Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dusty Baker may juggle the Red Legs' pitching rotation heading into next week's visit to Wrigley Field.
The Reds have an off-day Monday, which would normally cause them to skip fifth starter Josh Fogg's turn. But Baker is considering having Fogg take his turn Wednesay, following Aaron Harang on Tuesday, which would have the effect of giving Baker's two young, stud pitchers--Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto--an extra day's rest.
"We might try to reconfigure to do that," Baker said. "It's not going to hurt Cueto and Volquez to lighten their load early to keep them strong late. They're going to be making 10, 11 more starts minimum - more if we get to the playoffs - than they've ever thrown."
(Insert your own ironic interpretation here.)
On a related note, this headline from The Onion sports section:
Dusty Baker On Rookie Ace: 'Mwahahahahaaaaa'
____________________________
If you liked this article, consider supporting us during TCR's April Pledge Drive.
#1 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
On a completely unrelated note, is it wrong for me to be amused by this?
"Tampa Police arrested Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Al Reyes early this morning, saying the reliever was drunk and disruptive after falling down, picking a fight and spitting blood at the patrons of a popular Hyde Park night spot...the officer tased Reyes, knocking him to the bar floor. Ignoring police commands to stay down, authorities said Reyes got up and was Tased a second time."
http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2008/04/reyes-slugg...
__________________________† The Joe - 2007 TCR Keeper Champion; 2008 Runner-Up
#3 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
#5 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
I thought so. Thanks for the clarification.
__________________________† The Joe - 2007 TCR Keeper Champion; 2008 Runner-Up
#6 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
DON'T TASE ME BRO!!!
__________________________I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst
#18 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
And that calls for this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0KmjqabDUU
Not a rick-roll.
#2 Deeds - PTBN from Twins
Sorry if 3/44, but the Twins sent over Doug Deeds as the PTBN in the Monroe trade.
.291 career hitter who hit .243 last season in AAA.
So much for getting Lahey back in return.
http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/christensen/2008/...
__________________________All right, all right, all right....
#7 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
The best part of that link is the first comment, from a Twins fan:
"cant we just give them monroe back?"
#8 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
And another Twinkie fan gives a makeshift scouting report on Mr. Deeds...
"Anyway, I liked Deeds. He had a very good 2005 season at AA and then had to repeat the level. He does a little of everything without doing anything great. Hits for OK average, with decent on-base skills and some power. Plays a couple of positions (RF/1B) adequately. This is fair return for the PTBNL."
#9 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
Does anybody else think the Cubs lost a lot of value in getting mediocre-to-awful players last year?
Michael Barrett to SD for Rob Bowen
Rob Bowen and Blevins to Oakland for Kendall
Scott Moore and Rocky Cherry to Baltimore for Steve Trachsel
Clay Rapada (PTBNL) to Detroit for Craig Monroe
Getting Lahey back for Monroe would've been nice to offset some of that young talent we lost.
Rapada and Blevins both appear to be better lefty relievers than we have in the system right now, Scott Moore would've been nice depth waiting in AAA or could've been packaged for something valuable, and Rob Bowen turned out to be a lot better than he played while in Chicago.
While Bowen put up a .065/.097/.167 line for the Cubs in 31 ABs, he went on to Oakland to hit .279/.415/.442. While with the Padres he had hit .268/.371/.439. Meanwhile, Kendall hit .270/.362/.356 for the Cubs while playing comparable defense (not bad, actually). However, a combination of Bowen and Soto for in the time that Kendall was playing would've likely proved MUCH more productive than Kendall and wouldn't have required us to pay much salary or to give up Blevins.
What about Monroe? He hit .204/.291/.347 in 49 ABs for the Cubs. I don't care what side of the plate you bat from, that is terrible, and it's nothing that Pie and Fuld couldn't have done while also playing significantly better defense. We gave up Clay Rapada for that?
Moving on to Trachsel. In 4 total games with the Cubs, Trachsel won one game and lost three while posting an ERA of 8.31. He took Marshall's rotation spot, who had half the ERA. In fact, I'd be willing to bet Cherry could've posted an ERA under 8 in 4 starts. Meanwhile, Moore is providing left-handed pop off the bench for the Orioles and has played three infield positions. The guy doesn't have a ton of value, and neither does Cherry, but Trachsel appears to me actually have had negative value.
Oh, and Trachsel and Monroe failed to make the playoff roster while Kendall was pushed into a backup role.
Last season's in-season trades were not very good, and it looks to me like the reveal a GM who really undervalues his own young players.
By the way, Doug Deeds is an outfielder/first baseman who will turn 26 this June. He's a lefty hitter who has never hit more than 16 homeruns and isn't much of a base stealer. Why didn't Hendry at least hold out until he knew whether the Twins will even get Lahey back?
#10 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
Kendall hit .270/.362/.356 for the Cubs while playing comparable defense (not bad, actually).
Haha... since when did Kendall play "not bad" defense?
__________________________Antagonizing TCR posters with my my "assinine" "socialist drivel" and my signatures since 2003.
#12 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
I meant "not bad" in reference to the offensive numbers. Nice catch though (no pun intended?). His defense was actually equally as bad as Bowen's and probably as bad as Barrett's.
#15 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
Don't forget Paul Bako is tearing up the league also.
__________________________I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst
#13 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
Maybe Rapada and/or Blevins turn out to be decent LOOGY's, but overall, the guys we gave up were spare parts, at best, with the exception of Barrett, who had deteriorated here to the point he had to be dumped for anything.
Moore and Cherry aren't likely to be anything special.
As for adding Trachsel and Monroe, I wasn't thrilled with the moves but I understand what Hendry was trying to do, add experienced vets for the stretch drive. Sure, in hindsight Pie or Fuld could have put up Monroe's miserable numbers, but Monroe hit 28 hr and 92 rbi the year before, something Pie or Fuld will never do.
#16 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
I don't think we lost anthing at all. And hindsight is 20/20. Monroe could have went on a roll like Randall Simon did a few years ago, you just never know. But you can't get a spark to put you over the top if you don't try.
#20 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
We did win the division last year, right? Just checking...
Kendall had one great month for us and when he struggled again in Sept he got benched. Monroe for Rapada? Rapada can't even crack the Tigers awful bullpen right now. Moore, Renshaw and Cherry for Trax? Yeah, that was dumb, but once again, no one we'll ever miss.
None of the talent we gave up was crucial or will ever be...
I would think that Lahey was never part of the Monroe discussion or something is happening in the waiver process that we don't know about yet. I believe the deal had to be completed by Opening Day or close to it. Vaguely recall reading that...
#36 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
Not that this validates my point of view at all, but, coincidentally, the Tigers just recalled Rapada from AAA.
#24 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
So, it's just me.
#28 Re: Deeds - PTBN from Twins
When you trade away crap, you're going to get crap back.
Barrett was damaged goods, and Bowen was a short term band-aid. Kendall at least was a plausable starting catcher, and if he played in Chicago last year like he is playing in Milwaukee so far this year this would be a very different conversation.
And don't forget, the Cubs also got a First Round draft pick out of that deal.
Monroe was a gamble to have a little extra pop off the bench during a playoff chase and have a righty who could play CF - much like the role that Reed Johnson is playing. The cost was a marginal pitching prospect. Getting anyone back in a second trade was just an extra.
The Trachsel move was just kind of stupid, but more because it moved Marshall out of the rotation than because a couple of very marginal players were lost.
__________________________Not affiliated with some guy named Al or any website with a similar name
#4 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
They're going to be making 10, 11 more starts minimum - more if we get to the playoffs - than they've ever thrown
er, Dusty,
Cueto made 28 starts last year, Volquez made 29
Their arms are gonna fall off!!
#11 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
Dusty doesn't believe in looking at numbers, especially not before speaking to the press. I'm not sure if that's not old-school enough for him or if it is too small ball...
#29 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
Did Dusty have Darren sitting in his lap for protection, as he did for press conferences after particularly ugly Cubs games?
#14 Yanks/BoSox rivalry
Doesn't particularly affect us, but this story is funny...
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=334165...
__________________________Losing sucks
#19 Re: Yanks/BoSox rivalry
I'm not particularly versed in voodoo ritualism, but wouldn't it be more effective to enshrine the shirt in the foundation of the Yankee's clubhouse?
#17 Ominous forecast
#21 Re: Ominous forecast
Dude,
with all the innings our pen has had to put in due to the extra innings games, a double header is exactly what the Cubs DON'T need.
__________________________"I will ruin this house with my anger!" - Master Shake
#26 Re: Ominous forecast
#22 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
I would love to contribute to the web site, but I'm old school and do not put my credit card on the internet. Is there any other way to make a donation.
__________________________TJ
#25 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
I would love to contribute to the web site, but I'm old school and do
not put my credit card on the internet. Is there any other way to make
a donation.
Drop me an email and we can figure out something.
http://www.thecubreporter.com/user/2/contact
#23 Gotta love Fire Joe Morgan
http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/04/heady-days.ht...
#27 Re: Gotta love Fire Joe Morgan
Brilliant.
__________________________† The Joe - 2007 TCR Keeper Champion; 2008 Runner-Up
#30 Re: Gotta love Fire Joe Morgan
Funny!!
Oops, gotta go my mom is calling me upstairs.
__________________________I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst
#31 Re: Gotta love Fire Joe Morgan
Shoot, me too. Johann's mom is calling me upstairs.
__________________________† The Joe - 2007 TCR Keeper Champion; 2008 Runner-Up
#32 Re: Gotta love Fire Joe Morgan
That's one of the funniest things I've ever read. Thanks for posting the link!
#33 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
Those guys are in actuality writers for TV shows out in LA - wonder which ones, since they put out some funny stuff.
#34 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
#35 Re: Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
That makes sense - same sensibility. I was wondering about "30 Rock" as well - maybe "Family Guy?"
#37 Marquis
So when are we planning on realizing that Marquis stinks and Leiber is a far better option as a starter...I know we have won so far this year...but our starting pitching looks like its going to be our weak link.