Cubs apparently sign Reed Johnson for some reason

[A New Era]

So far, Theo has........Hired Hoyer, McLeod, Rahman, and others to give us much more of a front office presence. He fired Quade. Hired Sveum. Offered arbitration to both Aramis and Pena. Non tendered Hill. Signed DeJesus to a team friendly deal. Traded for a relatively high upside guy in Stewart, while giving up nothing of consequence. Traded one year of Marshall for 5 of Wood, plus prospects. Signed Reed Johnson for slightly over a mill. No big signings of FA yet. Overall direction of team looks to be rebuilding, but still not totally sure honestly. Bottom line is of the moves we HAVE made, if giving Reed Johnson slightly over a mill winds up being the worst move of the entire offseason, I'm completely OK with it.

 

Well put. It seems like people are more upset about this because Theo and Jed did it and not Hendry. Fact is, Hendry gave $900,000 to a guy coming of a 74 OPS+ season, and while I thought the $1.5 was legit (my bad) it seems like they might give him what... $1.2 or $1.3 million... after a 122 OPS+ season? I don't expect Johnson to fully recreate those numbers one iota, but we could do a whole lot worse, and there aren't many options out there that can do a whole lot better at the price.

 

The fact is there are better options out there for approximately $1 million more - Andruw Jones. I understand many posters remaining positive (or trying to), but if we're being honest Theo/Hoyer has sucked this offseason and "rebuilding" has pushed back "contending" for probably an additional 2 years. While you're listing all of the accomplishments, let's not forget that he passed up Darvish, probably Fielder, Pujols, etc. Now if he manages to sign the 2 Cubans and pull off a big trade or two, then we can talk about a good offseason.

 

Yes he did pass on Pojuls, for 10/270, who will be 34 years old by the time we can put together a really good team around him. he passed taking a risk on a starter for likely close to 20 mil a year. Who will only have 2 years left on his deal by the time we build a really good team around him. He hasn't passed on Fielder yet.

[Backtobanks]

So far, Theo has........Hired Hoyer, McLeod, Rahman, and others to give us much more of a front office presence. He fired Quade. Hired Sveum. Offered arbitration to both Aramis and Pena. Non tendered Hill. Signed DeJesus to a team friendly deal. Traded for a relatively high upside guy in Stewart, while giving up nothing of consequence. Traded one year of Marshall for 5 of Wood, plus prospects. Signed Reed Johnson for slightly over a mill. No big signings of FA yet. Overall direction of team looks to be rebuilding, but still not totally sure honestly. Bottom line is of the moves we HAVE made, if giving Reed Johnson slightly over a mill winds up being the worst move of the entire offseason, I'm completely OK with it.

 

Well put. It seems like people are more upset about this because Theo and Jed did it and not Hendry. Fact is, Hendry gave $900,000 to a guy coming of a 74 OPS+ season, and while I thought the $1.5 was legit (my bad) it seems like they might give him what... $1.2 or $1.3 million... after a 122 OPS+ season? I don't expect Johnson to fully recreate those numbers one iota, but we could do a whole lot worse, and there aren't many options out there that can do a whole lot better at the price.

 

The fact is there are better options out there for approximately $1 million more - Andruw Jones. I understand many posters remaining positive (or trying to), but if we're being honest Theo/Hoyer has sucked this offseason and "rebuilding" has pushed back "contending" for probably an additional 2 years. While you're listing all of the accomplishments, let's not forget that he passed up Darvish, probably Fielder, Pujols, etc. Now if he manages to sign the 2 Cubans and pull off a big trade or two, then we can talk about a good offseason.

 

Yes he did pass on Pojuls, for 10/270, who will be 34 years old by the time we can put together a really good team around him. he passed taking a risk on a starter for likely close to 20 mil a year. Who will only have 2 years left on his deal by the time we build a really good team around him. He hasn't passed on Fielder yet.

 

By the moves he's making so far, Castro will be 34 years old by the time we can put together a really good team around him. :lol:

[WrigleyField 22]

What moves have put off contending? Trading a relief pitcher who was going to become too expensive to be worth keeping in a year?

 

I guess there have been non moves, but none of the moves will prevent us from being a contender. This is the worst move and its annoying and I dont understand it but its not preventing us from being a contender. Our lack of top end talent is doing that.

[CincyCubsFan]

What moves have put off contending? Trading a relief pitcher who was going to become too expensive to be worth keeping in a year?

 

I guess there have been non moves, but none of the moves will prevent us from being a contender. This is the worst move and its annoying and I dont understand it but its not preventing us from being a contender. Our lack of top end talent is doing that.

 

Giving third base to Ian Stewart

Giving right field to David DeJesus

Passing on every halfway decent free agent to this point

Shopping Garza

[dew1679666265]

Giving third base to Ian Stewart

Giving right field to David DeJesus

Passing on every halfway decent free agent to this point

Shopping Garza

 

The first two didn't strongly impact our chances of contending, I don't think. Stewart could be horrid, but could be pretty good too. DeJesus would actually be exactly the type of productive value player we'd need to offset bringing in impact FAs and paying them as such.

 

The reason this team has basically no chance to contend next year and very little chance in 2013 is passing on Darvish and Pujols, and possibly Prince. This team needs impact players in order to be able to contend, and two of the three that would have fit this team are off the board and there's very realistic doubt that we'll be involved with the third.

[CincyCubsFan]

Giving third base to Ian Stewart

Giving right field to David DeJesus

Passing on every halfway decent free agent to this point

Shopping Garza

 

The first two didn't strongly impact our chances of contending, I don't think. Stewart could be horrid, but could be pretty good too. DeJesus would actually be exactly the type of productive value player we'd need to offset bringing in impact FAs and paying them as such.

 

The reason this team has basically no chance to contend next year and very little chance in 2013 is passing on Darvish and Pujols, and possibly Prince. This team needs impact players in order to be able to contend, and two of the three that would have fit this team are off the board and there's very realistic doubt that we'll be involved with the third.

 

Yes, Stewart COULD be good. There's a better chance that he sucks. A big market team that's interested in contending doesn't count on a player like that to play a corner infield position.

I agree with your point on DeJesus, if we were actually interested in surrounding him with impact FAs. Which to this point, there is no indication that we are doing.

The Cubs are going to HAVE to spend on free agents eventually. Next time, we probably won't be so lucky that both the Yankees and Red Sox won't be in on any of them.

[Backtobanks]

Giving third base to Ian Stewart

Giving right field to David DeJesus

Passing on every halfway decent free agent to this point

Shopping Garza

 

The first two didn't strongly impact our chances of contending, I don't think. Stewart could be horrid, but could be pretty good too. DeJesus would actually be exactly the type of productive value player we'd need to offset bringing in impact FAs and paying them as such.

 

The reason this team has basically no chance to contend next year and very little chance in 2013 is passing on Darvish and Pujols, and possibly Prince. This team needs impact players in order to be able to contend, and two of the three that would have fit this team are off the board and there's very realistic doubt that we'll be involved with the third.

 

Yes, Stewart COULD be good. There's a better chance that he sucks. A big market team that's interested in contending doesn't count on a player like that to play a corner infield position.

I agree with your point on DeJesus, if we were actually interested in surrounding him with impact FAs. Which to this point, there is no indication that we are doing.

The Cubs are going to HAVE to spend on free agents eventually. Next time, we probably won't be so lucky that both the Yankees and Red Sox won't be in on any of them.

 

I don't have a problem with DeJesus, but selling off everything for prospects that might be good in 3-4 years doesn't seem like the answer to a big market team. Not only might the Yankees and Red Sox be in on future FAs, but you also give the Cards and Brewers time to rebound from the loss of their sluggers.

[jersey cubs fan]

Reed Johnson is a necessary evil, and his cost is not a burden, and as such people should just accept the fact that he's there

 

He's absoulutely not necessary in any way shape or form.

 

And that next line is BS. It's stupid. Why do we have to just accept the fact that anybody is here if we don't agree with that player being here? If the team signs Niefi Perez and you don't like it, you don't just have to accept that he's here. It's a freaking message board dedicated to the Chicago Cubs. The very reason for this site's existence is for people to discuss the team and it's players, good or bad. If management signs a crappy old veteran to a guaranteed contract (not confirmed as far as I know) then we have every right to bitch about it.

 

It's a waste of bandwidth to discuss this move.

 

Says the oblivious guy who keeps posting about how rational the move is and that we shouldn't talk about it in any negative fashion.

[jersey cubs fan]

OMG! Theo isn't signing any of the players that I wanted in his first month of the job! I'm going to piss and moan until 2014 because we signed Reed Johnson to a one year deal...

 

It's the 2nd month, and it's almost the 3rd. And those were the two most important months of the year for putting together any semblence of a competitive team in 2012.

 

 

I guess if you don't care if the team does anything in 2012 you shouldn't care what they've done so far. Personally, I kind of do care how well the team plays in 2012 so I'm disappointed with what they've done.

[Little Slide Rooter]

OMG! Theo isn't signing any of the players that I wanted in his first month of the job! I'm going to piss and moan until 2014 because we signed Reed Johnson to a one year deal...

 

It's the 2nd month, and it's almost the 3rd. And those were the two most important months of the year for putting together any semblence of a competitive team in 2012.

 

 

.

 

Aside from Darvish, the main guys we were speculating on signing are all still on the market, 2 of which aren't even officially available. I know everyone wanted Pujols, but even if we was an outside option, once Marlins, Cardinals, and finally Angels offers were made we werent going to come near that.

 

If moves I don't like happen, I'll be right with everyone else bitching about them, but I'm not going to turn on Eptein and Hoyer just yet. If the Opening day roster looks anything like it does now, it will be hard to swallow, but we I'll give him until at least next year around this time.

 

The fact is that our farm system alone isnt going to get us anywhere anytime soon. As far as near big league ready guys go, we have Lake, Vitters, Jackson, and McNutt. However, the guys we're really relying on are between 17-19 and at least 3-5 away from the big leagues, and who knows how many of them will even make it to AA.

[Illini Iceman]

I thought Reed did a good job in his role last year so don't really have a problem bringing him back. If used correctly I think he can be a relatively useful member of the team. Not sure how the payroll is stacking up this year but all else being equal I would rather have him on the bench than Luis Montanez or someone like that.

[jersey cubs fan]

I thought Reed did a good job in his role last year so don't really have a problem bringing him back.

 

The end result numbers were good, but the underlying peripherals suggest he got lucky as hell and it would be unwise to expect anything close to similar next season.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I thought Reed did a good job in his role last year so don't really have a problem bringing him back.

 

The end result numbers were good, but the underlying peripherals suggest he got lucky as hell and it would be unwise to expect anything close to similar next season.

 

If you're a contending team looking for a 4th outfielder or platoon guy, Reed Johnson isnt a bad pickup. If your'e a team with no intention of going anywhere, may as well just hand out a bunch of spring training invites and pick someone from the the bunch.

[dew1679666265]

If you're a contending team looking for a 4th outfielder or platoon guy, Reed Johnson isnt a bad pickup.

 

Given how bad he's likely to be if he doesn't get insanely lucky again, he would be a bad pickup for a team hoping to contend. There are better options than Reed no matter what situation your team is in.

[davearm2]

If you're a contending team looking for a 4th outfielder or platoon guy, Reed Johnson isnt a bad pickup.

 

Given how bad he's likely to be if he doesn't get insanely lucky again, he would be a bad pickup for a team hoping to contend. There are better options than Reed no matter what situation your team is in.

Yeah, I'm not onboard with the notion that Reed Johnson does not deserve a bigleague job at all.

 

His value is limited to be sure, but he can fill a useful role, and do a decent job at it.

 

Having said all that, going with a younger guy with more upside and long-term potential (even if a tiny amount) would have been my preference. Maybe a guy like Lastings Milledge, before he headed for Japan.

[Illini Iceman]

I thought Reed did a good job in his role last year so don't really have a problem bringing him back.

 

The end result numbers were good, but the underlying peripherals suggest he got lucky as hell and it would be unwise to expect anything close to similar next season.

 

If you're a contending team looking for a 4th outfielder or platoon guy, Reed Johnson isnt a bad pickup. If your'e a team with no intention of going anywhere, may as well just hand out a bunch of spring training invites and pick someone from the the bunch.

 

I don't think Theo is necessarily conceding 2012 like a lot of people think he is. Plus Reed is a fan favorite and as much as it pains some people to think about the business side of it there still needs to be some effort to appeal to the casual fan. For the million dollars or so difference the signing might be worth the good publicity. It is not like Johnson's signing alone is going to sell tickets, but there is probably some segment of the fan base that would see letting him go and bringing a bunch of non-descript NRI's as another reason not to be interested.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think Theo is necessarily conceding 2012 like a lot of people think he is.

He's not doing it in the literal sense, and he's not putting a 100 loss out there or anything. He's just done extremely little to increase their chances to win next season, when they needed to do a lot.

[dew1679666265]

Yeah, I'm not onboard with the notion that Reed Johnson does not deserve a bigleague job at all.

 

His value is limited to be sure, but he can fill a useful role, and do a decent job at it.

 

Having said all that, going with a younger guy with more upside and long-term potential (even if a tiny amount) would have been my preference. Maybe a guy like Lastings Milledge, before he headed for Japan.

 

On an NRI, I'd have no problem with bringing Reed in. My problem is paying him more than $1 million and guaranteeing him (for all intents and purposes) a ML roster spot. His defense is pretty weak in CF and his offense, adjusted for the extreme luck last year, is horrid for CF, much less a corner spot. Having him around on a non-guaranteed contract is fine, guaranteeing him a spot and more than $1 million is a bad idea - whether your plans are to contend or not.

[dew1679666265]

I don't think Theo is necessarily conceding 2012 like a lot of people think he is. Plus Reed is a fan favorite and as much as it pains some people to think about the business side of it there still needs to be some effort to appeal to the casual fan. For the million dollars or so difference the signing might be worth the good publicity. It is not like Johnson's signing alone is going to sell tickets, but there is probably some segment of the fan base that would see letting him go and bringing a bunch of non-descript NRI's as another reason not to be interested.

 

Like gooney said, I don't think Theo is doing his best to ensure that we don't win in 2012, I just don't see a path to contention at this point. This team needed a decent amount of help to make it capable of contending next year, it's gotten worse since the offseason began, and most of the impact FAs/trade targets are off the market. If you see a way to make this team one that can win 82-85+ games next year, I'd love to hear it. I just don't see it without a huge amount of luck.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I don't think Theo is necessarily conceding 2012 like a lot of people think he is.

He's not doing it in the literal sense, and he's not putting a 100 loss out there or anything. He's just done extremely little to increase their chances to win next season, when they needed to do a lot.

 

Unless he does something big, we've replaced Ramirez and Pena with Stewart and LaHair. I can't imagine that not being a significant downgrade. We've also replaced Fukudome with DeJesus, which will either be a wash or a slight upgrade. Our set up man's gone as well. Assuming we can have a healthy rotation of Garza,Demp, Z, Wood, and Wells/Cash/Shark starting pitching won't be awe inspiring but shouldnt be an issue. Then again, if we do trade Garza for prospects, then it can be deemed a full on punting, but overall we've taken our 91 loss team and replaced our 2 most productive bats with signifcant downgrades and possible replacement bats so I don't know how we'll end up being any better.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think Theo is necessarily conceding 2012 like a lot of people think he is. Plus Reed is a fan favorite and as much as it pains some people to think about the business side of it there still needs to be some effort to appeal to the casual fan. For the million dollars or so difference the signing might be worth the good publicity. It is not like Johnson's signing alone is going to sell tickets, but there is probably some segment of the fan base that would see letting him go and bringing a bunch of non-descript NRI's as another reason not to be interested.

 

Like gooney said, I don't think Theo is doing his best to ensure that we don't win in 2012, I just don't see a path to contention at this point. This team needed a decent amount of help to make it capable of contending next year, it's gotten worse since the offseason began, and most of the impact FAs/trade targets are off the market. If you see a way to make this team one that can win 82-85+ games next year, I'd love to hear it. I just don't see it without a huge amount of luck.

 

Maybe if they get enough gritty gamers they can place all of their defenders directly in front of the hitter so any balls hit will simply smash into one guy and they will have 6 others available to pick it up and throw the guy out at first. You won't give up any runs and even this lineup should be able to score enough to win when you shutout the opponent.

[dew1679666265]

Maybe if they get enough gritty gamers they can place all of their defenders directly in front of the hitter so any balls hit will simply smash into one guy and they will have 6 others available to pick it up and throw the guy out at first. You won't give up any runs and even this lineup should be able to score enough to win when you shutout the opponent.

 

I like this plan and will assume it's Theo's plan until proven otherwise.

[pccubfan]

I don't think Theo is necessarily conceding 2012 like a lot of people think he is. Plus Reed is a fan favorite and as much as it pains some people to think about the business side of it there still needs to be some effort to appeal to the casual fan. For the million dollars or so difference the signing might be worth the good publicity. It is not like Johnson's signing alone is going to sell tickets, but there is probably some segment of the fan base that would see letting him go and bringing a bunch of non-descript NRI's as another reason not to be interested.

 

Like gooney said, I don't think Theo is doing his best to ensure that we don't win in 2012, I just don't see a path to contention at this point. This team needed a decent amount of help to make it capable of contending next year, it's gotten worse since the offseason began, and most of the impact FAs/trade targets are off the market. If you see a way to make this team one that can win 82-85+ games next year, I'd love to hear it. I just don't see it without a huge amount of luck.

 

Maybe if they get enough gritty gamers they can place all of their defenders directly in front of the hitter so any balls hit will simply smash into one guy and they will have 6 others available to pick it up and throw the guy out at first. You won't give up any runs and even this lineup should be able to score enough to win when you shutout the opponent.

 

Maybe that is Reed's role. He's going to act as the wall in front of home plate.

[Backtobanks]

OMG! Theo isn't signing any of the players that I wanted in his first month of the job! I'm going to piss and moan until 2014 because we signed Reed Johnson to a one year deal...

 

It's the 2nd month, and it's almost the 3rd. And those were the two most important months of the year for putting together any semblence of a competitive team in 2012.

 

 

.

 

Aside from Darvish, the main guys we were speculating on signing are all still on the market, 2 of which aren't even officially available. I know everyone wanted Pujols, but even if we was an outside option, once Marlins, Cardinals, and finally Angels offers were made we werent going to come near that.

 

If moves I don't like happen, I'll be right with everyone else bitching about them, but I'm not going to turn on Eptein and Hoyer just yet. If the Opening day roster looks anything like it does now, it will be hard to swallow, but we I'll give him until at least next year around this time.

 

The fact is that our farm system alone isnt going to get us anywhere anytime soon. As far as near big league ready guys go, we have Lake, Vitters, Jackson, and McNutt. However, the guys we're really relying on are between 17-19 and at least 3-5 away from the big leagues, and who knows how many of them will even make it to AA.

 

Will Theo make a serious bid on the 2 Cubans? His bid on Darvish must have been a joke by the accounts that I've read.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Will Theo make a serious bid on the 2 Cubans? His bid on Darvish must have been a joke by the accounts that I've read.

 

The latest Darvish rumors (i.e. made-up stuff from reporters) is that the Cubs' $20-millionish bid was more in line with everyone but Texas's.