Notes from Cubs.com articles...

[Balsa]

If some of you are like me, the last place I look for cubs news is on cubs.com, but they have some interesting new articles that have info that I hadn't seen before.

 

Item A is entitled 'Walker Good to Start?'

 

Some quotes:

 

Walker hasn't been terrible, but you can't judge him solely on fielding percentage. Evidently, the Cubs believe there are plays that are not being made.

 

Pitching coach Larry Rothschild and the training staff addressed the players' offseason workout programs before sending guys home after last season. Carlos Zambrano, Prior, Glendon Rusch and Jerome Williams all showed up at the Cubs Convention looking like they were ready to take the mound now.

 

Rothschild reports that Greg Maddux is working harder this offseason than he has in years past.

 

There are also youngsters like Rich Hill and Angel Guzman who need a little more time, but also could contribute this season.

 

Dusty on Murton:

"This guy has hit everywhere he's gone. He's got big legs and he's displayed pretty good power, especially to right field. I tried to break him in slowly [in 2005] against lefties, and then -- bam, bam, bam -- let him play. I don't think it's fair to say we expect this out of you. I think the whole thing is to let him play. This guy has showed the ability to hit tough pitchers, too, last year.

 

"I like his approach. Anybody who can hit the ball up the middle and to the opposite field is going to hit. He'll learn how to hit for power. If he can hit balls to right field, he has power. He's a good learner. He asks questions. He's always around the old guys. I like the young man a lot. He can run. I'm not going to put any expectations on him. He's got the skill."

 

Grace may have had another committment, but he has been invited to past Cubs Conventions.

 

Item B titled 'Hairston Says He's Healthy'

 

"I had the ankle surgery in December of [2004], and I had really just started to run before I got to Spring Training. I wasn't even at full strength. My ankle wasn't nearly as strong as it should've been.

 

"As far as being able to run, I couldn't do it," he said. "I went to steal bases, but it just wasn't there. My heart was in it."

 

"I'm back to training, not rehabbing," he said. "Now, I'm running the way I was three years ago. I feel like a new man."

 

Since November, he has been working with a track coach and training with two world-class sprinters who are preparing for the Olympics. Hairston has lost 12 pounds, and he is leaner and healthier.

 

In fact, Walker and Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee apparently were the only players who knew Hairston was hobbling last season.

 

"I want to get back to where I was," Hairston said. "With my quickness back and my feet finally healthy for the first time in three years, I'm really excited to get back on the field. I feel like I'm 25 again -- even though I'm still young at 29. I feel I'm ready to be myself again."

 

Finally, Item C.

 

Fans unhappy with the addition of Jones should know he's working with eight-time batting champ Tony Gwynn in San Diego.

 

The 'Walker Good to Start?' article, clearly illustrates what Cubs management is thinking. Good to Start? I'm sorry, has Todd Walker been injured and no one knows about it yet?

 

Combine that with the article on how JHJ is 'ready' and healthy for next year and I think you see where the Cubs are aiming. I found it surprising that only DLee and TWalker knew that JHJ was still recovering. That sounds suspicious to me. However, I do like that he's running a lot and has lost 12 pounds. ( :shock: )

 

The last bit was certainly not a bad thing, but doesn't really remedy the Jones signing at all.

[baseball7897]

Cubs need another speed guy to go along with Pierre. Why not Hairston at second base?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Cubs need another speed guy to go along with Pierre.

 

Why

[baseball7897]

Hairston plays better defense than Walker, and along with better range. If you look in 2004 before he got hurt he had a .378 on base along with a .303 average not bad.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Hairston plays better defense than Walker, and along with better range. If you look in 2004 before he got hurt he had a .378 on base along with a .303 average not bad.

 

I understand why someone would want Hairston over walker.

 

Why do we need another speed guy?

[A New Era]

Hairston plays better defense than Walker, and along with better range. If you look in 2004 before he got hurt he had a .378 on base along with a .303 average not bad.

 

I understand why someone would want Hairston over walker.

 

Why do we need another speed guy?

 

Cause speed is cool. (not the drug).

[Balsa]

Hairston plays better defense than Walker, and along with better range. If you look in 2004 before he got hurt he had a .378 on base along with a .303 average not bad.

 

I understand why someone would want Hairston over walker.

 

Why do we need another speed guy?

 

In case Juan Pierre strikes out/can't get on base and we need someone to be able to run from first to third on a single or from second to home on a single by DLee or Aram?

 

Honestly, if Hairston puts up a .378 OBP, I'd much rather have him at 2B. And I like Walker.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Hairston plays better defense than Walker, and along with better range. If you look in 2004 before he got hurt he had a .378 on base along with a .303 average not bad.

 

I understand why someone would want Hairston over walker.

 

Why do we need another speed guy?

 

In case Juan Pierre strikes out/can't get on base and we need someone to be able to run from first to third on a single or from second to home on a single by DLee or Aram?

 

Honestly, if Hairston puts up a .378 OBP, I'd much rather have him at 2B. And I like Walker.

 

There's a difference between "speed guy" and a station to station runner. We don't have a pressing need for someone who's fast.

[baseball7897]

Having speed is so underated in baseball today.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Having speed is so underated in baseball today.

 

Why

[Balsa]

Here's a strange fact for you.

 

Over the last three years, both Todd Walker and JHJ have the same number of ABs vs. Lefties (290) . Not only that, but they have the same number of hits. (80) And the same number of walks. (25) And the same batting average. (.276)

 

That's just wierd.

[Wheelimus]

What we need out of the two hole is a guy who can get on base. If Jerry is really back to pre-injury form, and gets on base better than Walker and out does him defensively, then he should get the job. If Walker is better, he should get the job. Open season in my view.

[Balsa]

Hey Transmogrified Tiger, could you please not just respond in one-word posts? Clearly you want to say something, and it justs seems inane to respond to posts with 'why'. Thanks.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Hey Transmogrified Tiger, could you please not just respond in one-word posts? Clearly you want to say something, and it justs seems inane to respond to posts with 'why'. Thanks.

 

I want to know why he thinks speed is so valuable. He's said that we need a speed guy, never explained why, then said that speed is underrated. I know what I think and I want to know why he has such convictions.

[Balsa]

What we need out of the two hole is a guy who can get on base. If Jerry is really back to pre-injury form, and gets on base better than Walker and out does him defensively, then he should get the job. If Walker is better, he should get the job. Open season in my view.

 

What if Walker hits for a better average and gets more HRs, but JHJ has better defense and is faster on the basepaths (assuming they both have similar OBP)? I think that's the situation we might be seeing as the season opens, if Baker hasn't made up his mind already.

[baseball7897]

In my opinion on Speed, I believe a team values a guy who can steal a base, can run down a ball hit into the gap and cut it off before it gets to the warning track, more than a homerun. Yea homeruns look pretty, but if i was a GM i would build my team around speed, defense, and pitching.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

In my opinion on Speed, I believe a team values a guy who can steal a base, can run down a ball hit into the gap and cut it off before it gets to the warning track, more than a homerun. Yea homeruns look pretty, but if i was a GM i would build my team around speed, defense, and pitching.

 

But why do you think it's more valuable? Sure it sounds poetic to value speed over power, but in practice that sort of logic doesn't hold up.

[sweetpeteman]

Here's a strange fact for you.

 

Over the last three years, both Todd Walker and JHJ have the same number of ABs vs. Lefties (290) . Not only that, but they have the same number of hits. (80) And the same number of walks. (25) And the same batting average. (.276)

 

That's just wierd.

 

 

Wow. I had no idea that if you got the same number of hits in the same number of at-bats, you would have the same batting average. :P

[Butterscup1679666578]

Between Pierre, Murton, DLee, Jones, Cedeno, and Hairston, I think we have a good amount of base stealing threats on this team.

[A New Era]

I don't value JHJ for his "base stealing" threat, I value him for his increased defensive range over walker, and his "speed". What I mean is that he could get from 1st to 3rd on a hit instead of 1st to 2nd like Walker more likely would do.

 

When I looked at his 2004 OBP I wondered, why the heck did the O's get rid of him? Does anybody know WHY his OBP was so bad last year and so great the year before? His average OBP is just .330 something. I mean what injury is it that caused him to be worse at the plate in '05?

 

Can he realistically post an OBP of over .350 this year? If so, I gotta go Hairston over Walker.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Even though Walker hits just as well against lefties as Hairston does, I wouldn't be the least bit upset with a true platoon at 2B between Walker and Hairston. It would allow the team to throw a different look out there on occasion--Hairston's speed and defense, versus Walker's slugging.

 

Or you could base who plays on our own starting pitcher. Zambrano is a ground ball guy, and to a lesser extent Williams, so Hairston plays then. Walker plays when the other pitchers are out there. With Prior and Wood in particular being high strikeout, flyball pitchers, Walker's defensive liabilities are minimized, so play him for his superior bat.

 

You could even make the selection to a degree based on the ballpark. In a pitcher's park like Pro Player, or Petco, or RFK, you play Hairston. In a cozier hitter's park like Wrigley, Minute Maid or San Francisco, you go with Walker. Lots of variables to play with.

 

No matter which of the two would start though, I'd want both to be hitting 2 in my lineup behind Pierre. That allows Jones to hit 5th against RHP, 7th against LHP (since the Cubs will never platoon him), maximizing his advantages and minimizing his problems.

 

And it goes w/o saying, no Neifi please, and absolutely, no Neifi in the 2 spot, never ever ever. Please.

[A New Era]

Even though Walker hits just as well against lefties as Hairston does, I wouldn't be the least bit upset with a true platoon at 2B between Walker and Hairston. It would allow the team to throw a different look out there on occasion--Hairston's speed and defense, versus Walker's slugging.

 

Or you could base who plays on our own starting pitcher. Zambrano is a ground ball guy, and to a lesser extent Williams, so Hairston plays then. Walker plays when the other pitchers are out there. With Prior and Wood in particular being high strikeout, flyball pitchers, Walker's defensive liabilities are minimized, so play him for his superior bat.

 

You could even make the selection to a degree based on the ballpark. In a pitcher's park like Pro Player, or Petco, or RFK, you play Hairston. In a cozier hitter's park like Wrigley, Minute Maid or San Francisco, you go with Walker. Lots of variables to play with.

 

No matter which of the two would start though, I'd want both to be hitting 2 in my lineup behind Pierre. That allows Jones to hit 5th against RHP, 7th against LHP (since the Cubs will never platoon him), maximizing his advantages and minimizing his problems.

 

And it goes w/o saying, no Neifi please, and absolutely, no Neifi in the 2 spot, never ever ever. Please.

 

That's a very smart plan. But we don't have a true "thinking" manager.

[baseball7897]

He was not fully recovered from having off-season ankle surgery. The only reason why Baltimore traded him is because they had Roberts at 2nd base and they missed out on Delgado.

[stitchface]

Even though Walker hits just as well against lefties as Hairston does, I wouldn't be the least bit upset with a true platoon at 2B between Walker and Hairston. It would allow the team to throw a different look out there on occasion--Hairston's speed and defense, versus Walker's slugging.

 

Or you could base who plays on our own starting pitcher. Zambrano is a ground ball guy, and to a lesser extent Williams, so Hairston plays then. Walker plays when the other pitchers are out there. With Prior and Wood in particular being high strikeout, flyball pitchers, Walker's defensive liabilities are minimized, so play him for his superior bat.

 

You could even make the selection to a degree based on the ballpark. In a pitcher's park like Pro Player, or Petco, or RFK, you play Hairston. In a cozier hitter's park like Wrigley, Minute Maid or San Francisco, you go with Walker. Lots of variables to play with.

 

No matter which of the two would start though, I'd want both to be hitting 2 in my lineup behind Pierre. That allows Jones to hit 5th against RHP, 7th against LHP (since the Cubs will never platoon him), maximizing his advantages and minimizing his problems.

 

And it goes w/o saying, no Neifi please, and absolutely, no Neifi in the 2 spot, never ever ever. Please.

 

San Francisco is a severe pitchers park - but I don't disagree with your idea entirely. I would play Walker in SF because that park is death for right handed hitters. same at Petco. In Houston I would go with Hairston as the park greatly favors right handed hitters. You could do this on a park by park basis. I can't really see dusty going through that thought process though. although if it were made clear to him, he might.

[A New Era]

He was not fully recovered from having off-season ankle surgery. The only reason why Baltimore traded him is because they had Roberts at 2nd base and they missed out on Delgado.

 

Do you think Hairston has it in him to be a good full time 2B this year?