User login
Archives
Cubs Blogosphere
Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue Abusing Cubs
Despite a past association with current Cubs manager Lou Piniella and rumors that the Cubs had him in their sights, Walnut Creek, California native Randy Johnson has signed a one-year deal with the Giants for a reported $8 million plus bonuses,.
Particularly before Ryan Dempster was re-signed and then when the Jake Peavy deal fell through, Johnson was identified by fans and press alike as an affordable free agent option to bolster the Cubs staff.
Once Dempster was back in the fold, it was easy to get excited about the thought of Johnson replacing Jason Marquis as the Cubs' fifth starter. Also attractive was the thought that if Johnson came to the North Side, the Cubs would never have to face him: Johnson's career mark against the Cubs, spanning 14 starts, is 13-0, 1.84, with 142 K's in just 102 2/3 IP.
Comments
Subject cannot be longer than 64 characters but is currently 69
SF's just pissed they missed out on jamie moyer so they decided to go young.
Re: Subject cannot be longer than 64 characters but is curren
Ha. I was fresh out of old jokes. Glad you had one at the ready.
I was too focused on not making a 'randy' joke. I succeeded there, at least.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants...
Darn. I was kind of liking the idea of Randy...at least as a fallback option. SF has got a pretty good rotation. Too bad their offense sucks.
A Giant Mullet
Don't look now, but the Giants are a Dunn or Burrell away from being the class of a soft division. Right now they're at least in the same conversation as LA and Arizona.
Re: A Giant Mullet
I was thinking the same thing JB
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue Abusing
Ya gotta give it to those Geriatric Giants
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue Abusing
Big Unit + Giants = Ginourmous Unit
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
Any of our TCR Japanese scouts know anything about these pitchers the Cubs are supposably interested in? Kadokura, Noguchi.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs...
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
Looks like a pair of guys on the scrap heap:
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp...
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp...
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
if Hendry is so worried about finding a playfriend for Fukudome why not take a look at Akinori Otsuka?
Re:these pitchers the Cubs are supposably interested in
Hendry loves to pretend he's a general manager.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
Thanks to all the 'scouts' who have offered their knowledge of these players.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
Sorry I looked that up for you, I'll make sure not to do it in the future.
You realize the Chicago Cubs have about 1/2 of a scout watching the Japanese leagues, right? There's not going to be a lot of people at TCR watching injured relievers in the NL.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
Actually, yours was mildly appreciated. Those links were just stat-lines. I was more interested in 'scouting' information. I had read some other articles and had heard some positive and some negative comments.
I was curious, though, if the TCR reader in Japan who watches the games there had any opinions.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants,
they got multiple scouts on the J-league (not counting the pacific rim coordination). it could get more interesting/intense if they start "stealing" younger players like theo in boston is trying to blaze a trail to do.
that aside, the 2 guys theyre looking at would be lucky to get a guaranteed contract from any MLB team, much less the cubs. minor league/ST-invite or low-cost MLB contract (if it gets to that point) are the most likely options.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue Abusing
they look like cartoon characters to me.
http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/photos/yom...
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue
Question of the day: With the way the market has changed, if Dempster was still a free agent, could be still get 4/52?
We'll probably know after Perez and Lowe signed, but I bet the Cubs might've gotten the fourth year on an option.
Yay hindsight.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue
Not entirely hindsight. I described at the time how I thought it had unfolded: Hendry made the offer before Dempster became a free agent. Dempster said no, I think I'll take my chances on free agency. When the phone didn't ring after about two days, Dempster or his agent asked Hendry whether the offer was still good.
Hendry, being Hendry--world-class nice guy, especially with other people's money--said sure.
Re: Big Unit Signs With Giants, Remains Free to Continue
A.J. Burnett is wondering what you two are talking about.
Good July player
Dustyball signs Taveras:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081227&c...
Re: Good July player
From that story:
"Since his rookie season in 2005, Taveras leads the Majors with 207 infield hits, accounting for 37 percent of his 558 career hits.
A full third of his career hits never made it to the outfield grass. Is being the real life Willie Mays Hayes something to be proud of? I guess it has to be, because he sure can't be proud of that .308 OBP last year.
Re: Good July player
fwiw, I would have taken Taveras over Gathright in a heartbeat
Re: Good July player
Dusty would have gladly given either guy 400 at bats in the 1 or 2 hole next year.
Re: Good July player
As would I, but I bet Jocketty is paying Taveras more than $800,000.
Re: Good July player
and to be a starter, too.
Re: Good July player
yeah, I know, sounds like he's first in line for a starter's job and got 2 years on top of it.
Just needed to pile on Hendry....things are slow.
Re: Good July player
Taveras in CF and Jerry Hairston Jr. in LF (maybe). I love it. Maybe Norris Hopper can start in RF, too, after Dusty gets sick of Jay Bruce.
Re: Good July player
Actually, I was thinking the opposite. If everything goes right, a roster of:
Taveras
Dickerson
Phillips
Votto
Bruce
Encarnacion
Hernandez
Gonzalez/Keppinger
Harang/Volquez/Arroyo/Cueto/Bailey/Owings
Cordero/Bray/Weathers/Burton/Rhodes
... could actually be a threat at least in the Wild Card race if not better. There's enough talent and experience there that I wouldn't dismiss this team by any means.
Re: Good July player
Looks like some Red fans do not share your enthusiasm.
http://redsminorleagues.com/2008/12/27/why-reds-si...
Best comment-
"hopefully Dusty learned from Patterson"
Somewhere Neifi Perez smiles.
Abreu vs Bradley Games Played
Off-topic and maybe previously mentioned, but Abreu's had eleven straight years of over 150 games played.
Milton's high was 141 in 2004. Last year's 126 was his second highest games total and was obviously helped by DH duty. His third personal best falls all the way to 101.
So unless you're content with your Fuku replacement possibly only replacing him half the time for large coin, I think I'd pass even if we can't get Abreu. He helped a couple of my fantasy teams last year but I don't see any reason the Cubs should be the team to pay him after a timely career year.
Not to say we have an in-house option like them, but does anybody remember or have a record showing if Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith were highly touted prospects prior to the '89 campaign? I seem to recall them coming up from AA but I don't recall much beyond that.
Return to Homepage