Jake Fox at another new position?

by TheRiot4Life on Jul 11, 2009 12:31 PM CDT

Hi all - I hardly ever post on here, but as you may recall, I last posted that Jake Fox was being called up as I'm close friends with his brother. I know that this post will create even more argument regarding the fielding prowess of one, Jacob Fox, but I received a text from Jake's brother stating that as of yesterday, Jake was told he'll be getting fielding practice at 3rd, at catcher, AND at 2ND prior to games. Thoughts on this - Obviously knowing Jake and his family, I'm a huge fan, but I'm not sure Jake's got the range to play 2nd.

What are your thoughts?

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Comments

having him practice there

will help determine if he DOES have the range.
I’m betting no, but they might as well find out.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 11, 2009 12:39 PM CDT reply actions

Don't know if it's true or not...

but if it is, it makes some sense. Might as well find as many angles for which to get Fox’s bat into the lineup as possible. With Ramirez and Lee entrenched at 3B and 1B and Reed Johnson ahead of Fox as the alternative in the OF, they might as well give him some work and see if he can sneak into the lineup occasionally at other positions.

I doubt Fox can play 2B. But it’s at least worth a look in practice. 2B is one of the spots in which we’ve been getting a lack of offense, and if he can do enough defensively there to get his bat in the lineup. Ultimately, I suspect he doesn’t cut it there.

by SouthernCub on Jul 11, 2009 12:40 PM CDT reply actions

I'm more interested in...

how he can handle catching. It seems unlikely that he can pass at either C or 2B, but it’d be a definite boost if he could help out at either spot.

This season IS over. -BLou 6/30/09

by Kansas25 on Jul 11, 2009 12:56 PM CDT reply actions

I bet we see him

behind the plate before the ASG.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 11, 2009 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions

probably so

by Heyward is the next crime dog on Jul 11, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm a little concerned...

that moving to the most physically and mentally challenging position on the field will affect his bat.

This season IS over. -BLou 6/30/09

by Kansas25 on Jul 11, 2009 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Try him at second.

Milton ...... see the ball hit the ball

by lexmarklover on Jul 11, 2009 1:08 PM CDT reply actions

Here's the deal with Fox at 2B

It’s worth having him practice there and seeing if he can outperform in that position.

If so it says the team a big chunk of payroll:
1) They won’t need to make a trade for Sanchez (even if Fox doesn’t play at 2B this year)
2) They won’t need to look and sign a legit 2B for next year.

Offensively he can be the 2nd best 2B in NL next to Chase Utley.

by ak123 on Jul 11, 2009 1:31 PM CDT reply actions

cmon dude

nothing he’s done has proved he could be anywhere close to the best offensive second baseman in the NL

by WanderingWanderer on Jul 11, 2009 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions

The glaring conclusion that could be drawn by such a move...

would be that he is the best offensive 2B on the Cubs. Which sucks.

This season IS over. -BLou 6/30/09

by Kansas25 on Jul 11, 2009 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Are you being sarcastic, ak123?

Jacob Fox does have to be in the lineup, though. I would just put him in LF or, if necessary at 3B. The counter argument being that if Soriano isn’t allowed to play, then it won’t be possible for him to get out of his funk.

There is no telling whether Jake Fox will ever be better than Soriano has been at the plate when he (Soriano) is hitting. Soriano has much more ML history. Fox has an excellent chance of being better though, especially if he can be a more consistent on base prescence. It is unfortunate that Fox has to learn all of these field positions in order to get in and prove whether he is better or can be of more help to the team than Soriano who is not able to play any field position well. Take note, they are not working with Soriano at 2B. This just gets obnoxious after a while, but I hope Fox can do what it takes to play. Sometimes I wish the NL had the DH; for the most part I like the game better without it.

by AboutTheCubs on Jul 11, 2009 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I wasn't being sarcastic

Only because I’m using logic that Soriano and Aramis are our starters in every game.

I agree with your point, but that isn’t going to change anything. This is why there HAS to be an attempt before the game and in the off-season to he how he can do there.

I know we all pretty much have agreed that he probably can’t play 2B but until he practices there a little, we can’t make that a definite conclusion.

Oh and if what I said seemed sarcastic, I might not have worded it best because I wrote it in a hurry.

by ak123 on Jul 11, 2009 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions

Thats one big-ass second baseman

I know the Twins have flirted with using Cuddyer there as well, so perhaps its not that far fetched

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.

by bren on Jul 11, 2009 1:52 PM CDT reply actions

Uggla is pretty big too...

I’d say they’re about the same size. Although he’s not the greatest defensive 2B either.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Jul 11, 2009 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Carrie Muskat is suggesting that Fox

may be catching at least one game tomorrow…

The Iowa Cubs website was correct. Sam Fuld will be added to the Cubs’ 25-man roster on Saturday when Geovany Soto is placed on the disabled list. Fuld isn’t going to catch, though. What the Cubs could do Saturday in the day-night doubleheader against the Cardinals is have Jake Fox catch Randy Wells in the first game, since the two were together in the Minor Leagues, and use Koyie Hill in the night game with Carlos Zambrano. We’ll see.

— Carrie Muskat

by ajshafran on Jul 11, 2009 2:14 PM CDT reply actions

THIS IS SO DUMB.

HOW MANY MORE 2nd BASEMEN DO WE NEED

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jul 11, 2009 2:19 PM CDT reply actions

Well, since none of our current 2B are hitting, it's not actually dumb...

Based on what Fox has done to this point, he showing signs that he might be one of the top eight bats on the team. As such, it makes sense to try to find a place for him in the lineup. 2B is one of the spots in which we haven’t gotten much offense. As such, it makes sense to at least take a look and see if he can do it. Why is it dumb to explore an option to fill a need (a 2B that can hit)?

by SouthernCub on Jul 11, 2009 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

This is most likely only emergency defense

When Soriano is playing, he’s the emergency choice of all the OFs to go stand at 2B in a super-long game with a depleted bench. With Fox being the backup C, if he starts in LF and Soriano gets used for a PH, Fox will have to stay in the game the rest of the way.

If it gets to one of those crazy once/year situations (Soriano has played 1 inning at 2B in 2007, 2008, and already this year), and Soriano is out of the game… Fox is the logical choice to go stand at 2B vs Fukodome, Johnson, Fuld, or Bradley.

It's a simple question, Doctor: would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs??

by Invalid User on Jul 11, 2009 3:05 PM CDT reply actions

Cha-ching

Maybe Fox shows better, but I gotta imagine that most teams have their bench players get work at a couple positions in case an odd late game situation is needed. If Fox shows better, all the better, though I don’t think many are expecting it.

by toonsterwu on Jul 12, 2009 7:24 PM CDT up reply actions