Cubs Try Not To Fowl It Up
The Cubs hinted at getting an outfielder that could play CF or LF just over a week ago and today they finalized a deal for about the only player that made sense to fit that role. The Cubs sent Luis Valbuena and P Dan Straily to the Astros for OF Dexter Fowler. Hard to find a way to not like this deal, but I'm sure some will.
In Fowler, the Cubs get a switch-hitting center fielder with a career .366 OBP and a 12.5% BB rate. Yeah, some of that is BABIP and Coors Field driven and his projections have him more in the .345 OBP range which is still plenty good out of the lead off spot. On the upside, he'll be playing his age 29 season this year and headed to free agency so I like his chances to beat that projection.
To get Fowler, the Cubs gave up some decent parts, but positions of depth. Straily was around #9 on the depth chart and certainly would have started in Iowa. Valbuena was better than most give credit for around here, but with Baez, Bryant and Alcantara around, his time was limited on the Cubs roster. Trying to predict Maddon's lineups will send you to the asylum, but fair guess Fowler will be CF most days with Coghlan/Denorfia in LF. Third and second seem to be open right now with LaStella, Baez, Olt, Alcantara likely to start the season and Bryant ready to throw a monkey wrench in there.
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