Abe Frohman

I never realized how much this place can be like Cubs.com......

Read about half of it last night - it is an incredibly fast read. Very interesting stuff, insight on why he wrote both books, how he dealt with the reaction of the media, peers, etc. Discusses the Congressional hearings a couple years ago. He does contradict himself in a few very minor instances, such as using vulgar language - then refraining from commenting on a particular person because this was a "family book." Very interesting stuff.

...on Thursday. Here is a humble suggestion, that probably just makes too much sense... RF Fukudome 2B DeRosa 1B Lee 3B Ramirez LF Soriano CF Pie SS Theriot CA Soto

Sweet fancy Julio! Look at the Cubs transactions with Baltimore. They ought to GIVE us Brian Roberts AND pay his salary.

I can't really disagree with any of those points, but it seems like only the negative moves made by Hendry are highlighted. There are several good, as you mentioned with the acquisition of Aramis Ramirez. I have been a Cub fan for about 20 years now, and I can say this - I think this organization is headed in the right direction. Sometimes moves work out, sometimes they don't. I feel that the Cubs organization is starting to see that OB% is important (maybe it was just Dusty Baker who hated to clog bases). Somebody list all of the positive things Hendry has done and then weigh the results.

Yeah, never mind the fact that Matt Murton is one of your top rakers of LHP. Too bad he isn't a lefty...

I'm thinking that Lou is trying to ease Soriano into the #5 spot in the lineup, where he belongs.

I sure hope his check clears.

Is Cedeno really the only professional baseball player to light up AAA and fizzle in MLB? Really?

Obviously. He's the starting SS for the Chicago Cubs. Not based on statistical evidence.

No, I understand what you are saying and only a true idiot would not. What I am saying is that all the "Cedeno has more potential" excuses as to why he should be starting are unfounded, in my opinion. Right now, no matter what the age, the best option at SS for the Cubs is Ryan Theriot. When Cedeno starts "realizing his potential," and is a better producer - then he will be the best option. I don't think MLB should be an OTJ training occupation. That's what the farm is for. Can you understand what I am saying?

I totally think the Cubs system plays a part in Cedeno's developement, or lack of. Look at his promotion history: *2002 (19) - between two A ball stops, he hits .214/.261/.557 and is promoted on to High A for 2003. Amassed 31 walks (a career high at all levels) and 99 K in 517 PAs. *2003 (20) - plays High A ball in the FSL and hits .211/.252/.547, "earning" a promotion to AA ball in 2004. Totalled 21 walks and 82 K in 401 PAs. *2004 (21) - plays AA ball and shows a little improvement by compiling .279/.321/.722 in 408 PAs. Despite the fact that he scored only 39 runs, he is promoted to AAA. Walked 24, K'd 74. *2005 (22) - explodes in AAA with .355/.403/.921 in 275 PAs. The boy likes corn? Clearly, he figured something out. 20 BB, 30 Ks. I have no idea if he was pushed along at the right times, but he did show some improvement. I really think the ratio of BB/K shows a lot about a players discipline at the plate, and I would like to see Cedeno make strides in that regard. It can be done, look at Sosa.

Age is relevent to this discussion, yes. Age does not have anything to do with the performance when each of these guys is playing. Well, very little. 100% agree with you there.

In an organization that stresses swing early and swing often, hitting not walking your way to the majors, and with a manager who ridiculed patience, being young sure as heck is meaningful. How is it meaningful? How does a man's age matter when he steps up to the plate? Do you really think that when every professional baseball player enters an organization, he is some type of clone that is going to be molded to specifically what his organization wants him to do? When a guy is under 30, does he start each at bat with a 1-1 count? When comparing Theriot and Cedeno, as we have done hundreds of times, some things are the same while other things are different. Both guys came up in the Cubs system about the same time. One was older and played in the SEC, the other was a kid from Venezuela. One fiddled around with switch-hitting, the other had great success in AAA and boasts great tools. One has a sense of plate discipline (which he had when he was in college/HS), the other will at times swing at a flaming bag of dog poop if you threw it up there. The only factor age has on these guys when comparing them is the longevity of their careers.

Why don't we just look at Theriot and Cedeno's MLB production, since they have just about been in the EXACT amount of games.... Stat - Theriot - Cedeno Games - 210 - 230 Age - Who - Cares BA - .276 - .247 OB - .341 - .277 OPS - .720 - .626 PA - 770 - 741 AB - 684 - 688 H - 189 - 170 R - 117 - 70 RBI - 61 - 60 BB - 67 - 25 K - 70 - 138 SB - 41 - 11 It's so, so close.....

The fact that Ronny was 23 had nothing to do with the horrible plate discipline.

I was very impressed with Ronny's 2005 - because he was hitting the ball. He was hot at the right time, and showed us what he could do. What he can't do, or what he hasn't done, is reinvent his approach at the plate. In 2006, he became the starting SS for the Cubs following a .355/.403/.921 year in AAA. It seemed that Cedeno had nothing to prove on the farm, but the guy was only 22 years old and had a MISERABLE season at the plate. I find it kind of baffling, but it seems that Ronny really can hit in the state of Iowa, and no where else. His minor league career outside of AAA hasn't really been that impressive (statwise) outside of Rookie ball in the AZL. In my opinion, Cedeno's success in AAA is a curse for him. In his entire Minor League career (which did start at a very young 18), Cedeno has a cumulative .276/.323/.718 - which isn't bad until you consider that the numbers are that high because of his awesome production in AAA. The point is not that Cedeno had flukish campaigns in AAA, but that underneath those inflated numbers you still have to notice that the guy isn't going to walk a lot (141 times in 2205 PA), but he will strike out quite a bit (382). I hope he is not traded, unless it is for a good, young SS. I do hope he can change his approach at the plate and increase his patience a bit. Doesn't seem our farm was in that frame of mind a few years ago.

Defensive alone - Soto is a needed commodity on this club. If he hits at all, it will be a plus. As we all saw last year, what Soto did in AAA carried over nicely into the Cubs late season drive. So, the difference is Soto tore up AAA as well as NL pitching. Doesn't really compare to Cedeno.

Bump.

That is not necessarily true. There are good and bad baserunners, and Theriot certainly is not a bad one. I don't care that you don't care if I don't care about his slugging, though like you - I would love for Theriot to be able to slug. Why is Theriot not likely to approach a .350 OB%? He carried one over .350 as late as the last week in August last season.

Personally, I don't really care what Theriot's SLG is as long as he can get on base at .350 or better and score 100 runs, which isn't necessarily out of the question with this offense. Theriot is never going to have a high SLG%, and I would be really surprised to see him hit more than 5 HR in any one season. He will hit some doubles, and steal some bases - and most importantly score some runs. 80 runs scored in your first full season is not bad for anyone, and that was with a .326 OB% that certainly will be improved upon.

Good question. Only time will tell, but I have a feeling that if Pie plays against RHP and gets in a groove, he would benefit by easing in to face LHP. No telling, but his stats indicate that he has trouble with southpaws. League minimum plus the 1.whatever million they signed Johnson for. Like Nate Silver said, I wonder why the Cubs didn't just shift one of their two corner OFers to CF (since they both could play the position) and allow Murton to play RF or LF. I think Murton would offensively benefit the team more than Pie/Johnson, and he isn't really a butcher in LF. I hate seeing a hitter like Murton getting wasted. Who wants a guy who can only hit RHP for anything other than a bench piece?

EXCELLENT analysis by Nate.

I base my opinion of Cedeno on the fact that he never really hit big league pitching, but most importantly - he never developed a discipline at the plate. Even when he was ripping the cover off the ball in the minors, the guy k's way more than he walks. There is still hope, though. Cedeno has fantastic tools and can learn to take a walk and get on base.

Well, to be fair - I haven't read the second book, I was commenting on the first book. What I have read about the "A-Rod comments" have been pretty weak and personal. Canseco mentioned he had something to look forward to concerning Alex in the second book, and I agree - it is a classless attack on him with no basis or proof. Like I said, Canseco is a scumbag - he's just not the only scumbag. BTW, several of the players mentioned in his book are no-brainers. Juan Gonzalez, Brett Boone, McGwire, Palmiero, etc. Good luck getting all the guilty parties to test positive.... Actually, I do kinda see him as a victim. Why wouldn't anyone sign one of the best power hitters in the game? He certainly had the ability to play Major League Baseball, or at least in someone's farm. The guy is playing MSBL because he was blacklisted. Way before he wrote a book. He wrote the book after non of his MLBPA fellow union members did anything to help him. Well, of course he is making cash off of his experiences. People will pay to read it, because it is interesting. Just like people will pay $45 for bleacher seats so we can watch MLB (think about it. Paying all these juiced up players means $10 beers and $50 seats). Besides, Canseco didn't get blacklisted because of the book. The book came afterwards.