Cubs apparently sign Reed Johnson for some reason

[imb]

So does this mean that Jackson is trade bait?

[Rob]

What's the big effin deal? I know he's not great. Theo knows he's not great. But he's a good bench bat/4th outfielder and that's all he'll be. It's a cheap, one year deal. I personally wouldn't want Campana as our 4th outfielder next year.

What is it that makes you think Johnson will be a better player in 2012 than Campana?

 

Ideally, I'd like for our bench to be full of specialists so that we can fully maximize their value. Campana could be around as the pinch runner/defender but we do need guys around who can pinch hit too.

 

That said, I'd have preferred it if we'd have just protected Ryan Flaherty and used him on the bench. He'd have added a power hitting lefty and his defensive versatility would have allowed us to use Jeff Baker as an OF who can mash lefties.

 

But we couldn't protect Flaherty because we needed to hold those spots for guys we were going to bring in the offseason. "Those guys" were not supposed to include Reed [expletive] Johnson

 

Hence my growing frustration. The move only gets worse the more I think about it.

[ctcf]

So does this mean that Jackson is trade bait?

 

Obviously

[jersey cubs fan]

So does this mean that Jackson is trade bait?

 

one of the OF has to be on the way out I assume.

[treebird]

What's the big effin deal? I know he's not great. Theo knows he's not great. But he's a good bench bat/4th outfielder and that's all he'll be. It's a cheap, one year deal. I personally wouldn't want Campana as our 4th outfielder next year.

What is it that makes you think Johnson will be a better player in 2012 than Campana?

 

Ideally, I'd like for our bench to be full of specialists so that we can fully maximize their value. Campana could be around as the pinch runner/defender but we do need guys around who can pinch hit too.

 

That said, I'd have preferred it if we'd have just protected Ryan Flaherty and used him on the bench. He'd have added a power hitting lefty and his defensive versatility would have allowed us to use Jeff Baker as an OF who can mash lefties.

 

But we couldn't protect Flaherty because we needed to hold those spots for guys we were going to bring in the offseason. "Those guys" were not supposed to include Reed [expletive] Johnson

 

yeah, the fact that we left so many spots on the 40 open was one of the real reasons for optimism that we were going to do something interesting this offseason that we had left. this is pretty discouraging.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So does this mean that Jackson is trade bait?

 

one of the OF has to be on the way out I assume.

 

Soriano/Byrd/DeJesus with Reed Johnson backing up and Jackson in AAA.

[UMFan83]

I just want to know what all this "every chance to win is sacred" was about? The Offseason isn't over and we have holes to fill still, but I have a hard time imaging how this team is not worse than last years at this point.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I just want to know what all this "every chance to win is sacred" was about? The Offseason isn't over and we have holes to fill still, but I have a hard time imaging how this team is not worse than last years at this point.

 

It was BS to hide the fact that he was planning on tanking 2012.

 

I wonder if Epstein was really just getting burned out from the pressure in Boston and Ricketts sold him on the job by telling him he didn't have to try for a few years.

[Sammy Sofa]

There's nothing to imagine. Aramis and Pena are gone and they've been replaced by Ian [expletive] Stewart and nobody so far.

[davell]

Levine said yesterday in his chat that the plan was to blow this thing up completely, but the new CBA has changed their minds, since you can't just go crazy in the draft anymore with money.

[Little Slide Rooter]

There's nothing to imagine. Aramis and Pena are gone and they've been replaced by Ian [expletive] Stewart and nobody so far.

 

So far being the key term. Come on man, you're the last one I'd have predicted to turn on them this early on. If anything you'd be [expletive] on those who had. I'll admit, I'd like to know where this thing is going but we've had indications for a while now that the transition wouldn't be as fast as we'd like. It's not Theos fault that people chose not to believe him. I still think that the opening day roster won't be looking like it does now but I'll wait until at least this time next year before I consider turning.

[Sammy Sofa]

I haven't "turned on them;" as I've stated numerous times it's just awful to witness right now. I'm more than willing to give the FO the time they need to turn it around, but in the meantime I'm not going to pretend [expletive] like this is enjoyable or reason for optimism. If they're going for the long rebuild it's going to really, really suck for a while. I'm also still hoping they're going to end up with Prince and one of the Cubans, plus maybe pull off an awesome trade or two. It's just awful at this moment.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If they can live up to their drafting and development hype, then that will far outweigh this bad offseason. But it's still a bad offseason.

[Rob]

I just want to know what all this "every chance to win is sacred" was about? The Offseason isn't over and we have holes to fill still, but I have a hard time imaging how this team is not worse than last years at this point.

 

The Cubs have upgraded RF by about as much as they've downgraded at 3B. Given the monumentally bad luck of our pitching staff last season, it's reasonable to expect some improvements there. Our CF most likely is not going to get his face exploded by a fastball. There's also reason to hope for rebounds at C and LF, though those are less than certainties. And we can always hope for continued development from Castro and perhaps Barney.

 

Right now, I expect the 2012 Cubs to be better than 2011. Perhaps not from a sheer talent standpoint, but that wasn't really a 71 win team last year to begin with.

 

I could see us approaching .500 depending on what we do to close out the offseason. I could also see us heading the other direction if we firesale this beeyotch. There's still plenty of options out there to go either way with it.

[JoshiQ]

And in the meantime, there is no reason to pretend to be happy about signing a guy like Reed Johnson just because it was Theo that signed him.

[Guest]

I just want to know what all this "every chance to win is sacred" was about? The Offseason isn't over and we have holes to fill still, but I have a hard time imaging how this team is not worse than last years at this point.

 

The Cubs have upgraded RF by about as much as they've downgraded at 3B. Given the monumentally bad luck of our pitching staff last season, it's reasonable to expect some improvements there. Our CF most likely is not going to get his face exploded by a fastball. There's also reason to hope for rebounds at C and LF, though those are less than certainties. And we can always hope for continued development from Castro and perhaps Barney.

 

Right now, I expect the 2012 Cubs to be better than 2011. Perhaps not from a sheer talent standpoint, but that wasn't really a 71 win team last year to begin with.

 

I could see us approaching .500 depending on what we do to close out the offseason. I could also see us heading the other direction if we firesale this beeyotch. There's still plenty of options out there to go either way with it.

 

Isn't a part of this also due to the fact that we were awful defensively?

[Sammy Sofa]

And in the meantime, there is no reason to pretend to be happy about signing a guy like Reed Johnson just because it was Theo that signed him.

 

Yes, exactly. One can hate this while not losing sight of the bigger picture.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I haven't "turned on them;" as I've stated numerous times it's just awful to witness right now. I'm more than willing to give the FO the time they need to turn it around, but in the meantime I'm not going to pretend [expletive] like this is enjoyable or reason for optimism. If they're going for the long rebuild it's going to really, really suck for a while. I'm also still hoping they're going to end up with Prince and one of the Cubans, plus maybe pull off an awesome trade or two. It's just awful at this moment.

 

To be honest, I don't think it will be as long as some think. Attendance has dropped over the last few years, and Theo and Hoyer aren't going fill the seats on their own, nor will the likes of David DeJesus, Ian Stewart, and Brian LaHair. Ricketts went through a lot to get Epstein and Hoyer and if the plan wasn't to make some wholesale change I don't think that he would have kept pushing so hard once Luchino started getting ridiculous. I no longer have much faith that we'll make a serious run at Fielder but I strongly feel that a Cuban will be ours. I also think that there will be some kind of change at 1st base and Soriano or Byrd will be moved.

[Four and Twenty]

OUTRAGE! RABBLE RABBLE!

 

Yes.

 

Jed and Theo are operating in the entire spectrum. All we're seeing is red.

[Backtobanks]

So far Theo has Hendry beat by a mile in the category "Worst Offseason by a GM".

[Four and Twenty]

So far Theo has Hendry beat by a mile in the category "Worst Offseason by a GM".

 

Adjust that burka.

[Rob]

I just want to know what all this "every chance to win is sacred" was about? The Offseason isn't over and we have holes to fill still, but I have a hard time imaging how this team is not worse than last years at this point.

 

The Cubs have upgraded RF by about as much as they've downgraded at 3B. Given the monumentally bad luck of our pitching staff last season, it's reasonable to expect some improvements there. Our CF most likely is not going to get his face exploded by a fastball. There's also reason to hope for rebounds at C and LF, though those are less than certainties. And we can always hope for continued development from Castro and perhaps Barney.

 

Right now, I expect the 2012 Cubs to be better than 2011. Perhaps not from a sheer talent standpoint, but that wasn't really a 71 win team last year to begin with.

 

I could see us approaching .500 depending on what we do to close out the offseason. I could also see us heading the other direction if we firesale this beeyotch. There's still plenty of options out there to go either way with it.

 

Isn't a part of this also due to the fact that we were awful defensively?

 

The BABIP stuff applies mostly to Garza and Demp (and Casey Coleman, weirdly enough), but let's just forget all about that for a second.

 

- We got one start from Cashner.

 

- We got one start from Wells before he hit the DL. After he returned too early he went from being a ~0.8 HR/9 guy in his first 350 innings (good) to nearly double that at 1.53 HR/9 for the next 130 (abysmal). If he's healthy, there's plenty of reason to think that number will go way back down.

 

- Z spent another season being jerked between the rotation and the bullpen because our GM and manager wanted a scapegoat.

 

I have a hard time believing we're going to get so little from our 3/4/5 starters next season.

[Clem Fandango]

Oh man, I can't believe they signed a marginally useful bench player to continue being a marginally useful bench player.

[Sammy Sofa]

Oh man, I can't believe they signed a marginally useful bench player to continue being a marginally useful bench player.

 

Debatable.

[Clem Fandango]

Oh man, I can't believe they signed a marginally useful bench player to continue being a marginally useful bench player.

 

Debatable.

 

Debatable, but not worth debating, because it's Reed Johnson and it makes nary a dent on the overall team salary. It's inconsequential.