Cubs acquire Ryan Freel from Orioles

[WisconsinSportsRule]

For Joey Gathright.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/05/08/freel.trade.ap/index.html

[craigharmann]

That was quick. Didn't they trade for Gathright in the offseason? And wasn't Freel just an up and comer a few years ago with the Reds? And now the Orioles don't even want him? Huh.

[ecjimg]

Wow, I wonder if they will play Pie and Gathright in the same feared lineup!

[trwi7]

Wow, I wonder if they will play Pie and Gathright in the same feared lineup!

 

They sent Gathright down to the minors immediately after acquiring him.

[Diskono]

As if I needed another reason to hate Ryan Freel! Whats next, Cubs trade for David Eckstein?

[hawing]

My first thought upon hearing about this deal on the radio: "Ryan Freel, Brewer Killer?" I'd like to be wrong, but that phrase sounds distressingly plausible.

[yount19.u]

My first thought upon hearing about this deal on the radio: "Ryan Freel, Brewer Killer?" I'd like to be wrong, but that phrase sounds distressingly plausible.

No kidding. Before I opened this thread I had a terrible vision of Freel with a lead off triple that leads to him scoring the winning run against The Crew. I guarantee he'll do very little against the rest of the League. Do the Cubs make these moves strictly to annoy us? I hate them so bad.

[SeriesFinale]

Prescient move given that it looks like A-Ram will be missing some time

[hawing]

Maybe they knew A-Ram would go down?

 

To be fair to the Cubs, yount19 (and yeah, even I can scrounge up a way to be fair to the Cubs), I think every team that has a Brewer Killer acquires them strictly to annoy us. Of course, a Cubs multiplier applies to every emotion connected to baseball.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Turned out to be good timing for the Cubs with Ramirez going down. Bad thing is that Freel seems to be a Brewer killer.

[brains and braun]

I can't believe the Joey Gathright experiment didn't pan out.

[Thurston Fluff]

Isn't Freel just another poor man's version of DeRosa like Miles was? Why did they get rid of Derosa if all their subsequent moves are to replace him?

[TooLiveBrew]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw this thread, Buc. The Cubs' offseason still makes zero sense to me.

[Fear The Chorizo]

The GM of a team with a 140 million dollar payroll should be jailed if the manager has to run out 2-3 everyday players the caliber of Miles, Freel, Fontenot, and Theriot everyday, injuries or not.

 

Apparently the Cubs needed lefthanded hitting so bad that getting rid of their glue guy (DeRosa) was necessary - The Cubs have major bench, bullpen, and starting pitching depth issues with their roster, issues that large market teams rarely have to deal with. It doesn't help that their Minor league system is close to a wasteland, too.

[twobrewers]

Gathright is pretty worthless.

 

Given the Brewer's bench struggles - I would have liked to get in on the Ryan Freel sweepstakes. He plays 2B, 3B and every outfield position with a career .357 OBP.

[ILuvDaBush]

How is he different than Counsell?? Outside of playing the outfield, which is not something we immediately need. My question then devolves to, "Should the Fukudome worry about this or should the Fontz?"

[twobrewers]

How is he different than Counsell??

I'd kill to have another Counsell off of the bench rather than Duffy, McGahee or Nelson.

[joepepsi]

This must be the 100th trade MacPhail has made with the Cubs since taking over the Orioles.

 

The acquired Freel for Ramon Hernandez who they wanted to dump because Wieters would be joining the club this year as soon as he would no longer be eligible as a Super Two arby guy. Freel would platoon in LF with Luke Scott.

 

Then they signed Wigginton who would also see time in LF. Meanwhile journeyman minor league Luis Montanez had a fantastic Spring, with LF really being his only position. Also, Nolan Reimold, a 25 year old slugging LF'er appears to have returned to prospect status after a good year last year, a strong Spring, and a great season so far at AAA. I suppose he's their version of Brad Nelson.

 

Finally, late in Spring they acquired Felix Pie. That doesn't make any sense, since they already have a good young CF'er in Adam Jones. Besdies Pie was out of options and going to be cut by the Cubs before Opening Day anyway. MacPhail announces to the world that Pie will be the everyday LF'er, even though he's never played there.

 

In Spring Freel started playing a bit at 2B, SS, and 3B, looking like he might be their Craig Counsell. But right before Opening Day they trade out of options, but talented Hayden Penn to the Marlins for an out of options worthless ss, soandso Andino. In order to justify the trade they have to keep Andino on the roster.

 

So, by Opening Day Freel had nowhere to play. He expressed disappointment that he wasn't getting much playing time. then he got injured and went on the 15 day DL. Then the Orioles spin machine began their bad mouthing campaign of Freel. This is typical of the organization as they ramp up to trade a player. Ramon Hernandez had a bad attitude so he had to be traded. Freel, who had a great rep in Cincy as a hard nose, good clubhouse guy, was suddenly a clubhouse cancer.

 

So now they are without Ramon and Freel, though still obligated to pay Freel's $3+ million contract. In the meantime they signed Greg Zaun to replace Ramon and are paying him a few million. And all they have to show for trading Ramon, who probably would have been worth at least a 2nd round supplemental pick at the end of the year, is Joey freaking Gathright. Look for Gathright to be released at the end of the year.

 

This is why the Orioles are a pathetic organization.