Iowa Cubs 3b ready for the bigs!!

Hey check this guy out! The dude's on fire at Iowa- hitting .385, with an OBP of over .500 and a OPS over 1.000, hits lead off, plays third base and has 3 stolen bases in only 4 games at Iowa. Bring him up!!! Maybe we can trade Fonenot to make room for him and his little friend. Oh wait.. I just read who he is.. No, I mean release him, trade him.. um...hmmmm?

I'm so confused now. Is this guy really any good?

over 2 years ago DisCUBbobulated 18 comments 0 recs |

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Ryan Freel is nothing to write home about

And in keeping with his pattern in Cincinnati and in Baltimore it appears he has already worn out his welcome with the manager.

$136 million payroll for a .500 style ballclub. Good work Jim.

by BLou on Jun 18, 2009 11:20 PM CDT reply actions

Actually, good time for a serious question for you...

(the above post wasn’t really serious). Give the current 40 man roster for the Cubs, which 25 would you take? If you can’t stand any 25, you can include some reasonable trades/acquisitions.

by DisCUBbobulated on Jun 18, 2009 11:28 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought he'd failed a drug test?

There is no infinity button for failing in sports. At some point, things turn. They always do. - Bill Simmons

by Allie on Jun 18, 2009 11:38 PM CDT reply actions

Poor Farney.. Guess he got tired of being called Freel's "little" friend

by DisCUBbobulated on Jun 19, 2009 1:19 AM CDT up reply actions

huh?

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. When they play over their heads, and when they play under the gutter. When they win the division, and then get swept in the division series. When they get no-hitters and when they blow no-hitters. And some day, when they go all the way and get those rings. This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 19, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions

Josh77's minor league wrap

Apparently, my reading comprehension at midnight is not so good.

There is no infinity button for failing in sports. At some point, things turn. They always do. - Bill Simmons

by Allie on Jun 19, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions

It was a joke that Farney got a 50 game suspension for PED's

by DisCUBbobulated on Jun 19, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

oh.

I don’t always read the ML wrap. :D

by drewishdrewid on Jun 19, 2009 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Freel hasn't really gotten a chance

to show us what he can do. Give him a chance.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 19, 2009 11:03 AM CDT reply actions

Why?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jun 19, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions

Ooops..

Next comment is supposed to be a reply to this..

by DisCUBbobulated on Jun 19, 2009 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions

because

if he can do it, it lets Fontenot go back to second, where he can platoon with Blanco, and we can demote Miles to bat boy.

Freel must have SOME ability. Let’s see it.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 19, 2009 7:30 PM CDT up reply actions

I think you could also ask "why not"?

There’s an open position with the cubs – which is, currently, every day thrd baseman and, backup utlitity fielder after ARam gets back. Assuming Miles is not the answer, then who is? It would be nice if some combination of the Blanco/Scales solution was good enough, and we could just go A-Ram/Fontenot – Theriot/Blanco – Fontenot/Blanco – DLee/Hoff around the infield, but Banco hasn’t been around too long, so what’s the insurance to him not working out. And, before A-Ram gets back (or if someone else gets hurt), who backs up 3rd behind Fontenot? Fox? (I’m not opposed to this, but there’s still the “unproven” theory that apples.). Freel is a backup utility infielder, if he were more exciting or talented, he wouldn’t be backup – and he’s done it with enough consistency to stay around the league. He’s pretty consistently hit .270 and accepts his role.

Incidently, I really, really like what I’ve seen so far from Blanco – that bunt yesterday was one of the most beautiful things all year. His range/defensive ability is awesome. But can he hit with enough consistency to avoid being a black hole in the lineup?

by DisCUBbobulated on Jun 19, 2009 11:59 AM CDT reply actions

Unfortunately, probably not.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jun 19, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

a few years ago

ryan freel would have been a great pick up for the Cubs, but the 2009 Ryan Freel seems pretty unlikely to revert back to the player he was in 2004-06. he hasn’t hit much or really run at all since a knee injury wrecked his 2007 season.
if freel isn’t stealing bases he really isn’t of much value to you, especially at 3B.

The Cubs have room on their 40 man roster, so I think the best solution at this point might be to promote one of Darwin Barney/Tony Thomas and let them play 2B every day until the all-star break. The bar for Cubs 2B this year is set at about a 30 OPS+ and I’d think either guy could easily better that, at least for a few weeks. If it turns out either guy can play you buy yourself time till the deadline to see where aramis is at and maybe make a deal for a bat that can play 3B (mark teahen?).

That’s assuming that you don’t just bring Bobby Scales back, who showed some signs of being able to hit the ball, which is more than I can say for Andres Blanco or Aaron Miles so far this year.

by circuitclout on Jun 19, 2009 12:47 PM CDT reply actions