Samardzija gifted a bullpen spot

[Schwarber Fan]

Five bullpen spots are secured by Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, John Grabow and Jeff Samardzija. If the team decides to take a third left-hander, it will be either James Russell or Scott Maine.

 

:roll:

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/3544/cubs-to-meet-decide-on-players-tuesday

 

Also says Reed and Barney have basically made the team

[Guest]

If they take those 5, Russell, and Silva, what's the problem? I'd rather cast my lot with Shark figuring it out in a 6th inning role than flotsam like Wellemeyer/Looper, or bad stuff guys like Coleman/Berg.

 

On the other hand, Reed Johnson making the team would annoy me. If we're going to keep a 5th OF that's a CF, let's keep one that's actually a good defender there.

[Little Slide Rooter]

If they take those 5, Russell, and Silva, what's the problem? I'd rather cast my lot with Shark figuring it out in a 6th inning role than flotsam like Wellemeyer/Looper, or bad stuff guys like Coleman/Berg.

 

On the other hand, Reed Johnson making the team would annoy me. If we're going to keep a 5th OF that's a CF, let's keep one that's actually a good defender there.

 

Whoever starts the season with the 6th and 7th bullpen apots doesnt bug me all that much. Best case scenerio is their a solid inning eater/mop up guy. Worst case scenerio, they're awful, and they get rid of them and call up someone who will be equally awful or perhaps try J Jax or Carpenter in the pen.

 

Is Guzman going to be ready anytime soon?

 

As for Johnson, I remember him being a pretty good fielder, but its been a few years. I remember him becoming an instant fan fav when he made that one bad ass catch vs. Washintgon in a game we lost anyway. Fernando Perez is supposed to be a pretty good fielder, but hes worthless with the bat. If they're going to keep both Koyie Hill and Perez, I hope that they also have the good sense to carry Max Ramirez for his bat, or at least the potential of it because otherwise, were going to have one powerless bench.

[CubColtPacer]

Samardzija does have a nice K/BB ratio this spring. I think he's probably earned a spot over the poor competition even if the process was entirely fair, and his contract/options situation makes any indecision about that go away.

 

As for Reed, if they're going to take an OF I'd rather have Reed than Perez. That gives another bat to use against left-handed pitching which is probably going to be more useful than a plus defender in CF.

[Guest]

As for Reed, if they're going to take an OF I'd rather have Reed than Perez. That gives another bat to use against left-handed pitching which is probably going to be more useful than a plus defender in CF.

 

In that case, then why not just keep Ramirez and have Colvin or Kosuke fill in at CF? They're both as good if not better defensive CFs than Johnson anyway.

[CubColtPacer]

As for Reed, if they're going to take an OF I'd rather have Reed than Perez. That gives another bat to use against left-handed pitching which is probably going to be more useful than a plus defender in CF.

 

In that case, then why not just keep Ramirez and have Colvin or Kosuke fill in at CF? They're both as good if not better defensive CFs than Johnson anyway.

 

Bringing Ramirez is tricky. That means if you want to pinch-hit for Kosuke in the late innings you have to send Ramirez up to the plate and then replace him with Colvin in the field. You've burned 2 players in 1 inning, have no more OF's on the bench, and your best bench hitter is now in the lineup but won't come around in the order for awhile. If Reed comes up in that situation, he can come into the game and then Colvin will be available to pinch-hit against a right-hander in the next inning. With how many times managers bring in a tough left-hander to face Fukudome that will be a common scenario.

 

Plus there will be extra pressure to DL the OF's if they're hurt for a few days.

[davell]

As for Reed, if they're going to take an OF I'd rather have Reed than Perez. That gives another bat to use against left-handed pitching which is probably going to be more useful than a plus defender in CF.

 

In that case, then why not just keep Ramirez and have Colvin or Kosuke fill in at CF? They're both as good if not better defensive CFs than Johnson anyway.

 

 

As much as I like Reed, that's the solution, right there.

[Backtobanks]

I keep hoping the Cubs could talk him into waiving his NTC and use him in a trade package at some point. His $3 million contract would look good on another team.

[abuck1220]

you realize other teams know about his contract, right?

[Guest]

As for Reed, if they're going to take an OF I'd rather have Reed than Perez. That gives another bat to use against left-handed pitching which is probably going to be more useful than a plus defender in CF.

 

In that case, then why not just keep Ramirez and have Colvin or Kosuke fill in at CF? They're both as good if not better defensive CFs than Johnson anyway.

 

Bringing Ramirez is tricky. That means if you want to pinch-hit for Kosuke in the late innings you have to send Ramirez up to the plate and then replace him with Colvin in the field. You've burned 2 players in 1 inning, have no more OF's on the bench, and your best bench hitter is now in the lineup but won't come around in the order for awhile. If Reed comes up in that situation, he can come into the game and then Colvin will be available to pinch-hit against a right-hander in the next inning. With how many times managers bring in a tough left-hander to face Fukudome that will be a common scenario.

 

Plus there will be extra pressure to DL the OF's if they're hurt for a few days.

 

I think that's overthinking it a bit. You aren't going to pinch hit for Pena/Ramirez/Soriano/Castro/Byrd/Soto, so you'd only really think about pinch hitting with Colvin in the 8 hole, which is one spot away from where he is if you double switch him into the game after pinch hitting with Ramirez. It's the difference between Colvin(PH)/Johnson/Castro at 9-1-2 or Colvin/Baker(PH)/Castro at 9-1-2. I don't really see a lot of downside.

 

Plus, in that scenario we've already likely burned a PH for the pitcher at this point(whoever it is), so you're left with less flexibility regardless of the Johnson/Ramirez dilemma.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I keep hoping the Cubs could talk him into waiving his NTC and use him in a trade package at some point. His $3 million contract would look good on another team.

 

Youd think hed have to waive his NTC by now. If the options were be buried at the bottom of the bullpen by the Cubs or be traded to a team who might give him a bigger role Im sure hed take it.

[Rob]

I don't have a problem with Samardzija getting a shot in the bullpen.

 

I do have a slight problem with Reed Johnson over Perez and Ramirez. If we wanted a platoon hitter we should have gone with Ramirez. If we wanted a good defensive OF, Perez.

[mhuber92211]

What measurement is being used for Perez being a good CF? I wouldn't be surprised if he had a better arm than Johnson but what else? In the game over the weekend he was horrible in routes to the ball missing 2 entirely, giving extra bases both times

[tfarks]

So they're paying like 7 million for Grabow and Shark to suck in the 6th-7th innings.

[Sammy Sofa]

What measurement is being used for Perez being a good CF?

 

Defensive metrics. Check out BaseballReference.com.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if he had a better arm than Johnson but what else? In the game over the weekend he was horrible in routes to the ball missing 2 entirely, giving extra bases both times

 

Better range, too.

 

We're not talking a world's worth of difference here, but Perez likely has the advantage at this point simply due to the difference in age between the two.

 

Plus you're going to see a lot more errors in spring training games (and especially a lot more than usual from outfielders), so using a single one usually isn't the best way to judge a player's defensive capabilities.

[Cubswin11]

What the hell is up with Guzman? He hasn't even logged a ST inning. Also I was really hoping Mateo would get a bullpen spot, looks like that isn't happening. I think he has potential to be a solid 7-8 inning guy.

[Backtobanks]

you realize other teams know about his contract, right?

 

Some other team might be willing to see if he reaches his potential, while the Cubs have plenty of young pitchers with more potential and smaller contracts.

[Garwilly]

you realize other teams know about his contract, right?

 

Some other team might be willing to see if he reaches his potential, while the Cubs have plenty of young pitchers with more potential and smaller contracts.

 

I smell a four team trade brewing.....

[Backtobanks]

Heaven help us with a bench that includes Perez and Hill. Zambrano might get a lot of pinch hitting opportunities.

[abuck1220]

you realize other teams know about his contract, right?

 

Some other team might be willing to see if he reaches his potential, while the Cubs have plenty of young pitchers with more potential and smaller contracts.

 

every team has those.

 

such a big deal is made about his NTC, but nobody wants to trade for him and his contract. NOBODY. he has zero trade value.

[Sammy Sofa]

That sounds like a challenge, Backtobanks. PROVE HIM WRONG.

[Backtobanks]

you realize other teams know about his contract, right?

 

Some other team might be willing to see if he reaches his potential, while the Cubs have plenty of young pitchers with more potential and smaller contracts.

 

every team has those.

 

such a big deal is made about his NTC, but nobody wants to trade for him and his contract. NOBODY. he has zero trade value.

 

All of the talk about trading him would have him in a package deal with other prospects probably for someone making more money. Including him (instead of all minimum contract prospects) would be a way of leveling out some of the financial obligations.

[davell]

Why would we make a bad contract swap including Shark? He's still relatively young and he has zero trade value at the present time. Taking on someone else's crap doesn't even make sense, because Shark COULD show he's a decent bullpen arm at least and most teams "bad" contracts fall well outside the realm of one year and 3 million bucks. If Shark screws up again, it's fine. We're done with him after this season anyway.

 

And other teams are probably looking at his situation in the same way anyway: Why take a risk now when you may be able to take that "upside" type risk next offseason for the league minimum?

 

Personally, I don't really know that I even WANT him to show flashes this year either. Pitch well or don't. It's definitely time for us to know what, if anything, we've got with him. I don't want him blocking guys next year, unless he shows he's a legit major league arm, instead of basically being a rule 5 type guy we're going to try and hide all year, which is likely what we're doing, unless he shows us some serious improvement.

[Bull]

Title should say that Samardzija negotiated bullpen spot in 2007.

[treebird]

you realize other teams know about his contract, right?

 

that would be a great zinger

 

ed wade: "what does this sammich guy make a year"

 

hendry: "uhhh, i don't remember, i don't think it's too bad"

 

ed wade: "fair enough, send him over"

 

hendry: "suckaaaaaaaaaaaaa"