Cubs sign OF Marlon Byrd (3/$15M)

[A New Era]

When Cameron was signed I did want Byrd, so I'm happy. I think he's deffinately a full time player. As was pointed out he hits lefties and righties about the same. Who knows maybe he'll have a good year and could be our '10 "derosa" lol.. So that gives you a stable outfield now.

 

I would like either a full time SS or 2B signed then I'll be pretty content with our position players next year.

[Prizefight]

Nobody in their right mind should want Sam Fuld starting full time in center.

 

There is a difference between want and best available option considering all financial factors. I don't WANT Sam Fuld starting center, but I could live with it if other problems with this team were fixed

[Magnetic Curses]

there's risk to anything. byrd is 32, not 35, and he's OPS'd .800 the last 3 seasons. it's one of the better risks hendry has taken, considering he gave aaron miles the same kind of money last year.

 

Are you completely incapable of reading?

 

I said the contract takes him into his mid 30s. I also said there's significant downside risk considering how bad he's been when he's been bad. He's got a career .760 OPS because he has sucked. He was better for three years (none of them in a full season of work), but a guy with a career OPS of 800 who has had an OPS over 800 for three years is much less risky than a guy with an OPS of 762 coming off three years over 800. He was barely over 800 last year, and he's past his prime. It is not at all a lock that he will OPS 800 this season, let alone throughout his contract.

 

And this is not at all comparable to Aaron Miles money, I mean, not even close. 2/5 or 3/15.

 

I said from the start of this thread though, that it's not a bad contract. It doesn't do much good from an "improving the team" standpoint, but it is somewhat stabilizing.

 

me-ow

[Magnetic Curses]

and if he's around his career mark in ops i'll be fine with it.

[cubsfan26]

Are you on crack? They are already down one quality starting pitcher.

 

Rich Harden health was just as much as a question mark a year ago as is Randy Wells having success again.

 

They are no better than status quo, and probably worse off in the OF than they were to start 2009.

 

Of course Bradley potential was better, but Byrd will probably give us some consistent play out there. Yeah I know you have your worries. But having the same hitting coach, and moving to another good hitters park. Makes me feel he will do just fine coming over to the Cubs. It reminds me alot of the DeRosa situation in a way. DeRosa also has a simliar career as Byrd, before Rudy fixed his swing.

 

SS and 2B are even more questionable as Theriot dealt with his inevitable fallback from his solid 2008, and 2B was much less reliable than expected going into 2009.

 

We all expected Theriot fallback last season, and 2b isn't anymore reliable then it was a year ago. We just trusted Fontenot to be better, after the way he hit in 08. Fontenot still here and could be better, but if he's not we have a decent fall back option in Baker.

 

Not to mention C went from stable to a big question mark.

 

Yes thats really the only thing thats different from a year ago. Soto and Soriano we expected to be good last season and they weren't. So if you guys don't expect these guys to be better then I don't expect you to think the Cubs will contend in 2010. But if they are they most likely will. Those guys struggles mixed with the Ramirez injury is why we basically missed the playoffs last year. Sure their were other factors like injuries to other players, or bad players Hendry brought in like Kevin Gregg, Aaron Miles, Aaron Heilman or even Bradley for what he was getting paid. But the lack of offense we got from those three overall is what hurt us the most.

Edited December 31, 2009 by cubsfan26

[davell]

I'm fine with the move. But, we better be spending some money on a second basemen and/or a starting pitcher with upside, ie Sheets or Bedard......I'm sure we go get us a middle reliever like Calero or someone, but if our payroll is going to be in the 140-145 range, we can afford a 2B or SP as well.

[jersey cubs fan]

When Cameron was signed I did want Byrd, so I'm happy. I think he's deffinately a full time player.

 

I think he's capable. But the point is he's never done it, and I don't like expecting guys (especially in their 30's) to do things they've never done before.

[Butterscup1679666578]

meh. 3 years is too many.

[haubrich91]

When I first heard the news I was disappointed. I was sure Jim got him for $7M a year or something barbaric. 3/$15 is pretty good for a starting center fielder that had a nice year last year.

 

Let's hope this OF signing won't blow up in our face.

[davell]

In Levine's article, he mentions we are after a veteran reliever and mentioned Jason Fraser as a possibility. He also mentioned going after a 4th OFer and a swing starter/long man......(What the hell is Sean Marshall anyway?)

 

To me, for this offseason to be considered ANY kind of success, we need to go get one of Hudson, Bedard, Sheets, or Chapman and it doesn't seem very likely.

[CUBZ99]

Not thrilled about the length of the deal, but the team is definitely improved with Byrd. I expect Byrd to give the Cubs more production than they got out of Bradley last year, and the defense should be improved with Fukudome playing in RF again.

[Sever82]

In Levine's article, he mentions we are after a veteran reliever and mentioned Jason Fraser as a possibility. He also mentioned going after a 4th OFer and a swing starter/long man......(What the hell is Sean Marshall anyway?)

 

To me, for this offseason to be considered ANY kind of success, we need to go get one of Hudson, Bedard, Sheets, or Chapman and it doesn't seem very likely.

 

Out of all the possibilities out there, i think i'd rank the signing i want in this order

 

Sheets (If healthy, he would be the Ace or Number two)

Bedard

Hudson/Lopez/Cabrera ( I would be happy with either three)

Calero

[SouthSideRyan]

He was better for three years (none of them in a full season of work)

 

Oh come on he had 599 PAs last year. You're being incredibly strict if you don't consider that a full season.

[Clem Fandango]

Whooptie doo

[Ding Dong Johnson]

signing a former Ranger to a 3 year deal is a wonderful concept that somebody should have explored some time ago

[cubsfan26]

I like it if for no other reason that it does nothing to improve this team in any meaningful way. I hope it hastens Hendrys exit.

 

You do realize that Byrd had the 3rd best OPS among all major league CFs last season? Now I'm not sure if he will keep that success up. But moving to another hitter friendly ballpark and having the same hitting coach that turned his career around couldn't hurt.

 

What the hell is Sean Marshall anyway?

 

Probably the 5th starter, unless Gorzelanny beats him out for that spot.

[champaignchris]

Assuming Byrd posts something close to his career averages, he should be a bit better offensively than Bradley was last year, but not radically so. Looking at his defensive numbers (I know, I know...) he appears to be a competent CF, about on the level of Kosuke. This allows Kosuke to go back to right, where he's a very good right fielder.

 

I think we're going into the season hoping that the offense will improve based on the belief that Soriano, Soto, and the 2B black-hole could not possibly be able to have worse years than last year and the belief that Ramirez won't miss half the season again. Bradley wasn't the reason the offense was awful last year, and Byrd won't be the reason the offense succeeds or fails this season. The outfield should be a bit better defensively, though, and team chemistry blah-blah nicey-nice kissy-face whatever.

[Outshined_One]

meh. 3 years is too many.

 

That sums it up. This isn't a bad deal, but it's not something I like that much, either.

[haubrich91]

'10: $3M, '11: $5.5M, '12: $6.5M

 

Per cst_cubs

[Little Slide Rooter]

I suppose this was the best case scenerio. At 5 mil/year, I suppose he should be pretty tradeable if the situation arrises. I would have been a bit happier if theyd either given him a 1 year deal or no deal at all and gone with Fuld or Colvin until a better option arose mid season or next off season, but what can you do.

[davell]

'10: $3M, '11: $5.5M, '12: $6.5M

 

Per cst_cubs

 

 

3 mill for this year should give us room to make more moves for now. But, I guess the worst thing about this deal is actually that our OF is now going to be Soriano/Byrd/Fukudome for the next 2 years almost assuredly. I can't see us going after Crawford or anyone else that may be available over that time frame.

[Burtonbell]

'10: $3M, '11: $5.5M, '12: $6.5M

 

Per cst_cubs

 

 

3 mill for this year should give us room to make more moves for now. But, I guess the worst thing about this deal is actually that our OF is now going to be Soriano/Byrd/Fukudome for the next 2 years almost assuredly. I can't see us going after Crawford or anyone else that may be available over that time frame.

 

Move Sori to 2nd base, what the heck right?

 

3 years is way to long and that third year at $6.5 looks really bad if Byrd craps the bed the next 2 years.

[jersey cubs fan]

I like it if for no other reason that it does nothing to improve this team in any meaningful way. I hope it hastens Hendrys exit.

 

You do realize that Byrd had the 3rd best OPS among all major league CFs last season?

 

Do you realize the Cubs already had a good hitting CF last year? Now they are moving him to RF where he won't be comparably good.

[SouthSideRyan]

'10: $3M, '11: $5.5M, '12: $6.5M

 

Per cst_cubs

 

 

3 mill for this year should give us room to make more moves for now. But, I guess the worst thing about this deal is actually that our OF is now going to be Soriano/Byrd/Fukudome for the next 2 years almost assuredly. I can't see us going after Crawford or anyone else that may be available over that time frame.

 

You could've said the same thing about Soriano/Fukudome/Bradley last year. One never knows the schizophrenic whims of Jim Hendry

[Little Slide Rooter]

I guess unlike other Cubs signings of the past few years, Byrd wasnt signed to be a savior, just to play a position and give decent production. As long as we can get rebounds fom Soriano and Soto, we could do a lot worse than Byrd as a 2 or 7 hitter, and at 3.5 mil for '10, Hendry still has about 5 mil or so to overpay for another mediocre middle reliever, so everybodys happy. Except for the fans of course. They'll be more indifferent than anything.