If you missed the late-breaking news last night, the Chicago Cubs signed Scott Hairston to a two-year deal. Why? I don’t know why. Why do the Cubs do anything? I read something about the Cubs otherwise having to break camp with Vitters on the roster or some such nonsense, but, frankly, I was way too distracted by the fact that the Chicago Cubs have signed Scott Hairston to pay attention
This signing begs several questions:
1) What do you call a multiple of Hairstons? A flock? A herd? A gaggle? A MURDER? I was really on-board with a murder until Carl suggested ” a harem.” A harem of Hairstons is poetic, but (as someone else on Twitter suggested), a “wad” of Hairstons might be more accurate.
2) Should there be some kind of pre-season stat that measures when clubs do something like signing Scott Hairston to two years? Or breaking camp with Tony Campana on their roster? I feel there should be something, sort of like pre-season power rankings in basketball. We’ll call them FIs, which will stand for “fuck its.” As in, “Fuck it, let’s just give Scott Hairston two years and get this season over with already.
Accordingly, a team that gives Scott Hairston a two-year deal, breaks camp with Tony Campana on the roster, has Carlos Marmol for a closer, and signs a bunch of Japanese pitchers on the wrong side of 35 coming off a Tommy John surgery would have a pre-season FI rating of 4.0. Of course, the rating is adjustable during the season, depending on the moves the club makes. For example, naming Luis Valbuena the starting 3rd baseman (hypothetically speaking, for the love of God) would cause the Cubs’ FI rating to increase to 5.0. Benching Marmol’s ass would bring them back down to 4.0. The FI rating is a living, breathing thing, people. Respect it.
In other completely-expected news, Mayor Rahm Emanuel wasn’t thrilled with the Ricketts’ thinly-veiled plea for public support of Wrigley Renovations:
Asked what he says to the rooftop owners who have invested heavily in the properties ringing Wrigley and could see their business suffer if the city grants the Ricketts family more billboards in the bleachers, Emanuel said, “I’m not going to negotiate in public, but there’s a lot of effort being made to finish this up.”
The mayor wouldn’t say how much power Tunney should have to shape the plan.
“There’s a lot of things we’re going to work through,” he said. “Tom and I have been working on this for over a year. On this recent issue, Tom has been a constructive and productive person in the negotiations, but he too would agree it’s important to see this through to the end. we’ve got a number of issues on the table that still have to be worked out.”
Oh, Ricketts family. First you announced that you were seeking public funding for renovating Wrigley without informing Governor Pat Quinn or Mayor Daley. Now you are moving forward without getting Tom Tunney on board. You have so much to learn about getting things done in Chicago. Here’s a bit of free advice: They send one of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue! That’s the Chicago Way!
I leave you today with Sammy Sosa’s live chat from yesterday. You’re welcome.
This Hairston looks like an even bigger douche than the other Hairston that we had.
I’m kinda of indifferent to the Hairston signing. He’s not an OBP guy, but at times shows good power, which the Cubs need as well. He’s another “meh” guy to throw in the outfield 3 or 4 times a week.
Will make a good platoon and possible trade chip
I agree. I think that every signing the Cubs make is with the intent of being “flippable” when they suck later (or early) in the season. Smart, but don’t sell the idea of “playoffs or bust” to the fanbase. I’m just saying.
I don’t think their trying to sell us anything dishonestly or distastefully(Is that even a word?).
The new restrictions on the draft and international players has made the way of doing businesss in all of baseball way different. Mindset always needs to be playoffs or bust. Hell their 1st place then 1st loser PERIOD.
True!! At least the front office has the right direction in mind. GO CUBS GO!!
His OPS against lefties last year was .863. Schierholtz’s against righties the last two is .811. That’s not terrible.
OPS for NL Central right fielders in 2012:
Jay Bruce .841
Corey Hart .841 as well
Carlos Beltran .842
Garrett Jones .832
Taking into consideration that Schierholtz will hit 1/3 of the time against lefties and Hairston will hit 1/3 of the time against righties…and that the Cubs will face righties 2/3 of the time and lefties 1/3 of the time…giving Hairston 50% fewer at bats than Schierholtz…we can estimate that in the Cubs situation, this platoon in 2012 would have resulted in an OPS of .740.
That’s not very good for a corner outfield spot.
In fact, looking at it, the Cubs would probably be better off with Hairston playing right field every day.
Good post. I suspect the FO is waiting on Soler, Almora, Lake etc to tell(show) them what to do next. This deal don’t block anything else from happening.
The numbers aren’t perfect, but it does give an idea that these guys aren’t really a good answer for a team if that team intends to compete. The main point I was trying to make is that you can’t just assume that a player is going to only hit again righties or lefties. Schierholz was a platoon player last year…and he still had 68 plate appearances against left handed pitchers.
I’ve been pretty critical about the rooftop owners and Tom Tunney the last few days…
But one thing we should keep in mind. Over the last decade, the Cubs have pretty much been able to get their way with Tunney and the rooftop owners.
The have:
1. Added more night games
2. Expanded the bleachers
3. Added concerts
4. Put up the Toyota sign
5. Pushed the rooftop owners to pay a decent percentage of their revenue to the Cubs
While Tunney and the rooftop owners are going to push back a bit, I expect the Cubs to get pretty much everything they actually want in this situation.
The main product is 99.99999…% on Wrigley Field.They should get what they need.
Damn Atlanta just scored the other Upton. NL East is gonna be exciting.
Something has to be done about the draft pick compensation. Pretty unfair to say the least.
Hey Doc who’s the 2 getting cut from the 40 man roster? A trade brewing?
I’m not entirely sure. I don’t think there is a trade in the works, but I think Tony Campana’s days on the 40 man roster (and in the Cubs organization) may actually be numbered.
But also remember, since the rule 5 draft is over, it removing some of these lower minor league players from the 40 man roster will result in little consequences.
On Twitter right now, Campana is the favorite for being DFAd.
The Cubs have a number of pitchers that they could probably let go of as well. No word at this point.
http://cubs.mlb.com/team/roster_active.jsp?c_id=chc Gotta be a trade coming, we can dump Campana but who’s the 2nd?
It’s possible…but if there is a trade coming, the Cubs are being extremely quite about it. Outside of Hairston, it’s been crickets.
I’m wondering why they didn’t add seating to the new roof plans. And why not put a seat on top of the Toyota sign? Or why don’t they do what I’d love for them to do, sell the freaking stadium to the city and build a ballpark out west in DuPage or Kane Counties where they wouldn’t have to do things the “Chicago Way.”
It looks like the Braves are going to have a complete set of Uptons.
The Braves collect Uptons. The Cubs collect Hairstons.
This really tells you everything you need to know about the Cubs.
Yep. That was pretty much my point.
The D-Backs got Randall Delgado in the Upton trade. You may remember the Delgado was who the Cubs were supposed to get in the trade that Ryan Dempster invoked his no-trade clause on last season.
Wish they would give him to us along with Prado
Nooooooo!
The Mets want to sign Michael Bourn supposedly…
But they are petitioning Major League Baseball to have them sacrifice their 2nd round pick instead of their 1st round pick as compensation.
Their justification?
The 10 ten picks in the draft are protected from free agent compensation. (Compensation then is taken from the 2nd round.)
The Mets pick 11.
But the Mets had the 10th worst record in baseball last year.
So why are they picking 11th? Because the Pirates have a compensation pick in the top 10 due to the fact that they were unable to sign Mark Appel from last year’s draft.
The Mets feel that they are entitled to keep their first round pick, and I would have to agree with them.
It looks like the Rays are making another push for a new stadium.
Their problem? Not financing.
The county doesn’t want them to break their contract to play at the Trop.
County Commissioners accused the owners of the Rays of not marketing the team anymore hoping attendance drops to the point where they are forced to move just like in the movie Major League.
Good drama.
They need to be moved ASAP. Hell they cant even fill the lower portion of the stadium in the playoffs.
I’ve been a horrible baseball fan lately, can you fill me in as to why they need a new stadium? I swore they just got one a couple years ago.
From my understanding the stadium is generic and shitty from top to bottom. Terrible lighting, sound systems, seating, amenities, that stupid roof and its design wtc.
Butttttttt……last I heard they were still wanting to build that idiotic wind sail domed stadium.
That deal is off the table at the moment. Actually, the first thing they need (besides a way out of their contract to play at the Trop) is a location for the ballpark…which has been a rather controversial subject.
Because Miami got one and the Rays are way better?
And the Rays have better, more competent owners.
No…the rays don’t have a new stadium.
They’ve been stuck in Tropicana Field since the team was founded.
Tropicana Field is probably considered the worst stadium in baseball at the moment. It was built in the last 1980′s as a way to attract a major league baseball team…specifically the White Sox…to move to Florida. It was built just before the retro park era started.
For the Rays, the Trop is old, out dated, requiring a large amount of their own money to maintain, and is too far from what should be the majority of their fan base. It also is not easily accessible by public transportation and it about 1/2 hour from downtown Tampa.
I should also add that the team feels that St. Petersburg, where the Trop is located, has made it difficult for the Rays as tenants of the ballpark with restrictions to renovations and in flexibility with the lease (which is to run through 2027 from what I remember).
That’s just peculiar to me. The Rays have a solid club, people travel from out of the country to come see the stinkfest that is the Cubs and yet Rays fans won’t make the drive to the stadium? I mean, if it is that in bad of shape/design, maybe that’s why. I guess I was under the influence that the giant manta ray stadium was still viable…. good to hear it’s not!
I can’t even watch a game there on tv.It looks like they’re playing in a large tomb.
Agreed!
Scott Hairston is a poor man’s Marlon Byrd.
I think a clean Marlon Byrd (aka, no steroids) is a poor man’s Marlon Byrd.
DAMN!!
No comments on my amazing new stat? You people stink.
Fuck it.
Honestly, I think the fact the Cubs really don’t have an actual starting catcher adds at least 1.0 to the FI index.
Sammy and his wife in Aspen.
https://twitter.com/TheRealMr609/status/294494614134595584/photo/1
Sammy’s a skier?!
And he could show a little more of his wife’s face. If I remember correctly she’s pretty attractive.
Kate Upton to the Braves rumors are running rampant on Twitter.
As a mascot, I’m guessing.
Maybe as a coach?
She should be their starting right fielder.
In a bikini.
I’d rather see her as 3rd base coach. Especially when she’s waving a runner home on a close play at the plate.
Nope…running after fly balls is more of what I’d like to see.
Creepy and lame.
Manti Te’o's fake girlfriend sounds like a big time head case.
Some minor league baseball team this year is having a ‘Te’o Girlfriend Bobblehead Day’.
You get an empty Bobblehead head box.
Jon Heyman is spewing BS again that the Cubs are in on Michael Bourn…
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/01/michael-bourn-rumors-thursday.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
WGAS?? Unless Bourn wants to sign for a case of Old Style and an autographed WOO-WOO pic, it does not matter…Period!!
Even if Bourn signs for that little, it would still cost the Cubs a 2nd round draft pick, and I really can’t see the Cubs forfeiting that.
Just my humble opinion but I think they have always been in on him. If I were guessing he has a ballpark offer from the Cubs that he will circle back to at some point if he don’t find exactly what he wants.
I absolutely wanna keep that 2nd pick but if he falls to a 2-3yr deal at less than 15 million per, I can live with it. He has had some drop off but I think he could live up to contract expectations at that length. Pure leadoff hitter with arguably the best CF D in baseball and good speed.
Bourne
Dejesus/Sheirholtz/Hairston
Castro
Rizzo
Soriano
Stewart
Castillo/Navarro
Barney
Pitcher
That lineup coupled with a solid Staff and pen will be dramatically improved from last season.
I think to a small degree the Cubs are actually “in”…but no more so than they were with Pujols, Fielder, Cespedes and so on.
I actually don’t think the Cubs would be willing to go with a 2 to 3 year deal for Bourn. If they have to sacrifice a draft pick for him, they’ll want him on board for longer than that. Boras is supposedly looking for 5 years at $15 million per. My guess is that the Cubs would be looking at that same 5 years, but at about $12 million per…low balling like they have with most of the other top free agents the last 2 years.
My guess is that Bourn will eventually get exactly what Boras is asking and it won’t be the Cubs that pay it to him.
That lineup really doesn’t scare me that much.
Bourn will be a servicable leadoff hitter. The combination of right field options will be the worst right field in the division. Castro and Rizzo are solid. Soriano will regress over last year. In fact, 3 years ago I felt that Soriano had one more big season left in him…and that season was last year. He’ll only get worse now. Ian Stewart…maybe something good will come from him…but I just don’t see it. Don’t expect much production from the catcher position. Darwin Barney’s .650 OPS isn’t going to scare anyone.
I’m sorry…even with Bourn in there, this is not a team that can score a lot of runs.
Yeah it certainly won’t make anyone lose any sleep either way but w/ Bourne you have the beginnings of being formiddable in a legit way.
I really don’t see it. If there is no one to drive this guy in, it doesn’t matter. His defense is very good, yes…but a player like Bourn works as one of the final pieces to the puzzle for a team that is competitive, not really someone to build the team around.
The truth is that the same could be said about Edwin Jackson except starting pitchers are often much more difficult to come by. One or two outfielders like Bourn are available almost every offseason, so holding off on signing a Bourn-like player for a year or two really allows the Cubs to save $15 to $30 million. And that money is good for adding a few more bathrooms to Wrigley for Julie to use.
I’m not totally dis-agreeing with you Doc buttttt and I’ve been around long enough and I by no means wear blinders but your under estimating this team a bit.
This is Castro’s I have just became the best SS in all of MLB year. Rizzo will challenge Joey Votto for the best NL 1B and just might start the All-Star game. Soriano is gonna give ya 25Hr/90+ RBI, the platoon will be used close to correctly and we will see 20+ HR’s and 80+ RBI. Castillo is gonna hit, he might suck at handling pitchers or throw out runners but I believe he’s gonna hit.
There is a wild card on this team and I will tell you what it is…….For the 1st time in my 31 year life this son of a bitch has heart, passion, and some GD direction.
I see a top prospect who got spit on last year in Brett Jackson. He has refined his swing and seems to have the taste of blood in his mouth. His manager jumped on a plane and spent alot of time with him. He has been told he will start in AAA and he says he’s not planning on it. I actually believe this isn’t lip service.
Were seeing real competition and a sense of urgency on this team. Our coaching staff is better than it ever has been. Dave Mckay alone makes this team twice as good defensively.
I could go on and on but I’m telling ya now sleep on this team this year. I don’t expect a pennant this year but I fully expect a team that has unified, become formidable, and has started to gain the confidence needed to succeed at a high level.
Did you just accuse someone of underestimating the Cubs?
Look at what you’re saying, man!
Rizzo is no where near Joey Votto yet. Not even close.
Castro is not the best shortstop in baseball…and in fact I can name two shortstops in the NL that are better: Jose Reyes and Troy Tulowitzki.
Soriano will likely give us 25 homers and 85 RBIs.
The right platoon will be luck to get near the numbers you’ve seen.
Castillo is completely unproven.
The rest of the stuff you are talking about was there last year and it didn’t help this team win more than 61 games.
I’m not over estimating this team. This team will likely win a few more games than last year, but that’s because it is really really difficult to lose 100 games. The Cubs are still likely to be a 90+ lose team. And once the All-Star break comes around, they will have traded Soriano, Garza and DeJesus, resulting in an even less talented roster.
A rumor going around that J.J. Abrams has changed his mind and will indeed be directing the new Star Wars movie.
Lens flares for everyone!
Want to know how depressing this team is?
If you can identify 50% of these Cubs, you’re way ahead of me:
http://www.chicagonow.com/candid-candace/2013/01/strike-a-pose-chicago-cubs-players-and-their-wives-hit-the-runway-for-charity/
There is absolutely nothing depressing about Kim Dejesus. The sight of Kim Dejesus alone makes being a Cub fan worth it!
Know what? She’s cool and funny, too. I dig her.
Kaepernick of SF 49′s was drafted by the Cubs in the 43rd round of the 09 amateur draft.
Just a tidbit of trivia.
If he has chosen to play for the Cubs, the Cubs would be in the Super Bowl right now.
Regarding Sosa’s assertion that the Cubs should retire his number.
Accomplishments are not even close to being enough.
One must be a “Beloved” member of the Cub’s organization.
This may be the most important factor of all.
Yeah. Sosa’s got an actual Hall of Fame Right Fielder 2-3 cars ahead of him on the retire my number train.
Slow connection here at Caribou, so bear with me!
That’s what you get for going to Caribou.