Jeff Curry - Getty Images
Blake DeWitt of the Chicago Cubs fields a ground ball against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadiu in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images)
I know this news will crush many of you, who were Blake DeWitt fans. (Sarcasm intentional!)
According to MLB Trade Rumors -- the only source of this story, thus far -- the Cubs have designated The Franchise for assignment to make room for Adrian Cardenas, who was claimed on waivers from the Athletics today. Here's a link to the official Cubs news release on these moves.
I admit, I thought DeWitt could become a decent major league player. When the Cubs acquired him from the Dodgers in the Ted Lilly deal, DeWitt was only 24 and had posted decent numbers in the major leagues at age 22. He never progressed beyond that, and though he had occasional success as a bench player, he neither developed power, nor had much speed, nor played good enough defense to be used as a defensive replacement.
Cardenas is a middle infielder who hit .314/.374/.418 in 545 plate appearances for Triple-A Sacramento in 2011, though he did not get called up in September. I presume he'll get a shot at winning a middle infield backup job in spring training.
So long, Franchise. At least we'll never have to see him try to play the outfield for the Cubs again.
2 recs | 258 comments
Waiting for the laughs to start pouring in
chilango2 - February 6, 2012
WHY!!!
Hammer - February 6, 2012
LMAO
chit0wn - February 6, 2012
He can join the yankees!!!
TJ11 - February 6, 2012
I signed in just to rec this.
slcathena - February 7, 2012
Too bad.
That was a good beard folks.
Tat14 - February 6, 2012
That beard creeped me out.
He looked like he belonged out in the woods somewhere.
katie casey - February 6, 2012
Once you go beard,
its no longer weird.
No reason to be scared dear.
Tat14 - February 6, 2012
Dewitt was Todd Walker - extra light Todd Walker
without coming off as a dick
Hammer - February 6, 2012
That's really not fair to Todd Walker
He had a pretty good career, most of it on teams other than the Cubs. I don’t think Blake will be without a job come April, but he’s shown nothing to suggest he’ll be nearly the player Walker was in his prime.
Orval Overall - February 6, 2012
Well, he did say extra light
And Walker did come off that way.
“Waaah! Chip Caray is being mean!” “Waah! The Cardinal announcers are being mean!”
Shanghai Badger - February 7, 2012
yeah that was my point
I know Todd Walker had a decent career
Hammer - February 7, 2012
TheoJed for the win!!!!!!! Cardenas looks like a nice pickup
unretrofied93 - February 6, 2012
SenorGato is litterally shitting bricks right now.
His whole world is ending.
ubercubsfan - February 6, 2012
I tried answering you in the other thread but the site is jumpy.
I formed that opinion looking at his numbers and comments from people who’ve seen him play.
chilango2 - February 6, 2012
Not possible to rec this enough.
fsuapollo - February 6, 2012
Quade's already called Witty to console him.
SackMan - February 6, 2012
You mean Blakey?
Al Yellon - February 6, 2012
Now they can go finish their movie together.
SackMan - February 6, 2012
All these weird images of Quade having a beard fetish popped into my head
Thanks SackMan
When dealing with issues such as this, I always defer to Seinfeld. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that!”
Musicdude10 - February 6, 2012
"I can't quit (playing) you (in left field), Blakey."
daver - February 6, 2012
THERE IS TOO MUCH RED IN THAT PICTURE!!!!!!
AND YES, I THINK THE MATADOR IS RYAN THERIOT!!!!!!
RiskyBusiness - February 6, 2012
MLBTR Claims
That Cardenas is a sub-par defender. I would look up his UZR, or whatever, but it wouldn’t mean anything to me.
Xaqdaddy - February 6, 2012
Nor should it mean anything to anyone
Mulhollandmania - February 6, 2012
link
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/cubs-claim-adrian-cardenas.html
sorry, couldnt get the fancy link button to work.
Xaqdaddy - February 6, 2012
Cardenas was a Top 10 prospect for the Phillies years ago.
Looks like his future though is more as a utility guy.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
If he's lucky
he might have a career like Blake DeWitt.
Josh Timmers - February 6, 2012
I think he has more potential than DeWitt if he can stick at 2B.
He’s got a low K rate and respectable BB rates. He doesn’t have a great ISO, but around .120 for his minor league career. He got a good hit tool and does hit for average, and at least has a little bit of speed.
He’s not great, but he was a top 15 prospect for Oakland this year. He was rated a top 75 prospect as recently as 2009 and was rated as Oakland’s #4 prospect last year, so he flashed some potential.
bdlugz - February 6, 2012
I hear his D is poor though
And without the power to play an OF or CI position, he’s in the same swamp as DeWitt.
Cardenas is younger and a little better hitter than Blake DeWitt. But overall, this move is pretty “meh.” I suppose it saves a bunch of money if someone is foolish enough to claim DeWitt.
Josh Timmers - February 6, 2012
See above though.
I’m surprised teh Cubs aren’t looking for a real middle infield backup.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
I am too...
they do have all that money to toss about and utility infield is the greatest need at the moment. What do YOU wear on that dome of yours, ALCOA or Reynolds?
fsw1972 - February 6, 2012
Sorry, but I don't see why it's such a big need.
Barney is fine as your backup SS, he’s actually pretty good there and I don’t see what the problem is with the 2B being your backup SS. Cardenas can be the emergency SS option, and Castro is the most durable player on the team anyway, he played almost every game last year without wearing down. And it’s not like we’re gonna get someone to replace Starlin or Barney late for defensive purposes.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
You know, I guess I forgot someone else needs to claim Dewitt to save money. That's a good point.
However, I can see the Cubs throwing in 400k to get a meh prospect back on DeWitt.
I’ve heard worse than his D is poor… I’ve heard, “he’s a DH.” Hopefully he can at least hit enough to keep a spot.
bdlugz - February 6, 2012
The one surprise is he can't play SS either.
At least he hasn’t in the minors. With Baker one of the infield backups, I expect the Cubs to try and get a backup that can play SS and not like a Mike Fontenot type backup SS either.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
Barney is the backup SS
And that probably isn’t changing this year. He is still the best option to backup Castro even with the numerous minor league signings.
boubucarow - February 6, 2012
This is true.
But still, I’d expect to see someone on the 25-man who can play SS and isn’t the nominal starter at 2B.
Not that it matters this year.
But ideally, Barney becomes that guy when a more offensive-minded 2B signs on.
D98 - February 6, 2012
What's Augie up to this days??
Hammer - February 6, 2012
Nah, there won't be another SS with Barney around
and DeWitt’s defense at second had really gotten worse last year. Maybe it was back troubles or something, but even if Cardenas is bad at second, he’s probably better than DeWitt.
cubzfan - February 6, 2012
First Koyie Hill, Now Blake DeWitt
I might say that the franchise is finished, but the Cubs have Bobby Scales back. Scales will save the Cubs.
memphiscub - February 6, 2012
SG is crying himself to sleep
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Bad news for DeWitt haters
Odds are no one claims him on waivers and he stays with the Cubs as a NRI with a chance to make to roster or go to Iowa.
Josh Timmers - February 6, 2012
NOOOOOOO
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Are you sure?
I wouldn’t be surprised if someone takes a chance on him. He is still pretty young.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
but there is the million dollar salary.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
Exactly
The only way he goes to another team is if the Cubs agree to chip in some salary. Now that could happen—and the Cubs would probably get a low-level prospect back in return. But barring that, I say he clears waivers.
Josh Timmers - February 6, 2012
Cardinals will now sign Dewitt
and he will win a ring
WindisBlowingOut! - February 6, 2012
Sad as it is to say ...
DeWitt isn’t even as good as Ryan Theriot.
elgato - February 6, 2012
Great...just fuggin great...
Again with telling the truth!? :]
jeffstorm2 - February 6, 2012
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Craig in South Bend - February 7, 2012
Wooooo!!!
Thank you Theo!
Itchy - February 6, 2012
He's a big...
Cardinals fan anyways. Glad he’s gone.
kanderber - February 6, 2012
Why did the Cubs tender him a contract?
We’re still on the hook for that, right?
elgato - February 6, 2012
Evidently the Cubs would owe him nearly $200K.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
Oh, well, no biggie, I guess.
I didn’t know it would only be $200K.
elgato - February 6, 2012
Up to a certain point (prior to ST) the contract is a minimum cost.
bdlugz - February 6, 2012
Theo and Jed are doing a pretty crappy job at making me dislike this team.
shoemile - February 6, 2012
While I'm here I'll ask:
Why did a bunch of you have Marlins profile pics? I want in on the joke.
chilango2 - February 6, 2012
SWL said we had to and called us a mean name.
shoemile - February 6, 2012
The Man keepin' you down again?
Just say no.
ballhawk - February 6, 2012
Then he'll write terrible things about me in the Soup Club Slam Book
shoemile - February 6, 2012
There's no such thing as bad publicity...
ballhawk - February 6, 2012
SWL is a man?!
Arbusto - February 6, 2012
i won't even say the name he called me in polite company
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Don't worry...
…this isn’t polite company.
WGNstatic - February 6, 2012
i'm not saying it
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Ahem.
My idea. MINE.
dtpollitt - February 6, 2012 via mobile
You whiny girl.
santoswoodenlegs - February 7, 2012
Here ya go.
See this Fanshot and then go to the article to which it links.
daver - February 6, 2012
Oh my funk
Thanks Dave.
chilango2 - February 6, 2012
Seriously. The Cubs opening day roster will require a magnifying glass and Ouija Board
to know who’s where… and why…. and HOW!
Zeke - February 6, 2012
Speaking of Chads
Will Chad Tracy be back hanging out with the Cubs? We really need him back.
memphiscub - February 6, 2012
I think we're done with him.
Al Yellon - February 6, 2012
OH, NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell me is that we’re done with Micah Hoffpauir.
memphiscub - February 6, 2012
Yeah.
And Les Walrond, too.
Al Yellon - February 6, 2012
Damnit, Al. I'd JUST forgotten about Walrond.
Way to go.
bdlugz - February 6, 2012
Maybe I dreamed this...
…but I think I saw on Twitter recently that the Texas Rangers actually traded a player for Chad Tracy.
daver - February 6, 2012
different chad tracy
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Ohhhhhhhhhhh, that would explain it.
daver - February 6, 2012
i think that tracy is jim tracy's son
the ginger chad tracy is in the nats organization
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Looks like you're right about the younger Chad Tracy...
….being Jim Tracy’s son: LINKY
If this is the player we’re talking about, he was born in Arlington Heights, IL, the very town in which I reside.
daver - February 6, 2012
Daver-
You too live in good ole Arl Hts???
jeffstorm2 - February 6, 2012
Hey neighbor!
daver - February 7, 2012
I miss
Arlington Heights.
EcoGeek - February 7, 2012
so you're the one
Hammer - February 7, 2012
Hey now.
daver - February 7, 2012
Good move, BTW.
Cardenas is a nice pickup who is a helluva lot better in a utility role.
elgato - February 6, 2012
Why?
I hate to be a DeWitt apologist. I’m fine with him going but saying Cardenas is better is still TBD. Cardenas has no major league AB’s yet. His defense is also questioned.
So as I see it, we are swapping reserve 2B/OF types with questionable defense. One might be able to hit for a higher average but I doubt Cardenas has DeWitt’s power.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
Cardenas also can run a little more and has a little better discipline.
He’ll have to prove it, but he could definitely be an upgrade over DeWitt. If not, oh well, players like Blake are dime a dozen.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
Agreed.
No tears over Blake leaving but it remains to be seen if Cardenas is any better. It is the A’s after all that decided they have no room for him.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
Here is your option...
You can take the item before you, or you can take what’s behind Door #2.
If you don’t want, or value the item before you, take what’s behind Door #2.
timh815 - February 6, 2012
Let's Make A Deal!
DCCubsFan - February 7, 2012
I guess I just don't think he could be worse than DeWitt.
elgato - February 7, 2012
By all accounts...
Cardenas is a fringe defender who doesn’t have the skills for 2B. So that means he is not much different than DeWitt defensively. What he does provide is good on base skills so he is probably a minor upgrade. He apparently did play an acceptable LF last year as well.
boubucarow - February 6, 2012
Who is going to bat 3rd and play LF over several other OF's this season?????????????????
That was one of Quades finest moves!!!!
TJ11 - February 6, 2012
Just wondering......
….. what DeWitt ever did to some people here.
Third base is his natural position, he’s pretty good at it, yet neither team he’s been on played him there much. Managers were always trying to shoe horn him at second base, or, inexplicably, left field, and by doing so he plays himself off the team. Whatever.
BeerCub - February 6, 2012
Honestly, I feel bad for DeWitt.
The flak he gets around here stem from decisions made by Hendry (for the initial trade) and Quade (to play him in left).
DeWitt was pretty mediocre, if not outright bad. But he’s disliked mostly because he’s emblematic of the past regime’s failures.
elgato - February 6, 2012
That's exactly it.
Every time I’d see him on the field, it would remind me of how much Hendry gave up to get him.
And from that point forward, they bent over backwards to retroactively justify that disaster of a trade. The fact that he made the 2011 25-man over Scott Moore was, in large part, due to the fact that he’d been traded for Ted Lilly.
Thank goodness that Quade didn’t hand him the 2B job over Darwin Barney – he simply couldn’t hack it defensively, and he was even below average with the bat for a middle infielder. The attempts to make him into a super-sub, all over the field, were further evidence of the retroactive justification of the original trade.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Hmmm.
I’m not sure you can say this concretely. I think, for some reason, Quade had a soft spot for DeWitt, the way Dusty had a soft spot for Neifi. I’m not sure it had anything to do with retroactively justifying the trade.
elgato - February 6, 2012
If Quade had a soft spot for DeWitt, he would have given him the 2B job out of camp.
This was more “every month or so, we try something new with the guy, he fails, and he goes back to the bench.” It seems a lot more like placating the front office or trying to justify an investment.
D98 - February 6, 2012
You're forgetting ...
that Barney had a great camp and a good first two months last season (and that he’s a million times better defensively) while DeWitt had a miserable camp. Quade couldn’t ignore those factors, but he could try to jam DeWitt in when there were injuries in the outfield.
I’m defending Quade. But I think the strange use of DeWitt was Quade being a bonehead more than a front-office-inspired move. I know we’ll never know the answer for sure, but Quade thought highly enough of DeWitt to actually hit him third a few times last season — and Quade (and not Hendry) wrote the lineups.
elgato - February 6, 2012
I'm not forgetting that - I just figured they were going to give him the job regardless.
I was pleasantly surprised to see them make the right choice. I thought they WOULD ignore those factors.
Lord knows they made enough other stupid decisions when breaking camp last year.
D98 - February 6, 2012
It would be interesting ...
to see if DeWitt got as much time after Hendry was fired.
elgato - February 6, 2012
he started 6 games after hendry was canned compared to 34 under jimbo
although 12 came in june when barney was hurt
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
That's right.
By season’s end, Blake was being auditioned for the Daryle Ward role.
2011 Cubs baseball!
elgato - February 6, 2012
Ha.
I’m NOT defending Quade.
elgato - February 6, 2012
But DeWitt even being on the roster was a front office decision
ClarkFan - February 6, 2012
Yeah, but Quade seemed behind it.
elgato - February 7, 2012
Hmph. Since when does the manager have any input into roster decisions? That's the GM's job!
Al Yellon - February 7, 2012
Well, it's not like DeWitt got David Patton treatment.
Quade did everything he could to get DeWitt in the lineup.
elgato - February 7, 2012
True.
Sort of like Dusty and Neifi.
Al Yellon - February 7, 2012
And Quade was manager because.....
All roads led to Hendry’s office.
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
He represents one of Hendry's worst trades.
Ted Lilly, in the final months before becoming a Type A free agent, for Brett Wallach, Kyle Smit, and Blake DeWitt.
Blake DeWitt was sold to the fanbase as a future starting 2B, and the other players, apparently, were worth passing up a first-rounder and a sandwich pick in an absolutely stacked draft.
Also, he doesn’t hit well enough to be a 3B, and he’s pretty terrible defensively all over the diamond. If he could have played a decent 2B, his bat may have been good enough to keep him on a 25-man roster. As a 3B, it simply is not.
D98 - February 6, 2012
I never understood why Hendry liked him.
Hendry usually was fooled by ‘toolsy’ players, but DeWitt would never be confused with toolsy.
DeWitt, at one point, seemed like he might fit the 2007 Ryan Theriot mold of of an infielder who’s decent enough when he’s still cost controlled. And, I guess, the bonus was that he was left handed. But DeWitt didn’t hit well enough and didn’t field well enough for that to happen, and Darwin Barney became the new 2007 Theriot.
elgato - February 6, 2012
vital cogginessocity
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
cheap cogginessocity, more like it.
elgato - February 6, 2012
Just the next link in the "white 2B/3B with scruffy beard" chain.
A proud unbroken lineage that goes back to Mark Bellhorn, I think.
Also, that guy bats #2, of course.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Hell, Bellhorn actually was somewhat productive ...
and went on to be decent in Boston. And Todd Walker was a pretty good player at one point.
I think the Lilly trade was more about Hendry trying to “do right” by veterans. Lilly was traded at pretty much the low point of the 2010 season.
elgato - February 6, 2012
DeRosa was pretty productive, too!
I’m not saying “all scruffy white 2B/3B are bad”. I’m saying “the Cubs have employed one in every season since 2002 for some reason”. And DeWitt was the latest.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Ah, got it.
I wasn’t counting DeRosa in the mix — he was a level above the other guys.
The chain of guys you’re mentioning IS pretty strange.
Bellhorn (2002-03)
Walker (2004-06)
DeRosa (2007-08)
Miles (2009)
DeWitt (2010-11)
elgato - February 6, 2012
If only Jeff Baker would grow out a beard.
But I think Ryan Freel briefly auditioned for that position, too.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Freel's line as a Cub was hilarious.
28 at-bats, 4 hits, 4 singles, 2 walks, 1 RBI, 7 strikeouts
elgato - February 6, 2012
Oh, man.
I’d almost forgotten about him and his imaginary friend. What a nightmare that was when Aramis got hurt.
daver - February 7, 2012
This is exactly right.
Although one question – at the time of the trade how obvious was it that Lilly would be a Type A? My recollection is he pitched very well down the stretch for the Dodgers, but I don’t recall if that was entirely obvious at the time or not.
Not saying that would excuse things, just can’t recall.
Orval Overall - February 6, 2012
sorry - I meant
dont recall if it was obvious he’d be Type A at the time he was traded, or if the post-trade performance is what put him over the top.
Orval Overall - February 6, 2012
i thought of that as well
but i don’t think that is it because that would have required hendry to gasp think ahead
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
If I recall correctly, a lot of people had him a fringe B/A.
At least that’s what MLBTradeRumors was doing with the Elias estimates. I think, if he stayed with the Cubs, he would have been a B, maybe an A if he was lucky. He was pretty strong for the Dodgers down the stretch.
ubercubsfan - February 6, 2012
I believe he was Type B at the time of the trade.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
The predictors had him as a type A, albeit marginally.
His 3 year averages – which are what matter – were helped a bit by his 2010 LAD finish…. But they weren’t helped that much.
Also, even type B compensation would dwarf what we got for Lilly.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Not the way Hendry drafted.
Wreckard - February 6, 2012
sad, yet possibly true
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Did you see our draft last year?
Imagine having a supplemental pick on top of that.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
plus I loved Ted Lilly
So he was a bit of an object of my scorn for that reason. We might as well just given Lilly away
Madison Cub Fan - February 6, 2012
Wasn't that what happened? Hendry even threw in Theriot in that deal...
ClarkFan - February 6, 2012
Is there any way to figure out where those draft picks would have ended up?
docks - February 6, 2012
Not really. It would depend on who signed Lilly.
If, hypothetically, the Dodgers had signed him, I don’t think we would have gotten their #16 overall, b/c of the DBacks extra pick situation making the top 16 picks type a protected.
In that case, we would have gotten a sandwich pick and their 2nd rounder. Of course, without Lilly playing so well for LAD in 2010, who knows where they are drafting anyway.
Really, there is no way of knowing where Lilly would have signed. But it’s safe to say that the Cubs would have gained a sandwich pick in the 35-45 range overall, and another pick that would either be between 16-34 overall, or 61-75 overall.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Awesome, thanks. I love draft "what if's"
docks - February 6, 2012
I think Lilly still would've signed with the Dodgers.
I’m pretty sure he lives in the area, so it’s the perfect place for him to end his career.
daver - February 7, 2012
He was mismanaged.
He wasn’t good either, though.
shoemile - February 6, 2012
He never hit well enough for 3B and never fielded well enough for 2B
The hatin’ is more on Quade for deciding that mix of skills meant DeWitt’s true position was LF.
ClarkFan - February 6, 2012
I don't even know what to say anymore.
It’s as though every single thing I’ve been criticizing this team for over the last 3 years has been completely rectified.
Can we now, officially, close the book on the “the Ted Lilly trade still might have been a good one” argument? Holy crap, Wallach, Smit and DeWitt was a horrendous return for a Type-A-free-agent-to-be.
The Cubs are never going to get a second chance to pick up those extra first-round draft picks, but at least I don’t have to watch Blake DeWitt kicking it around LF and 3B and personifying the ineptness of the prior regime.
D98 - February 6, 2012
I give.
I may have been one of those defending the trade at the time. But I’ve since learned to appreciate draft picks a little more.
daver - February 6, 2012
Cool.
I was so unfathomably mad at Hendry that day. I probably posted a hundred times about it.
It was so frustrating cheering for a team that got worked over by the smart GMs all the time and never learned anything from it.
D98 - February 6, 2012
ned colletti isn't smart
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
that's part of the problem
he got duped by not one of the brightest baseball minds.
Madison Cub Fan - February 6, 2012
What was so frustrating ...
was that Hendry did pretty much the same thing four years prior with the Maddux trade.
I remember being on the fence at the time of the deal, thinking DeWitt might have some upside (particularly as a cheap player) and that we couldn’t know for sure what kind of picks Lilly would bring back.
But the whole deal looks terrible when you realize DeWitt had no upside, which Hendry should have known.
elgato - February 6, 2012
I wonder whether, in both cases...
…the players in question specifically requested to be traded to L.A. Maybe it was just Hendry being a players’ GM and just desperately getting back whatever players he could for them.
daver - February 6, 2012
IIRC, Lilly was pretty upset about being traded.
elgato - February 6, 2012
I can't quite recall Ted's reaction.
And I’m too lazy to start doing research.
daver - February 7, 2012
IIRC, he mentioned having approached the Cubs about an extension.
Shanghai Badger - February 7, 2012
Who was paying Hendry's salary, the players or the Cubs?
ClarkFan - February 6, 2012
If what I said is true (and it's just idle speculation, really)...
…let’s hope Theo and Jed are much more cold and calculating about these things. I think they are.
daver - February 7, 2012
By the DeWitt DFA
cold and calculating are the tip of the iceberg.
timh815 - February 7, 2012
Picked up the draft picks for Pena and Ramrez
So the FO love thermostat must be set to “chilly.”
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
Geez - you weren't kidding.
I just went back to the original FanShot on this, and you were literally taking on all comers. Don’t let it go to your head or nothing, but with the benefit of hindsight, pretty much everything you said turned out to be true, and pretty much everything being thrown back at you turned out to be wishful thinking (at best):
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2010/7/31/1598513/lilly-theriot-to-dodgers-for-blake
In a related point, I forgot how many people reacted to this trade by basically saying: whatever the price, it’s worth it to get rid of Theriot.
(And yes, before posting this, I searched for my own user name to see if I posted anything dumb in that thread, and mercifully I had not posted anything at all. If I had, it probably would have been in the dumb camp, but who’s to know now?)
Orval Overall - February 6, 2012
Interesting read.
I too hated that trade, what a pathetic return.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
shoe is a liar!
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Arrgh!
I actually didn’t have a problem with his performance in 2010, even though he sucked. Then Lilly was Type A, then DeWitt sucked and couldn’t even win a starting spot in 2011…
shoemile - February 6, 2012
i was the same way
sigh
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
Now Theo's gonna read this and we'll never get those night janitor jobs at the new front office headquarters.
shoemile - February 6, 2012
Thanks for the link.
I am surprised I didn’t participate in the front page thread Al posted later that day… I think I may have given myself a 24 hour time out after that initial rampage.
D98 - February 6, 2012
Several didn't get D98's point, either -- it wasn't trading Lilly that was so egregious, it was the return
Shanghai Badger - February 7, 2012
Return? The Cubs got something for Lilly?
What the Dodgers gave up was just about compensation for Theriot (yes, I know what I am saying – look at the results). Lilly was a throw-in….
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
You know, you make a good point.
Shanghai Badger - February 8, 2012
I hadn't pondered that Clark
That makes even more annoyed. So not only did JH trade him for almost nothing or wait and see if arb but to sweeten the deal so they’d take Theriot…..
I didn’t like Theriot, but he wasn’t Z or MB. So I don’t thing there a NEED to get rid of him asap.
Madison Cub Fan - February 9, 2012
What a difference.
I’m pretty sure the appreciation for draft picks comes from having a Theo Epstein minor-league development philosophy instead of the Jim Hendry one that we had.
CJK - February 7, 2012
The Lilly trade
The mistake was not the trade.
The mistake was that JH was nt going to offer arbitration to Lilly.
If/when Lilly was non-tendered (see Harden, Rich), the throngs would have (justly) said, “Why didn’t you get something for him.?”
timh815 - February 6, 2012
Sad but very true
Hendry would have let Lilly walk anyway.
rlpete - February 6, 2012
That mindset,
not that move, is why he had to go.
timh815 - February 6, 2012
Plus when ever I needed a good laugh
The Ted Lilly fanclub was a great site
Madison Cub Fan - February 7, 2012
Agreed on all counts.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
I bet the Marlins pick him up.
santoswoodenlegs - February 6, 2012
I know the Cards said no more big moves but he looks like a Cardinal Pick up
Sarcasm on the big move
lshaffer_69 - February 7, 2012
Interesting perspective on Cardenas from a Tigers site
http://motorcitybengals.com/2011/11/26/tigers-potential-trade-target-adrian-cardenas/
This guy is a Tiger fan looking at Cardenas as a potential 2b pickup for Detroit. Like others pointed out, he sounds like DeWitt defensively, but he can get on base and run a little.
BVictor - February 6, 2012
My favorite Blake DeWitt moment dates back to August 7, 2010.
The Cubs had just lost to the Cincinnati Reds 4-3. At this point in the season, the lack of baseball the Cubs had been playing was maddening. The Cubs found more ways to frustrate their fans than as many times Mike Quade claps his hands in one game. This may have been just any other ordinary loss for the Cubs, but Al had become so frustrated at watching bad Cubs baseball, that he decided to recap the game with a 2010 Cubs “Dick & Jane” Reading Primer. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard as I did from reading a Chicago Cubs Recap before or after that day. This is the part of Al’s recap that should win some kind of SB Nation award:
I’ll always remember Blake Dewitt for “Oh, no! Blake drops the ball!”
Ah yes, it’s bad Cubs baseball that brings out the best sense of humor in us, and in my mind, a sense of humor is the best way of expressing the frustration of watching consistently bad Cubs baseball.
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 6, 2012
July-August 2010 ...
and May-June 2006 might have been the low points in Cubs baseball in the past 10 years.
elgato - February 6, 2012
May 2006... 7-22
In May 2006, it felt like the Cubs would never win a baseball game ever again. Because even if they had a 10 run lead in the 9th inning, Dempster would come in and blow it.
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 6, 2012
And after that remarkable start, Hendry let the manager finisht the season....
ClarkFan - February 6, 2012
Oh, I don't really take issue with that.
The whole interim manager thing is tricky (as we saw in 2010) and not usually helpful.
elgato - February 7, 2012
I'm more about the whole accountability thing - the team quit (in 2004 no less) and the manager sailed serenely on.
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
Um, wait.
The team didn’t quit in 2004. It imploded at the end of 2004. The Cubs actually were competed for much of 2005, but starting pitching injuries and a weak-hitting outfield killed their chances (thanks, C-Pat!).
elgato - February 9, 2012
Don't remind me about what happened at the end of 2004.
But given some of the egos on that team, they deserved it.
Vermont Cubs Fan - February 9, 2012
I probably should have linked the recap in my previous comment, but if anyone cares to read it, here's the link now:
The 2010 Cubs “Dick & Jane” Reading Primer
#1 iowan cubs fan - February 6, 2012
I gotta do that again sometime.
That was fun to write. Got a lot of frustrations out that day.
Al Yellon - February 6, 2012
i still demand an answer to this
jesus christos - February 6, 2012
I still don't have an answer to that.
Drew Stubbs vs. Cubs: .285/.342/.526 in 150 PA
Drew Stubbs vs. all other teams: .247/.312/.392 in 1310 PA
Makes absolutely no sense, I know.
Al Yellon - February 6, 2012
To Boston
As compensation for Theo please!
tom veryzer - February 6, 2012 via mobile
I LOVE YOU THEO.
Somewhere, SenorGato weeps.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
Methinks I smell a grievance...
The Cubs tendered him an arb-driven ML contract. They agreed to a dollar amount. While those contracts are not technically guaranteed (thus the “1/6 rule” and the “1/4 rule”), he can only be released before the guarantee date (about 5 days before Opening Day) if he violates the contract in some way (i.e., skiing or bungee-jumping) or for “performance-related reasons” (i.e., he goes to ST and absolutely sucks). Since ST hasn’t started, they can’t honestly say that he has been beaten out for a spot on the roster.
Jed will have to eat virtually the entire contract to trade him (to the Nats?), or he will have to pay the entire contract via a grievance ruling.
I’m not a huge Blake DeWitt fan. He is the classic definition of a ‘tweener — 3B glove, 2B bat — but he is being screwed here. The Cubs shouldn’t have tendered him if he wasn’t in their plans; that would have given him two months to find a job.
DeRoMyHero - February 6, 2012
But another team could take him
and if they don’t want to pay the full salary, they can only pay the 1/6 or 1/4. So the Cubs shouldn’t have to pay his whole salary.
cubzfan - February 6, 2012
TheCubReporter has a
full commentary on the permutations
timh815 - February 6, 2012
In a word...
jeffstorm2 - February 6, 2012
good.riddance.
daily2b - February 6, 2012
^THIS^
No temptation to play a bad player you don’t have any longer!!!
jeffstorm2 - February 6, 2012
I expect Cardenas to steal Barney's job.
He may be a slightly below average defender, but the Cubs could really use the offense. Barney would be a great utility guy. Or else they’re going to either shop Castro or start pushing him toward third. An infield of Castro-Barney-Cardenas-Rizzo is not that bad.
subtle - February 6, 2012
Hell, Cardenas and Barney could split time, or Sveum could just ride the hot hand.
Dcr18 - February 6, 2012
Wait for it ...................
IT’S HAPPENING!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
lexmarklover - February 6, 2012
I guess Hendry
thought that DeWitt would somehow improve, but that never happened. .728 OPS his rookie year and 344 SLG, and yet never improved on those numbers since.
May as well give Cardenas a chance, this is a no brainer.
Grockcubs - February 6, 2012
Bianchi
Just a little confused. We let Bianchi go to make room for someone else. He had more power, played some short, switch-hit… Why didn’t we dump DeWitt sooner?
Is Cardenas a better player? Or is there regret there?
KO Stradivarius - February 7, 2012 via mobile
Lots of reasons.
More Power? Bianchi’s career SLG is ,395 and was .333 in AA last year. Cardenas’s career SLG is .413 with .418 in AAA last year. Bianchi had a few more home runs because he spent two years in Rookie ball, but Cardenas has a lot more power than Bianchi.
Bianchi’s career OBP is .332. Cardenas has a .368 career OBP. Cardenas is a year younger and has played two years in the PCL. Bianchi is 25 has never played about the Double-A Texas league. Cardenas was a top 100 prospect as recently as 2009, so he’s certainly got more potential, although it’s highly unlikely he reaches it.
I’ll grant you that Bianchi is the far superior defender, but Cardenas is the better player. Now I’ll also grant you that neither one is likely to be a productive major leaguer.
Josh Timmers - February 7, 2012
Excellent answer to the wrong question
The question is “When the Cubs wanted to open a roster spot for Maholm, why did they waive Bianchi instead of DeWitt?”
CJK - February 7, 2012
Okay, this is funny
My memory of Bianchi’s stats added about 50% to his home run totals and made him a switch-hitter… I wondered of his prowess, post-TJ recovery. Midnight posting. I had essentially inflated his value in my mind when he was a Cub for about a month, and losing him to the Brewers without ever seeing him play did upset me.
I do hope we know something that Beane does not. Perhaps he is really losing it now, waiving tasty prospects and giving $14 mil to Coco Crisp. It must be rough, with a personality like that, to have a movie like that made about you.
It’s interesting that such a weak team has to make such difficult roster decisions. We are now faced with yet another, to add Concepcion. When will Selig take one of our players away???
KO Stradivarius - February 7, 2012 via mobile
And thinking back a few months
some people were complaining that the Cubs didn’t have enough players on the 40 man roster and that the Cubs should have more in Rule 5. Now they have too many.
rlpete - February 7, 2012
not sure how we are writing off a 24 year old who had a lot of success last year in AAA
but LaHair is suppose to be outstanding when he’s 29 and just now had success. give the guy a shot, he may be worth something.
MDavis - February 7, 2012
Who is saying LaHair is outstanding?
I think most people are willing to give him a shot due to the lack of any better options but I don’t see many calling him outstanding.
rlpete - February 7, 2012
I don't get the anti-LaHair sentiment
It’s not you in particular, rlpete. I just don’t understand the whole “OMG I can’t believe we can’t scrape up anything better than Bryan LaHair” mentality.
I mean, LaHair had a number of minor-league achievements and accolades this season. He was the Cubs’ Minor League Player of the Year, a PCL All-Star, the PCL MVP, and MiLB.com’s Hitter of the Year, in addition to setting the Iowa Cubs single-season home run record. That’s pretty outstanding at the AAA level.
Stat-wise, he was right on par with Anthony Rizzo in the PCL. But everybody loves Rizzo and there’s almost no love for LaHair. Is it strictly the age? Do we just not like Bryan LaHair because he’s not young enough? Because he’s not likely to have as much career left?
CJK - February 7, 2012
The thinking is ...
that if LaHair could hack it in the big leagues, he would have done it by now.
But a team like the 2012 Cubs is the perfect situation for a guy like LaHair to get a shot. I’m actually looking forward to seeing him play this year.
elgato - February 7, 2012
i was exaggerating the "outstanding" and frankly l have no problem giving LaHair is shot.
but i;m saying, how are we here saying “cardenas wont become anything” when he had a terrific season, and is 5 years younger? let him battle it out..
MDavis - February 7, 2012
There is also the question with older minor league players
that finally start producing whether the results are because he finally figured out something or he has gotten good enough through repetition of the same level that the player can handle pitchers at that level but possibly not at the higher level.
We’ll see about LaHair soon enough.
rlpete - February 7, 2012
It's a difference in role.
LaHair isn’t getting a shot because he’s good defensively. He’s getting a shot because we don’t yet have better options and because he raked in AAA last year.
It might appear that the Cubs signed Cardenas to be a utility guy because he’s (sort of) replacing DeWitt, who was a utility guy last season. If you’re trying to upgrade that spot, it makes sense to get a guy who’s a true MI and who is better defensively. Otherwise, what does Cardenas bring that DeWitt didn’t bring?
But I don’t think Cardenas was signed to be the new Jose Vizcaino. And DeWitt could still win a job.
There are four scenarios that stem from this move:
1) Cardenas beats out Barney and DeWitt for the second base job, Barney becomes the utility guy, DeWitt is released or sent to AAA..
2) DeWitt beats out Barney and Cardenas for the second base job, Barney becomes the utility guy, Cardenas is released or sent to AAA.
3) Barney retains the second base job, Cardenas beats DeWitt for the utility spot, DeWitt is released or sent to AAA.
4) Barney retains the second base job, DeWitt beats Cardenas for the utility spot, Cardenas is released or sent to AAA.
The only thing that is fairly assured is that Barney will be on the roster in some capacity, and that he’ll be Castro’s primary backup at short. Cardenas and DeWitt aren’t realistic backup shortstop options.
The Cubs have made some good buy-low moves this offseason, and I think Cardenas is another one. He could be a diamond in the rough, but he has to hit really well in ST, because he’s either the starting second baseman in Chicago or Des Moines. If it comes down to Cardenas and DeWitt in a utility role, DeWitt has a clear advantage because he’s slightly more useful defensively at third.
elgato - February 7, 2012
If you want to place a wager on 2) happening, I'll take all the action you want and offer "attractive" odds......
3) is the morning line favorite, with a strong change DeWitt is at another team’s ST camp.
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
I'd say it's 1 or 3.
elgato - February 9, 2012
If Cardenas' fielding is an issue, 1 seems more like a long shot
Good as his OBP stats were, they were compiled in the PCL. I think he would have to show a serious advantage in ST to start at 2B, unless his fielding is better than reported.
ClarkFan - February 9, 2012
Is his defense at second the issue?
I thought he was bad at third and short …
elgato - February 9, 2012
His defense everywhere is an issue.
bdlugz - February 9, 2012
The decision may simply be that Cardenas is more likely to be useful than DeWitt
Which was not a choice Beane was facing. Seriously, this was a choice between longshots with slightly different skill sets.
Why did the Cubs tender a contract to DeWitt? That is the question, but the answer may just be that management had lacked the time to do a full assessment on him. Developing profiles on all the marginal players in the Cubs’ system was a big task…
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
Also, the Cubs appear to only be on the hook for a fraction of DeWitt's contract.
elgato - February 9, 2012
Do I like this?
I always feel a wee bit sorry for the player who is DFA’ed, but I think this move makes sense.
Good luck Blake and hope to see you again in the opposing dugouts.
eths - February 7, 2012
Why did A's give up on him?
Any idea why the A’s gave up on Cardenas? With a line like .314/.374/.418 last year (albeit in minor leagues) and the fact he is only 24, there’s got to be more to this story….
I know Theo is good, but how did we get this guy for nothing?
journal_guy - February 7, 2012
I don't know their system,
but they needed to release someone from their 40 man to add someone. It was his turn.
timh815 - February 7, 2012
Also
He is blocked at second and third. Still… Kind of stupid. But they added a pile if prospects this year.
I just hope Cardenas’ D is up to snuff. We already had subpar in DeWitt and Baker. At least this guy is cheap and under control for a long time. That’s the key. Another long-term asset, even if he’s only a bench guy.
I do like seeing genuine competition for Barney now.
KO Stradivarius - February 7, 2012 via mobile
He can't play 3rd based on limited play in 2010 and 2011.
Fielding percentages were .894 and .886. 12 errors in 93 chances.
rlpete - February 7, 2012
Part of it may be that he isn't a true utility guy.
His 3rd base defense looks awful and he hasn’t played SS in a few years. He is 2B//Corner Outfield. That isn’t the most useful combination.
rlpete - February 7, 2012
It becomes more useful ...
if he beats out Barney for the starting second base job, making Barney the utility guy.
Or, if Cardenas flat sucks, DeWitt is (sigh) still coming to camp.
elgato - February 7, 2012
Agreed
Cardenas only seems valuable if he wins the 2nd base spot. Otherwise he looks like Eric Patterson to me.
rlpete - February 7, 2012
Cardenas might beat out DeWitt ...
simply as a bench guy. The trouble is that neither one of them works in that role very well. At the same time, having a Cardenas-DeWitt-Barney competition isn’t a bad thing. Barney could still end up starting and Cardenas could be more valuable off the bench than DeWitt.
elgato - February 7, 2012
I actually liked it when they acquired him
I thought he had a ton of upside. Boy was I wrong.
Mapmaker - February 7, 2012
i need a new whipping boy
jesus christos - February 7, 2012
Theo doesn't care about our need for scapegoats and players to hate.
All he wants to do is wee-un.
cubbybear - February 7, 2012
i need a scapegoat
jesus christos - February 7, 2012
There's always Soriano.
daver - February 7, 2012
way too easy
jesus christos - February 7, 2012
Someone will take on that role this year.
We just have to wait and see who it will be.
Al Yellon - February 7, 2012
Rudy?
ballhawk - February 7, 2012
too behind the scenesy
jesus christos - February 7, 2012
...
Emelie - February 8, 2012
Don't worry - the beginning of actual play will offer you a suitable candidate
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
...
ballhawk - February 7, 2012
Whip 'n Post
Zeke - February 8, 2012
you've just ruined a classic song for me
a pox on your Spartan house…
ballhawk - February 8, 2012
...you should have told him to eat a peach!
really, that’s an awesome song….
cooliogirl47 - February 8, 2012
Oh, it took me about a dozen tries before I figured out what I wanted to say.
I kept going on and on, just streaming words right and left, not making much sense because, well, you know, I was born a rambling man.
ballhawk - February 8, 2012
Sorry but your post is just a bunch of wasted words.
rlpete - February 8, 2012
there's only one way out of this thread...
cooliogirl47 - February 8, 2012
You folks are fighting like...
Zeke - February 9, 2012
I don't really see a "dislikable" player on the team right now.
Maybe Marmol if he goes downhill more, or maybe Sveum will greatly overuse another mediocre player like DeWitt with Quade.
Dcr18 - February 7, 2012
don’t make me hate you, sveum
jesus christos - February 7, 2012
I've got Soriano selected already.
shoemile - February 7, 2012
Wait until Marmol has his first 4-walk 9th inning....
ClarkFan - February 8, 2012
If he's left in after the 4th walk, I'll be hating Sveum more than I will Marmol
Nunyabidness - February 8, 2012
Please don't pick Campana or RJ. I ♥ them.
How about Soto?
katie casey - February 8, 2012
NOOOOO please not Soto.
I agree with you on Campana and RJ.
sue369 - February 8, 2012
I think I may be alone in my dislike of Soto,
at least among the ladies here. Sorry, but IMHO he’s either got to improve defensively or has to go.
katie casey - February 8, 2012
But where could the Cubs find a catcher to take his place? I wonder where, katie, I wonder where... ;-)
ballhawk - February 8, 2012
LOL
Alas, they didn’t invite Paul to stay for spring training like I hoped. ;-)
katie casey - February 8, 2012
As far as Soto goes
With your hubby playing catcher you probably know more about defense abilities of catchers than I do. But do you see any of the prospects being an average major league catcher?
Madison Cub Fan - February 9, 2012
I don't know the minor league system well enough to judge
who might be able to step up to the task. You probably know better than I do.
katie casey - February 9, 2012
who cares whether he can catch or not?
;-)
Emelie - February 9, 2012
Maybe Castillo, he could be a starter.
Neftali Rosario is an 18 year old catcher with big upside at rookie ball, but he’s at least 4-5 years away.
Dcr18 - February 9, 2012
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