Cubs acquire Jeff Baker

[Post Count Padder]

Interesting. Baker has some nice upside but why did we wait so long? A-Ram is gonna be back in a few days. He does add nice depth though. I hope we didn't give up much.

[biittner77]

it almost has to be Freel, if they're putting Baker on the roster.

 

Freel has become (even more) expendible with Fox holding his own at 3B and Fuld capable of playing CF. He pretty much serves no purpose at all if Baker is added. Same can be said for Miles of course, but like goony said, he's not even on the roster right now.

 

Why would the Rockies want Freel? I have no idea of what the Rockies need but if they needed a guy like Freel why not just keep Baker?

 

I do believe Freel will be DFA as soon as Miles comes back.

[dew1679666265]

it almost has to be Freel, if they're putting Baker on the roster.

 

Freel has become (even more) expendible with Fox holding his own at 3B and Fuld capable of playing CF. He pretty much serves no purpose at all if Baker is added. Same can be said for Miles of course, but like goony said, he's not even on the roster right now.

 

Why would the Rockies want Freel? I have no idea of what the Rockies need but if they needed a guy like Freel why not just keep Baker?

 

I do believe Freel will be DFA as soon as Miles comes back.

 

I think he means Freel will be cut to make room on the roster for Baker.

 

It sounds like Al Albuquerque is going to Colorado in the trade.

[dew1679666265]

Interesting. Baker has some nice upside but why did we wait so long? A-Ram is gonna be back in a few days. He does add nice depth though. I hope we didn't give up much.

 

I suspect Baker has been acquired to platoon at second with Fontenot, which the timing would make sense.

 

Aramis is returning so Fontenot becomes the everyday second baseman again and Baker enters to platoon with him.

[Sammy Sofa]

Relatively limited size, but given his splits and his age I really like the idea of platooning him with Fontenot.

[dew1679666265]

As bad as Fontenot's numbers are, he's OPSd .710 against righties this year. That's bad, but if he could face nothing but righties from here on out he may get some confidence back. Plus, he'll be more comfortable if the can play nothing but second from here on out.

 

A Baker/Fontenot platoon could end up being very productive through October.

[thefranchise]

I like this move. Not much risk. He's a very versatile. My only concern with him is his home/road splits. He's much better at Coors than he is away from it.

[Keener98]

Dumb. dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. Mark Teahen is a poor mans Mark DeRosa. Jeff Baker is a slight upgrade over Aaron Miles. The only way Id be at all for this deal is if Miles if headed to Denver, but more than likely he'd be taking Fox or Blancos roster spot, maybe Freel.

 

Slight upgrade over Miles? Do you just ignore stuff thats posted? Baker has a career OPS over.900 against leftys and a slugging pct over .550. Thats a hell of alot more of an upgrade over Miles than "slight". If used correctly, him and Fontenot could be a really nice platoon at 2nd.

[Guest]

Baker would have been an ideal pick up in the offseason rather than signing the truly awful Aaron Miles.

 

There are a million utility infielders out there that Hendry could have picked up at basically league minimum that were almost a guarantee to outproduce Aaron Miles, yet Jimbo gives Miles a healthy 2 year deal. Miles must be family or something.

[E.J.]

Wait, Baker is over 6 feet tall. I didn't think we were allowed to have a middle infielder over the height of 5'8".

[Keener98]

You can remove the question mark as espnchicago is now reporting this aslo. We didnt give up anything of value, and Baker will be in uniform ready for tonights game. Wonder what the corresponding move will be. Im going to say Freel is DFA

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=4302300

 

Not sure why that article says he will be backing up 1st and 3rd. I really hope they plan on letting him play 2nd base against leftys.

[soapy]

it almost has to be Freel, if they're putting Baker on the roster.

 

Freel has become (even more) expendible with Fox holding his own at 3B and Fuld capable of playing CF. He pretty much serves no purpose at all if Baker is added. Same can be said for Miles of course, but like goony said, he's not even on the roster right now.

 

Why would the Rockies want Freel? I have no idea of what the Rockies need but if they needed a guy like Freel why not just keep Baker?

 

I do believe Freel will be DFA as soon as Miles comes back.

 

I think he means Freel will be cut to make room on the roster for Baker.

 

yes

[CubColtPacer]

Baker would have been an ideal pick up in the offseason rather than signing the truly awful Aaron Miles.

 

There are a million utility infielders out there that Hendry could have picked up at basically league minimum that were almost a guarantee to outproduce Aaron Miles, yet Jimbo gives Miles a healthy 2 year deal. Miles must be family or something.

 

Baker would have cost too much in the offseason. The Rockies were asking a high price for him because several teams were after him. Him getting hurt once again this season, the emergence of some Rockies youngsters, and the fact that he's out of options is the only reason he's available cheaply now.

[Guest]

Baker would have been an ideal pick up in the offseason rather than signing the truly awful Aaron Miles.

 

There are a million utility infielders out there that Hendry could have picked up at basically league minimum that were almost a guarantee to outproduce Aaron Miles, yet Jimbo gives Miles a healthy 2 year deal. Miles must be family or something.

 

Baker would have cost too much in the offseason. The Rockies were asking a high price for him because several teams were after him. Him getting hurt once again this season, the emergence of some Rockies youngsters, and the fact that he's out of options is the only reason he's available cheaply now.

 

That can't be true. Hendry gave away Marquis and got Vizcaino in return, while also picking up a significant chunk of Marquis salary. For his trouble, Hendry could have also required someone like Baker to complete the deal and make it a little bit more fair.

 

The Rockies already knew they were going to have Barmes and Ian Stewart on the major league roster, and they also had Quintanilla. They also had ridiculous depth in the outfield with Murton, Gonzalez, Smith, Fowler, Spillborghs and Hawpe.

[NeifiIsMyHomeBoy]

Please please please please please let this be the end of the aaron miles era

:beg:

[Post Count Padder]

Please please please please please let this be the end of the aaron miles era

:beg:

Doubtful. Hendry isn't going to admit his mistake and release Miles and I doubt the Rockies want him. Freel will be the one on his way out most likely.

[Backtobanks]

Cubs lead all of ML baseball in versatility. Looking at our position players, only Lee, ARam, and Soto are "stuck" in one position. There's on old saying that seems to fit the Cubs' players this year: "Jack of all trades, master of none."

[Guest]

Colorado has already been down that road with Miles. I doubt they'd want to do that again.

[YearofDaCubs]

LMFAO!!!

[CUBZ99]

Hendry is really digging in the garbage with this move. Maybe after Miles, Freel, Blanco, Scales he is playing the odds that he will eventually get lucky at some point.

[Keener98]

Please please please please please let this be the end of the aaron miles era

:beg:

Doubtful. Hendry isn't going to admit his mistake and release Miles and I doubt the Rockies want him. Freel will be the one on his way out most likely.

 

Col doesnt have to want Miles, Baker was traded here for a single A pitcher. I would assume Freel is gone tonight, but come Monday when we activate ARam, I could see Miles getting released. Lou has been playing Blanco alot, and he really is our best defensive infielder.

[Keener98]

Hendry is really digging in the garbage with this move. Maybe after Miles, Freel, Blanco, Scales he is playing the odds that he will eventually get lucky at some point.

 

Again yea this isnt an earth shattering move, but his numbers vs leftys are very good in his career, and if used properly(platooned with Font) he could be valuable.

[thefranchise]

Expect the Cubs to announce today they've acquired infielder Jeff Baker from the Colorado Rockies. Details should be forthcoming, but also look for the Cubs to designate infielder-outfielder Ryan Freel for assignment, effectively ending his short stay with the Cubs.

 

Baker, 27, has been on the 60-day DL since early May with a left-hand injury, and he'll have to take a physical as early as today with the Cubs. This year, he was 3-for-23 in 12 games. For his career, Baker has a batting average of .257, an OBP of .313, a slugging percentage of .458 and an OPS of .771.

 

The Rockies took the right-handed hitting Baker in the fourth round of the 2002 draft.

 

In 2007, Baker played in 144 games with the Rockies, batting .222 with an OBP of .296 and 4 homers.

 

He is a native of Bad Kissingen of the onetime West Germany.

 

More to come online today and in the paper tomorrow.

 

 

From Bruce

 

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/2232

[Old Style]

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

[JonJayCutler]

Put me down as a big fan of this trade. Baker was a stud at Clemson and has a .302/.377/.506/.883 career minor league line. He hasn't had a whole lot of opportunity in the big leagues but as long as his injury doesn't continue to be a problem this is a good move. Plus, look what we gave up, a pitcher with a 4.69 career ERA and a 1.48 career WHIP in the minor leagues who has never been above high A. Great job Jim.