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Look at Me, I Can Be, Centerfield

The outfield defense has been abysmal.  Floyd is slow; Soriano is far from comfortable; teams run on Jones with impunity; and Murton is average.

This won't do the pitching staff any favors.

Hit or not, Pie greatly improves the defense, especially if he's in center.

The issue then becomes what to do with Soriano.  As this would happen on the fly, I'd put him in left, where he's played before.  That means you have Floyd/Jones/Murton to play right.  

We know what we get with Jones in right, and I don't think Murton would be any worse.  Floyd has limited time in right, the last significant time being five years ago, but at least he's played there before, unlike Soriano.  And earlier in his career, he had respectable OF assist numbers (granted, in left), so unless his arm is as bad as his legs these days, it's not the worst fit.

Offensively, giving Pie the bulk of the time will make the lineup heavily right-handed.  Some of this could be mitigated by spotting Jones, Floyd, or Pagan if Jones or Floyd is traded, against tough RH starters and shifting Soriano to CF.

Under the Pie scenario, it's very difficult to keep Floyd and Jones because there won't be enough playing time.  Neither is suited for PH duty so Ward seemingly has to stay.  

If Jones is dumped, the specter of Floyd's injuries comes into play because you lose your one lefty slugger in the lineup.  Murton isn't terrible vs. righties, so this has got to be better than trading Floyd and relying on Jones, who had his peak year last season and who it's unreasonable to believe will all of a sudden learn how to be patient and walk.

From what I've seen, there are fewer problems with putting Pie in center than there are keeping the status quo.

I look forward to all your thoughts.

Poll
IF Pie stays in the lineup to shore up the defense, which domino falls?
Jones traded
11 votes
Ward traded
6 votes
Keep them all and let Pinella figure it out
1 votes
Soriano in right
1 votes
Floyd traded
1 votes

20 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.

0 recs  |  Comment 7 comments

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My OF arrangement
I think you start Pie in right field, not center.  Although he is the better fielder between him and Soriano, most people agree that right field is tougher to play at Wrigley than center, plus it's nice to have you're best arm in right, such as Ichiro (prior to this year) and Vlad the Impaler.  

I think that Soriano stays in center.  I think he'll be fine out there.  He might not be a ball trap out there, but I think it'll be fine.  

I think the Cubs should deal Jones, but not for the reasons everyone is saying.  I just think he's kinda squeezed out, seeing as you can't trade Floyd because you just signed him and a Floyd-Jones platoon doesn't make sense.  So I say you deal Jones for whatever you can get for him and platoon Floyd and Murton in left.  I think Murton would be fine in right (which, you could send Soriano to left and Pie to center) but Floyd would be frightening out there.

I like Floyd/Murton, Pagan and DeRosa (if needed) as outfield backups.

Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean...

by eamuscatuli1881 on Apr 18, 2007 7:05 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Ward DFAed
If Pie hits enough to stay, and I think that only has to be .260/.310/.400, Ward is the odd man out.  Pie, Jones, and Murton will each play two games out of three in some sort of rotation until Jones is traded.

by Invalid User on Apr 18, 2007 7:08 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Huh?
"Offensively, giving Pie the bulk of the time will make the lineup heavily right-handed"

What does this mean?  Pie bats lefty.  

"I don't see where plate discipline becomes a tool" - Cubs Assistant GM Gary Hughes

by Jobu on Apr 18, 2007 9:41 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

handedness
Good point. Meant mid-lineup.

by Seamer on Apr 18, 2007 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I think
that the real problem with the Cubs at this point is the divisive treatment given to Soriano.  

This player is allowed to dictate entirely too much (batting leadoff) (only playing one position)of his role to be an effective team player, and it puts Piniella in an untenable position as a manager.

Soriano=Sosa redux.

"I lof to hit de home ron."

by Tekboy on Apr 18, 2007 3:48 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Please do not fall into the trap
of taking common lines of thought from a blog and putting them into characteristics of a personality.

The only thing we know is that he likes to play lead-off.  If you have a link where he said I will only bat lead-off please share it.

The only other thing we know is that when asked to play center he did, and when asked if he was comfortable he said yes.  Again if you have a link where he said I will only play in CF and never move please provide it.

Otherwise this is where blogs can get out of hand because everyone takes their groupthink as being the truth and then gets mad because of that "truth"

I can't play [golf] in Japan because every course has caddies, and the caddies all want autographs and don't want to let me golf." - Ichiro Suzuki

by tradeforichiro on Apr 18, 2007 5:03 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

First off
this is the only blog I have EVER been to, and my thoughts are strictly my own. What Soriano said was that he wants to stay at the same position, wherever it is, all season.

But I really think that him batting leadoff is not Lou's idea, since Lou is really not a stupid man. And so far, the results of Soriano batting leadoff are nothing less than stupid.

I wish him as much success as anyone, but I think that until a sparkplug or two reside at the top of the order, we have yet to plumb the real depths of futility.

Anyone who thinks that I am influenced by the thoughts of others, or that I ride some sort of "bandwagon" obviously know nothing of my proclivities. <grin>

"I lof to hit de home ron."

by Tekboy on Apr 18, 2007 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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