Cubs trade Barrett to Padres for Rob Bowen & Kyler Burke

[jmajew]

I guess McDonalds now has to get rid of all of the Barrett commercials.

 

My bet is Piniella wanted this trade to happen. Just a hunch though.

[Chocolate Milk]

I hope we see a lot more of Izturis with our new dedication to defense.

[Guancous]

Bowen doesn't need to throw out 60% of the baserunners. He just needs to avoid passed balls and fundamental baserunning errors. Here's hoping we don't lose any more games because of botched rundown plays.

 

Reducing these extra outs should exceed the OPS differential. Bowen is cheaper and younger. Catchers usually mature offensively later than the average Age 27 burst of other position players.

[BigbadB]

I like Bowen.........

 

 

as a back up. Unfortunately, the Cubs needed a starting catcher.

 

Barrett and the Cubs probably needed a change of scenery.

 

Cubs receive a downgrade on offense, but an improvement defensively.

 

Our offense isn't good enough to trade offense for defense.

 

Again, I'm pretty indifferent on this, but we still need to upgrade SS or RF. This deal didn't get us any closer to that, unless SD is giving us a lot of cash.

 

Don't get me wrong. I never said it was a wash. I agree with your sentiments.

[C.C.]

I guess McDonalds now has to get rid of all of the Barrett commercials.

 

My bet is Piniella wanted this trade to happen. Just a hunch though.

 

And I'm sure Zambrano and whomever else on the Cubs staff aren't upset about it.

[USSoccer]

I hope we see a lot more of Izturis with our new dedication to defense.

 

The bottom of our lineup is going to be horrid.

[jersey cubs fan]

By itself I don't think it makes the Cubs better. If this is the first in a series of trades, that could change my mind, but right now...I'm just kinda "meh" about this. Barrett wasn't lighting the world on fire this season, and he was a FA after the season, so....meh.

 

I could not agree more with every part of this.

 

I was calling for them to solidify RF and/or SS for next year and let Barrett walk, going with placeholders at C if need be. So, if they swing a deal that solidifies RF and/or SS and stick with these placeholders at C, I won't be upset. But the most important part of all that is solidifying RF and/or SS. The Cubs remain last in the NL in SS OPS, by an extremely wide margin. And Theriot is doing nothing to change that. They are 11th in the NL in RF OPS, but it's still sub 700. More Floyd might bring some stability, but that's still a position of weakness.

[jyoung55]

I guess McDonalds now has to get rid of all of the Barrett commercials.

 

My bet is Piniella wanted this trade to happen. Just a hunch though.

 

Just a hunch that he wanted someone to... CATCH THE DAMNED BALL AND RUN THE BASES PROPERLY!?

[E.J.]

Meh. I guess I'm not upset that Barrett is gone, but our already weak offense just took a hit. Hendry better be bringing in another bat soon or he's an idiot.

[Chocolate Milk]

I hope we see a lot more of Izturis with our new dedication to defense.

 

The bottom of our lineup is going to be horrid.

 

I'm surprised there isn't more support for Izturis around here judging by how much people seem to value defense.

[cheapseats]

 

Defense isn't the problem for this team right now, its the offense.

 

Agreed.

 

By team defensive efficiency, the Cubs are 3rd in MLB so far this year. One can argue over whether they'll maintain that rate, but so far the defense has been one of the best in baseball.

 

The offense is 9th in the NL in runs scored. There is more to be gained from improving the offense than improving the defense.

 

The question is whether this trade will improve the offense. So far this year, Bowen has been about 75% as productive as Barrett in about 40% of the at-bats. However:

 

1) Small sample size alert.

2) Bowen's prior success this year isn't a guarantee of continued success for the remainder of the season.

 

Also, FWIW, by Clay Davenport's fielding metric, Bowen's defense may be just as bad as Barrett's.

[E.J.]

I hope we see a lot more of Izturis with our new dedication to defense.

 

The bottom of our lineup is going to be horrid.

 

Hopefully Piniella starts batting Z and Marquis 7th in the lineup on days that they pitch. :x

[C.C.]

Meh. I guess I'm not upset that Barrett is gone, but our already weak offense just took a hit. Hendry better be bringing in another bat soon or he's an idiot.

 

He will...

[YearofDaCubs]

Guys, Barrett makes 4.5 mil dollars, I'm almost convinced it will show that the Cubs have given money to the Padres. I doubt it is the other way around considering how much Bowen and the abysmal minor leaguer make.

[Guancous]

If nothing else, this trade removes a scapegoat. I hope this makes the other players feel more accountable. Let's see where Lou goes with this.

[jersey cubs fan]

My bet is Piniella wanted this trade to happen. Just a hunch though.

 

I think it's safe to say it's more than a hunch. Barrett was a Hendry guy, perhaps his biggest "I really want him" acquisition. He clashed with Lou. The day he got picked off 2nd, and then went on to argue with Lou in the dugout, as opposed to just taking Lou's criticism, made me think those two were not going to be together long.

[BigbadB]

I hope we see a lot more of Izturis with our new dedication to defense.

 

The bottom of our lineup is going to be horrid.

 

I'm surprised there isn't more support for Izturis around here judging by how much people seem to value defense.

 

Izturis has my full support...........

 

 

 

 

 

 

as a cracker jack vendor.

[UMFan83]

I guess McDonalds now has to get rid of all of the Barrett commercials.

 

My bet is Piniella wanted this trade to happen. Just a hunch though.

 

Should we start a "curse of the McDonalds commercials"? First Pierre, now Barrett.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I hope we see a lot more of Izturis with our new dedication to defense.

 

The bottom of our lineup is going to be horrid.

 

I'm surprised there isn't more support for Izturis around here judging by how much people seem to value defense.

 

it's because he's not really that good at defense

[Soriano12]

 

Also, FWIW, by Clay Davenport's fielding metric, Bowen's defense may be just as bad as Barrett's.

 

But wait....I read a scouting report that he was good on defense! :lol:

[jersey cubs fan]

Guys, Barrett makes 4.5 mil dollars, I'm almost convinced it will show that the Cubs have given money to the Padres. I doubt it is the other way around considering how much Bowen and the abysmal minor leaguer make.

 

Yeah, the Cubs getting cash would make no sense.

[ctcf]

By itself I don't think it makes the Cubs better. If this is the first in a series of trades, that could change my mind, but right now...I'm just kinda "meh" about this. Barrett wasn't lighting the world on fire this season, and he was a FA after the season, so....meh.

 

I could not agree more with every part of this.

 

I was calling for them to solidify RF and/or SS for next year and let Barrett walk, going with placeholders at C if need be. So, if they swing a deal that solidifies RF and/or SS and stick with these placeholders at C, I won't be upset. But the most important part of all that is solidifying RF and/or SS. The Cubs remain last in the NL in SS OPS, by an extremely wide margin. And Theriot is doing nothing to change that. They are 11th in the NL in RF OPS, but it's still sub 700. More Floyd might bring some stability, but that's still a position of weakness.

 

QFT

[UMFan83]

Do you think that the Cubs sent Barrett to SD so that Barrett can punch Chris Young for Derrek Lee?

[Derwood]

 

Also, FWIW, by Clay Davenport's fielding metric, Bowen's defense may be just as bad as Barrett's.

 

But wait....I read a scouting report that he was good on defense! :lol:

 

judging by your posts, you haven't read anything about anyone. don't let that stop you from having overreactions and hyperbolic opinions about everything though

[BigbadB]

Guys, Barrett makes 4.5 mil dollars, I'm almost convinced it will show that the Cubs have given money to the Padres. I doubt it is the other way around considering how much Bowen and the abysmal minor leaguer make.

 

Agreed. San Diego is a small market team. To take on Chicago's albatross, they gave up a guy I'm sure they talked up in Bowen. The prospect being added is probably compensation for the Cubs paying part of Barrett's salary.