Kap says Cubs are talking to Aurilia's agent

[jersey cubs fan]

But he has a greater than average chance of being at least decent against them, which is a lot better than most of our bench can say.

 

That's probably true, which is scary in and of itself.

[jersey cubs fan]

If this goes through, they really did choose Miles/Aurilia over DeRosa/Cedeno. That's a horrible indictment on Hendry.

 

I hate that they went this route too (specifically trading DeRosa) but you would have to throw in both the money saved and the 3 pitching prospects in order to get a fair comparison.

 

The money saved isn't going to be all that much, if they sign Aurillia. I doubt he gets the minimum. And the pitchers aren't anything to rave about.

[Derwood]

going further, a bench of Bako/Aurilia/Miles/Gathright/Johnson instead of Blanco/Fontenot/Cedeno/Pie/Johnson is pretty miserable

[SouthSideRyan]

If this goes through, they really did choose Miles/Aurilia over DeRosa/Cedeno. That's a horrible indictment on Hendry.

 

I hate that they went this route too (specifically trading DeRosa) but you would have to throw in both the money saved and the 3 pitching prospects in order to get a fair comparison.

 

I'd imagine they'd wind up saving ~1M. Probably the difference between whatever suckhole backup catcher we sign and Koyie Hill.

 

Oh, and those prospects, unless they happened to be coveted by the Padres are garbage.

[CubColtPacer]

If this goes through, they really did choose Miles/Aurilia over DeRosa/Cedeno. That's a horrible indictment on Hendry.

 

I hate that they went this route too (specifically trading DeRosa) but you would have to throw in both the money saved and the 3 pitching prospects in order to get a fair comparison.

 

The money saved isn't going to be all that much, if they sign Aurillia. I doubt he gets the minimum. And the pitchers aren't anything to rave about.

 

I'm not assuming the minimum for Aurilia. If he signed for 1.2, the Cubs would save 2.7 million on that combo over the DeRosa/Cedeno combo. And I think it's more likely that he would come in under that 1.2 number than significantly over.

[jersey cubs fan]

If this goes through, they really did choose Miles/Aurilia over DeRosa/Cedeno. That's a horrible indictment on Hendry.

 

I hate that they went this route too (specifically trading DeRosa) but you would have to throw in both the money saved and the 3 pitching prospects in order to get a fair comparison.

 

I'd imagine they'd wind up saving ~1M. Probably the difference between whatever suckhole backup catcher we sign and Koyie Hill.

 

Oh, and those prospects, unless they happened to be coveted by the Padres are garbage.

 

Maybe in 2009. But Miles's contract goes through 2010, and they will be stuck needing more veteran infield help that year because Cedeno won't be around.

 

A lot of moves Hendry makes are perceived as moves he "had to make", but those moves are only made because of the condition he left the team in the first place.

[CubColtPacer]

If this goes through, they really did choose Miles/Aurilia over DeRosa/Cedeno. That's a horrible indictment on Hendry.

 

I hate that they went this route too (specifically trading DeRosa) but you would have to throw in both the money saved and the 3 pitching prospects in order to get a fair comparison.

 

I'd imagine they'd wind up saving ~1M. Probably the difference between whatever suckhole backup catcher we sign and Koyie Hill.

 

Oh, and those prospects, unless they happened to be coveted by the Padres are garbage.

 

Koyie Hill has a decent chance of making more money than whatever backup catcher we sign. We might actually save money by going with a different body there.

 

And I don't see how you would get near a 1 mil difference unless you think Aurilia would get more than Miles this year, which I sincerely doubt.

[cubsfan26]

Yeah I can't see Aurilia really wanting to come to the Cubs, unless he really wants to win. Because he just isn't gonna get alot of AB's backing up 1b and 3rd. Playing 1b, 3rd and pinch hitting he will be lucky to get 130-150 AB's, which is about 250-300 less then he usually gets. So the Cubs have interest, but I doubt they want to pay him much, and I doubt he gets much AB's. So just because the Cubs have interest, doesn't mean Aurilia will want to come here in this role.

 

He's a 37-year old extremely limited defensive player that can't come close to producing the numbers necessary at the positions he's stuck at, 3B and 1B. Teams just aren't throwing money to garbage guys like Aurillia this year. The demand for major league names to fill spots just isn't that high. Why pay a veteran $800,000 to take up at bats that a $400,000 kid who might have a future can do it? In normal times the kid is the better option, in uncertain economic times when tickets haven't even gone on sale yet it's even more of an obvious option.

 

 

There's not gonna be a high demand for Aurilia, but teams are always interested in guys like him. I'm just saying Aurilia should be able to find a job making 1m plus next year, and get more playing time then 130-150 AB's. Like I pointed out with the Aaron Miles signing, bench players are still getting paid this offseason. Teams aren't scared to give a back up player 2m plus. Alex Cora and Jerry Hairston just got 1y at 2m deals, and Omar Infante just signed a new two year deal. Major league teams will look at his 283 average, 10 HR and 52 RBI's and think there pretty solid numbers for a back up. If you don't think so thats fine, but I think your giving too much credit to most major league GM's then.

[jersey cubs fan]

Koyie Hill has a decent chance of making more money than whatever backup catcher we sign.

 

Really? How?

[SouthSideRyan]

I think you really underestimate what Aurilia's going to get. And I don't think it's possible for Koyie Hill to make less than whoever our backup is. It's not the NBA, there's no floor for Koyie other than the league minimum.

[cubsfan26]

Last rumored contract offer I heard for Paul Bako was 1y at 500,000. I'm not sure if Koyie Hill will make more then that or not, but it's probably close to the same. But I would be shocked if Aurilia gets over 1m if he signed with the Cubs. He might get more money from someone else, but the Cubs aren't gonna pay him much. They have interest and might offer him a contract, but his role is gonna be Daryle Ward AB like, and the Cubs aren't gonna pay him much to do that. Edited January 15, 2009 by cubsfan26

[CubColtPacer]

Koyie Hill has a decent chance of making more money than whatever backup catcher we sign.

 

Really? How?

 

Koyie Hill doesn't make the minimum salary. He made 85,000 more than the minimum last year. If he gets any kind of a raise this year (which he likely will as the minimum is going up again and he's a year older), it will likely be more than the Bako rumored contract or at least the same amount.

[UMFan83]

going further, a bench of Bako/Aurilia/Miles/Gathright/Johnson instead of Blanco/Fontenot/Cedeno/Pie/Johnson is pretty miserable

 

Yeah but its a little more versatile. Last year our biggest problem off the bench was that Blanco was our best RH power bat off the bench when Reed started. Aurilia, while crappy, could at least improve that most likely.

[mdwilla]

With the way the market has played out this offseason I would like to see if Hendry can bring back Nomar to play a super utility role. He won't stay healthy for the whole season but we could use him all around the infield . Another guy who I think will find a starting role elsewhere who would look good coming off our bench is Ty Wiggiton. Can Hendry sell Nomar on Chicago again with a good chance at his first ring before he retires? I know the Phillies where trying to go down this road with him as well.

[UMFan83]

With the way the market has played out this offseason I would like to see if Hendry can bring back Nomar to play a super utility role. He won't stay healthy for the whole season but we could use him all around the infield . Another guy who I think will find a starting role elsewhere who would look good coming off our bench is Ty Wiggiton. Can Hendry sell Nomar on Chicago again with a good chance at his first ring before he retires? I know the Phillies where trying to go down this road with him as well.

 

His name is worth too much.

[JeffH]

Koyie Hill has a decent chance of making more money than whatever backup catcher we sign.

 

Really? How?

 

Endorsements...

[jersey cubs fan]

With the way the market has played out this offseason I would like to see if Hendry can bring back Nomar to play a super utility role. He won't stay healthy for the whole season but we could use him all around the infield . Another guy who I think will find a starting role elsewhere who would look good coming off our bench is Ty Wiggiton. Can Hendry sell Nomar on Chicago again with a good chance at his first ring before he retires? I know the Phillies where trying to go down this road with him as well.

 

Nomar getting most of the starts at 2B against LHP, and allowing Lee and Ramirez to each take 20-30 games off would be fine with me, but I doubt Hendry would go this route or Nomar would be interested. He finally got to the west coast after years of rumors that's where he wanted to go, and it will probably take a lot to get him to move.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'd be happy if I never heard the word versatile again.

[Post Count Padder]

Aurilia still crushes lefties, but this after signing Miles is beyond dumb.

[davearm2]

going further, a bench of Bako/Aurilia/Miles/Gathright/Johnson instead of Blanco/Fontenot/Cedeno/Pie/Johnson is pretty miserable

Really? Those groups look about equally blah to me.

 

Nobody's seriously going to miss having bats like Blanco Cedeno and Pie available off the bench, right?

 

The collective defensive value of those two groups seems roughly equal to me too. Miles to Cedeno is a mild downgrade. The rest is a wash.

[davearm2]

Aurilia still crushes lefties, but this after signing Miles is beyond dumb.

You'd prefer Cedeno to Aurilia for the same $$$? That's really the choice here.

 

Not me. Cedeno stinks. Time to pull the plug.

[SouthSideRyan]

Aurilia still crushes lefties, but this after signing Miles is beyond dumb.

You'd prefer Cedeno to Aurilia for the same $$$? That's really the choice here.

 

Not me. Cedeno stinks. Time to pull the plug.

 

Aurilia stinks, is old, and can't play defense.

[davearm2]

Aurilia still crushes lefties, but this after signing Miles is beyond dumb.

You'd prefer Cedeno to Aurilia for the same $$$? That's really the choice here.

 

Not me. Cedeno stinks. Time to pull the plug.

 

Aurilia stinks, is old, and can't play defense.

As a hitter, Cedeno stinks a whole lot more.

 

I know which guy I'd rather send up to pinch hit or to spot-start for Ramirez here and there. That's the role we're discussing here.

[Backtobanks]

Yeah I can't see Aurilia really wanting to come to the Cubs, unless he really wants to win. Because he just isn't gonna get alot of AB's backing up 1b and 3rd. Playing 1b, 3rd and pinch hitting he will be lucky to get 130-150 AB's, which is about 250-300 less then he usually gets. So the Cubs have interest, but I doubt they want to pay him much, and I doubt he gets much AB's. So just because the Cubs have interest, doesn't mean Aurilia will want to come here in this role.

 

He's a 37-year old extremely limited defensive player that can't come close to producing the numbers necessary at the positions he's stuck at, 3B and 1B. Teams just aren't throwing money to garbage guys like Aurillia this year. The demand for major league names to fill spots just isn't that high. Why pay a veteran $800,000 to take up at bats that a $400,000 kid who might have a future can do it? In normal times the kid is the better option, in uncertain economic times when tickets haven't even gone on sale yet it's even more of an obvious option.

 

The problem is that we don't have a "kid" that can back up 1B and 3B and hit off the bench.

[haubrich91]

I'd rather have Nomar than Aurilia, depending on his price tag.