Lou on Pie...

[Keener98]

This is a quote from the Tribune.

 

So the Cubs kept OF Felix Pie rather than send him to the minors for more at-bats. Piniella said before the game he needs "to take care of" the veterans and will get "Pie in there as we can." Asked what went into the decision to keep Pie, a weary Piniella snapped, "It's my decision. .

 

If that doesnt sound like a certain manager we all used to love I dont know what does. Im not saying Lou is like him, but this quote just reminded me of him. Also for the millionth time, please send Pie down so he can get more than 9 ab's in a week...please!

[Soriano12]

You tell em Lou! Screw all these Monday Morning QB's!

[YearofDaCubs]

This is a quote from the Tribune.

 

So the Cubs kept OF Felix Pie rather than send him to the minors for more at-bats. Piniella said before the game he needs "to take care of" the veterans and will get "Pie in there as we can." Asked what went into the decision to keep Pie, a weary Piniella snapped, "It's my decision. .

 

If that doesnt sound like a certain manager we all used to love I dont know what does. Im not saying Lou is like him, but this quote just reminded me of him. Also for the millionth time, please send Pie down so he can get more than 9 ab's in a week...please!

Lou was on pregame yesterday speaking with Santo and he mentioned how the question comes up every day regarding the OF situation and he mentioned how he was tired of answering those questions. I can understand where he's coming from a bit. We have a lot of OFers right now and trying to find room for all of them is difficult. At some point at least one of them has to be traded or Murton be sent back to the minors so he can at least get more ABs.

[Keener98]

This is a quote from the Tribune.

 

So the Cubs kept OF Felix Pie rather than send him to the minors for more at-bats. Piniella said before the game he needs "to take care of" the veterans and will get "Pie in there as we can." Asked what went into the decision to keep Pie, a weary Piniella snapped, "It's my decision. .

 

If that doesnt sound like a certain manager we all used to love I dont know what does. Im not saying Lou is like him, but this quote just reminded me of him. Also for the millionth time, please send Pie down so he can get more than 9 ab's in a week...please!

Lou was on pregame yesterday speaking with Santo and he mentioned how the question comes up every day regarding the OF situation and he mentioned how he was tired of answering those questions. I can understand where he's coming from a bit. We have a lot of OFers right now and trying to find room for all of them is difficult. At some point at least one of them has to be traded or Murton be sent back to the minors so he can at least get more ABs.

 

My problem is with the bolded, and the fact that Pie has started one game in a week, and had 9 ab's in that week. He keeps coming in as a pinch runner or def replacement when those arent the things he needs to work on. He needs ab's plain and simple, and 9 in a week sure in the hell isnt enough/

[soapy]

Murton has absolutely nothing to prove or gain in the minors at this point. I'd like to see him play more, but with Floyd doing reasonably well I'll try not to complain too much.

 

If anyone is sent down, it should be Pie. The problem then becomes that there isn't really a second option for CF, aside from Soriano sliding over. He certainly could do that to fill in for Jones in a pinch while Pie is called up if Jones were injured or something. The best option is probably to send down Pie and try to find a RH option to platoon with Jones in CF.

 

As for Lou getting sick of the same old question, he's going to have to get used to it. It was only a matter of time before that started happening. If it wasn't the OF it would be something else. It's a very large market team. What would he expect?

[jersey cubs fan]

Take care of the organization Lou, not the freaking veterans.

 

If this leads to Floyd having his option vested automatically, the financial situation is going to get a lot worse.

[CubColtPacer]

Take care of the organization Lou, not the freaking veterans.

 

If this leads to Floyd having his option vested automatically, the financial situation is going to get a lot worse.

 

So far Floyd is on pace to be about 50 at-bats under when his first option kicks in. After this next 10 game stretch with all these left-handers, he probably will be even further away from that pace.

[Keener98]

Take care of the organization Lou, not the freaking veterans.

 

If this leads to Floyd having his option vested automatically, the financial situation is going to get a lot worse.

 

So far Floyd is on pace to be about 50 at-bats under when his first option kicks in. After this next 10 game stretch with all these left-handers, he probably will be even further away from that pace.

 

Yea probably means we will be seeing Derosa in right. Stupid just stupid

[jmajew]

Murton has absolutely nothing to prove or gain in the minors at this point. I'd like to see him play more, but with Floyd doing reasonably well I'll try not to complain too much.

 

If anyone is sent down, it should be Pie. The problem then becomes that there isn't really a second option for CF, aside from Soriano sliding over. He certainly could do that to fill in for Jones in a pinch while Pie is called up if Jones were injured or something. The best option is probably to send down Pie and try to find a RH option to platoon with Jones in CF.

 

As for Lou getting sick of the same old question, he's going to have to get used to it. It was only a matter of time before that started happening. If it wasn't the OF it would be something else. It's a very large market team. What would he expect?

 

I don't think it would make a difference if he was managing in Tampa, Seatle or chicago. Reporters are just doing their job and have to ask the same questions over and over again. They keep hoping to ask it in a different way to get Lou to accidentally give up some information.

[DesMoinesCub]

This is a really tough one for me right now because of the way the Cubs are playing and more importantly WINNING. I think by "taking care of the veterans" Lou is saying that there are guys who are better right now then Pie, and if he plays Pie, then the guys who are producing and WINNING right now would get their at bats.

 

The point about sending Pie down is to not hurt his development. However, who would you recommend taking his place? Perhaps Pagen, who would serve as a defensive replacement and pinch runner, but would he be better then Pie in those situations. Right now, I think Pie is the best defensively and the best base runner we have in the minors and in AAA, so why shouldn't he be doing those things with the big league team.

 

I know a lot of people are worried about Pie's future if he stays with the team, but I also think Pie gives the Cubs the best chance to win now for what the club needs him to do.

[DesMoinesCub]

Oh, and let me say I don't like DeRosa in the OF at all. Put him at 2nd and let Theriot play short. Then you don't have to worry about moving Soriano to 2B anymore!

[98navigator]

The flip side is Lou has no problem benching or moving around veterans to get Theriot in the lineup and he was willing to take a chance on Cedeno rather than recommend that Hendry find a bench player in Spring Training (or choose a retread like Tomas Perez). Lou will play the less experienced players if they produce. Short term, Pie's development may be compromised but in the long run I think he will be fine coming off the bench as a PH, as a defensive substitution, and occasional starter.

[jersey cubs fan]

This is a really tough one for me right now because of the way the Cubs are playing and more importantly WINNING. I think by "taking care of the veterans" Lou is saying that there are guys who are better right now then Pie, and if he plays Pie, then the guys who are producing and WINNING right now would get their at bats.

 

The point about sending Pie down is to not hurt his development. However, who would you recommend taking his place? Perhaps Pagen, who would serve as a defensive replacement and pinch runner, but would he be better then Pie in those situations. Right now, I think Pie is the best defensively and the best base runner we have in the minors and in AAA, so why shouldn't he be doing those things with the big league team.

 

I know a lot of people are worried about Pie's future if he stays with the team, but I also think Pie gives the Cubs the best chance to win now for what the club needs him to do.

 

Pie may be fast, but he's hardly a great baserunner. Even if he offers a slightly greater chance to win now than he would if he was in AAA and somebody else was up (debatable) you have to weigh that against his value to the organization and need to develop in AAA. I would call up Fontenot first and foremost. But there are a couple others guys whose future won't be ruined by being bench players, who could probably offer just as much, if not more, to the current bench.

[jersey cubs fan]

Short term, Pie's development may be compromised but in the long run I think he will be fine coming off the bench as a PH, as a defensive substitution, and occasional starter.

 

Development is a long run story. If his development is compromised now, that has long-term implications. Pie will not develop as a PH and defensive substitution.

[98navigator]

Short term, Pie's development may be compromised but in the long run I think he will be fine coming off the bench as a PH, as a defensive substitution, and occasional starter.

 

Development is a long run story. If his development is compromised now, that has long-term implications. Pie will not develop as a PH and defensive substitution.

 

That wasn't my point. If he spends a few weeks or months on the Cubs bench before eventually playing everyday (in Chicago or Iowa) he should be able to adjust and continue his progression.

[RynoRules]

I'd like to see Pie in CF every day and Jones sent away for prospects, but so long as we keep winning I am not complaining.

[DesMoinesCub]

I understand that Pie is not a great baserunner, but his speed allows him to do things others can't.

 

I have read a few articles where people say the best place for a young player to learn is watching how guys do it at the major league level. I have also read where people want guys to develop. Both are fair arguements.

 

I guess by sending Pie down, you still have an OF of Soriano-Jones-Floyd-Murton. If Jones was injured, then you could move Soriano over to center, and still have Ward and DeRosa to use in the OF for emergency situations. I guess you would not have to call up and OF. The more I think about it, sending Pie down would be a good thing because there are still a lot of options that could be used on the major league roster.

 

Thanks for talking me out of keeping Pie in the majors!

[CubColtPacer]

Short term, Pie's development may be compromised but in the long run I think he will be fine coming off the bench as a PH, as a defensive substitution, and occasional starter.

 

Development is a long run story. If his development is compromised now, that has long-term implications. Pie will not develop as a PH and defensive substitution.

 

That wasn't my point. If he spends a few weeks or months on the Cubs bench before eventually playing everyday (in Chicago or Iowa) he should be able to adjust and continue his progression.

 

Hasn't Lou done this before with good prospects? From looking at the statistics, A-Rod sat the major league bench most of 1995, and then became the Mariners regular SS in 1996. Jay Buhner also did the same thing. I wouldn't be surprised to find several more examples if I actually looked hard-the time in the majors didn't seem to hurt their development.

[DesMoinesCub]

Ryno,

 

Can you explain why you would want to trade Jones? I know he is not a favorite of a lot of people on the board, but I just think he would out produce Pie offensively, and although we are giving up quite a bit defensively, still think it would be better to keep the offense in the line up. Even if Jones doesn't put up the numbers he did last year (which I don't think anyone here believes) he would still be a productive CF.

 

I don't mean to "call you out" I just want to hear your side of the arguement.

[Yestheydo]

Since when did anyone need a reason to want Jacque Jones traded? It's the default position.

[Danny82]

Since when did anyone need a reason to want Jacque Jones traded? It's the default position.

 

Huh?

[Peoriaman]

Jones is playing very well and Pie is helping us win. That is what I want. Lou is doing the right thing.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hasn't Lou done this before with good prospects? From looking at the statistics, A-Rod sat the major league bench most of 1995, and then became the Mariners regular SS in 1996. Jay Buhner also did the same thing. I wouldn't be surprised to find several more examples if I actually looked hard-the time in the majors didn't seem to hurt their development.

 

ARod played a good portion of 1995 in the minors, and by then he'd proven more than enough at that level. Development wasn't the issue that it is with Pie. If Felix was a flawless superstar in the making who was unquestionably going to be great, it'd be a different story. Felix still has to improve, and you can't do that without playing.

 

Buhner had already progressed through the minors in the Yankee system, and played for them before coming over to Seattle. Furthermore, he was a Mariner for 5 years before Piniella showed up.

[Keener98]

Jones is playing very well and Pie is helping us win. That is what I want. Lou is doing the right thing.

 

We have people in AAA who can be a CF def replacement and pinch run instead of using our top prospect.

[RichHillIsABeast]

We started Pie's arbi clock so he could ride the bench? Awesome.

 

We needed him b/c we didn't have a legit CF (IMO, Jones does a serviceable job)? That's just poor roster management.

 

Pagan would give us all the offensive production Pie has (not much) and the speed for pinch running.

 

There was no reason to bring Pie up this early.