OnlyBucs

I'm sure that plenty of players are available for the package that the White Sox are asking for.

I am torn between trading prospects for Quintana or keeping what we have. Yes we need pitching but is trading the young guys we have to much for the system to overcome. Would love to have Quintana but also want our prospects. Not sure when I stand?

The all righty rotation is not a concern to me. About 75 percent of baseball players are right handed.



Bryant can do the same amount of damage as Rizzo.

5E697F6F5A7D7275725B5D1C0 wrote: Rumbunter had a good proposal....SP-Glasnow, SS-Newman, C-Diaz and 3B-Hayes. I think that would be more than a fair deal for ChiSox. Dealing Josh Bell, Austin Meadows should not be a consideration...Time will tell, but I get the feeling NH is really focused on Quintana...



Beat'em Bucs


I think the writer undervalues Diaz (I think a lot of people do in fact). A good young catcher is high on the Sox list of needs. Diaz really fits.



For me Glasnow, Newman and Diaz would seem like enough. I see no reason to offer Hayes as well. That's 4 of BA's 2017 Top 10 Bucco prospects -- and I seriously don't see the depth past our Top 10 that's been there in recent years.

444F474B4E4F541117605941484F4F0E434F200 wrote: The all righty rotation is not a concern to me.  About 75 percent of baseball players are right handed.



Bryant can do the same amount of damage as Rizzo.


This is just a failure to understand.

Would you rather face these stats:



Bryant .284/.374/.522 (.896 OPS)

Rizzo .275/.368/.505 (.873 OPS)



OR these:



Bryant .284/.387/.557 (.942 OPS)

Rizzo .248/.348/.427 (.775 OPS)



I'd rather face the second set of hitters. That would be the slash lines vs. LH pitching.

57524556007172330 wrote: The all righty rotation is not a concern to me.  About 75 percent of baseball players are right handed.



Bryant can do the same amount of damage as Rizzo.


This is just a failure to understand.

Would you rather face these stats:



Bryant .284/.374/.522 (.896 OPS)

Rizzo .275/.368/.505 (.873 OPS)



OR these:



Bryant .284/.387/.557 (.942 OPS)

Rizzo .248/.348/.427 (.775 OPS)



I'd rather face the second set of hitters. That would be the slash lines vs. LH pitching.


In this example, I would rather face the second set of numbers too. Overall, it is not that big of a difference (.859 vs .885 OPS). Considering the rest of the Cubs' line up and other teams, it is not a big deal. There are still more right handed batters than left handed batters. Trying to find a lefty shouldn't be the priority. The Pirates need to bring in the best pitcher possible no matter what arm they throw with.

well we've really stumbled across the holy grail now. After all these years, lefty righty matchups don't matter.

68616978760C0 wrote: well we've really stumbled across the holy grail now.  After all these years, lefty righty matchups don't matter. 










Who said that?

555E565A5F5E450006714850595E5E1F525E310 wrote: The all righty rotation is not a concern to me.  About 75 percent of baseball players are right handed.



Bryant can do the same amount of damage as Rizzo.


This is just a failure to understand.

Would you rather face these stats:



Bryant .284/.374/.522 (.896 OPS)

Rizzo .275/.368/.505 (.873 OPS)



OR these:



Bryant .284/.387/.557 (.942 OPS)

Rizzo .248/.348/.427 (.775 OPS)



I'd rather face the second set of hitters. That would be the slash lines vs. LH pitching.


In this example, I would rather face the second set of numbers too.  Overall, it is not that big of a difference (.859 vs .885 OPS).  Considering the rest of the Cubs' line up and other teams, it is not a big deal.  There are still more right handed batters than left handed batters.  Trying to find a lefty shouldn't be the priority.  The Pirates need to bring in the best pitcher possible no matter what arm they throw with.




The point is that most players who bat let have a hard time hitting lefties, while most players who bat right don't have a substantially tougher time hitting right handed pitching. So even though "75%" of hitters are right handed, a right handed pitcher isn't really an advantage.

32372033651417560 wrote: The all righty rotation is not a concern to me.  About 75 percent of baseball players are right handed.



Bryant can do the same amount of damage as Rizzo.


This is just a failure to understand.

Would you rather face these stats:



Bryant .284/.374/.522 (.896 OPS)

Rizzo .275/.368/.505 (.873 OPS)



OR these:



Bryant .284/.387/.557 (.942 OPS)

Rizzo .248/.348/.427 (.775 OPS)



I'd rather face the second set of hitters. That would be the slash lines vs. LH pitching.


In this example, I would rather face the second set of numbers too.  Overall, it is not that big of a difference (.859 vs .885 OPS).  Considering the rest of the Cubs' line up and other teams, it is not a big deal.  There are still more right handed batters than left handed batters.  Trying to find a lefty shouldn't be the priority.  The Pirates need to bring in the best pitcher possible no matter what arm they throw with.




The point is that most players who bat let have a hard time hitting lefties, while most players who bat right don't have a substantially tougher time hitting right handed pitching. So even though "75%" of hitters are right handed, a right handed pitcher isn't really an advantage.


Dave, I agree with you on this.   As far as the cubs go, a quality lefty is better than a quality righty, all else equal.   



Our other division foe thankfully isn't as offensively talented as the cubs (who is, really?), but unfortunately the Cards are slightly the opposite; albeit more balanced.  with this roster, a quality RHP would be preferable:



Grichuk, Fowler, Piscotti, Peralta, Diaz, Molina (still playing?) would all be worse vs right.  While Carpenter, Wong, and Matt Adams (still playing some?) would be worse vs left.   



But even using a 5 year sample of park factor, PNC is substantially more difficult to OPS for RH hitters.  A ground ball LHP would be even more exploitative of the 81 game per year park factor.  A fly ball lefty would theoretically survive PNC much better as well, with our LF and CF running down balls at the track.



And considering that the Pirates have been obsessed with GB righties over that 5 year span...  I believe that the Park Factor numbers are actually under representative of the real Left handed bat - right handed bat difference.    We've been trotting out rotations and bullpens with GB righties regularly; possibly reducing the "normal" HR rates from left handed hitters vs what their HR norms would be at PNC against more balanced pitchers.



Because of that, I believe the park factor handedness gap is even a bit larger than currently exists on paper at PNC.    As really it should be in any park, since the home teams roster (if possible) to take advantage of the park.