Cubs Acquire Craig Monroe

Gordon Bombay · Post #1 » by **Gordon Bombay** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:50 pm

no real details that i know of but they just mentioned it on the indians/tigers game

i dont know what we're planning on doing with him......we already have about 7 capable outfielders

jones
murton
pie
floyd
ward
fox
derosa

and now apparently you can add monroe to that list

treyZz · Post #2 » by **treyZz** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:59 pm

Post #3 » by **GYBE** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:01 pm

Well, he can hit for power.

A.J. · Post #4 » by **A.J.** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:04 pm

I Am A Witness wrote:no real details that i know of but they just mentioned it on the indians/tigers game

i dont know what we're planning on doing with him......we already have about 7 capable outfielders

jones
murton
pie
floyd
ward
fox
derosa

and now apparently you can add monroe to that list

i thought derosa was an infielder

2poor · Post #5 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:05 pm

I'm really not surprised. The moment I heard he was DFA I saw the Cubs nabbing him.

He could be alright...off the bench. At least he's got some pop in his bat anyways. He was just having a miserable year.

2poor · Post #6 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:06 pm

ChicagoSports.com wrote:The Cubs added outfielder Craig Monroe from the Tigers on Thursday for a player to be named. Detroit will also help pay Monroe's salary.

He is expected to join the team when they start a series in Phoenix against the Diamondbacks.

Monroe is hitting .302 in 96 at-bats this year with five home runs and eight doubles. He is a career .258 hitter.

During the Tigers' run to the World Series in 2006, Monroe set career highs with 28 homers, 35 doubnles and 92 runs batted in in 147 games.

link

2poor · Post #7 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:08 pm

Those season stats they list are way off though.

2007:

AVG .222 | HR 11 | RBI 55 | OBP .264 | SLG .373

(99 games, 343 ABs)

Post #8 » by **GYBE** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:11 pm

.264 OBP...my God.

I hope he's strictly used off the bench when we need a homer.

2poor · Post #9 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:11 pm

On second-look, I'm assuming those stats they list for this year are his stats against left-handed pitching.

#1TKfan · Post #10 » by **#1TKfan** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:13 pm

dont know anything about the guy so i dont have an opinion about the acquisition.
but an extra pop in the bench cant hurt.

mattbulls · Post #11 » by **mattbulls** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:39 pm

Can't hurt he's better than Fox.

Howling Mad · Post #12 » by **Howling Mad** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:41 pm

This guy can hit LHP.

In 07 Craig Monroe is batting .302 against LHP with 96 ABs
against RHP he is .190 with 247 ABs.

He has 5 of his 11 homers batting against LHP along with 22 of his 55RBIs have come against LHP.

Remember hes only had 96 ABs against LHP vs. 247 ABs against RHP.

Not a bad part time guy for platooning against LHP.

meatball sub · Post #13 » by **meatball sub** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:56 pm

Does the Cubs organization just hate Felix Pie or something? They need to just let him play thru his struggles instead of aquiring more people to put in front of him in the OF. I know he's sucked this yr (he's on my dynasty league team) but he's supposed to be part of my future and the guy can't do anything in the minros to prove himself anymore.

The guy is extremely talented and if the Cubs just told him that he's the starting CF and he didn't have to worry about being benched all the time he'd probably play alot better.

Do any of you think Felix should just be given the job? He's not a defensive burden so I don't see the problem with playing him day in and day out. He's done all that he can in AAA all he needs is to adjust and he'll be fine.

treyZz · Post #14 » by **treyZz** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:02 pm

bove310 wrote:Does the Cubs organization just hate Felix Pie or something? They need to just let him play thru his struggles instead of aquiring more people to put in front of him in the OF. I know he's sucked this yr (he's on my dynasty league team) but he's supposed to be part of my future and the guy can't do anything in the minros to prove himself anymore.

The guy is extremely talented and if the Cubs just told him that he's the starting CF and he didn't have to worry about being benched all the time he'd probably play alot better.

Do any of you think Felix should just be given the job? He's not a defensive burden so I don't see the problem with playing him day in and day out. He's done all that he can in AAA all he needs is to adjust and he'll be fine.

90% of Cubs fans believe Pie should be playing everyday.

It's a **** joke how they have handled his rookie season.

FRKMSTR · Post #15 » by **FRKMSTR** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:03 pm

I disagree only because we are in a pennant race. You are right if we were out of it and no chance to make the playoffs, give him the CF job and see what he can do.

But with Soriano hurt and the offense sometimes struggling, there is no way right now we can have an automatic out in the lineup. We have to try and put the best lineup out there and Pie is not one of them right now.

mattbulls · Post #16 » by **mattbulls** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:12 pm

Craig Monroe=Right Handed
Felix Pie=Left Handed

This move has nothing to do with Pie.

2poor · Post #17 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:13 pm

I don't really want to get into a raging Pie debate, but treyzZz is right: more Cubs fans than not believe Pie should be playing everyday in CF. I've seen polls on Cubs.com and ChicagoSports.com (among others) posing the question and Pie wins each one in a landslide.

He needs ABs to get comfortable. It really makes no sense because Lou gives JJ the kind of leeway that Pie should be getting (regarding slumps), and conversely Pie is getting the kind of leeway JJ should be getting (bench his ass).

It makes no sense and I'm trying to put it out of my head.

2poor · Post #18 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:15 pm

mattbulls wrote:Craig Monroe=Right Handed
Felix Pie=Left Handed

This move has nothing to do with Pie.

..and

Monroe = corner OF
Pie = CF

All the Monroe move will inevitably do is reduce the amount of LHB we have playing in the OF on days when a LHP is on the mound.

meatball sub · Post #19 » by **meatball sub** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:21 pm

I agree that being in a pennant race is the reason that he is seeing nothing but pinch running appearences but Mark Derosa and Darryl Ward playing over Pie IMO sends the wrong message to him. Ward shouldn't be anything but a pinch hitter nowadays.

LF: Derosa (until Soriano comes back)
CF: Pie
RF: Jacque Jones

Derek Lee and Aramis need to do what they're paid to do and carry the offense in Soriano's absence so that Lou doesn't think he has to bench his top prospect for Darryl Ward for more offense. If Pie's the Cub's top prospect he should be handled like a top prospect, not as if he's a guy called up just to fill a roster spot.

2poor · Post #20 » by **2poor** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:26 pm

Assuming Soriano is healthy:

vs. RHP

LF: Soriano
CF: Pie
RF: Floyd/Jones/Murton/Monroe (in that order)

vs. LHP

LF: Soriano
CF: Pie
RF: Murton/Monroe/Floyd/Jones (in that order)

Ward should be no more than our premier PH and possibly a late-inning replacement or some such.