The Cubs offseason mentality is coming together with rumors like this: According to The Denver Post, it appears the front office is in talks with the Rockies to trade for third baseman Ian Stewart, and the proposed package would be quite a steal.What exactly is this "package" that Colorado is asking for to acquire the 26-year-old infielder? It starts and ends with Blake DeWitt, someone Cubs fans wouldn't bat an eye at releasing outright.If the Rockies only ask for DeWitt in a trade that would send Stewart to Chicago, Theo Epstein has made another savvy, buy-low move in acquiring him.To make a ...
With the signing of David DeJesus, the Cubs are making a clear showing of their upcoming mentality. They've already spelled it out verbally, now they have begun putting the money where their mouth is.They want to upgrade defense.They want to upgrade on-base skills.They want to add consistent left-handed hitters.They want guys who can hit when it matters.For DeJesus, you can check every single thing off of that list. Sure, he'll be 32 this upcoming season, but his 2-year contract is a beautiful buy-low move with nearly no risk involved. He's exactly the type of player who handles himself in a ...
In a move that is sure to inspire some (ever-so-slight) interest in Wrigleyville, the Chicago Cubs have locked 32-year-old David DeJesus into a two-year deal.DeJesus has been an above-average fielder his entire career, adding legitimate value to a position where the Cubs could sorely use it. Coming off a dreadful 2011 season, where he couldn't produce or stay healthy, DeJesus is looking to rebound to the nicer seasons of 2008-2010. Over those three years, he hit .300 with a .365 on-base percentage and averaged an OPS above .800. If he simply stays healthy and produces like he did those three seasons, he'll ...
Believe me Cubs fans, we all know this list could go on for miles. I won't be putting Mike Quade on the list, though his detriments to the team are clearly visible.Yet the rest of this list just makes you a little uneasy about the direction of this team, especially if it isn't handled by a newly-installed General Manager with a barrel of wisdom to spare.These positions are all things that championship-caliber teams usually excel in, but this franchise needs to fix them all. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the near-future, but handled correctly it could be fixed on a ...
The Cubs are arguably the worst team in baseball as it stands, with the injuries included. The Cubbie faithful (with this season, their faith must run pretty damn deep) have been clamoring for a "youth movement." Believe me, I'm all for it. The team is a mess not seen since the putrid 2006 season, and the soon-to-be-coming overhaul will be much-needed.Thing is, there are some young players on-roster that should have nothing to do with this team's future, if they want it to include winning.Consistently called a fourth-outfielder talent throughout his minor league career, Tyler Colvin was a first-round reach ...
After he struggled to produce at the plate all spring, while unable to play acceptable defense at second base, Blake DeWitt has officially lost his role as the starter.He was never starting full-time to begin with, as Jeff Baker was the plan when lefties were on the mound. Now though, DeWitt has played at such a lackluster level that it forced manager Quade's hand in the removal process.The 25-year-old wound up hitting .186 in 48 at-bats. Paired with his lackluster Major League career thus far, an he has found himself relegated to the bench role of backing up third and ...
Hype is a dangerous thing.Nothing good comes from it. Few players in modern sports ever live up to the hype that the media circus can create. Out of these unjust expectations, disappointment looms large.Cubs fans know a lot about the hype process. All of the "This is the Year!" signs cast aside on the streets of Wrigleyville will vouch for this.I'm writing this article to simply clear up the most prevalent myths pertaining to this upcoming Cubs season. These are things that have spread across the Internet or reside with the comic stylings of what they "report" on Comcast Sportsnet. ...
Carlos Pena, 32, and the Chicago Cubs have finally consummated the rumors and worked out a one year deal worth $10 million.
It's a little more than Pena was projected to get and a little more than the Cubs were expected to have, so the deal is a little confusing on both counts.
With the deal finalized, the Cubs fill a large void at first base.
Though some fans will look quickly to Pena's admittedly very frightening .196 batting average in 2010, either way, Pena was a quite productive offensive guy as recently as 2008 and 2009. He was also a legitimate MVP-candidate in ...
It makes me a little uneasy to not be penciling in Derrek Lee at first base for the Cubs next season.Since I was 14 years old, I've only known him manning first. Lee was ever the defensive specialist, and I grew jaded in simply expecting him to make every play, every single difficult pick.Lee got it all done with ease, and I would mention his Gold Gloves if I felt the award had any merit (which it doesn't). Yet his defensive prowess is actually very deserved. That's not all with the big man. To top things off, he had two ...
I can safely say that I am a gigantic fan of Adam Dunn. Consistency is one of the main benchmarks for picking my favorite players, and he very simply gets the job done. He is a freak of patience and power, but the consistent production is what draws me to him.
For instance, his production from 2007 to 2009 looks a little something like this:
2007 .264 AVG/.386 OBP (101 walks)/40 home runs
2008 .236 AVG/.386 OBP (122 walks)/40 home runs
2009 .267 AVG/.398 OBP (116 walks)/38 home runs
The common thought is imagining what those numbers would look like if ...
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