Bruce Breaks Down the Race for the #2 Spot in the Lineup

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Really good article by Bruce in today's Herald.

 

Link.

 

but equally important — issue today. Who is going to bat second behind leadoff man Alfonso Soriano?

 

This corner is solidly behind left fielder Matt Murton, he of the .365 on-base percentage last year and generally good, patient eye at the plate.

 

 

Murton: Not only did Murton have the high on-base percentage last year, he tied with Ramirez for the most pitches seen per plate appearance (3.71) on the Cubs last season.

 

Even though Murton is only 25, he carries a plan with him to the plate each time up. The only thing holding him back will be how much time the Cubs give Cliff Floyd in left field.

 

Status: Clearly the best option. The Cubs will bench Murton at their own peril.

 

 

And my favorite part,

 

Status: Get a pen, not a pencil, and put Izturis in the No. 8 spot.

 

Edited March 15, 2007 by vance_the_cubs_fan

[Wheelimus]

That line about Cesar is a classic. :D

[kente777]

I like this quote the best:

 

I like Piniella’s proclamation that “your on-base percentage can’t be your batting average up here.”

 

What a frickin' breath of fresh air!!!!!

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

That line about Cesar is a classic. :D

 

It's almost sig worthy. Bruce should put it in his sig! :)

[David]

I like it.

 

I'm really excited to see how Murton progresses this year. Hopefully, he'll get the PA's to do that.

[Balsa]

Bad link Vance. There's an l in front of it the web address you entered.

 

Also Bruce, great article, but I disagree with you on one aspect.

 

If Jacque Jones is facing a righty, I have no problem with him batting #2.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Bad link Vance. There's an l in front of it the web address you entered.

 

Also Bruce, great article, but I disagree with you on one aspect.

 

If Jacque Jones is facing a righty, I have no problem with him batting #2.

 

I'll fix the link.

[Tracer Bullet]

Bad link Vance. There's an l in front of it the web address you entered.

 

Also Bruce, great article, but I disagree with you on one aspect.

 

If Jacque Jones is facing a righty, I have no problem with him batting #2.

 

If there is a righty on the mound, Jones should be hitting 5th. Murton should be hitting 2nd and playing LF against all pitchers, imo. If he's just getting a day off and Floyd is in the lineup, put Theriot at 2nd and the 2-hole and have Jones and Floyd in the 5/6 spots (I don't care which is which, really).

 

That all assumes JJ v2007 = JJ v2006, which I'm not exactly comfortable making yet.

[goonys evil twin]

Status: Get a pen, not a pencil, and put Izturis in the No. 8 spot.

 

 

My problem with that is it will make it very difficult to get his name off the card when he's finally replaced with a decent player. Unless it's one of those erasable pens I used in junior high that ended up getting all over my hand as I wrote (lefty).

[Banedon]

Status: Get a pen, not a pencil, and put Izturis in the No. 8 spot.

 

 

My problem with that is it will make it very difficult to get his name off the card when he's finally replaced with a decent player. Unless it's one of those erasable pens I used in junior high that ended up getting all over my hand as I wrote (lefty).

 

Replacing him with a decent player might be a signifcant enough event to get a whole new card.

[Tracer Bullet]

Status: Get a pen, not a pencil, and put Izturis in the No. 8 spot.

 

 

My problem with that is it will make it very difficult to get his name off the card when he's finally replaced with a decent player. Unless it's one of those erasable pens I used in junior high that ended up getting all over my hand as I wrote (lefty).

 

Replacing him with a decent player might be a signifcant enough event to get a whole new card.

 

I'd be willing to buy an entire season's worth of lineup cards for the Cubs if they'll replace Izturis with a decent SS.

[Bruce Miles]

Bad link Vance. There's an l in front of it the web address you entered.

 

Also Bruce, great article, but I disagree with you on one aspect.

 

If Jacque Jones is facing a righty, I have no problem with him batting #2.

 

Point conceded on Jacque. I could live with that.

[wilk]

Bruce, I apologize if this has been covered but I've been looking to see if you've weighed in on the 25th spot on the roster. It seems Lou wants it be another middle infielder but doesn't seem comfortable with giving it to Cedeno. Other than Tomas Perez, we don't seem to have any other practical option. Do you believe the spot will go to one of them in the end - or will the Cubs look to fill it in trade or on the waiver wire? If so, are there any names that might be sticking out right now?

[Bruce Miles]

Bruce, I apologize if this has been covered but I've been looking to see if you've weighed in on the 25th spot on the roster. It seems Lou wants it be another middle infielder but doesn't seem comfortable with giving it to Cedeno. Other than Tomas Perez, we don't seem to have any other practical option. Do you believe the spot will go to one of them in the end - or will the Cubs look to fill it in trade or on the waiver wire? If so, are there any names that might be sticking out right now?

 

At this point, it's a battle between Perez and Cedeno. Of course, the Cubs could make a deal late. I'm sure you guys remember they got Freddie Bynum at the end of spring last year. You do remember, right? :D

[Wheelimus]

Bruce, I apologize if this has been covered but I've been looking to see if you've weighed in on the 25th spot on the roster. It seems Lou wants it be another middle infielder but doesn't seem comfortable with giving it to Cedeno. Other than Tomas Perez, we don't seem to have any other practical option. Do you believe the spot will go to one of them in the end - or will the Cubs look to fill it in trade or on the waiver wire? If so, are there any names that might be sticking out right now?

 

At this point, it's a battle between Perez and Cedeno. Of course, the Cubs could make a deal late. I'm sure you guys remember they got Freddie Bynum at the end of spring last year. You do remember, right? :D

 

I'm not drunk enough yet Bruce for that not to hurt...

 

Dirty pool Bruce, dirty pool...

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Bruce, I apologize if this has been covered but I've been looking to see if you've weighed in on the 25th spot on the roster. It seems Lou wants it be another middle infielder but doesn't seem comfortable with giving it to Cedeno. Other than Tomas Perez, we don't seem to have any other practical option. Do you believe the spot will go to one of them in the end - or will the Cubs look to fill it in trade or on the waiver wire? If so, are there any names that might be sticking out right now?

 

At this point, it's a battle between Perez and Cedeno. Of course, the Cubs could make a deal late. I'm sure you guys remember they got Freddie Bynum at the end of spring last year. You do remember, right? :D

 

What's Freddie Bynum? Sounds serious.

[Rob]

Bruce, do you have any info on who Jim might be looking at acquiring through a trade or on the waiver wire if they decide against going with Perez or Cedeno?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Bruce, I apologize if this has been covered but I've been looking to see if you've weighed in on the 25th spot on the roster. It seems Lou wants it be another middle infielder but doesn't seem comfortable with giving it to Cedeno. Other than Tomas Perez, we don't seem to have any other practical option. Do you believe the spot will go to one of them in the end - or will the Cubs look to fill it in trade or on the waiver wire? If so, are there any names that might be sticking out right now?

 

At this point, it's a battle between Perez and Cedeno. Of course, the Cubs could make a deal late. I'm sure you guys remember they got Freddie Bynum at the end of spring last year. You do remember, right? :D

 

how could I forget fast Freddie?

[Ivy Walls]

Let me start with RF as that will be more of a righty-lefty platoon whether it is Jones or Pie with DeRosa when a LHP pitches.---meaning that Theriot plays 2B against lefties.

 

That also puts Murton in the lineup?

 

Cubs are also looking for a RH or SH hitting utility player to play SS against LHP pitchers...Possible Woodward or Blum

 

LHP Lineup1: Soriano-Theriot-Lee-Ramirez-Murton-DeRosa-Blano-Blum-SP

RHP Lineup1 Soriano-Murton-Lee-Ramirez-Jones-Barrett-DeRosa-Izturis-SP

RHP Lineup2 Soriano-DeRosa-Lee-Ramirez-Floyd-Jones-Barrett-Izturis-SP

 

Now more platoon will be Theriot getting in at 3B occassionally, Ward getting in at 1B

 

Here is the conondrum for this roster, who backs up Soriano? Piniella is on record knowing that resting the everyday players and why I think before ST or more likely before May 31st Jones is traded. By then the Cubs might feel comfortable with Floyd playing against RH'ers three or four days a week and bringing up Pie to play RF against RH'ers. That way putting DeRosa in the 2 hole and dropping Floyd to the 5th spot and placing Pie in the 7th hole behind Barrett.

 

Pie then could relieve Soriano once every two weeks in CF.

[BigbadB]

Zero reason to trade Jones at this point. And it would be absolutely silly to have Pie in RF and Soriano in CF.

 

Pie has zero chance of outproducing Jones this year. With that said, there is no reason to turn Pie's option clock on so soon.

 

As well as Pie is hitting, he still has to learn to be more patient at the plate, cutting down on his K's and increasing his walk rate.

 

I doubt if Blum has been discussed in any trade scenarios. The Padres probably won't be interested in moving him since Greene can't play more than about a month at a time without visiting the ER.

[NCCubFan]

Bruce, I apologize if this has been covered but I've been looking to see if you've weighed in on the 25th spot on the roster. It seems Lou wants it be another middle infielder but doesn't seem comfortable with giving it to Cedeno. Other than Tomas Perez, we don't seem to have any other practical option. Do you believe the spot will go to one of them in the end - or will the Cubs look to fill it in trade or on the waiver wire? If so, are there any names that might be sticking out right now?

 

At this point, it's a battle between Perez and Cedeno. Of course, the Cubs could make a deal late. I'm sure you guys remember they got Freddie Bynum at the end of spring last year. You do remember, right? :D

I more fondly remember getting Gary Matthews and Bob Dernier in Spring Training in 1984. :D

[wastra]

Batting Murton second (when he's playing, obviously) and Izturis 8th are the biggest no-brainers on this roster. (Okay, maybe keeping Z the #1 starter is a bigger no-brainer).

 

 

It's nice to have a manager who can see the painfully obvious, and reinforce the point. It's a welcome change over Dusty. All else aside, on-field/lineup decisions should almost be by-the-book simple. I think Dusty just had the wrong book. :P

[brinoch]

Batting Murton second (when he's playing, obviously) and Izturis 8th are the biggest no-brainers on this roster. (Okay, maybe keeping Z the #1 starter is a bigger no-brainer).

 

 

It's nice to have a manager who can see the painfully obvious, and reinforce the point. It's a welcome change over Dusty. All else aside, on-field/lineup decisions should almost be by-the-book simple. I think Dusty just had the wrong book. :P

 

Dude, what's wrong with bass fishing metaphors?

[JeffH]

Pie has zero chance of outproducing Jones this year. With that said, there is no reason to turn Pie's option clock on so soon.

 

That clock has been running for quite some time now.

[goonys evil twin]

Pie has zero chance of outproducing Jones this year. With that said, there is no reason to turn Pie's option clock on so soon.

 

That clock has been running for quite some time now.

 

It's not the option clock that matters, it's the arbitration/free agency clock that comes into play.

 

 

BbB, I wouldn't put that chance at zero, although it is low.

Jacque could easily repeated his 2004 season, with a .254/.315/.427 (90 OPS+) line. Pie's career minor league line (.294/.353/.459) would beat that easily. His career best year in AA would blow it away. And I think I've seen some forecasts that put him ahead of that .254/.315/.427. It wouldn't be a complete shock for that to happen, even though the most likely outcome is Jones outproduces him.