Where the New Cubs Prospects Rank, Betting on Development, Espinoza, Weirdness, and Other Cubs Bullets

#Yeah, but SHOULD old acquaintances be forgotten? #Maybe sometimes, right? I can think about a lot of 2020 that I’d like to forget.

•   #More on the #Cubs’ new foursome of prospects, and where they slot into the system for MLB #Pipeline:

MLB #Pipeline slots #Preciado in at 10th in #Cubs’ #Top 30, followed by #Caissie at 11, #Mena at 16 and #Santana at 17. #More on each prospect beyond the link below. https://t.co/Ror4eMbJ28

— #Jordan #Bastian (@MLBastian) #December 30, 2020

•   I think on most lists, you’ll see these guys close in the rankings, and mostly behind the top two tiers of the #Cubs system (which, for me, is a top tier of #Miguel #Amaya, #Brennen #Davis, #Brailyn #Marquez, and #Ed #Howard, and then a second tier of #Ryan #Jensen, #Chase #Strumpf, #Kohl #Franklin, and #Cole #Roederer (I consider #Adbert #Alzolay as already having graduated, since he’s like a third of an inning away or something)).

•   There’s really only so many ways you can unpack the trade at a high level: the #Cubs got four additional prospects into the system who are either (1) top half of the second rounders, or (2) really good IFA signings. #Those are great categories of prospects that you can add only so many of in a calendar year. #Cubs got to add four more than they normally would. #That’s great. #It’s a lot. #We just don’t love it as the return on #Yu #Darvish trade. #But we’ve done this dance for three days now, and I guess I just have to move on.

•   #Interesting reinforcement on the idea that you can’t just look at where a guy ranks in a given farm system and presume that means much of anything? These four guys ranked in approximately the same spots in the #Padres’ farm system, too. #And the #Padres’ farm system is loaded, so that means the #Cubs’ farm system must be loaded, too, right?!?! #Well, not exactly. #Not only is the #Padres’ farm system uncommonly deep behind these guys, they also have much, much higher-impact types ahead of these guys. #So, then, how much does the prospects’ strict ranking within the farm systems really tell you? #Not much. #Something! #But not much.

•   #Michael #Ernst did a great job laying out so many things we think and know about the state of the #Cubs farm system over the past few years – how things have changed in really significant ways behind the scenes, and should start manifesting in the next two years – and I highly recommend it. I really think we would have seen some noticeable changes this year if there’d been a minor league season.

•   #As it relates to the #Darvish return, I’d add that, in a way, the #Cubs have now done more of what they’ve done over the past few years when it comes to acquiring amateurs: accept more risk in exchange for more upside, believing in your own organizational ability to maximize development. I’m not saying I love that approach when it comes to trading an incredibly valuable big league player, but I do at least see some consistency there. #If you do believe in your investments in/philosophy changes in scouting and player development, well, then you might prefer four very young, very raw, very high-upside prospects over one or two nearer-term, already-there, surer-things.

•   … but, uh, you better be right. #Because you get only one shot to trade a guy like #Darvish every few years (at most), and the harm to the organization if you accept four high-risk prospects and none develop is significant. #Here’s hoping by this time next year, we’ve seen a #Brennen-Davis-like breakout or two.

•   #This is a great read every year:

OK, so 2020 wasn’t our favorite year ever. #But in its own ridiculous way, it was made to order for that wacky baseball you know column you’ve waited all year for.

#It’s the #Strange #But #True #Feats of 2020. #And it’s pretty darned epic. #You’re welcome!https://t.co/aVSk4NcVvN

— #Jayson #Stark (@jaysonst) #December 30, 2020

•   #Among the #Cubs mentions:

#Anthony #Rizzo, #Kris #Bryant and #Jason #Heyward are what we like to call “famous #Cubs.” #Did you know the three of them combined to hit six home runs at #Wrigley #Field … all season?

#José #Abreu is what we like to call “a famous #Chicago baseball player but not a #Cub.” #Did you know he also hit six home runs at #Wrigley #Field this year … in one series?

•   #You’ll also remember the game in #Cincinnati where each #Cubs outfielder hit exactly two home runs, something that had literally never happened before. #Obviously #Alec #Mills’ no-hitter works its way in. There’s just so much more fun stuff in there.

•   #Young #Cubs righty #Manuel #Espinoza keeps dominating in #Mexico, allowing just one run over his last 17.0 innings (7 hits, 2 walks, 16 strikeouts). #Only 20, #Espinoza is pitching well against much older competition, in a competitive league. #In a year that we otherwise get almost no data points on prospects, this one is going to shout pretty loudly when considering where #Espinoza bumps up the rankings.

•   #Greg #Maddux knows what’s up:

#Greg #Maddux on 0-2 “#Waste” #Pitches. pic.twitter.com/NfbmgTJYYh

— #Rob #Friedman (@PitchingNinja) #December 30, 2020