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Gonfalon Cubs— Cubs Baseball for Thinking Fans
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Is obliviousness a contagious disease?
“I told him I would be happy if he comes to the Cubs because I know what he can do to make the team win. When you’ve got a guy like Furcal at the top of your lineup, a lot of things happen.” The wise words of an intelligent biped? No, just the blathering of the Cubs’ new 5+ million dollar hot property, Herr Neifi Perez. As half of the legendary, two-headed, OBP-phagocytosing monster at the top of the Cubs’ line-up, Neifi was only capable of making one thing happen consistently - double plays. 22 of the buggers to be exact, good for third-best in the senior circuit. His hot-and-cold (mostly liquid nitrogen) bat was disturbing all season, and the googly eyes Pat Hughes made every time Neifi got within a parsec of a ground ball was just plain tiresome. Oh well, he’s back and I’m sure Dusty couldn’t be happier.
Obviously, the major concern here is what exactly Neifi’s role will be in 2006. Like most other Cub fans, I would be perfectly happy with Neifi taking over Macias-like duties as long as Macias is out of the picture. However, the chunk of change Hendry has promised Mr. Perez seems awfully dear for 150 plate appearances and some occasional auditions as a late-inning redoubt. If Furcal becomes a Cub, and with Hendry’s apparent focus on defense up the middle (a bit excessive considering the strike-out heavy Cubs’ staff), I see Todd Walker leaving town on a jet plane, and a possible Neifi/Cedeno platoon at 2B. With Ramirez needing days off on a fairly regular basis, Neifi could easily see 500 plate appearances (heck, with Neifi, let’s simplify that to 495 at-bats). The only way the Cubs’ line-up can escape unscathed is with a vastly improved outfield offense. Unless Hendry rebounds with gusto, I’m afraid this poor investment cogently demonstrates how little understanding Cubs’ management has of the essential components of run creation.
More on this can be found over at the BTF Transaction Oracle.
Luke Jasenosky
Posted: November 08, 2005 at 03:51 PM | 293 comment(s)
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"Why must Dusty bat Pixie 2nd???"
"I hate Dusty. I hate this team. Shoot me!."
"Another blown save. When will this team get a bullpen."
"Murton should be playing every day."
"Fire Dusty now."
etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
Hendry supposedly had around $30 million to spend this offseason. At this spending rate, that should be just enough to land hacker Jacque Jones, Kenny Lofton and some crappy reliever like Danny Graves.
Chatterers beget chatterers. I doubt CJF, Dan, and I have enough mojo to sustain the chatter.
Again, my heart's out to you Cubs fans. No one deserves this.
We'll see what comes to be. It's frustrating to see the Cubs slowly piddle away the organizational momentum they established early in the decade. What should have been the foot-in-the-door years (2003-04) is now indeed looking like a peak, but that isn't a certainty. This is still a team that's got a good core of talent, and is a few moves away from contention. Sure, this particular move belies organizational intelligence of any kind, and if they do contend it will surely be a blind squirrel/acorn situation, but it's well within the realm of possibility at this point.
The crime of this particular move is what it does to Ronny Cedeño, putting him on the slippery slope to disuse, atrophy and dismissal. But wasn't that a certainty already? That is what makes this move hard to stomach. And of course, the crime of the offseason is going to be extending Hendry and Baker, rewarding them for squandering the Cubs' best chances in 30 years. If anything should drive people away, it's that.
As for those who are giving up and rooting elsewhere, I don't blame them. Certainly, if another team tickles my fancy I'm going to follow them, but I'm going to try to resist storming off. To those who are disavowing their status as Cubs Fans, I want you to know that I won't call you on it
whenif you cave in and come back!!The real problem is that Neifi in 2006-07 is likely to:
A: regress to his career norms of 65 OPS+ (.219 EQA) or worse; and
B: likely to start losing ground defensively.
If he continues playing regularly he's a good a bet as anyone in the majors to be the absolute worst FT player in baseball the next few years.
It'll be a pitcher who will in turn become a good starter for a crappy team.
I'm not really leaving. I agree with what Andere says. I may try to care less, but that's never gonna happen. I'll try to follow the DRays so I can enjoy their climb to respectability.
It's going to take the Cubs longer, because I think they're definitely on their way down in the success cycle. For the Cubs to build that dynasty we were all hoping for, they're going to have to hit rock bottom first. Once that happens, the entire front office will be replaced and I'll be full of optimism again. I'm really just trying to be a realist.
And I'll still be in the chatters as much as I can, even if that means my posts are all quotes from shows and movies I enjoy. My actual stand will be not to buy any tickets to games at Wrigley next season. I'll still go to games (as long as I'm not paying) at Wrigley, and I'll go to plenty on the South Side and Milwaukee. I probably will get to games in DC, Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincy next year. So I'll still get my baseball fix.
I'm not leaving the occasional chatter -- it's just that I won't be watching/listening to the games. Chatters are fun. (I may read the chatters after the fact, though.)
Besides, I don't expect the D-Rays chatters to be all that lively anyway.
If Furcal becomes a Cub, and with Hendry’s apparent focus on defense up the middle (a bit excessive considering the strike-out heavy Cubs’ staff), I see Todd Walker leaving town on a jet plane, and a possible Neifi/Cedeno platoon at 2B.
I don't mean to pick on ross, cause I don't know how well he knows us, but if he really thinks that Walker leaving town will lead to a Neifi/Cedeno platoon, he should keep dreaming. We could have seen a Neifi/Cedeno platoon this year -- if it didn't happen in 2005, why would it happen in 2006?
We went through that with Jason Dubois last year, didn't we? :-)
Anyway, I'm not sure exactly how things are going to shake out with the roster, but I am certain of a few things --
1. We will read stories about Cedeno's success this winter;
2. Jim Hendry will speak optimistically about Cedeno, indicating that he will have a real chance to start and have an impact and that he expects Cedeno to be a substantial contributor to the Cubs success in 2006;
3. Dusty will agree with Cedeno's outlook, but will also say that we can't ignore what Neifi did for us last year; and
4. In the end, Neifi will get at least twice the playing time that Cedeno does.
6. Cedeno will get the starting job for two weeks and bat .230 over the twelve game stretch.
7. Neifi will be reinstated as the starter (where he will continue to suck) and Cedeno will be sent down to AAA.
8. Cedeno will be traded for Royce Clayton in the beginning of July. Clayton will bat .180 as the Cubs fall from contention.
9. Clayton is shipped out at the deadline for a C prospect and (after a surprising omission from his new team's postseason roster) he will be revealed as a steroid user.
It's almost as if I've seen this before...
If the Cubs had managed to do this even once with any player under the current regime, I might foresee this as a significant possibility.
The simple version of it is DAD: disuse, atrophy, dismissal. This is the Cubs' patented method of position player development. Cedeño is almost certain to get the DAD treatment in 2006. I can imagine a series of coincidences forcing their hand into playing Cedeño regularly, but it won't be the plan, and if it comes to that, it will be resisted.
Well, meatwad will be out of boot camp well before the season starts....
Yes, it did.
If the Cubs had managed to do this even once with any player under the current regime, I might foresee this as a significant possibility.
Last year's middle infield was comprised of Neifi and Todd Walker after Nomar got hurt. Walker was even injured for a significant amount of time and Cedeno got 80 ABs on the season. If the Cubs get Furcal, the infield situation gets far more crowded than it was in 2005. I see no reason to believe that if Cedeno couldn't elbow his way into the lineup then that he will do so next year.
Signing Furcal will signal the end of Cedeno's chance at a Cub career, barring some catastrophic injury to someone early in the season. There will be no platoon because Neifi is a switch hitter. He won't be able to earn time because it's evident that performance isn't an actual criterion for the apportionment of playing time in this organization.
Is there a scarier thought than this?
Hold on a sec. I was out of the loop for the last half of the season. Am I to understand that the Cubs traded DuBois for Lawton?
WHAT THE ****?!
Clayton is actually a free agent... The Cubs can have him for Neifi money.
Anyway, thought it might be nice for some of us to introduce ourselves and tell him how much we appreciate his plate discipline. His e-mail is apparently ag17invz@yahoo.com.
. . . but the Marlins are wanting Felix Pie, not Corey Patterson.
The Cubs are probably higher on Pie than any of us. I would think that he's virtually untouchable.
I'm not sure I'd trade Pierre for Patterson, let alone Pie.
Chicago
Metropolitan Population: 9.1 million (approx.)
Number of Primary Newspapers: 3 (Tribune, Sun-Times, Daily Herald)
Combined Circulation: approx. 1.1 million
Stories about the Cubs: 1
Tampa/St. Petersburg
Metropolitan Population: 2.4 million (approx)
Number of Primary Newspapers: 2 (St. Petersburg Times, Tampa Tribune)
Combined Circulation: approx. 500 thousand
Stories about the Devil Rays: 4
There's a Chicago Meetup in a week. Come and meet the Ex-Cub fans in person.
Milton Bradley for Starting CF
Of note: #4 Furcal: Cubs. #9 Giles: Cubs.
That'd be enough to make me forget about Neifi for a while.
That'd be enough to make me forget about Neifi for a while.
That'd be nice, until Giles ends up 6th in the order because he's needed to protect Michael Barrett now that Todd Walker's been traded for *insert generic ultraveteran reliever here who will come in and put up a 4.95 ERA yet still be first out of the pen in key situations*. Furcal-Neifi at the top is just the kind of OBP/DP machine necessary to ensure that Lee and Ramirez never see runners on base that aren't themselves.
It would be great to see them sign Giles, but even if they do I fully expect him to be misused at the bottom of the order. Though maybe with Murton and Giles both hitting at the bottom of the order, that could be the real productive part. Even if the real order is:
Furcal
Neifi
Lee
Ramirez
Barrett
Giles
Patterson
Murton
We can just pretend that it's
Lee
Ramirez
Barrett
Giles
Patterson
Murton
pitcher
Furcal
Neifi
You waste a lot of power from Lee and Rarmiez, but Barrett, Giles, and Murton could put up pretty good seasons.
That'd be enough to make me forget about Neifi for a while.
It would do that, but they'd probably be a waste of money, especially considering the length of the contracts the Cubs would have to put up in order to get them.
And Cedeno would be trade bait.
Furcal wants $50 million over 5 or 6 years. Screw that, let Cedeno start for half a million in 2006.
You must be high. Best case scenario without Furcal is that the Cubs don't trade Walker and we have another season of Neifi/Walker middle infield with Cedeno maybe playing vs RHP at 2B. There is no Cedeno at SS. That dream died the minute Hendry put ink to check for the Perez contract. If Walker stays, Cedeno won't see real playing time until 2007 at the earliest (and I certainly wouldn't put it past the Cubs to replace Walker with another veteran next year and make Cedeno wait until 2008 before he can take over for Neifi).
It was dead before that. Seriously, they should just trade Ronny Cedeño right now. In an organization with a clue that wouldn't be the case, but the Cubs should trade him for someone they're going to use.
Hope it's going well, Airman.
They'd have to make a trade. Apparently, Furcal is demamding $50 million/5-6 yrs, though that obviously depends on what he's being offered.
Still, while I think Furcal is fine, I don't know about the idea of locking up someone for 4+ years simply because there is no one else on the market.
If you have second thoughts about whether you want to pay that kind of money for that length to Furcal, the better option may be to go with a shorter-term option for a year or two until someone you like better hits the market.
Personally, I'm ok with giving Furcal 3 years, probably 4 years, but I'd have concerns about 5 years and certainly would not go for 6 years, no matter what he's demanding or what other teams may be offering.
The idea of the Cubs caving into the market simply because they think that Furcal is the only guy is appalling. At the very least, I'd be looking to the FAs in 2007-08 and considering trades for guys like Julio Lugo, Bill Hall, or Felipe Lopez.
If you insist on a big name, I can't imagine the Red Sox are thrilled with Edgar Renteria, particularly with their fascination with Hanley Ramirez in their system. Heck, the Angels may be having second thoughts about the deal they gave Orlando Cabrera. If they have any second thoughts, why do the Cubs need to box themselves in with these teams?
Those guys will be worthy of 5-6 year contracts then, do you think?
I've been wondering about this lately. Does Boston have any talent to use as a throw-in if the Cubs were to take that contract?
It's tough to think of players who would be less of a risk over a 5 year contract than Furcal.
It's tough to think of players who would be less of a risk over a 5 year contract than Furcal.
I'm not sure Furcal is going to get that 5-year contract from anyone, particularly the Cubs, who haven't offered a five-year deal to anyone since...?
For four, I'd definitely take my chances with Furcal at ages 28-29-30-31 than with Renteria for ages 31-32-33, considering they have similar price tags. Even with the fifth year it might be better to go with Furcal.
I would too. Without hesitation.
I have no idea what you mean, other than the fact that you're trying to irritate me. Let me try to say this again in plain English:
The Cubs shouldn't feel pressured to give Furcal a 5 year deal simply because he's the best SS on the market and that's what he's demanding. If they feel the least bit nervous about it, they should pursue a lesser name (by trade or FA) for a shorter-term (maybe 1-2 years), then hit the market again after 2008 or so.
The subject was the Cubs getting a long-term solution at shortstop. There aren't many candidates out there right now, and I'm not sure it's best to hope there will be one available (and that the Cubs are 100% to get) in 2008.
As for a lesser name for a 1-2 year contract -- the Cubs just got that. His name is Neifi Perez, 14th in MLB last year by WARP.
From what I see, the alternative to Furcal is to continue the parade of Neifi Perezes and Alex Gonzalezes and hope that someone better than Furcal pops along. But such shortstops aren't terribly common, and tend to be expensive. I don't see free agent prices dropping. So we'll end up paying either way.
Good to see you, wad.
My only regret (other than the Cubs giving Perez 2 years) is that wad wasn't around when the signing occurred, meaning that this tirade is almost certainly a bit diluted.
Says who? The original subject was how Neifi would be used. (Go ahead, check the caption -- see where it says "the major concern here is what exactly Neifi’s role will be in 2006"?)
I don't see anywhere where the subject was/is "getting a long-term solution." Actually, that's essentially my point -- while it's nice to find a guy who will contribute for the Cubs into 2010, if the urge to find the 2010 shortstop forces the Cubs to pick a guy they would otherwise have second thoughts about, they are better off finding their 2010 shortstop next season.
From what I see, the alternative to Furcal is to continue the parade of Neifi Perezes and Alex Gonzalezes and hope that someone better than Furcal pops along.
That's because your vision is myopic. If the Cubs are skittish into giving Furcal that kind of time/money, they can most likely find other legitimate (though less-glamorous) alternatives by trade or other means, without having to go with 150 games of Neifi. (For some examples, see Post #54, though I'm sure others are out there.)
This is going to be a difficult enough off-season as it is -- the Cubs need to be creative and understand that if they sign Furcal into 2010, it should be because they *want* to (because he's the best choice they see becoming available in the next few years), not because he's the only guy out there in November 2005.
Going with a shorter-term option isn't bad in and of itself, so long as it's part of a pre-conceived plan for when, where, and how they want to go. Yes, it's healthy to be thinking about 2010, but that doesn't mean they are forced to lock someone in right now, particularly if the 2006-08 markets might be more attractive.
And I changed the subject using my one 'change the subject' card I get each year for being a Cubs fan.
That's because your vision is myopic. If the Cubs are skittish into giving Furcal that kind of time/money, they can most likely find other legitimate (though less-glamorous) alternatives by trade or other means, without having to go with 150 games of Neifi. (For some examples, see Post #54, though I'm sure others are out there.)
Lopez was about the same as Perez last year. Lugo is part of the 'second tier' with Cabrera and Renteria (at least, the Cabrera and Renteria of earlier seasons), and won't come cheap. I don't see Hall being traded to the Cubs.
Lopez was 25 last season and hit .291/.352/.486.
Perez was 31 in 2004 and hit a combined .255/.296/.336. He also has a much longer history of similar performance.
I hardly think they are "about the same." It may be true that Cincy has no interest in dealing Lopez, but we've also been talking about making deals for Dunn or Kearns, so who knows.
Lugo is part of the 'second tier' with Cabrera and Renteria (at least, the Cabrera and Renteria of earlier seasons), and won't come cheap.
I have no idea what you mean by "cheap" or what his price will be. My point is that if the Cubs are not 100% satisfied with giving a 5 year/$50 million contract to Furcal, going with Lugo for 2-4 years would allow them flexibility to reconsider their SS options in the next few years (and would also happen to be cheaper than Furcal).
I don't see Hall being traded to the Cubs.
The Brewers have J.J. Hardy and Rickie Weeks -- if the Cubs wanted to deal for a guy like Bill Hall, they may be able to get him for a decent prospect, who knows.
I'm not saying I "see" a trade or predict it in any sense, but that's not the point. The point is that the Cubs do have choices beyond Furcal and Neifi, if they have the creativity to pursue them. I've not seen anything from the Cubs indicating that they have any problems/hesitency about giving Furcal a lengthy deal, but if they have any concerns, they shouldn't feel like they are limited to only two choices.
That lucky reliever looks like it'll be Scott Eyre.
Apparently Ohman, Rich Hill and Glendon Rusch aren't enough.
The Cubs are doing an admirable job at blowing their money on far less problematic areas of the roster. Their strategy of death to the surplus payroll by a thousand cuts is really starting to add up to something significant. Rusch, Perez and Eyre would approximately equal one Furcal on a per-season basis. This is absurd.
Perez was 31 in 2004 and hit a combined .255/.296/.336. He also has a much longer history of similar performance.
Perez makes up most of that defensively:
VORP: Perez 12.9, Lopez 52.7
WARP: Perez 4.4, Lopez 4.9
If you seriously think that the 26 year old Perez will be no better than the 32 year old Neifi, I've let you troll me on this point long enough. Go ahead and look at the world as an either/or situation.
He received a 10th place vote in the MVP race today. He'd definitely improve the team.
Next year, if Lee has a bad game, he should just be able to point to the empty place in his locker where the MVP trophy would be and shake his head. End of discussion. He's earned a one-year pass.
But then again, he never has bad games. That's why he's GodLee.
Now, there are other defensive metrics that peg Neifi as only slightly above average, so -- as usual with these things -- there's plenty of fodder for all predispositions, but I was mildly heartened. Only mildly, of course -- that $6 million still could have been better spent.
The last Cub to have an OBP below .260 in more than 300 ABs was Don Kessinger in '65 (.252 OBP in 309 ABs).
The last Cub to do it over more than 400 ABs was Bobby Mattick in '40 (.250 OBP in 441 ABs).
Both were shortstops.
Scott Eyre finished 16th. That said, signing this guy for anything like what he'll demand seems like a big mistake. He has a career ERA as a reliever of well over 4.00, very pedestrian K:BB and K/IP numbers, and his 2005 ERA was almost certainly the product of an unsustainably low HR rate. He appears to be nothing more than an average middle reliever -- that is to say, one whose performance will fluctuate dramatically from year to year because of the small sample size involved but which, viewed over time, does not justify the premium paid to LOOGYs coming off of "career years." And this guy is truly a one- (or two-)out guy -- 68 IP in 86 games -- although he faced slightly more righties than lefties last year. All and all, he's basically Will Ohman (or Koronka, or whoever) at about 10 times the cost. So why is Hendry interested again?
Close, but not quite. Rusch is $3mm, Perez is $2.5mm, and Eyre was paid $1.5mm last year. He'll want more, of course, but I don't think he'll triple his salary on the basis of one season. (Furcal is asking ~$10mm.)
Then again, we are talking about the Cubs.
Someone needs to fill the Remlinger spot of overpaid vet coming off career year. How else will Chicago donate pitching to the KCs of the world in the Rule 5 draft?
Close, but not quite.
I didn't mean "quite" but I would guess the total cost to be around $8 million next season if the team gets Eyre - that's pretty close. I think the team would be much better off with Giles and Furcal and AAAA fodder (in the Rusch, Perez and Eyre roster spots) than they will be with Giles or Furcal and that stellar triumvirate.
Link
Link
The Cubs plan to shop second baseman Todd Walker if they sign Rafael Furcal, a move that would free up second base for rookie Ronny Cedeno and veteran Neifi Perez. ... The Cubs have no interest in re-signing shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who could be headed to the Dodgers. ... The Royals, Pirates, Blue Jays and Cubs are all strongly pursuing Rangers outfielder Kevin Mench, who has hit 51 homers the last two seasons.
The Cubs are optimistic about their chances of signing free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal, but they don't want to pay him the deal he's seeking ($50 million over five years). Chicago's hope is to not only sign Furcal, but to also acquire center fielder Juan Pierre from the Marlins. Furcal and Pierre would give the Cubs two leadoff hitters for a spot that supplied a .245 batting average last season.
Best current guess as to Cubs' Opening Day lineup:
Pierre
Furcal
Lee
Ramirez
RF (Mench, Jacque Jones, Kearns, Preston Wilson?)
Murton
Barrett
Neifi
Bench:
Cedeno
Gone:
Patterson, Walker, minor league pitching (I'm guessing Van Buren, Mitre, and one of Nolasco, Pinto, and Ryu). Maybe Patterson, Van Buren, and Mitre for Pierre, with Walker and Pinto for Mench?
Personally, I'd probably keep Walker around even if the Cubs do sign Furcal. He can play first, second, and left (plus right and third in a pinch) and is a valuable LH bat off the bench.
rookie Ronny Cedeno andveteran Neifi Perez.Fixed it for Bob.
Pierre
Furcal
Lee
Ramirez
RF (Mench, Jacque Jones, Kearns, Preston Wilson?)
Murton
Barrett
Neifi
That's a safe bet, and although it ain't ideal, it's not horrible (assuming Pierre bounces back a little from last season). I don't like the idea of Mench (he's really not that good and would cost too much to acquire), but I have a feeling it'll be him or Jones.
Patterson, Walker, minor league pitching (I'm guessing Van Buren, Mitre, and one of Nolasco, Pinto, and Ryu). Maybe Patterson, Van Buren, and Mitre for Pierre, with Walker and Pinto for Mench?
I hate both of those trades, both of them involve the Cubs giving up too much. I think they could get Pierre with Patterson and a lower level pitching prospect (you know, the next Dontrelle). I think Walker and Mitre would get the Cubs Mench (I like Pinto, and think he should be kept; Mitre could slot right into their rotation).
Rangers GM Jon Daniels' first pickup looks like a very good one. Leicester was quite the disappointment last season, but the Cubs are giving up on him way too quickly. He has the fastball-slider combination to be a quality setup man. Expect him to win a spot in the Texas bullpen next spring. Nov. 16 - 4:23 pm et
Well, that frees up a roster spot for Macias...
I believe you are correct.
In Wuertz, Novoa, and Van Buren they have three guys who are at least his equal.
All three of whom may be in triple AAA this year because Chicago needs to blow more money on not fixing the lineup.
And I hate all these ideas. Being locked into Neifi in the starting lineup has absolutely killed any interest I have in next season. I can't take it anymore, I just can't. I haven't seen a single rumor outside of paying $50M+ for Furcal that looks to make the team more than incrimentally better. The team won 79 games last year, largely on the back of an historic season out of Derrek Lee. Assuming he doesn't post another 1.100 OPS, they need to add approximately 15 wins just to be in the race for the wild card (screw catching the Cardinals at this point).
Where are they coming from? It's not Juan Pierre and Kevin Mench, and it's certainly not the .650 OPS stylings of Neifi Perez for 625 PAs, playing (of course) out of position to minimize his defensive value. This team needs to add at least one impact bat and probably one impact arm as well, and instead they're shuffling around the same #### that we saw last year and giving $6M/yr to Glendon Rusch and Perez, two fungible commodities who could have easily been replaced from within the system.
If they cry "poor" when it comes to not making an offer for Brian Giles (whom it doesn't appear they're even bothering to pursue) or to not trading for an impact hitter with a big contract after dumping millions to retain crap, I'm going to blow a brain artery.
For $100 million, the Cubs could have a truly imposing lineup and a staff with some risk but considerable upside and decent insurance. It's not too late, Jim . . .
I'm not convinced they need to add an "impact arm," though one would certainly not hurt.
OTOH, I think they need at least 2-3 impact bats. Adding Furcal and going with another OF like last year (or adding Giles and going with an OF of Giles/Patterson/Murton and an MI tandem of Perez/Walker) ain't gonna cut it.
Forget about the pitching staff, lord only knows what will happen to this team if either Ramirez or Lee spend significant time on the DL. We could be looking at less than 70 wins.
Mench is a useful guy against LHP, but I have serious doubts about the Cubs' need for a right-handed corner OF with a weak throwing arm. He's too redundant with respect to Murton, and I think his acquisition (if that's what this is) bodes very badly for Murton's development. Not that Murton's demise was anything but a foregone conclusion in this organization.
Actually, I don't think that highly of Leicester, and Mench is probably not bad return for a guy who is probably the 42nd man on a 40-man roster. If he were a left-handed hitter, I'd be all for this.
Are we getting Mench? I sort of assumed this would just be Leicester for some funigble low minors guy. If it's Leicester for Mench, then that seems like a decent deal - even if he doesn't start, Mench would be useful on the bench.
But I'd be shocked if the Rangers agreed to that.
Forget about the pitching staff, lord only knows what will happen to this team if either Ramirez or Lee spend significant time on the DL. We could be looking at less than 70 wins.
And Ramirez seems to miss time every season. The hamstring/leg problems he's had appear to be a chronic condition that is going to force him out for some stretch at least once a season (and limit his usefulness at other times). If Lee returns to closer to his career levels and Barrett regresses as well (he was probably the best offensive catcher in the NL last year, basically out of nowhere), the offense is going to be horrible.
But I'd be shocked if the Rangers agreed to that.
This article makes it sound like it's not Mench in this deal. I guess I wouldn't be shocked at all if it were, but then again I might think less of Mench (who really has little business playing the corner OF against RHP) than the Rangers do.
Anyway, Mench would be useful on the bench, if he weren't stealing playing time from Matt Murton, which would undoubtedly happen if he were on the Cubs roster.
What disturbs me most about the article:
"The Cubs aren't interested in getting into a bidding war with teams like the Yankees and Cardinals for free-agent outfielder Brian Giles, who turns 35 in January and is seeking more than $10 million per year for at least three years."
Of course, this same team had no problem picking up Moises Alou at only a slightly lower price at the same age.
TITTET.
Seriously, that's got to be my worst nightmare-Neifi whispering in my ear.
I predict an outfield of Jacque Jones, Juan Pierre, and Juan Encarnacion next year . . .
and that Furcal resigns with the Braves, leaving the Cubs to sign Alex Gonzalez from the Marlins.
No, it'll be Neifi at shortstop and Damion Easley at 2B
Yeah, because it's not like the Yankees and Cardinals are any good at talent evaluation, roster construction, or any of those abilities that lead to playoff appearances.
Now, the Cubs may be entirely reasonable in not wanting to get into a "bidding war" with two other deep-pocket teams over Brian Giles, who very well may end up being overpaid for his eventual production. But if this quote signals that the Cubs don't recognize the need for Brian Giles in their lineup, then this team is even further gone than I thought. And that's really far gone.
The Cubs are looking for another left-hander in the bullpen to serve as the primary set-up man and have targeted San Francisco's Scott Eyre as their first choice. Eyre is seeking a three-year deal and also is being courted by the White Sox.
Hendry's not really considering giving Eyre a three-year deal, is he? Has he learned nothing?
He gave Neifi a 2 year, $5mm deal -- what do you think?
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