Max Ramirez clears waivers, outrighted to Iowa

[Bote McBoteface]

Three days, right?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Oh Christ, what was I typing. I obviously meant Ramirez.

 

He was originally claimed off waivers from the Rangers by the Red Sox, but they couldnt work out a deal. Rangers pulled him back, and put him back on waivers a bit later and we claimed him.

[sweetpeteman]

Oh Christ, what was I typing. I obviously meant Ramirez.

 

He was originally claimed off waivers from the Rangers by the Red Sox, but they couldnt work out a deal. Rangers pulled him back, and put him back on waivers a bit later and we claimed him.

 

 

That was for the Lowell deal. Later Ramirez was claimed by the Red Sox and given up by the Rangers, then the RS put him on waivers like 5 days later and the Cubs claimed him.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/01/cubs-claim-max-ramirez.html

[NCCubFan]

Three days, right?

I believe so.

[ctcf]

Hooray! Feel free to change the thread title. Per Rotoworld:

 

Cubs sent C Max Ramirez outright to Triple-A Iowa.

Given his history on the waiver wire, it's at least a little bit surprising that he passed through successfully. The 26-year-old backstop would likely be the first catcher called up to the big leagues in the event of an injury to Geovany Soto or Koyie Hill.

[CubColtPacer]

Hooray! Feel free to change the thread title. Per Rotoworld:

 

Cubs sent C Max Ramirez outright to Triple-A Iowa.

Given his history on the waiver wire, it's at least a little bit surprising that he passed through successfully. The 26-year-old backstop would likely be the first catcher called up to the big leagues in the event of an injury to Geovany Soto or Koyie Hill.

 

It'll be interesting to see how they divvy up the AAA at-bats. My guess is that Ramirez will get quite a few at-bats at somewhere other than catcher and I'm not sure that he would necessarily be the first one called up if there was an injury.

[Cubswin11]

Hooray! Feel free to change the thread title. Per Rotoworld:

 

Cubs sent C Max Ramirez outright to Triple-A Iowa.

Given his history on the waiver wire, it's at least a little bit surprising that he passed through successfully. The 26-year-old backstop would likely be the first catcher called up to the big leagues in the event of an injury to Geovany Soto or Koyie Hill.

 

It'll be interesting to see how they divvy up the AAA at-bats. My guess is that Ramirez will get quite a few at-bats at somewhere other than catcher and I'm not sure that he would necessarily be the first one called up if there was an injury.

Agreed, especially if it's an injury to Soto (god forbid) and not Hill, I think Castillo would get the call up in that case. I would also agree with you that Ramirez will shuffle around between C and 1B with maybe some time at 3B and/or the OF. Good news though, I am glad we were able to keep him in the system.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd hope he be first in line of Reed is injured or just flat out sucks to take his spot on the bench.

[NCCubFan]

It'll be interesting to see how they divvy up the AAA at-bats. My guess is that Ramirez will get quite a few at-bats at somewhere other than catcher and I'm not sure that he would necessarily be the first one called up if there was an injury.

Agreed, especially if it's an injury to Soto (god forbid) and not Hill, I think Castillo would get the call up in that case. I would also agree with you that Ramirez will shuffle around between C and 1B with maybe some time at 3B and/or the OF. Good news though, I am glad we were able to keep him in the system.

One reason for calling up Castillo rather than Ramirez if it's specifically to catch is that Castillo is already on the 40-man roster and can be called up and sent down at will (within the limits of spending 10 days down before he could be called back up) since this is already an option year for him. Ramirez, however, would need to be added to the 40-man, then exposed to waivers again if they want to send him back down. So I think it's highly unlikely that Ramirez would get a short-term call-up.

[davearm2]

Hooray! Feel free to change the thread title. Per Rotoworld:

 

Cubs sent C Max Ramirez outright to Triple-A Iowa.

Given his history on the waiver wire, it's at least a little bit surprising that he passed through successfully. The 26-year-old backstop would likely be the first catcher called up to the big leagues in the event of an injury to Geovany Soto or Koyie Hill.

 

It'll be interesting to see how they divvy up the AAA at-bats. My guess is that Ramirez will get quite a few at-bats at somewhere other than catcher and I'm not sure that he would necessarily be the first one called up if there was an injury.

The Cubs took Ramirez off of the 40-man roster. So there's first the issue of opening a roster spot if/when he's called up.

 

Second, if the Cubs were to call up Ramirez, then they'd have to pass him through waivers again if/when they wanted to return him to Iowa -- he can't just be moved up and down as easily as a guy that was optioned.

 

Two more reasons why he might not be the first callup in the event of an injury.

 

EDIT: somehow I missed that NCCubfan just said all of that :banghead:

[SouthSideRyan]

The Cubs have 2 open 40 man spots after the Reed Johnson rostering.

[UK1679666180]

I fail to see the love for Ramirez, Hill is terrible but I fail to see any improvement with another Fringe backup C with no ceiling above Fringe.

[Rob]

I fail to see the love for Ramirez, Hill is terrible but I fail to see any improvement with another Fringe backup C with no ceiling above Fringe.

 

Well the problem here is that you feel his ceiling is no higher than a fringe backup catcher. It's more like good backup/bad 2nd division starter. Think of a cross between Chris Snyder and John Buck. Ramirez tore the cover off the ball his entire minor league career until the last 10 games of 2008. Yeah, his offense has taken a step backwards the last couple years but that seems to happen with young catchers from time to time... they hit the upper level of the minors and turn their focus to improving their defense and gamecalling at the expense of their offense. Not exactly shocking for a guy who just transitioned to the position in 05 that he might not have everything figured out in 4 years.

 

Why not see if we've got something with him? He can't be worse than Hill. He could certainly be better.

[dew1679666265]

It'll be interesting to see how they divvy up the AAA at-bats. My guess is that Ramirez will get quite a few at-bats at somewhere other than catcher and I'm not sure that he would necessarily be the first one called up if there was an injury.

 

How about first? It's unlikely that his bat will be good enough to play there every day, but we don't have anybody right now who's more likely to do that. I'd say stick Ramirez at first, let him catch on Castillo's days off and see what he does.

[UK1679666180]

I fail to see the love for Ramirez, Hill is terrible but I fail to see any improvement with another Fringe backup C with no ceiling above Fringe.

 

Well the problem here is that you feel his ceiling is no higher than a fringe backup catcher. It's more like good backup/bad 2nd division starter. Think of a cross between Chris Snyder and John Buck. Ramirez tore the cover off the ball his entire minor league career until the last 10 games of 2008. Yeah, his offense has taken a step backwards the last couple years but that seems to happen with young catchers from time to time... they hit the upper level of the minors and turn their focus to improving their defense and gamecalling at the expense of their offense. Not exactly shocking for a guy who just transitioned to the position in 05 that he might not have everything figured out in 4 years.

 

Why not see if we've got something with him? He can't be worse than Hill. He could certainly be better.

 

I'm skeptical of a defensive liability, who has to prove he can hit above AA. Its great that he's been compared to Victor Martinez but those days have come and gone. I'm glad he's at AAA. Although since I project Castillo as a backup C with the ceiling of D. Miller, I think hed be best backing up Soto and Ramirez could be at Iowa trying to improve behind the plate and hit at AAA.

[davearm2]

I fail to see the love for Ramirez, Hill is terrible but I fail to see any improvement with another Fringe backup C with no ceiling above Fringe.

 

Well the problem here is that you feel his ceiling is no higher than a fringe backup catcher. It's more like good backup/bad 2nd division starter. Think of a cross between Chris Snyder and John Buck. Ramirez tore the cover off the ball his entire minor league career until the last 10 games of 2008. Yeah, his offense has taken a step backwards the last couple years but that seems to happen with young catchers from time to time... they hit the upper level of the minors and turn their focus to improving their defense and gamecalling at the expense of their offense. Not exactly shocking for a guy who just transitioned to the position in 05 that he might not have everything figured out in 4 years.

 

Why not see if we've got something with him? He can't be worse than Hill. He could certainly be better.

The fact that the Cubs kept Hill and placed Ramirez at the same level as Castillo would seem to me to suggest that they don't like Ramirez' catching prospects all that much.

 

Of course it could just simply be a numbers crunch, but they certainly don't seem to be too intent on promoting Ramirez' development behind the plate.

 

Maybe he'll get a lot of action at Iowa and prove me wrong, but it doesn't appear things are going that direction.

[Rob]

I fail to see the love for Ramirez, Hill is terrible but I fail to see any improvement with another Fringe backup C with no ceiling above Fringe.

 

Well the problem here is that you feel his ceiling is no higher than a fringe backup catcher. It's more like good backup/bad 2nd division starter. Think of a cross between Chris Snyder and John Buck. Ramirez tore the cover off the ball his entire minor league career until the last 10 games of 2008. Yeah, his offense has taken a step backwards the last couple years but that seems to happen with young catchers from time to time... they hit the upper level of the minors and turn their focus to improving their defense and gamecalling at the expense of their offense. Not exactly shocking for a guy who just transitioned to the position in 05 that he might not have everything figured out in 4 years.

 

Why not see if we've got something with him? He can't be worse than Hill. He could certainly be better.

The fact that the Cubs kept Hill and placed Ramirez at the same level as Castillo would seem to me to suggest that they don't like Ramirez' catching prospects all that much.

 

Of course it could just simply be a numbers crunch, but they certainly don't seem to be too intent on promoting Ramirez' development behind the plate.

 

Maybe he'll get a lot of action at Iowa and prove me wrong, but it doesn't appear things are going that direction.

 

I don't doubt for a moment the Cubs are thinking of him as a Jake Fox type right now. If they weren't, we'd have cut Koyie Hill three weeks ago.

 

That doesn't mean they aren't making a mistake.

[Rob]

I fail to see the love for Ramirez, Hill is terrible but I fail to see any improvement with another Fringe backup C with no ceiling above Fringe.

 

Well the problem here is that you feel his ceiling is no higher than a fringe backup catcher. It's more like good backup/bad 2nd division starter. Think of a cross between Chris Snyder and John Buck. Ramirez tore the cover off the ball his entire minor league career until the last 10 games of 2008. Yeah, his offense has taken a step backwards the last couple years but that seems to happen with young catchers from time to time... they hit the upper level of the minors and turn their focus to improving their defense and gamecalling at the expense of their offense. Not exactly shocking for a guy who just transitioned to the position in 05 that he might not have everything figured out in 4 years.

 

Why not see if we've got something with him? He can't be worse than Hill. He could certainly be better.

 

I'm skeptical of a defensive liability, who has to prove he can hit above AA. Its great that he's been compared to Victor Martinez but those days have come and gone. I'm glad he's at AAA. Although since I project Castillo as a backup C with the ceiling of D. Miller, I think hed be best backing up Soto and Ramirez could be at Iowa trying to improve behind the plate and hit at AAA.

 

I don't blame you for being skeptical. But when the situation has repeated itself often enough that it gets a name like "Young Offensive Catcher Stagnation Syndrome" that has search results going back more than 10 years... well, I wait just a bit before declaring a catcher as having washed out at AAA. I wouldn't blame you for jumping to conclusions though. You'd be right more often than not.

 

I don't see Castillo as much different from Miller either, honestly. But that's another one of those good backup/bad 2nd division starter types. Hell, when they're cheap enough they're not even bad for contenders, provided your GM is smart enough to spend the cash saved wisely.