Where's Ronny?

by thecoolest on Nov 13, 2007 4:16 PM CST

To all of you Cub's fans or people who are just reading this, I pose a question for you: What will happen to Ronny Cedeño? The infield seems pretty deep except for the uncertainty as short (I think that TheRiot is gonna keep the job) and he's still young and has potential. What do you think the Cub's should do. Trade him, give him a roster spot as the utility infielder let him battle for the starting shortstop position or send him back down to the minors? Voice your opinion!

Poll

What do you do with a problem like Ronny

Trade him

92 votes

Give him a starting job

19 votes

Give him a utility job

33 votes

Keep him in the minors

15 votes

159 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

Battle

I think a coach that doesnt have an open battle at a position doesnt deserve to coach (hmmm Lovie) but I think Lou is a great coach and I think Ronny will compete for the job.

Hey.....Cubs win!!! Steve Stone is the most overrated scumbag in the business.

by Hammer on Nov 13, 2007 4:21 PM CST reply actions

I think its simple

if he can be used in a trade to help the club, he will be gone. If not, he will get a chance to compete for a position in ST. Frankly, I am guessing Piniella is not crazy about him, but I could very well be wrong.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Nov 13, 2007 4:24 PM CST reply actions

Agreed, well said.

Hey.....Cubs win!!! Steve Stone is the most overrated scumbag in the business.

by Hammer on Nov 13, 2007 4:30 PM CST up reply actions

keep him in the minors

is not an option

Ronny's out of minor league options

by DartmouthCubsFan on Nov 13, 2007 4:33 PM CST reply actions

hard to say

My vote would be to trade Cedeno in the right deal. I think his skills could make him attractive to other teams, but I don't think those skills will ever pan out in meaningful ways.

I'm not a huge Theriot booster, but I can't remember Ryan making nearly as many stupid plays as Ronny has. That's subjective because I haven't watched every inning each guy has played, but Cedeno makes me nervous.

I make that point because I think Theriot is preferable to Cedeno, and I don't think it's really even close. But if the right deal can't be found, I'd give Cedeno a shot in the spring.

by elgato on Nov 13, 2007 4:42 PM CST reply actions

I think Lou should say

he gonna let them battle it out. But as Spring Training approaches, leak info to the media that he is looking great, then as soon as his stock gets up and teams get interested, pull the trigger, maybe you can get more??? Its just a thought... And Im not a professional, so dont rip on me please...

PIE!!!

by LilLPLancer23 on Nov 13, 2007 4:58 PM CST reply actions

Some teams try that

but it's hard to get the facts by other teams because they are constantly scouting your players and forming their own opinions.

When Hendry said Cedeno would get time in CF, I am sure that got some chuckles from other teams.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Nov 13, 2007 5:00 PM CST up reply actions

Maybe......

... Hendry was trying to pump up Cedeno as being possibly valuable as a multiposition utility player, to increase his trade value.

Yeah, I'm laughing too.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Nov 13, 2007 5:58 PM CST up reply actions

Where's Ronny Cedeno?

Being kept down by The Man!

Duh.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Nov 13, 2007 6:00 PM CST reply actions

I'm squarely in the middle here

Give Cedeno a shot at the starting job but make it clear that he could very well be packaged for the right deal. I haven't completely given up on Ronnie, but I can't say I'm prepared to be one of his (very few) boosters either.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Nov 13, 2007 6:05 PM CST reply actions

There's another one?

Where?

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Nov 13, 2007 7:41 PM CST up reply actions

re: There's another one?

You are one of the few, the proud (?), the brave. And I must confess that I respect your opinions enough to have them be one of the prime reasons I haven't given up on Ronnie.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Nov 14, 2007 9:17 AM CST up reply actions

i'm on the edge

with you cwyers...

i just wish there was SOME indication of moderate plate discipline and i'd be fully invested in the start Ronny Cedeno fanclub

by DartmouthCubsFan on Nov 14, 2007 9:19 AM CST up reply actions

To paraphrase Earl Weaver...

"We saw that Ronny Cedeno has the ability to sit on his butt for eight innings, then cost us the game in the ninth by oversliding second base on a walk. So if this person would mind their own business and let me manage the team, we'd be a lot better off."

I can't imagine Cedeno would bring much in trade. He had a good year at Iowa. He didn't show anything in 2006, when he was basically the starter. And if he is traded, people will just complain that Hendry didn't get enough in return. I don't think you can expect much more than whatever Monroe eventually brings, or Infante for that matter.

by markleonette on Nov 13, 2007 7:39 PM CST reply actions

I doubt

anyone would complain that Hendry didn't get enough in return.

by elgato on Nov 13, 2007 8:58 PM CST up reply actions

Not being exactly stupid...

...I can understand the basic arguement against Ronny Cedeno. I am well aware that arguing for increasing playing time for a guy whose career line is .247/.277/.349 is not exactly an easy sell. It relies on AAA stats, batting average on balls in play, small-sample size arguements, a general philosophy on player development and a giant fear of complacency in the form of the next David Eckstein. But all of that's tough to convey when the guy batted .203 last season, and so I don't get wildly out of shape when people disagree with me.

That said, your wild obsession with the one overslid base is driving me crazy. I don't know what it is you do for a living, but I seriously doubt you do it perfectly for every second of every day; every ball player is going to occasionally do something drastically stupid out in the field at some point of his career. The key is to look at the whole player, not one play, in evaluating him.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Nov 13, 2007 9:21 PM CST up reply actions

The overslide is just one example

You did a good job of summarizing why he shouldn't get increased playing time in this post. It's funny how you present the statistics for why one player on this team shouldn't be starting, yet Cedeno, who has worse stats in all categories, gets a pass. And then anyone who admires playing smart baseball, giving 100 percent at all times, playing with heart, etc., gets dismissed as an idiot. Maybe next time I'll start a diary called "The Official Ronny Cedeno Sucks Diary." That wouldn't be wildly obsessive at all.

by markleonette on Nov 13, 2007 9:43 PM CST up reply actions

And

along with the poll, if all of u think Cedeno sucks so bad that he should be traded, who would u trade him for?

by tizzle on Nov 13, 2007 11:09 PM CST reply actions

We've already got the infield rake,

so I'd trade him for some BP balls. Or a rosin bag for the pitchers.

by jjmarie30 on Nov 13, 2007 11:24 PM CST up reply actions

I cant believe

you dont see how valuble Cedeno could be, he's young! this is why Corey didnt become a star, all u fans pushed too hard for him to be something he wasnt ready for. And the same will happen with Pie and Cedeno if ur not careful.

by tizzle on Nov 13, 2007 11:41 PM CST up reply actions

Just because you're young

doesn't mean you will play good baseball. I'll grant that Cedeno has upside (grudgingly). But i can't get over his fielding errors, his baserunning blunders, and his inability to hit major league pitching. He was given an entire year as a starter (or the majority, at least) and I didn't notice anything but issues with him. I'm too lazy to look up his stats to see if it proves or disproves my thoughts on him, but he just seems like he's not a good ballplayer.

Pie, at least, I give the benefit of the doubt to (at this point) because he hasn't had much major league experience. Yes, he had trouble at the plate this year, and yes, he needs to work on pitch selection and plate discipline, but he has struggled at every level before adjusting and then tearing up that level.

As for CPatt, well, that's a whole other story. Personally, I think he was a completely different player after he tore his ACL in 2003 (I believe that was the injury). Not only that, but he wsa promoted throughout the minors while not having necessarily earned it. If I remember correctly (read: I'm lazy and don't feel like research), his stats were never very good at any level, yet he progressed, probably due to the fact that Hendry and the previous scouting team had an addiction to "toolsy" players. Not to mention the fact that Corey himself was reluctant to listen to any advice the Cubs gave him.

This all pales in comparison to the fact that the Cubs haven't not produced many, if any at all, decent position players for a long time. They are seldom listed as a farm system with top prospects , and have serious player development issues. Or at least they did in the recent past. Now, I'm starting to notice plate discipline seems to be emphasized more nowadays, but maybe that's just an errant observation. Either way, development and drafting philosophy should take precedence over going out and signing free agents who don't always plug the holes in the team.

But hey, apparently, it's all because they were brought up too young, and that's what's to blame for them playing poorly. Not the fact that they didn't succeed at different levels in the minors or that they are bad defensive players. Nope. Not at all.

Oh, and by the way, the word is spelled YOUR, not "ur." How much time does that save, you know, dropping two letters?

by jjmarie30 on Nov 14, 2007 1:35 AM CST up reply actions

Ooops

didn't mean to be so long-winded. Sorry, folks.

by jjmarie30 on Nov 14, 2007 1:35 AM CST up reply actions

It's not Your,

It's You're............

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Nov 14, 2007 2:20 PM CST up reply actions

Zing!!!

Well played, sir or madam. If someone is going to critique someone's grammar/spelling, that person should at least get it right.

by SouthernCub on Nov 14, 2007 2:46 PM CST up reply actions

Touche

Lapse of grammar and spelling on my part as well.

by jjmarie30 on Nov 14, 2007 4:19 PM CST up reply actions

I've watched him

in ST the last 2 years, and he plays fairly well, and in the minors. But for some reason, he stinks at the major league level. He may pan out one day, maybe with another team, but IMHO you have to trade him.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Nov 14, 2007 2:20 AM CST reply actions

There is a dearth

of shortstops on the market.

Yes, even Cesar Izturis is getting some interest. Makes you kind of wish we had held onto him.

Cedeno is young and has had flashes of brilliance. I think it'd behoove us to use him in a deal. He may not be the main player, but he is a useful chip to have. I would NOT trade him for nothing.

by nickler on Nov 14, 2007 10:08 AM CST reply actions

re: There is a dearth

I agree with everything in your post except the third sentence. I doubt you'll find anyone who wishes the Cubs had held on to Izzy. And speaking of holding onto something...I'm guessing ARam's groin will be celebrating the day Izturis was traded annually.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Nov 14, 2007 10:25 AM CST up reply actions