Final Bench Job Hoffpauir's to Lose

[CubColtPacer]

I believe Hill is still around because there are still ss games and they need another catcher. If they weren't going to go with Bako, why did they give him a contract instead of making be a NRI? Or has Hill done something to change their minds?

I don't really mind if they go with Hill. It will help morale system wide to give him the job over Bako. He's also a SH which even though he doesn't actually hit at least Piniella won't take that into consideration when deciding to rest Soto.

 

I think he's hit really well in the spring.

 

I haven't been paying much attention.

 

Koyie Hill has had a very good spring but the problem for him is that Bako's resurgence the last couple days means that he's right on his heels:

 

Hill-39 AB's, .385/.429/.538

Bako-31 AB's, .355/.394/.516

 

They really have a chance to pick either one of them but Hill's claim on the job has greatly diminished over the last few days.

[YearofDaCubs]

I wonder if Hill's hand injury will cause problems for him to throw out basestealers? Anyone know if they've tried to run on him yet?

[CubColtPacer]

I wonder if Hill's hand injury will cause problems for him to throw out basestealers? Anyone know if they've tried to run on him yet?

 

Cubs statistics have Hill throwing out 5 out of 7 baserunners this spring while Bako has thrown out 3 of 7.

[soapy]

it may have already been mentioned, but also working in Hill's favor is that several of the starters supposedly claimed to be very comfortable working with him and (again, supposedly) gave him rave reviews. if Hill and Bako are pretty close in most other aspects, Lou may used that as a reason to choose him over Bako.

[biittner77]

The job was probably Bako's to lose going into ST and he I guess has played well enough to not lose it. Hill probably needed Bako to fall completely flat in order to win the job. That usually the way things work in ST with Veterans vs. "prospects".

[Little Slide Rooter]

I think I am more and more for Koyie Hill as a backup. He has a slightly better bat than Bako, and while Bako is the better defensive ctcher, its not like hes a Hank White behind the plate. If Koyie cant cut it, we could easily scrape up another backup just as good as Bako.

 

Aside from backup catcher, looks like were down to Gathright, Taguchi, and German for that final spot.

Edited March 28, 2009 by Little Slide Rooter

[9YRPLAN]

living in DSM ive seen a ton of hill and am completely comfortable with him as a backup. his comeback story just makes it that much sweeter.

[Illini Iceman]

If they are close I feel pretty confident that the Cubs will go with Bako. It is almost an automatic that if Hill doesn't make the team he would take a AAA assignment, so the risk of picking Bako is very low. If he sucks for a month they just release him and bring Hill up from AAA to replace him. I am not as sure that Bako would agree to go to the minors. He would likely accept the release and either hope to get a job somewhere else or just retire.

 

Overall it seems pretty inconsequential to me either way. I would probably go with Bako, but most because after seeing Hill against MLB pitching in 2007 I have my doubts he can hit at this level. I think Bako's floor is higher than Hill's.

[Cubswin11]

So it looks like the bench is going to look something like

 

Hoffpauir

Miles

Johnson

Bako/Hill

German/Gathright/maybe Scales

 

looking at German's BR page I didn't realized he can/has played so many positions, though it does like he plays below avg. defense at all positions.

[Illini Iceman]

So it looks like the bench is going to look something like

 

Hoffpauir

Miles

Johnson

Bako/Hill

German/Gathright/maybe Scales

 

looking at German's BR page I didn't realized he can/has played so many positions, though it does like he plays below avg. defense at all positions.

 

Gathright is going to make the team.

[Cynosure]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

[Derwood]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

[Bruce Miles]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

 

It's spring training.

[Electron Blue]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

 

It's spring training.

 

I love the insider information you provide us!!!!

 

 

;)

[Bruce Miles]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

 

It's spring training.

 

I love the insider information you provide us!!!!

 

 

;)

 

That's why I'm here. Hoffpauir certainly has earned a spot on the team, and he has one. Lee with be there the vast majority of the time, but Hoffpauir will get a decent amount of playing time.

[TruffleShuffle]

aaron miles is 3-4, i'd like to see him playing every day too.

[Little Slide Rooter]

aaron miles is 3-4, i'd like to see him playing every day too.

 

Thats different Miles is a career journeyman type of player. Maybe he'll give us an empty batting average as they say, but thats about it. As for Hoff, I think more and more people are beginning to accept that hes more than just a fluke. Hes had nice minor league numbers the past few years. He dominated last spring training. Hes dominating this spring training. He dominated the PCL last year, and he did pretty well for himself in his time in the bigs. Im not saying that hes Albert Pujols, but I am saying that he will be a solid major league ball player, probably a .270 AVG with a .800+ OPS and 20+ HRs if he ever gets the chance to be a full time player.

[Electron Blue]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

 

It's spring training.

 

I love the insider information you provide us!!!!

 

 

;)

 

That's why I'm here. Hoffpauir certainly has earned a spot on the team, and he has one. Lee with be there the vast majority of the time, but Hoffpauir will get a decent amount of playing time.

 

That's good to hear. How much time do you think he'll see backing up corner outfield spots?

[Electron Blue]

aaron miles is 3-4, i'd like to see him playing every day too.

 

Thats different Miles is a career journeyman type of player. Maybe he'll give us an empty batting average as they say, but thats about it. As for Hoff, I think more and more people are beginning to accept that hes more than just a fluke. Hes had nice minor league numbers the past few years. He dominated last spring training. Hes dominating this spring training. He dominated the PCL last year, and he did pretty well for himself in his time in the bigs. Im not saying that hes Albert Pujols, but I am saying that he will be a solid major league ball player, probably a .270 AVG with a .800+ OPS and 20+ HRs if he ever gets the chance to be a full time player.

 

I just gave his numbers in the majors another look, and they really are nice.

 

.342/.400/.534 OPS+ 137, with a couple HRs, and 8 2bs in 72 ABs

[Bruce Miles]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

 

It's spring training.

 

I love the insider information you provide us!!!!

 

 

;)

 

That's why I'm here. Hoffpauir certainly has earned a spot on the team, and he has one. Lee with be there the vast majority of the time, but Hoffpauir will get a decent amount of playing time.

 

That's good to hear. How much time do you think he'll see backing up corner outfield spots?

 

Not a whole lot, but talking to Quade today, he seems to think Hoffpauir can be serviceable.

[TruffleShuffle]

yeah from what i have read, hoffpauir would be a very good defensive player at 1b but below average at the outfield corners.

 

i think the people who are lobbying for him to start are doing so mostly because there's a decent chance he'll be about as good as lee this season, without paying $10M for that production. but really, unless there's a way to trade lee - which would be very difficult given his contract and no-trade clause - it doesn't make sense to bench him and play hoffpauir.

[Illini Iceman]

yeah from what i have read, hoffpauir would be a very good defensive player at 1b but below average at the outfield corners.

 

i think the people who are lobbying for him to start are doing so mostly because there's a decent chance he'll be about as good as lee this season, without paying $10M for that production. but really, unless there's a way to trade lee - which would be very difficult given his contract and no-trade clause - it doesn't make sense to bench him and play hoffpauir.

 

I think Lee will be more useful to the Cubs if Lou sits him at least once a week against a good RH starter. First of all he won't be striking out or grounding to short on sliders on the outside corner, secondly at his age the rest will do him good. They should try to plan for him to start about 120 games in the regular season. I think the overall combination of Lee for 120 games and Hoff for 42 will provide better total production than Lee for 152 games and Hoff for 10.

[Derwood]

Hoffpauir in 3 AB today:

 

2-3, HR (5), 2B (6), 3 RBI (22), 2 RUNS

 

Derrek Lee to the bench please

 

It's spring training.

 

Ha ha ha, I was totally joking. If Hoffpauir can be Daryle Ward-esque off the bench, that'll be good enough.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So it looks like the bench is going to look something like

 

Hoffpauir

Miles

Johnson

Bako/Hill

German/Gathright/maybe Scales

 

looking at German's BR page I didn't realized he can/has played so many positions, though it does like he plays below avg. defense at all positions.

 

Gathright is going to make the team.

 

As long as Miles can play short stop and 3b from time to time, Gathright might be the best thing for the team. Between he, Taguchi, and German,their bats seem to be similar. However, Gathrights amazing speed is a great asset to have and when chosing between 3 mediocre at best bats, that could be the deciding factor. If Lou was looking for a better offensive palyer, he would have gone with Fox or Snyder, depending if he wanted a lefty or a righty, but with them both out of the running, its clear hes looking for other weapons. To be honst, Im not sure any of the 3 are any better of an option than Sam Fuld, who is at that age when its time to either give him a shot or let him go to another team who he might stand a chance with.

 

Fuld in 28 ABs .250/.364/.500 2 HR

Gathright in 45 ABs .244/.358/.244 7SB

So in 38 ABs .263/.404/.368

[mcgoobs]

I think Lee will be more useful to the Cubs if Lou sits him at least once a week against a good RH starter. First of all he won't be striking out or grounding to short on sliders on the outside corner, secondly at his age the rest will do him good. They should try to plan for him to start about 120 games in the regular season. I think the overall combination of Lee for 120 games and Hoff for 42 will provide better total production than Lee for 152 games and Hoff for 10.

 

I agree that having Lee/Hoffpauir in a platoon situation would probably be best for the Cubs offensive production, although I wonder how Lee would react to that. Next year (2010) Lee will be 34 and in the final year of his contract, and I wonder if he would react strongly to being put into a platoon.