Hairston a Sleeper?

[ConstableRabbit]

Hairston reminds me of Ramon Martinez. He's a good player that always seems to be injured.

 

Yeah. I've always liked the guy (Hairston). And he and Ramon kind of share that "off the bench 'hustler'" way of playing that I appreciate in a player. That being said, of course I'd rather have Walker at 2B. Does anyone honestly want Neif over JH though?

[Abe Frohman]

I REFUSE to let a newspaper article change what my gut tells me about a player.

 

Last year, Hairston turned me off with his whining about playing time. I don't think he would be a bad starter in a pinch, but if Walker is traded I would rather have Cedeno at 2B and Neifi at short. Neifi Perez still has an EXCELLENT infield arm (some consider one of the best in the game) and a good enough glove to play great SS.

 

If Hairston is telling us that he was hurt in 2005, that doesn't surprise me - he has been hurt every year he has played. Personally, I think it is moot. He seemed healthy enough last year to be diving for balls in the OF that he should have caught on both feet.

 

I don't think Hairston would hurt the Cubs starting at 2b, but with the lack of power the Cubs have up & down the lineup - Hairston really isn't what I would have in mind.

[abuck1220]

when did hairston whine about playing time last year? and if he did whine, would it have been in the papers? :-k

[Laura]

Someone missed the sign on the squeeze play in D.C. I like to think of that as the Cubs version of the squeeze.

 

Cubs.com[/url]"]Jeromy Burnitz doubled, and one out later, Jason Dubois was hit on the back by a pitch. Burnitz broke for home during Jerry Hairston's at-bat, in which he was supposed to complete a squeeze play. But Hairston missed the sign, and Burnitz scored on an error by catcher Gary Bennett, who couldn't get a glove on a relay throw from third baseman Vinny Castilla in a rundown.

 

Did Hairston miss the sign?

 

"Yes," Baker said. "[Third base coach Chris Speier] started to take it off, and I said, 'We need this run.' Jerry hasn't been going that good. Fortunately for us, we didn't get caught like they did in the squeeze."

 

"I messed up. It was all me," Hairston said. "There's no excuse."

 

He did say he expected playing time early on -- it can probably be tracked down via google.

 

The Cubs are good at squashing things.

[cjbucks]

I REFUSE to let a newspaper article change what my gut tells me about a player.

 

Last year, Hairston turned me off with his whining about playing time. I don't think he would be a bad starter in a pinch, but if Walker is traded I would rather have Cedeno at 2B and Neifi at short. Neifi Perez still has an EXCELLENT infield arm (some consider one of the best in the game) and a good enough glove to play great SS.

 

If Hairston is telling us that he was hurt in 2005, that doesn't surprise me - he has been hurt every year he has played. Personally, I think it is moot. He seemed healthy enough last year to be diving for balls in the OF that he should have caught on both feet.

 

I don't think Hairston would hurt the Cubs starting at 2b, but with the lack of power the Cubs have up & down the lineup - Hairston really isn't what I would have in mind.

 

How did you know he was whining if you didn't read it in a newspaper? And if so didn't that change your opinion of him?

[Kyle]

I like Hairston, but Walker has to start if he's still here. If we took Walker out of the lineup, we have no good left handed hitters left in the lineup. And with Walker you KNOW he'll hit around 300, and get on base a whole lot. Also, without the addition of a big bat in right field, we need all the pop in our lineup we can get. Walker has a lot more power than Hairston. Taking Walker out of the lineup would be a big blow to this lineup. I personally would rather have Cedeno batting second and Walker batting fifth next year, instead of Jones batting fifth. Even though Cedeno is young I'd bat him second to take Jones out of that fifth spot. If Walker bats fifth I think our offense will be much better, but if Jones bats fifth I see him KILLING our lineup. He's going to leave so many people on base. Hell, I'd bat Murton fifth over Jones. I didn't mind Hendry getting Howry and Erye to help upgrade our bullpen, and I didn't mind him getting Pierre because we were in DESPERATE need for a real leadoff hitter. Does 2003 with Lofton ring a bell. That team would have never gone that far without Lofton. He made us a completely different team. Pierre will give a lot of what Lofton gave us. But Hendry's decision to get Jones still bothers the hell out of me. I just don't understand what he was doing. I would take Burnitz in right field for one year over Jones in right field for three any day of the week.

[Abe Frohman]

I REFUSE to let a newspaper article change what my gut tells me about a player.

 

Last year, Hairston turned me off with his whining about playing time. I don't think he would be a bad starter in a pinch, but if Walker is traded I would rather have Cedeno at 2B and Neifi at short. Neifi Perez still has an EXCELLENT infield arm (some consider one of the best in the game) and a good enough glove to play great SS.

 

If Hairston is telling us that he was hurt in 2005, that doesn't surprise me - he has been hurt every year he has played. Personally, I think it is moot. He seemed healthy enough last year to be diving for balls in the OF that he should have caught on both feet.

 

I don't think Hairston would hurt the Cubs starting at 2b, but with the lack of power the Cubs have up & down the lineup - Hairston really isn't what I would have in mind.

 

How did you know he was whining if you didn't read it in a newspaper? And if so didn't that change your opinion of him?

 

You know what - that is a really good point.

[Balsa]

Shall we start the 'Hairston over Neifi Starting' BandWGN?

[RockTheIvy]

Shall we start the 'Hairston over Neifi Starting' BandWGN?

 

Small text? or a long bus?

[jmajew]

Walker>Hairston>Nefi. If anyone in the Cubs organization does not see it this way we have a huge problem. With that said as of now I see it being extremely unlikely that Walker will be traded right now. I really don't know what teams would even need his services. Rangers and Indians?

 

If I were Hendry I without a doubt would not trade Walker. For no other reason than if Walker is traded that means Nefi will start at 2b. In case you didn't realize that first comment was meant towards Baker.

 

If Hairston does not start on this team, he will have very little use to us. The reasoning is that Pierre will never take a day off so Hairston won't play there. When Murton and Jones get days off Baker will want to replace them with players that have a higher OPS than JHJ. Either Grissom or Mabry will get those starts. Basically Hairston will most likely be the last player off the bench. I don't know if JHJ would be used as a defensive replacement late in games. Is he better defensively than Jones or Murton?

[Kyle]

Walker>Hairston>Nefi. If anyone in the Cubs organization does not see it this way we have a huge problem. With that said as of now I see it being extremely unlikely that Walker will be traded right now. I really don't know what teams would even need his services. Rangers and Indians?

 

If I were Hendry I without a doubt would not trade Walker. For no other reason than if Walker is traded that means Nefi will start at 2b. In case you didn't realize that first comment was meant towards Baker.

 

If Hairston does not start on this team, he will have very little use to us. The reasoning is that Pierre will never take a day off so Hairston won't play there. When Murton and Jones get days off Baker will want to replace them with players that have a higher OPS than JHJ. Either Grissom or Mabry will get those starts. Basically Hairston will most likely be the last player off the bench. I don't know if JHJ would be used as a defensive replacement late in games. Is he better defensively than Jones or Murton?

 

I think Hairston is indeed better defensively than Murton and Jones. Hairston isn't a great defensive outfielder but he's pretty solid. He won't make as many mistakes in the outside as Murton and Jones will.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I see Walker heading into Spring Training with the Cubs, but I don't see him leaving. I expect a team to lose a 2B due to injury and then the Cubs moving Walker to that team for far less than what he should be worth.

[CubfaninCA]

Granted, he was not THAT good in 2005 but heck, reading the cubs.com article about battling injuries and etc. (i know i know normal cubby smokescreen). I believe he is a sleeper for a nice 2 hole hitter.

 

If you look at his 2004 stats pre-injury

 

he hit .303 with a .378 opb.

 

He must have taken a ton of pitches which is what we need. His K/BB ratio has never been bad, and before his injury he was on pace for 25-30 SB's in '04. Not many DP's with Pierre on before him and hit / run DP's would be low regardless, they are both above avg speed. Not bad Defense, better than Walker worse than perez.

 

If walker is traded, I prey Hairston is the Starter over Neifi.

 

If he was to put up .285 avg .360 obp batting 2nd, there would be many more RBI chances for the middle.

 

I like Hairston as a utility player.... I have a hunch that Cedeno's the 2 hitter. Cedeno's speed is a major asset considering Baker's the manager...

[Balsa]

What is a 'long bus'?

 

I like Hairston as a utility player.... I have a hunch that Cedeno's the 2 hitter. Cedeno's speed is a major asset considering Baker's the manager...

 

I completly disagree. No way Baker is going to hand such an important spot to Cedeno for more than a couple games towards the end of the year.

 

I see Walker heading into Spring Training with the Cubs, but I don't see him leaving. I expect a team to lose a 2B due to injury and then the Cubs moving Walker to that team for far less than what he should be worth.

 

I disagree. I'd say there's 90% chance that if Walker makes it to Spring Training, he makes it to the trading deadline as well.

 

I think Hairston is indeed better defensively than Murton and Jones. Hairston isn't a great defensive outfielder but he's pretty solid. He won't make as many mistakes in the outside as Murton and Jones will.

 

I thought Jones was actually pretty good at defense? Maybe one of his only attributes, but I thought this one was true.

[Laura]

I think Hairston is indeed better defensively than Murton and Jones. Hairston isn't a great defensive outfielder but he's pretty solid. He won't make as many mistakes in the outside as Murton and Jones will.

 

How so? Hairston made some good catches last season, but they sometimes occured after he fell down or ran in the wrong direction first. :)

[Kyle]

I think Hairston is indeed better defensively than Murton and Jones. Hairston isn't a great defensive outfielder but he's pretty solid. He won't make as many mistakes in the outside as Murton and Jones will.

 

How so? Hairston made some good catches last season, but they sometimes occured after he fell down or ran in the wrong direction first. :)

 

Hairston didn't botch as many plays as Murton did. Keep in mind I said Hairston was not a great defensive outfielder, but a solid one. Murton will get better defensively as he gains experience. However, I won't have any problem with Baker putting Hairston in for Murton late in games for defense.

[imb]

I think Hairston is indeed better defensively than Murton and Jones. Hairston isn't a great defensive outfielder but he's pretty solid. He won't make as many mistakes in the outside as Murton and Jones will.

 

How so? Hairston made some good catches last season, but they sometimes occured after he fell down or ran in the wrong direction first. :)

 

Hairston didn't botch as many plays as Murton did. Keep in mind I said Hairston was not a great defensive outfielder, but a solid one. Murton will get better defensively as he gains experience. However, I won't have any problem with Baker putting Hairston in for Murton late in games for defense.

 

He might be better than Murton, but to say that he is better than Jones is ridiculous. Jones glove is his only redeeming quality.

[Laura]

I think Hairston Jr can be a good utility guy rotating through positions as needed. One of my concerns last year with him was that his OBP was inflated by his HBPs, which were a lot higher (especially early on) than they were career-wise -- ie, if being HBP was part of his game, it was a relatively new part of his game. So I resigned myself to cheering for him getting plonked when he played.

 

I think he was relatively lucky in CF in that he made a lot of plays very interesting but didn't really ever get burnt doing so. I'd still play him there in the right matchup. His D at 2B disappointed me early on (cue sarcastic cheering when he made the routine play vs. the Mets). And he did miss a couple of crucial signs (the Cubs were bad, but not even they were that bad). His reverting to diving into 1B only really annoyed me because they immediately made me think of what Chip would say about it and Chip annoyed me.

 

Dusty didn't seem to like him before he missed his signs, so I didn't much stock in those comments. I remained a steadfast Bellhorn fan despite what Dusty had to say about him. Hope Hairston Jr does well. I certainly wouldn't mind that. :)