What's the point, Lou?

[Iowa Cub]

Why do we have Jake Fox in the majors if we are going to consistently leave his stick out of the lineup? You don't take a hitter that hot (minors or not) and sit him down around a bunch of guys who aren't hitting themselves. Don't say that he needs work at 3B, if that's the case start him at Third for a week in Iowa. It's not like Alan Trammel is the only one that can teach him how to play said position.

[DiamondMind]

Why do we have Jake Fox in the majors if we are going to consistently leave his stick out of the lineup? You don't take a hitter that hot (minors or not) and sit him down around a bunch of guys who aren't hitting themselves. Don't say that he needs work at 3B, if that's the case start him at Third for a week in Iowa. It's not like Alan Trammel is the only one that can teach him how to play said position.

 

I could not agree with this post more.

 

It's a common complaint with the Cubs for me, though. They seem to routinely call up hot players in the minors only to let them sit on the bench. How does Scales get into so many games, but Fox sits? And I LIKE Scales. I just don't understand the logic. I know Fox hasn't been up long at all, so save me those comments, but with the way Hoffpauir's D scared Lou at first, I can see him thinking the same thing here.

[Iowa Cub]

 

I could not agree with this post more.

 

It's a common complaint with the Cubs for me, though. They seem to routinely call up hot players in the minors only to let them sit on the bench. How does Scales get into so many games, but Fox sits? And I LIKE Scales. I just don't understand the logic. I know Fox hasn't been up long at all, so save me those comments, but with the way Hoffpauir's D scared Lou at first, I can see him thinking the same thing here.

How does Soriano's defense pass the test?

[UMFan83]

Scales can play adequate defense while they aren't sure about Fox yet. Lou doesn't underrate defense.

[DiamondMind]

 

I could not agree with this post more.

 

It's a common complaint with the Cubs for me, though. They seem to routinely call up hot players in the minors only to let them sit on the bench. How does Scales get into so many games, but Fox sits? And I LIKE Scales. I just don't understand the logic. I know Fox hasn't been up long at all, so save me those comments, but with the way Hoffpauir's D scared Lou at first, I can see him thinking the same thing here.

How does Soriano's defense pass the test?

 

In my opinion Soriano plays an above-average LF.

[Iowa Cub]

Scales can play adequate defense while they aren't sure about Fox yet. Lou doesn't underrate defense.

and that is fine... so have him starting at 3rd in the minors.

[Little Slide Rooter]

If you refer to one of the multiple Jake Fox or 3rd base related posts, you'll read more on the subject.

 

From what I hear, the badness of Foxes defense at all positions is the stuff legends are made of, however, it couldnt hurt too much if they would at least give it a shot for a few games or at the very least a few inning when we have a huge lead or deficit.

[DiamondMind]

If you refer to one of the multiple Jake Fox or 3rd base related posts, you'll read more on the subject.

 

From what I hear, the badness of Foxes defense at all positions is the stuff legends are made of, however, it couldnt hurt too much if they would at least give it a shot for a few games or at the very least a few inning when we have a huge lead or deficit.

 

Didn't stop Milwaukee with Gamel.

[dew1679666265]

Scales can play adequate defense while they aren't sure about Fox yet. Lou doesn't underrate defense.

and that is fine... so have him starting at 3rd in the minors.

 

The thing with Fox is that he's very unlikely to be a long term solution anywhere - except as a bat off the bench (or a DH if we deal him to an AL team). So, I think the idea was to call him up and take advantage of his hot bat in pinch hit situations. You're not stunting his growth, because he's not really an answer long term anywhere.

 

And he's not a long term answer anywhere because of his defense.

[dew1679666265]

In my opinion Soriano plays an above-average LF.

 

Yep, he's pretty much right at above average as a left fielder.

[Vanilla Ice]

If you refer to one of the multiple Jake Fox or 3rd base related posts, you'll read more on the subject.

 

From what I hear, the badness of Foxes defense at all positions is the stuff legends are made of, however, it couldnt hurt too much if they would at least give it a shot for a few games or at the very least a few inning when we have a huge lead or deficit.

 

Didn't stop Milwaukee with Gamel.

That does not make it smarter to play Fox at 3rd

[Butterscup1679666578]

I was under the impression they were going to work with him at third and see if he can handle it. That doesn't happen in 2-3 days.

[17 Seconds]

If you refer to one of the multiple Jake Fox or 3rd base related posts, you'll read more on the subject.

 

From what I hear, the badness of Foxes defense at all positions is the stuff legends are made of, however, it couldnt hurt too much if they would at least give it a shot for a few games or at the very least a few inning when we have a huge lead or deficit.

 

Didn't stop Milwaukee with Gamel.

 

Gamel actually plays 3B. Just poorly. Fox doesn't play 3B.

 

Plus Gamel is a stud prospect

[SouthSideRyan]

 

I could not agree with this post more.

 

It's a common complaint with the Cubs for me, though. They seem to routinely call up hot players in the minors only to let them sit on the bench. How does Scales get into so many games, but Fox sits? And I LIKE Scales. I just don't understand the logic. I know Fox hasn't been up long at all, so save me those comments, but with the way Hoffpauir's D scared Lou at first, I can see him thinking the same thing here.

How does Soriano's defense pass the test?

 

Probably by being good.

[sneakypower]

i don't think Gamel's played more than like 15 innings of 3B this year

[cubswin2009]

The Brewers played a terrible defensive 3B Ryan Braun in 2007. Worked out pretty good for them.

[David]

The Brewers played a terrible defensive 3B Ryan Braun in 2007. Worked out pretty good for them.

 

 

Yea, that team was really good.

[Vanilla Ice]

Jake Fox can't hit like 2007 Ryan Braun. He probably plays worse defense than 2007 Ryan Braun, too.

[David]

Jake Fox can't hit like 2007 Ryan Braun. He probably plays worse defense than 2007 Ryan Braun, too.

 

This too.

[CubColtPacer]

Scales can play adequate defense while they aren't sure about Fox yet. Lou doesn't underrate defense.

and that is fine... so have him starting at 3rd in the minors.

 

The thing with Fox is that he's very unlikely to be a long term solution anywhere - except as a bat off the bench (or a DH if we deal him to an AL team). So, I think the idea was to call him up and take advantage of his hot bat in pinch hit situations. You're not stunting his growth, because he's not really an answer long term anywhere.

 

And he's not a long term answer anywhere because of his defense.

 

Exactly. If the Cubs thought he could handle 3B consistently after a little practice, they would probably have him down in AAA working on it everyday.

 

It seems pretty obvious from their quotes and the fact that he's in the majors that they don't think he could ever be even a fill in starter there. He's a guy who may get a start or two there in very favorable matchups but is mostly going to be playing some innings there out of desperation like what happened the other night. They called him up for his bat off the bench and nothing else. His best chance to get a couple of starts is if one of the corner OF's needs a break against a left-handed starter.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Jake Fox can't hit like 2007 Ryan Braun. He probably plays worse defense than 2007 Ryan Braun, too.

 

We cant possibly know that unless Fox get the same kind of playing time as Braun did in 2007, and its pretty clear at this point that thats not going to happen, so we'll never really know.

[17 Seconds]

i guess we can't possibly know if bengie molina could play center field either

[dew1679666265]

Jake Fox can't hit like 2007 Ryan Braun. He probably plays worse defense than 2007 Ryan Braun, too.

 

We cant possibly know that unless Fox get the same kind of playing time as Braun did in 2007, and its pretty clear at this point that thats not going to happen, so we'll never really know.

 

The Cubs aren't going into this Fox thing cold. He's been in the organization trying to play third base (among other positions) for 6 years. They should know at this point whether or not he can play the position.

[Outshined_One]

Jake Fox is a future bench player. I'm happy for the guy's success at AAA and all, but frankly, it's not like the Cubs called up an uber-prospect who was destroying AAA. They called up a 26 year old 1B/OF who caught fire over two months in a VERY hitter-friendly league.

 

I'm happy for his success and all, but, at best, I think he'll turn out to be a league average 1B. That's not a whole lot to get upset about.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Jake Fox can't hit like 2007 Ryan Braun. He probably plays worse defense than 2007 Ryan Braun, too.

 

We cant possibly know that unless Fox get the same kind of playing time as Braun did in 2007, and its pretty clear at this point that thats not going to happen, so we'll never really know.

 

The Cubs aren't going into this Fox thing cold. He's been in the organization trying to play third base (among other positions) for 6 years. They should know at this point whether or not he can play the position.

 

I was refering more to the hitting part.