Who is our backup first baseman?
by elgato on Jan 4, 2009 11:08 AM CST
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PrintIt struck me today that I have no idea who will back up Lee at first next season -- now that DeRosa has been traded and Ward and Blanco are unlikely to return. We all remember how difficult it was to replace Lee in 2006 (Phil Nevin, Mabry) and how Lee faded during the '04 stretch run without a capable backup. The Cubs are arguably deeper now, but I still don't have a clear idea on who will or should back up D-Lee.
Granted, I'm sure most of the Cubs' infielders could handle the position, with my first thoughts going to Fontenot or Miles. But I also considered Ramirez and Soriano, and maybe even Milton Bradley (though I don't know much about Bradley to think that he would be a good fit).
It's also possible that the Cubs still intend to sign a backup. Al has suggested Kevin Millar ... ?
Oh, and I'm having a tough time figuring out the "Attach Poll" option, so I'll just do this free form. Who will likely back up Lee next year, and -- within reason -- who would you want to back him up? I say the last point to discourage suggestions of trades that are completely off the wall and/or that have never been even rumored.
Assuming Lee is hurt for an extended period, and not just getting the day off, I'd be curious try Soriano at first. If Lee is out for a game or half a game, my pick would probably be Miles.
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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Hoffpauir
"You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace."
Yeah, why was this even asked?
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
Lance Berkman???
Bleeding Cubbie Blue since 1985.
by Bricks and Ivy on Jan 4, 2009 11:33 AM CST up reply actions
Matt Stairs?
I haz blurg: hotbeans.wordpress.com
by digitalbenjamin on Jan 4, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions
Matt Sinatro?
"I'm petrified of nipple chafing. Once it starts, it's a vicious circle." Andy Bernard
Frank Sinatra Jr?
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Jan 4, 2009 8:57 PM CST up reply actions
Seems strange...
If they sign Miles and Aurilia, how much savings do they really get from trading DeRosa? I’d have to think Aurilia would cost a million or two, meaning the savings drops to around $1 million or so. Seems like we’d be better off with DeRosa than with Miles/Aurilia in that case.
i don't really like
how they need to fill their roles with free agents. Just go the cheap route and probably the most productive route with some minor leaguers. It’s not going to hurt all that much. I’m sure there’s not much of a difference between Bobby Scales and Rich Aurilia.
by lexmarklover on Jan 4, 2009 12:02 PM CST up reply actions
I think that rumor was before Miles was non-tendered.
If that’s the case, I would conclude the Cubs were interested in Aurilia until Miles was non-tendered.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Jan 4, 2009 5:07 PM CST up reply actions
Hoffpauir
Hmmm. I don’t know. It’s possible, but I wonder if Lou will trust him with pinch-hitting duties (e.g. a replacement for Ward).
They may very well bring in a replacement...
given what we have though, Hoffpauir is about it.
Micah and the roster
I’ll be floored if he’s not on it at the start of the year. I think he’s a lock. There’s no other bats that we are pursuing that fit the big bat off the bench mold, and I doubt we really went to splurge when our payroll is a bit constricted and there isn’t a bat out there that screams to you as a guy that is better than Micah. Micah doesn’t need his 100th tour of Iowa (okay, exaggerating, but he’s been there forever). Now, I’m not a huge Micah fan, but I’ll be absolutely stunned if he’s not on the roster come opening day. Maybe he won’t stick, but at the start of the year, I think he’s there. He’s also a solid defensive first baseman.
John Mabry. Hee Sop Choi. Zuleta.
Gulp.
by Ghost of Fred Merkle on Jan 4, 2009 12:24 PM CST reply actions
Ugh, I despised John Mabry.
Absolutely despised him. In retrospect, he was kinda like the anti-Jim Edmonds.
Yes, yes ... winter is indeed a pond upon which all of us must skate, braving frostbite and runny noses in the hopes that our cars will start and we shan't embarass ourselves slipping on a patch of black ice. Spring is more a quagmire of cold mud and slush, and fall is a pile of fallen leaves that may or may not hide a pile of doggy doo-doo. But summer, ah summer is an oasis of endless green that disappears all too quickly beneath our feet as we rush through its warm, glorious bliss.
Anti-Edmonds
Ha!!! Meaning that you didn’t mind Mabry UNTIL he actually became a Cub? Ha!
by Ghost of Fred Merkle on Jan 4, 2009 5:37 PM CST up reply actions
Pretty much, yeah.
He was an ex-Cardinal who did absolutely nothing.
Yes, yes ... winter is indeed a pond upon which all of us must skate, braving frostbite and runny noses in the hopes that our cars will start and we shan't embarass ourselves slipping on a patch of black ice. Spring is more a quagmire of cold mud and slush, and fall is a pile of fallen leaves that may or may not hide a pile of doggy doo-doo. But summer, ah summer is an oasis of endless green that disappears all too quickly beneath our feet as we rush through its warm, glorious bliss.
As of right now it is MICAH
The question is whether he will make the 25-man roster April 1 or be the first call up. Much depends on what happens in the OF. Cubs have the following bench signed and sealed:
Miles, RJohnson, Gathright, Backup catcher TBD, Cedeno along with 12 pitchers.
If Cubs sign Bradley [NO] or trade for a RF’er like Hermida[YES] this impacts Hoffpauir’s 25-man status. If Bradley than Hoffpauir will see about 50-70 games because of DL. If not Bradley and if the Cubs actually trade for Roberts[YES] and Cedeno is traded than he is on the 25-man.
Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."
Here's what I wonder:
Is Fukodome a lock for a roster spot?
If he stinks it up in ST or at the beginning of the year, do you think it’s possible he’d be sent to the minors instead of the bench? It would make more sense to me to send him down since there’s no chance he will get better sitting on the bench.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Jan 4, 2009 5:09 PM CST up reply actions
He won't be sent down.
I can’t see any scenario resulting in that happening.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
How could the Cubs
Justify a 12 million/year minor leaguer? If Fukudome really stinks it up that badly (which he most likely won’t), I’d think something closer to what the Dodgers are doing with Andruw Jones is more likely.
"Hey! If the moon were made of ribs, wouldja eat it? I know I would!"
The Jones scenario isn't likely...
Jones has one year remaining, so it’s easier to defer his money and make him a low-risk gamble.
Fukudome has THREE years remaining and more than twice the money. You could creatively defer the money (it’d take a lot more years), but he’d still be an expensive and time-consuming gamble.
I don’t think we’ll have a problem with Fukudome being useless, though. I think he’ll bounce back to the ~.800 OPS range.
I don't see the Cubs carrying 4 MI's
I think Hoffpauir is almost a lock to be on the roster unless we come up with 2 million or so spare cash.
Mike fontenot
Hendry is going to install a sekrit trampoline under the dirt at first.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
What you did there, I see.
Yes, yes ... winter is indeed a pond upon which all of us must skate, braving frostbite and runny noses in the hopes that our cars will start and we shan't embarass ourselves slipping on a patch of black ice. Spring is more a quagmire of cold mud and slush, and fall is a pile of fallen leaves that may or may not hide a pile of doggy doo-doo. But summer, ah summer is an oasis of endless green that disappears all too quickly beneath our feet as we rush through its warm, glorious bliss.
But
Not HIGH enough.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Jan 4, 2009 11:08 PM CST up reply actions
I assume Hoffpauir will make the roster...
… replacing Ward. There’s your backup, though it remains to be seen whether he’s a competent PH or not.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
I hope you're right.
The team needs him to be exactly that.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
Meh, I dunno.
I could see Hoffpauir being very much akin to the DWaryle we saw in ‘08 – mostly disappointing with a couple big knocks. I’ve read some minor league pundits say that Hoffpauir does play a decent first base, so I guess he could be valuable in resting DLee.
Yes, yes ... winter is indeed a pond upon which all of us must skate, braving frostbite and runny noses in the hopes that our cars will start and we shan't embarass ourselves slipping on a patch of black ice. Spring is more a quagmire of cold mud and slush, and fall is a pile of fallen leaves that may or may not hide a pile of doggy doo-doo. But summer, ah summer is an oasis of endless green that disappears all too quickly beneath our feet as we rush through its warm, glorious bliss.
Probably Rich Auralia (or reasonable facsimile)
Micah Hoffpauier won’t make the roster. Doesn’t have the versatility to play anywhere beyond 1st base, and it isn’t like he is any good there.
Bench will probably be — Kosuke / Johnson platoon, Gathright, Fontenot, Auralia, Bako
Hoff wont make the team?
Why not? He is essentially a cheaper and younger Ward. Also, as of now, hes the only guy with pop off the bench. I think he most certainly makes the team.
-clarknaddison
by clarknaddison on Jan 5, 2009 5:45 PM CST up reply actions
Sean Casey?
He’s a free agent.
He’s a lefty bat.
He lives down the street from me. If he signs with the Cubs, I can ask for game tickets.
"Every team will win 60 games, every team will lose 60 games, it's what the team does in the other 42 games that decides the season."
I'd rather have Casey than Hoffpauir.
At least he has some experience in a bench role.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
It won't be Micah Hoffpauier....or Sean Casey
Cubs are going with a 5 man bench in all likelihood. Whoever they have fill the backup 1st baseman role has to offer enhanced versatility, first and foremost as a quality pinch hitter. I doubt seriously the organization thinks Hoffpauier can step into the shoes of being a primetime pinch hitter operating off the bench. Plus Hoffpauier can’t help out any where in the field. He will never taste the outfield again, and appropriately so.
At some point the Cubs will pick up a veteran candidate or two to compete for the bench role referred to.
Why waste the money on Sean Casey? Does he offer enough of an upgrade over Micah that he’d be worth a few million more bucks?
Versatility-wise, at this point in his career, Casey offers probably even less than Hoffpauier.
"Hey! If the moon were made of ribs, wouldja eat it? I know I would!"
That's why I said it won't be Sean Casey either...
My guess is that between now and the beginning of the regular season Jim Hendry will pick up a Rich Auralia type or a proven veteran pinch hitter who can play 1st base (i.e., Daryl Ward v. 2).
Micah Hoffpauier is going to have to prove proficient in coming off the bench cold to pinch hit. I don’t like his chances of doing that given the BIG nature of his swing. Cubs will go with somebody who has already mastered the art of coming off the bench cold to pinch hit.
Aurilia, maybe, if he's willing to slip back to $600-800K
from the $4.5M he made last year.
He’s 37 but has experience at all INF positions.
"Every team will win 60 games, every team will lose 60 games, it's what the team does in the other 42 games that decides the season."
He made $800K last year
and he’s only 5 years older than Hoffpauir (33 vs 28) with 10+ more years experience and a decent left-handed bat.
Sean is a 3-time All-Star with experience and can be had for a few 100K above minimum salary.
This was meant to be tongue-in-cheek since Sean lives in my neighborhood in South Florida.
"Every team will win 60 games, every team will lose 60 games, it's what the team does in the other 42 games that decides the season."
Correction: Sean is 34, Micah will be 29
"Every team will win 60 games, every team will lose 60 games, it's what the team does in the other 42 games that decides the season."
Boy, that’s a tough question. Not just anybody can put on a glove and act like a first baseman. I mean, that’s not where David Ortiz plays during interleague games or anything.
Nope, better make sure we go out and get someone to fill that key role in the organization. Backup first basemen are so difficult to find.
Oh, and if for some reason Hoffpauir doesn’t work out, you can always put Soto at first and have Bako catching. Call up Koyie Hill if you’re worried about depth long-term.
As I recall, Soto played some first base in the minor leagues,
particularly during his MVP season in the PCL.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Jan 4, 2009 8:36 PM CST up reply actions
ease off, dude
Don’t you have some Ryan Theriot stats to go obsess over?
Jeez, I was just asking a question. Would you prefer more talk of how Aaron Miles is no Mark DeRosa?
Is that my only option?
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Jan 4, 2009 11:10 PM CST up reply actions
well, no ...
But other options include Brian Roberts, Jake Peavy, Milton Bradley and Adam Dunn.
Point is, it’s January and we’ve already discussed a lot of things to death. Given that, I don’t think my question is all that ridiculous. It’s not like I brought it up blocking discussion of something more pertinent/less discussed.
i believe this is a sports discussion board
i think most every opinion is equally worthless and will be defended until death!
Cubs Karma: Don't take anything for granted.....
by Andre Fonseca on Jan 12, 2009 3:06 PM CST up reply actions
Well, he did hit into fewer double plays last year...
Bleed Cubbie Blue: Like Drāno for your internet tubes.
I thought he was going to be our new right-fielder.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on Jan 5, 2009 2:26 PM CST up reply actions
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