Save Money With Juan Encarnacion

[b_wiggy_66]

I really think the Cubs should sign Encarnacion to play right field for the team. I have heard people in other threads say that he is not good. However, he hit as many home runs last year as Brian Giles, plays a much better outfield than Giles and is 6 years younger. Last year I think he only began to break out. I think he can be a 20 homer 85-95 RBI guy who is athletic and young, he also has a pretty good OBP. Encarnacion would be much cheaper than Giles and would put up similar numbers except for the walks and OBP.

 

2005 Stats

 

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG

141 506 59 145 27 3 16 76 226 41 104 6 5 .349 .447 .287

 

What do you guys think?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

The Cubs don't need to save money on the outfield, if anything they should overpay before they go bargain hunting for the likes of Encarnacion. That line is about as good as it gets for him, given his past and his BABIP this year.

[muntjack]

Encarnacion would be much cheaper than Giles and would put up similar numbers except for the walks and OBP.

 

 

That's what we need to improve. Have you looked at Giles slg% splits between petco and the road? He could easily hit 25-30 playing in the NL central.

 

As far as going cheap....why? We have money to spend and a glaring hole in right field.

[David]

Just. Say. No.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

:puker:

[Diffusion]

Hit .262/.309/.433 over a period of 6 consecutive 450+ PA years (5 of those years featuring 530+ PA, 3 of them 590+) from 1999-2004 aged 23-28 in 4 different organisations.

[E.J.]

Please no. We might as well kept Burnitz if we were going to get Encarnacion to play RF. This is one offseason in which the Cubs don't need to save money. A lot of money came off the books and the Cubs better be spending it.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Encarnacion hit 287/349/447 in 2005 to go with 265/320/434 over the three years from 2002-2004. He may put up the 2005 numbers, but if he regresses to the other line, we will be lacking production in right field.

 

Giles hit 301/423/483 in 2005 to go with a 2002-2004 line of 294/407/489. Giles numbers for 2005 are right in line with his previous three years. For Giles even to hit Encarnacion's high water mark, he'd have to regress 15 points in average, nearly 75 points in OBP, and 50 points in slugging.

 

I don't see why we should be "saving" money. Where else would we spend this money?

 

We have the money available this offseason. We need to improve the team as much as possible. Giles does this. Encarnacion does not.

 

I guess if we save money and sign Encarncion it will help us fans save money as well since we won't be buying any playoff tickets... :-k

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

No.

[YearofDaCubs]

No way. We need a difference maker in RF, not a Juan Enc.

[BigbadB]

Corey Patterson could put up 20 HR's and 80-85 RBI's if you stuck him in right and batted him 6th all year.

 

Just say no on Encarnacion.

[frostwyrm]

Cost-cutting in RF doesn't make sense. If anything, that's the one place where we might consider overpaying.

[Jehrico]

I wouldn't mind Encarnacion as a Plan C. I think he is entering his prime, his best years ahead of him, and he's relatively cheap. I think he's one of the more undervalued guys in this underwhelming class of free-agents. However, I'd like to see Giles signed or a trade for a bigger bat before I went with him.

[YearofDaCubs]

I wouldn't mind Encarnacion as a Plan C. I think he is entering his prime, his best years ahead of him, and he's relatively cheap. I think he's one of the more undervalued guys in this underwhelming class of free-agents. However, I'd like to see Giles signed or a trade for a bigger bat before I went with him.

He's not the answer.

[CuseCubFan69]

Can Encarnacion play CF? If the Cubs sign Furcal I wouldn't mind a Giles in Right and E in center.

[SAMMYWHO]

If we get a Manny or Dunn type via trade for left field I wouldn't mind Juan in right. All depends on Hendry's plan. Murton needs to play though, so I'd say no to Juan.

[Jehrico]

I wouldn't mind Encarnacion as a Plan C. I think he is entering his prime, his best years ahead of him, and he's relatively cheap. I think he's one of the more undervalued guys in this underwhelming class of free-agents. However, I'd like to see Giles signed or a trade for a bigger bat before I went with him.

He's not the answer.

 

Hence, plan C vice A or B. There are more worse corner OFers on the market this year than there are better than him. If we don't get Giles, I can't think of a better corner OFer on the FA market. You'd have to work a trade, which is harder to do than sign a FA.

[YearofDaCubs]

I wouldn't mind Encarnacion as a Plan C. I think he is entering his prime, his best years ahead of him, and he's relatively cheap. I think he's one of the more undervalued guys in this underwhelming class of free-agents. However, I'd like to see Giles signed or a trade for a bigger bat before I went with him.

He's not the answer.

 

Hence, plan C vice A or B. There are more worse corner OFers on the market this year than there are better than him. If we don't get Giles, I can't think of a better corner OFer on the FA market. You'd have to work a trade, which is harder to do than sign a FA.

The thing is Enc shouldn't be an option period. If eh is our starting RF come April we are done for.

[HoopsCubs]

I wouldn't mind Encarnacion as a Plan C. I think he is entering his prime, his best years ahead of him, and he's relatively cheap. I think he's one of the more undervalued guys in this underwhelming class of free-agents. However, I'd like to see Giles signed or a trade for a bigger bat before I went with him.

 

I'd feel okay with Encarnacion in RF if we got a power hitter in LF (e.g. Dunn) or at 2B (e.g. Kent).

 

Encarnacion batting 6th is fine; if he's batting 3-4-5, we're in trouble.

[JeffH]

If Encarnacion were batting fifth, we'd be "in trouble".

 

If he's batting third, we'd be the worst team in the history of organized baseball.

[BigbadB]

I wouldn't mind Encarnacion as a Plan C. I think he is entering his prime, his best years ahead of him, and he's relatively cheap. I think he's one of the more undervalued guys in this underwhelming class of free-agents. However, I'd like to see Giles signed or a trade for a bigger bat before I went with him.

 

I'd feel okay with Encarnacion in RF if we got a power hitter in LF (e.g. Dunn) or at 2B (e.g. Kent).

 

Encarnacion batting 6th is fine; if he's batting 3-4-5, we're in trouble.

 

I don't like the looks of the offense with right handed hitters if you get Kent and Encarnacion. Now you have:

 

Aramis, Lee, Encarnacion, Kent, Murton, Barrett all hitting right handed. The only lefties are likely the two guys that hit 1/2 in Dusty's world. No thanks.

 

I'd rather have Burnitz back than sign Encarnacion.

[ltb]

this post made me sad

 

no encarnacion please