Transmogrified Tiger

Problem with the platoon is that we're not going to see 33% LHP, which means the total production is going to come down from that platoon. Even moreso considering Jones had a career year v. RHP, and will likely be in the .830-.850 OPS range against them. Furthermore, if DeRosa is platooning in RF AND getting 200 AB's elsewhere, then he's likely getting them against RHP, and he can't hit RHP to save his life.

There were numerous articles over the last few weeks predicting DeRosa would get a deal like this from whatever team he would sign for, so I don't think it's very accurate to think the Cubs were the only team interested, bidding against themselves. I don't recall any such articles, do you have a link to any of them? Just run a search on the internet. Here's the one I remember from earlier this week. I can't begin to recall the specific news paper web sites from the daily blogosphere bouncing. Olney earlier in the week The free portion of that blog doesn't say anything except that DeRosa is looking for a raise after a career year. A quick google news search didn't pull up anything regarding DeRosa having multiple teams interested, or anything approaching the deal he's going to get.

According to The Fielding Bible, Burrell was the 4th best LF from '03-'05, with a +/- of +12. Jacque Jones was the 4th worst RF in that time frame, with a +/- of -16.

There were numerous articles over the last few weeks predicting DeRosa would get a deal like this from whatever team he would sign for, so I don't think it's very accurate to think the Cubs were the only team interested, bidding against themselves. I don't recall any such articles, do you have a link to any of them?

So you're saying he'll be able to keep that up, right? :D His LD% did spike upwards too, so he only outperformed it by about 10-15 points, but no, odds are that BABIP free falls back near .300.

Oh cripes, and his BABIP was .348 last year too.

I really want to hear what Hendry has planned for him. This signing becomes better if he's starting at SS, or a super-sub, or a platoon OF.

He's a below average hitter and has never been an everyday 2B. And he'll be 32, 33, and 34 during his 3 year deal. DeRosa had th 5th best OPS among all qualified 2B in baseball last year. Even with regress from 2006, he's not below average. DeRosa's career .735 OPS would tie him for 14th of 22 second basemen. His .331 career OBP would rank worse than that.

Nobody is saying that, though. This is how you avoid disaster contracts like the Yankees are saddled with right now, and like we have been in the past. You don't sign a 30 year old guy (outside of a real superstar like an ARod or Pujols) coming off a career year to a big money long-term contract. so are you against signing Lee, Soriano and/or Drew? All will get multiple years and all are over 30 I only want Drew. He's significantly better offensively, and he doesn't have the weight/fitness issues like Lee that would bring on a more rapid decline.

And it's going to be a new decade before either Zambrano or Sabathia hit 30.

Because home runs and especially RsBI are very poor measures of how good a player actually is offensively. And even then, Lee doesn't hit "35 to 40 homeruns every year and 100 RBI's each year". Heck, this was the first time EVER he had hit even 35(he finished with 37).

But Jennings only has one year before he makes 7-10 million in free agency. That argument has much more merit for someone who is earlier in the arbitration stage than for Jason Jennings or Jake Westbrook.

So, a proven commodity (though it is only a solid and unspectacular commodity) in an area of great need is not worth as much as a prospect who is far from "can't miss" and won't be helpful for a couple of years even if he doesn't miss? Seriously? This reminds me alot of people who wouldn't trade Guzman, Kelton, Bobby Hill, or Choi several years ago. Until the Cubs produce a position player with a clue at the Major League level, I am all for dealing a "prospect" for a Major Leaguer who is a position of need. I think Pie could be helpful THIS year. Certainly by next year... Pie rates well about what Kelton or Hill ever did. He's produced at a much higher level than either of them did...and at a much younger age. The jury's still out on Guzman. I do think he's going to be successful. It's not fair to put pitchers in the same category as position players though. Pitchers are much more likely to get injurred. No, Jennings is not worth Pie. Heck, I think Marshall in two years will be as good as Jennings. But maybe that's just me. I'm sorry, I just whole-heartedly disagree. Jason Jennings is a pitcher entering his prime who just posted a respectable WHIP (1.37) and ERS (3.78) while pitching half his games at Coors. Pie is a prospect who posted a decent OPS in AAA, with a little power (15 HR) and a little speed (though his 17/11 SB/CS ratio is very bad. Heck, people are butchering Soriano for his 41/17 ratio). Jennings is a possible 15 game winner for us over the next couple of years. Pie is a guy who might sniff the bigs this season, and won't likely offer any valuable help until 2008. A solid SP who might win 15+ games for us in 2007 or a AAA CF who still has miles to go before becoming the leadoff hitter we desperately need him to be? Sorry, but I'd do it in a heartbeat. That props up Jennings for all his successes, and criticizes Pie for all his failures. The inverse is that it would be crazy to trade your top prospect, one of the top 25-50 in baseball, a guy who put up a .900+ OPS in the second half at AAA at age 21 who is a 5 tool guy, for a middle of the rotation pitcher who has had one good season out of his last 4 and is approaching free agency. Obviously the reality is somewhere in between. Pie didn't have an amazing season, but he was great in the second half, was extremely young for his league, and still has all the physical tools that made him such a hot prospect since he was in Lansing. Jennings on the other hand, wasn't as bad in '03-'05 as his ERA+ might suggest, posting decidedly decent numbers away from Coors in that time. Considering that Pie is one of if not our best trade ammunition(I want him to start in CF, but that's a different topic for a different thread), we should deal him in a trade or a package for a player that's going to have a large impact, be it a top of the rotation starter, or a big bat. While it may be a fair deal to trade him straight up for Jennings, I really don't think it serves the Cubs best interest to do so.

I'd give Drew 4/50 with a vesting option to make it 5/60.

That's right, nobody likes 40 40 guys. we need walks. LOL In five years Alph will be 35 plus change. I agree with IMB. To be fair, Soriano is probably one of the most athletic, well conditioned guys in the game. It's not like we're talking about some unathletic guy who's always out of shape. Conversely, his loopy swing isn't likely to age well with declining bat speed. If we don't get drew, what options do we have to improve this team though? Trade market. A-Rod, Burrell, etc.

That's right, nobody likes 40 40 guys. we need walks. LOL In five years Alph will be 35 plus change. I agree with IMB. To be fair, Soriano is probably one of the most athletic, well conditioned guys in the game. It's not like we're talking about some unathletic guy who's always out of shape. Conversely, his loopy swing isn't likely to age well with declining bat speed.

CF is easier on the knees than a corner. Less cutting.

Where in the world did Orestes Destrade come from? He randomly popped up on BBTN this year and now he's scooping us on the Matsuzaka bid?

If you're trading Barrett, you have to use him to fill another hole (SS/2B/OF). Trading him and just getting back prospects, isn't worth it (unless you can spin those prospects to a team like the Marlins to get Cabrera). They way I figure it by trading away Barrett and Izturis it opens up the door to more realistically signing Julio Lugo to play SS. Then we can sign Greg Zaun or Bengie Molina to play Catcher. You could possibly then use some of the prospects recieved in that deal to trade for Tim Hudson. edit: the reason I say prospects is because Izturis brings down Barretts value quite a bit in my eye. But getting rid of Izturis is an imperative and the only way to do it is probably by packaging him with Barrett. I'm not too interested in Hudson, unless they eat a lot of that contract. I just think that if you're trading Barrett you need to get a big bat back. Use Barrett to get ARod (if he'll waive his NTC) or Vernon Wells. I'm sure you can convince another team in need of a shortstop to take Izturis for a prospect. I mean we gave up our biggest trading chip to get him, so he has to have some value in the strange baseball GM world. I'm really not sure why people keep referring to Wells as a "big bat". I'm not convinced. Exactly, he's the same bat as Barrett that's about to command a lot more cash than Barrett.

Off the top of my head.... Barrett for Brad Hawpe, Jones+Dempster+something for Hudson and Saltamacchia, sign Greg Zaun to a 1 + option deal?

Give Durham 2/17. 7 in '07, 8 in '08, and a 8 mil team option w/ 2 mil buyout in '09. Durham Murton Drew/Lee/Ramirez Drew/Lee/Ramirez Drew/Lee/Ramirez Barrett Pie Izturis/Theriot

Brees = 13 Vick = 7 He started Brees.

This year was Vernon Wells' breakout season, his BABIP was 30 points higher than previous seasons and 20 points higher than it should have been. We're more likely to see Wells decline from last season's performance.

Quoted for posterity.