Bradley Signs with Cubs 3/$30 million (p. 33)

[DiamondMind]

I expect Fontenot to far surpass his PA's from last year. I look at Miles as a utility replacement, and a cost-saver over DeRosa to fit in Bradley and a potential supplemental move. I don't think acquiring Miles had anything to do with him being left handed, especially when most of his AB's will come as a spot starter, or replacing Fontenot against tough LHP. If anything I see Miles batting RH quite a bit.

[cubsfan26]

The question is whether they prefer to have Miles or Fontenot play against RHP. I suspect it's the former, and that's going to make my head explode.

 

You're just thinking negative, and thinking the Cubs are stupid. Why would they not play a guy who's a career 300/379/853 hitter against RH pitching in 404 AB's? Plus it's not like Fontenot is in Lou doghouse, Lou really likes Fontenot.

Edited January 12, 2009 by cubsfan26

[cubsfan26]

I expect Fontenot to far surpass his PA's from last year. I look at Miles as a utility replacement, and a cost-saver over DeRosa to fit in Bradley and a potential supplemental move. I don't think acquiring Miles had anything to do with him being left handed, especially when most of his AB's will come as a spot starter, or replacing Fontenot against tough LHP. If anything I see Miles batting RH quite a bit.

 

 

Exactly, anybody who thinks otherwise is just overreacting or complaining to complain. The Cubs aren't stupid they know Mark DeRosa is alot better then Aaron Miles. Mark DeRosa hit 275/367/842 against RH pitching(also hit well in the playoffs), so it's not like his bat was killing us against RH pitching. Miles was brought in to help Fontenot and back up other infield postions. He wasn't brought in to play everyday, or replace DeRosa. The Cubs decided to go with Fontenot/Miles over DeRosa, and save money to use towards Bradley and another SP.

[CUBZ99]

I expect Fontenot to far surpass his PA's from last year. I look at Miles as a utility replacement, and a cost-saver over DeRosa to fit in Bradley and a potential supplemental move. I don't think acquiring Miles had anything to do with him being left handed, especially when most of his AB's will come as a spot starter, or replacing Fontenot against tough LHP. If anything I see Miles batting RH quite a bit.

 

 

Exactly, anybody who thinks otherwise is just overreacting or complaining to complain. The Cubs aren't stupid they know Mark DeRosa is alot better then Aaron Miles. Mark DeRosa hit 275/367/842 against RH pitching(also hit well in the playoffs), so it's not like his bat was killing us against RH pitching. Miles was brought in to help Fontenot and back up other infield postions. He wasn't brought in to play everyday, or replace DeRosa. The Cubs decided to go with Fontenot/Miles over DeRosa, and save money to use towards Bradley and another SP.

 

Exactly, Hendry said as much in every interview he has given since the trade. He constantly says that he wants to give the younger talent (Fontenot) a chance.

[TruffleShuffle]

trading derosa does make me fear for the times when aramis gets hurt. being able to put derosa over there and then fontenot at 2b didn't result in a huge loss of offense. unless i'm missing something, doesn't miles become the backup third baseman now? the dropoff from ramirez to miles a lot worse than ramirez to derosa.

[DiamondMind]

trading derosa does make me fear for the times when aramis gets hurt. being able to put derosa over there and then fontenot at 2b didn't result in a huge loss of offense. unless i'm missing something, doesn't miles become the backup third baseman now? the dropoff from ramirez to miles a lot worse than ramirez to derosa.

 

I agree with you about the fear of a Ramirez injury. Nothings perfect in this world, though. Get stronger in one area, get weaker in another. /shrug

 

Also, another poster in this thread is right, and this isn't directed at anybody, but some people on this board just complain to complain. How can one honestly think Miles was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed? It's just ridiculous.

 

http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/12/old_man_yells_at_cloud8.jpg

[Illini Iceman]

trading derosa does make me fear for the times when aramis gets hurt. being able to put derosa over there and then fontenot at 2b didn't result in a huge loss of offense. unless i'm missing something, doesn't miles become the backup third baseman now? the dropoff from ramirez to miles a lot worse than ramirez to derosa.

 

I agree with you about the fear of a Ramirez injury. Nothings perfect in this world, though. Get stronger in one area, get weaker in another. /shrug

 

Also, another poster in this thread is right, and this isn't directed at anybody, but some people on this board just complain to complain. How can one honestly think Miles was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed? It's just ridiculous.

 

http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/12/old_man_yells_at_cloud8.jpg

 

When the Cubs traded Mark DeRosa to Cleveland the same day they signed free agent Aaron Miles, conventional wisdom suggested Miles would be DeRosa's replacement.

 

But general manager Jim Hendry said Wednesday that Mike Fontenot will compete with Miles for the second base job in spring training.

 

"Absolutely," Hendry said. "I think when we all got done, and all the things that got batted around in the last couple of months, we forget how good a player he was last year."

 

Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno and Rich Hill are out of options, meaning they will have to clear waivers if they're not on the Opening Day roster. None of them will be at this weekend's Cubs Convention, and all three figure to be with different teams by the end of spring training, if they're not dealt beforehand.

 

The Cubs have spoken to Rich Aurilia's agent and may offer Aurilia a one-year deal to take Cedeno's spot and back up Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-15-cubs-bits-chicagojan15,0,6211292.story

[DiamondMind]

Nothing you quoted has anything to do with the recent topic of Miles only being signed because he can hit left handed. Who's "the starter" at second base is a different topic.

 

I will say that I think Miles is a better player than some people on this board give him credit for, but he's still a super sub in my mind.

[jersey cubs fan]

trading derosa does make me fear for the times when aramis gets hurt. being able to put derosa over there and then fontenot at 2b didn't result in a huge loss of offense. unless i'm missing something, doesn't miles become the backup third baseman now? the dropoff from ramirez to miles a lot worse than ramirez to derosa.

 

I agree with you about the fear of a Ramirez injury. Nothings perfect in this world, though. Get stronger in one area, get weaker in another. /shrug

 

Also, another poster in this thread is right, and this isn't directed at anybody, but some people on this board just complain to complain. How can one honestly think Miles was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed? It's just ridiculous.

 

http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/07/12/old_man_yells_at_cloud8.jpg

 

Who is saying he was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed?

[DiamondMind]

 

Who is saying he was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed?

 

Ok, I'll bite.

 

You?

[jersey cubs fan]

 

Who is saying he was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed?

 

Ok, I'll bite.

 

You?

 

No, I said the primary reason for dealing DeRosa was to get more lefthanded. The only way they've done that so far is by adding Miles. Miles was acquired because he could switch hit and is "versatile".

[davearm2]

 

Who is saying he was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed?

 

Ok, I'll bite.

 

You?

 

No, I said the primary reason for dealing DeRosa was to get more lefthanded. The only way they've done that so far is by adding Miles. Miles was acquired because he could switch hit and is "versatile".

So if the Cubs had traded DeRosa but hadn't added Miles, then they wouldn't be more lefthanded?

 

You're not that dumb. Of course they would, by committing more ABs to Fontenot.

 

So I conclude you're simply being stubborn and unreasonable.

[jersey cubs fan]

 

Who is saying he was only acquired due to his ability to hit left handed?

 

Ok, I'll bite.

 

You?

 

No, I said the primary reason for dealing DeRosa was to get more lefthanded. The only way they've done that so far is by adding Miles. Miles was acquired because he could switch hit and is "versatile".

So if the Cubs had traded DeRosa but hadn't added Miles, then they wouldn't be more lefthanded?

 

You're not that dumb. Of course they would, by committing more ABs to Fontenot.

 

So I conclude you're simply being stubborn and unreasonable.

 

More Fontenot contributes to it, but he's not going to play that much more. Miles replacing DeRosa is the bigger part of it.

[jersey cubs fan]

Seriously, stubborn and unreasonable?

 

That's just ridiculous. Hendry has said he felt the need to trade DeRosa so they could get more lefthanded. The player they brought in to replace him is a switch hitter. The only other bat they've added effectively replaces another LH bat.

 

The only people being unreasonable are those who insist Hendry didn't deal DeRosa in an effort to get more left handed and that the addition of Miles is the only thing he's done to actually get more left handed.

 

It's crystal freaking clear.

[17 Seconds]

Hendry might say that he was traded to get more left-handed, but the main reason (which he obviously won't admit to) was to shed payroll.

[SouthSideRyan]

Hendry might say that he was traded to get more left-handed, but the main reason (which he obviously won't admit to) was to shed payroll.

 

To reallocate payroll to worse players.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hendry might say that he was traded to get more left-handed, but the main reason (which he obviously won't admit to) was to shed payroll.

 

To reallocate payroll to worse players.

 

He trimmed what, 1.5% of the payroll in the deal?

[cubsfan26]

Hendry saved 3.3m from going with Fontenot/Miles next year instead of DeRosa. With DeRosa gone Fontenot will get another 160-180 AB's at 2b. Just having Soriano for 130-140 games is another 130 AB's that would go to DeRosa in the outfield. Bradley, Hoffpauir, Gathright and Johnson will make up another 50 plus outfield AB's that would go to DeRosa. Aaron Miles might get 150-170 AB's that would have gone to DeRosa. The rest of Miles AB's will be taken away from Ronny Cedeno. Yes Hendry wanted to get more LH, but thats because he had a good LH bat(Fontenot) he wanted in the line-up everday against RH pitching. Aaron Miles isn't replacing DeRosa, he's replacing a small part of DeRosa, and replacing Cedeno as the back up at SS and 3rd. I don't understand why people keep trying to fight this, and try to make it sound like Hendry is stupid and got worse at a postion because he wants to get more LH.

 

 

 

He did it save money(which he did), and hopefully get equal or better production from Fontenot. Hendry will never tell the media he's trading a player because of money. So he will come up with reasons like wanting to get more LH(which is the reason but not the main reason). But the real reason was to save money(3.3m), and give Fontenot(LH bat) a chance. Aaron Miles was brought in for insurance/platoon at 2b, and back up at SS/3b thats it. Just be patent that 3.3m will be spent towards SP most likely, hopefully it will be Peavy.

[17 Seconds]

Hendry might say that he was traded to get more left-handed, but the main reason (which he obviously won't admit to) was to shed payroll.

 

To reallocate payroll to worse players.

 

I never said I agreed with it

[17 Seconds]

also, miles doesn't even figure to get many at-bats as a lefty. fontenot will get all those. the majority of miles' time figures to be against lhp as a 2b.

[SouthSideRyan]

also, miles doesn't even figure to get many at-bats as a lefty. fontenot will get all those. the majority of miles' time figures to be against lhp as a 2b.

 

Miles is also going to be our power lefty off the bench.

[17 Seconds]

also, miles doesn't even figure to get many at-bats as a lefty. fontenot will get all those. the majority of miles' time figures to be against lhp as a 2b.

 

Miles is also going to be our power lefty off the bench.

 

not the point

[Transmogrified Tiger]

also, miles doesn't even figure to get many at-bats as a lefty. fontenot will get all those. the majority of miles' time figures to be against lhp as a 2b.

 

Miles is also going to be our power lefty off the bench.

 

After Hoffpauir.

[haubrich91]

also, miles doesn't even figure to get many at-bats as a lefty. fontenot will get all those. the majority of miles' time figures to be against lhp as a 2b.

 

Miles is also going to be our power lefty off the bench.

 

:lol:

 

That made me throw up a little.

[SouthSideRyan]

also, miles doesn't even figure to get many at-bats as a lefty. fontenot will get all those. the majority of miles' time figures to be against lhp as a 2b.

 

Miles is also going to be our power lefty off the bench.

 

After Hoffpauir.

 

I'm still waiting to hear how Hoff is going to fit on a 5 man bench.