Kazuo Matsui to the Astros (per ESPN 1000)

[shnsajax]

I'd rather sign Kuzco than Kazuo.

[SouthSideRyan]

Does any team out there have a need for 5 shortstops?

 

We don't even have five shortstops. The only one who can really play there right now is Cedeno... Matsui would need to be healthy to play there.

 

You didn't like the Mike Fontenot experience out there?

 

I liked this offseason a lot better when Hendry said they wouldn't really be looking at free agency, but would explore trades.

[Mizzou]

Can't Hendry just give one of Fukudome's best friends a 200K salary as a personal assistant/translator/BFF rather than signing some crap player and paying him 5 million dollars a year through 2010?

[nilodnayr]

On Sports Central tonight, Kaplan reiterated that the Cubs are speaking with Matsui's people, but that they are not close to finalizing a deal.

 

Yay, we're getting further apart!!!

[cubsfan5150]

I'm clueless as to why we would sign this guy, if we don't get the Japanese RF, then what the heck was the purpose?

[Post Count Padder]

On Sports Central tonight, Kaplan reiterated that the Cubs are speaking with Matsui's people, but that they are not close to finalizing a deal.

 

Yay, we're getting further apart!!!

Woo!

[Bluescale]

Perhaps this a business decision rather than a baseball decision. Maybe Hendry was ordered to get the Cubs into the Japanese market to generate additional revenue. Signing Matsui guarantee's the Cubs are in the market even if things fall through with Fukudome, and at the same time makes it easier to sign him.

 

Not saying I like it, but the Trib is trying to increase the value of the team as much as possible before the sale. The potential hit to their W/L record won't have enough of a negative impact to offset the market share they will gain in Japan.

 

Just a thought...

[badnews]

I think people tend to overrate the revenue some of these Japanese players bring in to their American teams. Do we really think the entire nation of Japan has been fervently following Kaz Matsui's every move since he got here?

 

Maybe not so much in this topic, but in other places people act like if you get a Japanese player every citizen of Japan sends your organization a check for $50,000.

[David]

Ugh. Levine just reaffirmed the Cubs' strong interest in Matsui and said that he would play 2B and DeRosa would go into a "Tony Phillips like utility role."

 

Jim can't do a damn thing right. ](*,) ](*,)

[JWCUB]

Ugh. Levine just reaffirmed the Cubs' strong interest in Matsui and said that he would play 2B and DeRosa would go into a "Tony Phillips like utility role."

 

Jim can't do a damn thing right. ](*,) ](*,)

 

 

Why? Just why????

[inari]

The only way this would not be the worst move ever is if they're convinced DeRosa can play shortstop full time (and if they're right). It'd still be terrible, but not the worst move ever.

[Guest]

The only way this would not be the worst move ever is if they're convinced DeRosa can play shortstop full time (and if they're right). It'd still be terrible, but not the worst move ever.

 

Lou seemed pretty disappointed in DeRosa not being able to play SS last season. With Izturis and Cedeno struggling at midseason and Theriot still viewed as a utility guy, DeRosa could easily have landed the SS job if he could play there adequately. I don't think the Cubs view DeRosa as a SS.

[inari]

The only way this would not be the worst move ever is if they're convinced DeRosa can play shortstop full time (and if they're right). It'd still be terrible, but not the worst move ever.

 

Lou seemed pretty disappointed in DeRosa not being able to play SS last season. With Izturis and Cedeno struggling at midseason and Theriot still viewed as a utility guy, DeRosa could easily have landed the SS job if he could play there adequately. I don't think the Cubs view DeRosa as a SS.

 

Then Levine has gotta be wrong and Matsui is viewed as an SS. Otherwise, I can't even see the logic behind this move. I know it's Hendry, but come on.

[jersey cubs fan]

I really fear that the Cubs are going to have a lineup like:

 

Soriano

Kaz

Lee

Ramirez

DeRosa

Soto

Theriot

Pie

 

DeRosa will handle most of RF, with some mediocre LH bat platooning in there.

[Lefty]

The only way this would not be the worst move ever is if they're convinced DeRosa can play shortstop full time (and if they're right). It'd still be terrible, but not the worst move ever.

 

Lou seemed pretty disappointed in DeRosa not being able to play SS last season. With Izturis and Cedeno struggling at midseason and Theriot still viewed as a utility guy, DeRosa could easily have landed the SS job if he could play there adequately. I don't think the Cubs view DeRosa as a SS.

 

Then Levine has gotta be wrong and Matsui is viewed as an SS. Otherwise, I can't even see the logic behind this move. I know it's Hendry, but come on.

 

Isn't that becoming a scary concept by itself? It is so easy to criticize, and Hendry doesn't (isn't able to) do everything that is rumored, but isn't it clear to most of us that he has no clue as to why teams win? If he signs Matsui to play 2nd without some perfectly corresponding move...I'll be even angrier. What else do I have?

[inari]

Makes me jealous that we don't have the Pittsburgh Pirates GM. For those of you who haven't heard about this Q&A, I just saw it on FJM.com

 

The Pirates upper management has widely ignored OBP (on base percentage) in the past. How important will OBP be in player evaluation under your leadership?

-- Eric S., Pennsboro, W.Va

 

We are going to utilize several objective measures of player performance to evaluate and develop players. We'll rely on the more traditional objective evaluations: OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage) , WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), Runs Created, ERC (Component ERA), GB/FB (ground ball to fly ball ratio), K/9 (strikeouts per nine innings), K/BB (strikeouts to walks ratio), BB%, etc., but we'll also look to rely on some of the more recent variations: VORP (value over replacement player), Relative Performance, EqAve (equivalent average), EqOBP (equivalent on base percentage), EqSLG (equivalent slugging percentage), BIP% (balls put into play percentage), wOBA (weighted on base average), Range Factor, PMR (probabilistic model of range) and Zone Rating.

 

:shock:

[David]

If all that is true, in a few years, if things don't change around here, we will be chasing the Pirates in the standings. Book it.

[Guest]

If all that is true, in a few years, if things don't change around here, we will be chasing the Pirates in the standings. Book it.

 

The quote is definitely true - it was in a Q & A from the Pirates official web site.

[CubColtPacer]

If all that is true, in a few years, if things don't change around here, we will be chasing the Pirates in the standings. Book it.

 

It will take a lot more than that. With their budget, they still have to depend on cheap talent. They have to hire competent scouting and player development people which is only marginally influenced by having such a good understanding of statistics. They might be able to get some free agent bargains with players that are undervalued by the rest of the league, but just about every free agent is becoming expensive these days and there's an increasing number of GM's who are trying to do the same thing.

 

That quote should be encouraging for Pirates fans, but not nearly as encouraging as if they were a big market team that just had to make the correct trades and free agency signings. It still remains to be seen what they'll do with the farm system. I wouldn't even come close to saying that the Pirates will have the sustained success that is being implied in the quote. It will be better than the Littlefield era, that's about all that can be said for now.

[abuck1220]

If all that is true, in a few years, if things don't change around here, we will be chasing the Pirates in the standings. Book it.

 

even with his shortcomings in the intelligence department, hendry still has quite the advantage in the $$$ department. it'll take more than a savvy gm to get the pirates to the top of the division.

[Post Count Padder]

Ugh. Levine just reaffirmed the Cubs' strong interest in Matsui and said that he would play 2B and DeRosa would go into a "Tony Phillips like utility role."

 

Jim can't do a damn thing right. ](*,) ](*,)

#-o

[moorecg]

I'd rather sign Kuzco than Kazuo.

 

 

The "Emperor's New Groove" guy? I guess if we could turn him into a lama that help with the costs of keeping the new field mowed....and maybe might offset the whole billy goat thing.

[CubinNY]

If the Cubs get him I am trademarking the name:

 

"The Great Kazuo" TM

 

The Great Gazoo

[frostwyrm]

Makes me jealous that we don't have the Pittsburgh Pirates GM. For those of you who haven't heard about this Q&A, I just saw it on FJM.com

 

The Pirates upper management has widely ignored OBP (on base percentage) in the past. How important will OBP be in player evaluation under your leadership?

-- Eric S., Pennsboro, W.Va

 

We are going to utilize several objective measures of player performance to evaluate and develop players. We'll rely on the more traditional objective evaluations: OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage) , WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), Runs Created, ERC (Component ERA), GB/FB (ground ball to fly ball ratio), K/9 (strikeouts per nine innings), K/BB (strikeouts to walks ratio), BB%, etc., but we'll also look to rely on some of the more recent variations: VORP (value over replacement player), Relative Performance, EqAve (equivalent average), EqOBP (equivalent on base percentage), EqSLG (equivalent slugging percentage), BIP% (balls put into play percentage), wOBA (weighted on base average), Range Factor, PMR (probabilistic model of range) and Zone Rating.

 

:shock:

 

Looks like Randall Simon can forget his dream of returning to the Pirates.

[haltz]

Most teams (all) know what those acronyms mean. Bill DeWitt talks about PITCHf/x and PBP data, and the analytical department that MGL spearheaded reports straight to Mozeliak now.

 

The Cardinals are still paying Joel Pineiro almost $8 million next year.