Cubs trade Barrett to Padres for Rob Bowen & Kyler Burke

[TruffleShuffle]

Barret has often been a good hitter (though not this year) but has always been a bad baseball player. I enjoyed having him on the Cubs but I am willing to move in a different direction because I'm not sure this direction has worked for Barrett or the Cubs. Is he going to be the full time starter in SD or is he going to be a backup to Josh Bard.

 

i'm in a good mood, so i won't bust out the eye roll

[Sarcastic]

Barret has often been a good hitter (though not this year) but has always been a bad baseball player. I enjoyed having him on the Cubs but I am willing to move in a different direction because I'm not sure this direction has worked for Barrett or the Cubs. Is he going to be the full time starter in SD or is he going to be a backup to Josh Bard.

 

i'm in a good mood, so i won't bust out the eye roll

 

I'll do it for you.

 

:roll:

[rocket]

without reading this whole thread i just want to say i'll miss the only cub who seemed to give a damn in 2005 and 2006 when we sucked.

 

i hope he wins a ring with the padres...assuming the cubs don't make the playoffs. which they won't.

[Larry Horse]

I don't have time to read 46 pages, so here goes.

 

Don't even look at this as a "trade".

 

This was nothing more than the dumping of a player that the manager no longer wanted on the team. What was given in return means nothing. He was not going to be resigned and Lou wanted him out.

[UK1679666180]

 

Actually, its either of those two, not both. And if I were the cubs and held onto Barrett for the rest of the year I sure as hell would offer him arbitration. I'd try to have him agree to decline it, but if he wouldnt agree to that, worst case scenario is you get one of the best offensive catchers in the league for a 1 year deal. Most likely he'll be offered a multi-year contract that will be a lot more valuable to him than returning to a team that doesnt want him. Either way its a win win for the cubs, unless of course they do something stupid like trade him.

 

It's either one but no team would sign him before 12/1. Plus, he'd be dumb not to except, unless you're assuming he changes how he has played so far this year and there's an expected demand for him.

 

One more year of Barrett equals one more year of a likely declining C both defensively and offensively (from the '06 Barrett) and gives Soto his 3rd year at Iowa.

 

I'm all for Soto, this hopefully cleared the way.

[Sarcastic]

I don't have time to read 46 pages, so here goes.

 

Don't even look at this as a "trade".

 

This was nothing more than the dumping of a player that the manager no longer wanted on the team. What was given in return means nothing. He was not going to be resigned and Lou wanted him out.

 

Maybe. But that is a horrible reason to dump a player. We're not talking about a sub-replacement level player whose roster spot we could have gotten more production from by calling up a AAA player. Barrett isn't Neifi.

[Sarcastic]

 

Actually, its either of those two, not both. And if I were the cubs and held onto Barrett for the rest of the year I sure as hell would offer him arbitration. I'd try to have him agree to decline it, but if he wouldnt agree to that, worst case scenario is you get one of the best offensive catchers in the league for a 1 year deal. Most likely he'll be offered a multi-year contract that will be a lot more valuable to him than returning to a team that doesnt want him. Either way its a win win for the cubs, unless of course they do something stupid like trade him.

 

It's either one but no team would sign him before 12/1. Plus, he'd be dumb not to except, unless you're assuming he changes how he has played so far this year and there's an expected demand for him.

 

One more year of Barrett equals one more year of a likely declining C both defensively and offensively (from the '06 Barrett) and gives Soto his 3rd year at Iowa.

 

I'm all for Soto, this hopefully cleared the way.

 

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

[TheDude]

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

 

Because Blanco is on the shelf, maybe for the year, and Hill sucks. The Cubs need two catchers right now. I would be surprised if Bowen is the full-time starter.

[soccer10k]

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.

 

Now that would have been a great deal.

[ctcf]

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

 

Because Blanco is on the shelf, maybe for the year, and Hill sucks. The Cubs need two catchers right now. I would be surprised if Bowen is the full-time starter.

 

I wouldn't

[Warren Brusstar]

I don't even want to try to read this thread, but I just want to provide the following to refute the absurd idea that Barrett "costs pitchers with his game calling":

 

Barrett joined the Cubs in 2004. In the 3.5 years he's been with the Cubs, they've allowed 1622 earned runs in the 3426 innings that he's caught. In the 1455 innings that someone else caught, they've allowed 699 earned runs.

 

So, with Barrett catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.26 ERA.

With someone else catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.32 ERA

[Sarcastic]

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

 

Because Blanco is on the shelf, maybe for the year, and Hill sucks. The Cubs need two catchers right now. I would be surprised if Bowen is the full-time starter.

 

Hill does suck, but they've been giving him more playing time. I'm not sure they know that he sucks, and I wouldn't discount the possibility of the Cubs keeping him on as back up catcher.

[UK1679666180]

 

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

 

B/c Blanco is very close to being shut down for the year, cortisone shots have not lessened the pain and Hill is just a stop-gap option while Soto got healthy. I can't see the Cubs going the rest of the way with Hill/Bowen. Bowen will likely be safety net for Soto if he struggles and it is wise to have Bowen there compared to someone like Hill.

Edited June 20, 2007 by UK

[jersey cubs fan]

 

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

 

Depth, and 2008.

 

They don't have a franchise catcher right now. But they do have another capable body. I think they like Hill in the short-term, but I don't think they'll put up with his non-existing offense for long. Soto and Bowen are probably the two best catchers on the 40 man roster now. Hopefully by 2009 Donaldson can throw himself into the mix.

[TruffleShuffle]

I don't even want to try to read this thread, but I just want to provide the following to refute the absurd idea that Barrett "costs pitchers with his game calling":

 

Barrett joined the Cubs in 2004. In the 3.5 years he's been with the Cubs, they've allowed 1622 earned runs in the 3426 innings that he's caught. In the 1455 innings that someone else caught, they've allowed 699 earned runs.

 

So, with Barrett catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.26 ERA.

With someone else catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.32 ERA

 

I think everyone on this board with any baseball sense has agreed that the argument you stated above is moronic.

[soccer10k]

without reading this whole thread i just want to say i'll miss the only cub who seemed to give a damn in 2005 and 2006 when we sucked.

 

i hope he wins a ring with the padres...assuming the cubs don't make the playoffs. which they won't.

 

Pretty bold statement there. I really hope you're joking.

[Sarcastic]

I'd like to see them get rid of Hill, but it seems like the organization is taking a liking to him. How long is it supposed to be until Soto is fit to catch again?

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't even want to try to read this thread, but I just want to provide the following to refute the absurd idea that Barrett "costs pitchers with his game calling":

 

Barrett joined the Cubs in 2004. In the 3.5 years he's been with the Cubs, they've allowed 1622 earned runs in the 3426 innings that he's caught. In the 1455 innings that someone else caught, they've allowed 699 earned runs.

 

So, with Barrett catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.26 ERA.

With someone else catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.32 ERA

 

I think everyone on this board with any baseball sense has agreed that the argument you stated above is moronic.

 

Did that come out wrong?

[TheDude]

What signs have been given to make us think Soto is being considered? It seems pretty clear that they are planning to use Bowen as the main catcher. If they wanted to bring up Soto, why trade for a catcher?

 

Because Blanco is on the shelf, maybe for the year, and Hill sucks. The Cubs need two catchers right now. I would be surprised if Bowen is the full-time starter.

 

Hill does suck, but they've been giving him more playing time. I'm not sure they know that he sucks, and I wouldn't discount the possibility of the Cubs keeping him on as back up catcher.

 

I think Hill will be sent down. I really don't see Bowen replacing Barret. He isn't a full-time catcher. That just wouldn't make sense.

 

In the short-term maybe, but I would hope Hendry and Lou recognize the roster is missing a full-time receiver.

[Butterscup1679666578]

So I don't have to sift through 46 pages of pure anger, can anyone give me a brief rundown of these guys?

[TruffleShuffle]

I don't even want to try to read this thread, but I just want to provide the following to refute the absurd idea that Barrett "costs pitchers with his game calling":

 

Barrett joined the Cubs in 2004. In the 3.5 years he's been with the Cubs, they've allowed 1622 earned runs in the 3426 innings that he's caught. In the 1455 innings that someone else caught, they've allowed 699 earned runs.

 

So, with Barrett catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.26 ERA.

With someone else catching, Cubs pitchers have a 4.32 ERA

 

I think everyone on this board with any baseball sense has agreed that the argument you stated above is moronic.

 

Did that come out wrong?

 

i'd say awkward, not wrong :lol:

[cjbucks]

Barret has often been a good hitter (though not this year) but has always been a bad baseball player. I enjoyed having him on the Cubs but I am willing to move in a different direction because I'm not sure this direction has worked for Barrett or the Cubs. Is he going to be the full time starter in SD or is he going to be a backup to Josh Bard.

 

i'm in a good mood, so i won't bust out the eye roll

 

I'll do it for you.

 

:roll:

 

Ok you convinced me - he has looked outstanding both behind the plate and on the basepaths

[CubColtPacer]

I'd like to see them get rid of Hill, but it seems like the organization is taking a liking to him. How long is it supposed to be until Soto is fit to catch again?

 

He's starting to catch again in the past few days. My guess is that they will wait at least a little while to see if the symptoms develop again (he has shoulder fatigue) before even thinking of calling him up.

[Sarcastic]

So I don't have to sift through 46 pages of pure anger, can anyone give me a brief rundown of these guys?

 

Bowen is a back up catcher. He can't hit, and is marginally better at fielding that Barrett, though he does draw some walks. His numbers this year are good, but his BABIP is ridiculous.

 

Burke is a 19 year old OF prospect who supposedly has a high ceiling (1st round supplemental pick) but has struggled in low A ball. See the beginning of the thread on him in Baseball Discussions.

[jersey cubs fan]

So I don't have to sift through 46 pages of pure anger, can anyone give me a brief rundown of these guys?

 

Personally I wouldn't call this pure anger. If you ask me, it was one of the calmest trade threads ever on this board. Most people were resigned to the fact Barrett was going, not a lot of people are ecstatic about the deal, but there's only been a couple people who've gone ballistic.

 

Bowen's been a mediocre producing catcher in his pro career who is having a good 2007 but probably won't sustain the numbers. He'd be a nice cheap backup for a team with a good starter, but he's probably not starter material himself, at least in the long haul, but he'll be stable defensively.

 

The kid whose parents were desperate for a name that started with K has some physical ability but hasn't done jack squat as a pro (600 OPS in rookie ball and sub 600 in low A ball).