Can we bench the whole outfield?

[Old Style]

Can anyone else play CF? Freel? How long before Reed is off the DL?

[Soul]

Nope. Can't make a trade either.

 

It's about a month to start of Training Camp, by the way.

[ChiCubsfan0502]

40 million per season for these guys. The Cubs pay these guys, on average, over 13 million per season. Haha!

 

A pure genius GM we have.

[KaiserCesar]

LF Jake Fox

CF Sam Fuld

RF Micah Hoffpauir

 

Not gonna happen

[Fanatic3332000]

Bring back Jeromy Burnitz. ;)

[Gingerballs Lives]

Bring back Jeromy Burnitz. ;)

 

Jacque Jones hit 27 home runs in his first season here.

[JimSorgi]

Do you guys realize we have So Taguchi in the minors? I think he's the answer.

[Monco]

Do you guys realize we have So Taguchi in the minors? I think he's the answer.

 

If hes the answer, whats the question?

[Old Style]

Do you guys realize we have So Taguchi in the minors? I think he's the answer.

 

If hes the answer, whats the question?

How Taguchi is he?

[manbearcub]

Do you guys realize we have So Taguchi in the minors? I think he's the answer.

 

If hes the answer, whats the question?

How Taguchi is he?

pffffft.....haaaaaaaaaahaha

[Cubbie Swagger]

At this point the only guy I'm worried about is Soriano. Kosuke has been hanging in there, still getting on base, etc... and I think Bradley is gonna hit. Just a hunch. I think we probably couldn't go wrong with Fox/Johnson/Hoffpair, though.

[Hawk4Hall]

Soriano needs to go but with that "outstanding" contract Hendry gave him he's here until it's up sadly. That guy isn't worth 10 million.

 

Fukudome might be in his last year as a Cub if he doesn't turn it around.

 

See Soriano explanation for Bradley.

 

This team is a freaking mess because there are problem in the infield as well.

[JeffH]

There's not a single legitimate starting-caliber major league outfielder on the roster.

[squally1313]

There's not a single legitimate starting-caliber major league outfielder on the roster.

 

Fukudome: 10th in the majors in wOBA for all center fielders this year with at least 200 PAs. Ahead of Ellsbury, Bossman Jr, Sizemore, Rasmus, Vernon Wells, and about 15 others. Guess they all need to get sent down too.

 

Soriano: Near the bottom, but honestly, what are you going to do? Bench him and miss one of his hot streaks? Let's face it, the guy carries your team for 2 week stretches over the course of the season and doesn't do much for you otherwise. We got him for 5 more years, let's make sure he's really done before sticking a fork in what could still be a productive player.

 

Bradley: 368 OBP in the month of June, 408 in the last 14 days. Oh by the way, his career OPS in the month of July is 924, next highest is 829. Let's not write him off yet either.

 

Yeah, I know that might seem like cherry picking stats, but come on, by definition there are 90 starting caliber outfielders in baseball at any given time. You're telling me none of these guys crack the top 90? Two guys with with 875+ OPSs last year and a guy who's been above average offensively in center this year (not to mention his plus defense)?

 

Yes, they're overpaid. By a lot. Yes, it absolutely sucks watching this team right now, and Soriano is my least favorite Cub in recent memory. But there's not much we can do about it now. We don't have a lot of places where we can improve and we don't have a lot of pieces that we can use to improve with. But let's not pretend this is some "worst team in baseball situation" with how incredibly good our pitching has been and how miserable the rest of our division is.

 

I mean, at the end of July 2003, we were one game over 500, and that's been our best chance to win the WS in a long time. We did that with superior pitching, we've been hanging in there so far with superior pitching. Benching guys with really good track records for what have been career minor leaguers (Hoff, Fox) is questionable enough, calling to bench them for the likes of Fuld and Taguchi is plain laughable.

[Sammy Sofa]

Soriano: Near the bottom, but honestly, what are you going to do? Bench him and miss one of his hot streaks? Let's face it, the guy carries your team for 2 week stretches over the course of the season and doesn't do much for you otherwise. We got him for 5 more years, let's make sure he's really done before sticking a fork in what could still be a productive player.

 

Normally I'd agree, but he's been SO bad for SO long now. Something is up with him. At the very least he should be put on the DL if that nagging knee problem is helping drag everything down. I'm worried he's playing hurt and this team needs the old streaky Soriano ASAP. Continuing to play him hurt (if he is) isn't the way out of this. I'd say if he's not hurt then let him play out of it, but he's had well over a month to play out of it.

 

I agree with everything you said in your post, but Soriano needs a break.

[squally1313]

Soriano: Near the bottom, but honestly, what are you going to do? Bench him and miss one of his hot streaks? Let's face it, the guy carries your team for 2 week stretches over the course of the season and doesn't do much for you otherwise. We got him for 5 more years, let's make sure he's really done before sticking a fork in what could still be a productive player.

 

Normally I'd agree, but he's been SO bad for SO long now. Something is up with him. At the very least he should be put on the DL if that nagging knee problem is helping drag everything down. I'm worried he's playing hurt and this team needs the old streaky Soriano ASAP. Continuing to play him hurt (if he is) isn't the way out of this. I'd say if he's not hurt then let him play out of it, but he's had well over a month to play out of it.

 

I agree with everything you said in your post, but Soriano needs a break.

 

Yeah I would definitely be in favor of a DL visit. Give him a couple weeks off, and throw him against weak AAA pitching on a "rehab assignment," see if we can jumpstart a hot streak by getting his confidence up. But I really don't believe he's done, but you're right about this prolonged period of awful production. At first I thought it was just my frustration towards the team unfairly directed at one person, but he hasn't had an OPS below 600 in any month before this one in the last 4 years, not to mention having a 657 OPS the month before it.

 

Anyone watching him can see his legs are bothering him after supposedly coming into the year ready to steal bases again. I know it would give Fukudome a ton of ground to cover in center if he's got Fox and Hoff on either side of him, but honestly Fox has to be covering more ground out there than Soriano at this point. All we're doing right now is making Soriano's legs worse, which could have implications far beyond this season, especially with his history of being VERY slow to heal.

[Sammy Sofa]

Soriano: Near the bottom, but honestly, what are you going to do? Bench him and miss one of his hot streaks? Let's face it, the guy carries your team for 2 week stretches over the course of the season and doesn't do much for you otherwise. We got him for 5 more years, let's make sure he's really done before sticking a fork in what could still be a productive player.

 

Normally I'd agree, but he's been SO bad for SO long now. Something is up with him. At the very least he should be put on the DL if that nagging knee problem is helping drag everything down. I'm worried he's playing hurt and this team needs the old streaky Soriano ASAP. Continuing to play him hurt (if he is) isn't the way out of this. I'd say if he's not hurt then let him play out of it, but he's had well over a month to play out of it.

 

I agree with everything you said in your post, but Soriano needs a break.

 

Yeah I would definitely be in favor of a DL visit. Give him a couple weeks off, and throw him against weak AAA pitching on a "rehab assignment," see if we can jumpstart a hot streak by getting his confidence up. But I really don't believe he's done, but you're right about this prolonged period of awful production. At first I thought it was just my frustration towards the team unfairly directed at one person, but he hasn't had an OPS below 600 in any month before this one in the last 4 years, not to mention having a 657 OPS the month before it.

 

Anyone watching him can see his legs are bothering him after supposedly coming into the year ready to steal bases again. I know it would give Fukudome a ton of ground to cover in center if he's got Fox and Hoff on either side of him, but honestly Fox has to be covering more ground out there than Soriano at this point. All we're doing right now is making Soriano's legs worse, which could have implications far beyond this season, especially with his history of being VERY slow to heal.

 

Exactly. We all know his contract is an awful thing, but you might as well try and maximize what you can get out of him. Playing him while he's hurt and this bad is not doing that.

[Arnold Layne]

We don't have a lot of places where we can improve and we don't have a lot of pieces that we can use to improve with.

 

 

Whose fault is that?

 

 

But let's not pretend this is some "worst team in baseball situation"

 

Per dollar, it is.

 

I mean, at the end of July 2003, we were one game over 500, and that's been our best chance to win the WS in a long time. We did that with superior pitching, we've been hanging in there so far with superior pitching. Benching guys with really good track records for what have been career minor leaguers (Hoff, Fox) is questionable enough, calling to bench them for the likes of Fuld and Taguchi is plain laughable.

 

Hoff and Fox are better right now, so if one is interested in what's best for the team, there's nothing wrong with that move.

 

For the first time this season I saw Cubs players loafing it today. It's time for a major shakeup.

[dew1679666265]

But let's not pretend this is some "worst team in baseball situation"

 

Per dollar, it is.

 

No, that would be the Mets. They have a higher payroll and similar record.

 

I mean, at the end of July 2003, we were one game over 500, and that's been our best chance to win the WS in a long time. We did that with superior pitching, we've been hanging in there so far with superior pitching. Benching guys with really good track records for what have been career minor leaguers (Hoff, Fox) is questionable enough, calling to bench them for the likes of Fuld and Taguchi is plain laughable.

 

Hoff and Fox are better right now, so if one is interested in what's best for the team, there's nothing wrong with that move.

 

Fox is playing third and doing fairly well. Bradley and Hoff have been pretty much equal this season and Bradley has major league success to give reason to think he'll turn it around. We don't know what Hoff will do the rest of the way.

 

As for DLing/benching Soriano, I wouldn't be against it to give him a few days off and give Hoff more ABs.

[Sammy Sofa]

For the first time this season I saw Cubs players loafing it today. It's time for a major shakeup.

 

It's one thing to do a major shakeup (DLing Soriano and playing Hoff instead, etc.) and doing a stupid shakeup (benching Fukudome for Fuld, calling up Taguchi, etc.).

[ChiCubsfan0502]

For the first time this season I saw Cubs players loafing it today. It's time for a major shakeup.

 

It's one thing to do a major shakeup (DLing Soriano and playing Hoff instead, etc.) and doing a stupid shakeup (benching Fukudome for Fuld, calling up Taguchi, etc.).

 

Benching Fukudome for Fuld is stupid? LOL! What's stupid is running a player out there who knocked in (Drum roll) THREE RUNS and hit less then .150 for the month. Now THAT'S stupid.

[DiamondMind]

I dont see how replacing Fukudome's 531 June OPS with ANYONE is "stupid". I've really had it with Kosuke. He's a freaking bust.

[Sammy Sofa]

It's stupid when the options for "anyone" are Sam Fuld or Reed "even worse than Fukudome against righties" Johnson.

[rynefan]

At this point the only guy I'm worried about is Soriano. Kosuke has been hanging in there, still getting on base, etc... and I think Bradley is gonna hit. Just a hunch. I think we probably couldn't go wrong with Fox/Johnson/Hoffpair, though.

 

LOL, love the eternal Bradley optimism!

[dew1679666265]

At this point the only guy I'm worried about is Soriano. Kosuke has been hanging in there, still getting on base, etc... and I think Bradley is gonna hit. Just a hunch. I think we probably couldn't go wrong with Fox/Johnson/Hoffpair, though.

 

LOL, love the eternal Bradley optimism!

 

He's never finished a season with an OPS this low (save for his first couple of years in the majors), yet he's always had injury issues.

 

Why is it that he won't rebound this year? The likelihood is that he'll rebound to right around his career averages, but won't begin to come near the lofty numbers of the past two seasons.

 

Is there a clear reason why it's certain he won't do that?