The Rundown: MLB.com Top 100 List Features 6 Cubs, Bryant 2nd Overall, Lou Piniella Reflects on Time in Chicago
Another top prospects list has been released, but this time, Kris Bryant was not found at the very top.
Don’t fret, however. He was still No. 2.
MLB.com announced its top 100 overall prospects last night, and even though Bryant and Addison Russell were slotted one spot lower, respectively, than ESPN’s recent list, more Cubs overall were present. The Twins’ Byron Buxton came in as MLB’s overall top prospect.
Cubs on the list include: Bryant (2), Russell (5), Jorge Soler (22), C.J. Edwards (47), Kyle Schwarber (49), and Albert Almora (57).
Other noticeable differences from ESPN’s list are the inclusion of Edwards and Almora — Keith Law didn’t have them in his top 100 at all. Also, Schwarber is much higher after coming in at No. 90 on Law’s list.
I like that Edwards made the cut, but 47 is a bit higher than I would have expected. I’ll take it though.
Jim Callis is more confident in Edwards’ ability to make it as a starting pitcher. His only concern is Edwards’ skinny frame.
I’m definitely rooting for Edwards to become a big piece; if things go well with him this season, it would be cool to see him get some time pitching out of the bullpen for the Cubs, get his feet wet.
Piniella reflects on time with Cubs
Former Cubs manager Lou Piniella joined the Boers and Bernstein Show on Friday afternoon to talk Joe Maddon and reflect on his time in Chicago.
Definitely worth a listen if you get the chance.
When asked about Maddon, Piniella said he has the necessary patience and thinks he’ll fare well in Chicago. He thinks he’ll handle the media well, but “Joe will find out that this is a little tougher job than the Tampa Bay job that he came from.”
Piniella’s main regret from his time with the Cubs is the way he prepared his teams for the playoffs. “When we went to the postseason, I should have had a meeting with the team and said, ‘Fellas look, nobody expects anything. Let’s go out and have some fun. Let’s do the best we can, and whatever happens, happens,’” Piniella said.
An interesting perspective, and just shows the kind of pressure the years of losing can put on the players. I have a feeling Maddon will be able to handle this aspect well.
Later in the interview, the topic of the cramped spacing in the clubhouse came up. Dan Bernstein mentioned that Maddon is a believer in not spending too much time at the ballpark, and Piniella agreed with that notion.
He said players would often show up to the ballpark hours before games and just sit around, but then leave right when the game ended — a time that could have provided good teaching opportunities by discussing the recently concluded game.
The interview reminded me how much I enjoyed Lou’s tenure as Cubs manager. It obviously ended badly, with him leaving the team in August 2010.
Mike Quade took over as manager, and the rest is history. But as he pointed out, Piniella had three out of four teams with winning records — and two division champions.
The teams were good, but they just couldn’t get over that hump. Hopefully Joe Maddon — and the current Cubs front office — is the key to getting that done.
Other notes
* The Red Sox have signed former Rangers pitcher Alex Ogando, and to make room, Boston DFA’d LHP Drake Britton. John from Cubs Den thinks Britton could possibly be a fit for the Cubs. Britton throws hard for a lefty, and is well-known by the Cubs front office, who drafted him in 2007.