Second Base in 2012

[hardcorecubfan]

There's about zero FA 2B I'd be interested in right now... unless it's secretly 2006 and Carlos Guillen wants a one year contract, of course.

 

 

 

But there's gonna be a wait before there's a better option than Barney.

 

This might be the most depressing thing I've heard all off season.

 

Well there is that guy who was on the Cardinals last year. They say he knows how to play the game the right way.

 

and he is scrappy!!

[toonsterwu]

In general/long run, I'd like to see an upgrade at 2nd, particularly if said player is a top of the order bat.

 

In the short term, in a down season? Don't see the need in a rebuilding year. DeJesus can hit at the top of the lineup, and unless a guy comes cheap, I don't see the need to give up assets for an uncertain player like Brignac, who could be better than Barney, but may be more of a marginal upgrade.

 

If the right guy is out there at the right price, sure, but I wouldn't overpay for 2nd base most off-seasons, and particularly not this one. I'm not too keen on DeWitt either, as I think Barney is significantly safer than him and a better player (at a certain point, a guys "sweet-looking" swing has to produce enough, and DeWitt simply hasn't).

[Guest]

In general/long run, I'd like to see an upgrade at 2nd, particularly if said player is a top of the order bat.

 

In the short term, in a down season? Don't see the need in a rebuilding year. DeJesus can hit at the top of the lineup, and unless a guy comes cheap, I don't see the need to give up assets for an uncertain player like Brignac, who could be better than Barney, but may be more of a marginal upgrade.

 

If the right guy is out there at the right price, sure, but I wouldn't overpay for 2nd base most off-seasons, and particularly not this one. I'm not too keen on DeWitt either, as I think Barney is significantly safer than him and a better player (at a certain point, a guys "sweet-looking" swing has to produce enough, and DeWitt simply hasn't).

I'll take any amount of heat others want to give, but I'd like to give Barney another look at least for half the season. He's not going to be Jeff Kent with the bat, but he plays really good defense. If he can start to find some gaps and becomes more selective he could be pretty useful until some of the young talent the Cubs have matures.

[jersey cubs fan]

In general/long run, I'd like to see an upgrade at 2nd, particularly if said player is a top of the order bat.

 

In the short term, in a down season? Don't see the need in a rebuilding year.

 

Somebody like Barney is fine as a placeholder on a team with big time production elsewhere, or on a small market team that just can't handle bigger impact players. But the Cubs better be thinking bigger than simply a guy who is good enough to play for now when filling out future rosters.

[davearm2]

I'll take any amount of heat others want to give, but I'd like to give Barney another look at least for half the season. He's not going to be Jeff Kent with the bat, but he plays really good defense. If he can start to find some gaps and becomes more selective he could be pretty useful until some of the young talent the Cubs have matures.

I'd be curious to know what Theo's proprietary defensive metric(s) say about Barney. His system may like Barney more or less than the others we're familiar with.

[Clem Fandango]

Matt Tolbert, bitches!

 

Cubs signed INF Matt Tolbert to a minor league contract.

Tolbert batted just .198/.252/.266 in 226 plate appearances last season with the Twins. The 29-year-old will serve as organizational infield depth for the Cubs.

[BeerHere]

Levine has no inside information. He's a mouthpiece for ESPN and is assigned to the Chicago market. He knows no one and local beat reporters are much more knowledgeable (see Bruce Miles etc).

[jersey cubs fan]

Levine has no inside information. He's a mouthpiece for ESPN and is assigned to the Chicago market. He knows no one and local beat reporters are much more knowledgeable (see Bruce Miles etc).

 

What? He's not some Bristol guy who just writes about Chicago from afar. He is a local reporter covering the Cubs.

[Guest]

Levine has no inside information. He's a mouthpiece for ESPN and is assigned to the Chicago market. He knows no one and local beat reporters are much more knowledgeable (see Bruce Miles etc).

 

This is pretty wrong.

[davell]

The Red Sox apparently just signed Cody Ross, appear to be after Roy Oswalt, and don't want to go over the luxury tax threshold. After trading Scutaro, they certainly have a need at SS, where Iglesias isn't ready yet and may never hit enough be anyway. Barney, 5 years of control, and utter averagishness, fits them perfectly right now, if we could get them to give us a solid prospect for him. Even for Barney, they still don't have any pitching though.

[davell]

Levine's chat today and he mentioned he could still see us adding a 2B again. When asked who was out there, he mentioned Prado. Said Byrd has interested the Braves for 8 to 10 months. Said this was speculation on his part, but I could get behind a swap like that. Byrd's replaceable in house and Prado, assuming he's healthy, is much better offensively anyway, than Barney.

[Rob]

Prado can't really play 2B anymore.

[Clem Fandango]

Prado can't really play 2B anymore.

 

To hell with logic

[Guest]

Prado can't really play 2B anymore.

 

Even if he could, I don't really see the point. He's a FA and 30 years old after 2013, so he's not a long term asset or extension candidate. He was not good last year and has injury issues, so he's no guarantee to even be better than Barney. What's the best case of trading Byrd for him, that he regains his value in 2012 and gets dealt in his walk year for a marginal prospect or two(just like Byrd could fetch now)?

[huff]

wasnt prado tied to the tigers earlier this off season? Wasnt there a delmon young for prado swap turned down by the braves earlier..seems like i remember reading that. Maybe byrd to the braves for prado and flip prado to the tigers with garza for turner+castellanos++?

 

really quiet right now...need something to happen!

[toonsterwu]

The Red Sox apparently just signed Cody Ross, appear to be after Roy Oswalt, and don't want to go over the luxury tax threshold. After trading Scutaro, they certainly have a need at SS, where Iglesias isn't ready yet and may never hit enough be anyway. Barney, 5 years of control, and utter averagishness, fits them perfectly right now, if we could get them to give us a solid prospect for him. Even for Barney, they still don't have any pitching though.

 

I don't see the Red Sox moving for Barney as of now. I think they'll stomach the Aviles and Co. cluster until they feel Iglesias is ready. They might end up deciding they have enough offense and give Iglesias a go sooner than later.

[questionmarkgrace]

Adrian Cardenas was just dfa-ed by the A's. Seems to fit the theo mold, still young at 24, once highly regarded, change of scenery would do him good etc. Also added outfield to his reportoir last year. I say sign him and let him and barney battle it out for second base with the loser operating as a super sub. Not sure about his defensive play though.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Nothing really to do with anything, but I stumbled across this slash today and found it very amusing.

 

.261 .316 .351

.276 .313 .353

 

Anyone recognize those two slash lines?

[Guest]

My guess was Barney v. Brian Roberts, but Roberts was even worse than that last year.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The second is Darwin Barney, 2011. The first is Ryne Sandberg, 1983.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Nothing really to do with anything, but I stumbled across this slash today and found it very amusing.

 

.261 .316 .351

.276 .313 .353

 

Anyone recognize those two slash lines?

 

2 gritty white guys whos teams fans have an irrational love for?

 

Without BBRing, I'll guess Darwin Barney and Ryan Theriot. The difference is that Barney is a very good defensive player and Theriot is not.

[bukie]

The real question is which was the better offensive year, 1983 or 2011? (and I believe that Sandberg fellow projected for slightly more power than Barney does)

[jersey cubs fan]

The real question is which was the better offensive year, 1983 or 2011? (and I believe that Sandberg fellow projected for slightly more power than Barney does)

 

Sandberg was 23 and played in a league whose average hitter had a line of:

.255 .322 .376

 

Barney was 25 and played in a league whose average hitter had a line of:

.253 .319 .391

 

Of course, Sandberg shredded AA as a 20 year old while Barney didn't hit AA until 23. Sandberg had more than twice as many homeruns (24/11) in 9% more PA (1871/1711).

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It wasn't meant to be a serious analysis. Sandberg >>>> Barney is kind of implied.

[CubsWin]

Adrian Cardenas was just dfa-ed by the A's. Seems to fit the theo mold, still young at 24, once highly regarded, change of scenery would do him good etc. Also added outfield to his reportoir last year. I say sign him and let him and barney battle it out for second base with the loser operating as a super sub. Not sure about his defensive play though.

Good catch. Definitely.