Reading the tea (Piniella) leaves: Pie

[Ivy Walls]

It appears that the rent-a-CF'er is not available or unpalable (as I suspect) there is none really available or wanted. I suspect Lofton did something here that is unforgivable and not going to be announced either.

 

In today's Tribune Piniella mentions his experience with Pie in the context of Baldielli and Crawford where in Spring Training they earned a starting spot. This in context with Cubs about to finalize an agreement with Floyd.

 

I suspect that the Cubs believe that they can successfully work in Pie between Soriano and Floyd/Murton with Pagan and Theriot being utility OF'ers. This makes sense as Pie could work into the lineup in the 7th spot and eventually move up to the 6th spot.

 

Soriano RF

DeRosa 2B

D-Lee 1B

Floyd/Murton LF (against RHP'ers otherwise A-Ram against LHP'ers)

A-Ramirez (against RHP'ers, see above, Murton against LHP'ers)

Barrett/Blano C

Pie CF (if he succeeds at the plate he moves up to 6th)

Izturis

 

I think this is the starting lineup in 2007

 

Floyd might work himself in as the season progresses. With Ward, Theriot, Pagan, Blanco/Barrett and Murton/Floyd Cubs need one or two more players on the bench in this configuration; again I am thinking Cedeno makes the team as the utility IF'er and they trade or sign someone who can still PH and play 3B.

[Soul]

You could be right. They might think if they get Floyd then they can switch in/out with Murton to gain a little pop in the lineup, allowing Pie to work in as the CF even though he's very young.

 

Question would still be: what happens to Jones in this scenario? Do we just dump him for a prospect, or package him with one of our young pitchers for something more?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Lofton didn't do anything, he was the odd man out. They brought him in because Corey got hurt, and after the first half of 2003, they assumed Corey was the real deal and Lofton was no longer necessary. Kenny wanted the opportunity to play every day. He left on good terms. The reason he's likely not coming back is that he wants about $6M, but the Cubs were wanting him at half that.

[Vinestal]

I'd rather see Pie get another year of consistant atbats in Iowa.

[questionmarkgrace]

Lofton actually had a falling out with Sosa, and patterson was coming off of the injury and was the cf'er of the future. My guess was it was a little bit of both that made him leave.

 

If anyone is going the maximise pie's potential its going to be the guy who helped develop A Rod and took Griffey's game to the next level. Piniella will do whats right for Pie.

[abuck1220]

pie and izturis creates the potential to have two offensive black holes in your lineup. i don't know if the cubs can afford that if they want to win in '07. you'd be one injury away from being as bad offensively as they wre in '06.

 

i could live w/ pie's production in cf if they got someone who could actually hit to play ss.

[CP_414]

pie and izturis creates the potential to have two offensive black holes in your lineup. i don't know if the cubs can afford that if they want to win in '07. you'd be one injury away from being as bad offensively as they wre in '06.

 

i could live w/ pie's production in cf if they got someone who could actually hit to play ss.

 

Also on the says Blanco plays you have a 6-7-8 of Pie, Blanco, Izturis. Thats scary bad.

[TB_11]

Pie should start the year in the minors. He came back from an injured-2005 and didn't improve his power or discipline numbers in AAA. He could use some more time polishing his plate discipline before being called up and facing the "win-now" expectations that will be in Wrigley this year.

[CubsWin]

Well, Jones is still the CFer and Hendry has been quoted as saying he will only trade him if the right offer comes along. I don't know what IvyWalls is reading into Piniella's comments, but Lou comes flat out and says that the consensus among Cubs brass is to give Pie some more time in AAA.

 

Speculate away, but I don't see any factual basis for it besides the mere existence of Felix Pie in the Cubs organization. I mean, why would Lofton even be rumored to be pursued by the Cubs if he had done something unforgiveable while here in '03?

[CubsWin]

Pie should start the year in the minors. He came back from an injured-2005 and didn't improve his power or discipline numbers in AAA. He could use some more time polishing his plate discipline before being called up and facing the "win-now" expectations that will be in Wrigley this year.

I agree that Pie should ideally start the season in Iowa, but if you look at what he did in the 2nd half of last year, he did match or slightly improve his power numbers and plate discipline from the year before and did so against a higher level of competition. According to reports, he spent much of the first half of the season struggling to hit the breaking ball. He made progress with that in the 2nd half and his numbers rebounded.

 

Regardless, I think he should still at least start the season in AAA unless he completely blows people away in ST.

[E.J.]

I certainly hope this isn't the case. As others have said, with Pie and Izturis in the lineup together we have 3 potential black holes in our lineup with the pitcher included. It gets even worse on days when Blanco is in there.

 

Hendry has marginally upgraded the pitching and hasn't done anything to address the OBP problems from last year. While the addition of Soriano helps our homerun stats, he'll be hitting in the lead-off spot where his homeruns won't matter nearly as much since there won't be people on base for him to drive in. He should be batting in the 5th spot, but that's a whole other story.

 

 

With all the talk of winning a World Series, Hendry hasn't done much to help our chances of getting there. Sure we'll probably be a better team that we were last year, but that's not saying much. I sincerely hope that Hendry has more to do (and I'm not talking about adding Floyd as our "big LH bat").

[Jazz]

I think that what will happen is Jones get's traded midseason if we feel that Pie is ready to play at the next level. He really needs at least half a year in Iowa before I'm ready to say he should start, unless he blows me away at ST. Time will tell,.

[E.J.]

I don't have any problem with Pie in CF, but adding his bat to this lineup doesn't make it any better. The only two people on this team who take walks are Lee and Murton, and if they add Floyd they'll be taking away at-bats from Murton. We'll still be the same team we were last year where we don't know how to get on base. Hard to score runs if you don't get on base.

 

Fun stat for the day: Soriano's OBP last year if you take out all of his intentional walks was a meager .316. He's not going to get all those intentional walks with Lee and Ramirez behind him.

 

Where are the guys who are actually going to get on base in front of Lee and Ramirez?

[Soul]

With all the talk of winning a World Series, Hendry hasn't done much to help our chances of getting there. Sure we'll probably be a better team that we were last year, but that's not saying much. I sincerely hope that Hendry has more to do (and I'm not talking about adding Floyd as our "big LH bat").

 

Hmmm. Who is talking Cubs winning the World Series? I haven't heard it. If someone's talking Cubs WS in '07 they are sadly fooling themselves.

[DiamondMind]

Pie should start the year in the minors. He came back from an injured-2005 and didn't improve his power or discipline numbers in AAA. He could use some more time polishing his plate discipline before being called up and facing the "win-now" expectations that will be in Wrigley this year.

 

Good post. I agree.

[DiamondMind]

With all the talk of winning a World Series, Hendry hasn't done much to help our chances of getting there. Sure we'll probably be a better team that we were last year, but that's not saying much. I sincerely hope that Hendry has more to do (and I'm not talking about adding Floyd as our "big LH bat").

 

Hmmm. Who is talking Cubs winning the World Series? I haven't heard it. If someone's talking Cubs WS in '07 they are sadly fooling themselves.

 

John McDonawhatever has said, and was quoted saying: "The Cubs will win the WS in 2007." Seriously. Check.

[Mark Priors Calves]

With all the talk of winning a World Series, Hendry hasn't done much to help our chances of getting there. Sure we'll probably be a better team that we were last year, but that's not saying much. I sincerely hope that Hendry has more to do (and I'm not talking about adding Floyd as our "big LH bat").

 

Hmmm. Who is talking Cubs winning the World Series? I haven't heard it. If someone's talking Cubs WS in '07 they are sadly fooling themselves.

 

John McDonawhatever has said, and was quoted saying: "The Cubs will win the WS in 2007." Seriously. Check.

 

I don't think he said the Cubs would win the world series, I think he was talking about the goal of the organization, which would be to win teh world series. I don't think he predicted it though.

[JeffH]

Fun stat for the day: Soriano's OBP last year if you take out all of his intentional walks was a meager .316.

 

Fun fact for the day: WilliSC48's arithmetic skills stink.

[dacheezwhiz]

if we have no center field option outside of pie, then i would bat pie second and derosa seventh so we have more speed at the top of the lineup. Also, Pie will get a lot more pitches to hit wiht aram or lee behind him and soriano possibly already on base. Also, derosa would add steadiness to the bottom of the lineup were he and barrett make for an above average 6-7

[Wheelimus]

I think, at this point, they should just go into spring training with Jones and see how he handles center. If he can't field it or Pie just blasts him to the bench, then you can trade him. For substance if he's doing good, or for prospects if he isn't do so great.

[ltb]

Fun stat for the day: Soriano's OBP last year if you take out all of his intentional walks was a meager .316.

 

Fun fact for the day: WilliSC48's arithmetic skills stink.

 

care to give us your take on it then?

 

i believe it's a bit above .320, but i don't think he's far off.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Fun stat for the day: Soriano's OBP last year if you take out all of his intentional walks was a meager .316.

 

Not true.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Fun stat for the day: Soriano's OBP last year if you take out all of his intentional walks was a meager .316.

 

Fun fact for the day: WilliSC48's arithmetic skills stink.

 

care to give us your take on it then?

 

i believe it's a bit above .320, but i don't think he's far off.

 

If you take away the IBB and keep the total number of PAs, it's still almost 330. But since we're playing that game, we might as well also take away the Ks where he was caught looking and include those as triples.

[ltb]

just checked it, it's about .336 minus ibb's

much higher than i thought - i must be thinking a previous year's stats.

[jyoung55]

pie and izturis creates the potential to have two offensive black holes in your lineup. i don't know if the cubs can afford that if they want to win in '07. you'd be one injury away from being as bad offensively as they wre in '06.

 

i could live w/ pie's production in cf if they got someone who could actually hit to play ss.

 

Also on the says Blanco plays you have a 6-7-8 of Pie, Blanco, Izturis. Thats scary bad.

 

Thanks... now I am going to have nightmares tonight.