Cubs acquire Jeff Baker

[RyneSandberg]

Ryan Freel DFA'd

[Outshined_One]

Definitely an upgrade over Freel. Reportedly the Rockies were thinking about DFAing him, so I'm guessing Al Alburqurque (annoying name to spell) is the only guy traded to them.

[jersey cubs fan]

So, when Ramirez returns, does Fox or Blanco go down?

I assume when Johnson returns Fuld goes down.

How about Miles? Fox, Blanco or Patton?

[Old Style]

Bruce seemed to indicate that Patton's days as a Cub might finally be over.

[dew1679666265]

Is this guy going to be an upgrade over what Blanco gave us at 2B?

 

Blanco overall: .231/.286/.282/.568

Baker overall: .257/.313/.458/ .771

 

Blanco v lefties: .263/.300/.316/.616

Baker v lefties: .279/.343/.559/.902

 

I'd say yes.

[dew1679666265]

So, when Ramirez returns, does Fox or Blanco go down?

I assume when Johnson returns Fuld goes down.

How about Miles? Fox, Blanco or Patton?

 

Bruce posted this in the comments section of his blog.

 

I expect either Blanco or Fox to go back once Ramirez comes back. I'd keep Fox as a third-base backup, but the Cubs seem infatuated with Blanco's range and fielding. When Guzman comes back, they just may send Samardzija back. For me, it would be Patton. They toyed in May with cutting their losses there, but I'll check today when I rejoin the team what the feeling is.

[JonJayCutler]

Hopefully Baker is a good clubhouse guy as well. We need every positive attitude we can get right now.

[Old Style]

Is this guy going to be an upgrade over what Blanco gave us at 2B?

 

Blanco overall: .231/.286/.282/.568

Baker overall: .257/.313/.458/ .771

 

Blanco v lefties: .263/.300/.316/.616

Baker v lefties: .279/.343/.559/.902

 

I'd say yes.

Where are those stats from? ESPN seems to think Baker is hitting .130 this year.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5371

[CubColtPacer]

So, when Ramirez returns, does Fox or Blanco go down?

I assume when Johnson returns Fuld goes down.

How about Miles? Fox, Blanco or Patton?

 

Bruce posted this in the comments section of his blog.

 

I expect either Blanco or Fox to go back once Ramirez comes back. I'd keep Fox as a third-base backup, but the Cubs seem infatuated with Blanco's range and fielding. When Guzman comes back, they just may send Samardzija back. For me, it would be Patton. They toyed in May with cutting their losses there, but I'll check today when I rejoin the team what the feeling is.

 

Blanco will be the one to stay when Ramirez comes back IMO because the Cubs see him as the only backup SS on the roster (while Miles is still on the DL), which is why Fox will be squeezed out once again.

[JonJayCutler]

I know it won't happen, but why can't Miles just be DFA'd when Ramirez comes back? Now we have a 2B platoon (plus Blanco) as well as Fox and Baker to backup Ramirez. There is absolutely no need to keep Miles on the team.

[dew1679666265]

Is this guy going to be an upgrade over what Blanco gave us at 2B?

 

Blanco overall: .231/.286/.282/.568

Baker overall: .257/.313/.458/ .771

 

Blanco v lefties: .263/.300/.316/.616

Baker v lefties: .279/.343/.559/.902

 

I'd say yes.

Where are those stats from? ESPN seems to think Baker is hitting .130 this year.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5371

 

Those are career stats for Baker. Sorry, I should have clarified.

 

He's been injured and didn't get many ABs this year (23), so I used his career stats instead. Blanco's stats are from this year since the rest of his ML career was at ages 20-22.

[dew1679666265]

I know it won't happen, but why can't Miles just be DFA'd when Ramirez comes back? Now we have a 2B platoon (plus Blanco) as well as Fox and Baker to backup Ramirez. There is absolutely no need to keep Miles on the team.

 

They probably don't want $4.9 million of dead money sitting around while they're so cash strapped.

 

That, or Hendry thinks Miles will be productive at some point.

[CubColtPacer]

I know it won't happen, but why can't Miles just be DFA'd when Ramirez comes back? Now we have a 2B platoon (plus Blanco) as well as Fox and Baker to backup Ramirez. There is absolutely no need to keep Miles on the team.

 

Because Miles isn't on the roster right now. One of Blanco, Fox, or Patton has to go when Ramirez comes back to get the roster back to 25.

 

Now if you want to DFA Miles before he comes back so 2 of those players don't have to be gone, that's another story. But one of those guys will have to leave regardless.

[YearofDaCubs]

I'd rather keep Freel over Miles. No brainer to me.

[jersey cubs fan]

Bruce seemed to indicate that Patton's days as a Cub might finally be over.

 

That's not at all what I see. He said they toyed with it in May, and he'll check back again now. Odds are, if they stuck with him through June, they will stick with him for as long as they need.

[dew1679666265]

I'd rather keep Freel over Miles. No brainer to me.

 

Since both are already under salary, I'd actually prefer Miles. He might be a little better offensively.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd rather keep Freel over Miles. No brainer to me.

 

It was a no brainer to not sign Miles, but they did, so that's not a realistic option.

[dew1679666265]

Bruce seemed to indicate that Patton's days as a Cub might finally be over.

 

That's not at all what I see. He said they toyed with it in May, and he'll check back again now. Odds are, if they stuck with him through June, they will stick with him for as long as they need.

 

That fact that they considered it earlier in the year means the possibility exists. How likely it is, however, I don't know.

[JonJayCutler]

I know it won't happen, but why can't Miles just be DFA'd when Ramirez comes back? Now we have a 2B platoon (plus Blanco) as well as Fox and Baker to backup Ramirez. There is absolutely no need to keep Miles on the team.

 

Because Miles isn't on the roster right now. One of Blanco, Fox, or Patton has to go when Ramirez comes back to get the roster back to 25.

 

Now if you want to DFA Miles before he comes back so 2 of those players don't have to be gone, that's another story. But one of those guys will have to leave regardless.

 

Well in that case it probably will be Fox since Baker can backup third. Please let it be Patton though.

[CubColtPacer]

Bruce seemed to indicate that Patton's days as a Cub might finally be over.

 

That's not at all what I see. He said they toyed with it in May, and he'll check back again now. Odds are, if they stuck with him through June, they will stick with him for as long as they need.

 

That fact that they considered it earlier in the year means the possibility exists. How likely it is, however, I don't know.

 

I can understand what he's saying though. At the time that they considered it, Patton had pitched very badly and they still had to keep him on the roster for another 4 1/2 months.

 

Now Patton is coming off a month where he pitched well and they have only 3 months left to keep him. They're much less likely to want to get rid of him now.

[Old Style]

Maybe they can DL Patton for a while with some mysterious injury or Dontrelle-like brain issues.

[dew1679666265]

Bruce seemed to indicate that Patton's days as a Cub might finally be over.

 

That's not at all what I see. He said they toyed with it in May, and he'll check back again now. Odds are, if they stuck with him through June, they will stick with him for as long as they need.

 

That fact that they considered it earlier in the year means the possibility exists. How likely it is, however, I don't know.

 

I can understand what he's saying though. At the time that they considered it, Patton had pitched very badly and they still had to keep him on the roster for another 4 1/2 months.

 

Now Patton is coming off a month where he pitched well and they have only 3 months left to keep him. They're much less likely to want to get rid of him now.

 

Yeah, I can understand it. Now, however, they like Blanco, Fox has hit well, they may like Fuld and they acquired Baker. There's a chance that the roster will have enough bats to Hendry's liking that he may decide to parts ways with Patton.

[JeffH]

Maybe they can DL Soriano for a while with some mysterious injury or Dontrelle-like brain issues.

 

Edit.

[jersey cubs fan]

Bruce seemed to indicate that Patton's days as a Cub might finally be over.

 

That's not at all what I see. He said they toyed with it in May, and he'll check back again now. Odds are, if they stuck with him through June, they will stick with him for as long as they need.

 

That fact that they considered it earlier in the year means the possibility exists. How likely it is, however, I don't know.

 

I can understand what he's saying though. At the time that they considered it, Patton had pitched very badly and they still had to keep him on the roster for another 4 1/2 months.

 

Now Patton is coming off a month where he pitched well and they have only 3 months left to keep him. They're much less likely to want to get rid of him now.

 

Yeah, I can understand it. Now, however, they like Blanco, Fox has hit well, they may like Fuld and they acquired Baker. There's a chance that the roster will have enough bats to Hendry's liking that he may decide to parts ways with Patton.

 

I still think the insistence on having a 12 man staff is going to make that unlikely. It would have to be a situation where they aren't getting innings out of the rest of the staff and feel forced to move him, rather than the desire to keep another position player.

[CubColtPacer]

Maybe they can DL Soriano for a while with some mysterious injury or Dontrelle-like brain issues.

 

Edit.

 

Jeff, do you know when they start counting the 90 days that a Rule 5 player has to be on the roster? Is it when rosters have to be sent in or the first day of the season?

 

Either way, if they wanted to DL Patton, within a few days from now they could do that and already have satisfied the entire length of time of the Rule 5 stipulations. They could DL him until early August, then send him on a rehab assignment until September 1st, and then bring him back up when rosters expand and have no problems.