Cubs sign Shane Victorino to minor league deal

[David]

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[Ding Dong Johnson]

ring chaser

[UMFan83]

All the outfielders! (Except Coghlan)

[jersey cubs fan]

I guess I'll put this tweet here, with Gonzo managing to misspell both names.

 

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[Thusly Boned]

I'm not sure we have enough outfield depth, guys.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm not sure we have enough outfield depth, guys.

Well, I appreciate the sentiment but Victorino is probably below replacement level at this point.

[David]

crap i had forgotten how really really good victorino was in 2013

 

but yeah nothing since

[Thusly Boned]

I'm not sure we have enough outfield depth, guys.

Well, I appreciate the sentiment but Victorino is probably below replacement level at this point.

 

Yeah, I don't see how he will be appreciably better than Szczur at this point, but he probably won't be any worse. Maybe the thinking is that he'll add a leadership component. Or something.

[Banedon]

Is he a potential defensive replacement type?

[David]

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[jersey cubs fan]

Is he a potential defensive replacement type?

I think he's a "let the guy play all spring on a team that is going to get all of the attention and then maybe get a coaching job this summer" type.

[UMFan83]

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oof. Doesn't speak well to Victorino's chances of making the team. Maybe he will have a good spring and we can trade him for minor league depth.

[CubinNY]

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oof. Doesn't speak well to Victorino's chances of making the team. Maybe he will have a good spring and we can trade him for minor league depth.

I think this is a Matt Murton type of deal where they are doing a favor for someone and giving the player a place to workout and get in shape in hope of catching on somewhere, not necessarily with the the Cubs.

[Rob]

It doesn't take much to imagine Victorino or Murton winning the 5th OF job over Szczur.

 

That said, I'm guessing Victorino ends up getting released near the end of spring training to pursue other opportunities. He probably would have been fine with a 4th OF role, but I can't see him settling for 5th. He's probably just going to use spring training as a showcase for other teams to hopefully show them he's got something left in the tank.

[UMFan83]

It doesn't take much to imagine Victorino or Murton winning the 5th OF job over Szczur.

 

That said, I'm guessing Victorino ends up getting released near the end of spring training to pursue other opportunities. He probably would have been fine with a 4th OF role, but I can't see him settling for 5th. He's probably just going to use spring training as a showcase for other teams to hopefully show them he's got something left in the tank.

 

I mean he's 35 and hasn't exactly killed it the last 2 seasons. I'm thinking he's taking whatever MLB job he can get.

[Cubswin11]

If I had to guess he gets the last bench spot over Szczur if he's healthy/doesn't look utterly terrible. Get a "veteran" on the bench and allows Szczur to get ABs everyday in Iowa.

[Cubbie Swagger]

I just scrolled through this whole page, and not one person has posted the gif of Victorino getting beer poured on him.

 

You guys are slacking.

[Banedon]

I just scrolled through this whole page, and not one person has posted the gif of Victorino getting beer poured on him.

 

You guys are slacking.

 

http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/mlb/photogallery/050712-shane-victorino-kiss.gif

[Transmogrified Tiger]

It doesn't take much to imagine Victorino or Murton winning the 5th OF job over Szczur.

 

I had my doubts that there was a 5th OF job at all before yesterday, now I'm pretty positive it'll be an 8 man pen.

 

With that in mind, I imagine that Victorino is a hedge against ST injury and Szczur not clearing waivers come April.

[Pushfrog98]

In all the excitement over getting Fowler to return, incompletely forgot about Murton.

[bukie]

In all the excitement over getting Fowler to return, incompletely forgot about Murton.

So you partially forgot about Murton?

[Proven Veteran]

In all the excitement over getting Fowler to return, incompletely forgot about Murton.

 

So, you remembered him a little bit?

[Pushfrog98]

In all the excitement over getting Fowler to return, incompletely forgot about Murton.

So you partially forgot about Murton?

In all the excitement over getting Fowler to return, incompletely forgot about Murton.

 

So, you remembered him a little bit?

Autocorrect/typo helped me to remember, but ever so slightly.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Why is Bruce Levine tweeting we signed Shane Victorino??

[mdwilla]

http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/165520796/cubs-sign-outfielder-shane-victorino

 

 

With Fowler's return and the addition of Jason Heyward, where will Victorino fit? He's most likely considered a fifth outfielder, but that's OK for him.

"It's not about playing time, it's not about where things are, it's about winning," he said. "Obviously, for me, I have to win my job on the team, and from there be the best player I can be to help the Cubs win a championship."

"I'm used to seeing a Cubs logo since I was a child. To be able to put it on now, even with the situation the way it is, I'm excited for the opportunity in Spring Training."

Bryant did talk to Victorino about playing with the Cubs.

"[Victorino] won a couple World Series, and he said when he goes back to Philadelphia, everyone loves him there," Bryant said. "I think he wants to be part of a team that can do that again. We certainly have the right guys, and he's just another piece who is very important to us to make that run. He has that playoff experience and World Series experience, and it will help us young guys."

The deal is for $1 million plus $1 million in incentives if Victorino plays in the Majors, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported.

 

 

If his health returns he'll probably secure the 5th outfielder spot. He's still an above average outfielder with some speed and pop. Scuzr has options. Small sample size but in link above it has two great plays Victoriano makes last year with the Angels. Sticking him in LF late in games with Fowler and Heyward covering the rest of the outfield should fun.