One of the reasons that I enjoy baseball so much is that it is a yearlong spectator sport. When the regular season ends the hot stove season begins and that can be almost as fun to watch as the games.
When watching the moves the Cubs make over the offseason, its interesting to look at them and think of the hidden meanings and implications some of the moves have (or could have) in the future.
A few such moves occurred over the last few weeks and if you were not paying attention, you may have missed them. Here they are, in no particular order:
Angel Guzman released and then resigned to a minor league deal
I originally expected the Cubs to just non-tender Guzman and part ways with him, however this is a good, low risk move for the Cubs that could pay dividends next season. Guzman is coming off of major (possibly career threatening) shoulder surgery last spring and is hoping to be ready for the start of the 2011 season. He was the Cubs tops setup man in 2009 and hopes to reclaim that role in 2011.
If the Cubs can get any production out of him, it would be a plus and could even help to shore up an otherwise shaky bullpen. However, even if it doesn't work out, its still good to see them giving Guzman a chance, no matter how long the odds are.
Brad Snyder outrighted to Iowa, declares for free agency instead
This is a move that could come back to bite the Cubs in the butt. Snyder, a former 1st round pick of the Indians, had a strong season at AAA Iowa in 2010, hitting .308/.381/.568. At 28, Snyder is a little old to still be considered a prospect, however there are always instances of late-bloomers, such as former Cub Casey McGehee.
With the emergence of Tyler Colvin, the Cubs must have felt that Snyder was expendable, I just hope they don't regret it later.
Robinson Chirinos added to the 40-man roster
This is probably my favorite move so far. Chirinos has shown drastic improvement with the bat over the last couple years, hitting .294/.396/.519 in 2009 and following that up with a .326/.416/.583 line this year. As such, the Cubs couldn't keep him off the roster any longer.
Being added to the roster means that we are likely to see Chirinos in a Cubs uniform at some point in 2011, as the Cubs are more likely to call up someone on the roster than someone not on the roster. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what Chirinos can do at the big league level.
Jeff Gray, Blake Parker and James Adduci outrighted to Iowa
The result of these moves is that these players are no longer on the 40-man roster. This is significant in that, combined with the moves above, the Cubs now have 36 players on the 40-man roster. That leaves 4 spots open for free agents and/or trade acquisitions (such as Adrian Gonzalez).
One other thing to note here is that Jeff Gray, one of the players acquired in the Jake Fox trade last offseason, is now officially a bust. He could still salvage his value in 2011, but it is obvious that the Cubs lost patience with him. Gray elected to become a free agent and will likely get a minor league deal with another team.
Going forward, I will continue to watch the wire to see what other moves the Cubs make, that may be lost in the shuffle, and give my take on what the impact will be.
at best snyder may improve to be a fourth outfielder so i'm not too concerned since the team has already four outfielders and also fuld , jackson , and guyer waiting .i don't see the cubs doing much with trades or signings except adding a 1b , a cheap starter , and a righty for the bullpen which would boost the 40 man roster to 39. the last spot will go to a rule 5 draft pick or a non risk minor league signing . so having 36 right now makes a lot sense . however , if hill and/or baker get nontendered it might get more interesting. picking up 1b barton might be a possibility if oakland feels they need more power at first . barton is still cheap and at age 25, may still improve .he would be a low risk trade that could bring high rewards since his obp was almost .400 last year . he walked 110 times last year , but only hit 10 hr's . not a lefty power bat , but might greatly help the offense if he is hits before ramirez , colvin , and soriano . now if oakland could just go get a power bat 1b ....hmmmm maybe dunn .
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping Hill and Baker are non-tendered. They don't add a lot to the team and it will free up some money to spend elsewhere (like the bullpen), as well as giving some of the younger players a chance to show what they can do.
ReplyDelete@walterj...I like the idea of getting Barton, if he's available. He's the kind of guy that could be included in a package for Fielder or AGonz, if that's a route the Cubs want to take. What do you think the A's would want from the Cubs?
ReplyDelete@Mark...I like Baker...he played OF for the Rockies and I wonder why he doesn't spell Fukudome/Colvin against lefties. Personally, I don't want a lot of money spent on the crapshoot that a bullpen is. I'd bring back Woody, but only if the price is decent. BTW...good blog!!
the marlins might have a use for a right handed 2b if they trade uggla so maybe the cubs could get a bag of balls for baker instead of letting him go for free . i like the idea of getting uggla for 3b for 2012 and beyond but if his defense gets worse at 3b than it is at 2b then i would have to say it's not a good idea . hill , i can't see why they would even bring him back considering they have two guys ready to back up soto .
ReplyDeletewell oakland has their starting staff pretty much in place and the outfield seems set now that they picked up the option on crisp and traded for dejesus . so i'm guessing it would take one of the two infielders (dewitt or barney)and probably a major league ready bullpen guy like coleman . they would probably bite if it was a deal for barney and coleman but i think it would be a bad trade . if that trade did go through and the cubs used barton as bait for gonzalez it would still be barton , wells maybe , and samardijza to get the deal done . so in other words the cubs would get ripped off . i would prefer to keep barton and use him much like mark grace and bat him third and sign him to a long contract if he could produce numbers like .290/.400/.450 . those stats could be reached because he hit .273/ .393/.405 in a pitchers park .
ReplyDeleteYo Walterj...I'd keep Barton, too, if we were able to pry him from Oakland. Personally, I don't think Barney and Coleman would be too much. Our org is relatively deep at pitching and middle infield, plus neither projects to be all-stars.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Mark Grace...he is my favorite Cub of all-time. He wasn't the most talented and may not have provided typical numbers for a first baseman, but he was a GAMER!
just read that barton was one of the best defensive 1b in the majors last year .i guess that would make it harder for the cubs to pry him away especialy since he didn't make 1 mill last year . i would guess that oakland wouldn't bite . i liked grace a lot as well ...he played the game much like ryno and andre who are my two favorites .
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think letting Brad Snyder go is a terrible move. The Cubs do not run or play defense well enough, and Snyder could fill that 4th outfielder role is Fukudome is ever traded. Why not a Fukudome + cash deal for Scott Linebrink and Brent Lilibridge? If I am the Cubs, I would do that in a heartbeat. Yeah, the releasing Brad Snyder is stupid, as he can run, play decent defense, and have lefthanded power - good fourth outfielder material at least. Trading Fukudome would open up right field for Colvin, and Lilibridge can run, something the Cubs need a lot more of!!!!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of Daric Barton. I had not thought of that, but that would work. Also, I don't know why the Cubs don't go and get Jake Fox back from Baltimore. It would not take much in terms of a trade, and a first base duo of Barton and Fox would, I expect, hit a lot better than Derek Lee did last year.
Are you on crack? This is an absolute joke. If you think any of this crap is going to make the Cubs better then pass over the peace pipe!!.....Brian Cashman flies to Arkansas to meet with Cliff Lee and were hoping that Angel Guzman is the missing piece? IM SOOOOOO SICK OF THIS!! Is Jim helping Tom fix the toilets??? I can gaurantee that any real Cub fan would be happy to sacrifice the toilets for a ring! That's why the Yankees are always where they're at and why we are a laughing stock.....
ReplyDeleteGrappa,
ReplyDeleteI am not saying that any of these moves are the missing piece of the puzzle that will win us a World Series title, but when you're pinching pennies and cutting payroll, as the Cubs apparently are, then every little bit helps.
The Cubs do not have the resources of the Yankees to go out and spend big money on every free agent on the market. Hendry has spent a lot of money the last few years and you see where it got us.
The Cubs need to be wise with their spending, develop players from within and utilize all available means to put together a champion caliber team. And yes, sometimes that means taking a chance on the Angel Guzman's of the world. If it pays off, your team is that much better, if it doesn't you're out maybe $100K (or whatever the minor league salary is).
Mark my apoligies....I'm an angry Cub fan. You are corrrect where have these big money moves gotten us? The fact is i think that Hendry
ReplyDeleteA. Has no idea how to evaluate the appropriate free agents(DeRosa was a gift).
B. Cant draft to save his life. Has he drafted a first rounder that has made an impact minus Colvin?
C. We do have the payroll to compete with anyone but the things that they are worried about are nill. the ONLY thing that they should care about is a ring.
C. The moral of the story is he needed to go a LONG time ago and the fact that he has any role with this team is a sham......If any of us were terrible at our job for 10 years we'd be long gone.....
again, my apologies. This is directed solely at the Cubs...Best
Grappa and everyone else,
ReplyDeleteThe reality is that the way in which to build a great baseball team has changed. Few teams can spend their way to a championship. But if an educated fan analyzes the moves of recent successful teams - Tampa Bay, Boston, San Fran, Atlanta, LA Angels, Phili, Texas - the way to build a successful franchise has changed. You still need a balanced baseball team that is talented in pitching, defense, hitting, speed, and power, but the way to get their has changed: (1) free agent talent has never been so valuable, and (2) minor transactions can make a huge difference.
Minor league talent has never been more valuable. Free agent salaries have reached a pinnacle, I think, except for the very top players. Smart teams offer arbitration to free agents or spend big on the draft and international prospects, use some of this talent to fill holes through trades, fill in with talent through their farm system, look for smart cheap free agents, emphasize speed and multidimensional players, emphasize financial flexibility with regards to the makeup of a team, and limit long-term deals. The Braves traded their top starting pitcher before last season for minor league prospects; Tampa Bay traded Scott Kazmir; and the Phillies traded Cliff Lee for prospects. Boston and LA Angels have let solid baseball players leave through free agency for draft picks, because minor league talent is so valuable.
Tampa Bay traded for Ben Zobrist in a minor deal. Jaysen Werth was found in a minor deal for Phili before he became the star player he is. Any team could have had Juan Uribe or Aubrey Huff last year. Anybody could have had Joaquin Benoit. THE CUBS SHOULD NEVER HAVE GIVEN JOSH HAMILTON AWAY TO THE CINCINNATI REDS FOR NOTHING IN THE RULE FIVE DRAFT!!!!! The point that Mark is making is important: minor deals actually can be very important, if not more important than the major deals. If Hendry had thought more seriously about giving Josh Hamilton a shot, I cannot even imagine how different the current Cubs would look!!!
Grappa - don't sweat it, I can understand your frustration with the Cubs.
ReplyDeleteBottom line is, even a monkey could put together a championship team in over 100 years, just out of blind luck!!
The Tribune Company didn't care whether the Cubs won or lost as long as there were fannies in the seats. Hopefully the Ricketts family views things differently, but recent moves make me wonder....
I meant to make these two points: (1) minor league talent has never been more valuable, that is, having a good farm system, for developing cheap talent and for trades, and (2) minor transactions actually can be quite huge. I am sick of Jim Hendry saying, "We need X or Y and then just focusing on X and Y. Good general managers operate from the mindset of improving their team with each and every move and focusing on a long-term plan. So minor transactions can be quite important!!
ReplyDeleteJim Hendry is a weenie!!! The Josh Hamilton move is never brought up by anyone in the media but it was a HUGE blunder on Hendry's part... However nothing on Earth is as bad as the 8 year 136 million dollar albatross in LF !!!! I wish he'd disappear to an AL team in need of a dh
ReplyDeleteIdiots... Josh Hamilton was never a member of the Cubs. The Cubs had a prearranged agreement with the Reds to pick whoever Cincy wanted, and would then turn him over to their club. The Cubs were drafting Hamilton for the Reds. They literally had no idea that's who they were going to pick.
ReplyDeleteThe guy had 55 at bats in short season ball the previous season, turning in a slash line of .260/.327/.360. He hadn't played the previous three seasons at all because he was a drug addict. Are you guys seriously complaining that Hendry didn't have the foresight to pick this guy for the Cubs?
Actually, the point I am making is that minor transactions can be incredibly important. I really respect general managers that are opportunistic, able to take advantage of great trades or signings when the opportunity arises. Billy Beane has few peers when it comes to this. Theo Epstein, Andrew Friedman (Rays organization), and John Schuerholz are also amazing at this. These guys usually bring more value back to their teams in trades than the other teams involved. Hendry spends all of his efforts on filling predetermined holes in the roster; as a result he usually displays tunnel vision with all of his deals. I generally see very little creativity with Hendry. Actually, the Mark Derosa deal might turn out really well for the Cubs, and Hendry did win the Silva for Bradley deal, but largely he displays little creativity and attempts to solve every problem with a big contract.
ReplyDeleteAnd YES I do think the Cubs should have considered keeping Josh Hamilton. YES, he was never a member of the Cubs, and YES it was a prearranged deal with the Reds, but what does it hurt to keep your Rule 5 pick, bring the guy to spring training to see what he can do. The fact of the matter is the Cubs had a chance to retain him. Josh Hamilton was not your average Rule 5 pick; he was the #1 overall pick in the amateur draft. Even Baseball America wrote an article about how he looked good in short season ball and still displayed the tools that impressed scouts. I absolutely hold the Cubs management accountable for letting Hamilton get away, as THAT'S CALLED ACCOUNTABILITY. It's not like every major league team had a crack at him. The Cubs had the #3 pick in the Rule 5 draft that year, and they blew it!!!!!
This I think is the point of Mark's article: Minor deals, like letting Josh Hamilton walk for nothing, can be huge deals in the long run, and Hendry is not an opportunistic, creative general manager.
Is this a real post? This is exactly why this organization is going NOWHERE. Not one of these names would even be noteworthy on 29 other franchise blogs. Talking about what ifs and possible late bloomers? These so called minor moves shouldn't even be considered moves. They are irrelavant.. and did you really just mention Casey McGehee? Who? Seriously?
ReplyDeletesincerely
Cubs fan who is about ready to jump ship to route for the Royals or some other BS organization that we are now grouped in with.
Are you for real? Did you even bother to look up McGehee before you made this comment?
ReplyDeleteMcGehee was picked up by the Brewers on waivers from the Cubs in October 2008. He then proceeded to hit .301/.360/.499 with 16 HR's in 355 AB's in 2009 and .285/.337/.464 with 23 HR's and 104 RBI's in 2010 AND HE CAN PLAY SECOND BASE!!!!
Would you rather have him at second for 2011 or Blake (no hit) DeWitt?
I sincerely hope the Cubs organization doesn't have the attitude about so called "irrelevant" players that you do.
By the way, while you are en "route" to the Royals, perhaps you can try rooting for them too.