Bullpen battle goes to Big Apple
MESA, Ariz. _ We'll get to the lineups in a sec. Lou had some interesting news about the bullpen today.
The battle for the final spots will go to this weekend in New York. The Cubs will not put Rule 5 guy David Patton or longtime prospect Angel Guzman on waivers tomorrow _ they'd get claimed in a heartbeat. Instead, they'll go to New York this weekend with a shot to make the team. Ditto for Jeff Samardzija, who has minor-league options. Veteran Chad Fox will go to New York, but he will not make the team. Instead, he'll report to Class AAA Iowa.
It seems the Cubs would like to trade veteran Chad Gaudin, who has not had a good spring.
So we have four pitchers chasing two spots: Gaudin, Samardzija, Guzman and Patton. Samardzija is an easy procedural move; you can option him. Something then will have to give with one of the other three. The good thing, as the Cubs see it, is they'll get a chance to look at Patton in Yankee Stadium. He's not pitched above Class A ball, and they want to see how he does pitching in a stadium with a "second deck."
Today's lineup:
Soriano, LF
Fukudome, CF
Lee, 1B
Hoffpauir, RF
Ramirez, 3B
Fontenot, 2B
Soto, C
Theriot, SS
Marshall, P
I would think if the Cubs picked up some of the $2M they owe Gaudin that a deal could be swung. If you look at the depth charts, there are AL teams (KC and Texas are 2 that come to mind) that could use a swing guy like Chad. I think it's just a question of making the money work out.
The money probably will have to be dealt with, at least a little, and the Cubs will certainly do that, as necessary.
Right now, the Rockies are one of the teams showing interest in Gaudin.
if teams can put an outfielder like Dunn in the field full time, I don't think hoffpauir would hurt you once a week in right and once a week at first....that would get him some at bats.....I mean most teams have a bad starting outfielder and or first baseman. that's the way i see it...
I love that reasoning. If terrible teams can play Adam Dunn everyday, why couldn't a good team play a 29 year old statue out there once a week? They'll only suck a seventh as much.
The way he's hit this spring and last season, I think we might see Hoffpauir in the field more than once or twice a week. Lee's got the bad quad and that can and likely will linger into the early season. He hasn't shown bright signs that the second half of last season was an aberration either. If Bradley plays the max 140 games the Cubs want from him, and Soriano gets a rest once in a while, there are more ABs for Hoffpauir. It'd be great to see what he could do with 350 plate appearances this season.
You're right! Hoffy will get more playing time than most people think and certainly more than the ignorant, that think he is a "statue", wants!
I fully expect him to play a couple days a week at first, until Lee proves he is healthy, maybe more than that.
I also expect him to play RF a couple of games a week versus RH starters. This would bring the Games played for Bradley into line with the thinking that he could play 115-120 games in RF.
Unless Soriano is injured, I don't expect him to play LF until later in the spring/summer or at least until Hoffy's games started at 1b are reduced to once a week.
All in all, I expect Hoffy to get about 70 starts and a total ABs of about 350 this year.
him being out there once a week....but no more than that.
1) At least Dunn has played the OF and is bad, Hoffpauir was never even put out there all that much in the minors because he's so bad. Cubs started throwing him out in the OF in 07 and still only gave him 29 games there over 2 years; even knowing Lee blocks him. That tells me he's either atrocious or the Cubs didn't make a good effort to make him more flexible.
2) I think the pitching and scouting will catch up to him and find some holes in that swing.
It may be my imagination but it seems like each time Guzman has pitched for the Cubs he's been shelled. Why would Lou want a guy coming out of the pen who can't get anyone out?
Guzman's K/BB ratio of 11/3 looks really good especially compared to Gaudin.plus he's cost controlled for a few years more than Chad.
Hoff needs to prove he can be this successful at the ML level despite many fans' desire to have him replace DeRosa as The Greatest Cubs Hero of All-time. Although I fear his defense will negate any offense he adds.
Sounds like Chad has entered Lou's doghouse, like Scott Eyre did in the past. So with that, I assume they'll try everything to deal him. You think it wouldn't be hard, but given his salary......
I agree you send Samardzija to Iowa, and then give the spots to Patton and Guzman.
I have been in full Hawks mode, but what are Guzman's numbers?
I read Piniella's shot over the bow towards Fukudome when he was talking about Reed Johnson wanting the job, and showing up and doing everything to earn it. Fukudome better start off hot, or this goes down as the WORST signing in recent years. Please tell me that the swing has been somewhat altered. I can't handle the spinning top again this year.
He is 0-1 with an 8.71. In 10 1-3 innings, he's given up 13 hits while walking three and striking out 11.
Gaudin is 2-1 with a 10.54. In 13 2-3 innings, he's given up 20 hits while walking nine and striking out nine.
I might take my chances on the kid, since they've had him for this long and he's never been healthy until now. Just me.
I think Gaudin is actually younger than Guzman. If they can't get something of value for either one of them, is there a chance that Gaudin's salary enables him to slide through waivers? If someone ends up taking him, at least a salary of some size comes off the books.
The Cubs would pay for all except for all but the major-league minimum in such a case. That would be picked up by the new team. The Cubs say money won't affect their decision since they've budgeted for it anyway.
thanks for straightening me out there. Money should factor into the decision though, even if they have already budgeted for it. Any amount they can get another team to eat in a trade would then be available for a midseason acquisition.
Yeah, when you get into Lou's doghouse, your name changes. To wit: Scott Eyre became Stevie Eyre, or something like that. Pretty damn funny.
Yes, Lou will probably lose what little patience he has after the first few pirouettes from Fuku.
How long will the leash be on him? Has anyone ever asked what happens if he never gets any better then the 2nd half last year? What would the option be? I've read in a few places that there are some scouts that question if he will ever be very good...some even suggested he is scared of the ball. I am really hoping the are wrong.
Can he play center?
Wouldn't he be the better solution?
However, Milton in center on certain days would allow you to get Hoffpauers bat in the line up more often.
I know Lee is a leader on this team, and his defense is such an important piece, BUT if he gets off to a so-so start I wouldn't mind seeing Hoffpauir push him a bit at 1st. I'm not saying he takes over the FULL TIME job, but I think what has plagued Lee in the past was him wearing down, and the Cubs having ZERO options to sub at 1st. An OF of Soriano-Bradley-Hoffpauir has some LIMITED range.
I am really hoping that some coach takes Bradley out to RF and has him count the steps to the bullpen mound. I don't why this bothers me so much, but I can just see him blowing out his knee on that mound chasing after some wind blown pop up. If people can live with Soriano being afraid of the wall, I can live with Bradley not going up and down that mound in RF unless the ball is in play.
They've not even considered him for center. With his history of leg problems, covering that ground in center could be trouble.
about Fukedome last year :) and Soriano in CF the year before :) I was just trying to see if there was a way to get Hoff in the line-up with Lee, Soriano, A-Ram, and Bradley.
In any OF position more than once a week is asking for big time trouble. This guy is built to DH not an outfield position. No question the guy can hit it around the yard but please don't fall in love with the idea of putting him the OF on any consistent basis.
You're going to hear it from me first: Fukudome will rebound and have a solid season this year for the Cubs!!!!
Fukudome was 2-for-3 with a single and a triple today. Lee was 3-for-3 with 2 doubles. Hoffpauir, by the way, hit his sixth homer.
We'll see. It all depends how he hits. Lou expressed confidence this morning Fukudome will hit, but I can't see him having much patience if he doesn't.
When one of them has minor league options.
Probably makes sense to Samardzija to Iowa, then hopefully they can unload Gaudin.
Hey Bruce,
How has Fukedome looked thus far?
And I don't mean So Taguchi. Seriously, it's not been great, but he hit a couple balls hard yesterday in Surprise. He scorched a grounder off the first baseman, but it caromed over to the second baseman, who threw Fukudome out. Late in the game, he turned on a pitch and hit it over the right-field wall for his first homer. We'll see if a lot of reps help.
It's too bad you can't modify the rules in spring training to get this guy to the plate every inning. Reps is what he needs. Somehow I can't help but think the whole WBC debacle did nothing to help him.
That's the one place you can do it. I'll ask. A guy can play in a minor-league game and bat every inning.