Report: Felix Pie won't make Cubs

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

Per Rotoworld....

 

Manager Lou Piniella indicated Thursday that Felix Pie will not make the Cubs out of spring training.

Pie is hitting .421 through his first seven spring games and Piniella called him "our little bit of a dilemma" before Thursday's game. The Chicago Sun-Times speculates that if Piniella has his say, Pie will begin the season back at Triple-A. Mar. 9 - 9:36 am et

 

Merge, move ... whatever you want to do if this is posted elsewhere!

[Bruce Miles]

This is hardly news. Lou has been trying to say this is so many ways this spring.

[Danny82]

I think pretty much everyone here would agree that, unless someone is traded, it's best of all parties for Pie to start the season in AAA.

[Sammy Sofa]

Fine by me. The soonest I want to see him up is only if Jacque gets packaged in a sweet trade and then Felix can play every day in either RF or CF. If he made the team now he'd be sitting more than he was playing. Who wants that?

[TheDude]

If anything, I think Pie could have only hoped to make enough of an impression to get a spring or fall call-up. He's almost certainly shown he is ready for a taste.

[Soul]

If he made the team out of spring training he would sit the bench nearly every day. IMO that would be horrific for the kid. Let him work on his hitting @ Iowa.

 

Maybe I'll make the 5 hour drive down there to see him early this season.

[daske17]

I concur. He's tearing the ball in the first couple weeks of spring training, where pitchers are nowhere near their best. Let's see what he does later in the spring and in AAA before bringing him up.

 

The Cubs learned their lesson with Corey Patterson.

[UMFan83]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

[Sammy Sofa]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

 

Hopefully somebody explained to him that he'd be sitting more than he'd be playing. I can't imagine he wants that. He knows how much Jacque and Sori are getting paid, so there's no way he's playing over them. Unless he thinks he should be playing over Murton (ie-Soriano over to LF so Pie could play CF) I would hope he's smarter than that.

[CubColtPacer]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

 

Hopefully somebody explained to him that he'd be sitting more than he'd be playing. I can't imagine he wants that. He knows how much Jacque and Sori are getting paid, so there's no way he's playing over them. Unless he thinks he should be playing over Murton (ie-Soriano over to LF so Pie could play CF) I would hope he's smarter than that.

 

I'm not sure about that. Wasn't he the one who told Lou that he wanted to be in the major leagues so bad that he'd just carry bats if he had to? I think he'd be fine with sitting the bench-but you cannot let players have their say on everything, and starting in Iowa will be better for him. He'll be up soon enough.

[BigbadB]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

 

I can't imagine that he would be upset about this decision. If he did make it, he has to know that his playing time would be limited considering how many MLB outfielders are already in camp.

 

If the Cubs didn't have Ward and Jones, and the Cubs went with Buck Coats and Angel Pagan, I could see some reason to be upset.

 

As well as Pie is doing in ST, I can't imagine he could outproduce any of Floyd, Murton, Soriano or Jones in his inaugural season in the big leagues. In fact, I'd lay some money down that he couldn't. And I'm a pretty big Pie fan. Let him play everyday in Iowa and make the decision of whether to trade Jones at the deadline for a midseason call up a very tough one for Hendry and Piniella.

[wade]

I thought I heard somewhere that if the Cubs wait until sometime in May they buy another year of arbitration control over Pie. I thought it was on this board, since this is where I converse with people who know such things.

[98navigator]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

 

Hopefully somebody explained to him that he'd be sitting more than he'd be playing. I can't imagine he wants that. He knows how much Jacque and Sori are getting paid, so there's no way he's playing over them. Unless he thinks he should be playing over Murton (ie-Soriano over to LF so Pie could play CF) I would hope he's smarter than that.

 

I agree with the decision to send him down but he will be very disappointed. Frankly, I think a lot of the young guys would rather sit on the bench in the MLs than start in the minors (even highly touted prospects). It isn't good for his development.

 

This quote is heartbreaking to me:

 

...He told me today before the ballgame, 'If I have to pick up bats, I want to be on the Major League club.' These kids are playing like they want jobs here, and that's really what you want."

Link Edited March 9, 2007 by 98navigator

[BigbadB]

This quote is heartbreaking to me:

 

...He told me today before the ballgame, 'If I have to pick up bats, I want to be on the Major League club.' These kids are playing like they want jobs here, and that's really what you want."

Link

 

I'm sure Pie would be very good at picking up bats, but I think the Cubs have a lot more in mind with Pie's future. One thing Pie needs to learn more than anything is patience. Both at the plate and his future promotion.

[seanimal]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

 

I can't imagine that he would be upset about this decision. If he did make it, he has to know that his playing time would be limited considering how many MLB outfielders are already in camp.

 

If the Cubs didn't have Ward and Jones, and the Cubs went with Buck Coats and Angel Pagan, I could see some reason to be upset.

 

As well as Pie is doing in ST, I can't imagine he could outproduce any of Floyd, Murton, Soriano or Jones in his inaugural season in the big leagues. In fact, I'd lay some money down that he couldn't. And I'm a pretty big Pie fan. Let him play everyday in Iowa and make the decision of whether to trade Jones at the deadline for a midseason call up a very tough one for Hendry and Piniella.

 

Yeah, hopefully the deadline trade involving Jacque will be putting him in pinstripes of a slightly darker shade for a certain you-know-who.

[BigbadB]

Yeah, hopefully the deadline trade involving Jacque will be putting him in pinstripes of a slightly darker shade for a certain you-know-who.

 

Sounds good, but with an outfield of Godzilla, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu, there isn't a whole lot of room for Jacque Jones.

 

As much as I hate to say it, to get A-Rod, it will require that we part with Aramis along with other pieces and parts. While A-Rod is an upgrade over Aramis, there is a scare that he could opt out at the end of the season, which makes Aramis the more valuable commodity in the big picture.

[98navigator]

This quote is heartbreaking to me:

 

...He told me today before the ballgame, 'If I have to pick up bats, I want to be on the Major League club.' These kids are playing like they want jobs here, and that's really what you want."

Link

 

I'm sure Pie would be very good at picking up bats, but I think the Cubs have a lot more in mind with Pie's future. One thing Pie needs to learn more than anything is patience. Both at the plate and his future promotion.

 

I totally agree. My point is that he will be very disappointed. Also, Lou is sending a bit of a mixed message by saying to the kids "...there aren't many jobs here. ...if you want one just go grab it..." I'm sure that Lou was directing that towards pitchers and utility players but I'd be willing to bet that Pie thinks, if he has a phenomenal ST, he can make the team too. I just hope that Lou has a nice long talk with Felix when it's time to send him to MiL camp.

[NCCubFan]

I thought I heard somewhere that if the Cubs wait until sometime in May they buy another year of arbitration control over Pie. I thought it was on this board, since this is where I converse with people who know such things.

If he's called up late enough in the season that he's not in the top 17% of rookies in terms of service time, that keeps the arbitration clock from starting until 2008. If he gets called up late enough that he doesn't have a specified number of days of service time, that keeps the free agency clock from starting until 2008. Same general idea for both, except for arbitration its based on service time relative to other rookies (the "super two" concept), while for free agency its based on a set number of days on the major league roster (somehow 190 sticks in my mind). The Cubs sent Kerry Wood to Iowa at the start of the 1998 season specifically to buy an extra year before free agency; once the required number of days had passed they called him up quickly.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, hopefully the deadline trade involving Jacque will be putting him in pinstripes of a slightly darker shade for a certain you-know-who.

 

Sounds good, but with an outfield of Godzilla, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu, there isn't a whole lot of room for Jacque Jones.

 

As much as I hate to say it, to get A-Rod, it will require that we part with Aramis along with other pieces and parts. While A-Rod is an upgrade over Aramis, there is a scare that he could opt out at the end of the season, which makes Aramis the more valuable commodity in the big picture.

 

I'd trade Big Z for ARod first.

 

If getting ARod takes losing Aramis, it ain't happening.

[wade]

I thought I heard somewhere that if the Cubs wait until sometime in May they buy another year of arbitration control over Pie. I thought it was on this board, since this is where I converse with people who know such things.

If he's called up late enough in the season that he's not in the top 17% of rookies in terms of service time, that keeps the arbitration clock from starting until 2008. If he gets called up late enough that he doesn't have a specified number of days of service time, that keeps the free agency clock from starting until 2008. Same general idea for both, except for arbitration its based on service time relative to other rookies (the "super two" concept), while for free agency its based on a set number of days on the major league roster (somehow 190 sticks in my mind). The Cubs sent Kerry Wood to Iowa at the start of the 1998 season specifically to buy an extra year before free agency; once the required number of days had passed they called him up quickly.

 

And that's why I love this site.

 

Thanks for the lowdown.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Is there any doubt that Soriano will get hurt after signing that huge contract? Felix's stay in Iowa won't be too terribly long.

[Amazing_Grace]

Yeah, hopefully the deadline trade involving Jacque will be putting him in pinstripes of a slightly darker shade for a certain you-know-who.

 

Sounds good, but with an outfield of Godzilla, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu, there isn't a whole lot of room for Jacque Jones.

 

As much as I hate to say it, to get A-Rod, it will require that we part with Aramis along with other pieces and parts. While A-Rod is an upgrade over Aramis, there is a scare that he could opt out at the end of the season, which makes Aramis the more valuable commodity in the big picture.

 

I'm with you. I don't see Jacque fitting in NY. I also agree that getting ARod isn't worth trading Ramirez.

 

The Cubs only chance of getting ARod has always been the possibility that the Yankees see him as a distraction and clubhouse cancer, and that ARod wants to come to the Cubs and uses his NTC to veto a trade anywhere else. If this happens, it will go down like the Nomar deal did. It will have to be some sort of 3-way or even 4-way deal that sends NY a good 3B from a team that isn't contending and will do a deal for just prospects.

 

I think Tejada may ultimately be a more likely SS target, as the O's are unlikely to contend for anything other than 3rd in the AL east, and they desperately need what the Cubs have in abundance, pitching prospects.

[CubColtPacer]

Yeah, hopefully the deadline trade involving Jacque will be putting him in pinstripes of a slightly darker shade for a certain you-know-who.

 

Sounds good, but with an outfield of Godzilla, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu, there isn't a whole lot of room for Jacque Jones.

 

As much as I hate to say it, to get A-Rod, it will require that we part with Aramis along with other pieces and parts. While A-Rod is an upgrade over Aramis, there is a scare that he could opt out at the end of the season, which makes Aramis the more valuable commodity in the big picture.

 

I'm with you. I don't see Jacque fitting in NY. I also agree that getting ARod isn't worth trading Ramirez.

 

The Cubs only chance of getting ARod has always been the possibility that the Yankees see him as a distraction and clubhouse cancer, and that ARod wants to come to the Cubs and uses his NTC to veto a trade anywhere else. If this happens, it will go down like the Nomar deal did. It will have to be some sort of 3-way or even 4-way deal that sends NY a good 3B from a team that isn't contending and will do a deal for just prospects.

 

I think Tejada may ultimately be a more likely SS target, as the O's are unlikely to contend for anything other than 3rd in the AL east, and they desperately need what the Cubs have in abundance, pitching prospects.

 

Yeah, but the Orioles also have a crazy owner who won't seem to ok a trade of Tejada for anything even when people offer him great deals.

[Jehrico]

Wasn't he really disappointed that he wasnt called up last year when everyone else was called up? Now he's hitting over .400 in spring and won't be with the club. I support this decision, but I hope Pie doesn't get really upset when it's made..

 

I can't imagine that he would be upset about this decision. If he did make it, he has to know that his playing time would be limited considering how many MLB outfielders are already in camp.

 

If the Cubs didn't have Ward and Jones, and the Cubs went with Buck Coats and Angel Pagan, I could see some reason to be upset.

 

As well as Pie is doing in ST, I can't imagine he could outproduce any of Floyd, Murton, Soriano or Jones in his inaugural season in the big leagues. In fact, I'd lay some money down that he couldn't. And I'm a pretty big Pie fan. Let him play everyday in Iowa and make the decision of whether to trade Jones at the deadline for a midseason call up a very tough one for Hendry and Piniella.

I would rather he made that decision an easy one for them. :D

[erik316wttn]

I'd rather have him starting in AAA than riding the bench up here.