What Has Been Accomplished
On August 2nd, I posted that it was important for the Cubs not to just "play out the string". It is important to aggressively assess talent (or lack of) within the organization. 16 days later that has not happened. Colvin has not played everday. Carpenter is in the minors, while we watch Ramon Ortiz. Brett Jackson is tearing up AAA since a bumpy start. Carlos $10 Million Pena is still starting everyday. Get LaHair up here and let him play, and waiver trade Pena. Maybe LaHair is a career minor leaguer, but maybe he can platoon lefty/righty with Baker (and save $9+Million). First basement are easy to find.
Where are the AAA (Clavenger/Castillo) catchers while we continue to see Koyie Hill get 2 starts a week. Maybe Soto can be offseason trade bait? Why isn't LaMahieu up here to see if he should be on the roster in 2012? I'm sure there are more.
Yes, these things are "maybes", but the whole point is, let's be productive. Unfortunately, this Quade/Hendry regime clearly think being 15 under .500, versus 20 under .500 is a huge deal.
I'll pose this question: Wouldn't it be more fun to watch and see if some younger guys can produce for next year, instead of watching those who HAVEN''T produced this year?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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Oh, lord.
Not the LaHair argument again.
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Al- I don't get your protest.
What would it hurt? Cubs obviously have a budget. Use the $9+ Million for a starter and SEE if he can possible platoon with Baker. Obviously, not best case scenario, but the Cubs can’t have a rotation that is in the bottom of the NL and expect to compete.
My point is……………why just “play out the string”.
"I feel great, I just wish my team played better"
Bryan LaHair is Micah Hoffpauir.
We’ve been there, done that. He’s not a major league player. He is almost 29 years old. Yes, I know there have been “late bloomers”. I don’t think he’s one of them.
You’ll see Clevenger or Castillo in September, which is two weeks away.
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Why wait?
Personally, I dislike the this guy is that guy comparison without him being in the majors. Maybe he tweaked a swing, put on muscle, learned to hit a curve….could be anything. No reason not to find out.
I know we will see guys in September, but the cubs have an opportunity to get extra work in for these young guys, while it still matters for more teams.
You say " I don’t think he’s one of them", well, my point is, let’s find out!
"I feel great, I just wish my team played better"
This has been addressed in nearly every thread for the last 3 weeks.
Because the Cubs still need to sell tickets, and LaHair is not going to do that. He is not very impressive offensively (if you’ve seen him, his stats make him look much better than he is), he’s downright bad defensively, and a platoon of him and Baker at 1st is asking for the Astros to pass us up.
Colvin has played in all but a couple of games – you really can’t complain about the amount of time he is getting.
Finally, with guys like LaMehieu, Jackson, Clevenger, Castilo, etc… I’d rather have them getting at bats every single day in AAA rather than start 1-3 days a week on the big league club and burning service time.
If LeHair hits
.247/.303/.420, what does that prove? In case you’re curious, those are DLee’s 2011 numbers.
Keep him? Ship him to Japan? He could play decent offensively at 1B versus righties, until the pitchers figure him out. And probably poorly against lefties.
Maybe they do. Maybe they don’t.
I’d rather have a potentially solid 1B in 2012. Am I enamored with C Pena? No. He is what he is. I’d prefer someone better. season ticket holders wouldn’t want something worse.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
That line looks about what we should expect from LaHair even.
Which is something I do not want at 1B, even for league minimum as half of a platoon.
Quote it at will
if/when LeHair gets horked up again.
btw, I was going with DLee’s line regardless what it was.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
25 pts better
well, he’d be hitting 25 pts better than our $10 Million overrated first basemen. Everyone loves Pena cause he reads books and talks to the pitching staff? We are an odd cub fan base.
"I feel great, I just wish my team played better"
I'm with you Al...
LaHair has been in the minor leagues with Seattle and Chicago for a combined 8 years. He got a short look with Seattle in 2008. If he was legit, at some point, he would have been called up and allowed to play.
Right.
And in any case, it wouldn’t save any money, as the OP suggested. Pena gets paid regardless.
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So you believe the whole "no Jackson" thing?
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Aug 18, 2011 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Waiver Deal Him
I’m sure you could waiver deal Pena. It would save next year to know if someone could replace him and divert 9+Million to pitching. Otherwise, I know Hendry will give him like 2 for 20 mil, which would be so dumb.
"I feel great, I just wish my team played better"
You're making a lot of assumptions.
Many of which are false.
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That Jackson will not be called up in September?
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Aug 18, 2011 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions
I'd understand your beef with lahair if this is the start of the season
but what could it hurt to give the guy 3-4 starts a week in September?
LaHair is not a prospect.
He’s almost 29. He’s Hoffpauir again. Been there, done that. Not interested in doing that again.
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Did he beat up your brother
you seem to have it out for the guy. I don’t think he is a prospect either, but give him a couple at bats for crying out loud!
Nope, He's Micah Hoffpauir...give him a couple of ab's and give it a rest.
Guys, hitting is not about muscle. It's simple physics. Calculate the velocity, v, in relation to the trajectory, t, in which g, gravity, of course remains a constant.... It's not complicated. - George Costanza
by troutfishin on Aug 19, 2011 12:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh yes and you know this with such certainty, it's so wonderful to be...
…communicating with Carnac.
Guys, hitting is not about muscle. It's simple physics. Calculate the velocity, v, in relation to the trajectory, t, in which g, gravity, of course remains a constant.... It's not complicated. - George Costanza
by troutfishin on Aug 19, 2011 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions
Several, actually.
In spring training, both in 2010 and 2011.
He’s poor defensively. Even Hoffpauir was a decent 1B. LaHair is markedly worse.
And he’s not that great a hitter.
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A resounding "Yes" to the question you posed
At this point, I don’t care where the team finishes. They really need to give the usual suspects most of September off and give their top prospects a chance to show what they can do, especially since they’ll be playing a lot of teams that are out of contention for a playoff spot.
Yeah, I know there should be an apostrophe in "Vails," but punctuation wasn't an option when I signed up.
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Aug 18, 2011 11:35 AM CDT reply actions
top prospects
If we had any, they’d surely get playing time.
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Then Explain
Al- So you are happy to keep the status quo for the rest of the year??? I don’t get what your goal would be?
"I feel great, I just wish my team played better"
Are you saying they don't have any top prospects, Al?
And no, I’m not talking about LaHair.
Yeah, I know there should be an apostrophe in "Vails," but punctuation wasn't an option when I signed up.
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Aug 18, 2011 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions
So when Jackson doesn't get a cup of coffee this year with the ML team...what is he?
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
OK, other than Jackson.
And he ought to.
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I'd still consider Cashner a prospect, speaking of which, didn't he throw recently and said he felt great?
Hopefully he can make some starts.
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Aug 18, 2011 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Can I say he's better than any of the other starting pitchers we have down there?
Because they really stink.
never forget...
1.7%
anything is possible...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Aug 18, 2011 10:43 PM CDT up reply actions
LaHair
There’s a reason someone is 29 and has so little major league playing time.
If it wasn’t the Cubs or Mariners seeing something another team would have called and asked for him as a throw in on a trade.
How is Hoffpaur doing in Japan anyway? Isn’t that where he went?
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
He's doing great, actually.
Teammates with Bobby Scales again, and Murton maybe?
No, he's not doing "great".
12/32/.244 in 82 games.
66 k’s in 265 AB. Sounds like typical Micah.
http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/players/63365133.html
He plays for the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Murton plays for the Hanshin Tigers.
Oh, and Bobby Scales is hitting .328 in his first 32 games.
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Aug 19, 2011 5:02 AM CDT up reply actions
What has been accomplished since August 2nd?
Castro is now our leadoff hitter.
Z is no longer pencilled in as our 3rd starter next year.
We’ve signed a lot of hitting prospects and spent a chunk of change in doing so.
Fukudome was shipped to Cleveland.
And the Cubs have won a lot of ballgames. For them.
All in all it has probably been the best month of the season.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Aug 18, 2011 9:43 PM CDT reply actions
Wait a minute.
Are you giving up on this season? Why would you risk not making the playoffs this year to see what our future holds?
























