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mrschroeder08 partyvancaptain pee_callus25 Tags 2010 Preview 5 Million Dollar Black Hole AAAA Aaron Heilman Aaron Miles Alfonso Soriano Andres Blanco Angel Guzman Aramis Ramirez Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves B.J. Ryan Baltimore Orioles Bob Brenly Bobby Scales Bonehead Booing Boston Red Sox Brett Jackson Bullpen Canadian Concoction Captain Kneejerk Cardinals Carlos Marmol Carlos Silva Carlos Zambrano Chad Fox Chad Tracy Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Indians Cold War Colorado Rockies Contracts Cubs-Cardinals Rivalry Cubs sale Cubs Curtis Granderson Daniel Herrera David Patton Derrek Lee Designated Hitter Detroit Tigers Disabled list Dominance ERA+ ERROR Esmailin Caridad ESPN Sucks Eternal frustration Eternal Optimism Farewell Farney Florida Marlins Free Agency Future Gatorade Geovanny Soto Geovany Soto Gerald Perry Grades Houston Astros I-Cubs Injuries Jake Fox Jason Marquis Jason Waddell Jeff Gray Jeff Samardzija Jim Hendry Jim Wolf Joey Gathright John Grabow Jose Ascanio Kansas City Royals Kerry Wood Kevin Gregg Kevin Hart Kevin Millar Koyie Hill LaTroy Hawkins Legendary Lineup Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers Lou Piniella Luis Vizcaino Man Crush Mark DeRosa Marlon Byrd Micah Hoffpauir Middle Infield Midwestern Bias Milton Bradley Milwaukee Brewers Minnesota Twins Minor Leagues MLB 2K9 Neal Cotts New York Mets New York Yankees Oakland Athletics October Offseason Opening Day OPS+ Payroll Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates Playoffs Randy Wells Rant Rich Harden Ryan Dempster Ryan Freel Ryan Theriot Sam Fuld Sam Zell Sammy Sosa San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Sandy Alderson Sean Marshall Seattle Mariners St. Louis Cardinals Steroids Strikeouts Suckiness Tampa Bay Rays TBS Texas Rangers Tom Gorzelanny Tom Ricketts Toronto Blue Jays Trade Tribune Company Tyler Colvin Von Joshua Waivers Walks Washington Nationals WTF Xavier Nady RSS Feed The title of the post seems to reflect the sentiment of many Cubs fans after today's trade with the Oakland athletics. All I can do is shake my head, because this trade is not nearly as bad as some people are making it out to be. Obviously getting rid of most of that Aaron Miles contract (even though it is only $1.7 million being saved ultimately) is a positive, but people seem to think trading Jake Fox is the second coming of Brock for Broglio. Let me put it simply: Jake Fox had a bit of value, but nearly as much as many Cubs fans think. He is a 27-year-old right-handed hitter with no defensive position. He can hit a fastball a mile and a half, but he is also pretty ineffective against anything else. After peaking in July, pitchers started to figure out Mr. Fox, and by September, he OPSed a measily .543. Am I saying he won't be a decent player for Oakland? No, but he wasn't going to lead the Cubs to the promised land, nor was he going to be the centerpiece in a trade for Roy Halladay or Curtis Granderson. On the plus side, the Cubs rid themselves of a very unnecessary piece in Aaron Miles, saving a bit of money, and got three prospects in the deal. Neither of those prospects will set the world on fire. Jeff Gray, a 28-year-old pitcher, will probably spend some time in the bullpen in 2010, and eat some innings. He had a decent year in Oakland's bullpen, and it can never hurt to have the extra arm. Matt Spencer, 23, showed some pop between A and AA last year, and could be a left-handed Jake Fox in a year or two, so fret not Fox fans. Finally Ronny Moria is the obligatory low-level project pitcher that the Cubs will try to turn into something. The Cubs have had a decent history with pitching prospects, so it could happen. Overall, not a blockbuster trade that will bring the organization to the next level, but it is also by no means a bad trade. Jake Fox was vastly overrated by Cubs fans, and I say that fully admitting he can be a productive player. Ultimately it opens up some bench spots. My scorecard now has the Cubs bench as Hill, Hoffpauir, Blanco and possibly Fuld. I do expect a trade or signing to fill another spot or two, and just pray Jim Hendry doesn't overpay for those players, like he did with Aaron Miles. Finally, and I have to admit I find this amusing, but I have never seen a GM totally undo an offseason's worth of work the very next year like Jim Hendry is doing now. Think about it: the big acquisitions after 2008: Kevin Gregg, Aaron Heilman, Aaron Miles, Luis Vizcaino and Milton Bradley. Not but one year later: Gregg is a free agent, Heilman is in Arizona, Miles is in Oakland, Vizcaino was gone before May and Bradley is being shopped like Hendry's first-born is at stake. In other words, the Cubs are now spending an offseason primarily undoing the last offseason. The winter meetings are coming up, so I expect a resolution on this Bradley situation soon, for better or for worse. Posted in: Aaron Miles, Jake Fox, Farewell You know, since I read Moneyball, I've tried to take a more objective approach to baseball, and reduce the knee jerk reactions... but this is too much. Tom Gorzelanny has settled down, and is pitching well, but you have an RBI situation in the top of the 6th in a game at a pitcher's ballpark in what was becoming a pitcher's duel. You pull him for a pitch hitter, which is fine. But AARON MILES?!?! AARON 'MENDOZA FRIGGIN' LIGHT' MILES?!?! He's NOT GOOD! HE STINKS!!!! YOU ARE BETTER OFF LETTING GORZELANNY HIT!!!!!!!! Aaron Miles promptly does what he does best, with a 50-hopper to second to squander the RBI opportunity. Angel Guzman gives up a grand slam. The Cubs are about to be out by 7 games, and once again we can start looking towards next year. That is a team shooting itself in the foot if I have ever seen it. Posted in: Aaron Miles, 5 Million Dollar Black Hole, Tom Gorzelanny, Lou Piniella, Bonehead Interesting note from user 'BernieFan2' on the cubs.com message board. 2009 Cubs in games Aaron Miles played: 23-33 (.410) 2008 Cardinals in games Aaron Miles played: 67-67 2007 Cardinals in games Aaron Miles played: 58-75 2006 Cardinals in games Aaron Miles played: 64-71 Now wins and losses are a team stat, and they are NOT a good way to evaluate a player. I think they are a bad way to judge a pitcher, and a pitcher has much more control over the game's outcome than an ordinary middle infielder, but still...... it really makes you think...... Posted in: Aaron Miles, 5 Million Dollar Black Hole The Cubs made a few changes today, and thank goodness on at least one count. Bobby Scales and Neal Cotts (YES!!!!) were optioned to AAA. Aaron Miles went to the DL. The Cubs called up Andres Blanco, Jason Waddell and Jake Fox. Cotts was obviously going to be gone shortly, and it is well past due. He can go walk AAA batters now. Bobby Scales supposedly had caught what Derrek Lee has, and his average had been plummeting. Aaron Miles will not be missed very much. Andres Blanco gives the Cubs a bit of flexibility in the infield, as Ryan Freel would have been the only backup infielder left. He was having a pretty good year at AAA, but not groundbreaking. Jason Waddell was brought up merely to have a lefty around. His ERA and WHIP are a very unimpressive 5.40 and 1.44 respectively. He can't be any worse than what we had, so whatever. Way to forget about getting a good lefthander this offseason, Hendry. But Babe Fox finally gets his chance to shine. He was touting a .423 average, 17 home runs and 50 RBIs in AAA. Now, before we all get too giddy, the Pie and Cedeno also put up gaudy AAA numbers before. Fox doesn't really have a position, and is essentially a right handed Micah Hoffpauir. At this point though, you have to give this guy a chance in the big leagues. Worst case you can showcase him as a piece in a trade later on this year. Best case, maybe he ends up finding a place where he can adequately fill-in defensively and give the Cubs some needed offense. Either way, this call up needed to happen. So we will see how things go with these three. At the very least, we better beat Pittsburgh. Posted in: Neal Cotts, Aaron Miles, Bobby Scales, Jake Fox, Jason Waddell, Andres Blanco, I-Cubs | ||