Cubs Sign Reed Johnson to 1-Year Deal (Updated)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The six bullpen spot and using the Iowa to Chicago shuttle would be a good idea. We have a number of young relievers with options between Hart, Piggy, Ascaino, Petrick, etc. There's enough to shuttle up and down as needed.

[craig]

That only left 1 IF on the squad. Only injuries to Ward and Pagan made that not go on much longer than it did.

 

No, that's not the only thing that let it not go on for long. They didn't like doing it.

 

As raw and Colt have shown, the Cubs did go through a significant hunk of last year with only one IF sub. I fully agree with you; they didn't like doing it. But they did do it.

 

I suspect going with Cedeno as the only infielder might be less problematic this year than going with Fontenot as the only guy last year. Cedeno might be somewhat less repulsive, since he's a talented defender (even if sometimes dumb and error-prone.)

 

They may be in a position where they do something they don't like. Probably a choice between lesser evils.

a) Cedeno as only infield sub.

b) Sending Murton to the minors, again.

c) Trading Murton for whatever double- or single-A prospect they can get for him.

 

Maybe they can deal Murton for some prospect they really like, and they'll like it a lot. But unless they love the value they can get for murton in trade, I expect they'll need to either settle for having just Cedeno as infielder, for a disappointing Murton trade, or for Murton in minors (which I don't think they'll feel all that good about either.) Which of those is the lesser of the three evils?

[CubinNY]

And that's a bunch of bs.

 

It's a sample size issue that old-timey baseball minds can't get there brain around.

 

Huh? What's the sample size issue? I made a lot of statements in there. Which one was based on a bad sample size?

 

what's BS about it? some guys simply don't hit same-handed pitching as well as they hit opposite-handed pitching. see jock jones as a good example, and his sample size is huge.

No one is going to have exactly equal splits. The extent to which the splits are different can be a function of a lot of things. For someone like Pie, Granderson, and Hawp (Hawp and Granderson are terrible comparisons btw, as they weren't platooned). They probably are more of a function of sample size. The splits become even more pronounced with the lack of opportunity. It becomes a self fulfilling thing. For someone like JJ it is different as is his value to an organization.

[craig]

... For someone like Pie, Granderson, and Hawp (Hawp and Granderson are terrible comparisons btw, as they weren't platooned). They probably are more of a function of sample size. The splits become even more pronounced with the lack of opportunity. It becomes a self fulfilling thing. For someone like JJ it is different as is his value to an organization.

 

Pie was never platooned in the minors, though. Nor do I think he was platooned early in his winter-league stints. So if his farm and winter stints so large and somewhat consistent splits, it may be harder to blame them on sample size or opportunity.

 

I don't know how Pie's career will play out. He got a couple of hits versus LHP the other day, and my impression was that while he was bad versus LHP this winter league, he was actually even worse versus RHP. So maybe he's going to be fine or no worse versus lefties than versus righties. I don't know.

 

But there are numerous LH hitters who don't hit LHP well, even when afforded extended opportunities. It's hardly "old school" ignorance to recognize that not-uncommon reality.

 

Will Pie be one of them? I don't know.

 

But it's certainly possible.

 

And even if we knew right now that Pie was going to spend his career as an .850-OPS guy versus RHP but a .680-guy versus LHP, a guy who should rightfully play his career in a platoon if used right, I don't think that being "only" a platoon guy should mean we should trade him right now. A good lefty platoon player is very valuable.

[CubinNY]

... For someone like Pie, Granderson, and Hawp (Hawp and Granderson are terrible comparisons btw, as they weren't platooned). They probably are more of a function of sample size. The splits become even more pronounced with the lack of opportunity. It becomes a self fulfilling thing. For someone like JJ it is different as is his value to an organization.

 

Pie was never platooned in the minors, though. Nor do I think he was platooned early in his winter-league stints. So if his farm and winter stints so large and somewhat consistent splits, it may be harder to blame them on sample size or opportunity.

 

I don't know how Pie's career will play out. He got a couple of hits versus LHP the other day, and my impression was that while he was bad versus LHP this winter league, he was actually even worse versus RHP. So maybe he's going to be fine or no worse versus lefties than versus righties. I don't know.

 

But there are numerous LH hitters who don't hit LHP well, even when afforded extended opportunities. It's hardly "old school" ignorance to recognize that not-uncommon reality.

 

Will Pie be one of them? I don't know.

 

But it's certainly possible.

 

And even if we knew right now that Pie was going to spend his career as an .850-OPS guy versus RHP but a .680-guy versus LHP, a guy who should rightfully play his career in a platoon if used right, I don't think that being "only" a platoon guy should mean we should trade him right now. A good lefty platoon player is very valuable.

Pie's had a grand total of 58ABs againt LHP in MLB.

[rawaction]

LH hitters vs. LHPs varies from year to year also. Jacque Jones is typically horrible vs. LHPs, but hit .295 vs. them last year.

[WarningtrackPower]

Arguably the best FA signing in MLB today. That is why Hendry is top 14 GM in the NL.

 

I'm not sure about that. Definitely in the top 16 though...

[tfarks]

This had Cub signing written all over it. Can't complain too much hes a solid bench player. Hes probably gonna take not even half of Pie's would be at bats against left-handers as I think Lou will opt for Pie's defense a majority of the time. I like Johnson as a good contact PH option, hopefully he won't hit into too many double plays.

[Wheelimus]

I think Soriano gives you the freedom to just go with Cedeno at the start of the season. Any playing time that is available at second or short needs to go to him. He's got to get at bats to see if he can be a player or not. We're covered in all but a worst case disaster. If Aramis needs to come out DeRosa slides to third and Cedeno comes in. In a disaster where we lose two middle infielders in one game you put Soriano at second. Obviously you fix the shortage the next day but he could handle it for a few innings. If we lose three middle infielders in one game, lol, who cares at that point. We're probably already down a half dozen. I feel like Ward probably has a good sense of humor and would take any Baseball Tonight clip he could get. Even if it's his eight errors in one game at shortstop.

[CubColtPacer]

... For someone like Pie, Granderson, and Hawp (Hawp and Granderson are terrible comparisons btw, as they weren't platooned). They probably are more of a function of sample size. The splits become even more pronounced with the lack of opportunity. It becomes a self fulfilling thing. For someone like JJ it is different as is his value to an organization.

 

Pie was never platooned in the minors, though. Nor do I think he was platooned early in his winter-league stints. So if his farm and winter stints so large and somewhat consistent splits, it may be harder to blame them on sample size or opportunity.

 

I don't know how Pie's career will play out. He got a couple of hits versus LHP the other day, and my impression was that while he was bad versus LHP this winter league, he was actually even worse versus RHP. So maybe he's going to be fine or no worse versus lefties than versus righties. I don't know.

 

But there are numerous LH hitters who don't hit LHP well, even when afforded extended opportunities. It's hardly "old school" ignorance to recognize that not-uncommon reality.

 

Will Pie be one of them? I don't know.

 

But it's certainly possible.

 

And even if we knew right now that Pie was going to spend his career as an .850-OPS guy versus RHP but a .680-guy versus LHP, a guy who should rightfully play his career in a platoon if used right, I don't think that being "only" a platoon guy should mean we should trade him right now. A good lefty platoon player is very valuable.

Pie's had a grand total of 58ABs againt LHP in MLB.

 

And those at-bats match what Pie did in Iowa against left-handers in 2006 and 2007, and in West Tennessee in 2005 (there are no split numbers available for any farther back than that). Pie has had more than a 200 point split between right-handers and left-handers in each of those years, and he hasn't been platooned at any of those spots. It's been a dramatic and repeated split.

 

If it were just the major league numbers, I would completely agree with you. When the extremely limited major league numbers match what all the available minor league numbers have been consistently saying for years, it becomes a much bigger issue.

[dew1679666265]

... For someone like Pie, Granderson, and Hawp (Hawp and Granderson are terrible comparisons btw, as they weren't platooned). They probably are more of a function of sample size. The splits become even more pronounced with the lack of opportunity. It becomes a self fulfilling thing. For someone like JJ it is different as is his value to an organization.

 

Pie was never platooned in the minors, though. Nor do I think he was platooned early in his winter-league stints. So if his farm and winter stints so large and somewhat consistent splits, it may be harder to blame them on sample size or opportunity.

 

I don't know how Pie's career will play out. He got a couple of hits versus LHP the other day, and my impression was that while he was bad versus LHP this winter league, he was actually even worse versus RHP. So maybe he's going to be fine or no worse versus lefties than versus righties. I don't know.

 

But there are numerous LH hitters who don't hit LHP well, even when afforded extended opportunities. It's hardly "old school" ignorance to recognize that not-uncommon reality.

 

Will Pie be one of them? I don't know.

 

But it's certainly possible.

 

And even if we knew right now that Pie was going to spend his career as an .850-OPS guy versus RHP but a .680-guy versus LHP, a guy who should rightfully play his career in a platoon if used right, I don't think that being "only" a platoon guy should mean we should trade him right now. A good lefty platoon player is very valuable.

Pie's had a grand total of 58ABs againt LHP in MLB.

 

And those at-bats match what Pie did in Iowa against left-handers in 2006 and 2007, and in West Tennessee in 2005 (there are no split numbers available for any farther back than that). Pie has had more than a 200 point split between right-handers and left-handers in each of those years, and he hasn't been platooned at any of those spots. It's been a dramatic and repeated split.

 

If it were just the major league numbers, I would completely agree with you. When the extremely limited major league numbers match what all the available minor league numbers have been consistently saying for years, it becomes a much bigger issue.

 

This is the reason why I don't have a problem with Pie platooning (at least for now). He's always adjusted to each minor league level he's reached, but throughout his minor league career, he's never hit lefties well.

 

I see no reason why he'd miraculously start hitting them now. If he had a positive track record, I'd be cool with it. But he has a very bad track record.

[BigbadB]

This is the reason why I don't have a problem with Pie platooning (at least for now). He's always adjusted to each minor league level he's reached, but throughout his minor league career, he's never hit lefties well.

 

I see no reason why he'd miraculously start hitting them now. If he had a positive track record, I'd be cool with it. But he has a very bad track record.

 

To expound on what you mentioned here, there really aren't that many lefties to worry about, anyway. Pittsburgh looks like they have 3 in their rotation with Maholm, Duke and Gorzelanny. Cincy has an all right handed rotation. Houston only has Wandy Rodriguez. Milwaukee currently has no lefties. St. Louis won't have a lefty in their rotation until Mulder comes off the DL. That's a total of 4 lefties in our division of potentially 25 starters.

 

Granted, there are more lefties in the other divisions, but the bulk of our games shouldn't affect too much of Pie's playing time.

[SouthSideRyan]

BP's Christina Kahrl weighs in...

 

Johnny (Champaign, IL): How do you think Reed Johnson fits with the Cubs?

 

Christina Kahrl: For better or for worse, he's actually a better spare part to have in this particular outfield than Matt Murton, but that's because Murton's just not much of an outfielder, and is especially stretched for right, even if Murton has much more offensive up-side. That, plus Johnson's more of a contact hitter, and that tends to get treated with more respect in a reserve role than Murton's more broad-based offensive skills. So, it's a weird proposition, in that Murton's more valuable and someone you'd rather have in the abstract, but in terms of bench-building, Johnson is probably the better bit part.

 

Tree?

 

I was gonna say is that our Johnny from Champaign... I gotta imagine the amount of Johnny's in Champaign that read BP has to be pretty low.

 

My thought as well, but I thought tree might be afraid that I know his name.

[SouthSideRyan]

That only left 1 IF on the squad. Only injuries to Ward and Pagan made that not go on much longer than it did.

 

No, that's not the only thing that let it not go on for long. They didn't like doing it.

 

They didn't like doing it cause Fontenot was ass at SS.

[ottawacubbie]

The thing I like about this signing is that Reed Johnson is a good player (I am also Canadian and have gotten to see him with the Jays for a while now).

 

However, he isn't good enough to take too many ABs from Pie. Not by a long shot and especially with the downgrade at D when he is in the lineup over Pie.

 

His career splits are good though

 

LH .308 avg/.371 OBP in 701 ABs. 18 HR, 46 BB and 103 K.

RH .267/.328 in 1382 AB with 24 HR, 73 BB and 281 K.

 

He doesn't hit righties well at all. Even a struggling Pie would hit them better. With more RHP than LHP Pie will get majority time.

 

Plus somewhere I read he is gritty (LOL), but there isn't a stat for gritty.

[treebird]

BP's Christina Kahrl weighs in...

 

Johnny (Champaign, IL): How do you think Reed Johnson fits with the Cubs?

 

Christina Kahrl: For better or for worse, he's actually a better spare part to have in this particular outfield than Matt Murton, but that's because Murton's just not much of an outfielder, and is especially stretched for right, even if Murton has much more offensive up-side. That, plus Johnson's more of a contact hitter, and that tends to get treated with more respect in a reserve role than Murton's more broad-based offensive skills. So, it's a weird proposition, in that Murton's more valuable and someone you'd rather have in the abstract, but in terms of bench-building, Johnson is probably the better bit part.

 

Tree?

 

I was gonna say is that our Johnny from Champaign... I gotta imagine the amount of Johnny's in Champaign that read BP has to be pretty low.

 

My thought as well, but I thought tree might be afraid that I know his name.

 

yes that was me

 

don't worry ssr, i'll learn your name soon enough

[dew1679666265]

This is the reason why I don't have a problem with Pie platooning (at least for now). He's always adjusted to each minor league level he's reached, but throughout his minor league career, he's never hit lefties well.

 

I see no reason why he'd miraculously start hitting them now. If he had a positive track record, I'd be cool with it. But he has a very bad track record.

 

To expound on what you mentioned here, there really aren't that many lefties to worry about, anyway. Pittsburgh looks like they have 3 in their rotation with Maholm, Duke and Gorzelanny. Cincy has an all right handed rotation. Houston only has Wandy Rodriguez. Milwaukee currently has no lefties. St. Louis won't have a lefty in their rotation until Mulder comes off the DL. That's a total of 4 lefties in our division of potentially 25 starters.

 

Granted, there are more lefties in the other divisions, but the bulk of our games shouldn't affect too much of Pie's playing time.

 

Exactly. It's not going to stunt Pie's growth to relieve him of the weakest part of his game for a few at-bats throughout the year.

 

And, for a one-year deal, it's worth the chance that Reed Johnson's far superior numbers against lefties will help us win a game or two more this year.

[imb]

BP's Christina Kahrl weighs in...

 

Johnny (Champaign, IL): How do you think Reed Johnson fits with the Cubs?

 

Christina Kahrl: For better or for worse, he's actually a better spare part to have in this particular outfield than Matt Murton, but that's because Murton's just not much of an outfielder, and is especially stretched for right, even if Murton has much more offensive up-side. That, plus Johnson's more of a contact hitter, and that tends to get treated with more respect in a reserve role than Murton's more broad-based offensive skills. So, it's a weird proposition, in that Murton's more valuable and someone you'd rather have in the abstract, but in terms of bench-building, Johnson is probably the better bit part.

 

Tree?

 

I was gonna say is that our Johnny from Champaign... I gotta imagine the amount of Johnny's in Champaign that read BP has to be pretty low.

 

My thought as well, but I thought tree might be afraid that I know his name.

 

yes that was me

 

don't worry ssr, i'll learn your name soon enough

 

is it jeff

[Sweet Swinging Billy]

Murton for Felipe Lopez?

 

How about Matt Murton straight up for Brian Roberts? .....oh sorry, wrong thread.

[RedFlash]

Johnson seems to bring the Cubs what they like and what they need. They like his "grit" factor, and they could use his on-base percentage.

 

Here guys....a quote from Bruce Almight's lastest column over at the herald.

 

That's the reason why they signed Johnson, because of the "grit factor." Have fun guys.

[nick23]

This quote from Lou either means that Murton is definitely getting traded or he just outwardly hates red heads.

 

He's going to get playing time," Piniella said of Johnson. "I've got to rest the kid in right field (Kosuke Fukudome) from time to time, too. There's going to be some playing time for him. He's a hard-nosed kid that likes to play that's had a nice major-league career, and we're fortunate to get him here at the end of spring training."

[CuseCubFan69]

I don't remember Reed playing CF when he was here. I'd swear he was mostly a LF but I obviously am wrong.

[soapy]

This quote from Lou either means that Murton is definitely getting traded or he just outwardly hates red heads.

 

He's going to get playing time," Piniella said of Johnson. "I've got to rest the kid in right field (Kosuke Fukudome) from time to time, too. There's going to be some playing time for him. He's a hard-nosed kid that likes to play that's had a nice major-league career, and we're fortunate to get him here at the end of spring training."

Yeah, I was in denial yesterday, but the more I think about it the more I think Murton is very likely on his way out.

 

I'd still like to see them keep both, but I won't count on it.

[jersey cubs fan]

This quote from Lou either means that Murton is definitely getting traded or he just outwardly hates red heads.

 

He's going to get playing time," Piniella said of Johnson. "I've got to rest the kid in right field (Kosuke Fukudome) from time to time, too. There's going to be some playing time for him. He's a hard-nosed kid that likes to play that's had a nice major-league career, and we're fortunate to get him here at the end of spring training."

Yeah, I was in denial yesterday, but the more I think about it the more I think Murton is very likely on his way out.

 

I'd still like to see them keep both, but I won't count on it.

 

I'd like to see it to. I think the Cubs emphasize defense, and ignore hitting, on the bench all too often. I just can't see them keeping both, unless Ward goes down, or they finally realize a 7th reliever is completely unnecessary - especially in April, when you almost always have starters going on extra rest, and therefore available for emergency duty.

[RynoRules]

Johnson seems to bring the Cubs what they like and what they need. They like his "grit" factor, and they could use his on-base percentage.

 

Here guys....a quote from Bruce Almight's lastest column over at the herald.

 

That's the reason why they signed Johnson, because of the "grit factor." Have fun guys.

 

You should have your eyes checked, pronto!!!!