Here’s a look at the NL Central:
- Carrie Muskat of MLB.com ran down six Cubs prospects to keep an eye on this spring. Â Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Kyle Schwarber made their presence felt in 2015 and there are a handful of youngsters that could make an impact in 2016 for Chicago. Â That list includes outfielder Albert Almora, the Cubs’ first round selection in 2012. Â Almora has been held back by injuries, but the 21-year-old is now healthy and he’ll open the season at Triple-A Iowa.
- Daniel Bard believes that he’ll get the fresh start that he needs with the Pirates, as Adam Berry of MLB.com writes.  “What I like about being here is I don’t know anybody. Basically, I’m going to get what I deserve here,” Bard said. “What I do on the field is going to dictate who I’m pitching for and where I’m going, and I’m fine with that.”  Bard, Boston’s first-round pick in the 2006 Draft, dominated from 2009 through 2011.  However, he hasn’t been the same pitcher since.  In that three year stretch, Bard posted a 2.88 ERA in a considerably more hitter-friendly era than today’s game even a few short years later. That 2.88 ERA, when adjusted for the league and Bard’s home of Fenway Park, resulted in a 154 ERA+, indicating that he was 54 percent better than a league-average pitcher. He averaged 9.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in that time to go along with a well-above-average ground-ball rate and a fastball that averaged better than 97 mph.  Bard and the Bucs agreed to a minor league deal back in January.
- Over the weekend, the A’s acquired outfielder Khris Davis from the Brewers in exchange for prospects Jacob Nottingham and Bubba Derby.  Click here to check out some reactions to the deal and the impact it could have on Oakland and Milwaukee.
Almora is going to have to pick it up 4 yrs of .287 BA and .323 OBP in the minors shows he won’t cut it in the majors. Yet he has always been ranked (over hyped Theo pick) in the top 100 but has yet to dominate the minors. So far Theo has hit on his top 5 picks ( Bryant and Shwarber) but hasn’t had any other picks outside of them two to be worthy of the hype. Luckily he has made great trades and was given the go ahead to splurge on the international draft.
Theo had 5 picks.
Bryant looks like a future star
as does Schwarber
Almora had a .727 OPS while playing gold-glove defense as a 21 year old in AA
Pierce Johnson’s MiLB stats are ridiculous
Ian Happ OPS’d .822 in his 67 professional games
I don’t see where your point is valid. Not every first round pick is gonna be a super star. If Almora is a league average hitter, hes gonna be an above average player because of his defense.
Clearly he is a troll!
Probably a White Sox fan Brixton
With Albert Almora’s already MLB caliber plus defense in CF, anything approaching a .287/.323/.416 triple slash would look just fine on the Cubs in 2017 or 2018. Best to keep in mind that Almora was an 18-year old high school draft pick in 2012. He has been among the youngest players at every minor league level that he has played in his professional career. He will likely debut with AAA Iowa to open the 2016 season. Had Almora played college ball for 3 years, he would probably be looking at a season in A or AA this year.
Your criticism of Theo Epstein is equally unwarranted. If the Cubs organization was doing such a poor job of drafting and developing players, how is it that they are still ranked among the top 5 minor league systems after graduating 6 of their top prospects (Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Kyle Hendricks) in the past 1-1/2 years? They currently have another 6 players ranked in most top-100 prospect lists this off-season.
You appear to be nothing more than an uninformed troll with your biased comment.
Baseball America ranked the Cubs system #20 in their most recent Prospect book.
That’s most likely a fair assessment…everyone needs to keep in mind how many prospect have already been called up to The Show. The vast majority of the Cubs lineup features players that were top prospects not too long ago.
If his slashline is .287/.323/.416 vs AA pitching would equal what he will do to MLB pitching, you clearly are delusional.
He has not dominated the minors like most top prospects do and I’m just pointing out the fact that he hasn’t shown anything in the minors to warrant his ranking. Only thing he has going for himself right now is that he is Epstein #1 pick.
I never said that the cubs don’t do a good job developing players. I’m just pointing out the facts that the only two DRAFT PICKS that Epstein has made that have made a contribution so far happen to be top 5 draft picks.
You cant expect to draft a player and they be in the majors the next year. or two Not everybody can be a Seager,Trout,Stanton,Bryant or Bryce Harper…
You do realize that there are quite a few top prospects that don’t dominate the minors, right? Prospects are in the minors to develop their game, not to accumulate stats. Teams do their best to put them in situations where they will be challenged. Prospects are generally ranked on their overall ability and tools. How they did the year before in a lower level does little for their rankings. Dominating a level will usually increase their stock solely by bringing attention to them. There are many many many prospects that dominated the minors and then got owned by MLB pitching (Jesus Montero anybody)
Nicely said pipn8ez
Will play his first AAA game before he turns 22 with elite defense and plus baserunning. If he develops in to an average ml hitter he is a kiermaier lite. Above average player is solid, they cant all be stars.
Agree, I don’t know if I would call him a ML threat on the basepaths or at least I don’t consider him a SB threat, from what I’ve read great defender though.
Almora could come up right now and play CF,push Heyward to RF and be one of the best defensively in the game.The Cubs are just being patient with his bat.,which they can afford to do..I can see Almora come up in the second half this year especially if he can stay healthy and improve his batting.
Really……?, he is the cubs best defensive center fielder in their system, that doesn’t mean that he is the best defensive cf in the minors. If he started for the cubs, I doubt he would be better defensively in CF then heyward.
Did I say the best defensively,I said one of the best.He could be top 10 def CF in MLB yes .He is known for his defense…
That could be said about most teams top defensive CF.
I meant, that could be said about most teams top minor league derensive cf
He is not just good defensively, he is elite. Yes, since Heyward is projected to only be above average defensively in CF, Almora would be better than him. Heyward is an elite RF, CF is a different beast entirely. There is a reason CF are generally high speed, mid power guys. The routes are tougher and there is a lot of ground to cover.
its possible that if theo could have traded soler in a package to devil rays for a pitcher that almora would be opening day cf.
Soler is gonna be a monster IMO.The Cubs just need to ride this team into the trade deadline and then see what they have.Unless they have some injuries in ST,they dont have to make anymore trades right now.
Maybe. The fact that he has gotten hurt every year is a definite knock. Even if he develops into a monster as you say injuries can take a toll quickly and knock him back to just an above average player, see longoria, carl crawford etc etc. I just dont see the cubs running him and schwarber out everyday in the of long term especially with almora. I bet they hope they both do well to start and wouldnt be surprised if they move soler and hendricks in a package for a youngish starter. Think they would prefer to balance offense and d. This all can change if the dh in the nl looks promising.
If Theo trades soler ( which I think would be a bad move), then I’m sure they would resign Fowler to man CF. I doubt they would give an unproven rookie with no minor league track record the keys to CF. When they are clearly built to go deep 2016.
I agree,.but in a pinch Almora could man the position defensively..Yes his bat is still behind
last season soler came out with discipline, then started swinging at garbage, then corrected himself and looked strong and disciplined at plate. he has good chance to real good.
Time to break out Daniel Bard’s stats from the last time he was in professional baseball again.
In his last 7 appearaces:
1 IP, 0 H, 20 ER, 18 BB, 10 HBP, 1 K | 180.00 ERA
There are 3 possible outcomes with Daniel Bard this year with the Bucs.
1) He is not receptive to the suggestions made by Ray Searage and gets knocked around like a red-headed step child that gets cut during Spring Training.
2) Ray Searage makes mechanical adjustments which allows Bard to find his mid-upper 90’s fastball again and we get a great bargain out of another reclamation project.
3) Despite making adjustments, the realization sets in that Bard has lost a few MPH off the fastball that made him an elite pitcher several years ago. However, he makes adjustments to his secondary pitches to make them a larger part of his arsenal. This will help make his low 90’s fastball look and play a little harder than it actually is by being able to keep pitchers more off balance…in other words, rather than relying primarily on his raw talent and cannon-like fastball, Daniel Bard will have to work with Uncle Ray to learn how to actually PITCH again. This 3rd option might take more time to actually yield positive results at the big league level. It could either come fast, take time refining his secondary pitches in the minors before being able to contribute, or could ultimately not pan out at all regardless of months of hard work.
Right now, we just need to have faith in Daniel’s commitment to his craft and a dedicated work ethic. Because I think most Bucco fans realize the effort we get out of Ray Searage. If there is a way to return him to an elite level, Ray will find it.
Right now I’m leaning towards #2… He might not see the upper 90’s again, but I’m confident that with adjustments from Uncle Ray, Daniel Bard can sit 94-96 and return to being a dominant force.
What say you?
Thinking that this is a no risk, high reward signing by the Pirates. Minor league deal that if all goes well, Pirates get a quality pitcher. If he still stinks, nothing lost when he is cut. This was a FA signing and did not cost the pirates anything of any roster in their system. This is one of those signings that if it works out, make the Pirates out to be geniuses. If he gets cut, no one remembers he was even there. All good for the Bucs.
I say 3).
Well… At least he didn’t give up any hits.
Cubs line up is sick! I really don’t see a weak spot for them. Maybe a 5th starter?