Cubs still trying to trade Jones but no one wants him?

[goonys evil twin]

Trading Jones just to trade him is stupid. He had a solid year last year, and provides great production for his contract. Unless he's demanding a trade, I see no reason to trade him.

 

I agree, it's not like he's a .220 hitter with no power. Unless you get an offer that will definitely help the team, keep him and spot start Derosa in RF. Floyd is a total butcher in RF especially with bad legs. Use Floyd as a spot starter in LF and backup for Lee. Theriot should play 2B if Derosa is in RF. I would think that if Pie is ready at midseason, there will be a better market for Jones, especially in a package if other players (Miller, Marshall, Cedeno, Dempster) become expendable.

 

Not sure if I missed something but I think Ward is the likely primary backup at first.Otherwise, I agree with everything you said.

 

Today's Tribune lists the likely bullpen candidates and then goes through the bench. I wonder if it was an omission that they didn't include Ward's name. Also, in the Cub's notes section, they talked about Ward really struggling and if he doesn't get it together he could be replaced by Coats (who also wasn't mentioned as being on the bench). They did include Cedeno as a sub.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-070318cubsa,1,515226.story?coll=chi-sportstop-hed

 

With 12 pitchers, the Cubs have room for only five extra players, four not counting backup catcher Henry Blanco.

 

The favorites are Theriot, Daryle Ward, the winner of the Ronny Cedeno/Tomas Perez infield battle and the left fielder who doesn't start, either Matt Murton or Cliff Floyd.

 

I think this was what the poster was referring to:

 

Ward struggles

 

Off-season signee Daryle Ward went 0-for-3 while playing first base Sunday, dropping his spring average to .111.

 

"He's not swinging the bat at all," Piniella said. "It looks like he's feeling for the ball. He's going to get some at-bats [Monday] because he's playing against Milwaukee."

 

Ward, who was signed as a left-handed pinch-hitter for $1 million, hit .308 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 98 games with Washington and Atlanta last year. If he doesn't start hitting, he could be challenged by young Buck Coats

 

It was added to the Trib's website last night but technically it's for today's paper... I think van Dyck is reaching a bit; Daryle Ward is going to be on this roster.

 

Link

 

I was just responding to the part where he said they didn't include Ward's name.

[98navigator]

Bruce Miles writes that a trade of Jones "isn't out of the realm of possibility," according to Cubs sources, but it makes no sense.

 

Daily Herald

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Dumb. Jones has looked good this spring, and Lou seems to like him. If JJ struggles, you can always platoon him, Jones has always hit RHP good, so that's not a concern.

 

And his defense is no worse than Sosa's, I can live with it.

 

Floyd is the one I'm concerned about with his Adam Dunn-quality defense to-date. I mean, Cliffie looks BAD out there, BAD.

[rchap24]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

[Balsa]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

Yeah...I'm gonna be holding my breath when Hill and Lilly are on the mound.

[Backtobanks]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

Let's make Izturis earn his money because he won't earn it at the plate.

[mg420]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

murton has been fine and if jones can throw at all he should be ok in right. soriano is the only unknown imo.

[cheapseats]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

Soriano and Murton both ranked as two of the best LF in baseball last year.

 

Most advanced metrics had Jones at above average, too.

 

The outfield defense will be fine.

[Backtobanks]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

Soriano and Murton both ranked as two of the best LF in baseball last year.

 

Most advanced metrics had Jones at above average, too.

 

The outfield defense will be fine.

 

As long as Floyd isn't playing.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The outfield defense will be fine.

 

Agreed.

[98navigator]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

Soriano and Murton both ranked as two of the best LF in baseball last year.

 

Most advanced metrics had Jones at above average, too.

 

The outfield defense will be fine.

 

As long as Floyd isn't playing.

 

Agreed! He's the weak link out there...

[A New Era]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

Soriano and Murton both ranked as two of the best LF in baseball last year.

 

Most advanced metrics had Jones at above average, too.

 

The outfield defense will be fine.

 

As long as Floyd isn't playing.

 

Agreed! He's the weak link out there...

 

Then maybe we should trade Floyd so Pie can split time with Jones in CF until he gets comfortable then trade Jones mid-season? :)

[RichHillIsABeast]

I dont know what that article is talking about. Ward is a solid bench option who has some pop off the bench in a pinch hi situation. I do agree with the floyd looking horrible in the outfield. Our entire outfield is gonna be bad defensively though. Lets just hope every ball is hit in the infield.

 

Soriano and Murton both ranked as two of the best LF in baseball last year.

 

Most advanced metrics had Jones at above average, too.

 

The outfield defense will be fine.

 

As long as Floyd isn't playing.

 

Agreed! He's the weak link out there...

 

Then maybe we should trade Floyd so Pie can split time with Jones in CF until he gets comfortable then trade Jones mid-season? :)

 

I don't think we can trade Floyd until mid-season as he was a FA pickup.

[wilk]

Then maybe we should trade Floyd so Pie can split time with Jones in CF until he gets comfortable then trade Jones mid-season? :)

 

Yikes... so we end up trading two guys and our two biggest lefty bats for the roster space for one guy. Then once you trade Jones and your only OFs are Murton, Soriano, Pie, then are you forced to go out and acquire a 4th OF? Besides needing Floyd's permission and Union approval to trade him, it doesn't seem logical.

[A New Era]

Then maybe we should trade Floyd so Pie can split time with Jones in CF until he gets comfortable then trade Jones mid-season? :)

 

Yikes... so we end up trading two guys and our two biggest lefty bats for the roster space for one guy. Then once you trade Jones and your only OFs are Murton, Soriano, Pie, then are you forced to go out and acquire a 4th OF? Besides needing Floyd's permission and Union approval to trade him, it doesn't seem logical.

 

woah. It was a joke. Hence the smile. It was kindof a sarcastic "Ok if you don't like Floyd's defense why don't we just trade him". . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:)

[98navigator]

I wouldn't worry too much about Floyd. Lou said today that Floyd will not have a straight platoon with Murton (read: Floyd won't play nearly as much as some feared). Therefore, his opportunities to be a butcher on defense will be limited.

[wilk]

woah. It was a joke. Hence the smile. It was kindof a sarcastic "Ok if you don't like Floyd's defense why don't we just trade him". . . . :)

 

I guess I don't know the whole emoticon language so well. You had stone lips guy and not the lip-wiggle guy, so you were 'smiling' opposed to 'LOL'ing so I thought it might have been an idea you were in favor of. But it was sarcastic, got it.

[A New Era]

woah. It was a joke. Hence the smile. It was kindof a sarcastic "Ok if you don't like Floyd's defense why don't we just trade him". . . . :)

 

I guess I don't know the whole emoticon language so well. You had stone lips guy and not the lip-wiggle guy, so you were 'smiling' opposed to 'LOL'ing so I thought it might have been an idea you were in favor of. But it was sarcastic, got it.

 

What they need is a little sarcastic eye roll guy that doesn't look so patronizing. maybe give him a nice smile. Using the lip wiggle guy could have been protrayed as me laughing at posters here. And I'd never do that.

[Derwood]

woah. It was a joke. Hence the smile. It was kindof a sarcastic "Ok if you don't like Floyd's defense why don't we just trade him". . . . :)

 

I guess I don't know the whole emoticon language so well. You had stone lips guy and not the lip-wiggle guy, so you were 'smiling' opposed to 'LOL'ing so I thought it might have been an idea you were in favor of. But it was sarcastic, got it.

 

What they need is a little sarcastic eye roll guy that doesn't look so patronizing. maybe give him a nice smile. Using the lip wiggle guy could have been protrayed as me laughing at posters here. And I'd never do that.

:roll:

[Shilzzz]

I wouldn't worry too much about Floyd. Lou said today that Floyd will not have a straight platoon with Murton (read: Floyd won't play nearly as much as some feared). Therefore, his opportunities to be a butcher on defense will be limited.

 

Floyd, a left-handed hitter, has a career .281 average against right-handers, and .272 average against lefties. Murton, a right-handed hitter, has a .329 average against lefties and .289 against right-handers.

 

that's pretty much all i need to know.

[Derwood]

I wouldn't worry too much about Floyd. Lou said today that Floyd will not have a straight platoon with Murton (read: Floyd won't play nearly as much as some feared). Therefore, his opportunities to be a butcher on defense will be limited.

 

Floyd, a left-handed hitter, has a career .281 average against right-handers, and .272 average against lefties. Murton, a right-handed hitter, has a .329 average against lefties and .289 against right-handers.

 

that's pretty much all i need to know.

 

Cliff Floyd: 4775 career AB's

Matt Murton: 595 career AB's

 

This isn't an endorsement of Floyd, just wanted to point out the sample size

[wilk]

Floyd, a left-handed hitter, has a career .281 average against right-handers, and .272 average against lefties. Murton, a right-handed hitter, has a .329 average against lefties and .289 against right-handers.

 

that's pretty much all i need to know.

 

Scott Moore, a left-handed hitter, has a career .294 average against right-handers. Carlos Marmol, a right-handed hitter, has a career .286 average against righties. Jose Reyes, the catcher, has a career .333 average against righties!

[cheapseats]

I wouldn't worry too much about Floyd. Lou said today that Floyd will not have a straight platoon with Murton (read: Floyd won't play nearly as much as some feared). Therefore, his opportunities to be a butcher on defense will be limited.

 

Floyd, a left-handed hitter, has a career .281 average against right-handers, and .272 average against lefties. Murton, a right-handed hitter, has a .329 average against lefties and .289 against right-handers.

 

that's pretty much all i need to know.

 

.277 .369 .498 .867

.289 .351 .436 .787

 

I'd rather have the top set of numbers.

 

But I wouldn't vote for a straight platoon. Floyd's been around long enough that he has seen a lot of pitchers multiple times. I'd rather him start against those pitchers that he's hit well.

 

I'd start him against Livan Hernandez in a heartbeat, for example. I'd start Floyd against Tim Hudson but Murton against John Smoltz.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Jayson Stark lists Jones as one of the bats on the market in this collumn.

 

Bats on the market

Jacque Jones, Aaron Rowand, Ben Broussard, Jose Molina, Ryan Langerhans, Reggie Sanders, Mark Sweeney, Jason Lane, Brady Clark, Kevin Mench, Geoff Jenkins, Chris Shelton, Marcus Thames, Todd Walker, Lance Niekro, Emil Brown, Larry Bigbie, Erubiel Durazo.

 

There are some interesting names on that list. If the Cubs still need a middle infielder, Walker is an interesting option.

 

Jenkins and Clark of the Brewers both would be interesting as well.

[Sammy Sofa]

I have zero problem with Jacque being "on the market" in the grand scheme of things with the idea of moving him between now and the deadline for the right deal...not any deal that comes along just to get him gone.