Valaika called up

[David]

According to a source, Hart High graduate Chris Valaika has been called up by the Chicago Cubs and will be in uniform this weekend for a series in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

 

Valaika, a versatile infielder with 55 games of Major League experience over three seasons, was hitting .278 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI for Triple-A Iowa with a .344 on-base percentage and .423 slugging percentage.

 

The 28-year-old played 22 games with the Miami Marlins last season and batted .219 (14-for-64) with a home run and nine RBIs.

 

Valaika is not on the 40-man roster, but the Cubs has spots opened up by the trade of infielder Emilio Bonifacio and pitcher James Russell.

 

http://www.signalscv.com/section/19/article/125032/

[treebird]

http://i.imgur.com/K4iFVm3.gif

[TruffleShuffle]

the moment we have all been waiting for. the chris valaika era begins for the chicago cubs.

[gscool89]

http://img.pandawhale.com/87104-Emma-Stone-thumbs-up-gif-smirk-NMYh.gif

[Guest]

ib he's this year's donnie murphy

[A New Era]

http://replygif.net/i/640.gif

[Guest]

http://leehopkins.net/images/happiness-in-mouth.jpg

[Banedon]

http://i.imgur.com/trWd2Dj.gif

[CoolHandLuke]

I got Valaika's autograph at the Midwest League all-star game in 2007. Along with Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson, and Travis Snider.

 

Cool.

[rawaction]

Seriously, it makes no sense to take up a 40-man spot with a guy that isn't going to be in a 40-man spot in 2 months. Give it to Baez or callup [expletive] Watkins.

[jersey cubs fan]

Seriously, it makes no sense to take up a 40-man spot with a guy that isn't going to be in a 40-man spot in 2 months. Give it to Baez or callup [expletive] Watkins.

 

Actually it makes perfect sense to use up a 40 man spot on a filler until the time when you actually need to put guys on the 40-man or risk losing them.

[rawaction]

Seriously, it makes no sense to take up a 40-man spot with a guy that isn't going to be in a 40-man spot in 2 months. Give it to Baez or callup [expletive] Watkins.

 

Actually it makes perfect sense to use up a 40 man spot on a filler until the time when you actually need to put guys on the 40-man or risk losing them.

 

Yeah, I know. I'm just pissed, and I don't really want to have to watch Valaika play baseball. Of course, I haven't watched a game in weeks so....

[jersey cubs fan]

Seriously, it makes no sense to take up a 40-man spot with a guy that isn't going to be in a 40-man spot in 2 months. Give it to Baez or callup [expletive] Watkins.

 

Actually it makes perfect sense to use up a 40 man spot on a filler until the time when you actually need to put guys on the 40-man or risk losing them.

 

Yeah, I know. I'm just pissed, and I don't really want to have to watch Valaika play baseball. Of course, I haven't watched a game in weeks so....

 

I knew it was risky for you guys to get your hopes up for them to be here soon.

[Sammy Sofa]

Hey, [expletive] you, too, Cubs!

[Ding Dong Johnson]

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/sigh.gif

[weis21]

http://replygif.net/i/766.gif

[Guest]

There are two races. One is for the playoffs. The other is for the top draft pick. The Cubs are clearly in race #2. You would think that getting the future of this team some experience with major league at bats would hold precedence over an extra year of service time and the second or third pick in the draft, but apparently not.

 

I've always felt that you can afford to wait it out to extend the service time when you have someone decent holding down the fort at that position already, and the team is doing well enough that there is no need to hurry the player. But bringing up undeserving guys that are clearly only temporary placeholders isn't fooling anyone, and is probably hurting the fanbase and attendance even more.

 

I'm excited about the future of this team. The current team? Hurry up football season.

[hawkeyecub]

July 12th I was all excited to go see an I-Cubs doubleheader. Completely forgetting it was the day before the Futures Game, I got to see Chris Valaika play 2 games at SS (and Mota play 2 at 3B). So at least I won't be as disappointed this time.

[SouthSideRyan]

Pretty sure this is a sign that Baez is coming up soon

[sneakypower]

http://i46.tinypic.com/2h7fpc5.jpg

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

http://i.imgur.com/uK2q335.gif

[Little Slide Rooter]

On the bright side, no more will we have to eagerly check the box score of a 12 hit, 7 run I Cub attack only to see that Chris [expletive] Valaika did the bulk of the damage.

[davell]

This is full tank mode. Make your hay immediately, because we'll have Javy and Soler up in September. Which could lead to winning a few more games.

 

I know Javy has struggles initially at each level, but 100 at bats will give him plenty of ideas on what he has to work on over the offseason anyway.

 

This is our last chance at the top overall pick(and IFA slots), I hope we get it. As long as the few guys we plan on having around long term still play well in the meantime.

[Rob]

http://i.imgur.com/iE3cMPM.gif

[imb]

http://i.imgur.com/YtRIdku.gif