JUSTgottaBELIEVE

He’s definitely had injury issues but if he stays healthy the first half of this season and performs well, there will definitely be interested suitors. I’d say his track record is as good or better than someone like Jeff S when the Cubs traded him and Jason H in July 2014 for a haul.

For a number of reasons, I don’t see an extension as a realistic option with Rodon. IMO they should trade him if he has a strong first half to this season to maximize the return while he is still healthy and under team control for another 2+ seasons.

How do you figure half the rebuild pieces are on the MLB roster? I’d say 1/4 and of those I only consider TA, Moncada, Eloy, and Lopez as vital elements (Kopech too once he returns from injury and Gio is a wild card). The second wave won’t arrive until later this season or next season. The third wave of prospects in 2021 and beyond. 2021 is the year in which their contention window needs to start. I don’t see it opening any sooner and I’ve said this since last summer before the Kopech injury and last offseason. With this in mind, Rodon should absolutely be on the trading block this summer if he starts out strong and they can get a haul for him - two top 100 prospects and another low level org guy.

This is exactly what we are seeing no? TA and Moncada have taken huge steps forward. Eloy is getting his first taste in MLB and holding his own. We should see promotions for Collins and Cease come July/August. Veterans like Rodon, Colome, and Herrera are shaping up to be nice trade pieces in July. Like I said, the only guy that has truly disappointed me to this juncture is Lopez. The rest of the roster is a combination of aging vets, AAAA players, and wild card former prospects (I’ll put Gio in this category). Sounds a lot like the 2013/2014 Cubs to me.

This is basically the 2013/2014 Cubs. Wins don’t matter this year and they likely won’t matter until 2021 because I am assuming next year will be another 85-90 loss season. And that’s ok as long as we see progress from Moncada, TA, Eloy, and eventually Collins and Cease when they are called up this summer as well as the kids on the farm. I’m also hopeful Rodon, Herrerra, and Colome turn in a solid first half of the season so we can trade them in July to further reinforce the farm. Those are the things I’m looking forward to in addition to the June draft. I just don’t see why wins/losses matter this year especially when everyone knew this team was nowhere near contending particularly after missing out on the two superstars in free agency last winter.

You forgot the Royals

If Giolito becomes a solid #5 that’d be a bonus. He was always considered a huge wild card. So yeah, Lopez is the only guy that I’m upset about in terms of their start to the season. Moncada and TA look awesome. Eloy is holding his own. Rodon has been very good. The only tradable assets in the pen come July, Colome and Herrerra, have been great. The farm system has gotten off to a good start. I’d take this start over an 8-3 start with all the vets tearing up while Moncada, TA, Rodon, and Eloy looking awful. Wins don’t matter this season, they never did. In fact, less wins is better for next year’s draft position.

Yes, seriously. The guys sucking it up, with the exception of Lopez, have little to no future relevance to this team in another year or two.

Yes, the pitching has been awful but I’m encouraged by this start overall. The only guy that has any future relevance to this team that I’m down on is Lopez. Moncada and TA are tearing it up, Eloy is holding his own, and Rodon has been very good overall despite his last start.

Man, Bryce Harper would have fit quite well into the only position with a question mark next to it...

308 wRC+ with a .143 BABIP. That’s hard to do.

3.38 ERA, 1.49 FIP, 3.24 xFIP thru 3 starts. I’d take that line over 30 starts for sure.

Yes, lock him up, lock him up. Let’s lock up Yoan and Kopech next. How awesome it would be to have the entire core controlled thru 2025 minimum. And no, I’m not ready to extend Gio and Lopez yet but Rodon would be intriguing despite the injury potential.

Lol! Yep, had one two many drinks at the park. Awesome game! I should have said mini-Abreu/Eloy.

But imagine this lineup with Moncada, Harper, Abreu, and Abreu. That would have been loads of fun. Oh well, gotta add JDM this winter and hopefully Robert, Madrigal, and Collins to the mix sometime next year if not sooner in Collins’ case.

Can't see nothin' in front of me Can't see nothin' coming up behind Make my way through this darkness I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me Lost track of how far I've gone How far I've gone, how high I've climbed

Fixed it for you

Those are the terms I suggested in the other thread and was completely dismissed but I sure hope Hahn is trying.

I bumped this thread last Saturday and now the baseball community is starting to take notice, SSS or not... https://community.fangraphs.com/is-yoan-moncadas-breakout-coming/

Come on up for the rising Come on up, lay your hands in mine Come on up for the rising Come on up for the rising tonight

Yea, this is incorrect.

Yep, exactly what I mentioned earlier in the thread. We aren’t contending this year anyway. I hope Cleveland holds on to all their pitchers longer than they should. Just makes their eventual rebuild tougher and longer...

Then let’s throw $20M AAV at the position this winter for an actual productive player starting next season....

I guess what I’m saying is last year’s performance is his peak in my opinion. And that’s nowhere near good enough for a DH only type. Of course there are always the anomalies like JDM that are late bloomers but at least JDM could play the outfield more competently than Palka in his early years. Even still, a terrible rebuilding team like the Astros simply gave up on him despite him putting up huge numbers in the minors. Maybe Palka will prove me wrong but I’m not holding my breath.

But here’s the thing. Palka legitimately has no position in the field. To carry a DH only guy, that guy needs to post a wRC+ of 130 or better. The odds of a 27 year Palka becoming that are slim to none when you consider his average walk rate and high strikeout rate (34.1% last year!) The odds of a productive Alonso returning a 40 FV prospect are greater than Palka turning into someone worth carrying on the future roster. Just my opinion of course.