Cliff Floyd?

by tbizzle83 on Dec 31, 2006 4:38 PM CST

ok i heard a very long time ago about us (the cubs) being close to signing cliff floyd. what has happen to this deal!! i have heard nothing lately about it. i think we need another strong bat and he possibly could be perfect for this lineup. does anyone have information on this???? plese let me know if you do.........................

Poll

would signing floyd be a good thing???

yes

41 votes

no

29 votes

70 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

I changed your diary title....

... to reflect its content. This is another reminder to people to try to think up diary titles that show what's inside -- you'll get more people to read your diaries if you do this (the original title was "i'm wondering", BTW).

About Floyd, I doubt you'll hear much till at least Tuesday, as no doubt the offices are closed for the holiday. I'm still mostly against this, as he is always hurt.

by Al Yellon on Dec 31, 2006 5:08 PM CST reply actions

which I doubt would be much of an issue...

...as I don't think he would be relied on for 500 plate appearances. I think he tops out at 300+ and Mighty Murt tops out at 450 next year.

At any rate, more depth never hurts Al. And I'd rather Floyd take up a roster spot anyday over Angel Pagan or Ronny Cedeno, both of whom, when healthy, aren't worth a dead Cliff Floyd.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Dec 31, 2006 5:18 PM CST up reply actions

I'd agree with you...

... on Cedeno.

But Pagan does at least have some skills; he's got a little power, a little speed, and plays all three OF positions decently. He's far younger than Floyd and isn't as injury-prone.

by Al Yellon on Dec 31, 2006 5:48 PM CST up reply actions

none of those qualities impress me much...

...Al.

A "little" speed isn't a compliment, neither is a "little" power. The little stuff just adds up to a ballplayer that's not very good in any respect.

I'd rather take the risk on Floyd. Shunt Pagan down to AAA, and if Floyd gets hurt, then bring up Pagan.

And you do remember Pagan messed up his hamstring last year right? Missed quite a bit of time. So it is certainly debatable whether or not Pagan would be healther than Floyd at this point too.

The most telling point still is that when Pagan is healthy, he's not nearly as good as Cliff Floyd.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Dec 31, 2006 5:57 PM CST up reply actions

Decently?

I think that depends on what the definition of decent is.

If the goal is to have some versatility and a guy who can play all 3 outfield spots then Pagan is probably the best the Cubs can do at this point. But if it's a guy who can fill in at RF or LF here or there then Floyd is the guy. To be honest, I'd take my chances on Floyd over Pagan even if we used Floyd the same way we'd use Pagan. Pagan MIGHT provide no negative production, but that's a HUGE maybe. He isn't going to provide any positive production for sure. Maybe Floyd won't either for the injury reasons you mentioned, but if you get a decent year out of Floyd he's going to give you some quality positive production for a bench spot.

by Maddog on Dec 31, 2006 6:10 PM CST up reply actions

Isn't that...

... why Daryle Ward was signed? I realize Ward can't really play the field, but Floyd's not that good in the field either.

by Al Yellon on Dec 31, 2006 8:02 PM CST up reply actions

so

do yo think the chances of us trading jones are gone? cuz my impression was that floyd would kind of take his spot as the good left hand bat

by tbizzle83 on Dec 31, 2006 8:23 PM CST up reply actions

True,

but the Cubs need some left handed stick. Even if it's mostly on the bench, they need it. Desperately.

by Maddog on Jan 1, 2007 12:09 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed.

I'd just rather have it be someone who isn't always injured.

Or a "pet favorite" of Jim Hendry's, as Floyd is.

by Al Yellon on Jan 1, 2007 9:41 AM CST up reply actions

Al, you're breaking records...

Floyd has cobbled together enough healthy seasons to lead us to believe that it is entirely possible that he can stay in one piece long enough to chip in 250 plate appearances if that is what we require of him. Your constant harping on it is bordering on irrational.

And you completely disregard that if we do sign Floyd and he takes the place of Pagan, and he is in fact hurt, we still have the option of having your little speed-little power-little talent-guy brought up after Floyd hits the shelf.

There is little risk in acquiring Floyd at this point as we would not be picking him over better options in the free agent market or on our own roster, and we wouldn't be giving him big money or a lot of years on the contract.

It's worth it. It is a similar situation to Kerry Wood, who truly is, always hurt. We have enough in our bullpen that if Wood is--big surprise, hurt again, then we aren't out all that much as we have other pieces to rely on, but if Wood is healthy, then our bullpen has a chance to go from being a pretty good one to a fantastic one.

Same with our bench in Floyd. Same with our lineup as well as a healthy Floyd is a nice piece to have hitting after Aramis Ramirez.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Jan 1, 2007 12:09 PM CST up reply actions

As long as...

... he doesn't take playing time away from Matt Murton, and that's what I'd fear.

by Al Yellon on Jan 1, 2007 12:17 PM CST up reply actions

I think Murton would get the bulk of the PT...

...with only a handful of his ABs against RHP taken away.

Unless he tanks against RHP.

If he does, and Floyd is healthy, then Floyd would get the bulk of the ABs against RHP, which I'm fine with if Murton isn't performing.

He wasn't very good the first half of last year and if Floyd is around to give Murton some healthy competition (yes I note the irony in my usage of the word "healthy" here) in addition to giving us more depth off the bench, then it can only be a good thing.

Murton is stuck between two worlds right now. He's shown signs of breaking out and being the high OBP solid power type player we need out of LF, and he's also shown that he can out-Frank Catalanotto Frank Catalanotto. With some serious question marks still about this Cub lineup which does have quite a bit of potential for next year (Will Lee return completely healthy and productive? Will Soriano continue raking a la his contract year, or will he regress back to his underwhelming Texas days? Will Jacque Jones, if still here, be the same hitter he was in 06, or will he revert to his 04-05 levels? Can Izturis contribute anything positive offensively? Can Murton continue to make the strides he did the second half of 06, when the playoffs were lost and the Cubs a no-pressure, simply bad team?) it would be nice to have a Cliff Floyd somewhere in the mix for the price the Cubs are considering, even if he is a bundle of question marks himself.

And with this team trying to win now rather than later, Floyd is a player we can certainly use.

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Jan 1, 2007 12:36 PM CST up reply actions

agreed

I've always felt Floyd should be part of the equation if nothing else comes along. He won't get the bulk of ABs as you say. what is the bench now? Ward, Pagan, Theriot, Blanco.. who else?? That's not enough. we need Floyd and even another power hitter on top of that. So yes, at LEAST Floyd. If his foot is healthy, it's a no brainer. that's apparently what we're waiting for.

by cashcowsquirtingsourmilk on Jan 1, 2007 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

i agree

2nd to kenny lofton i think he is the best player we could possibly get to come off te bench. hey wasnt luis castillo a FA i havent heard anything from him either

by tbizzle83 on Jan 1, 2007 1:35 PM CST up reply actions

luis's option was picked up by the Twinkies...

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Jan 1, 2007 2:02 PM CST up reply actions

Fully agree...

I've been responding to Al with this for a long time now: I don't see how Hendry would feel he can tell Lou how to make his lineup, and I don't think Lou would play Floyd "just because" he'd be making $5 mil or whatever.

The only way I would see Floyd "taking" time from Murton, is if: a) Floyd is playing better (which would be good) b) Floyd is playing at the same level and Lou prefers the "veteran"-which may cost the 'future', but if Murton isn't traded, it's not the end of his development, or c) if Floyd is slightly worse but Lou wants a veteran presence-which would be bad.

Only in c) is it a bad thing-and even that one I find hard to see happenning as Murton will be in his 3rd year and 25-years-old. He's not a 21- or 22-year-old rookie Lou had in Tampa.

For a team that has had such bad 'luck' with injuries and general play, and with pitching signed and not much else out there, and with a team with a large budget, I don't see how adding a player for competitiion and "options" is a bad thing. Just like having six starters and 7 or 8 bullpen arms, with one or two "always" hurt, the cubs will have a 4th/5th OF'er.

TOWEL DRILL!

by tyger1147 on Jan 3, 2007 11:35 AM CST up reply actions

You all are missing the point, I think...

They are clearly looking way, way ahead with the idea of a Floyd signing. That is that he will make a great DH in the World Series. Plus, he would, at most, have to play in four games during the WS, vastly limiting his opportunities to get hurt.

Throw Jacque Jones down the well, so the Cubs will be free...

by Ross on Dec 31, 2006 8:29 PM CST reply actions