Micah Hoffpauir-Major Leaguer or Career AAAer?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Year after year, though injury prone, he seems to put up great minor league numbers, and yesterday, I saw him in action for the first time. He has the look of a major leaguer, but with first base as his only listed position, that job will be taken for a while.

 

Hes been great in spring training this year, yes I am aware its mainly against other AAAers and such, but still. I know that we've seen our Keltons and DuBois' fizzle and fade, but at 28 years old, Hoff is considered a senior citizen by prospect terms, and in my opinion, he at least deserves to be somewhere where hed at least have a shot at a major league roster, and with guys with major league experience like Fontenot, Cedeno, Fuld, and Pie fighting for jobs, his only shot at the Cubs roster would be (god forbid) an injury to D-Lee.

[inari]

Hoffpauir didn't start mashing AAA pitching till he was 27. He's 28 now. 28 isn't a senior citizen in minor league terms, it's a dinosaur. He's got no shot, not even with an injury to D-Lee.

[cbbryan]

He'll be traded to the O's for Roberts......................

[UMFan83]

I would think that the Cubs would have tried to groom him at another position already if they thought he could be of any value to the big league team. Still, with his numbers last year and in the spring, I think some major league team would bite on trying him out.

[CuseCubFan69]

I asked craig if he thought Hoffpauir could play a corner OF position and he thinks he could. Granted he probably is going to be a AAAA type of guy but he may work out pretty well for a team that needs a guy that fits the 1st/corner of/DH/PH mold. I'd like to see him at least get a shot to prove himself.

[MemphisVol]

Career AAA.

[craig]

Hoffpauir has played some LF/RF, and observers have said he looks reasonably comfortable out there. I suspect that defensively he's preferable in the corners to Ward. Perhaps also preferable to Murton, for RF at least.

 

Hoffpauir had a good year in 2004 AA. But he really struggled in 05 at AAA, and kind of lost his chance. Since then he's improved each year. (One of the reasons that a guy is "old" or "dinosaur" at 28 is that the assumption is a guy doesn't improve much beyond 25. But in Micah's case, he has.)

 

His value, if any, is as a utility 1B/corner OF guy. He's obviously not going to be an intended starter.

 

He doesn't have any meaningful trade value, other than what he might inspire during this spring training. He has not been protected on the 40-man roster, so anybody else could have picked him up, via Rule 5 or 6-year free agency. That he's still with us reflects his market value.

 

But, that doesn't mean he might not end up being a competent, producing bench player. someday. That someday will depend on some opportunity. For now, that would require injury to Lee or Ward, or perhaps one of the corner outfielders. Given Ward's health history, it's not beyond possible that he would go DL at some point.

[CuseCubFan69]

Hoffpauir has played some LF/RF, and observers have said he looks reasonably comfortable out there. I suspect that defensively he's preferable in the corners to Ward. Perhaps also preferable to Murton, for RF at least.

 

Hoffpauir had a good year in 2004 AA. But he really struggled in 05 at AAA, and kind of lost his chance. Since then he's improved each year. (One of the reasons that a guy is "old" or "dinosaur" at 28 is that the assumption is a guy doesn't improve much beyond 25. But in Micah's case, he has.)

 

His value, if any, is as a utility 1B/corner OF guy. He's obviously not going to be an intended starter.

 

He doesn't have any meaningful trade value, other than what he might inspire during this spring training. He has not been protected on the 40-man roster, so anybody else could have picked him up, via Rule 5 or 6-year free agency. That he's still with us reflects his market value.

 

But, that doesn't mean he might not end up being a competent, producing bench player. someday. That someday will depend on some opportunity. For now, that would require injury to Lee or Ward, or perhaps one of the corner outfielders. Given Ward's health history, it's not beyond possible that he would go DL at some point.

 

I wonder if a team that has spent a ton of money and is looking for a player like Hoffpauir to keep it's budget down would go after him if he fit their needs? Is he anything like Diehard a few years ago?

[biittner77]

I wonder if a team that has spent a ton of money and is looking for a player like Hoffpauir to keep it's budget down would go after him if he fit their needs? Is he anything like Diehard a few years ago?

 

He's exactly like Die Hard and should follow his example and take his game to Japan where he'd make more money and fare a lot better.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Micah is a likeable guy and has had decent minor league production. I just don't see him getting much of a chance in Chicago. If a corner OF/IF were needed, I think Fox is ahead of him in that department.

 

I would like to see him get a shot, but the Cubs aren't likely the right team for that to happen.

[CuseCubFan69]

Micah is a likeable guy and has had decent minor league production. I just don't see him getting much of a chance in Chicago. If a corner OF/IF were needed, I think Fox is ahead of him in that department.

 

I would like to see him get a shot, but the Cubs aren't likely the right team for that to happen.

 

I'd like to see Fox take some grounders at third.

[wvcbxl]

I would like to see him get a shot, but the Cubs aren't likely the right team for that to happen.

 

Ditto.

 

No matter how well he does in ST, it won't make any difference.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Micah is a likeable guy and has had decent minor league production. I just don't see him getting much of a chance in Chicago. If a corner OF/IF were needed, I think Fox is ahead of him in that department.

 

I would like to see him get a shot, but the Cubs aren't likely the right team for that to happen.

 

I'd like to see Fox take some grounders at third.

 

I know he played some third at AA last year.

[rawaction]

I think Micah can be a solid major league bench player, in the mold of a Scott Hatteberg or Ben Broussard type. Obviously, if he's compared to those 2, he could probably start in the right situation. He's a good glove. I think he can hit well enough to be hidden in the 7-hole. Of course, a contending team is probably going to want to have better 1B production.

[Sweet Swinging Billy]

As far as making the team and coming off the bench, who is his main competion? There's already a logjam, in terms of who he would have to leap frog over, isn't there? It would probably help his career if he were traded. Yeah, AAA.

[CuseCubFan69]

Micah is a likeable guy and has had decent minor league production. I just don't see him getting much of a chance in Chicago. If a corner OF/IF were needed, I think Fox is ahead of him in that department.

 

I would like to see him get a shot, but the Cubs aren't likely the right team for that to happen.

 

I'd like to see Fox take some grounders at third.

 

I know he played some third at AA last year.

 

If he could play there and catch in a pinch along with playing 1st and the corner OF's, he might turn out to be a very nice asset.

[Bull]

I wonder if a team that has spent a ton of money and is looking for a player like Hoffpauir to keep it's budget down would go after him if he fit their needs? Is he anything like Diehard a few years ago?

 

He's exactly like Die Hard and should follow his example and take his game to Japan where he'd make more money and fare a lot better.

 

I don't think its a valid comparison. While never really highly rated, Hoff had been on the prospect radar for some time. I don't think McClain ever was. McClain bounced from system to system by age 28. Hoffpauir has put up more consistent minor league numbers than Hoff. I still think Hoff has a chance to be a serviceable major league backup especially if he can play multiple positions as asserted above.

[weather2]

I think Micah has a remote chance of becoming a ML regular and this spring could be important. After having a great spring, Micah could be sold to a Japanese team for a few $100 K. He would then need to have a monster year in Japan. Following that, I could envision some team signing him as a 2nd on the depth chart 1B/OF. And if No. 1 were to get injured ...

[Little Slide Rooter]

I know its just spring training, but hes making it harder and harder for Lou to leave him behind when the plane to Chi town boards.

 

The only guaranteed bench spots are going to Ward, Murton, and Blanco. After that, he'll be battling Fontenot, Cedeno, E-Patt, Cintron, and Fuld, and he's looked better than all of them.

Edited March 12, 2008 by Little Slide Rooter

[BCVM22]

The only guaranteed bench spots are going to Ward and Blanco. After that, he'll be battling Fontenot, Cedeno, E-Patt, Cintron, and Fuld, and he's looked better than all of them.

 

Except that at best, Hoffpauir is a first baseman/corner outfielder. All of the guys you say he's "battling" are either middle infielders or can play center field, neither of which Hoffpauir can do. There's no question the guy can rake, but I just don't see a spot for him positionally; there's no room on the bench for two first baseman/outfielder/pinch hitters.

[jersey cubs fan]

He's going to be a career AAAer unless he winds up on some low budget teams that loses a guy or two to injury and can't find anybody else.

 

I'm all for giving guys like him jobs on the major league bench. I believe benches should, first and foremost, be for pinch hitters, not defensive replacements. It's one of the reasons I hate the 12 man pitching staff, because it causes some teams to put all their bench help into dandy little glove men. I also don't believe pinch hitter is strictly a veterans job. I would much rather pay a kid like this $1 million for 3 years of acceptable bench service than spend $1m+ every year on replacable junk. I just don't see a fit with Micah and the Cubs.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The only guaranteed bench spots are going to Ward and Blanco. After that, he'll be battling Fontenot, Cedeno, E-Patt, Cintron, and Fuld, and he's looked better than all of them.

 

Except that at best, Hoffpauir is a first baseman/corner outfielder. All of the guys you say he's "battling" are either middle infielders or can play center field, neither of which Hoffpauir can do. There's no question the guy can rake, but I just don't see a spot for him positionally; there's no room on the bench for two first baseman/outfielder/pinch hitters.

 

Thats why you at least try him out in the outfield. Say the season opens, and Brian Roberts is still wearing orange. Then you Have DeRosa and Theriot in the middle infield, and you have your pick of Fontenot, Patt, Cedeno, and Cintron as a back up. Ward can do 1st and Rt. Like I said, at 28, Hoff wont get many more chances, so I say bring him aboard. hats the worst that could happen? Bring him up, and he sucks, and you send him down and bring up someone else. It worked for Jason DuBois.

[cbbryan]

It worked for Jason DuBois.

 

What worked?

[Little Slide Rooter]

It worked for Jason DuBois.

 

What worked?

 

That was just a little humor. Guess that didnt work either.

[cbbryan]

It worked for Jason DuBois.

 

What worked?

 

That was just a little humor. Guess that didnt work either.

 

No, I laughed. It was because I thought you might be serious. The effort is what counts anyway.