Randy Winn, anyone?

by Matt Allison on Jul 30, 2007 1:32 AM CDT Comment 33 comments

Any thoughts on trying to make a trade for him? I was impressed by how he hit at Wrigley during the recent Giants series. He's a switch-hitter, and plays exceptionally well later in the season, especially the fall. I don't think we'll get Griffey, I'm not sure if Dye wants to play here, and Adam Dunn seems a little inconsistent.

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Yes yes and yes

Randy Winn would be a great pickup and IIRC, kills lefties.

Get him now.

by Chad on Jul 30, 2007 2:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, I dunno.

I'm kind of back to the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra.

Not sure where you got the "plays well in the fall" (I guess you were implying "postseason", right?) info. Winn has never been in a playoff game.

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 3:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Randy Winn

is 33 years old and has 86 career home runs, as well as a career .OPS of .765. Not very inticing.

Cliff Floyd is hitting .294/.357/.397/.754 with 4 home runs this year, Randy Winn is hitting .293/.351/.416/.767 with 6 home runs. If you are dissatisfied with Floyd why in the world would you want Winn, they are essentially the same player (defense and baserunning notwithstanding). And fwiw, Randy Winn has been successful on 8 or 11 stolen base attempts this year for a 73% success rate, for his career he's at 69%. Both are below the magical 75% success rate that makes it beneficial to steal bases.

Randy Winn basically isn't a great player, more likely he's just adequate. He's not a bad player but he doesn't do anything particularly well. I don't think he's the kind of player that puts you over the top and he's rather expensive too considering our options. Matt Murton could put up better numbers if he had a full time job. Plus I think Winn gets a little more publicity than he deserves. He was an all-star with the Devil Rays because somebody had to be, and he was traded for Lou Piniella which isn't exactly an everyday occurrence.

Basically he's a nice player for what he is but not one that would upgrade us at any position and not worth losing prospects over.

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey

by pageian on Jul 30, 2007 3:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

When he was younger

Playing excellent defense in Seattle's huge stadium and having his offense numbers dampened by the same park, he was an above-average outfielder.

But his last really good offensive season was two years ago, and that seems to have been heavily Bonds-related. At this point, I see him as a much more experienced Angel Pagan. If we were trading Jacque Jones for someone, Winn might make sense. But why pick up an $8M salary for next year, just to unload Jacque for an equivalent player? Outfield defense just isn't that important in Wrigley Field.

The call of the Cub fan, c. 1893: "one long, ravaged, derisive yell...a cyclonic whoop!"

by zambranofan on Jul 30, 2007 7:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How about Torii Hunter?

Hear he might be available....

"Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?"

by Jettero2112 on Jul 30, 2007 7:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

that would be interesting,

but I'll believe it when I see it.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike on Jul 30, 2007 7:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From Saturday

http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_6482752

"Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?"

by Jettero2112 on Jul 30, 2007 7:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

saw hunter

on espn news one day and he said the cubs would be his #1 choice this off season...but he added that wrigley would take some of his skills away because of the high and hard outfield wall would make it hard to rob homers

by tbizzle83 on Jul 30, 2007 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We got prospects

I'd give up for Hunter...in a heartbeat. So ling as he signs for more years.

MMMMM...Hebrew National

by Kinky Reggae on Jul 30, 2007 8:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not me.

Look at Hunter's offensive numbers. He's basically a right-handed Jacque Jones with a bit more power. He's having a great season in a walk year, which means someone will overpay for him (cough Yankees cough).

No thanks.

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 8:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What?!?

Torii Hunter: .291/.334/.870 21HR 73RBI 11SB
Jacque Jones: .241/.308/.641 2HR 28RBI 2SB

Now, I realize Hunter has put up these numbers in far more at-bats than Jacque Jones. But, you're talking about a player hitting 50 points higher than Jones, and his OBP is 229 points higher this year. That is a signifigant upgrade. Not to mention that we're talking about a premier defensive player.

Hunter is a two month rental. If the Twins aren't asking for the moon for two months of Torii Hunter, by all means the Cubs should explore acquiring him. No if ands or buts.

One day, the dream will come true.

by brianp88 on Jul 30, 2007 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Career numbers...

Hunter: .271/.324/.469
Jones: .277/.327/.453

Take a look at their other numbers, too. Hunter has a few more SB. Hunter's having a career year. But I imagine the Twins will be asking for a high price (as the White Sox did in asking for Marmol for Dye, a ridiculous request), in no small part because Hunter is the face of the Twins franchise.

The Cubs are winning with the team they have. I say again, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yabbut

"Hunter's having a career year."

Exactly Al! That's why you want him for a two month rental, so long as you aren't giving up Pie or Veal. If they want Patterson or Murton or some other prospect, it would be worth it. It all depends on what the price is.

One day, the dream will come true.

by brianp88 on Jul 30, 2007 10:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

as long as we dont give up pie

im with you. we need to have a win now mindset, this is a good team, and with hunters defense, and his incredibly hot, contract seeking bat, he may put us over the top.

long term though i say no too, and al did a nice comparrison of their career numbers, and jj was very close to hunter, id rather not overpay for him with pie coming up.

Big Z on Cuban: "Plus, I can be signed by him. You know, I know he has the money for me. Hopefully he can buy the Cubs."

by kylejo on Jul 30, 2007 9:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"so long, not so ling"

MMMMM...Hebrew National

by Kinky Reggae on Jul 30, 2007 8:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

haha im actually serious here

but sosa anyone? he kills lefties, his power would be nice, platoon him with floyd and i think wed have a great offensive right fielder. just take a look at these splits:

vs. lefties sosa: .321 .423 .593 1.015

bring back slammin!

Big Z on Cuban: "Plus, I can be signed by him. You know, I know he has the money for me. Hopefully he can buy the Cubs."

by kylejo on Jul 30, 2007 9:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No thanks.

Since he hit the 600th HR vs. the Cubs he is .242/.314/.451 with 26 K in 91 AB. We already have players who can do that.

Add on the media circus that'd accompany his return, and I'm not interested.

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you cant argue with the splits

and hed cost nothing, its better than fontenot in the lineup with derosa in right field against righties. who would you rather, fontenot with his sub .600 ops in the last month, or sosa with a 1.000 ops against lefties? thats what it would come down to, put dero at second everyday, strict platoon in right field with sosa against lefties.

Big Z on Cuban: "Plus, I can be signed by him. You know, I know he has the money for me. Hopefully he can buy the Cubs."

by kylejo on Jul 30, 2007 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sorry, derosa in right against lefties

Big Z on Cuban: "Plus, I can be signed by him. You know, I know he has the money for me. Hopefully he can buy the Cubs."

by kylejo on Jul 30, 2007 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem is...

... you don't necessarily get those exact numbers. What is his OPS vs LHP the last six weeks?

Plus, you get the Sammy Circus. This team is focused and winning, it needs no added distractions.

Again, no thanks.

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed!

Sammy is a loser.

"These are terrible times, and I shouldn't joke about them." --Warren Zevon

by ExNorthsider on Jul 30, 2007 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And further...

Fontenot vs. RHP: .330/.375/.491 (112 AB)
Sosa vs LHP: .321/.423/.593 (97 AB)

Really, there isn't THAT much difference, not enough to disrupt the team by doing this.

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now, I don't want Sosa...

...within 300 feet of Wrigley Field unless he's bought a ticket, but that .100 point difference in slugging seems worth noting. It's not exactly a fair comparison, seeing as one of them is a DH and one is a second baseman, but still.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Jul 30, 2007 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sure, I see your point.

But I don't think it's worth the other baggage (considerable) that would come with a Sosa return.

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

by Al on Jul 30, 2007 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not so much the baggage as...

...in the Floyd/DeRosa/Pagan/Fontenot/Murton platoon, the weak link is currently Cliff Floyd.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Jul 30, 2007 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

fontenots gotta go

the weak link to me is fontenot, he is dropping like a rock, in two weeks i bet hes struggling to have his batting avg. above .275. Send him down, put dero at second full time, or if you still want to platoon derosa in right sometimes, give eric patterson a shot, hes showing some nice pop. fontenot needs to rebound soon if they keep him up.

fontenots ops last month: .496

Big Z on Cuban: "Plus, I can be signed by him. You know, I know he has the money for me. Hopefully he can buy the Cubs."

by kylejo on Jul 30, 2007 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, well...

...getting rid of Fontenot isn't hard, and we have (as you noted) plenty of other options in the middle infield if he's not producing.

Floyd is the person whose weakness most needs to be address in a potential trade, not his platoonmates.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Jul 30, 2007 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You know...

I generally try to keep out of trade talks, but I find myself wondering often whether a trade for Luis Castillo (and moving DeRosa out to right) doesn't have merit.

by Damen Jackson on Jul 30, 2007 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Derosa

is a little underpowered for full time right field duty. He loses some of his value as a full right fielder. In other words he's more valuable to us as a 2b or rover. Haven't checked Castillo but isn't he really similar in style to Jason Kendall? Do we really need another slap hitter with no power? I've always like him, good .obp, but we could really use some thump right now.

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey

by pageian on Jul 30, 2007 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hunter would be ok

I would enjoy bringing in Hunter to Chicago. But, Winn wouldnt really add much value on top of what we have.

by BMac on Jul 30, 2007 10:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I veiw Winn,

or a trade for any other RF, as "Cliffy-insurance". I like Cliff a lot, but his fragility is a concern. And unlike many others, I don't see Murton taking over there. That at-bat he had Saturday was disturbing in it's ineptness; you spend all that time in AAA, and that's how you approach your first AB back with the big team?

Tinker to Evers to Chance.

by Matt Allison on Jul 30, 2007 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hunter

I wonder what affect adding Hunter would have for Jacque Jones. They were teammates in Minnesota, I don't know if they were buddies, but if they were I think it would be a safe bet to add him without screwing too much with team chemistry.

by eamuscatuli1881 on Jul 30, 2007 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not that it is worth too much

but take someone having a career year, add a change of scenery, and you may have an addition worth looking at. As much as I am fond of Floyd as a person, his contributions have "felt" very minimal. This to me, needs to be addressed and therefore, the question isn't DO we make a trade but WHO we trade for.

Pie needs to stay, all other prospects should be fair game IMHO.

Al, I understand the If it aint broke thweory however, I can't help but think, this team, while they may make the postseason with what they got, Sept and Oct will need a surge and experience. That wouldn't hurt much now either.

just my opinion though.

MMMMM...Hebrew National

by Kinky Reggae on Jul 30, 2007 10:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs