The Padres have acquired righty James Norwood from the Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Dauris Valdez, as announced by both teams. Norwood has been optioned to San Diego’s alternate training site, and righty Javy Guerra has been moved to the 60-day injured list to create roster space.
Norwood had been designated for assignment by Chicago earlier this week. Debuting in 2018, Norwood has appeared in each of the last three MLB seasons, amassing a 4.50 ERA over 22 total innings (with 21 strikeouts and 14 walks) for the Cubs. Shoulder problems limited him to just three games and 1 2/3 frame of work in 2020. The hard-throwing Norwood has posted some pretty solid strikeout totals in the minors, though control has been an increasing issue as he has worked his way up the minor league ladder — Norwood had an unimpressive 13.65% walk rate over 75 1/3 career innings at Triple-A.
The trade is, in essence, a swap of power arms who have hard some trouble getting the ball over the plate. Like Norwood, Valdez has also had some control problems while moving up to higher levels of the minor leagues, posting a below-average 11.77% walk rate over 108 2/3 innings at the high-A and Double-A levels in 2018-19. This said, there’s still plenty of potential for the 25-year-old, who was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 25 prospect in San Diego’s farm system. Valdez has a 65-grade fastball that “routinely hits triple-digits” according to Pipeline’s scouting report, and he also possesses a plus slider and a solid changeup as a third pitch.
Nice get for Cubs, for a guy that wasn’t even going to be on roster. Something is better than nothing.
Not sure if the Cubs got something. Looks like an exchange of nothings.
@Tat. What do you like so much about Valdez over Norwood?
It looks like he said “Something is better than nothing” more than “He figures to be better than Norwood”.
Well Tim, no one here is going to use logic. Lol!
The stove is hot
Guerra just seems to be another questionable experiment like Bethancourt
except he throws triple digits with a ton of movement. hard to give up on that
those guys are a dime in a dozen. now ones that can stay healthy or actually pitch productively on the other hand…
a dime a dozen? the percentage of the population on the planet that can throw triple digits is miniscule. I’ve been in love with this game and the art of pitching my entire life. I’ve never been able to touch 80. it’s certainly not a talent that falls under a dime a dozen.
by the way, usually enjoy your takes. don’t agree with you on this one. everyone throws much harder nowadays and 95 isn’t what it used to be but triple digits is still novel
it really doesn’t matter if its 95 or 105 you aren’t going to get guys to chase if you can’t locate.
that’s very true but but triple digits gives you a much larger margin for error. batting averages plummet when the velocity exceeds 95. it’s tiny against 100
Javy Guerra’s walk rate is 3.75. That is 1/3 the walk rate of Valdez and 1/4 the walk rate of Norwood.
When pitchers throw harder, the hitters can’t generate enough speed in their swing to get the barrel of the bat out there to meet the ball before it crosses home plate. That’s why scouts look for players with short, compact swings.
New rule for 2022 if you hit by Two batters in the same inning you most be removed by the umpire. 3 in one game same thing. no one wants someone hurt plus being back the DH for all
Guerra wasn’t involved.
It was Valdez for Norwood
Sort of involved…… Was placed on the 60 day to make room for Norwood. Thinking what @Darkside meant was the idea of Guerra being acquired from Boston and kept around this long. Well, that is indeed if @Darkside did mean Guerra and not Norwood.
You must remember he was acquired as a SS and later converted to a P due to his bad bat. He is a great fielder though.
I always like to bring this up when Javy Guerra is mentioned, but the kid has literally less than 50 career innings as a professional pitcher.
He’s a total wild card because of how late he converted and the issue is he spent so long in the minors as a SS that he’s now out of options and stuck on the 40 man aside from when he can be moved to the 60 day IL.
I remember the trade and he was billed as one of the key pieces due his fielding but the bat never caught up.
Valdez is a big boy at 6ft 8in
Only an inch taller than Cruz, the Pirates SS
A swap of underachieving flamethrowers. Joe Maddon said Norwood has elite stuff. Cubs will tinker with Valdez at AAA and see if he pans out. Norwood has an option so he’s ticketed for the minors as well to see if he can be made into a serviceable pitcher. Believe the Cubs first tried Norwood as a starter and would not be surprised to see him shifted back to this.
At least it was a better deal by Preller than the Bryan Mitchell fiasco…
Preller is fascinated by pitchers who throw hard and have high K numbers. He doesn’t look at anything else, and doesn’t understand pitching. I don’t think he listens to his experienced scouts. Norwood’s walk rates are through the roof. But, he’s “toolsy.” Mitchell couldn’t even K anybody while sitting 96mph.