Former Cub catcher John Baker has recently signed as an operations assistant for the team.
His job description:
In his new role with the organization, Baker will contribute to all
elements within the club’s baseball operations department, including
player development and scouting with an eye towards catching and mental
skills. He will visit the club’s affiliates to work with the minor
league players on and off the field, evaluate amateur players leading up
to the draft, and spend time around the major league club among
additional responsibilities and opportunities.
What caught my eye was "player development" and "catching and mental skills."
Kyle Schwarber still wants to learn to be a major league catcher. In the minors, he caught and he hit extremely well. There are some players who thrive on being "into" the game on defense. (This is why so many National League hitters fail when they move to DH in the American League, i.e. Adam Dunn and Adam LaRoche.)
And if Schwarber can catch, that is a huge upgrade at a position that is league-wide devoid of power hitters. And moving him back to the plate will make the Cubs outfield defense better by putting a natural outfielder in left.
Schwarber is not suited to play a daily left field. The post season showed his fundamental flaws of trying to learn the position on the fly (in a pressure situation). The Cubs need his bat in the line up because he is a contact hitter who is learning to adjust to major league pitchers. You can't use him as the third catcher all season. (I thought that Montero would catch 3 games a week; Ross catch Lester and Schwarber could catch Hendricks, since they did so in the minors.)
So I would not be surprised that Baker becomes Schwarber's catching tutor.
Showing posts with label Baker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baker. Show all posts
December 27, 2015
January 11, 2015
NEW LEVEL OF PRESSURE
Lou Piniella, the veteran of the Bronx Zoo and many stress filled playoff games, never saw it coming. Laid back Dusty Baker was ground up like hamburger meal.
Now, Joe Maddon gets a hint of the Monster that will envelop his life.
CSNChicago reported:
A trip to New York reminded Joe Maddon of the nowhere-to-hide scrutiny that comes with this job. But having no OFF switch must sound ideal to someone who loves the bright lights.
“I’m walking down the street in Times Square to go to this cocktail party,” Maddon said, recalling his visit for the Lafayette-Lehigh college football game at Yankee Stadium in late November.
“There was the restaurant with the big windows. And all of a sudden a bunch of people start pounding on the window, from the inside out, because they’re all Cubs fans, pointing at Cubs stuff. You get a sense or feel of that very fast.”
>>> YOU THINK???
You are as far away from the epicenter of Cub fandom in NYC, and you are accosted by monkeys in a zoo!!
This is pressure you have never even imagined, now that the front office has rolled a pulled-pin grenade down the expectation aisle of the team bus.
Maddon has never had the scrutiny, pressure to win and the rabid fan base that is Cub nation. Maddon had been off the radar screen (doing good work by all accounts) in the literal backwater of baseball, Tampa Bay. How he handles the first failures is going to be the litmus test for his future in Chicago.
Now, Joe Maddon gets a hint of the Monster that will envelop his life.
CSNChicago reported:
A trip to New York reminded Joe Maddon of the nowhere-to-hide scrutiny that comes with this job. But having no OFF switch must sound ideal to someone who loves the bright lights.
“I’m walking down the street in Times Square to go to this cocktail party,” Maddon said, recalling his visit for the Lafayette-Lehigh college football game at Yankee Stadium in late November.
“There was the restaurant with the big windows. And all of a sudden a bunch of people start pounding on the window, from the inside out, because they’re all Cubs fans, pointing at Cubs stuff. You get a sense or feel of that very fast.”
>>> YOU THINK???
You are as far away from the epicenter of Cub fandom in NYC, and you are accosted by monkeys in a zoo!!
This is pressure you have never even imagined, now that the front office has rolled a pulled-pin grenade down the expectation aisle of the team bus.
Maddon has never had the scrutiny, pressure to win and the rabid fan base that is Cub nation. Maddon had been off the radar screen (doing good work by all accounts) in the literal backwater of baseball, Tampa Bay. How he handles the first failures is going to be the litmus test for his future in Chicago.
July 30, 2014
THE LONGEST TIME
Here has been the pattern of Edwin Jackson starts: watch just the first inning. Game over.
Last night, the pattern held true, with the Cubs down 3-1 to the Rockies.
Nothing more to see.
It was just as well.
The Cubs set a few records. It was the longest game in club history at 6 hours 27 minutes. So much for the early morning curfew.
And the first Cub position player, John Baker, got the pitching victory. It had never happened before in club lore, not even by accident. Also, Baker scored the winning run in the 16th inning.
Both the Rockies and the Cubs used up their entire bullpens by the end of the 15th inning. The Rockies, which are as bad as the Cubs, had not scored since the first. Colorado used a starter while Rick Renteria went to Baker, who had not pitched in jest since the Cape Code league.
The Cubs had to grind through more than 6 hours of action in order to get a victory from an Edwin Jackson start. Early in the game, there was some discussion whether Jackson would be demoted to the bullpen or even released. But neither makes any sense since the Cubs really have no starter to replace him.
Jackson has a pattern of giving up runs in the first inning. Lots of runs.
Steve Stone remarked earlier this season that some pitchers do not take enough warm up pitches in their pregame routine. It means that they do not have their arm stretched fully for speed and control. In other words, the first inning and higher pitch count is a result of not being fully warmed up. Then pitchers seem to settle in after the second inning. One could wonder if this is Jackson's problem (since he really did not have it when he was with the White Sox and pitching guru Don Cooper).
If that is the simple solution, it will save an already taxed bullpen, which had reliever Neil Ramirez's arm fatigue go on the 15 day DL (instead of Iowa for "rest" because of player's union objection since a disabled player still gets major league salary and service time).
Last night, the pattern held true, with the Cubs down 3-1 to the Rockies.
Nothing more to see.
It was just as well.
The Cubs set a few records. It was the longest game in club history at 6 hours 27 minutes. So much for the early morning curfew.
And the first Cub position player, John Baker, got the pitching victory. It had never happened before in club lore, not even by accident. Also, Baker scored the winning run in the 16th inning.
Both the Rockies and the Cubs used up their entire bullpens by the end of the 15th inning. The Rockies, which are as bad as the Cubs, had not scored since the first. Colorado used a starter while Rick Renteria went to Baker, who had not pitched in jest since the Cape Code league.
The Cubs had to grind through more than 6 hours of action in order to get a victory from an Edwin Jackson start. Early in the game, there was some discussion whether Jackson would be demoted to the bullpen or even released. But neither makes any sense since the Cubs really have no starter to replace him.
Jackson has a pattern of giving up runs in the first inning. Lots of runs.
Steve Stone remarked earlier this season that some pitchers do not take enough warm up pitches in their pregame routine. It means that they do not have their arm stretched fully for speed and control. In other words, the first inning and higher pitch count is a result of not being fully warmed up. Then pitchers seem to settle in after the second inning. One could wonder if this is Jackson's problem (since he really did not have it when he was with the White Sox and pitching guru Don Cooper).
If that is the simple solution, it will save an already taxed bullpen, which had reliever Neil Ramirez's arm fatigue go on the 15 day DL (instead of Iowa for "rest" because of player's union objection since a disabled player still gets major league salary and service time).
January 31, 2014
OVERVALUE UNDERPERFORM
Last year, the front office continued their blueprint of signing rehabbing or down players to one year deals with the hopes of flipping them for prospects at the trade deadline. Exhibit A was former Twins pitcher Scott Baker, who was recovering from Tommy John surgery, signed for a $5.5 million deal.
Baker spent nearly the entire season in rehab.
Baker gave the Cubs 15 innings pitched in the last weeks of the season. the Cubs paid $366,000 per inning pitched for Baker to get healthy and go back on the free agent market.
Well, Baker did go back into free agency, but he did not land a major league deal.
Baker has already passed his physical, so the Mariners signed Baker to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Baker will earn $1MM if he makes the team and can earn up to $3.25MM more via incentives.
There are a few telling aspects of this story:
1. There is no player loyalty to a team that basically paid him $5.5 million to get healthy.
2. The Cubs apparently did not offer Baker a new contract; or
3. Baker would rather sign a minor league deal for 2014 than to pitch for the Cubs.
Baker spent nearly the entire season in rehab.
Baker gave the Cubs 15 innings pitched in the last weeks of the season. the Cubs paid $366,000 per inning pitched for Baker to get healthy and go back on the free agent market.
Well, Baker did go back into free agency, but he did not land a major league deal.
Baker has already passed his physical, so the Mariners signed Baker to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Baker will earn $1MM if he makes the team and can earn up to $3.25MM more via incentives.
There are a few telling aspects of this story:
1. There is no player loyalty to a team that basically paid him $5.5 million to get healthy.
2. The Cubs apparently did not offer Baker a new contract; or
3. Baker would rather sign a minor league deal for 2014 than to pitch for the Cubs.
September 11, 2013
PATTY CAKE BAKER'S MAN
Scott Baker finally returned to the mound after two seasons. He pitched five scoreless innings for a bad Cubs team mired in the cellar of the NL Central. Baker "earned" approximately $1.4 million for that start.
Baker is not a bad person for taking the Ricketts money. The Cubs were dumb enough to give him $5.5 million to rehab from Tommy John surgery. The front office miscalculated how severe the injury was to Baker since he was never available to be flipped at the trade deadline.
Baker took his millions, rehabbed with the Cubs staff, and now will get 3 more starts before going back into the winter free agent market looking to command even more money.
This seems to be a bust transaction from the Cubs point of view. The gamble on picking up injured players, especially pitchers, and hoping for strong comebacks is a bad business plan. Take another example, Arodys Vizcaino, who has not thrown in the majors since 2011 and who is currently on the 60 day DL with setbacks from his Tommy John surgeries. Vizcaino is only 22, but he has been in the minors since he was 17. There are no guarantees that he will recover fully from his arm troubles.
Baker is not a bad person for taking the Ricketts money. The Cubs were dumb enough to give him $5.5 million to rehab from Tommy John surgery. The front office miscalculated how severe the injury was to Baker since he was never available to be flipped at the trade deadline.
Baker took his millions, rehabbed with the Cubs staff, and now will get 3 more starts before going back into the winter free agent market looking to command even more money.
This seems to be a bust transaction from the Cubs point of view. The gamble on picking up injured players, especially pitchers, and hoping for strong comebacks is a bad business plan. Take another example, Arodys Vizcaino, who has not thrown in the majors since 2011 and who is currently on the 60 day DL with setbacks from his Tommy John surgeries. Vizcaino is only 22, but he has been in the minors since he was 17. There are no guarantees that he will recover fully from his arm troubles.
November 13, 2012
NEW BAKER MAN
The Cubs have gone back to scrap heap of injured pitchers to try to find lightning in a bottle.
The Cubs signed Scott Baker to a one-year contract. Baker sat out all of the 2012 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Before 2012, he spent time with the Minnesota Twins.
Baker, 31, has career numbers over 7 years of 63 wins, 48 losses, 4.15 ERA in 159 starts. He has a career 1.264 WHIP and 3.44 K/BB ratio.
His best season was 2009, when he went 15-9, 4.37 ERA in 200 IP.
In 2012, on the DL, he made $6.5 million.
Twins fans believed that it was a foregone conclusion that the Twins would decline Baker's contract option, but quickly re-sign him to a new contract. The Twins are in need of pitching, and have a known quantity with Baker. The only way Baker would leave the Twins, fans thought, was if he was offered a 2 or 3 year contract elsewhere. Apparently, the Twins front office decided not to match Baker's 1 year offer from the Cubs, which may not raise a red flag, but put it on the rope of the flag pole.
Baker is automatically penciled in to take Volstad's slot in the rotation. A rotation that is still in the state of flux. Matt Garza is the default number one, pending recovery from injury. Jeff Samardzija is slated as the number two starter. Travis Wood is the only lefty with experience so he moves up to the number three starter. Baker becomes your default number four pitcher, pending recovery from injury. And the Cubs are praying that Adrodys Vizcaino can recover from his injury to join the rotation sooner than later. So the Cubs have 3 of their 5 starting pitchers (60%) coming back from significant injuries. That appears to be the new team pitching standard.
Baker is the second Twin pitcher taken by the Cubs. Earlier, the Cubs claimed injured AAA reliever Carlos Gutierrez.
The Cubs signed Scott Baker to a one-year contract. Baker sat out all of the 2012 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Before 2012, he spent time with the Minnesota Twins.
Baker, 31, has career numbers over 7 years of 63 wins, 48 losses, 4.15 ERA in 159 starts. He has a career 1.264 WHIP and 3.44 K/BB ratio.
His best season was 2009, when he went 15-9, 4.37 ERA in 200 IP.
In 2012, on the DL, he made $6.5 million.
Twins fans believed that it was a foregone conclusion that the Twins would decline Baker's contract option, but quickly re-sign him to a new contract. The Twins are in need of pitching, and have a known quantity with Baker. The only way Baker would leave the Twins, fans thought, was if he was offered a 2 or 3 year contract elsewhere. Apparently, the Twins front office decided not to match Baker's 1 year offer from the Cubs, which may not raise a red flag, but put it on the rope of the flag pole.
Baker is automatically penciled in to take Volstad's slot in the rotation. A rotation that is still in the state of flux. Matt Garza is the default number one, pending recovery from injury. Jeff Samardzija is slated as the number two starter. Travis Wood is the only lefty with experience so he moves up to the number three starter. Baker becomes your default number four pitcher, pending recovery from injury. And the Cubs are praying that Adrodys Vizcaino can recover from his injury to join the rotation sooner than later. So the Cubs have 3 of their 5 starting pitchers (60%) coming back from significant injuries. That appears to be the new team pitching standard.
Baker is the second Twin pitcher taken by the Cubs. Earlier, the Cubs claimed injured AAA reliever Carlos Gutierrez.
May 5, 2012
WHOSE ON THIRD?
There is a sudden demand for major league third basemen. ESPN's Jason Stark reports that the Rays and the Giants are looking for third basemen to replace injured stars Evan Longoria and Pablo Sandoval. Stark states that he believes the Rays are looking for more of a utility player they can use after Longoria returns. Also, the Phillies are in the market to replace Placido Polanco, who is at the end of his career.
A few names in the discount trade bin are Baltimore's Mark Reynolds, a power hitting strike out machine, and Minnesota's Danny Valencia.
This early in the season, teams with major injuries are not necessarily looking to permanently replace their fallen stars, but pick up salvageable journeymen who can plug the gap until the return of the regular.
Again, this type of news should have the Cubs GM Hoyer on the horn to make deals for prospects or other major leaguers to fill the holes in the current North Side roster.
Example, who would have thought that ex-Cardinal Joe Mather would have more HRs than ex-Cardinal Albert Pujols? Mather's stock is peaking right now. He can play LF, RF, 3B and 1B. But on most teams, including the Cubs, he is the 4th outfielder. Mather would be a good bargaining chip in a trade right now, especially to the Rays who are looking for a multi-positional player in return.
Blake DeWitt also fills that utility role. He can play third, second and outfield. And he is a left handed bat.
Jeff Baker is the same type player, only he bats from the right side. Ian Stewart has been a disappointment at third for the Cubs. He lacks the power and average that was promised when the Cubs got him from the Rockies. Stewart is not the Cubs long term answer at third. The Cubs have a roster loaded with utility journeymen candidates. Since the Cubs are going no where but hovering around the cellar this season, there is no reason to hang on to these players who are not important foundational pieces in the rebuilding for 2014.
A few names in the discount trade bin are Baltimore's Mark Reynolds, a power hitting strike out machine, and Minnesota's Danny Valencia.
This early in the season, teams with major injuries are not necessarily looking to permanently replace their fallen stars, but pick up salvageable journeymen who can plug the gap until the return of the regular.
Again, this type of news should have the Cubs GM Hoyer on the horn to make deals for prospects or other major leaguers to fill the holes in the current North Side roster.
Example, who would have thought that ex-Cardinal Joe Mather would have more HRs than ex-Cardinal Albert Pujols? Mather's stock is peaking right now. He can play LF, RF, 3B and 1B. But on most teams, including the Cubs, he is the 4th outfielder. Mather would be a good bargaining chip in a trade right now, especially to the Rays who are looking for a multi-positional player in return.
Blake DeWitt also fills that utility role. He can play third, second and outfield. And he is a left handed bat.
Jeff Baker is the same type player, only he bats from the right side. Ian Stewart has been a disappointment at third for the Cubs. He lacks the power and average that was promised when the Cubs got him from the Rockies. Stewart is not the Cubs long term answer at third. The Cubs have a roster loaded with utility journeymen candidates. Since the Cubs are going no where but hovering around the cellar this season, there is no reason to hang on to these players who are not important foundational pieces in the rebuilding for 2014.
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