2B/SS answer?
by CeePee17 on Jul 28, 2009 8:10 PM CDT
62 comments
I think the best place to upgrade is at 2B. Obviously Fontenot has not worked out so far in a leading roll. How about trying to acquire Marco Scutaro (whom the Jays are "aggressively shopping"? He's a cheap, solid OBP guy, not much power - but placed in the right spot, he could lengthen the lineup. You could use him at 2B or flip flop him and Theriot, who's probably a better fit at second anyway. Thoughts?
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Well
We all have discussed this topic for months. Yes 2nd we could upgrade, I prefer a few of the Pirates boys instead. Fontenot and Baker are holding their own they arent killing us or anything, Baker has come thru on a few spots lately I like what I see in him.
"Women...you can't live without them, and they can't pee standing up." Rube Baker
sanchez is most likely going to SF
wells4roty
by jesus christos on Jul 28, 2009 10:43 PM CDT up reply actions
If we can get Scooter then awesome
If not, once Soto returns, it’s not the end of the world to have one sub-par hitter batting eight.
If a Baker/Fonty platoon...
is that “sub-par” hitter then I’m perfectly fine with that.
This season IS over. -BLou 6/30/09
Exactly
I think after 2008 and 2007 people forget that most teams have that poor hitter in the lineup penned at #8.
We also are spoiled in a way that we got two guys who can hit as a pitcher (Z and Harden).
By the way, can someone help me…I can’t think of the 5 starters in 2007. Lilly, Zambrano, Marquis and I’m literally drawing a blank.
maddux/ hill???
slipping my mind also.. but thats my guess
Def Hill
Wow, I can’t believe my mind is mush from only 2 years ago!
If I recall Wade Miller/Guzman/Marshall/Former Cub from Nationals I can’t think name of might have made up the 5th starter role?
If we get a middle infielder
I hope it’s a SS who can catch the ball.
Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.
Not trying to be “that guy” but if the Cubs do manage to get Scutaro, I’m totally calling credit on that one!
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/6/27/927975/cards-aqquire-dero#17518759
by Great Odin's Raven on Jul 28, 2009 9:05 PM CDT reply actions
Who has been the best surprise on my fantasy team ?
"I daydream just like everybody else, I just do it with my body facing the field, so everybody thinks I'm paying attention."- Greg Maddux
by Doggie Stalker on Jul 28, 2009 11:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Which Blue Jay has the same initials as an autoimune disease abreviation?
"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko
Freddy Sanchez seems headed to San Francisco
Mark Scuturo? Haven’t we already got enough craptastic smurf-like middle infielders?
Cubs will win 79 to 83 games. Season has been over for weeks. St. Louis will eventually run away with this division. And you can print it. BLou (7/21/09)
As usual, you happen to be way off.
Scutaro this year: .294/.388/.436, 31 doubles, 8 HR, 46 RBI
Sanchez this year: .296/.334/.442, 28 doubles, 6 HR, 34 RBI
Now remind me again which one of these guys you’d want?
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Hmmm....
So lets trade away a Josh Vitters or Jay Jackson for a veteran over-achiever type in Mark Scutaro who is having his career year in 2009 and is limited defensively. Yeah, that makes loads of sense. Because if you want Scutaro at the trade deadline then be prepared to give up a blue chip prospect to Toronto.
Cubs will win 79 to 83 games. Season has been over for weeks. St. Louis will eventually run away with this division. And you can print it. BLou (7/21/09)
Why would Scooter's price be substantially higher
than Felipe Lopez’?
Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.
Oh, please.
No one would trade Vitters or Jackson for Scutaro. No one is suggesting doing that. Scutaro would rate a low-level prospect.
It’s MARCO Scutaro, incidentally.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Al you probably didn't read
But we all discussed taking a stance and just never replying to this jerk’s posts again. You should do the same. Make life much much easier.
Where'd you get that from? The guy's 33, cheap, and in a contract year. I don't think Toronto would expect anyone like that.
Perhaps someone like Tony Thomas would be a starting point.
Really? What do you think would get it done?
I was thinking we have so many 2B/SS prospects that he wouldn’t necessarily be missed.
Scutaro would be a nice get. He's definitely an upgrade this year over anything we have at 2B.
His OPS is virtually the same against righties or lefties. He’d be a better leadoff option against lefties than Reed Johnson and would look nice in the two spot as well. And he’d cost maybe $700,000 the rest of the year.
Tony Thomas, though, would be missed.
Not worth it for basically two months of Scutaro (since it’s doubtful he’d be retained).
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
otoh
he could get us a decent compensatory pick if we offer him arbitration
But what if he accepts arbitration?!
GASP!
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
like the stats
Been pushing for Sanchez .. But like Scurto stats better .. How is Scuraro ‘s glove ? equal to Sanchez ? just asking . I don’t know much about Scutaro .. IMHO Fontenot is not an everyday player .. I think 2nd base is our weakest link .. Would sure like to see a 295 – 300 hitter at second base .. and 8 homeruns .. not bad for a second baseman .really don’t expect much power at second anyways .. unless Sandberg unretires .. Just kidding ..
Looks like an interesting idea...
…but I think Hendry made his middle infielder move when he picked up Baker. Lefty relief is the only move I see Jimbo making, though he certainly could surprise me.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
by dat cubfan daver on Jul 29, 2009 8:33 AM CDT reply actions
Based on the recent team performance, I'd say you were right on
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Jul 29, 2009 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Clement has limitations behind the plate
He profiles more as a versatile role player who helps out at catcher, 1st base and DH.
Cubs will win 79 to 83 games. Season has been over for weeks. St. Louis will eventually run away with this division. And you can print it. BLou (7/21/09)
You mean kinda like Jake Fox?
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
by dat cubfan daver on Jul 29, 2009 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions
Or squatting, as it were.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
by dat cubfan daver on Jul 29, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions
Clement isn't The Answer behind the plate
but given Lou’s desire for a lefty, we could make use of him.
Randy Wells - You continue to astound me.
I haven't heard anything on the Royals selling
But I think Alberto Callaspo would be a good pickup.
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 29, 2009 10:35 AM CDT reply actions
If the Cubs were to get an SS/2B
I think Baker, Blanco, Fontenot, or Miles would have to go. But, I have serious doubts that the Cubs are going to get anything but a LOOGY.
Keep Fontenot
Let the others go … Especially Miles … how about Miles and Heilman for Sanchez or Scuatro
why would either opposing GM
be smoking enough crack to be interested in those deals?
otoh, the pirates site wants Vitters for Zach Duke
no trade miles and heilman
for ADAM LIND
He can throw a fastball at 87MPH and make you look like a fool. He can spray lines drives to right field. He can put up with crappy offense and take the loss. He is Randy Wells. He is the most interesting pitcher in the world. Stay healthy, my friends.
by jesus christos on Jul 30, 2009 12:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Here's a nerdy breakdown of Marco Scutaro
Ok, first the obvious: .294/.388/.436. Pretty darn good for a middle infielder. His batting average for balls put in play is a little high at .319 — and since he has little power this means his average is due to drop a bit. His BB/K ratio is great at 1.29, but this is a career high. Another troubling thing is that his fly ball % is up, while his line drive % is down — again, once his BABIP drops closer to .300, these fly balls will hurt. A good thing is that he isn’t swinging at a lot of pitches out of the zone – 12% – while someone like Freddy Sanchez swings at a whopping 30% of pitches out of the zone. When it comes to defense, he shakes down to be about league average at both 2B and SS.
I am not advocating giving up on Fontenot long term – I just think this player would make the team better for the rest of 2009.
More nerd stuff.
Scutaro is sure having a weird year. His power is not unprecedented, but a reversal of the trend of his last couple years. His SLG is by far a career high, but the ISO is right around his previous best years, which is to say, it’s a career high because of his high batting average. His average is up based on a dramatic increase in BABIP and a slightly better-than-usual K-rate. Looking deeper, he’s swinging at far fewer pitches, both in and out of the strike zone, than ever in his career, and making contact at a better rate, both in and out of the strike zone. Meanwhile pitchers are throwing him fewer strikes than usual… all of this numerically explains the improvement in walk and strikeout rates…
So at age 33 he’s become more patient and better at making contact while finding his lost power. Meanwhile pitchers are throwing him fewer strikes. A few searches haven’t yet found me anything to explain these changes… I wonder if he had nagging injuries in 2007 and 2008 that sapped his power. Or if he took a look at his declining numbers this past offseason and adjusted his approach/stance or switched to lighter bats… or got LASIK or something.
typical baseball player aging
as a player gets older, his power and OBP increase while all other metrics usually decline.
revision
I meant to say as players enter their early 30s, they will see some raw power jump (less doubles and triples, but slight jump in HR) and also their walk rate will increase – but OBP may not always reflect that since their average will also begin to decline.
Yeah, but this hasn't been a gradual increase.
The previous two years, at ages 31 and 32, his power declined. Now it’s back to normal. His walk rate hasn’t been gradually increasing, it just jumped this year. I think in that pattern usually strikeouts rise, contact rates fall, and BABIP might fall a bit due to decline in speed. None of that has happened with Marco. It seems like he’s either getting monumentally lucky so far this year or he’s adjusted all at once to his aging.
I'd like Kelly Johnson.
he isn’t playing much in Atl right now bc he’s in Cox’s doghouse and Prado/Escobar have been hitting well, has put up decent power/speed #s from the left side, and a solid middle infielder who can also play the corner outfield spots. Would depend on price, of course, but I think I saw last month that the Braves were shopping him for cheap…
at least until they get a better guy to play SS
Theriot and the Cubs would be much better off with him at 2b, as a SS he is at best adequate.
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
--Winston Churchill
by lookingdeadred on Jul 30, 2009 8:21 AM CDT up reply actions
That would not be surprising
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
--Winston Churchill
by lookingdeadred on Jul 31, 2009 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions
another take on the ss/2b question
potential
2010 team starting 2b starting ss
AAA iowa Thomas Barney
AA tenn. Harrison Castro
A+ daytona Lemahieu Flaherty Lake(filling in)
A peoria Watkins Lee
for those of you unfamiliar with our prospects, any of those nine would be starting in pittsburgh by august 2010. perhaps a slight exaggeration, but not much. we don’t need to upgrade at middle infield, unless the cost is vewwwwy cheap and the player very good.
Tony Thomas
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 30, 2009 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh
You have him there, sorry.
"That pitch wasn’t down and in, that pitch was down and up." Tim McCarver
by wrigleyrocker12 on Jul 30, 2009 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions
but i forgot nate samson
prolly tennessee filling in. maybe not good enuff to start for pitt in 2010
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