this is for you goony

[stitchface]

or did you write it?

 

Sure, it's noisy, but like the Aramis Ramirez move, there's not really that much here that makes the team all that much better, and there's a more fundamental overvaluing of some pretty unremarkable talents. At least Miller's $1.5 million seems something close to market rates for a market-standard banged-up veteran starter who might or might not give you twenty or more starts; paying Henry Blanco more than that to play a less-important role is a matter of electively picking a lottery winner instead of leaving it to chance. Blanco's already 35, so betting that he's going to repeat last year's uncharacteristic productivity at the plate; paying him $1.8 million to back up Michael Barrett in 2007 is silly enough, but guaranteeing him $2.8 million for 2008, when he'll be pushing 37 and that much more likely to be back down bobbing around the Mendoza Line is simply insane. And why deal for Cotts after an ugly 2006? As much as I'm inexplicably fond of the wild lefty, why bring him in when he's arbitration eligible when you already have Scott Eyre and Will Ohman around? Is a third lefty really going to be that important to this ballclub? Enough to be making something more than the minimum? Isn't that what Glendon Rusch (due $3.25 million in 2007) already for? Not that this is going to be as bad as Jon Garland for Matt Karchner, but at least that had some credible suggestion of benefit to the Cubs. The only up-side in this trade is that Cotts will somehow turn it around on the mound, and while he did get his unintentional walks down to three per nine, that could also be a matter of his becoming just very, very hittable.

 

So beyond a lot of activity signifying nothing (at best), the only real move with any promise to improve the ballclub was signing DeRosa after a career year to give them a useful everyday second baseman. Even calling it a career year is a bit much—it was a career two months, basically, as DeRosa was hitting .346 and slugging .514 through June, and .263 and .397 from July 1 to season's end. Now, while DeRosa's brief spring fling with linedrives a'plenty was enough to get him some newfound job security and a liberal compensation package, and while his past as a utility infielder he offers you more flexibility than Mark Grudzielanek, this looks like another decision to dance with a decidedly mediocre partner at the keystone. Even with his spring hot streak, his career averages are .273/.331/.404, or a lot more like what he did from July 1 onwards. Considering that he's also going to be 32, that he doesn't run especially well, and he's not seen as an especially gifted second baseman, and you've got just another placeholder on a team where that's more the rule than the exception. Even if Derrek Lee hits like it was 2005, and Aramis Ramirez like it was 2004, this lineup needs major improvements, and DeRosa isn't one, not now, and most likely never.

 

At least the ripple effects of the move are relatively beneficial—Cesar Izturis probably moves back into a role as an everyday shortstop, and Ronny Cedeno's relatively limited horizons have been cruelly circumscribed. Although the choice between them as hitters was essentially negligible, Izturis was once the plus defender, and as long as Lou Piniella's willing to pinch-hit for whichever one starts, I suppose the damage they do to the team's fortunes at the plate can be minimized. The pity is that the team is spending money to field a lineup that might have a mediocre second baseman and some lightweight contributions at short, and they see this as progress. Maybe Jim Hendry starts packaging lefty pitching to bring in a top-shelf outfield bat; maybe he spends oodles of cash. But right now, this team isn't significantly better, and it isn't even especially different.

[goonys evil twin]

Does sound like something I would have said. Where was it from?

[Guest]

Does sound like something I would have said. Where was it from?

 

Christina Karhl on BP.