05-21-2009, 07:20 PM
<!--quoteo(post=39272:date=May 21 2009, 05:03 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ May 21 2009, 05:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->1. The Padres are not trading A. Gonzales. He's 26, he's cheap, and he's one of the best players in baseball. Literally, top ten. Since there is no Cub who is that good, we'd have to trade <i>two</i> young, cheap stars to get him, like Soto and Marmol. And Jim would never make that trade, nor should he.
2. Peavy would be stupid to give the go-ahead to a trade unless he could force the new team to pick up his huge option. As someone said, that's his bargaining chip. (unless he <i>really</i> wants to be a Cub, which, luckily for us, seems possible).
3. I kinda agree with Clapp and rok that Soto's value is larger than it seems, because catchers are so damn hard to find. He brings value to the Cubs even when he's not hitting, and there's a good chance he <i>will</i> start hitting.
4. I disagree with Clapp that D.Lee is an above-average 1st baseman anymore. I'm thrilled that he's started to hit a little. But he <i>sucked</i> in April, and his glove has gone from best in MLB, to very average. I'll always like him as a person, but if I were Lou, I'd be giving Hoff a <i>lot</i> more playing time at first; not a strict platoon, but a just lot more AB's.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
On 4. He's still right at league average for a first baseman at the plate, and yes he IS a very good 1b defensively still. I don't know what games you guys have been watching, he's yet to make an error there, he's yet to not get to a ball where I think he would've gotten to 5 years ago, he still digs everything, and he still saves the 3b and SS with errors all the time because of his 6'5 height. I don't understand where all the declining defense stuff comes from.
I want more at bats for Hoff as well. Give Bradley a day off each series, and Lee and Soriano a day off more often.
2. Peavy would be stupid to give the go-ahead to a trade unless he could force the new team to pick up his huge option. As someone said, that's his bargaining chip. (unless he <i>really</i> wants to be a Cub, which, luckily for us, seems possible).
3. I kinda agree with Clapp and rok that Soto's value is larger than it seems, because catchers are so damn hard to find. He brings value to the Cubs even when he's not hitting, and there's a good chance he <i>will</i> start hitting.
4. I disagree with Clapp that D.Lee is an above-average 1st baseman anymore. I'm thrilled that he's started to hit a little. But he <i>sucked</i> in April, and his glove has gone from best in MLB, to very average. I'll always like him as a person, but if I were Lou, I'd be giving Hoff a <i>lot</i> more playing time at first; not a strict platoon, but a just lot more AB's.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
On 4. He's still right at league average for a first baseman at the plate, and yes he IS a very good 1b defensively still. I don't know what games you guys have been watching, he's yet to make an error there, he's yet to not get to a ball where I think he would've gotten to 5 years ago, he still digs everything, and he still saves the 3b and SS with errors all the time because of his 6'5 height. I don't understand where all the declining defense stuff comes from.
I want more at bats for Hoff as well. Give Bradley a day off each series, and Lee and Soriano a day off more often.
@TheBlogfines