MLB Offseason Thread

[Arrian]

Sori can hit the ball very hard, but he's coming off his career year and remains OBP challenged... which is the Cub's main offensive weakness. Another team, with a pretty good lineup OBP-wise, could stick the high-slugging Sori in there and benifit. But the Cubs don't get on base. Sori doesn't get on base much.

I don't see this as helping them overmuch.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well his lower OBP isn't as much an issue if they stick him at the #3 or #5 (bracketing Lee), since he has always had a high SLG (better suited for a #5 than a #3, but wouldn't be too bad before Lee). But if they want to make him a leadoff hitter, then that'd be a complete mistake.

[Stuie]

OH! Look who won the National League MVP!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2669508

[Imran Siddiqui]

[Stuie]

Yes - it's Ryan Howard. Go figure!!

Edit: Actual numbers:

Howard received 20 first-place votes and 12 seconds for 388 points in balloting by a panel of the Baseball Writers' Association of American. Pujols got 12 firsts, 19 seconds and one third for 347 points.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oh well, the MVP voting has had some wrong picks throughout the years (though I'm NOT claiming this is like 1941 where Ted Williams got jobbed, just a minor jobbing here ).

[rah]

Sori's OBA last year was .351 (granted one of his highest seasons)
That's higher than most lead off men the cubs have had.
Yeah but another strike out king, as if the cubs needed another one. BUT, I'll still take him.

[Imran Siddiqui]

But will you when he's 38, making $17 mil a year, and a shell of his prime years?

[Arrian]

What's his three-year average OBP (2003-2006)? One great year can easily be an outlier.

Answer: .329. Career .325. Yet one year, clearly his best, he musters up a .351 and all of a sudden he's figured it out? I'm more than a bit skeptical.

I'm not saying Sori isn't a good hitter. He is, overall, but OBP is not his strength. As a team, the Cubs' great weakness is OBP. Right up there as another big weakness is power, though, and Sori has plenty of power.

He will make the Cubs better. I just don't think he's gonna make them much better. That team needs serious help - probably more than a FA signing or two can bring them.

...

NL MVP: I still think that Pujols was the better choice, but Howard did have a fantastic year. There have been far worse choices. It shoulda been Pujols, though.

-Arrian

[rah]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
But will you when he's 38, making $17 mil a year, and a shell of his prime years?

Yeah, I think the same thing. (38 is better than 42) but on the other hand. That may be what an average free agent will command 8 years from now. hahahahahah

Yes, I know his career oba is lower, but at least it shows that it's possible.

I'm not a big fan of basing everything off of a career year, but lately that's what pay is being based on.

At least if he's batting at the top of the order, the strikeouts won't see as bad.

[Arrian]

The Cubs need some people to get on base for Sori to knock in. They also need some decent hitters behind him to knock him in. Besides Ramirez... who do they have? The reanimated corpse of Tony Womack?

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think its a mistake to waste Soriano's power by batting him at the top of the lineup. Put him at #5 behind Lee or #3 before Lee. Find someone else to lead off. Perhaps find someone with high (or semi-high) OBPs who is cheaper due to lack of power (or percieved lack of power). Easier said than done, I know.

[rah]

Yeah, agreed, but someone has to be at the top.
I liked the kid that was playing second.........

Too bad the cubs fired mathew's ole man.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Does Matt Murton have any speed? With a .365 OBP, he could be a good fit at leadoff if he isn't uber-slow.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Actually, I just saw his career minor league & majors stats:

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/murton-matt.htm

He's always had really good OBP numbers where ever he's been (aside from 79 ABs in the Cubs Single A team). And the scouting report says he has speed.

He also seems to have above average range factor in LF. I think the Cubs should not only keep the kid, but bat him leadoff. Though I don't know where you'd put him.