Comments on: Game 87 Recap: Cubs 3 White Sox 1 http://wrigleyville.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2015/07/12/game-87-recap-cubs-3-white-sox-1/ Just another Baseball Prospectus Local Sites site Sat, 16 Feb 2019 21:04:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1 By: Featherstone http://wrigleyville.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2015/07/12/game-87-recap-cubs-3-white-sox-1/#comment-2425 Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:21:54 +0000 http://wrigleyville.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=2594#comment-2425 Fielding percentage is a bad metric to use to determine defensive aptitude.

UZR has Bryant at 4.2 which makes him a solidly above average 3B.

DRS has Bryant at -1 runs which makes him a roughly league average 3B defensively.

Overall Bryant is probably a league average to maybe a slightly above average defensive 3B which with his offensive skillset makes him a top 3 third baseman in baseball. I see no reason to shift him to CF where he would almost undoubtedly be a below average defender.

I agree that Dexter Fowler has struggled this year offensively and I dont think we should sign him to a long deal after this season taking Bryant from where he has been fine is not the answer.

]]> By: Joe Young http://wrigleyville.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2015/07/12/game-87-recap-cubs-3-white-sox-1/#comment-2392 Mon, 13 Jul 2015 09:59:13 +0000 http://wrigleyville.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=2594#comment-2392 Pitching has carried the day the past month but you could make a case that the Cubs have been lucky this year (as 1 run games are basically random per Fangraphs) and their entire margin over .500 comes courtesy of the Mets.

Fan got excited over the doubleheader win over the Cards but let’s face it, they beat 2 AAA pitchers. They lost to the 3rd and 4th best starters. This team has a long ways to go before they can overtake the Cards and Pirates.

As for the rigors of a big league season, with chartered flights and first class accommodations, major leaguers have it easy compared to the minors. AAA cuts the country in half (PCL and IL) so less distance covered but they play in smaller cities so with no charters, they probably have to make a lot of connecting flights. And the infamy of the Southern League bus rides are legendary. I remember when Michael Jordan rented, on his own dime, a luxury coach for the Birmingham Barons. That’s how much he loved baseball.

I think that Bryant is at least going to get a chance to play CF next year. Signing Fowler to a 3-4 deal would be a mistake (see EJax). He is as tall and fast. And he is butchering 3B (.945 FP). He has trouble with soft rollers, going to his right and throwing. The comp is made with Troy Glaus but he had a career .952 FP. Not encouraging. If he can play an average CF, his value would rise (see Trout and Pederson). Let’s see if Baez or Olt have made adjustments to stick at 3B.

As for Russell, next year he will be better at SS. Castro is gone, he is the anti-Derek Jeter. I think he knows he’s gone too which may explain his struggles this year. He is just not mentally tough. Every time he has a brain cramp, he promises that IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN and then of course, it happens again.

The lineup in 2016:
SS Russell
1B Rizzo
CF Bryant
LF Schwarber (part-time catcher)
RF Soler
3B Baez
C Montero (has more patience to hit in front of pitcher)
P Arrieta, Hammel, Lester, Hendricks + TOR FA
2B OBP guy, La Stella, Alcantara, Howie Kendrick

Now that’s a team that can score 700-800 runs and be in the top 3 in ERA.

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