Scales Sent Outright to AAA

The Cubs opened up a second slot on their 40-man roster today, as they sent IF-OF Bobby Scales outright to AAA Iowa.

The 32-year old switch-hitter made his big league debut in 2009, hitting 242/312/411 in 51 games (138 PA) for the Cubs, while playing 2B, 3B, LF, and RF. Scales was acquired by the Cubs from Iowa on May 4th, after spending ten-plus seasons and playing 1,000+ games in the minor leagues with San Diego, Philadelphia, Boston, and the Cubs.

Scales did his best work for the Cubs coming off the bench, leading all MLB pinch-hitters (minimum 15 PA) in BA, SLG, and OPS in 2009, hitting 500/533/1.204 with 2 HR & 5 RBI, two doubles, and a triple, as a PH.

The University of Michigan alum is eligible to be a Rule 55 Minor League FA, which means he will be free to sign with another organization when the MLB Free-Agent Filing Period ends 15 days after the conclusion of the World Series, unless he opts to sign a 2010 minor league contract with the Cubs.

Tags: 
Cubs Roster Moves
Bobby Scales
Submitted by Arizona Phil on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 9:06pm
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Comments

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 9:29pm

scales to AAA? bye bye 2010. i hate this f'n team.

how in the hell can you let a talent like that just waltz off the roster?

fire hendry and screw you lou.

Submitted by Charlie
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 9:46pm

Whose balls do you have to cup to stay on the roster? Apparently only Aaron Miles knows.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 10:05pm

The mere thought of Aaron Miles pisses me straight the fuck off. The guy can't even hit in the PCL. The fucker is either still working for STL or needs to be taken back behind the barn and shot. Fuck Aaron Miles and his C- defense and F bat.

The Cubs better not open the 2010 season with Aaron Miles on the roster.

Submitted by Jim Hickmans Bat
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 10:22pm

LOL.....and I totally concur. I really didn't think I could hate a 25th man more than Neifi or Jose Macias, but I was wrong. Miles needs to be dowsed with gasoline and set on fire.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 10:03pm

How can you not like Bobby? He's a good character and contributes here and there as evidenced by his PH numbers cited by AZ Phil.

That said, under ideal conditions, he's not playing for your big league team.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 11:06pm

How can you not like Bobby?

he's not good at playing baseball?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 1:21am

That's a little bit rough.

"He's not good enough at playing baseball", is probably more fair. After watching Alfonso Soriano and Jake Fox play left field for the majority of 2009, I never thought I would see the position played more incompetently. It took Mr. Scales two games to disabuse me of that notion.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 2:03am

he's not good at playing baseball at the major league level.. is of course the intended meaning...

Submitted by Ryno
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 5:53pm

Why doesn't Aaron "I'm Not Even as Good As Neifi" Miles receive equal scourge one might wonder.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 5:54pm

miles can at least field...he's got that going for him if nothing else.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 6:16pm

after a little more thought, and to add...

even with the fielding deficiency scales isn't a bad option off the bench or as an occasional starter. he's not trash at the bat even if it's not slick. he's got a touch of pop in his bat, too.

a lot of people's issue with scales wasn't him failing (except his horribly stiff play at 2nd base or his no-strength arm) as much as it was him playing over jake fox, sam fuld, and/or hoffpower so much.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 10:21pm

oh I hate Miles more, don't worry

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 11:44pm

I saw Bobby Scales play in spring training. He looked damn good, assholes.

Submitted by Ryno
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 5:56pm

Apparently TCR has ruled and Bobby Scales sucks ass.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 11:10am

Morbid stuff on Geremi Gonzalez. Rest in Peace GG...

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5750/;_ylt=Anb...

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 11:51am

(from the Hardball Times)

1. Franklin Gutierrez, CF, +28
2. Nelson Cruz, RF, +23
3. Chone Figgins, 3B, +20
4. Evan Longoria, 3B, +18
5. Yunel Escobar, SS, +18
6. Casey Blake, 3B +17
7. Ichiro Suzuki, RF, +17
8. Brendan Ryan, SS, +17
9. Pedro Feliz, 3B, +16
10. Carlos Beltran, CF, +15
11. Willy Tavares, CF, +14
12. Carl Crawford, LF, +13
13. Brett Carroll, RF, +13
14. Colby Rasmus, CF, +13
15. Torii Hunter, CF, +13

Comment: TotalZone seems to have a tilt to the left.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 1:55pm

I'm very surprised by about half of that list.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 3:10pm

don't be..it's a bullshit stat.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 4:07pm

here's a rundown of it if anyone wants to learn about it

http://www.baseball-reference.com/about/total_zone...

I hadn't even heard about it until today...

I'll say besides Cruz, Ryan and Carroll I would have expected most of those guys to be considered very good defenders. Does have some odd love of 3bmen, yet not one 2b and only 2 SS?

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 4:23pm

it really seems to gives a lot of credit to IF'rs who play deep (chone/longoria/b.ryan).

dunno what's up with some of those OF ranks...nelson cruz #2 what? colby ramsus, really?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:32am

The problem with ZR and Total ZR and one of the problems with UZR is that they don't take into account fielder preference. If a ball is hit between third and short (or left and center) that both players can make an out on, the third basemen gets there first and gets credit for it. Each of those systems gives too much credit to the third basemen and center fielders because of this. According to Total ZR all pretty much all center fielders are good and all corner outfielders are crap, though there are one or two exceptions.

UZR incorrectly breaks down the balls that go through as hits when assigning 'blame' to third base and short. ZR and Total ZR are 'blameless systems'.

Submitted by rokfish
on Sat, 10/24/2009 - 10:46pm

If Miles is not on team who will Lou have pinch
hit in the fifth inning?

I am with every one else screw Miles trade him for
a Harry Caray beer stein.

Submitted by navigator
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:43am

This pundit in Naples, Florida thinks the Cubs want to move there...

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/oct/25/david-m...

Submitted by Ryno
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 11:36am

Cubs execs visit Collier to scout spring training sites

NAPLES: A group was formed four months ago with the purpose of making Collier County the spring training home for the Chicago Cubs, the Naples Daily News has learned.

And that group already has met with the Cubs - both at their headquarters in Wrigley Field, and earlier this month in Naples for a two-day visit by new owner Tom Ricketts and CEO Crane Kenney.

Submitted by Sweet Lou
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 1:38pm

AZ Phil -- A while back you posted your thoughts on the possibility that the Cubs may leave their Spring Training home in Mesa. I believe you thought there is a good chance the Cubs will leave Mesa, but will likely stay in Arizona. With the push from Naples, has your thinking changed? What are you hearing from the press (and your many contacts) in Arizona?

Thanks!

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:26pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4593412

LaRussa back as well on a multi-year deal.

Submitted by Sweet Lou
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:18pm

I thought you were kidding about Mark McGwire, but Carrie Muskat (quoting ESPN's Buster Olney) says it could happen. And if Carrie says it, it must be true.

I wonder why the Cardinals fired Hal McRae. Didn't the St. Louis offense overachieve this year?

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091025&c...

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:21pm

put that in your fucking pipe and smoke it.

Submitted by Ryno
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 5:36pm

Hal McRae didn't tell Albert Pujols, Mark Derosa, and Matt Holiday how to hit. And in case you are wondering, Jaramillo isn't going to teach Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Fukudome, Bradley, or anyone else whose been in the big leagues more than 2 years how to hit.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:51pm

The job of major league hitting coaches is not to teach hitters how to hit, it's to keep them going consistently, help them with their strategy and to keep them from getting into bad habits. Players learn to hit when they're kids.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:40pm

And McGwire is going to teach them how to hit? I think the biggest thing McGwire offers the Cardinals is his drug dealer's phone number.

If I'm Bud Selig I grow some balls and block that hire.

Submitted by MikeC
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 11:31am

Do we really have to go over Mark McGwire's whole life again? The guy was hitting bombs in little league and still holds California state records for it. So he must of been juicing in little league right?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 11:51am

so you don't think McGwire was taking anything?

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 12:33pm

'The bottle was there for everybody to see, but Wilstein was the only one who dared to look. He wrote down the name of the substance_"a-n-d-r-o-s-t-e-n-e-d-i-o-n-e"_in his notebook, did a little research and discovered andro was a form of testosterone-producing steroid banned by virtually every other sport except Major League Baseball.

Wilstein asked the hulked-up, bulked-up McGwire about the substance, and McGwire not only admitted to taking it, he stated unabashedly, "Everybody I know in the game of baseball uses the same stuff I use."'

http://www.ergogenics.org/wilstein.html

http://deadspin.com/5295249/journalist-who-bravely...

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 8:34am

LaRussa got pissed that McRae wouldn't give his hitters PEDs, so he fired him and hired McGwire.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 3:27pm

Manny Acta set to get the gig...

Submitted by Cubster
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 4:27pm

Pujols gets a new source for hgh rumors...

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/mark-mcgwire-ca...

mm confirmed, not the current cubs vp either

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:50pm

That announcement, you would think, would border on the type that's generally off-limits during the playoffs.

Submitted by Sweet Lou
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:53pm

That's what I was thinking too. I was even surprised about the Manny Acta announcement in Cleveland.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:03pm

Submitted by Sweet Lou on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 12:38pm.
AZ Phil -- A while back you posted your thoughts on the possibility that the Cubs may leave their Spring Training home in Mesa. I believe you thought there is a good chance the Cubs will leave Mesa, but will likely stay in Arizona. With the push from Naples, has your thinking changed? What are you hearing from the press (and your many contacts) in Arizona?

Thanks!

===========================

SWEET LOU: I believe the Cubs are using Naples as leverage to help them get the best possible deal in Arizona, either from the City of Mesa or from the Gila River Indian Reservation. And ultimately, I suspect Gila River will outbid Mesa because of the casino money and the preferred location (which probably would be somewhere on Maricopa Road, just off I-10, less than ten miles south of the Angels complex at the Tempe Buttes).

The movement of MLB clubs has been strictly Florida to Arizona for the past 15 years, and with all 15 MLB Arizona teams soon to be located in the Phoenix metro area (when the D'backs and Rockies move from Tucson to their new combined facility on the Salt River-Pima Reservation in 2011), I can't see any club going from Arizona to Florida. If anything, I would say at least one more team (probably the Houston Astros) will move from Florida to Arizona in the near-future. Florida just cannot compete with the shorter travel distances between Arizona's ST sites/Minor League complexes and Arizona's more-predictable weather.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:08pm

shame what's happened to baseball in tucson...

i think they got some indie league team playing in TEP now and even trying to reach out to asian countries for them to hold their league's spring training exhibition games there.

Submitted by Sweet Lou
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:25pm

One of the things that the Naples News columnist is hanging his hat on to push Naples/Florida is that 15 of the last 18 World Series champions have Spring Training facilities in Florida. Is there a legitimate reason for this? Do teams even think about things like this?

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:19pm

Submitted by crunch on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:08pm.
shame what's happened to baseball in tucson...i think they got some indie league team playing in TEP now and even trying to reach out to asian countries for them to hold their league's spring training exhibition games there.

==================================

CRUNCH: Although Spring Training will be dead in Tucson after next season, I think it's fairly likely that the PCL will eventually move back there, possibly sooner rather than later.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 7:31am

This is probably Bradley didn't hit with RISP news, but some good news on both the Bradley trade front and the restricting of Hendry stupidity front near the bottom of the column.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10254444/La-Rus...

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 8:36am

Another exec says that Jaramillo also relates exceptionally well to Latin players- good news for the Cubs, who need left fielder Alfonso Soriano and catcher Geovany Soto to bounce back

Soriano and Soto are both Latin?

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 8:58am

Last I heard, the country of Puerto Rico is Spanish-speaking, so since Geo was born there - and still calls it home - he could still "qualify" as "Latino".

However, since he speaks English perfectly well, it is an absurd statement if that is what the exec actually said.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 9:10am

Actually... I actually do think that there is something to being able to relate to players from different cultures. It isn't just about language.

I just find it amusing that people call them "Latin" players.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 9:14am

It's probably just a typo.

I find it more amusing that people call Puerto Rico a country.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 9:41am

I find it more amusing that people call Puerto Rico a country.

Heh... I missed that. Nice catch.

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 9:48am

He relates well to Latin players? That's certainly a non sequitur.

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