Friedman article in Tampa newpaper

Interesting quotes in this article about Garza trade and what Fuld and Garza think about Friedman.

Comments

Damn you LT...

I read the article and an interesting scenario emerged.

The article talks about how close Friedman is with Joe Maddon. What if the Cubs hired Friedman, gave Quade one more year, and then went after Maddon after his contract runs out in 2012? I’m drooling a bit.

Castro only hits doubles.

by Kansas25 on Aug 28, 2011 11:11 AM CDT reply actions

I stopped reading after he claimed TB fleeced the Cubs on Garza

He dismissed Garza as a failure because of a 6-10 record while claiming that Fuld has been “super.”

by JSB on Aug 28, 2011 11:15 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Yeah I was thinking the same thing

Garza record would be better if he was still in Tampa but I wonder if he would still have had all the errors?

by LT on Aug 28, 2011 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Garza has been excellent this year

Fuld is who he is, a decent 4th or 5th OF who will be a fan favorite.

Lee has had a big season, and looks to be a really good prospect.

Archer has had a bad season, and it looks like Hendry made a good decision selling high on him. I don’t see him being an MLB starter with a BB/9 over 5.

Chirinos regressed at the plate this season and looks like a backup C. Guyer looks promising but still may be more of a 4th OF type than a starter.

All this to say that, although I hated the trade because of where the Cubs were at in the cups of contention, it’s far too early to determine if the Cubs were fleeced. If the Yankees for example had made this trade, it could have been a big win for them.

by JSB on Aug 28, 2011 11:27 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions

It all depends...

on if the Cubs can build a winner in the next 2 years.

Castro only hits doubles.

by Kansas25 on Aug 28, 2011 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions

Archer had a great run in August, and just got promoted to AAA.

Still walking the entire ballpark, but the results have been there. He knocked about a full run off his ERA, with 4 wins and a no-decision. His last start in AA stunk, but his first start in AAA was awfully good. Except for the walks.

I agree with everything else you’re saying.

MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown

by D98 on Aug 28, 2011 3:29 PM CDT up reply actions

His stuff was never in question, and is easily good enough to make it to the bigs.

His control has been an issue all year, and walking 5 per 9 will be a major issue if he can’t get that under control.

by bdlugz on Aug 28, 2011 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm really good at coming up with excuses....here's one,

lack of motivation may result in sloppy play, to me, errors are contagious. Bad defense on this team has reared its ugly head too often on this team.

"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

by cooliogirl47 on Aug 28, 2011 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Yeah

But Hak-Ju Lee is going to be a top ten prospect in the post-season evaluations. That is the one that’s going to hurt.

by Josh Timmers on Aug 28, 2011 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, Lee really has had a good season

And his tools were always there. Definitely hurts to lose him. Not saying I think the trade was a good idea at all. Just saying I hate the Garza is 6-10=Friedman’s a genius type reasoning.

by JSB on Aug 28, 2011 5:55 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

I'd be absolutely shocked if Lee is a top 10 prospect for 2012...

He’s had a great year, but his hot start has cooled off a bit and his bat has come back down to earth.

He’ll likely be the 3rd best SS in the prospect rankings, and I can’t see him falling in the top 10.

by bdlugz on Aug 28, 2011 7:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Um you do realize the "super" reference was a joke

nor does it say Friedman fleeced the Cubs. It merely went through what they got (and you left out Guyer below) and thinks the Rays did far better in the deal. It is true he could have pointed out that 6-10 is not a fair way to judge Garza’s overall worth but so far many on this blog have way over estimated his value so far.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either

by Doggie Stalker on Aug 28, 2011 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Didn't leave out Guyer

How has Garza been overrated?

by JSB on Aug 28, 2011 5:52 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Sorry I missed Guyer

Garza had been championed here as at top/ace pitcher and he simply has not been, in fact not even close. He has been very, very good in some starts and horrid in others. Overall he has been above average but simply not that special and when you trade so many top prospects. Obviously we all hope he will be much better ( and learn how to catch and throw),
but he is nowhere near a top pitcher at this time.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either

by Doggie Stalker on Aug 28, 2011 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Wait, who's actually called Garza a top/ace pitcher?

We all agree he’s not an ace and is a borderline 2/3 spot pitcher in a good rotation. I don’t think he’s overrated, he just happens to be a reliable starter for the most part. At least, he’s better than most if not all of the rotation this year.

A LO PROFUNDOOO...NOO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NOO...DIGALE QUE NO A ESA PELOTA!!!
GANAN LOS CACHORROS DE CHICAGO!!

by Azul Cachorro on Aug 31, 2011 1:11 AM CDT up reply actions

"Fleece" is the wrong word, but Friedman got a good return on a trade he had to make

Tampa had to move Garza because of $$$$$. Once they hit that reality, it was mainly an issue of improving their team/system in the deal. That may yet prove to be a “works for both teams” special.

by ClarkFan on Aug 28, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Kevin Goldstein

in his latest podcast, says Cub fans infatuation with Friedman is misplaced. He says that Gerry Hunsicker is the guy who really built up the Rays. Friedman, according to him, is the contracts guy whereas Hunsicker is the guy who does the talent evaluation. He says Hunsicker would be a great candidate for the job, although he endorses Rick Hahn as his choice.

by Josh Timmers on Aug 28, 2011 12:02 PM CDT reply actions

And, we could call him Attilla

Interesting bit of info. Thanks.

Hahn being the guy, from a Chief prospect-nik.

I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.

by timh815 on Aug 28, 2011 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't see the Cubs hiring Hunsicker.

He’s 61 years old. i think the Cubs want someone younger.

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by Al Yellon on Aug 28, 2011 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't either

But the point is that Gerry Hunsicker was the guy in charge of evaluating baseball talent in Tampa. I don’t think Friedman is the great candidate that a lot of people around here seem to think he is.

by Josh Timmers on Aug 28, 2011 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Cashman will always be my #1.

feet firmly nailed to the floor of the Tyler Colvin bandwagon...

by wrigleyrocker12 on Aug 28, 2011 5:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't understand the Cashman love.

by Dcr18 on Aug 28, 2011 7:46 PM CDT up reply actions

I have a hard time

getting behind Hahn. They have one of the worst farm systems in baseball, and have made some disastrous signings of late.

Either Hahn has nothing to do with all that, in which case I don’t see how he has the qualifications to be a GM (as he hasn’t made significant decisions), or he’s been heavily involved in poor decision-making. Either way, if our choices are seemingly limitless I don’t know why we’d hire Hahn.

Perhaps Friedman isn’t the end-all, be-all, but if he isn’t I don’t know who is. If you asked everyone in baseball to name their top 5 young GMs, I’m betting Friedman makes nearly everyone’s list. If he’s had some help to make him successful there, I’d assume he’d try to bring that help with him. Wilken has certainly done nothing here to make me think he absolutely has to be retained. Like Fleita, I keep hearing it’s important to make sure we retain him, but I continue to see nothing substantial (outside of Castro) or fundamentally sound come out of our farm system.

DEJESUS!!!

by tomas21 on Aug 28, 2011 10:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I have the same concerns about Hahn.

Perhaps he’d be a solid hire, but if he’s as good as everyone says he is, then Kenny Williams must be the worst GM of all time.

Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!

by shoemile on Aug 29, 2011 2:10 AM CDT up reply actions

See Rios, Alex

and Dunn, Adam

I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.

by timh815 on Aug 29, 2011 8:51 AM CDT up reply actions

My own infatuation with Friedman was with the understanding that

he has several smart baseball men like Hunsicker working for him to help make those decisions. And, he also has several good baseball men in place at the minor league levels to properly develop the amateur talent.

I know that whomever is hired, will need to surround themselves with smart baseball people… and that means either bringing over some of their trusted men with them, or retaining/hiring other smart people.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)

by SackMan on Aug 29, 2011 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions