The Theriot appreciation thread...

[frostwyrm]

Theriot is not great but the Cubs will soon desperately need some cheap everyday players, considering that the 2009 payroll has $90M tied up in 6 players. Theriot should stick around at least til then, unless some amazing opportunity for a cost-effective upgrade becomes available, which isn't likely.

[seanimal]

But he's a natural shortstop.

 

sorry, someone had to say it.

[hawkeyecub]

I guess I'm kind of surprised that there are 12 shortstop's with a .345+ OBP. I would have assumed that Theriot ranked a little higher in OBP.

 

I really like Theriot. He's smart, has a good approach at the plate, good fundamentals, good baserunning, can handle the bat pretty well in the 2 hole and just always seems to play smart. All of that is quite opposite from our other SS who probably has a higher ceiling.

 

Basically I agree with Truffle. If we have a chance to upgrade substantially, we should. If it's marginal, maybe you just save that money and go with Theriot while having Cedeno as a fallback option.

 

It's an interesting offseason. The rotation and bullpen are set for the most part. We have four positions to upgrade offensively, but we have some decent young and cheap options at all four positions.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm always interested in upgrading every position, especially one of weakness like the Cubs have at the SS position in the minors. I'm fine with Theriot as I'd like to see upgrades at C,CF and RF more than the SS position. I'd like to see Soto get a shot at starting C and that would make it a cheap up the middle if they have Theriot, Soto and Pie there so hopefully that frees up money for a impact bat in right.

[Abe Frohman]

I'll take Theriot 7 days a week. Playing SS, that is.

[hardcorecubfan]

I don't hope Theriot is our starting SS for a long time. Sorry but he's just not that good offensively. If the Cubs can upgrade other positions (I'm looking at you, CF/RF) then he's fine at SS. But if they can't get outfielders with pop and OBP ability, then SS is the next place to look.

WRONG

 

okay so he's 19th out of 29 in VORP among SS with at least 300 PAs. He's also worse than about 60-65% of major league SS in EqA and RC/G, and his EqA is pretty much tied with Jack Wilson. So why exactly are you so convinced that he should be the shortstop for years to come?

 

because he has a cool name, and a smart wife.

[Post Count Padder]

Riot is awesome. Even if he doesn't start, I hope we hold onto him as a supersub for awhile.

[Soul]

Theriot's been good. Happy having him on the ballclub.

[frostwyrm]

The more I think about it, I don't believe SS should be a target for an upgrade. Having $90M tied up in 6 players in 2009 makes a cheap and tolerably good everyday guy like Theriot a must-have. The positions to upgrade are the ones where we don't have a cheap everyday option currently signed.

[CubColtPacer]

The more I think about it, I don't believe SS should be a target for an upgrade. Having $90M tied up in 6 players in 2009 makes a cheap and tolerably good everyday guy like Theriot a must-have. The positions to upgrade are the ones where we don't have a cheap everyday option currently signed.

 

That's the thing. We have Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, DeRosa. At the other 4 spots we have Pie, Murton, Theriot, and Soto being possible cheap everyday options. Which one do you upgrade, and which 3 do you say are your starters for the next couple years?

[frostwyrm]

The more I think about it, I don't believe SS should be a target for an upgrade. Having $90M tied up in 6 players in 2009 makes a cheap and tolerably good everyday guy like Theriot a must-have. The positions to upgrade are the ones where we don't have a cheap everyday option currently signed.

 

That's the thing. We have Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, DeRosa. At the other 4 spots we have Pie, Murton, Theriot, and Soto being possible cheap everyday options. Which one do you upgrade, and which 3 do you say are your starters for the next couple years?

 

There's not a chance in hell Lou wants Murton as his longterm everyday RF, so Hendry will need to get someone. Pie is still a question mark. We don't know if he'll hit well enough in 2008 to play for a team built to win now, and Lou obviously has little patience with rookies who struggle initially. We don't know much about Soto either, in part because 105 plate appearances were stupidly wasted on Koyie Hill. Theriot is a cheap and reasonably good player that Lou actually likes well enough to play, so we have to keep him.

[Skyballer]

The Theriot appreciation thread...

You rang... :lol:

 

Now on topic, Riot IMO is an underrated baseball player mostly because of his hustle and energy.

It is my belief that those two things make other players play better, whilist Theriot is still playing like an average SS.

 

So, I agree with Abe, I'll take Theriot seven days a week at short.