Interesting Cub tid-bit from Ken Rosenthal

[CuseCubFan69]

So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired.

 

I don't think that Lofton, at this stage of his career, is equal to Pierre. I think Jones is going to be okay in RF and surpise a lot of people.

 

Jones has to put up better numbers than Burnitz did and I hope you're right Btb.

[CubDad4Ever]

First , in no way is Lofton equal to Pierre, His age and durability are huge question Marks. A very undervalued metric is the ability to bring it for a whole season. My reason for knowing Nomar would not be andbodys choice for ss.(proven to be true) is lack of both defense and durability. You cant have to many what ifs in your lineup. As much as i love Cedeno and Murton , they still qualify as what ifs. So you cant pile more on top. Huff is not worth more than Jones , when prospects vrs money are taken into consideration , not to mention a large difference in D. Mabry for short bursts will be an upgrade for Aramis as his backup . Im not saying its perfect , but i see how we got were we are. God Bless Coach L

[Gunned]

So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired.

 

I don't think that Lofton, at this stage of his career, is equal to Pierre. I think Jones is going to be okay in RF and surpise a lot of people.

 

I definitely agree. While Pierre has his flaws, he's much more likely to put up a .350 OBP over the course of a full seaso than Lofton is. And while Pierre isn't very good defensively, Lofton is even worse.

[NCCubFan]

So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired.

 

I don't think that Lofton, at this stage of his career, is equal to Pierre. I think Jones is going to be okay in RF and surpise a lot of people.

Banks talking to Kessinger. I must be in a time machine. :D

[Sweet Swinging Billy]

don_kessinger_was_good wrote: "So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired".

 

---I disagree. All this is, is Rosenthal's opinion. Why is it that so many people take what a writer says, and treats it like it's "the Gospel truth". Rosenthal doesn't know what he's talking about. Was it Rosenthal himself trying to negotiate a deal for Huff, like Hendry was trying to do? Of course not. And somebody tell me why, when for months, these Cub prospects were available, the Rays weren't willing to make a trade with the Cubs. I think if MLB was able to conduct a poll with regard to the top GM's in the NL, Hendry wouldn't be ranked as low as where y'all would put him.

----#26 Sweet Swinging Billy Williams (formerly ITex)

[SouthSideRyan]

However, how well will Jacque Jones play 3b if Ramirez has to miss any significant time?

 

About as well as Huff would.

[fromthestretch]

However, how well will Jacque Jones play 3b if Ramirez has to miss any significant time?

 

About as well as Huff would.

 

While Huff should be an everyday third baseman, he wouldn't kill the team if he had to play there for a week or two if Ramirez got hurt.

 

I'd prefer him there than Mabry.

 

Huff gives you a lot more options than Jones.

[Blueheart05]

However, how well will Jacque Jones play 3b if Ramirez has to miss any significant time?

 

About as well as Huff would.

 

While Huff should be an everyday third baseman, he wouldn't kill the team if he had to play there for a week or two if Ramirez got hurt.

 

I'd prefer him there than Mabry.

 

Huff gives you a lot more options than Jones.

 

 

Technically, Huff can play multiple positions but he's a defensive liability in all of them.

[JD42K]

in this scenario, who's playin RF when we move Huff to 3B? the amount of man-crushes some of you have for slow, unathletic thick white guys that hit left-handed and can't play defense never ceases to amaze me.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

in this scenario, who's playin RF when we move Huff to 3B? the amount of man-crushes some of you have for slow, unathletic thick white guys that hit left-handed and can't play defense never ceases to amaze me.

 

Can you name 3 of said guys? Many people here aren't huge fans of Huff at all.

 

EDIT: I'll start the list. Adam Dunn,....

[NCCubFan]

Technically, Huff can play multiple positions but he's a defensive liability in all of them.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

[CuseCubFan69]

Technically, Huff can play multiple positions but he's a defensive liability in all of them.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

 

I think that Walker could play third as well or better than Huff.

[fromthestretch]

However, how well will Jacque Jones play 3b if Ramirez has to miss any significant time?

 

About as well as Huff would.

 

While Huff should be an everyday third baseman, he wouldn't kill the team if he had to play there for a week or two if Ramirez got hurt.

 

I'd prefer him there than Mabry.

 

Huff gives you a lot more options than Jones.

 

 

Technically, Huff can play multiple positions but he's a defensive liability in all of them.

 

I just realized a rather important typo in my previous post.

 

It should read, "While Huff shouldn't be an everyday third baseman..."

 

I agree he's not good defensively, but there are plenty of "utility" guys that are rather bad at the positions they play. He also might become a little better (key word "little") if a team actually let him consistently play the same position for a couple years instead of moving him all over the place (and that position should probably be 1B or LF).

 

If Ramirez misses time this year or simply needs a day off here and there, the Cubs options for third base are Mabry and probably Neifi. I'd prefer Huff to either. I doubt Baker would consider Walker or even Hairston as backup options for 3B, unless it was an absolute emergency.

[Illini Iceman]

However, how well will Jacque Jones play 3b if Ramirez has to miss any significant time?

 

About as well as Huff would.

 

While Huff should be an everyday third baseman, he wouldn't kill the team if he had to play there for a week or two if Ramirez got hurt.

 

I'd prefer him there than Mabry.

 

Huff gives you a lot more options than Jones.

 

 

Technically, Huff can play multiple positions but he's a defensive liability in all of them.

 

I just realized a rather important typo in my previous post.

 

It should read, "While Huff shouldn't be an everyday third baseman..."

 

I agree he's not good defensively, but there are plenty of "utility" guys that are rather bad at the positions they play. He also might become a little better (key word "little") if a team actually let him consistently play the same position for a couple years instead of moving him all over the place (and that position should probably be 1B or LF).

 

If Ramirez misses time this year or simply needs a day off here and there, the Cubs options for third base are Mabry and probably Neifi. I'd prefer Huff to either. I doubt Baker would consider Walker or even Hairston as backup options for 3B, unless it was an absolute emergency.

 

I am a little unclear why it makes a difference if Ramirez is out whether Huff plays third and then Mabry covers RF versus just having Mabry play third and leave the everyday RF in his normal spot.

The argument about Jones vs. Huff seems like valid debate, but unless you plan on Huff playing in RF and 3B at the same time I don't see how his playing 3B adds any value.

[baseball7897]

I'm not sure if Aubrey Huff is the guy that would get the Cubs over the top.

[stitchface]

if aram misses substantial time, the cubs need to go shopping.

[bmkhawk]

So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired.

 

*shakes head*

 

No where in that article did it say that the exact same combination of players that Hendry spent for Pierre could have netted Huff.

 

It's people piling inferences upon inferences around here (like this) that leads to a lot of unbased assumptions and creates a lot of unnecessary finger pointing.

[frostwyrm]

I'm not so sure that Huff is better than Jones. I like Jones defense a lot more and Huff still has to prove he wasn't a steroid wonder.

 

I considered Huff a roid suspect when he finished June with only 5 HR on the season, but then he went on to hit another 17 in Jul/Aug/Sep, so now I'm not so sure.

[A New Era]

So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired.

 

Hey I love Lofton. But Lofton is not = to Pierre. You are NOT going to get 168 games out of Lofton. Maybe 100 if you are lucky. So we are screwed 68 games without a leadoff hitter. I'd rather have Huff than Jones obviously, but Lofton = Pierre is pretty overboard.

[Yestheydo]

Hi everybody; my first post ever. Just wanted to say that there are actually reasons to prefer Jones over Huff. Huff's lifetime OPS against RHP is .845; Jones' is .830. Huff hits lefties better, but the team doesn't really have a big problem against lefties; it's the righties they need help with. Add in Jones' far superior speed and defense, and the fact that they didn't have to give up an arm and a leg for him, and Jones looks better than Huff. Man, it's weird posting here; I'm worried I'll be reprimanded if I say a single syllable off-topic.

[CubinNY]

lifetime OPS against RHP is .845; Jones' is .830. Huff hits lefties better, but the team doesn't really have a big problem against lefties; it's the righties they need help with.

 

Welcome.

 

Eric Milton and any number of other soft-tossing lefties would disagree

[fromthestretch]

Hey I love Lofton. But Lofton is not = to Pierre. You are NOT going to get 168 games out of Lofton. Maybe 100 if you are lucky. So we are screwed 68 games without a leadoff hitter. I'd rather have Huff than Jones obviously, but Lofton = Pierre is pretty overboard.

 

So are you predicting that the Cubs will reach the playoffs and be eliminated in six games? :wink:

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm not so sure that Huff is better than Jones. I like Jones defense a lot more and Huff still has to prove he wasn't a steroid wonder.

 

I considered Huff a roid suspect when he finished June with only 5 HR on the season, but then he went on to hit another 17 in Jul/Aug/Sep, so now I'm not so sure.

 

Maybe they stopped testing after a certain point? Or....he was already tested and knew he could return to what he knew.

 

Man, this just bugs the heck out of me that this is even an issue.

[Lefty]

So basically, for the same three pitchers sent to Florida for Juan Pierre, plus the money spent on Jacques Jones, Hendry instead could have Aubrey Huff and have signed free agent Kenny Lofton. Lovely.

 

Huff >> Jones

Lofton = Pierre

Huff + Lofton = $8MM (approximately)

Pierre + Jones = $12MM (approximately)

 

So even better, he'd have had $4MM in extra cash, which could have been used with the $7MM in spare cash he still has unspent, to sign AJ Burnett.

 

Yep, Hendry should be fired.

 

Hard to disagree, except I am not yet convinved that JH should be fired.

 

You'll come around soon enough.