Jose Reyes: Why the Chicago Cubs Should Be Bidders This Winter

[poodski]

Jose Reyes: Why the Chicago Cubs Should Be Bidders This Winter | Bleacher Report

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is the hottest item on the trade market this season, and the prevailing sentiment seems to be that he will be dealt to one or another contender before the trade deadline.

Wherever he may go, though, or even if he remains with the Mets all season, Reyes figures to test the free-agent market this winter and should find a rich reward for that freedom. He currently leads the National League in batting average, has remained healthy and may be emerging as an elite offensive player as well as an above-average defender at the most important position on the diamond.

The Chicago Cubs are, at first glance, a counterintuitive candidate for Reyes' services. Their current cornerstone, and arguably their sole consolation in a lost season, is young and athletic shortstop Starlin Castro. Their glaring prospective hole for 2012 is at first base, where each of the winter's other big free agents (Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols) make more sense for the Cubs on the surface.

Yet, something is not quite right. Both titanic sluggers present risk: Fielder has a bad body and is a poor fielder, while Pujols (regardless of his dubious age) has had a middling season to this point and will now miss substantial time with a wrist fracture.

Moreover, each man has earning potential some $50 million higher than that of Reyes. The Cubs could go the easy route and sign one of the two lumbering veterans, but doing so would mean sinking a colossal amount of money in uncertain future commodities.

It would also mean an inevitable gamble on Castro as a future superstar. That is not necessarily a sucker's bet, but consider: In characterizing Castro above, honesty compelled me to mitigate my adjective praise. It would be a lie to call Castro a slugging shortstop, a speedy shortstop or a slick-fielding shortstop.

Many believe he will one day meet two of those criteria, but for now, we can say only this: Castro is a shortstop who has proved able to hit for average and whose athletic tools promise above-average defense in the long term. He lacks plate discipline and power right now, and continues to make too many mistakes afield to reach his potential.

Signing Reyes would allow the Cubs to move Castro to either second base or center field. At second, he would retain solid positional value but might feel much less pressure to rush plays. At shortstop, he has hurried throws on plays in the hole and fumbled slow grounders against quick runners, leading to excessive errors. Slowing the game down may be easier for him at the keystone sack.

In center field, the positional value might be much less, but the raw defensive value would be much higher. Castro has enough speed to cover Wrigley Field's very small center field pasture and such terrific instincts on balls in the air that he might well become an elite ball hawk.

In either case, Reyes and Castro on the same diamond would be as dazzling for Cubs fans as it would be daunting for opponents. Both provide great defense in that scenario. Both are explosive players. For the first time since perhaps 2001, the Cubs would be playing a timeless, aesthetically pleasing brand of baseball. With Brett Jackson ready to take over center or right field, they would have no fewer than three top-shelf talents under 30 years old with the ability to energize the game.

The Fielder and Pujols routes are safer, and possibly smarter. Reyes' injury history is not to be ignored, although Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth nimbly proved the relative insignificance of those issues after strong walk-year performances for free agents.

The good bet is that the Cubs go the traditional, conservative route and sign one of the available sluggers this winter. But then, tradition and conservatism have not served the franchise well over the past 100-plus years.

 

[tbo41fan]

Castro in CF doesnt work for me...lol


Castro at 2B and Reyes at SS would be cool, but honestly, do I see Ricketts spending big money on Reyes AND a 1B (Pujols/Fielder)? No I dont...

 

[dabynsky]

I would love to have Reyes, but I think it is a lot less likely that he hits the market than Fielder or Pujols. Also I have been saying this for a while, but I think a move to second magnifies Castro's defensive weaknesses (footwork, arm accuracy) and minimizes his defensive strengths (range, arm strength).

 

[poodski]

Yeah Castro in CF is terrible.

I will say though (before Dewey comes in here and cries that we won't do it) a top of the lineup of Reyes, Castro, Fielder would pretty much be the tits (it won't happen though).

 

[tbo41fan]

Yeah Castro in CF is terrible.

I will say though (before Dewey comes in here and cries that we won't do it) a top of the lineup of Reyes, Castro, Fielder would pretty much be the tits (it won't happen though).

Yea....I dont have the confidence in Ricketts to get that done, but it would be sweet

 

[dabynsky]

Yeah Castro in CF is terrible.

I will say though (before Dewey comes in here and cries that we won't do it) a top of the lineup of Reyes, Castro, Fielder would pretty much be the tits (it won't happen though).

I would be happy with having just one of those two guys, but if we are talking about dream lineups why not just get Reyes, Fielder, and Pujols. Plug Pujols in at 3rd, Reyes at SS, Castro at 2B, and Fielder at 1B. Who cares about defense with those first four hitters.

 

[poodski]

I would be happy with having just one of those two guys, but if we are talking about dream lineups why not just get Reyes, Fielder, and Pujols. Plug Pujols in at 3rd, Reyes at SS, Castro at 2B, and Fielder at 1B. Who cares about defense with those first four hitters.

That would be pretty baller. If somehow you could get out from under Soriano just go and get Fuld back and let Jackson play CF and get another defensive stud in RF.

Damn that would be amazing...... and expensive.

 

[tbo41fan]

Hypothetical situation...


Would you guys be ok if we signed Reyes, then just resigned Pena for 1B?

 

[dabynsky]

That would be pretty baller. If somehow you could get out from under Soriano just go and get Fuld back and let Jackson play CF and get another defensive stud in RF.

Damn that would be amazing...... and expensive.

Why bother getting Fuld back? I would be happy with the lineup of Reyes, Castro, Fielder, Pujols, Byrd, Soriano, Soto, Jackson. You could bring back Doug Davis and have a shot with that lineup.

 

[dabynsky]

Hypothetical situation...


Would you guys be ok if we signed Reyes, then just resigned Pena for 1B?

Depends on the money in all honesty. If Reyes was willing to take a deal in the 4-5 year range as opposed to the 8 years that Fielder wants, and Pena is okay coming back on a 2 year deal then I am not sure this isn't a bad way to go. The difference between Barney and Reyes is way more than the difference between Pena and Fielder (more has to do with the value of Barney than the value of Reyes).

 

[tbo41fan]

Depends on the money in all honesty. If Reyes was willing to take a deal in the 4-5 year range as opposed to the 8 years that Fielder wants, and Pena is okay coming back on a 2 year deal then I am not sure this isn't a bad way to go. The difference between Barney and Reyes is way more than the difference between Pena and Fielder (more has to do with the value of Barney than the value of Reyes).

Thats exactly what i was thinking when i asked the question...

 

[dabynsky]

Thats exactly what i was thinking when i asked the question...

The question is what Reyes are you getting. This Reyes is pretty special, but he has only shown up, what, three years in his career.

 

[tbo41fan]

The question is what Reyes are you getting. This Reyes is pretty special, but he has only shown up, what, three years in his career.

exactly...which is why the 1B route is safer...Pujols and Fielder have consistently produced

 

[dabynsky]

exactly...which is why the 1B route is safer...Pujols and Fielder have consistently produced

And it didn't work out so great for the Cubs the last time they got a big name but oft-injuried SS...

 

[tbo41fan]

And it didn't work out so great for the Cubs the last time they got a big name but oft-injuried SS...

You speak of the great Nomar?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[dabynsky]

You speak of the great Nomar?!?!?!?!?!?!

I am indeed referring to the great Nomah!

 

[poodski]

Why bother getting Fuld back?

Because I miss him..... dearly.

Plus just would go all defensive OF.

 

[tbo41fan]

I am indeed referring to the great Nomah!

one of the best SNL skits

 

[poodski]

Depends on the money in all honesty. If Reyes was willing to take a deal in the 4-5 year range as opposed to the 8 years that Fielder wants, and Pena is okay coming back on a 2 year deal then I am not sure this isn't a bad way to go. The difference between Barney and Reyes is way more than the difference between Pena and Fielder (more has to do with the value of Barney than the value of Reyes).

What would you think about doing that with Reyes and then getting Berkman instead of Pena?

 

[daddies3angels]

With 50 mil coming off books why cant they get both Reyes and Fielder?