Cubs trade Barrett to Padres for Rob Bowen & Kyler Burke

[TruffleShuffle]

To confirm the Towers/Maddux thing, I heard Towers on the Jim Rome show. It was hilarious. Jim asks if Towers had any hesitancy about Barrett's character and clubhouse incidents and he says "I went to Maddux and asked him and Greg said 'what are you waiting for? Get him in here!'"

 

To which I said, out loud, "right, because you loved him so much before that you insisted he never catch you."

 

that's not the reason maddux has historically had a "personal catcher", because he didn't like barrett and lopez.

[YearofDaCubs]

I really got excited when I thought Linebrink was in this deal, I would have even been fine with giving up Epatt to get him.(Considering the Cubs are toying with the idea of moving him to LF and killing his value)

 

you would really trade patterson for a 30-something RELIEF pitcher who throws in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in baseball?

 

whose ERA away from Petco is a dazzling 4.51 no less.

Where did you get that ERA from? According to Yahoo that isn't right.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6455/splits;_ylt=AnJYlYK1yr9y3DvH6dctqICFCLcF?year=2007&type=Pitching

[TruffleShuffle]

I really got excited when I thought Linebrink was in this deal, I would have even been fine with giving up Epatt to get him.(Considering the Cubs are toying with the idea of moving him to LF and killing his value)

 

you would really trade patterson for a 30-something RELIEF pitcher who throws in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in baseball?

 

whose ERA away from Petco is a dazzling 4.51 no less.

 

sample size says what?

 

Linebrink's ERA away from Petco was 2.29 from 2004-2006, with a WHIP under 1.00 and a K/9 around 8. But you're probably right, let's just look at the 13 innings he's pitched away from Petco this year, that's a much better indicator of the pitcher he is.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why do people act as if Barrett never caught Maddux? The whole personal catcher thing is overblown. Barrett caught for Maddux a lot.

[Guest]

Okay, to expand on what I said earlier about Greene... Bruce Levine apparently reported this was the original deal:

 

Jones, Izturis, Barrett, cash, for Greene, Bowen

 

If that was the original deal, it's good simply because of how much dead weight we would have lost.

 

That would be crazy if true.

[Cubsmodano]

Thought I'd give my own scouting report on Bowen. I went to high school with him (he was a Senior when I was a Freshman), but he definitely got drafted for his athleticism behind the plate. Even in High School he wasn't known as much for his hitting, but supposedly his time throwing to second was elite by major league standards even then. Not sure why that hasn't translated into the big leagues yet, but I'd guess that has more to do with guys like Maddux and Young being terrible at holding runners than anything else.

[C.C.]

Thought I'd give my own scouting report on Bowen. I went to high school with him (he was a Senior when I was a Freshman), but he definitely got drafted for his athleticism behind the plate. Even in High School he wasn't known as much for his hitting, but supposedly his time throwing to second was elite by major league standards even then. Not sure why that hasn't translated into the big leagues yet, but I'd guess that has more to do with guys like Maddux and Young being terrible at holding runners than anything else.

 

I didn't read a word you said. Couldn't keep my eyes off of Josie.

[Brian]

yeah I'm really wishing that other trade was the one that happened... can you imagine getting rid of Jones and Izturis on the same day :shock:

[TruffleShuffle]

Thought I'd give my own scouting report on Bowen. I went to high school with him (he was a Senior when I was a Freshman), but he definitely got drafted for his athleticism behind the plate. Even in High School he wasn't known as much for his hitting, but supposedly his time throwing to second was elite by major league standards even then. Not sure why that hasn't translated into the big leagues yet, but I'd guess that has more to do with guys like Maddux and Young being terrible at holding runners than anything else.

 

I didn't read a word you said. Couldn't keep my eyes off of Josie.

 

qft

[Guest]

yeah I'm really wishing that other trade was the one that happened... can you imagine getting rid of Jones and Izturis on the same day :shock:

 

It'd be nice if this was setting up another future trade for Jones with the Padres, at the very least.

[Amazing_Grace]

I really got excited when I thought Linebrink was in this deal, I would have even been fine with giving up Epatt to get him.(Considering the Cubs are toying with the idea of moving him to LF and killing his value)

 

you would really trade patterson for a 30-something RELIEF pitcher who throws in one of the most pitcher friendly parks in baseball?

 

whose ERA away from Petco is a dazzling 4.51 no less.

 

sample size says what?

 

Linebrink's ERA away from Petco was 2.29 from 2004-2006, with a WHIP under 1.00 and a K/9 around 8. But you're probably right, let's just look at the 13 innings he's pitched away from Petco this year, that's a much better indicator of the pitcher he is.

 

You're not going to ever get huge sample sizes in terms of innings for relief pitchers looking at a single season. They come in and pitch 1 or 2 innings and then leave. 13 innings for a reliever represents at least six or seven appearances. Besides, I'm not claiming he's a bad player. He's fine, but you don't trade arguably the fourth best prospect in your organization for a reliever on the wrong side of 30. Now, if the deal were Theriot/Fontenot for Linebrink, I could live with that, but not Patterson.

[TruffleShuffle]

yeah I'm really wishing that other trade was the one that happened... can you imagine getting rid of Jones and Izturis on the same day :shock:

 

i don't know why the hell that deal would even have been reported. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And the Padres are really going to give up a young, relatively productive shortstop for two pieces of trash and a half-season upgrade at catcher? Come on.

[moorecg]

yeah I'm really wishing that other trade was the one that happened... can you imagine getting rid of Jones and Izturis on the same day :shock:

 

Almost like the day we got rid of Neifi.

[jersey cubs fan]

yeah I'm really wishing that other trade was the one that happened... can you imagine getting rid of Jones and Izturis on the same day :shock:

 

i don't know why the hell that deal would even have been reported. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And the Padres are really going to give up a young, relatively productive shortstop for two pieces of trash and a half-season upgrade at catcher? Come on.

 

I try and ignore any "the original deal was" talk. It's most likely a bunch of nonsense.

[jersey cubs fan]

yeah I'm really wishing that other trade was the one that happened... can you imagine getting rid of Jones and Izturis on the same day :shock:

 

It'd be nice if this was setting up another future trade for Jones with the Padres, at the very least.

 

Haven't we heard this before, where a deal goes down and then speculation comes about that it sets up another deal with the same team later on? It would be really odd if they revisited a Jones to SD deal later.

[rickrolled]

Sportsnet has a scouting report on Bowen:

 

 

Assets

A switch-hitting catcher who excels from the left side, showing decent power. He's an above-average defensive catcher, able to block and through very well.

 

Flaws

He's a weak hitter from the right side and generally lacks discipline at the plate.

 

Career potential

Good backup catcher who can be a No. 1 if needed.

[Guancous]

Okay, to expand on what I said earlier about Greene... Bruce Levine apparently reported this was the original deal:

 

Jones, Izturis, Barrett, cash, for Greene, Bowen

 

If that was the original deal, it's good simply because of how much dead weight we would have lost.

 

and because we'd actually have gotten a real, everyday shortstop. But that deal would have been horrendous for the Padres, which is why it wasn't made. Another Bruce Levine gem, if true.

 

I'm just glad that Hendry agrees with us about the true problem areas.

[Brian]

oh my, the Sox poll question for Comcast is "Now, who bothers you most on the Cubs."

[Guest]

oh my, the Sox poll question for Comcast is "Now, who bothers you most on the Cubs."

 

Awesome. Z has to run away with this one, no?

[Sarcastic]

In what possible way does this trade make sense? Unless you are of the "Barrett destroys everything no matter what" mindset, there is no way to pretend that Bowen is an upgrade over Barrett. Is Burke really worth that, and if so, is Hendry giving up on the season.

[IWU_CUBS_FAN]

Looks like the Cubs will take a hit in stolen bases against...

 

Rob Bowen has thrown out 11% of baserunners this year and 10% in his career.

 

Michael Barret has thrown out 17% this year and 23% in his career.

 

The Padres have Chris Young and Greg Maddux, who are going to kill any catcher's throwing stats

david wells too

[Brian]

http://chicago.comcastsportsnet.com/team-whitesox.asp

 

Zambrano 36%

Lee 4%

Soriano 12%

Piniella 12 %

Nobody 36%

[Guest]

Good for 36% of White Sox fans.

[Brian]

Good for 36% of White Sox fans.

 

Or Cubs fans who voted nobody (like me :o)

[sunnydoo]

In what possible way does this trade make sense? Unless you are of the "Barrett destroys everything no matter what" mindset, there is no way to pretend that Bowen is an upgrade over Barrett.

 

Sometimes a change is in order, not only for the team but for the player. Barrett, right, wrong, or indifferent was singled out early on as one of the trouble makers and therefore one of the scapegoats on this team for this year. Even if he went on to win the Batting Title, he still would have been tagged for the fight with Z, v 1.0.

 

There were a number of things he was getting blamed for (justly or unjustly) in defense, game calling, team relations, mental errors, and base running blunders. Does this mean he was the only one doing it? No, others have been thrown out stealing 3rd and getting hung up between the bases. But consistently, he was one of the ones showing the least amount of proper judgement in his total game.

 

I hope he does well in SD, and i am glad we got a return on him before he headed out on us via FA. This at least gives us a backup catcher under contract for next year. Blanco is headed for surgery and that may be touch and go

 

And Hendry is not giving up this year just yet.