almost entirely out of pre-peak youth?
nb i haven't read the article cause i don't really care but i still like talking
weird he doesn't mention the still 24 yo starlin
― linda cardellini (zachlyon), Thursday, 28 August 2014 19:57 (nine years ago) link
kyle hendricks is a young pitcher. i don't know how good he'll be in the long run -- he doesn't have the fastball or stuff of a stud prospect, but he's done very well so far.
they've got cj edwards, who has missed much of the season, but is now in double-a after leading the minors in strikeouts last year.
kinda wonder if they might deal starlin? he's a good player but the mental mistakes don't seem to be going away and he'd no doubt get a nice return. between baez and alcantara and addison russell somebody should be able to play shortstop.
― mookieproof, Friday, 29 August 2014 00:35 (nine years ago) link
2 hrs for Soler tonight, second one was crushed.
― Immediate Follower (NA), Saturday, 30 August 2014 03:01 (nine years ago) link
are you beginning to question your allegiance to the sox?
― mookieproof, Saturday, 30 August 2014 03:03 (nine years ago) link
Soler is seventh player in MLB history with an extra base hit in each of his first five games
― mookieproof, Monday, 1 September 2014 19:40 (nine years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwfLhFVIQAAah5R.png
lol
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 2 September 2014 00:21 (nine years ago) link
― mookieproof, Friday, August 29, 2014 10:03 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I lean to the Sox bc the Cubs fans/mythos is vaguely annoying but I'm not anti-Cubs. Cubs are definitely a lot more exciting than the Sox right now.
― Immediate Follower (NA), Tuesday, 2 September 2014 17:26 (nine years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/Lk72HRY.jpg
― mookieproof, Friday, 12 September 2014 15:02 (nine years ago) link
Fangraph: Building Jake Arrieta
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 19 September 2014 16:24 (nine years ago) link
Edwin Jackson with his 6 era facing off against Kershaw and his 1.8
― panettone for the painfully alone (mayor jingleberries), Friday, 19 September 2014 17:40 (nine years ago) link
not anymore
― mookieproof, Friday, 19 September 2014 18:48 (nine years ago) link
great, more HACKING MASS points for b4rry.
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Friday, 19 September 2014 19:02 (nine years ago) link
kershaw pitching to the score, apparently
― mookieproof, Friday, 19 September 2014 19:22 (nine years ago) link
lol rizzo picked off first in an 8-3 game
― mookieproof, Friday, 19 September 2014 19:52 (nine years ago) link
Last night was the last game at Wrigley without a massive video scoreboard above the bleachers.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 25 September 2014 17:33 (nine years ago) link
that's the price of rooftops across the street progress
― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 September 2014 17:36 (nine years ago) link
early projection has kris bryant as a four-win player next year: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/kris-bryants-very-earliest-2015-projection
― mookieproof, Monday, 6 October 2014 21:18 (nine years ago) link
maddon to the cubs, supposedly
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 29 October 2014 21:27 (nine years ago) link
only way to keep coming Cubs dynasty bearable?
― this horrible, rotten slog to rigor mortis (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 29 October 2014 21:46 (nine years ago) link
thought it was considered poor form to interview/take a coaching job that's already occupied
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 29 October 2014 21:55 (nine years ago) link
Very exciting. Everything's coming together. I just wish we didn't have to keep Bryant down for opening day.
― ENERGY FOOD (en i see kay), Wednesday, 29 October 2014 21:57 (nine years ago) link
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/2179316/thumbs/o-WRIGLEY-RUBBLE-2-900.jpg
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/11/9/7180697/wrigley-field-construction-update-november-8#4337384
― things lose meaning over time (Dr Morbius), Monday, 10 November 2014 18:47 (nine years ago) link
stat analysis opening
http://baseballjobs.m.teamworkonline.com/Jobdetail.aspx?j=74370
― things lose meaning over time (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 19 November 2014 16:39 (nine years ago) link
Visiting hitters won't have their home runs thrown back onto Wrigley Field until May 11, at least, as the Cubs announced the stadium's famous bleachers won't be open for the first month of the 2015 season.
The target date is May 11 for the left field bleachers and late May for the right field bleachers, Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said at the team's convention Saturday.
http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/12184917/chicago-cubs-say-new-wrigley-field-bleachers-ready-opener
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Sunday, 18 January 2015 14:43 (nine years ago) link
@keithlaw Cubs hire Kevin Youkilis as special assistant to get Javier Baez and Albert Almora to take a damn pitch
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 19 February 2015 19:16 (nine years ago) link