When Miles and Freel Return

[THISisTHEyear09]

Miles is expected to be back with the big club soon. :( I cant wait to see the hitting show he puts on every night.

 

When they come back it will be interesting to see who they send down. Probally Fox to work at 3B/Defense and Scales.

 

It would be nice to see them keep one of Miles/Freel at Iowa and have Fox's bat off the bench.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wouldnt be surprised or dissapointed to see Freel DFAd/

[dew1679666265]

I'd think Blanco is a near certainty to go down when Miles comes off the DL - Blanco came up to replace him as the backup SS.

 

I'm not sure about Freel. Probably Fox.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Maybe someone here could advise both of them that the Cubs have been sold & re-located to Vancouver? We can pass the hat & buy their one-way tickets.....

[Little Slide Rooter]

I think Blanco might stay over Scales. Scales hasnt been hitting, or even loking good at the plate lately, and Blanco is by far superior at defense. Fox will stay at least until the away interleague games, and if he pulls his weight, probably longer.

[dew1679666265]

I think Blanco might stay over Scales. Scales hasnt been hitting, or even loking good at the plate lately, and Blanco is by far superior at defense. Fox will stay at least until the away interleague games, and if he pulls his weight, probably longer.

 

Yeah, Scales isn't even getting on base right now. It could be Scales, but that leaves Fox or Blanco to go down for Freel. Unless they either DFA Freel or cut Patton.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Id rather see Freel DFAd or traded then send down Fox. Miles will likely get the 2B starts with Blanco or Freel as a backup, and Id much rather have a bench bat than another offenseless utility guy. Fox at least needs a chance, and those away interleague games will be just that, especially with trade time loming around the corner at that point, AL teams could really start to notice him if he produces. No reason to dump him. are bench is OK with him

 

Hill-catcher

Blanco/Freel middle infield

Hoffpauir-1B/RF

Reed-CF

Fox-bat, emergency 1B

[rynefan]

Can't we just move the stadium and hope they don't find us?

[Old Style]

This thread just ruined my morning. Does anyone have Jeff Gillooly on speed dial?

[Clem Fandango]

This thread just ruined my morning. Does anyone have Jeff Gillooly on speed dial?

 

That's the 2nd Jeff Gillooly reference I've seen on this site in the past 4 days, lol

[Little Slide Rooter]

I going to say thaa Fox is sent to Iowa, but mainly so he can get some playing time so they can bring him back in time for the away interleague games.

[Gingerballs Lives]

DFA Miles and Freel. Problem solved.

[CUBZ99]

I've grown to like Blanco in the short time he has been with the Cubs. Incredible defense and he is finally starting to hit.

[TruffleShuffle]

I've grown to like Blanco in the short time he has been with the Cubs. Incredible defense and he is finally starting to hit.

 

that part won't last

[Coach C]

DFA Miles and Freel. Problem solved.

 

Agreed.

[Tracer Bullet]

I've grown to like Blanco in the short time he has been with the Cubs. Incredible defense and he is finally starting to hit.

 

that part won't last

 

But that's just icing, right? Miles can't hit and his defense is worse than Blanco's. If 2 middle infielders can't hit, might as well take the great defensive player.

[soapy]

i'm all for DFA Miles. however, if people are going to make suggestions like bringing in Duhram, Atkins and Shea Hillenbrand to play 3B, they might as well just keep Freel instead.

[soapy]

I've grown to like Blanco in the short time he has been with the Cubs. Incredible defense and he is finally starting to hit.

 

that part won't last

 

But that's just icing, right? Miles can't hit and his defense is worse than Blanco's. If 2 middle infielders can't hit, might as well take the great defensive player.

 

this.

 

having said that, Miles isn't getting DFA, IMO. they didn't give him a two year deal just so they could give up on him 2 months into the season.

[Coach C]

I've grown to like Blanco in the short time he has been with the Cubs. Incredible defense and he is finally starting to hit.

 

that part won't last

 

But that's just icing, right? Miles can't hit and his defense is worse than Blanco's. If 2 middle infielders can't hit, might as well take the great defensive player.

 

this.

 

having said that, Miles isn't getting DFA, IMO. they didn't give him a two year deal just so they could give up on him 2 months into the season.

 

And there lies the problem with this organization. They won't cut ties when it's apparent that the player they signed is no longer capable of doing the job. No siree, they won't admit to making a mistake. Of course, the Cubs never admit making mistakes, or so they say.

[CubColtPacer]

I've grown to like Blanco in the short time he has been with the Cubs. Incredible defense and he is finally starting to hit.

 

that part won't last

 

But that's just icing, right? Miles can't hit and his defense is worse than Blanco's. If 2 middle infielders can't hit, might as well take the great defensive player.

 

this.

 

having said that, Miles isn't getting DFA, IMO. they didn't give him a two year deal just so they could give up on him 2 months into the season.

 

And there lies the problem with this organization. They won't cut ties when it's apparent that the player they signed is no longer capable of doing the job. No siree, they won't admit to making a mistake. Of course, the Cubs never admit making mistakes, or so they say.

 

Very few teams will ever cut a player who is both making over 1 million dollars and has another year left on his contract. Teams will cut high salary players that are gone at the end of the season, but they will rarely commit to having dead money in future years.

 

Both Miles and Freel should not be DFA'd and there's a good reason why..depth. If they both leave the team and Scales and/or Blanco get hurt, who gets called up next? You could end up in a situation where you have a player that is absurdly bad getting playing time instead of just being a fringe major leaguer like those four are.

 

That doesn't even take into account that Miles had a .229 advantage in OPS in 07 over Blanco and a .090 advantage last year, and that's with him playing in the major leagues and Blanco in the PCL. A healthy Miles is almost certainly a decent upgrade with the bat to Blanco (unless Blanco is finally starting to figure hitting out, which is somewhat unlikely but still possible at his age). Yes, Blanco is a very big upgrade defensively from Miles. So it's really a tossup if you want the extra hitting or the extra defense, and since their primary position is going to each be second base, which lowers the defensive advantage that Blanco has over Miles, I'd still rather take Miles. I wouldn't take Miles if I had to pay him that contract, but the team has to pay the contract anyway at this point.

 

Freel vs Scales is a different argument I think. Scales is probably the better hitter and defender at this point. I would probably keep Freel for depth purposes until Ramirez comes back and then he would be the one who I would let go to make room for Ramirez on the roster.

[biittner77]

Miles up, Scales down

Freel up, Fox down

 

The Cubs have Hoffpauir to DH in the interleague games so unless they face a bunch of LH pitchers Fox is probably a luxury the Cubs can't afford unless they DFA Freel.

 

Maybe they will try to keep Freel on rehab long enough to last through the interleague games but eventually they will want him up since he has more experience at 3rd than the other options.

 

The real dilemna will be when Ramirez comes back at which point they will have to choose between Blanco and Freel. Assuming neither hits much between now and then it will be a tough decision for Hendry but an easy one for us (DFA Freel).

[Old Style]

Maybe it's time for Patton to mysteriously come up with some tendinitis even though he never pitches.

[kujay]

Blanco has to go.

[Old Style]

Blanco has to go.

I'd keep him over Scales.

[Tracer Bullet]

Blanco has to go.

 

I'm struggling to keep these guys straight, but isn't he the only one that's actually a really good defensive SS?