Dusty.....again

[rawaction]

Baker said he has been impressed with rookie SS Ronny Cedeno and promised to get the 22-year-old as much playing time as he can in the final month of the season. ...

 

Perez is hitting 2nd and playing SS again.

[fishbulb]

all it takes is one undisclosed mistake for Dusty to bench a rookie...

 

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050906&content_id=1199576&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[delroy lindo]

I still find it hilarious that our backup utility guy with the sixth highest OPS among NL shortstops is a major scapegoat for the '05 Cubs. I'd start with Wood, Nomar, Patterson, LF, ineffective 5th starter, and a shaky bullpen. But I guess tying in any of those with Baker in a compromising sig pic is too difficult???

 

It's too bad we don't have a STUD backup SS like Marco Scutaro. We mighta been a contender.

 

 

edit: Not that this has anything to do with DJ's post. I just didn't want to start another thread.

 

BTW, what does everyone project from Cedeno as a starting SS in the majors?

[abuck1220]

i don't think anyone views neifi as a scapegoat...it's just that he personifies the problems that many people have with baker/hendry...not paying attention to OBP and a preference for veterans over youngsters.

 

i wouldn't hate it if he came back next year, but i just don't trust dusty to use him right. if nomar's gone and hendry intends to play cedeno everyday, you know he'll, at best, split time with neifi.

 

i didn't have a huge problem w/ neifi playing earlier this year, but the cubs are out of it now, and they need to see what cedeno can do. i can just hear baker next spring saying that he doesn't know if cedeno can play everyday because he hasn't seen what he can do playing on an everyday basis. now's the time to find out.

 

i don't know exactly what i'd expect out of cedeno if he played full-time, but i think he'll be a better ss than murton will be a lf...if that makes sense.

[stitchface]

I think its pretty simple - if you are out of the race, why are you playing a poor offensive SS that won't help you in the future over a young player that might? Neifi is not good.

[rawaction]

 

BTW, what does everyone project from Cedeno as a starting SS in the majors?

 

See Julio Lugo circa 2001. If Cedeno played most everyday next year (400+ ABs), I see a BA of .255-.270, an OBP of .320-.335, and a SLG of .360-.380, with 100 or so Ks and 30-40 BBs. A .700 OPS from him would be a good 1st season from him in my eyes. I think once he hits his mid 20's, you'll start to see the patience and power increase and he could be a high .700's/low .800s OPS type player.

 

He's still filling out and is very raw, but could play at this level.

[delroy lindo]

I don't think most GM's are looking at OBP when evaluating a backup infielder, though.

 

I'd be pretty shocked if Hendry went Cedeno/Neifi at SS, my guess is Walker is gone, Cedeno at 2B, and either Nomar or Furcal at SS with Neifi as a backup IF (which I'm perfectly fine with, the guy is NOT a bad player, it's not Neifi's fault that Nomar's gimpy and Baker mis-uses him).

 

Lugo comparison...that's interesting. Lugo's IsoD has been over .60 for nearly every season in his pro career (minors & majors), Cedeno's is .50 (even this year, .355/.405 at Iowa). So I imagine if he hits .255, OBP will be around .305 or so, and IsoP has been .106 coming into this year, and was .148 at Iowa. Lugo's IsoP has been remarkably consistent, .130 in minors and majors. So far Cedeno is at .296/.351/.380 in the NL. I expect he'd hit .270/.320/.390 as a full-time player...maybe.

[abuck1220]

isn't nomar/furcal + walker > nomar/furcal + cedeno?

 

that's the only thing about cedeno...i don't think he'll outperform walker or nomar. and the cubs are in a financial position where $ shouldn't be an issue when deciding what to do w/ walker and nomar.

 

i'd be happy w/ cedeno as the primary 2b/ss backup with walker and nomar starting. then you can plug him in as a starter in 2007 when one of those two is gone.

[stitchface]

Neifi is a bad offensive player - you might be able to afford that at SS if you have Ofers that can hit but you cannot afford it in the upper 6 spots in the batting order. Moreover, he lacks the skills that the cubs need to improve on. In any case, why not play Cedeno now? What is the purpose of playing your backup infielder everyday in September when you have a rookie you could be testing and getting experience?

 

I don't see why we would want to lose Walker and replace him with another bad hitter in Cedeno (which is the scenario you portrayed although may not support). That would certainly make this team even worse. And of course, Dusty will find a way to get Neifi in everyday.

[fishbulb]

Neifi took it upon himself to replace Alou and has grounded into 20 double plays this year!

 

 

That leads the team.

[fishbulb]

I don't understand why they wouldn't pick up Walker's option if they didn't trade him this year. If they don't, why not lete Hairston play his natural position and Cedeno his. Apparently the Cubs have already decided they are not bringing Nomar back, which makes me wonder even more, why Dusty isn't giving Cedeno as many chances as possible. He is ridiculous with his old school you have to watch [expletive]. The Braves and A's seem to trust in the development of their system.

 

 

This is much like McGriff getting all the playing time over Choi in September of 2002.