What a fantastic moment for both of them. So great to see Stro making that kid's day.
Cubs 2022 Season
- Status
Matt Mervis is rocketing through the farm this year. Combined at A+, AA and now AAA, Mervis has hit .312/.375/.603 with 28 HRs and 102 RBI in 114 games.
He’s 24. Was a 4-year starter at Duke, but wasn’t drafted in the weird 2020 COVID draft season. Likely would have been a 6-8th round pick any other year.
Anyway, he’ll be the starting 1B for the Cubs before the end of this season and likely for the foreseeable future.
He’s 24. Was a 4-year starter at Duke, but wasn’t drafted in the weird 2020 COVID draft season. Likely would have been a 6-8th round pick any other year.
Anyway, he’ll be the starting 1B for the Cubs before the end of this season and likely for the foreseeable future.
I should add, Mervis is a good example as to why prospect lists should be taken with even more of a grain of salt than usual this year.
He had an abbreviated senior season and no minor league season in 2020. He played 73 minor league games in 2021. Scouts simply hadn’t had much chance to see him heading into this season and putting together their prospect lists.
There are tons of guys like that throughout baseball.
He had an abbreviated senior season and no minor league season in 2020. He played 73 minor league games in 2021. Scouts simply hadn’t had much chance to see him heading into this season and putting together their prospect lists.
There are tons of guys like that throughout baseball.
He was also a pitcher at Duke. He has only focused solely on being a position player for the last 3 years. Cubs coaches identified some in inefficiencies in his swing, and the results speak for themselves.
Doubt if he will get the call this season, however. He is not on the 40 man roster, and is not Rule 5 eligible so they don't risk losing him in the offseason by leaving him off. I assume there will be other prospects that they don't want to lose to Rule 5 that will need an available spot on the 40 man roster.
It won't be long though...
Brennan Davis is back playing baseball again too, which is awesome to see. Hit a homer and reached base 3 times in his first game back.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Well, it's coming back into focus now that everyone is coming to the end of a full, normal season.
But it is quite something to look at prospect stats and there's just a whole year that disappeared for everybody.
And then in Mervis' case he's "undrafted", but that's a totally unique thing since there were only 5 rounds in his draft year.
There's a raft of MLB-caliber bats in the Cubs system at the moment, and a fair amount of depth on the pitching side too. No real A+ stars, but in a certain sense that's good. Money needs to be spent in free agent to add elite talent, and unlike a couple of years ago the system depth is there to support that over the longer term. The system is deep enough that there's no excuse to keep tanking to refresh the minors, but also no excuse to wait for those players to bubble up since they don't project as superstars.
Very good news on Davis.
I think Mervis will get the call this season for one big reason: the Cubs don’t really have any other options at first base and if they have any notion of being competitive at all next year, they should be getting Mervis’ feet wet this season. It’s not like there isn’t dead weight on the 40-man that can easily be cut loose.
Not sure if Schwindel was just a flash in the pan or if he’s been hampered by a back injury (likely a combination), but there’s no way the Cubs can rely on him next year. Rivas continues to hit fine at AAA and then fail to perform at the MLB level. He’s also continued to have injury issues. Free agent options at 1B are limited and I’m sure the Cubs would rather spend their money elsewhere on the diamond.
Only reason to keep Mervis in the minors this year would be the 40 man roster. Got a lot of guys that are Rule 5 eligible and the F.O. needs to look at them first. Agree though that he should get the first shot at 1B
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
There actually isn't at all. Which is good news. Tons of system depth, the Cubs actually have some very tough decisions to make about who to keep on the 40 man and thereby protect from the Rule V draft.
New rules for baseball in 2023:
Ban the shift.
Pitch clock.
2 pick off attempt limit.
Larger bases.
Overall, they are attempting to decrease the time between plays, increase the number of balls in play, and increase the action on the base paths.
I don’t know if they’ll be entirely successful, but I do think they’ve at least diagnosed the problem correctly.
Near term for the Cubs, as a team with a ton of ground ball hitters and not too many max effort pitchers, I think this could help the offense and not hurt the pitching.
Ban the shift.
Pitch clock.
2 pick off attempt limit.
Larger bases.
Overall, they are attempting to decrease the time between plays, increase the number of balls in play, and increase the action on the base paths.
I don’t know if they’ll be entirely successful, but I do think they’ve at least diagnosed the problem correctly.
Near term for the Cubs, as a team with a ton of ground ball hitters and not too many max effort pitchers, I think this could help the offense and not hurt the pitching.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
It's not as if any of this has been a secret, but I do think the close relationship between Theo Epstein, who has been the league office's point person on this initiative, and Jed Hoyer has in some sense aided and given certainty to the Cubs already sorta transitioning in this direction.
Anyway, elsewhere in this thread I believe I expressed total and vociferous support for the player's union in their effort to secure the fruits of their labor from the owners, which I deeply believe is just. However, I have absolutely not one iota of sympathy for what I predict will be a strained and messy fightback against these rule changes by the players.
The players hate Rob Manfred and the owners on a personal level, and sincerely believe Manfred is a corporate stooge with no knowledge of or appreciation for baseball and that this entire effort is made on that basis. The sports ownership class is awful, but this initiative is the right thing for the game and aims to restore the game to what we all grew up loving.
Any other Cub fans joining me in cheering for Pujols to hit 700? He hit 698 tonight.
Nope. Hoping he gets "stuck" at 699
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Not really for or against.
I do find it interesting that for a second straight year a team out of the NL is winning their division based largely on guys in their 30s and 40s having career or major rebound seasons. This year’s Cardinals have more young talent than last year’s Giants, but still they’re not winning the division without Goldschmidt and Arenado posting their highest OPS+’s in their careers, Pujols’ highest in over a decade, Mikolas and Wainright having great years.
Front offices have really devalued players in their 30s over the last decade or so. Makes me think there’s a correction coming.
I hope he gets it, mostly because it's good for the sport of baseball which could use some positive publicity.
Unrelated to your post, but related to the discussion, other than Pujols being a Cub killer for years, he's a remarkably likeable player who appeals (or at least did in his prime) to the modern "let the kids play" fan and the traditional "by the book" fan.
Hope The Machine gets 2 more. MLB may never see 700 HR in a career again.
Stevegarbs
- Mokena, IL
Agree 100% and I absolutely loathe the Deadbirds.
3 scoreless out of Keegan tonight was nice.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
You get the sense that 5 years from now the shape of how pitchers are used is going to be totally different than it was 5 years ago.
"How can you not be romantic about baseball?"
Thrilled for Albert. Thrilled for baseball. What a moment. Look at his smile as he rounds the bases. This is what it's all about.
Juiced. Give more HGh and those steroids. He’s a cheat
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
He's legitimately almost 50 years old, let him take what he wants.
The PEDs clichéd argument is so tiresome. There's no evidence of Pujols ever being caught for using PEDs. It's just a scapegoat for disgruntled Cub fans who are upset a Cardinal player made history.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
He's 42, so no, not really "close to 50". I'm 45 and wouldn't even say I'm close to 50 yet. Also, even now I can hang with and even beat many of the young kids in sports, and I've never taken any kind of PEDs. Age just isn't what it used be.
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