Cubs sign Alex Cintron (Could be a foreshadow to trade for Brian Roberts)

[bobskube]

According to MLBtraderumors.com...

 

Cubs Sign Alex Cintron

Minor signing this morning, as the Cubs inked shortstop Alex Cintron to a minor league deal according to ESPN 1000 Radio's Bruce Levine. Does this have implications for Ronny Cedeno, who's been a rumored piece in the Brian Roberts discussions? And since Cintron had been on Baltimore's radar, will they now focus on Juan Uribe?

Cintron, 29, hit .243/.281/.324 for the White Sox in 185 ABs last year. He dealt with bone spurs in his elbow, a bruised thumb, and time spent on the bereavement list for his grandfather.

[ryne100]

I think this is more because Cedeno can't hit at all. I almost hope they do trade for Roberts and get rid of pitching, they shouldn't have too many problems scoring runs with the top of that order.

[JohnBriggs12]

I heard the name of Reggie Willits mentioned as on Cub radar this weekend. Now it would make more sense for them to add Cintron if they were getting an OF in return for Cedeno rather than another middle infielder. And a Cedeno for Willits trade makes some sense for both teams.

 

Willits could be the leadoff guy they crave and play CF instead of Pie.

 

ryne100, I think your statement "Cedeno can't hit at all" is off base. He's hit a ton in AAA, including .359/.422/.537 in 07. He's pressed in the big leagues but he's only 25. I think he could still end up as a major league starter.

[TooLiveBrew]

No way they go after Willits ahead of Pie unless there's been a sudden strategical change & Pie is involved to land Roberts.

 

I'm not sure if we can tell that this means/doesn't mean anything about a trade for Roberts. Isn't it just as likely that they inked Cintron in lieu of Roberts? Honest question.

[JohnBriggs12]

No way they go after Willits ahead of Pie unless there's been a sudden strategical change & Pie is involved to land Roberts.

 

I'm not sure if we can tell that this means/doesn't mean anything about a trade for Roberts. Isn't it just as likely that they inked Cintron in lieu of Roberts? Honest question.

Why would they not go after Willits because they have Pie? They want Roberts not because they need a 2B, but because they want a leadoff hitter. Willits had a .391 OBP last year in Anaheim. He profiles as an ideal leadoff hitter. Pie on the other hand, didn't hit a lick in the majors last year and won't leadoff even if he's the starter in CF.

[Ennder]

Pie was horrible this winter too, they can't be happy not having a viable full time backup for him.

[TooLiveBrew]

Pie on the other hand, didn't hit a lick in the majors last year and won't leadoff even if he's the starter in CF.

 

I get that he isn't a leadoff hitter. He's just a much better option than Willits for CF imho. If they aren't willing to part with him to land Roberts, doesn't that say something about their opinion of & commitment to him? And I'll take his nearly 2200 minor-league AB (.826 OPS) as a much better indicator any day over 177 AB in a part-time role from last year.

 

 

Pie was horrible this winter too, they can't be happy not having a viable full time backup for him.

That I did not know. How many AB are we talking about, though? I think that between Murton & Fukudome's ability to play CF, there's plenty of support for Felix.

[bobskube]

I will keep you posted, but I did just talked with someone I know who was John McDonough's (Cubs former VP) assistant who is still there and he told me that both the Willits and Roberts deals are hot right now and would be surprised if one of them is not done by the end of the week.

 

Names he told me the Cubs are willing to trade are Cedeno, Theriot, Gallagher, Fontenot, Marquis, Dempster, or maybe even Pie. Cubs AA former first round pick Tyler Colvin could be in a package as well.

 

I apologize for being a Brewer fan who knows someone in Cub hierarchy, by the way. Living in Chicago makes it tough to know any Brewer contacts.

[TooLiveBrew]

Hey - any insider news is great! Thanks a bunch.

 

 

Names he told me the Cubs are willing to trade are Cedeno, Theriot, Gallagher, Fontenot, Marquis, Dempster, or maybe even Pie.

If you were LAA or BAL, what would you want from that relative scrap-heap? Pie is the only guy there that'd interest me, aside from maybe Gallagher. Willits has great value for LAA's lineup, and I don't know how much they'd improve by dumping their best OBP guy for a middling SP or fringe SP prospect. In reverse, I see Pie as way to steep a price for a CF that gets on base well, but has zero power... and Pie will be better than Willits in not too long imho.

[bobskube]

I think it is a scrap heap as well for the most part. The only ones with tangible value are Pie, Gallagher, and even Cedeno. (You cannot overlook AAA production like his.) Maybe Colvin too.

 

However, for some reason, teams see value both in Dumpster and Marquis. I, however, do not understand why.

[Ennder]

Pie: 39/161, 9 2b, 2 3b, 2 HR, 12 BB, .242/.303/.360

 

Those are his winter league stats. I don't think they will give up on Pie but I do expect them to be worried about him. Soriano and Fukudome can play CF but I don't think they want either of them to be doing it full time.

 

Willits won't really get very much playtime in LAA. Vlad, Anderson, Hunter, Rivera, Mathews, maybe some AB's by Figgins. They also have other DH types. There just isn't extra room even though he probably should play over some of those guys.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't know, as long as there aren't any concerns about Pie's swing itself, I just can't bring myself to value ~ 300 AB over the ~ 2200 from his minor league play. Especially when you add in that he was young for every stop except AAA in 2007 as a 22-y-o... but then again, not many are repeating AAA at 22 as Pie did last year.

 

He's hit more than impressively in his career save this past winter ball & some spotty MLB AB from 2007. Wouldn't a club be foolish to weigh his recent struggles heavier than a much longer track record?

 

Willits won't really get very much playtime in LAA. Vlad, Anderson, Hunter, Rivera, Mathews, maybe some AB's by Figgins. They also have other DH types. There just isn't extra room even though he probably should play over some of those guys.

Ah yes, I'd forgotten the acquisition of Hunter. Willits would be a nice job of selling high for LAA, but that should only decrease the chance they'd take anyone off the Cubs scrap-heap. Maybe Gallagher?

[Ennder]

The difference between Pie struggling through a year and getting a legit backup and playing Pie part time could easily be the difference between 1st and 2nd place though. When you look at the Brewers/Cubs and identify potential holes CF really stands out for the Cubs. Pie will probably be fine but if he stinks it up I'm sure they would like to have another viable option to take some of that playtime.

 

Lots of minor league players take a season or two to really get it at the major league level and so far Pie has had enough struggles to suggest he could be one of them. I wouldn't go out and sign some stud CF to replace him, but adding a little CF depth to the organization would still be a smart move.

[TooLiveBrew]

The difference between Pie struggling through a year and getting a legit backup and playing Pie part time could easily be the difference between 1st and 2nd place though.

 

This is very true.

 

I wouldn't go out and sign some stud CF to replace him, but adding a little CF depth to the organization would still be a smart move.

Agreed - actually, adding Willits probably makes more sense than adding Roberts. Lower price to acquire, helps at a position of need, and provides similar (if not better) OBP. A split CF of Willits/Pie would really concern me as a Brewers fan.

 

The lack of a solid SS is, I think, obviously the Cubs' biggest weakness in terms of position-players. Roberts would not help there, and landing him would basically take players the Cubs have said they don't want to deal. Does LAA do a Gallagher for Willits swap? I'm not sure how much better the Angels could/couldn't do, but Gallagher's no real prize.

[Tbadder]

Willits would be a huge upgrade and maybe even doom the Crew. Willits is exactly the guy the Brwers should have obtained.

[endaround]

I'd much rather have Cameron than Willits. And I see no way Willits keeps up his OBP and has an ISP of under 60

[TooLiveBrew]

Agreed on Cameron over Willits.

 

Willits, though, maintained a .397 OBP throughout minor-league play (1500 + AB) with a .397 SLG. Isn't that any indication that he can continue to post .375-ish OBP rates, even with putrid power?

[JohnBriggs12]

I would take Willits over Cameron. Key to Brewer offense is getting guys on in front of Braun, Fielder and Hart. Cameron isn't any better in that regard than most of what they already had. I don't think the Brewers really had available the guys that intereseted the Angels.

 

As for the Cubs, they do have Sam Fuld as alernative to Pie. Fuld was very good in Arizona Fall League. But the Cubs are all about winning now and they prefer taking no chances on guys who haven't produced on the big league level (Fukudome notwithstanding).

[TooLiveBrew]

Interesting on Fuld... lower-ceiling, perhaps more ready now than Pie. Not someone I'd sell Pie away because of, though.

[endaround]

Not really. Major league pitchers have much better control. At this point they have no reason to avoid the strike zone with him.

[LUKE232323]

I would take Willits over Cameron. Key to Brewer offense is getting guys on in front of Braun, Fielder and Hart. Cameron isn't any better in that regard than most of what they already had. I don't think the Brewers really had available the guys that intereseted the Angels.

 

As for the Cubs, they do have Sam Fuld as alernative to Pie. Fuld was very good in Arizona Fall League. But the Cubs are all about winning now and they prefer taking no chances on guys who haven't produced on the big league level (Fukudome notwithstanding).

Cameron has a career .341 OBP, which isn't elite by any means, but is still pretty solid for a guy who should raise his numbers somewhat playing in Miller Park over Petco.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Plus, Cam hits for power... something Willits never has & never will do.