Cubs Scouting Tony Graffanino?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Chicago Cubs scout Ken Kravec was spotted observing yesterday's Red Sox workout, which may be an indication that the National League club is still interested in acquiring infielder Tony Graffanino. -- Boston Herald

 

Maybe Jim Hendry has MIF confused with MILF?

Edited March 2, 2006 by CaliforniaRaisin

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

OMG.

 

 

oh, and nice sig. :lol:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I can see a Williamson for Graffanino trade happening and I will be cursing the whole time.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Aren't sponsors a hoot?

 

Jason Barreira thinks Tony's clutch sponsor(s) this page.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I'd rather have Hairston starting over Graffanino. Where's the upside to trading a potentially dominant RP for a bench guy?

 

I thought Graffanino wanted to be a starter anyways if traded (per ESPN Insider).

[rawaction]

What I hear is that the Graffanino thing is just a matter of time. Walker is gonna be traded, and the Cubs will replace him with Graffanino.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

What I hear is that the Graffanino thing is just a matter of time. Walker is gonna be traded, and the Cubs will replace him with Graffanino.

 

Where did you hear this? :(

 

Graffanino:

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/G/tony-graffanino.shtml

 

Walker:

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/W/todd-walker.shtml

 

Hairston:

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/jerry-hairston.shtml

 

Neifi:

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/P/neifi-perez.shtml

[rawaction]

What I hear is that the Graffanino thing is just a matter of time. Walker is gonna be traded, and the Cubs will replace him with Graffanino.

 

Where did you hear this? :(

 

Various random media outlets. There was something last week in my fantasy league updates that "it is expected that once the Cubs are able to trade Todd Walker, they will go hard after Tony Graffanino". Nothing has been discussed in a while on either side apparently though (Walker or Graffanino deal).

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It only makes sense to trade somebody for an older, inferior player.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

It only makes sense to trade somebody for an older, inferior player.

 

He's not even an everyday starter, which has been the case for quite some time. I just don't get replacing Walker with another bench player.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't get trading Walker period.

 

I don't get trading for another [expletive] middle infielder.

 

I certainly don't get trading Walker so we can get another [expletive] middle infielder.

 

To paraphrase Darren McGavin in a Christmas Story, "The Cubs traded Walker! I don't believe it for Graffanino! Ball through the legs Graffanino, a utility infielder! it's a whole damn team of utility infielders."

[Vinestal]

I dont have a problem with Grafinino, I know he is an upgrade defensively over Walker and over the course of a season Grafinino could put up similar numbers may slightly less power. Hard to say though really he's not been a starter in a while. Hes had about half the plate appearances of Walker the last couple seasons. Im not sure Id trade Willamson for him though I think thats a steep price to pay. He hit .298 with a .394 OBP last year but only in 215 plate apearances. If he could put up those same numbers over a whole season and play stelar defense it may not be that bad of an idea, if they want to upgrade the defense up the middle.

I know most disagree with me though. Tony is the odd man out in Boston with Loretta being there now so you would think we could get him for much less than Willamson, maybe Welmeyer and some other mediocre minor leaguer.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I'm not a Todd Walker fan at all, but if you're going to replace him, at least do it with Soriano, who brings something unique (lots of speed and power) to the mix that our current bunch of 2B do not. Graffanino is a fine player and all, but I don't see that he brings much different to the table than does Walker other than his better defense and slightly better OBP. Why bother?

 

Having said that, if they sent Wellemeyer or Koronka or something like that, or maybe even someone like Novoa, to Boston for Graffanino, I wouldn't be upset about it. He's OK.

[Roast]

WHY in the blue hell do we want to trade walker? All these horror stories of his defense are false, or at least I have seen very few examples of it. And the man had a .799 OPS last year. (a.k.a our third best hitter). Yes, Lets trade him! OOOH OH, And even better, lets get a really bad player in return!

[FergieJ31]

What I hear is that the Graffanino thing is just a matter of time. Walker is gonna be traded, and the Cubs will replace him with Graffanino.

 

:( good grief.

 

Every time I see Tony Graffanino I think of his bonehead play at 3B that led to a Cubs win over the White Sox a few years ago. And the Sun Times headline the next morning: Gaffe-inino

[TXCubsFan]

I dont have a problem with Grafinino, I know he is an upgrade defensively over Walker and over the course of a season Grafinino could put up similar numbers may slightly less power. Hard to say though really he's not been a starter in a while. Hes had about half the plate appearances of Walker the last couple seasons. Im not sure Id trade Willamson for him though I think thats a steep price to pay. He hit .298 with a .394 OBP last year but only in 215 plate apearances. If he could put up those same numbers over a whole season and play stelar defense it may not be that bad of an idea, if they want to upgrade the defense up the middle.

I know most disagree with me though. Tony is the odd man out in Boston with Loretta being there now so you would think we could get him for much less than Willamson, maybe Welmeyer and some other mediocre minor leaguer.

 

A Graf / Hairston platoon seems likely. Would this trade indicate that the Cubs think that EPatt might be starting in Wrigley in 2007 (or part of a platoon)?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

It appears the Cubs aren't the only team scouting Graffanino.

 

Link.

 

The Mets seem to have a good deal of interest and they would be a good fit. Other than Kazuo Matsui, they really don't have many options at second base.

 

More than a dozen teams were represented by scouts at last night’s game, including the New York Mets, who are on the lookout for an established second baseman following Bret Boone’s sudden retirement Wednesday.

[snoodmonger]

Go Mets!

[fromthestretch]

 

A Graf / Hairston platoon seems likely.

 

Considering that both are right-handed hitters, it doesn't seem likely.

[CP_414]

I'll take the 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005 stat line that Tony G put up. His year to year OBP numbers are interesting to look at.

 

1999: .364

2000: .363

2001: .370

2002: .329

2003: .331

2004: .332

2005: .366

 

He was a part-time player all of those seasons, so playing time can't be plamed for the huge disparity between 1999-2001 and 2002-2004. Maybe his trend will continue and we can expect 2 more seasons of .360+ coming up.

 

To be clear though, I'd rather take my chances with Walker.

[DiamondMind]

Something has to be said for the Cubs wanting a true #2 hitter that can bunt and play smart baseball out of the two hole. Yea, Walker is a better-by-numbers offensive talent, but he can't do the fundamentals (including defense) that the Cubs are looking for. Stats aren't EVERYTHING.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Something has to be said for the Cubs wanting a true #2 hitter that can bunt and play smart baseball out of the two hole. Yea, Walker is a better-by-numbers offensive talent, but he can't do the fundamentals (including defense) that the Cubs are looking for. Stats aren't EVERYTHING.

 

Walker can't play smart baseball or bunt? How so?

[UK1679666180]

I think the reason he hasn't hit in the #2 spot yet might be either overreacting on my part or they're trying to see who can hit 2nd in case Walker is traded. He's fine fundamentally as a #2 hitter, he's selective, he can bunt when need be, & can pull the ball between the 1B and 2B gap. Defensively, he's probably not what they want and they're looking to replace him b/c of it.

 

He didn't hit 2nd or play 2B yesterday, I can understand him not hitting 2nd w/Moyer, but if you have someone who you question with the glove, you'd like to get him as many reps as possible to either improve or further evaluate if you have any desire to keep him.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I think the reason he hasn't hit in the #2 spot yet might be either overreacting on my part or they're trying to see who can hit 2nd in case Walker is traded. He's fine fundamentally as a #2 hitter, he's selective, he can bunt when need be, & can pull the ball between the 1B and 2B gap. Defensively, he's probably not what they want and they're looking to replace him b/c of it.

 

He didn't hit 2nd or play 2B yesterday, I can understand him not hitting 2nd w/Moyer, but if you have someone who you question with the glove, you'd like to get him as many reps as possible to either improve or further evaluate if you have any desire to keep him.

 

From what I've heard (radio), Walker was playing solid D so far. I know that doesn't count for much as the Cubs probably have their minds made up on his defensive abilities, but it's something.

 

Walker is pretty solid at 2B, being pretty surehanded. He just doesn't have the range. The knee probably doesn't help that either. :(

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Walker can do all the things you want from a number two hitter. The only reason he may not be ideal there is his lack of speed. While a bunt from your second hitter is nice, I'd rather have two men on base and no outs than a runner on second and third and one out. Walker is more likely to be on base than the other options.

 

Furthermore, Walker takes as many pitches as anyone on the team. He's patient enough to give Pierre an opportunity to steal.

 

Walker, regardless of the knocks on his defense, is the best number two hitter on the team.