Scales, Moore and Camp among roster cuts today.

about 1 year ago drodd 59 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Guess that means DeWitt made it

Boy, oh boy, are we in for a real treat watching him!

by Mulhollandmania on Mar 24, 2011 11:59 AM CDT reply actions

Doesn't mean that at all..

You’ve got Barney, DeWitt and Baker all going for that spot, you don’t need 3.

by bdlugz on Mar 24, 2011 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions

None of them are a starting 2B on a contending team.

We sure got a great package of talent for Lilly!

by TheGrinch13 on Mar 24, 2011 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

What were you expecting

for two months of Ted Lilly?

by Josh Timmers on Mar 24, 2011 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions

An extra 2011 1st rounder and a sandwich pick?

That trade seems like an awful big price to pay to save a relatively small amount of money.

Plus, we got DeWitt, who, with his automatic 25-man spot, may actually be causing the team to perform worse than if he hadn’t been acquired.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Mar 24, 2011 3:23 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

The Cubs probably weren't going to offer Lilly arbitration

And even if they did with the associated price-tag of a 1st rounder and a sandwich pick, he may not have gotten the multi-year offer from the Dodgers that he ended up getting.

by JSB on Mar 24, 2011 4:37 PM CDT up reply actions

He would have gotten an offer from someone.

Lilly wasn’t going to be pushed out of the league for every team’s
fear of losing a draft pick.

For the middling return they got, the Cubs should have kept him. He was more valuable than that.

And why wouldnt they have offered arb? If he accepts, you can always trade him, and presumably for more than DeWitt/Wallach/Smit.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Mar 24, 2011 8:28 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm pretty sure you can't trade a guy that accepts arbitration

At least not until a certain point in the season. Also wouldn’t Lilly have had 10/5 rights by then?

Either way, I’m not going to hammer the Cubs for the trade they did. Way too much uncertainty in that transaction to say that the Cubs definitively made the wrong move.

by JSB on Mar 25, 2011 8:53 AM CDT up reply actions

That applies to all free agents. They can be traded on June 15.

He’d be in his 5th season with the Cubs during 2011, so he wouldn’t be a 10/5.

This is, of course, kind of moot. He was not going to accept arbitration at 35, after his good season in 2010.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Mar 25, 2011 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions

Wallach could still figure it out

Smit is a middle reliever. DeWitt’s… DeWitt.

by Mulhollandmania on Mar 24, 2011 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Koyie Hill named Team Captain?

"I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die." - Anonymous

by Easy Ed on Mar 24, 2011 11:59 AM CDT reply actions

To borrow a quote from Bob Uecker

Get up there and kill that rally, Koyie!

by Mulhollandmania on Mar 24, 2011 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Another tool for shorter ballgames!

by ClarkFan on Mar 24, 2011 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Also, via tweet from Bruce Miles

Augie Ojeda and Fernando Perez were cut. So it appears Reed Johnson has made the team.

Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago

by Al Yellon on Mar 24, 2011 12:08 PM CDT reply actions

You know

the one Mexican that coulda made the damn team…

"What do you think, I just dunked my whole career?" Jordan asked Henderson after making a 3.
"You’ve got to miss eventually," Henderson told him.
"That’s what Cleveland said," replied Jordan

by MRubio52 on Mar 24, 2011 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions

pitchers and catchers decisions still to be made

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Mar 24, 2011 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions

And Darwin Barney

although it wasn’t like that was in much doubt.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 24, 2011 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions

DeWitt over Scales and Moore doesn't upset me.

Moore isn’t all that good at second, and Scales is a never-was. I really hope DeWitt doesn’t end up starting next week, but I’m OK with him making the team, given the other options.

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

There’s no reason to cut DeWitt. I don’t think he should be starting over either Barney or Baker, but I like him on the bench.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 24, 2011 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Moore and DeWitt had similar springs defensively, didn't they?

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Having only seen two or three games

I don’t wish to say anything on that. As much as I like Len and Mick, I’m not going to judge who had the better spring defensively based on just their description.

I’m confident in saying that Barney is the best defensive infielder we have. Except maybe Pena, but he’s first base only.

by Josh Timmers on Mar 24, 2011 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Both guys seem better suited to play third.

I bet we see Moore in the bigs by May 15.

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Right now, I don’t think we have any pop on the bench past Colvin. Pinch hitting is important in the NL, and we have one worthwhile bat with pop on the bench. Unless Barney starts at 2B, then we have one L and one R. But DeWitt, Hill, and Johnson off the bench will be laughable.

by Mulhollandmania on Mar 24, 2011 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Johnson will be OK.

He was a better option than Perez — and he’s gotten some key hits in big spots before.

That’s assuming his tank isn’t on empty.

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I would've sent DeWitt to Iowa.

The Trib says 2B is basically between Barney and Baker, but that DeWitt has made the team.

If he’s ever going to amount to anything (which I don’t think is likely) he ought to go start at Iowa for a month or two. Moore could handle last infielder off the bench.

"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 Mar 24, 2011 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I was sure that we would have kept Fernando Perez.

Even though he didn’t hit a lick at AAA last year and didn’t show anything in spring training either. I was thinking we’d keep him in a desperate move to make it look like we actually got something for Archer and company. I’m afraid not.

by TheGrinch13 on Mar 24, 2011 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

He's still in the organization.

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions

I know

but I was sure they would have brought him up quickly to make it look like we got something valuable back in the trade, which was stupid to begin with.

by TheGrinch13 on Mar 24, 2011 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, Garza still plays on the team.

He wears #17

GM's are in charge of Managers, not the other way around.

by shoemile on Mar 24, 2011 8:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Carrie Muskat confirms

Via tweet:

#Cubs trim 5: Camp, Ojeda, Scales & Moore assigned to Minor League camp, Perez optioned to Triple-A Iowa

by John Q Freejazz on Mar 24, 2011 12:10 PM CDT reply actions

So how many more players are left in camp now?

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

by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 24, 2011 12:34 PM CDT reply actions

Not sure, but...

I think as far as position players go, it’s pretty set…other than catching…sigh.

"I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die." - Anonymous

by Easy Ed on Mar 24, 2011 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions

And that shoulda been the easiest decision of all.

"I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die." - Anonymous

by Easy Ed on Mar 24, 2011 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions

If MaxRam is hurt, that might complicate things a little.

Whether he is actually hurt is another question, of course.

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Do you really believe he's hurt, el, or...

is it management saying “Hey, we’re about to do something totally stupid, so, we’ll DL Max Ram to make explaining it easier?”

"I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die." - Anonymous

by Easy Ed on Mar 24, 2011 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Honestly, I don't know.

I’m asking the same question you are, Ed. I’d tend to think that he’s not really hurt.

But on the 1 in 5 chance that MaxRam IS really hurt …

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Too bad DeWitt hadn't had a better spring at the plate.

The Marlins could probably be talked into trading for him to play third, http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/03/the-marlins-third-base-options.html.

If DeWitt had lost the Cubs starting job because of his defense at second …

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 1:08 PM CDT reply actions

Hey, all Moore did was hit...

He can also play 3B when Ramirez goes down with his inevitable annual injury, he’s left handed, has some power, and he can provide a decent back-up at 1B instead of the dumb decision to try and put Colvin there (instead of letting him play RF every day, where he belongs).

I can see the run production soaring with Fukudome (.190 leading off last year) leading off and guys like DeWitt and Hill in the line-up as well. What about Castro leading off? We wouldn’t want anyone with speed who could actually hit would we?

Hey, by the way, Jake Fox is still leading MLB in spring training with 8 HR and has a .339 BA. It’d be nice to have him, Lilly, Fontenot, and DeRosa back wouldn’t it? We sure have a lot to show for those trades!

by TheGrinch13 on Mar 24, 2011 1:44 PM CDT reply actions

Ha!

Classic Grinch.

by elgato on Mar 24, 2011 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions

The Jake Fox bandwagon is back up and running

Good to see that. Scott Moore’s hot spring is nothing to get excited about. He’s a 27-year old never was. Pining after middle-of-the-road players seems pretty silly at this point.

I probably would have preferred signing Lilly to trading for Garza, but he is more expensive and aging. I don’t really miss him all that much, and would have preferred holding onto Gorzo to either move that was actually made.

by JSB on Mar 24, 2011 1:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Scott Moore is better than Blake DeWitt.

Based on their history of production. And this spring wasn’t even close.

There isn’t a single acceptable PH bat on the 25-man. I would have let Moore try to be that guy.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Mar 24, 2011 3:27 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Not really

I’m unconvinced that Scott Moore is anything. In his career in MLB he a 65 RC+ in 202 PAs. That means more to me than this spring training. Dewitt’s career he is a 90 RC+. Defensively seems like a wash to me. Moore’s MiLB numbers are a little better, but DeWitt was usually younger for his level and has better predigree as a prospect.

And at least DeWitt is two years younger. I’d rather have Marquez Smith on the team than either probably.

by JSB on Mar 24, 2011 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Pedigree?

Both were first rounders, but Moore was a top 10 pick.

I don’t think you can say much at all about 200 MLB PA as predictive.

Also, how is Moore’s total wRC+ lower than any individual number he’s ever posted? Just curious, I’m sure it’s a math thing. Seems odd.

Basically, I’m equally unconvinced that Scott Moore is anything. I am marginally more certain that Blake Dewitt is NOT anything special.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Mar 24, 2011 4:46 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Moore had an RC+ of 33 in 2007 that's draggin his number down

Moore never made a BA top 100 list. DeWitt at least did the year before he debuted with the Dodgers. We are arguing about six of one, half dozen of another. Going into this season, nearly everyone would have taken DeWitt over Moore. I’m not going to let a hot spring change my opinion.

by JSB on Mar 25, 2011 8:46 AM CDT up reply actions

It's definitely six of one, half dozen of another.

And if that’s the case, I’m going with the hot hand. Both because it’s going to result in a better team, and because it demonstrates to the organization that production matters.

DeWitt has been outplayed in every facet of the game by Barney, Scales, and Moore – he was the worst 2B in camp offensively and defensively. He made the 25-man in precisely the role that Moore would have been ideal for – backup 3B-2B, LH PH. (Moore could also back up 1B.)

I’m just happy the team is giving Barney the first shot. I was worried that the DeWitt blinders were going to result in his becoming the Opening Day starter, no matter what.

As for BA top 100 – DeWitt was #82 in 2006 and I have no idea why. (It’s probably b/c he was 19.) He did nothing to distinguish himself to that point, and he’s obviously failed to develop since then. The BA write-up talks about his power potential and quotes a scout who says “the bat will be there”. 5 years later, it’s not.

I’m surprised that Moore didn’t appear on that list at some point during his 2005-2006-2007 run – he was very good at A+ and AA as a 21-22 year old, and then flat-out great at AAA as a 23-year-old. It’s not like he was an old man at those levels – he was a HS draftee posting good numbers, granted, while being the age of a typical college draftee at each level. But that’s not a killer.

Of course, he was considered a 3B back then, and probably hampered by the scouting community’s hangover from his falling on his face in his first A-A+ ball stint with the Tigers. If he’d been a 2B earlier, his offensive stats would have stood out more.

A 2B 21-22-23 year old posting .850-.900 OPS each year as he goes A+/AA/AAA would have gotten noticed a little bit. Moore got traded for Steve Trachsel.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Mar 25, 2011 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions

I hate spring training

I think it’s almost totally worthless for evaluating players. I don’t think rewarding spring training production is a good idea for an organizational strategy moving forward. If Moore wasn’t in the plans going into the season, I don’t think a hot spring should change that.

What are the options on the two players? If Moore can’t be optioned to AAA, and DeWitt can, I might change my mind. Either way, hopefully neither will play that much with the big club.

by JSB on Mar 25, 2011 9:59 AM CDT up reply actions