Colvin to start taking grounders at 1B

[Schwarber Fan]

per Muskat...

 

#cubs tyler colvin to start taking grounders at 1B thu. He hasn't played there since soph year college

 

seems to make sense

[Sammy Sofa]

http://jemima.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/jk_bangheadwall.jpg

 

[expletive], 2011 is going to suuuuuuuuck.

[fiver]

I don't think that necessarily means that Colvin is going to be the starting 1b next season....it can't hurt to have him take grounders there. Cubs really would be negotiating from a weak position in signing a free agent or via trade if they have absolutely no one in-house who can play the position.

[Sammy Sofa]

They'd still be negotiating from a "weak position" even if he played every single game at 1B for the rest of the season. Unless he's some kind of Dunn-in-the-making this could be a very, very bad sign.

[Backtobanks]

Adds to his versatitlity as a member of the 2011 Cubs and/or increases his trade value. What's not to like about this move?

[Sammy Sofa]

Because I'm playing devil's advocate where they start 2011 with Colvin as the starting 1B, and that's no good for anyone.

 

And how does this "add to his versatility" or "increase his trade value?" 1B is where teams dump players who can't cut it defensively anywhere else.

[UMFan83]

Hopefully the Cubs realize that in his last 51 games (196 PA) this is his line:

 

.211/.272/.433/.705

 

I'm not saying that he's completely a lost cause as a major leaguer. His slugging especially has been a huge shock to me. But let's not assume that Colvin absolutely HAS to be given a starting job on the 2011 Cubs.

[mhuber92211]

They'd still be negotiating from a "weak position" even if he played every single game at 1B for the rest of the season. Unless he's some kind of Dunn-in-the-making this could be a very, very bad sign.

 

Wow, Holy overreaction batman. After Nady on the team right now, who else can play 1B? Shouldnt they prepare some semblence of a backup option?

[Sammy Sofa]

They'd still be negotiating from a "weak position" even if he played every single game at 1B for the rest of the season. Unless he's some kind of Dunn-in-the-making this could be a very, very bad sign.

 

Wow, Holy overreaction batman. After Nady on the team right now, who else can play 1B? Shouldnt they prepare some semblence of a backup option?

 

I don't care if it's a "backup option." When you're on to your backup 1B for any sustained period of time you're in trouble regardless of who it is. I care if they're even considering making him the starting 1B next season.

[scarey]

Hopefully the Cubs realize that in his last 51 games (196 PA) this is his line:

 

.211/.272/.433/.705

 

I'm not saying that he's completely a lost cause as a major leaguer. His slugging especially has been a huge shock to me. But let's not assume that Colvin absolutely HAS to be given a starting job on the 2011 Cubs.

 

Does it really matter if he's a starter or not next year? I don't think signing 32 year old Adam Dunn to a longish contract so we don't have to tolerate Colvin at 1st is in the teams long term best interest. Dunn/Pena/other FA 1B won't make enough of a difference next year anyway.

[Sammy Sofa]

Hopefully the Cubs realize that in his last 51 games (196 PA) this is his line:

 

.211/.272/.433/.705

 

I'm not saying that he's completely a lost cause as a major leaguer. His slugging especially has been a huge shock to me. But let's not assume that Colvin absolutely HAS to be given a starting job on the 2011 Cubs.

 

Does it really matter if he's a starter or not next year? I don't think signing 32 year old Adam Dunn to a longish contract so we don't have to tolerate Colvin at 1st is in the teams long term best interest. Dunn/Pena/other FA 1B won't make enough of a difference next year anyway.

 

Dunn won't turn 32 until the end of the 2011 season. And Dunn or a re-surged Pena would likely be a huge difference over Colvin.

[Old Style]

I like this news if for no other reason than it drives N&G crazy.

[erik316wttn]

Hopefully the Cubs realize that in his last 51 games (196 PA) this is his line:

 

.211/.272/.433/.705

 

I'm not saying that he's completely a lost cause as a major leaguer. His slugging especially has been a huge shock to me. But let's not assume that Colvin absolutely HAS to be given a starting job on the 2011 Cubs.

 

Does it really matter if he's a starter or not next year? I don't think signing 32 year old Adam Dunn to a longish contract so we don't have to tolerate Colvin at 1st is in the teams long term best interest. Dunn/Pena/other FA 1B won't make enough of a difference next year anyway.

 

Dunn won't turn 32 until the end of the 2011 season. And Dunn or a re-surged Pena would likely be a huge difference over Colvin.

 

Agreed. I don't want Colvin to be our starting 1B next season, either, but for the rest of the year it's not going to do any harm. It's not like we're playing for anything anyway.

[Sammy Sofa]

Agreed. I don't want Colvin to be our starting 1B next season, either, but for the rest of the year it's not going to do any harm. It's not like we're playing for anything anyway.

 

Well, if they're going to pursue the option of him being a starting RF then he still needs more time out there. It's a catch-22 because I doubt this would even come up if he was a lock-down defender out there, but he's not, and RF at Wrigley is obviously a tough position to hold over the course of a season. If they're even considering him being the starter out there they need to focus on him getting playing time there instead of 1B.

[Guest]

I have a very difficult time believing that the Cubs want to put Colvin at 1B or that they view him as a long term solution there. A smart organization would recognize that Colvin is a 4th OF type, and that giving him experience at 1B could benefit his value to a team(yes, 1B is the easiest position, that doesn't mean you don't have to practice it or that there's no difference in defensive performance there). It also gives them the chance to play Colvin and Fukudome for the rest of the season, and evaluate how they want to handle the OF next year. So since it seems like the Cubs are doing what a smart organization should, there really shouldn't be much opposition to Colvin playing some 1B. Not until there's any indication they view him as a longer term solution instead of another option on a team whose current options(Nady, Baker and Hoffpauir, none of whom have a future with this team in an extended role) have started a combined 119 MLB games at 1B.

[Sammy Sofa]

I have a very difficult time believing that the Cubs want to put Colvin at 1B or that they view him as a long term solution there. A smart organization would recognize that Colvin is a 4th OF type, and that giving him experience at 1B could benefit his value to a team(yes, 1B is the easiest position, that doesn't mean you don't have to practice it or that there's no difference in defensive performance there). It also gives them the chance to play Colvin and Fukudome for the rest of the season, and evaluate how they want to handle the OF next year. So since it seems like the Cubs are doing what a smart organization should, there really shouldn't be much opposition to Colvin playing some 1B. Not until there's any indication they view him as a longer term solution instead of another option on a team whose current options(Nady, Baker and Hoffpauir, none of whom have a future with this team in an extended role) have started a combined 119 MLB games at 1B.

 

Good points. I think my trepidation comes exactly from when you talked about what a smart organization does and then realizing we're dealing with the Cubs here. I'd love it if this ultimately ends up being a sign that they're being smarter than they've been in recent years. My concern stems from how Colvin has become such a fan favorite and is continually being lumped in with the "youth movement."

[Banedon]

Agreed. I don't want Colvin to be our starting 1B next season, either, but for the rest of the year it's not going to do any harm. It's not like we're playing for anything anyway.

 

Well, if they're going to pursue the option of him being a starting RF then he still needs more time out there. It's a catch-22 because I doubt this would even come up if he was a lock-down defender out there, but he's not, and RF at Wrigley is obviously a tough position to hold over the course of a season. If they're even considering him being the starter out there they need to focus on him getting playing time there instead of 1B.

 

What if they just view Colvin as a strong bench option moving forward. Like you pointed out earlier, his numbers are coming back down to earth. Maybe they see him as a guy that can give some players a day off now and then and provide some roster flexibility if he learns another position (which we happen to need someone at for the rest of this season).

[erik316wttn]

Agreed. I don't want Colvin to be our starting 1B next season, either, but for the rest of the year it's not going to do any harm. It's not like we're playing for anything anyway.

 

Well, if they're going to pursue the option of him being a starting RF then he still needs more time out there. It's a catch-22 because I doubt this would even come up if he was a lock-down defender out there, but he's not, and RF at Wrigley is obviously a tough position to hold over the course of a season. If they're even considering him being the starter out there they need to focus on him getting playing time there instead of 1B.

 

What if they just view Colvin as a strong bench option moving forward. Like you pointed out earlier, his numbers are coming back down to earth. Maybe they see him as a guy that can give some players a day off now and then and provide some roster flexibility if he learns another position (which we happen to need someone at for the rest of this season).

 

I see it more as that, however I could see Hendry not pursuing a 1B option in the offseason if his bat starts to heat up again, thinking we've got an option in-house, so the thought of that kinda scares me a bit.

[davearm2]

How someone could spin this as a negative is amazing.

 

People the alternative is giving Xavier freakin Nady those ABs. We already know what he can do.

 

Kudos to the Cubs for doing some experimenting that could prove useful down the road.

[Sammy Sofa]

Actually, do we know what Nady can do with consistent starts at a position like 1B as he gets further away from his surgery?

[lumafia]

If it were my team I would certainly put my priority on getting a 1B in the offseason above making Colvin a 1B. All of this depends on several factors, with the most important being the payroll. If the Cubs have the flexibility, Dunn will be the priority this offseason. With all of his talk about not rebuilding, I don't think Hendry is willing to wait for Gonzalez. Colvin would be very valuable to the team as a 4th OF/backup 1B in 2011. He's cheap, can hit the ball out of the park, and has some experience. That's better than going out and signing a Tracy, Millar, Nady, Baker type player. This gives the team an opportunity to see both Colvin and Fukudome play everyday, assuming Colvin gets many chances at 1B through the end fo the season. It would be spectacular if the Cubs found a way to get anything for Nady at this point, and the Cubs got the opportunity to see Fukudome and Colvin perform every day in the lineup.

 

I think this is also a sign of the thin market for Fukudome.

 

I'm making alot of assumptions there, most notably, that the Cubs are as smart as I am. I have my doubts.

[loukycub]

I don't think that necessarily means that Colvin is going to be the starting 1b next season....it can't hurt to have him take grounders there. Cubs really would be negotiating from a weak position in signing a free agent or via trade if they have absolutely no one in-house who can play the position.

 

our other in-house 1st base candidate is micah hoffpaiur. we would still be negotiating from a point of weakness regardless.

 

i know it would go over like a lead balloon over here but the only thing trading derrek lee does in my mind is eliminate the possibility he comes back next year. i don't know of the upcoming 1st base fa class next year, but i'm betting there aren't any big names on it that can help other than adam dunn and i don't want him and his high triple digit k totals anywhere near this offense which has trouble hitting anyway. my thinking has been, okay don't offer arbitration, don't sign him right away, but sign him to a lower dollar, high incentive laden deal. his defense still has value even though it appears his bat no longer does. if there aren't any medium names available i would have liked to stay with what he had and see if anything would have shaken out next year.

 

as it stands now it looks like its going to get much worse before it gets better.

[Sammy Sofa]

You realize you can still have a very productive offensive player who strikes out a lot, right?

[loukycub]

productive offensive player? sure. but with the team as it is constructed now, adding him in is worthless when the defense is this bad. if we fielded a better defense, dunn even at first base is worth it for the runs he would give up. i'm not opposed to the idea. but i think and i think you would agree, there are higher priorities that need to be taken care of first, the defense being one of them. if you can improve the defense AND get adam dunn, go for it.

[Prizefight]

i don't want him and his high triple digit k totals anywhere near this offense which has trouble hitting anyway. .

 

Yes, I agree. I don't want his icky career .904 OPS on our team.