Miami North

Some think I am on Jed's case for poor roster management just because I like to Rip....LOL!

Let me prove it that Jed is asleep at the wheel...the Jim Qlueless clone left Koyie Hill on the roster during the Rule V draft, didn't he? 

YUP! He protected Koyie Hill, and left Flaherty and Gonzalez exposed. GO FIGURE.

Rip - They had open spots on the 40 man roster at the time of the Rule V draft.  Koyie Hill being left on the 40 man, did not keep them from keeping Flaherty and Gonzalez.  They didn't want to protect them or they would have.

True. They had open spots. 

But to protect K.Hill, who is not a ML caliber player and has proved it for several years now, and leave unprotected some possible ML players, was unwise.

We may get them back, and who knows if they would still be on the 40 man today, if they did protect them, it is full.  Now I know we had both of these names as future Cub greats, but I really doubt it.  They were inventory depth, that we may even get back (Flaherty very likely, Gonzalez, not so much)

And yes we both could come with names to cut, remember I had them only keeping 16 or 17 of the guys on the 40 man roster.

Wasting a 40 man spot for Corpas and Sonnanstine is clueless!

Agreed.

Wasting a 40-man spot for Corpas and Sonnanstine was indeed RIDICULOUS....but it's even more ridiculous to have BOTH DeWitt and Baker on the 40-man. They're essentially the same player. Both play 2B, 3B, and corner OF. One is righty, one is lefty...both have limited power, and work best in a platoon situation, as they simply cannot hit pitchers from the same side. Both have low OBP's, are hackers, and average defensively.

Not only was it a HORRIBLE idea not to protect at least one of Flaherty or Gonzalez, but it led them to sign Bianchi (only to lose him once they needed a roster spot), and then they were forced to sign Amezega and Edgar Gonzalez to minor league deals to make up for it.

My suggestion is to immediately cut either Baker or DeWitt, or work a trade involving Barney, and sign this guy who was just released:

http://www.baseball-reference.... 

*former 1st round pick; good avg, good OBP, versatility playing middle IF, 3B, and OF

If you look at their avg/OBP in the minors, you can see he's the far superior player to DeWitt. DeWitt had slightly better power in the minors .277/.337/.443 slash line to Cardenas' .303/.368/.413 slash line

I would hope Theo is smart enough to recognize they need good young, inexpensive depth, and sign this kid before the A's can retain him. DeWitt is NOT a good player. At least Baker has very good numbers against lefties. DeWitt isn't near as good against righties.

Aaron,
I want to agree that Baker and DeWitt are essentially the same players.

But I also want to take these exceptions to your post:

Baker and DeWitt cannot play OF. Sure, QQuade put them out there, but several balls sailed over their heads during their limited time in the OF and cost us runs because they cannot field the position. It goes for a hit, and the pitcher is charged for an earned run, but they really made an error. And I am sure you agree with this assessment.

Release them? No way. They are not ML starters because they cannot hit enough to carry their weak gloves (especially DeWitt's weak glove). But they have some value as reserves. And when you do not have a ML starter at 2B, 3B, 1B, you have need for more INF depth than a better caliber ML team would. 

Look at their stats:
DeWitt: 243PA..230 AB..(okay, so he cannot take a walk--12 BB, 1 being intentional)...slugged .413....305 OBP....

Now note this: 2011 BA vs. LHP=.406...472 OBP....625 slugging in 36 PA. What's wrong with that?

Career BA vs LHP: .290! .373 OBP! .440 slugging. in 228 PA.

This weirdo ought to be our "Right handed Pinch Hitter!" Like Henry Cotto, he's an inside out hitter. He's backwards!

He's okay for a sub...even though he cannot catch a cold.

Now Jeffrey Eugenia Marie Baker's stats:
vs.2011 RHP=.200 BA....229 OBP...263 slugging. Yes, if he only faced RHP, release him.

Vs. 2011 LHP" .314 BA....349 OBP....463 slugging.

You can see he can't take a walk, either. Can only hit LHP.

2010 Baker hit .106 vs RHP....
2009 Baker hit .291 vs. RHP in 183 PA.
Career Baker hit .239...he's getting much worse in his old age....

None of the players in your post (Flaherty, DeWitt, Gonzalez, Baker, Bianchi or Cardenas) will ever be starters on a playoff caliber team.  Don't you think it's a bit drastic to use the terms "RIDICULOUS" and "HORRIBLE" when referring to Epstein's preference of one career utility guy or another?  If you substitute any two of the guys you mentioned for DeWitt and Baker on the Cubs roster, it won't make any difference in the Cubs record.

I've been hearing that Roy Oswalt might be headed to Texas, and if he was, the Rangers might be interested in trading Matt Harrison for a center fielder.  Would Marlon Byrd for Matt Harrison be a possibility?  Would we have to give up more than just Byrd?  That deal seems almost too good to be true to me.

We'd have to give up a lot more ... more than the Cubs would be willing to offer.

Byrd is a pure salary dump who won't bring back anyone of value.

No chance!!! Have to give up more.

Before anyone starts drooling over Concepcion, remember he is a soft-tossing LHP pitching in Cuba against OK ballplayers, and given the fact he was a success, should tell you how mediocre the rest of the pitching is there, as well as potential inflated offensive numbers for certain hitters.

If you look at the Centipede at bats against the Cubans on the video that was posted, lots of arc, lack of velo, and straight.

No real loss here. He would have been a corpse anyway. Wait a corpse would pitch better.

Was he available to be claimed?

Corpas cleared waivers.

Why didn't they do this initially when Maholm was signed. As rosters filled up, they may have been able to hang onto Bianchi?

Jed was flat-lining....still is.

He is now.