Starlin Castro called up
by M 80 on May 7, 2010 10:49 AM EDT
Email
Printhttp://twitter.com/Enrique_Rojas1/status/13549863110
According to Enrique Rojas of ESPN deportes
Didn't expect this to happen so soon, but the Cubs are scuffling and Castro is batting
.376/.421/.569 with one home run, 20 RBI and 20 runs scored over 109
at-bats with Double-A Tennessee. This is pretty exciting. Just hope it doesn't go the way of many other hyped Cubs prospects who were called up at a young age.
52 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
The major concern here has to be whether or not he’s going to play everyday. Theriot’s at .341/.374/.390 on the season, and while neither Fontenot nor Baker have hit all that well, Castro hasn’t played 2B in two years. Heck, Theriot hasn’t even played 2B since 2007.
Hendry isn’t really stupid enough to call Castro up and not let him play everyday, or throw him in at second base without any practice first… right?
Uh Huh
Because he makes the lineup every day. Just like Amaro, right?
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
by WayneCampbell08 on May 7, 2010 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions
This is Patterson Part Two
Pick your Patterson.
"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it" ~ Mae West
No it's not
Patterson had obvious red flags with his control of the strike zone, which ended up being his downfall. Castro is much more advanced in that area than Patterson ever was.
uh oh...
I hope theriot goes to 2B and starlin starts at SS
that's almost certainly the plan
Theriot’s actually looked okay at short so far, but he’s had a few errors including one last night, and there is consistent debate over his arm strength. I think Starlin’s going to be playing almost all the time at short.
by PrincetonCubs on May 7, 2010 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions
From all indications
Castro will get the bulk of the SS time, with Theriot getting the other days. Ryan will likely start at 2nd, unless a more favorable matchup exists for Fontenot.
Overall, I’m okay with the move. It’s definitely not ideal, particularly since I would’ve preferred to call him up while the team was doing well, so that less pressure may exist. That said, all indications are that Castro has a solid head on his shoulder, with a good work ethic. Obviously, you never know how any person that young reacts to anything.
All signs are positive this year, with better defense, improving power. He’s got a good eye at the plate and isn’t a wild hacker (obviously, all players will make some bad swings on occasion).
The other curious thing is where he hits. He’s probably going in that 8 spot, although I wonder if the Cubs may put him at 2 on a couple occasions.
In calling him up, this has to be an extended plan. That is, it might take something catastrophic on his part to lead to a demotion.
The other curious thing is where he hits. He’s probably going in that 8 spot, although I wonder if the Cubs may put him at 2 on a couple occasions.
I always prefer to have youngsters not hit 8th in the National League. All too often guys get pitched differently with the pitcher on deck (particularly with men on base and 2 outs), and for a kid who’s slightly impatient already, that could be a bad combination. Then again, with Fontenot/Theriot likely to be expelled from the lineup, there’s no obvious candidate to hit 8th instead.
their most used lineup has had Soto hitting 8th and Fontenot at 7th
so maybe they continue to do that only with Castro hitting 7th.
Favorable Matchups
Are against RHP where Fontenot is better in nearly every way.
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
by WayneCampbell08 on May 7, 2010 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Sounds like a panic move to me
The Cubs better hope this doesn’t blow up in their faces. Then again, Jim Hendry is probably thinking he is fighting for his job right now, so to hell with the future.
+1
This is eerily similar of Jenrry Mejia making the Mets bullpen out of spring training. My guess is that Hendry’s seat was getting warm and with the team struggling Hendry made a desperation move.
Adopted Giant: Mike Krukow.
Grab Some Pine, Meat
K.F.I.S.T.F.
Hoping for BowkerMania to get consistent playing time at AT&T Park
Interesting. I was blogging about the Mesa Solar Sox over the winter and I was very impressed by Castro.
Join the NLL community at http://www.nationallacrosseleagueblog.blogspot.com/
Talk about Boston sports at http://www.bestbostonsports.com/
by bestbostonsports on May 7, 2010 12:41 PM EDT reply actions
Both fair moves
Although I would’ve preferred Vitters getting more time in A+, he was going to be up sooner than later, particularly since 3rd hole is such a black hole in the system, and also because Flaherty had been struggling like crazy (bad luck may have been a factor, but you gotta produce).
Cashner’s got to be the biggest surprise for me this year. He really loks like a legitimate quality starting pitching prospect now, with 2 plus pitches, a solid change, and going deep into games.
Cash$
He has been awfully good from a stats prospective [K’s/BAA/ground-ball ratios/worker deeper]. Just haven’t heard if he was blowing AA batters away with his fastball/slider combo or he has really made the necessary progress with his change too. I must admit to kinda writing him off as more of a late inning guy, but I think that he may have just needed time to adjust to starting again. AAA should really gives us a better idea if, as the Cubs appear to believe, he does indeed have a future as a front-of-the-rotation starter in the NL…
Honetly Cashner has only surprised me a little bit
I had him doing about this well right now back 6-7 months ago when my ‘spect list came out I thought Cashner would be doing about what he’s been doing. Although I’d prefer if he was in AA for a little longer.
Wow Blackburn makes nearly identical money as Baker does now....
by SteveHoffmanSlowey on May 7, 2010 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Due to Bruce Levine's update
I have a bad feeling that the Cubs are going to end up shifting Cashner to the pen and calling him up this year to be their setup guy. I’d rather see him get the whole year in the minors (or most of it) as a starter.
The problem I had in projecting Cashner doing this well as a starter 6-7 months ago was because
a) He didn’t have a 3rd pitch until late last year (circle-change)
b) His slider was inconsistent all year
c) His stuff wasn’t consistently carying
d) He wasn’t pitching efficiently
That said, he’s addressed all four of those concerns this year.
let me just say that...
i don’t have a horse in any of these races…never really been a big fan of the cubs…i tend to like castro as a prospect..i saw him in arizona and he was flashy…he looked like he could be a great SS one day. i’m afraid, however, that he is being rushed here and i’m not really sure why. i’m guessing that maybe this has something to do with cubs’ brass trying to do whatever possible to get the fans a little more excited. i hope, simply because i like watching castro, that this doesn’t ruin his development. but i’m afraid it will
Panic move.
Though I expect he’ll be quite a good hitter.
Bullpen Banter
www.bullpenbanter.com
twitter: @alskor
Getting swept by the Pirates.....
….often induces panic.
is a comparison to hanley ramirez completely inappropriate?
i realize that hanley broke out at the major league level in a way that almost no one could have seen coming, but hanley and starlin have identical minor league ops’s, with essentially equivalent components. obviously hanley was quite a bit faster, but starlin is 2 years younger than hanley was when he got his first real chance.
the one clear advantage, tools wise, is that Hanley, coming up, has on Starlin now
is that he has better speed and is a better base runner. That 2nd part is a bit more important. I am of the belief (granted, eyes can deceive) that Starlin has much better speed than people give him credit for. It’s not plus, but it’s above average. I just don’t think he’s that good of a baserunner, and I also think he’s slow out of the box (which is where a lot of the speed questions come from, since it was the C-1st times that got people worried, watch him go first to third in games though). Also, I think he has very solid lateral movement, and with the cleaned up defense this year, it does show.
Yeah
His speed is so bad that he was only able to barely make it to third base on a line drive to the LEFT center field wall last night ….
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
by WayneCampbell08 on May 8, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
No way...
Hanley had better tools across the board, except for his hit tool. Hanley is twice the athlete Castro is. Hanley was nothing but tools.
Castro’s speed is consistently reported as just average. I havent seen him enough to say one way or the other, but average isn’t bad at all.
Bullpen Banter
www.bullpenbanter.com
twitter: @alskor
Yeah
It’s not a good comparison; Castro has an excellent bat and a good defensive rep, but he’s not in possession of Hanley’s uber-tools.
...and its not a knock on Castro, really.
Hanley is an uber athletic middle infielder with eye popping tools that compare with anyone’s.
Castro’s tools are pretty good (and I’ll even buy into toonster’s argument they’re slightly better than reported) and his hit tool draws rave reviews… but as PissedMick says, the rest of the package isn’t “elite” tools wise. Hanley was and is elite. If you put them on the same field next to eachother I would imagine the difference in athleticism would be very apparent.
Bullpen Banter
www.bullpenbanter.com
twitter: @alskor
hmm
first off, let me say that i’ve been accused by some Cubs fans of actually being pessimistic about Castro. Maybe that’s my cautious nature when it comes to prospects from my own team.
But … strictly from a tools perspective, I’m not sure why Hanley has a clear advantage. Looking at the other tools (since Starlin’s hit tool is that well regarded).
Speed – Hanley Not even close, and I’ll fully acknowledge that.
Fielding – Draw. Neither one is considered as a possible elite arm. I’ll give the edge to Starlin, but I didn’t see Hanley coming up in all honesty.
Power – Check the old scouting reports on power for Hanley and compare them to the scouting reports on Starlin’s power. Do I buy some of the scouting reports on Starlin’s power? Not necessarily, but I’m comparing Hanley’s projection then vs. Starlin’s projection now.
Arm – Starlin’s got a gun.
Is Starlin a better athlete? Sure, but in terms of baseball tools … I’m a bit perplexed at why Hanley coming up is considered that significantly different. As noted before, I wouldn’t compare Starlin to Hanley, but that’s just my nature (as someone asked, I don’t think it’s an in appropriate comparison).
As a side note, it’s been awhile since I had watched Starlin, and I honestly feel like his running form isn’t good. It looks like he could tighten up the legs a bit, and his arms could be more efficient, and that he could probably get lower. The Cubs baserunning coach (Dernier?) has done solid work with some guys, but I think Starlin’s baserunning could be cleaned up.
oops typo
Meant to say
Is Hanley a better athlete?
on the speed thing
I’ve mentioned it before, but seeing him in the past, and last night, he’s fine first to third. He’s fine moving laterally defensively. For some reason, he’s slow out of the box consistently. I noted a base running comment below, so I won’t repeat myself.
Hmm
Really don’t know why you’re hating on him, but I think his hit tool could be elite. And even if it isn’t, he has plus tools across the board which would be good enough to make him a star SS.
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
by WayneCampbell08 on May 8, 2010 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
i wouldn't make it
but i don’t love the idea of comparing any prospect to elite talent in general.
That said, I don’t think it’s in appropriate. I’m certainly not expecting Hanley, but if you look at the old Hanley scouting reports in the minors and compare them to the scouting reports on Starlin now, they aren’t that different. Hanley has better tools, but again, look at the old scouting reports. It isn’t that different (in fact, an old BA scouting report on Hanley is available online still). Both, at the same stage, had excellent bat speed, expectations of more power, good breaking ball recognition, strong arms, and so forth. Hanley’s advantage came in having plus speed, whereas Starlin is more above average. Then look at the comparison in performance. Hanley has more speed, Starlin had less off-field concerns and had a better work ethic at the same stage.
Is anyone expecting that out of Starlin? I don’t think so, but it isn’t an inappropriate comparison.
All That . . .
and Kid- Castro bangs a three-run bomb off Homer Bailey in his first ab :-) I love new beginnings
2nd AB
Lined out hard to straightaway CF on the first pitch.
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
by WayneCampbell08 on May 7, 2010 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions
tripled in his 3rd AB
6 RBI’s so far
JD’s like, "you want some fucking pitching? Here’s all the pitching you can stand. Now choke on it, bitches!"- RCCook
Major League Record
For RBIs in their debut
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
by WayneCampbell08 on May 8, 2010 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Minor League Ball
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
