Muskat: LaHair ready for shot at 1B in 2012

LaHair quote: "They didn’t make any promises," LaHair said of his meeting with Epstein and Hoyer. "They want to give me an opportunity. It’s something I’m excited about."

Slightly more detail from Chicago Now!

6 months ago NobodySpecial 54 comments 0 recs |

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Meh...

Viva la Cubs Révolution!!!

by Chanman25 on Dec 7, 2011 6:05 PM CST reply actions

since muskat said it

fielder will be the starting 1B next year

THEOOOOOOOOO (and Hoyer)

by jesus christos on Dec 7, 2011 6:08 PM CST reply actions

except even Muskat didn't say it.

by Nunyabidness on Dec 7, 2011 6:46 PM CST up reply actions

you raise a very valid point

THEOOOOOOOOO (and Hoyer)

by jesus christos on Dec 7, 2011 6:57 PM CST up reply actions

well that sucks...

by dlee25 on Dec 7, 2011 6:15 PM CST reply actions

The article doesn't say that at all.

Only mentioned they told him he’d be given an opportunity. This means nothing.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 7, 2011 6:18 PM CST via mobile reply actions

Ummmmmmm

whatever. I’ll believe it when I see it or hear it from Theo/Jed. They’re not going to commit to him or anyone else at this point.

They’re only giving him an opportunity not giving him the job. So cool your jets. Nothing’s written in stone.

by Swoosie on Dec 7, 2011 6:20 PM CST reply actions

No, nothing's written in stone, I'll agree.

However, I will note that there’s no reason to have him up with the big club in 2012 if you sign either Fielder or Pujols, since you already have a backup 1B on your bench for the 10-20 games you expect one of those two not to get for the year.

I’m fine with them staying out of the Albert race, myself, and the only news I’ve heard about Fielder is that they want to pay more dollars for a shorter contract. From what little bit we can see from outside, it certainly doesn’t look promising for signing either one.

[...]when Giants coach Steve Owen, a certified defensive genius, was asked how he planned to stop Nagurski, he said: "With a shotgun, as he’s leaving the dressing room."

by NobodySpecial on Dec 7, 2011 6:36 PM CST up reply actions

Who would that backup 1B be?

Baker? I think you could still see LaHair on the bench as the lefty PH.

...formerly known as zambranofan

by cubzfan on Dec 7, 2011 7:12 PM CST up reply actions

If you think he's a nice bat off the bench, then there's a reason to have him up with the big club in 2012

He can also (sort of) play the corner outfield spots enough toe get him 20-30 starts there. I’m also not sure who the backup 1B you’re talking about is. If LaHair can show both the patience and power he showed in 2011, he’s an imminently better backup 1B than Baker. So he gets somewhere between 40-50 starts and then pinch hitting duties.

I think maybe you read what you wanted to read in these stories.

by Nunyabidness on Dec 7, 2011 7:18 PM CST up reply actions

I'd be interested to see what your outfield looks like if you can guarantee LaHair 20-30 starts

As of right now, we have Soriano, Byrd, DeJesus, Colvin, and Campana. Not exactly sure where you fit that many starts for a converted first baseman in there if you’re stressing defense.

[...]when Giants coach Steve Owen, a certified defensive genius, was asked how he planned to stop Nagurski, he said: "With a shotgun, as he’s leaving the dressing room."

by NobodySpecial on Dec 7, 2011 10:09 PM CST up reply actions

Colvin and Campana shouldn't start many games.

Soriano is injury prone, and DeJesus and Byrd aren’t necessarily offensive forces. This lineup doesn’t have much pop as of now, so I could certainly see LaHair working his way in at times. Not to mention they are really trying hard to dump Soriano according to reports.

by Dcr18 on Dec 7, 2011 10:34 PM CST up reply actions

Yup

by Nunyabidness on Dec 8, 2011 8:37 AM CST up reply actions

I like having a person like LeHair,

for a bench spot, spot starts, and a potential fill-in for injuries. The fact that he has some pop in his bat is something much-needed on the roster for the Cubs at the moment.

Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser. --Vince Lombardi

by KS_Cub4Life on Dec 8, 2011 9:05 AM CST up reply actions

If Kenny can do it so can Theo!!

Did somebody say ‘rebuilding’?

by doofus cubs guy on Dec 7, 2011 6:23 PM CST reply actions

And then there's this

Fielder “very interested” in Cubs. Found link on MLBTR. Interesting.

"I am not a poet but a poem."--Jacques Lacan

by neonverse1 on Dec 7, 2011 6:31 PM CST reply actions

It's only Twitter

and it’s from “a friend” of Fielder, so be careful here.

"I am not a poet but a poem."--Jacques Lacan

by neonverse1 on Dec 7, 2011 6:34 PM CST up reply actions

Are Fielder and his agent close friends?

by Nunyabidness on Dec 7, 2011 6:47 PM CST up reply actions

No, but him and millions of dollars are.

by bdlugz on Dec 7, 2011 7:09 PM CST up reply actions

OK...

… but that doesn’t mean much. I’m sure that if the Cubs aren’t going to offer him 8+ yrs at $20-$25M/yr, he will no longer be very interested in the Cubs.

by dmlichte on Dec 7, 2011 7:40 PM CST up reply actions

Getting out my crystal ball...

I foresee that several people will start at first base for the 2012 Cubs.

"Wait, are you saying I'm a sunshine-pumping, koolaid-drinking, Soriano-loving, rainbow-rising, unicorn-riding, double-clutching, Sweet Lou-backing, Hendry-supporting, hey hey whaddya saying, Cubs are going all the waying, glass is overflowing, Rothschild is all-knowing, Cubs fan? - ballhawk

by vonde6 on Dec 7, 2011 6:36 PM CST reply actions

This will help with Castro's throwing errors.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 7, 2011 6:47 PM CST up reply actions

One at the bag.

One ten feet to the infield side of 1B.
One in the 1B coaches’ box.
One in the visiting dugout………

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Dec 7, 2011 7:43 PM CST up reply actions

Can we put someone in the seats behind first base?

I sat there once, so I have experience and I’m willing to buy a first baseman’s mitt.

"[The Cubs] have a very famous tradition in baseball, and it will be nice to be part of turning it around." ~ Jamie Quirk, Bench Coach

by daver on Dec 8, 2011 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

Absolutely.

That’s why I left the trailing thought… because we’ll need more than a few good men (or women).

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Dec 8, 2011 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

I'm trying to figure out if Nobody Special simply has poor reading comprehension skills

or is trolling BCB.

I read the article twice and no where in there does it say “LaHair is going to be the starting first baseman”

The closest it comes is when Lahair says the cubs said he’d have an opportunity to prove himself

and is followed with "They didn’t make any promises,"

by Nunyabidness on Dec 7, 2011 6:46 PM CST reply actions

I know...wtf NobodySpecial

"For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love." Carl Sagan

by Cubbiegoon on Dec 7, 2011 7:09 PM CST up reply actions

Right.

The headline is totally misleading. Muskat didn’t say anything here, nor does it say LaHair will be the starting 1B.

John Arguello at Cubs Den has a nice site, but I don’t think he was saying anything that any of us hadn’t already surmised.

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by Al Yellon on Dec 7, 2011 7:24 PM CST up reply actions

Might want...

to clip and save this:

Muskat didn’t say anything here

as a keyboard macro.

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Dec 7, 2011 7:44 PM CST up reply actions

I'll only believe it when Deep Goat says Pujols/Fielder is all but signed.

by ubercubsfan on Dec 7, 2011 6:58 PM CST reply actions

I have changed the headline to more accurately reflect the content.

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by Al Yellon on Dec 7, 2011 7:27 PM CST reply actions

man, I think I'd even change that to "more playing time" rather than 1B

since that was basically all he was told.

But I’m splitting hairs now

by Nunyabidness on Dec 7, 2011 7:33 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah.

I don’t see him playing the outfield any more.

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by Al Yellon on Dec 7, 2011 8:13 PM CST up reply actions

I'm still waiting for that Campana/Lahair fusion to happen from a collision out there.

by ubercubsfan on Dec 7, 2011 8:27 PM CST up reply actions

You also didn't see him getting a shot at playing much in 2012 did you?

And yet he seems to think he’s going to get that.

by Nunyabidness on Dec 8, 2011 8:38 AM CST up reply actions

He thinks so.

Whether team management thinks so, remains to be seen.

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by Al Yellon on Dec 8, 2011 8:44 AM CST up reply actions

I'd rather see him get more of a shot,

rather than someone like Colvin.

Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser. --Vince Lombardi

by KS_Cub4Life on Dec 8, 2011 9:06 AM CST up reply actions

That goes without saying.

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by Al Yellon on Dec 8, 2011 1:52 PM CST up reply actions

Hee hee hee

“LaHair”

Come on,really,what is his name?

"It's all in the game, yo"

by Worf on Dec 7, 2011 9:43 PM CST reply actions

You do know why Quade never gave him a chance...................

If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid. I'm a Sheeple and proud of it!
Spelling and grammar errors are included for creative and artistic reasons.

by eths on Dec 8, 2011 2:33 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs