When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
The Cubs countered the Cardinals acquisition of Mark DeRosa with one of their own, acquiring 2B/3B Jeff Baker from the Colorado Rockies. It's like countering a handgun with a slingshot. Seemingly running out of players to put on the disabled list, Baker is already on it with a left hand sprain suffered back in April, so he should fit right in with the Cubs. He did start a rehab assignment in mid-June, so I presume he's ready to play again and the Rockies were just out of roster space.
The player the Cubs are sending back is unknown at the moment, most likely a player to be named later.
UPDATE: The Cubs send Hi-A Daytona pitcher, Alberto Albequerque to the Rockies. I can't tell you anything about him other than he was having a nice season for the Cubs and he had shoulder surgery back in April of 2008.
UPDATE #2: The Cubs will DFA Ryan Freel to make room on the roster. They have 10 days to try and trade him for a spare minor league part, but chances are he'll just get released.
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#1 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
Cubs give up Lord Voldemort, OF, as the Player Who Must Not Be Named Later.
#2 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
So he's like a Mark DeRosa that isn't any good. Wonderful. Wouldn't it had just been better if they traded for DeRosa? Or better yet, not get rid of DeRosa?
What does Hendry have against good players this year?
#3 I Have No Idea
where Baker fits in...
He doesn't take Miles or Blanco's spot since he can't backup shortstop. That means taking Ryan Freel or Jake Fox's spot, which doesn't seem like someone we needed to replace.
Unless he has options left, but then I would presume the Rockies wouldn't have traded him.
#5 Re: I Have No Idea
Well he plays the exact same positions as DeRosa and bats right handed, so all the people clamoring for DeRosa's return should be able to explain where he fits. Sam Fuld is also on the roster. Fuld and Baker would seem to make Freel redundant, or maybe the Cubs have another trade in mind with Fox being the centerpiece.
Maybe they want to make him a straight platoon partner with the Fontenaught. BP has him as an average 3B a hair below average at 2B and a pretty poor outfielder.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/bakerje03.php
#12 Re: I Have No Idea
I should add that it wouldn't surprise me to see Fonte-not get optioned at some point here....
I assume Fuld is just holding Reed's spot and either Fox or Freel gets sent away with Aramis coming back Monday. I guess the other one gets sent awy with Baker.
~shrug~
#4 It's not just the Cubs...
Jimmy Rollins, guy who challenged for the longest hitting streak record a few years ago is 0-for in his last 27! at bats. That's 0-27, folks. No hits in his last 7 games, also sat for four games. Hasn't had a big league HIT for nearly half a month.
He dropped his OPS down to .569. It's puzzling because he's such a good contact hitter; He destroyed the WBC (24 AB, 417/500/750).
FYI... Aaron Miles: .500 OPS, 123 AB
#6 Re: It's not just the Cubs...
We talked about him a bit a few days ago. Though I didn't examine that 0-27 streak, it doesn't seem like he's striking out a lot. According to fangraphs he's traded about 5% of his hit balls from line drives to fly balls, and his fly balls aren't leaving the park. Bad luck and not squaring up on the ball quite as well as he did in his 'MVP' season. He's a great buy low candidate for the Cubs, though the Phillies fans would probably burn the town down.
#7 Re: It's not just the Cubs...
I'm not saying the Cubs should or should not go after him, I'm just saying other guys around baseball are also struggling. Unfortunately for the Cubs we have 4 or 5 of these guys.
#9 Re: It's not just the Cubs...
I'd love to get him. It would improve us defensively at short and give us a 'reason' to get Soriano the hell out of the leadoff spot. We would need to give up a starter and Theriot, and I just don't see our starters being a good fit, unless they really like Zambrano. For Zambrano and Theriot I guess they'd have to add someone. Lilly would be the best fit for us to trade, but I doubt they would want to bring his flyballs into that ballpark.
*edit: BP indicates that Rollins is losing it as a shortstop. I didn't notice last year, and don't know if I've even watched a Phillies game this year.
#21 Re: It's not just the Cubs...
That would be great. He's having a rough year, but he's NOT a 200 hitter. We all know that. The only problem I'd have with it is in the short term, this year, we already have so many guys under-performing, do you risk adding another under-performer? Plus the Cubs have relatively few trading chips (as in guys who are a good value for the money on their contract).
#8 Re: t's puzzling because he's such a good contact hitter;
It's a post-roids post-greenies world out there.
#10 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
It's sign the 16 year olds away from the family and friends day in Latin America.
BP Blogging on the deals- nothing for the Cubs yet.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1327
#19 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
Wagner Mateo, an outfielder the Cubs were supposedly in on went to the Cards for $3.1 million. $3.1 for a high school sophomore hitter? They can have him. There's just too much projection required for that kind of investment to me.
Info from rotoworld
#22 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
Kind of off-topic, but I wonder if any big name US high school/college kids have ever thought about taking up residence in a Latin American country for a year so they can just be FAs instead of going in the draft.
What would Strasburg have gone for this year if he were available on the open market?
#24 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
It would probably involve you renouncing your US or Canadian citizenship.
#30 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
If that's the case, I'm shocked there hasn't been a class action lawsuit over this issue. It has to be some sort of right to work type thing since anyone in the US has to go play where they're assigned, whereas the rest of the world can just play for the highest bidder/the team they like the best. Bullshit if you ask me.
#33 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
I think the Anti-Trust exemption MLB has plays a part in it. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can fill us in.
#67 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
... and I don't buy, for even a minute, that he is the age he says he is... I bet he's closer to 20....
#25 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
Aroldis Chapman has escaped the Cubans and is expected to get an MLB deal worth $30 to $60 million. 21 year old left hander who supposedly throws 100 MPH but needs work.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4302422
Another pass from me.
#99 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
A couple Cubs things from the author if you go down to the comments.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1327
#11 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
The Cubs needed a guy who could play second and third and hit for a little pop?
What, Casey McGehee wasn't available?
#39 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
I think Baker has more pop than McGehee and is also more versatile, having played every position but P, C and CF. I've always liked Baker and getting him for just an A ball pitcher is not bad at all. My only concern is that he's probably taking Jake Fox's roster spot, and I love Foxxy.
Looking at his career splits, one thing that pops out though is he's a .295 career hitter in Colorado and a .205 career hitter everywhere else.
#13 Re: I presume he's ready to play again
He played last night! 0/3
FWIW, I like Jeff Baker...except for the "but he's injured" part. He hits the ball hard when he hits it.
#14 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
i kind of remember Baker was a decent pinch hitter but couldn't find his split stats as a PH on the baseball reference site.
one thing I did notice though was his stats for Wrigley Field:
.500 .556 1.000 1.556
(9 at bats, hohoho...)
I do agree that Fontenot's roster spot is the most likely he will replace as Hendry addresses the importance of getting more right handed.
and I wonder what it will take to take have one of the disabled folks push Andy Blanco off the roster...since he's the only true SS on the team.
#15 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
I think the Fontenaught by virtue of having to switch positions to cover for Miles and Ramirez's injuries is now a 'major leaguer' and won't get sent down. 2 weeks in Iowa to get his stroke back would seem like a good idea, but now that Joshua is here hopefully he can get straightened out in the bigs.
#20 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
After reading MW's last post, I don't think I want Fontenot anywhere near whoever the new AAA hitting coach is.
#16 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
Bakers career numbers as a pinch hitter: .173/.261/.247 OPS: .508
#17 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
Welcome aboard!
#23 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
I <3 this post. "Importance of getting more right-handed..." lolz
And as for Andy White... I love him. He's like what Cesar Izturis was SUPPOSED to be... a light-hitting infielder who could flash the glove. Problem was it seemed like Izturis only brought a C+ or B- glove. Andy White's brought a A+ glove so far.
And enough about Fontenot's bat suffering because of the move to 3B... that's excuse making. Truth is Fontenot isn't a good as many people think he is or want him to be.
#28 Re: When They Pull Out a Knife, The Cubs Pull Out Jeff Baker
He must be a special player, or at least mathematically gifted, if he can hit .500 with 9 AB.
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