Lou Piniella quote of the year (?) re: Millar

[jersey cubs fan]

Paul Sullivan hates me, writing today that the Cubs are trying Fontenot at shortstop as a way to squeeze Millar onto the roster, since they just so love his chemistry muscle and intangible tendons.

[Schwarber Fan]

Paul Sullivan hates me, writing today that the Cubs are trying Fontenot at shortstop as a way to squeeze Millar onto the roster, since they just so love his chemistry muscle and intangible tendons.

 

WTF? Last time Fontenot played SS didn't he make like 12 errors and Lou switched his positions mid-inning?

[Formerly Snayke]

Isn't Kevin Millar a little too tall and too much of a first baseman to be one of the guys that likes to play and loves playing? Those guys are usually bad middle infielders or Juan Pierre.

[jersey cubs fan]

Isn't Kevin Millar a little too tall and too much of a first baseman to be one of the guys that likes to play and loves playing? Those guys are usually bad middle infielders or Juan Pierre.

 

He may lack the scrappy middle infielder criteria, but he's only 6' and he is white, so the shoe can still fit.

[Formerly Snayke]

Heh, I always assumed he was taller than six foot.

 

I'd love for a stupid team out there, like the Dodgers, to acquire a bunch of gritty guys who like to play and love playing. Bill Plaschke's columns would make heads explode.

[MWV]

Paul Sullivan hates me, writing today that the Cubs are trying Fontenot at shortstop as a way to squeeze Millar onto the roster, since they just so love his chemistry muscle and intangible tendons.

One hopes that "Improve clubhouse chemistry" isn't this years' "get more lefthanded" or "acquire guys who can catch the ball". On the plus side, I've not seen any direct quotes from Lou, Hendry or anyone else involved in personnel decisions to suggest that Fontenot's move is related to Millar's potential roster spot. This seems to be a fabrication of Sullivan, et al.

[David]

It makes sense though... We have a slick fielding, no hitting backup SS...there's really no need to see who else can play there. The roster seems pretty set, and suddenly it seems like they're trying to make room for somebody by trying to fit a square peg in a round hole with Fontenot at SS.

[SouthSideRyan]

I wanted Fontenot to get reps at SS down the stretch last year, but it sure as [expletive] wasn't so Kevin Millar could be on the team

[jersey cubs fan]

Paul Sullivan hates me, writing today that the Cubs are trying Fontenot at shortstop as a way to squeeze Millar onto the roster, since they just so love his chemistry muscle and intangible tendons.

One hopes that "Improve clubhouse chemistry" isn't this years' "get more lefthanded" or "acquire guys who can catch the ball". On the plus side, I've not seen any direct quotes from Lou, Hendry or anyone else involved in personnel decisions to suggest that Fontenot's move is related to Millar's potential roster spot. This seems to be a fabrication of Sullivan, et al.

 

It seems to be, and it could just be the Cubs screwing around and trying to fabricate some sort of spring training competition, but I've questioned their motives for bringing in Millar from the beginning. There are better options to store in AAA for emergency purposes. The idea that they think his chemical abilities in spring training will somehow carry over into the regular season after he is gone makes even less sense than thinking he will positively influence the outcome of the season with his personality by being there all year.

[Old Style]

Is it set in stone that Fontenot makes the team?

[jersey cubs fan]

Is it set in stone that Fontenot makes the team?

 

Probably not stone, but the Cubs do not let go of guaranteed contracts that easily, especially ones signed by left handed hitters.

[CubColtPacer]

Is it set in stone that Fontenot makes the team?

 

I would say yes. The only reason he might not is because he has an option left, but Fontenot is still the most likely option to get the bulk of the starts at second base. One spring isn't going to send him from a starter (even a platoon one) to off the team completely.

 

I would love to find a way to get Blanco off of the team. The Cubs minimize his value anyway by putting him at second base often when he's on the field. Barney could come up if the Cubs need a short term fix at SS and if Theriot got hurt for a long time they would likely bring Castro up rather than play Blanco anyway.

 

And I don't think they are looking for a spot for Millar. It's more likely they're looking for an extra spot to get another significant bat on the bench if that is Chad Tracy or Micah Hoffpauir (probably Tracy). I don't think they'll be able to squeeze either one of them in because I doubt Lou will be any more satisfied with Fontenot's defense at SS, but they can try.

[UMFan83]

I didn't want to start a new thread on this but since this is a Lou quote I'll put it here.

 

 

Lou on Twitter:

Asked if he might also start a Twitter account, Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who was about 30 miles away in Mesa, said no thanks.

 

"What is Twitter?" Piniella asked. After being informed of how it works, Piniella added: "Ozzie ... he needs more space than that."

 

But don't expect the veteran manager to jump in on social networking.

 

"First of all, I don't know how to Twitter. Second of all, I'm not going to learn how to Twitter. Look, I've heard of Facebook. Actually, it's on my phone; I see it once in a while," Piniella said.

 

"But I'm really not a Facebook or Twitter guy, you know? I'm a prime rib and baked potato guy," he said.

[biittner77]

It seems to be, and it could just be the Cubs screwing around and trying to fabricate some sort of spring training competition, but I've questioned their motives for bringing in Millar from the beginning. There are better options to store in AAA for emergency purposes. The idea that they think his chemical abilities in spring training will somehow carry over into the regular season after he is gone makes even less sense than thinking he will positively influence the outcome of the season with his personality by being there all year.

 

I've thought from the beginning that Hendry is doing Millar a favor by letting him prove to himself that he can no longer play or maybe to give him the chance to show some other team what he can do. The Cubs aren't really paying Millar anything so there's no real harm in having him around during ST.

 

I don't see Millar making the team unless Soriano or Nady are injured to start the season. If he doesn't make the team he gets released unless he just loves baseball so much that he agrees to play at AAA. Guys like that usually play in the Independent leagues or maybe Japan.

[Rob]

Is it set in stone that Fontenot makes the team?

 

He had damn well better. He's our best 2B.