Odds and Ends: Kendall, Matsui, Fukumori

I agree, signing Kaz Matsui is indefensible...unless this is the only way to sign Fukudome.

The Cubs had a surplus of mediocre middle infielders (Theriot, Fontenot, Cedeno) even before the lousy acquisition of Omar Infante. Now this is getting ridiculous!

Well the Cubs have 2 open spots on their 40 man roster right now. If they sign Matsui, Cedeno has to be traded. I think most people invovled with the Cubs (front office and fans) are tired of Cedeno's 'potential' and a fresh start would be good for Ronny.

Infante does everything Matsui does except run so this signing would have made sense before Jones was traded. As someone else said, if this is how we get Fukudome, I'll take the extra cost and SB.

Jim Hendry's offseason agenda:

1) Determine the worst possible transaction.

2) Execute said transaction.

A signing of Matsui alone looks like a bad idea. I doubt Hendry would make this deal just to sign Matsui. What this deal does is:

A. Makes the Cubs a more attractive location for Japanese players.

B. Creates a surplus of middle infielders, allowing Hendry to package some of that young talent to make a deal to improve the team.

C. At the very least pushes Theriot and creates good competition in spring training and adds a solid guy off the bench.

This is probably (hopefully) the first step in a series of many good moves to improve the team. If the signing can do that, the 5 mil doesn't seem that bad.

A. A reliever from Japan would do the same and would be useful.

B. Already has a surplus! Plus I don't buy the idea of signing guys to create surpluses, because free agents are rarely good deals.

C. Theriot shouldnt even be in the running for a starting job.

Just my two cents.

This deal has to revolve around Fukudome. Either they are just trying to make the team look more appealing to him because there would already be a Japanese player on the team, or it's insurance in case they can't bring sign him. In that case, there is a huge hole in the outfield which could mean that Matsui moves in at 2nd and DeRosa becomes the "everyday" right fielder.
It certainly doesn't seem like a good idea.

I am shocked by the amount of negative analysis Theriot recieves on this site and many others. I keep thinking back to several comments made by Steve Stone, a man certainly not lacking in baseball I.Q. During the great stretch many of us enjoyed watching last summer, when the Cubs looked like and indeed played like the team we all thought they should, up until September, many of those exciting comebacks were triggered by Theriot - not the power-slumping Lee and Ramirez, or the injured Soriano. Stone was always the first one to bring this up in post-game coverage; how Theriot worked the count late in the game for a walk; or made a tremendous diving stop in the hole to save a run (something that happened more than a few times, and which is also endlessly overlooked by insatiable fans looking to sign a big-name, big-bat ss when there aren't many on the market), or came up with the big hit to get the bats going. Yes, I understand he lost steam down the stretch, particularly in September. But you should, indeed you do, know that this was his first full season playing as a starter. I would suggest, to those who enjoy pointing to his ostensible inadequate performance at short, a reading of the late David Halberstam's Summer of 49, and get an idea of how much a baseball season wears on a player of Theriot's size and, at least in this season's case, inexperience at the big league level. This kid did everything right: when Isturiz began to blow, he outplayed a veteran and gold glover, took his position, and gave the cubbies a huge boost; when Soriano went down, he took over the leadoff spot and consequently convinced many that he is a proper leadoff man, not Soriano; and, on a team desperately needing speed, he led the Cubs in stolen bases. People often compare him to David Eckstein (world series mvp David Esckstein, that is), and in some ways I agree. Except Theriot's got a better arm, a little better range, and - after his first full year in the bigs under his belt - the makings of a better hitter. That rant being said, I think fans should be grateful we have a baseball player (b/c that is what he is, through and through) like Theriot on the team. As far as this Matsui garbage is concerned, his signing had better be a gauruntee that Fukodome is wearing blue pinstripes, protecting sheffield next year.

If Matsui plays SS, platooning him with Theriot (who hits lefties) is a step up.

If he's only playing 2B, then DeRosa could potentially be traded to one of the people left standing in the 3B line after Lowell signs.

I'm not sure it's "indefensbile" but it's not my preferred move.

That said, I didn't prefer the DeRosa signing and Hendry and his scouts were right about that. Matsui's last two months were good and if he is finally healed... well, maybe he'll make his own defense.

Do people not realize that Japan is a big country, relatively speaking?

Saying that signing Matsui would make the Cubs look more attractive to japanese players would be like a japanese team signing Adam Kennedy with the rationale that it would make their team look more attractive to actually talented American players.

Just me three cents:

Tim:
Signing a reliever from Japan would be a smart move, if the only decent one didn't just sign a contract to stay in Japan.

dmdubois:
Agreed. We fall in love with the 3-5 great SS's in the game, and everyone gets upset when their SS isn't a leadoff or #2 hitter with 20 homeruns. Theriot works the count, steals bases, has great range and a great glove...does all the little things Cubs fans seem to hate.

HL:
My opinion...if Adam Kennedy is one of 6-10 American players playing in Japan...yes, it would entice another American to at least check into it.

Thanks SCF, and I agree with what you said on all counts. We won't see the same Matsui that played in the first couple rounds of the playoffs...that's not him. But he can switch hit, can run, and MAYBE can help bring Fukudome over. Even if he doesn't help bring Fukudome over, I don't see this as a terrible move. IMO, he's at least on an even playing field with Cedeno, who MIGHT still have some trade value.

He has to be a shortstop, thats pretty much what this signing depends on. Second has Fontenot and DeRosa (which I think should serve as a bit of a platoon, maybe Fontenot has the potential he showed when he first came up, at least in short spurts), but the Cubs need some left handed bats because a right handed specialist can destroy the top-middle of our lineup. Matsui is a great two-hole hitter and I think its a good signing.

If the Cubs turn Cedeno and Marshall/Gallagher/Patterson into a solid #4 pitcher and get Fukudome (which I think they will) they will be the class of the NL Central-the Brewers have talent but not pitching and no bullpen.

Heh ahhh Mets bias even when they leave the team, awesome.

who said anything about paying him "a lot of money"? If it's a 3 year, 12m deal...he's probably worth 4 a year.

Thats what I was talking about. Nice.

Ryan Theriot is awful. You say he works the count? He had the fewest pitches per plate appearance than any player on the final roster last year.

I respect Steve Stone, but he was a total idiot this year with his love of Ryan Theriot. Ryan Theriot doesn't get on base and he doesn't hit for power, in turn he doesn't create runs or help in the wins category much. When Stone said the D'Backs beat the Cubs because they had 9 Ryan Theriots and the Cubs only had one Ryan Theriot, I almost drove off the road. Idiot.

3/14?! thats outrageous. I was thinking more like 2/8, this deal is awful. What is this team gonna do with Matsui, Theriot, Derosa, Infante, Fontenot and Cedeno? They're stockpiling guys who have little to no value. way to go hendry

Matsui and Theriot both aren't very good. But what kind of moves do you expect out of Hendry, good ones?