Next year's top 2

by grifdog on Aug 14, 2005 6:52 PM CDT Comment 17 comments

Just watching BT from Chicago tonight, Gammons reiterated that the Cubs are dead last in OBP in the NL out of the 1-2 spots and as we all know, we have basically wasted an MVP year from Derrek Lee. This team could be 15 games under if Lee didn't go nuts for the first 3 months.

So who should bat 1-2 next year?

Poll

Who should bat 1-2 next year?

Patterson/Walker

0 votes

Other (explain)

15 votes

Pie/Cedeno

2 votes

Pie/Garciaparra

11 votes

Patterson/Cedeno

0 votes

Patterson/Garciaparra

0 votes

Pie/Walker

4 votes

32 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

It seems you're only considering in-system guys...

but i don't think Patterson OR Pie should be one of the top 2 hitters next year. If we don't resign Lawton, we'll either need to sign a leadoff hitter, or put Walker/Garciaparra as our top 2. And even if we do that, we'll need a good insurance policy in case Nomar gets hurt again.

The Cubs will thrive in twenty-oh-five!

by shawndgoldman on Aug 14, 2005 11:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

I was going to include an option for "2 free agents", but the "Other" takes care of that.

by grifdog on Aug 15, 2005 12:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

my 2 cents

walker/nomar, unless eric patterson is called up, then i'd give him a shot at walker's spot in spring training.

it might be the silver lining if the cubs fall out of it to call up e-pat in september and see if he's ready.

by tom nichols on Aug 15, 2005 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you are assuming

that Lee would hit with guys on and that he would be pitched the same. Fact is Lee hasn't hit that well with ruuners on especailly as of late. Last night he had a brutal AB against Morris in the 1st with 2 on and 0 outs. For the record, with runners on 1st and 2nd, Lee is hitting .217 with a .308 OBP. Overall, he is hitting .351 with no one on and hitting .340 with runners on. And Lee hits worst in the 3-hole (.335). He hit in the 4, 5, and 6 hole this year, so he had many RBI chances other than saying our "lead-off hitter and 2 hitter suck."

Pujols is having an almost identical season as Lee and he has only 4 more RBI with "better" OBP guys in the 1 and 2 holes. So what's that tell you? It tells me Lee is having a fantastic season and his stats would be about the same no matter who hit in front of him.

Lee is having a fantastic year. Let's enjoy it.

by socalbob on Aug 15, 2005 11:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Furcal/Walker

Let's face it, the Cubs need to improve their infield defense, they have a GG'er at first and 3 liabilities (although Walker isn't so bad) at the other positions. Furcal is one of the best defensive SS's in the league (and the best this year if you believe in defensive stats like BP's Rate2 or Fielding Win Shares). He's got a career .340 OBP which is respectable especially when you match it with his speed. He'll make Dusty happy, he'll make us happy.

I'm tempted to let Burnitz go and resign Lawton and have an order of:

Furcal
Lawton
Lee
Ramirez
Barrett
Walker
Murton
Korey

BUT I think Hendry HAS to pull a trade for a legit corner outfielder, either at the expense of Murton, Lawton or Burnitz. Nomar is good and all and more then likely to come back, but I think the term "injury prone" can safely be put on him. And I just couldn't stand another year of Neifi at SS (and he will be resigned along with Macias, mark my words).

by RobG on Aug 15, 2005 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm all for Furcal

I like his switch-hitting and speed. I'd love to see Nomar shift to 2B. He's a dynamic hitter and we just haven't seen him yet. His nice .370 average since returning is just the start of it. He's a tremendous hitter and athlete.

Lawton can go as he's not worth over $7M. And Bur-shitz can certainly be let go.

Hendry needs to rebuild his corner OF and make some tough decisions in the middle IF.

And let's not even get started wtiht he pitching staff.

by socalbob on Aug 15, 2005 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Furcal...

... is a headcase who's been kept under moderate control by Cox.

He has talent, no doubt about it, but I'd rather keep Nomar.

by Al on Aug 15, 2005 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Headcase? Really?

Can you shed some light on that comment?

by socalbob on Aug 15, 2005 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

there was his drunk driving arrest last year -- while he was on probation for another drunk driving arrest.

Just what we need, the SS version of Kyle Farnsworth.

by Al on Aug 15, 2005 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

that seems to be a reach

you mentioned Cox's influence and I thought it had to be something on the field. I was looking forward to hearing something I did not know.

Let's make sure Bobby Cox never comes to manage the Cubs too since he's a wife-beater. (sarcasm)

by socalbob on Aug 15, 2005 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lawton will make a lot less

This is the last year of a bad contract for Lawton. I still think Hendry made the deal for Lawton as a preemptive move to the off-season when the FA market is bare as a bone. Lawton will be had for about $5 mil a year on a 2-3 year contract in my opinion. If we have to choose between Burnitz or Lawton, I'd chose Lawton, but I'm hoping Hendry has another trade that makes both of them distant memories.

by RobG on Aug 15, 2005 12:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

2 DUI's

He has had 2 DUI's in 4 years that I know of....

the last one was Sept 10, 2004.

http://www.mugshots.com/Sport/Rafael+Furcal.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/braves/2004-09-10-furcal-dui_x.htm

by RobG on Aug 15, 2005 1:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

well,

That certainly doesn't make one a "headcase." I was interested in Al's comment because he spoke of Bobby Cox's "controlling" Furcal. I haven't heard about this or seen anything of it.

I see a guy who's arm makes Shawon Dunston look like Greg Hibbard and a guy who runs so well he makes CP look like Keith Moreland. He does a lot of things the Cubs need and I've never heard about any head probs.

We could easily say Bobby Cox is a "headcase" too if legal transgressions are the criteria. He's beat up his wife about 2 or 3 times now.

by socalbob on Aug 15, 2005 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK, OK...

... the other thing is, Furcal will cost a lot of money.

I believe you can get similar production out of Nomar, for similar or even less money.

That way, you could spend the extra on some outfield or pitching help.

by Al on Aug 15, 2005 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Furcal won't be cheap BUT

he's far better defensively then Nomar, and I just don't know that Nomar can stay healthy. And if you take a look at the FA's next year, you'll realize there isn't a lot of good OF's to spend on. Actually there are none in my opinion except Damon but he plays a position that should be filled by Felix Pie in the very near future.

The Cubs should have anywhere between $30-$45 million next year to spend, and I would put Furcal at about $8-10 mil a year.

And I recall reading a Hendry quote that said they'll have the money to pursue anyone they wish this off-season. Who knows who that is?

by RobG on Aug 15, 2005 2:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Remember...

... don't assume that the only players that the Cubs could spend money on, are on the free-agent list.

"Trader Jim" might be able to swing a major deal, too.

by Al on Aug 15, 2005 3:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly...

I hope he trades. We need to expand our list of possibilities. The free-agents aren't that great. I also hope he trades for a starting pitcher more than a SS because I don't think there are any on the free agent list we should take.

Cubbie blue always sPaRkLeS in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Aug 15, 2005 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs