Why not...

[anemic offense]

...Bill Mueller? Although RF certainly seems to (and should) be their top priority, he'd make a great fit at second base. His range isn't as good as it once was, but he's got an outstanding glove and should be vastly superior to Neifi offensively. We've already seen him play in a Cubs uniform once, when his grit and determination was something to be desired.

 

Although definately not someone you'd want to get in a bidding war for, or someone who you wouldn't want to give more than two years to(prefarably one), he should definately be of interest to this franchise. If the price is right, the Cubs could shore up there infield, allthewhile avoiding giving away valuable prospects. This would allow Hendry to focus his resources solely on (if he isn't alreay) RF, and would make Walker (again, if this is what teams are looking for) more ependable.

 

This is what I was thinking, and I am curious to your thoughts and opinions on this.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

If Walk is dealt, I'd love to have Mueller at 2nd.

[soapy]

If Walker is gone, he wouldn't be a bad option in the #2 spot. He could also sub for Ramirez at 3B when necessary.

 

Having said that, I haven't paid much attention to what kind of offers he's been getting. I saw Pittsburgh was after him, but that's about all I saw. I'd have to consider that of course.

[goonys evil twin]

I think Mueller would be a pretty bad defensive option for 2B, certainly no better than Walker, possibly worse. He'll be 35 this season, and has only played 29 games at 2B in the past 3 years. He is supposedly going to get a 3 year deal, which I wouldn't want to see the Cubs match. I like Buelly, but I don't see a fit.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Why not bring back The Horn?

[soapy]

I think Mueller would be a pretty bad defensive option for 2B, certainly no better than Walker, possibly worse. He'll be 35 this season, and has only played 29 games at 2B in the past 3 years. He is supposedly going to get a 3 year deal, which I wouldn't want to see the Cubs match. I like Buelly, but I don't see a fit.

 

If he's getting three years, I'd likely pass. I could definitely think of worse options though (Neifi).

[soapy]

Why not bring back The Horn?

 

I think you know the answer to that question, Vance.

 

 

 

 

Dusty

[anemic offense]

I think Mueller would be a pretty bad defensive option for 2B, certainly no better than Walker, possibly worse. He'll be 35 this season, and has only played 29 games at 2B in the past 3 years. He is supposedly going to get a 3 year deal, which I wouldn't want to see the Cubs match. I like Buelly, but I don't see a fit.

 

If he's getting three years, I'd likely pass. I could definitely think of worse options though (Neifi).

 

No way the Cubs would (or should) bite at 3 years. but if they could get him down to one with maybe a mutual option for a second, I think it would be a mutually attractive option.

[CubfaninCA]

If the Cubs dealt Ramirez for Tejada, Mueller would look good @ 3b. A lot better than Nomar.

[katway]

Mueller would be bad at 2nd. He has little range and couldn't turn 2 on any play with an above average degree of difficulty.

[anemic offense]

I think Mueller would be a pretty bad defensive option for 2B, certainly no better than Walker, possibly worse. He'll be 35 this season, and has only played 29 games at 2B in the past 3 years. He is supposedly going to get a 3 year deal, which I wouldn't want to see the Cubs match. I like Buelly, but I don't see a fit.

 

I honestly haven't seen him play enough to confidently comment on how his defense is now. But using conventional wisdom there is NO WAY he can be as slow laterally as Todd, and its doubtful his glovework has evaporated in the last 3 years. I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong (if someone has seen him play enough to back up your theory I'll take your word for it), but I just can't see Mueller being a DOWNGRADE over Todd DEFENSIVELY. Offesnively is another story, but it's all on what this team values, and/or if they are looking (hard) for IF/2b options or not.

[soapy]

I really haven't seen Mueller play much 2B. If he's as bad as people are indicating, I can't see Hendry targeting him considering his new found affinity for defense.

[anemic offense]

Mueller would be bad at 2nd. He has little range and couldn't turn 2 on any play with an above average degree of difficulty.

 

Not saying he has great range, but (with Todd) we're talking about replacing a player (I like him but..) who might have the WORST range at 2b in all of baseball. Miller's not that bad...is he???

[goonys evil twin]

I honestly haven't seen him play enough to confidently comment on how his defense is now. But using conventional wisdom there is NO WAY he can be as slow laterally as Todd, and its doubtful his glovework has evaporated in the last 3 years.

 

I don't see what conventional wisdom has to do with it, and I don't see how there is NO WAY a 35 year old third baseman could be slower laterally than Todd Walker.

[RynoRules]

Didn't I see that Mueler signed with LA (in the confirmed transactions thread)? :huh:

[goonys evil twin]

Mueller would be bad at 2nd. He has little range and couldn't turn 2 on any play with an above average degree of difficulty.

 

Not saying he has great range, but (with Todd) we're talking about replacing a player (I like him but..) who might have the WORST range at 2b in all of baseball. Miller's not that bad...is he???

 

Are you buying the company line of how terrible Walker supposedly is at defense? Have you ever seen Jeff Kent out there?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

He really hasn't played enough games there in his career to warrant the criticism. Sure, he has a 964 fielding pct at 2B, but there are less than 200 total chances (53 games over 8 different seasons). He is too good defensively to not improve on those numbers.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Mueller would be bad at 2nd. He has little range and couldn't turn 2 on any play with an above average degree of difficulty.

 

Not saying he has great range, but (with Todd) we're talking about replacing a player (I like him but..) who might have the WORST range at 2b in all of baseball. Miller's not that bad...is he???

 

If you go strictly by zone rating, Marcus Giles and Craig Biggio were both worse than Walker last year.

[YearofDaCubs]

Mueller is 35 and his tenure here before wasn't exactly a success. He also has a history of injury problems. No thank you especially not for a 3 year deal.

[CuseCubFan69]

Mueller would be bad at 2nd. He has little range and couldn't turn 2 on any play with an above average degree of difficulty.

 

Not saying he has great range, but (with Todd) we're talking about replacing a player (I like him but..) who might have the WORST range at 2b in all of baseball. Miller's not that bad...is he???

 

Are you buying the company line of how terrible Walker supposedly is at defense? Have you ever seen Jeff Kent out there?

 

Didn't Kent win a Golden Globe while with the Giants?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Mueller is 35 and his tenure here before wasn't exactly a success. He also has a history of injury problems. No thank you especially not for a 3 year deal.

 

Ignoring the injury, he actually put up pretty good numbers in his first stint:

 

295/403/448/851 in 2001

266/355/402/757 in 2002 after a horrendously slow start

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Mueller would be bad at 2nd. He has little range and couldn't turn 2 on any play with an above average degree of difficulty.

 

Not saying he has great range, but (with Todd) we're talking about replacing a player (I like him but..) who might have the WORST range at 2b in all of baseball. Miller's not that bad...is he???

 

Are you buying the company line of how terrible Walker supposedly is at defense? Have you ever seen Jeff Kent out there?

 

Didn't Kent win a Golden Globe while with the Giants?

 

Yes, I loved him in Chips. :lol:

[YearofDaCubs]

Mueller is 35 and his tenure here before wasn't exactly a success. He also has a history of injury problems. No thank you especially not for a 3 year deal.

 

Ignoring the injury, he actually put up pretty good numbers in his first stint:

 

295/403/448/851 in 2001

266/355/402/757 in 2002 after a horrendously slow start

Pretty good actually. Too bad he's 35 and injury prone.

[nick23]

I honestly haven't seen him play enough to confidently comment on how his defense is now. But using conventional wisdom there is NO WAY he can be as slow laterally as Todd, and its doubtful his glovework has evaporated in the last 3 years.

 

I don't see what conventional wisdom has to do with it, and I don't see how there is NO WAY a 35 year old third baseman could be slower laterally than Todd Walker.

What does his age have to do with anything? I watched Walker play almost every game last year. And I can truthfully say that there can't be many players in baseball slower than him. He's ugly white guy slow.

[goonys evil twin]

I honestly haven't seen him play enough to confidently comment on how his defense is now. But using conventional wisdom there is NO WAY he can be as slow laterally as Todd, and its doubtful his glovework has evaporated in the last 3 years.

 

I don't see what conventional wisdom has to do with it, and I don't see how there is NO WAY a 35 year old third baseman could be slower laterally than Todd Walker.

What does his age have to do with anything? I watched Walker play almost every game last year. And I can truthfully say that there can't be many players in baseball slower than him. He's ugly white guy slow.

 

Age and middle infield range do not go well together. It has a lot to do with it. There is a reason so many good young middle infielders turn into decent older third baseman and left fielders.