Final Bench Job Hoffpauir's to Lose

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

From the same article Bruce had on Soriano and the lead-off spot, it appears the last bench spot belongs to Hoffpauir.

 

Link.

 

Hoff's power: Lou Piniella acknowledged that the primary bench job belongs to left-handed hitter Micah Hoffpauir.

 

"I would think that it's his job to lose," Piniella said. "I plan on giving him some playing time at first to rest Derrek (Lee) and also at both corner outfield spots. The kid swings the bat, I don't see any problems there."

 

With comments like this, it appears the fifth starter and final make-up of the bullpen is all that's left to be decided.

[manbearcub]

good.

[Mephistopheles]

This is Lou Piniella we're talking about. He's going to flip flop at least ten times before Opening Day.

[cubbinalltheway]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Sweet, more at bats for Miles in a starting role. It does help the pinch hitting situation though. I wonder how those two compare in value when you account for the leverage of when a #1 PH is used.

[Derwood]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

[Mephistopheles]

Aaron Miles got a whopping 61 innings at third last season. Man our bench is going to suck. Injuries stay away for a year, or all happen at once for a two week stretch in May.

[E.J.]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

[cubbinalltheway]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

gathright brings speed. he's a lefty too, isn't he?

 

edit: also, car jumping abilities.

[Banedon]

Aaron Miles got a whopping 61 innings at third last season. Man our bench is going to suck. Injuries stay away for a year, or all happen at once for a two week stretch in May.

 

Yeah, 3rd base backup is going to be an adventure.

[Cynosure]

About time, good to see him finally get a real shot after his ridiculous monster year last year in AAA.

[CubinNY]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

Why do you hope Hill beats out Bako?

[E.J.]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

gathright brings speed. he's a lefty too, isn't he?

 

edit: also, car jumping abilities.

 

Are we working on a track team? Who cares if he has speed. Also, he's a lefty, but has no power and hasn't shown a whole lot of patience at the plate. He's basically Fukudome extra-light. He's a waste of a roster space.

[cubbinalltheway]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

gathright brings speed. he's a lefty too, isn't he?

 

edit: also, car jumping abilities.

 

Are we working on a track team? Who cares if he has speed.

that's a pretty silly thing to say. speed has value. how much value is certainly debatable. but to dismiss it entirely is dumb.

[Mephistopheles]

Well if Aramis Ramirez goes down for any considerable length of time (which is possible, he's no Ripken) who else do we have in the organization that could back up even Aaron Miles? Whoever it is it's going to be ugly.

 

 

and whoever it is will universally be hated by NSBB because they're not Mark DeRosa. Josh Vitters had better get his ass in gear, eh...

[Mephistopheles]

Are we working on a track team? Who cares if he has speed. Also, he's a lefty, but has no power and hasn't shown a whole lot of patience at the plate. He's basically Fukudome extra-light. He's a waste of a roster space.

 

He can jump cars. He can be like Tanaka in ML2 (or 3 or 4? whichever one it was) and jump the wall and rob home runs that would be in the basket. That's awesome and worth losing a few games here and there imo.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'd still like to see us sign Nomar for a back-up job, but I don't expect anything like that to happen.

 

It would be nice if we signed Nomar and he pushed Gathright off the roster.

 

A bench of Nomar, Hoffpauir, Miles, Johnson, and Bako wouldn't be horrible. On the other hand, I'm not too enamored with the current bench of Hoffpauir, Miles, Johnson, Gathright and Bako.

[Outshined_One]

Well if Aramis Ramirez goes down for any considerable length of time (which is possible, he's no Ripken) who else do we have in the organization that could back up even Aaron Miles? Whoever it is it's going to be ugly.

 

 

and whoever it is will universally be hated by NSBB because they're not Mark DeRosa. Josh Vitters had better get his ass in gear, eh...

 

Well, there's, um...Marquez Smith! Yeah, him! And Josh Lansford!!! And don't forget Kyle Reynolds, either!

 

Holy hell do we have a black hole of suck in the upper levels at 3B.

[E.J.]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

Why do you hope Hill beats out Bako?

 

Because Hill has more power than Bako and will likely put up a better OPS. Also, I can't stand watching Bako swing the bat. ;)

[E.J.]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

gathright brings speed. he's a lefty too, isn't he?

 

edit: also, car jumping abilities.

 

Are we working on a track team? Who cares if he has speed.

that's a pretty silly thing to say. speed has value. how much value is certainly debatable. but to dismiss it entirely is dumb.

 

Gathright has to get on base for his speed to have value. His career average OBP is .327. Not good at all. So I'm hardly dismissing speed. I'm just saying he has no right on the team.

[Mephistopheles]

lets be fair, patience is an attribute that gathright does possess.

[cubbinalltheway]

so...

 

hoffpauir

miles

johnson

gathright

bako

 

right?

 

I'm hoping Gathright somehow doesn't make it, as he and Johnson are completely redundant defensively. It's not worth carrying a guy just as a pinch runner when you have a 12 man pitching staff. Also, there is no one to back up Aramis on that bench.

 

I wonder if that's why they have Jake Fox working out at 3b. I'm guessing Gathright doesn't make the team either. He brings nothing to the table that Johnson doesn't bring. Also, I'm really hoping Hill beats out Bako for the backup catcher position.

gathright brings speed. he's a lefty too, isn't he?

 

edit: also, car jumping abilities.

 

Are we working on a track team? Who cares if he has speed.

that's a pretty silly thing to say. speed has value. how much value is certainly debatable. but to dismiss it entirely is dumb.

 

Gathright has to get on base for his speed to have value. His career average OBP is .327. Not good at all. So I'm hardly dismissing speed. I'm just saying he has no right on the team.

not good enough to be an everyday player, no. his obp is a reason he doesn't play everyday. but for a bench player, is a .327 obp really that bad? i'm not trying to argue one way or the other, but it doesn't seem too bad. again, for a bench player. i don't know what league average is for players coming off the bench, or if that's even available for that matter.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Gathright is not bad for a bench player, but with the make-up on our bench, I'd prefer not to have him.

 

Miles offers no power off the bench; Reed Johnson doesn't offer much power. Bako...zilch. If Gathright is on the bench, the only realy power on the bench we have is Hoffpauir who is limited in the positions he can play. Considering the make-up of the OF and Johnson and Hoffpauir on the bench, I'd rather not have a Gathright on the bench.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It's no secret that I've been a fan of Hoffpauirs, but my thinking is that if there werent plans for Gathright to be on the opening day roster, he wouldnt have been given a major league contract. As with Hoff, a spot on the opening day roster is his to win or loose. I dont know what they'll do about the backup middle infield situation, but I guess that brisge will be crossed when they get to it.

[Jehrico]

This is where bringing back Henry would have been much better than bringing the original lemon back. Henry had some decent pop in his bat for a backup catcher.

 

Whatever really happened there? Did Hendry just decide he didn't want Hank back or what? It can't be that he wanted too much money or anything like that.