Darwin Barney injures knee to DL

[Jntg4]

I don't understand what Barney has done to lose his job right now. I'm all for change at Spring Training next year, but Barney has not only played well, he also has one of the best gloves on the team.

This. He may not have been great lately, but he certainly hasn't done anything to lose his job.

Sure, he could take a walk every now and then, but I do think that plate discipline is something that is learned, not something one is born with.

Nothing wrong with a ST challenge, but how will the general fan base react to a potential ROY being benched going into the next season, unless he does terrible the rest of the way this season?

Speaking of ROY, did Brandon Beachy get injured? He has the same stats now as he did in early May...

 

[poodski]

I don't understand what Barney has done to lose his job right now. I'm all for change at Spring Training next year, but Barney has not only played well, he also has one of the best gloves on the team.

I dont think he has done anything to lose the job, but since may 1st he has done nothing to keep it either.

He had a great start, but has since severely cooled off.

If someone plays well in his absence they should take the job over IMO.

 

[nwfisch]

I dont think he has done anything to lose the job, but since may 1st he has done nothing to keep it either.

He had a great start, but has since severely cooled off.

If someone plays well in his absence they should take the job over IMO.

If severely cooled off means that Barney is hitting only 294 on the season, I'll take the severely cooled off version.

All of this is for naught anyways, because Barney will likely be on the DL and Dewitt will replace him.

I agree, you don't bring up kids to sit them, but the Cubs seem to disagree with that.

 

[poodski]

This. He may not have been great lately, but he certainly hasn't done anything to lose his job.

Sure, he could take a walk every now and then, but I do think that plate discipline is something that is learned, not something one is born with.

Nothing wrong with a ST challenge, but how will the general fan base react to a potential ROY being benched going into the next season, unless he does terrible the rest of the way this season?

Speaking of ROY, did Brandon Beachy get injured? He has the same stats now as he did in early May...

Yeah Beachy got hurt.

And Espinosa seems to be running away with it. Either him or Craig from STL.

Craig Kimbrel is also a possibility.

 

[poodski]

If severely cooled off means that Barney is hitting only 294 on the season, I'll take the severely cooled off version.

All of this is for naught anyways, because Barney will likely be on the DL and Dewitt will replace him.

I agree, you don't bring up kids to sit them, but the Cubs seem to disagree with that.

Well severely cooled off is 277/304/308. His BA will always be decent because he has never seen a pitch he doesn't like and makes a lot of contact.

His contact% is 4th in the majors but unfortunately his IsoP is 11th worst in the majors, and his BB% is 3rd worst. Its a very empty batting average.

 

[Jntg4]

Well severely cooled off is 277/304/308. His BA will always be decent because he has never seen a pitch he doesn't like and makes a lot of contact.

His contact% is 4th in the majors but unfortunately his IsoP is 11th worst in the majors, and his BB% is 3rd worst. Its a very empty batting average.

Ya, I don't ever see him having power, but he is decent at the very least. May not be the long-term answer but he will do for now IMO.

 

[nwfisch]

Well severely cooled off is 277/304/308. His BA will always be decent because he has never seen a pitch he doesn't like and makes a lot of contact.

His contact% is 4th in the majors but unfortunately his IsoP is 11th worst in the majors, and his BB% is 3rd worst. Its a very empty batting average.

If he hits 277 on the season, I'll take it.

Like I said, theres no sense in debating in whether or not Barney should start. He's likely going to the DL and Dewitt will likely replace him. Dewitt is still young too, not a prospect, but a utility man the Cubs could find a use for somewhere.

 

[EnjoyYourTiger]

Well severely cooled off is 277/304/308. His BA will always be decent because he has never seen a pitch he doesn't like and makes a lot of contact.

His contact% is 4th in the majors but unfortunately his IsoP is 11th worst in the majors, and his BB% is 3rd worst. Its a very empty batting average.

But most of that stuff I would think will come with time. As soon as he gets some more experience and learns to be a little more patient he'll walk more. But for a rookie who has played like 60 some odd games, give or take, he's doing as much as we can ask of him. Unless we grab a legit 2B, I see no reason why he and Baker don't just platoon for the time being. Baker kills lefties and Barney is pretty solid in the clutch and he runs the bases better than half the vets on this team (*cough* Fonzie *cough*).

 

[poodski]

If he hits 277 on the season, I'll take it.

Like I said, theres no sense in debating in whether or not Barney should start. He's likely going to the DL and Dewitt will likely replace him. Dewitt is still young too, not a prospect, but a utility man the Cubs could find a use for somewhere.

Why would you take that? That would give him the 15th worst OPS in the majors.

 

[poodski]

But most of that stuff I would think will come with time. As soon as he gets some more experience and learns to be a little more patient he'll walk more. But for a rookie who has played like 60 some odd games, give or take, he's doing as much as we can ask of him. Unless we grab a legit 2B, I see no reason why he and Baker don't just platoon for the time being. Baker kills lefties and Barney is pretty solid in the clutch and he runs the bases better than half the vets on this team (*cough* Fonzie *cough*).

It might come, but when he says things like "I take walks in stride. That’s not something I think about." it freaks me out. He is going to have to hit probably 310-320 to be valuable.

He does run the bases pretty well though. He does a lot of things well on the field, but hitting really isn't one of them. He is definitely a guy I want on the team, but we need a better every day 2B.

 

[Jntg4]

It might come, but when he says things like "I take walks in stride. That’s not something I think about." it freaks me out. He is going to have to hit probably 310-320 to be valuable.

He does run the bases pretty well though. He does a lot of things well on the field, but hitting really isn't one of them. He is definitely a guy I want on the team, but we need a better every day 2B.

I wouldn't say 2B is a need.

 

[EnjoyYourTiger]

It might come, but when he says things like "I take walks in stride. That’s not something I think about." it freaks me out. He is going to have to hit probably 310-320 to be valuable.

He does run the bases pretty well though. He does a lot of things well on the field, but hitting really isn't one of them. He is definitely a guy I want on the team, but we need a better every day 2B.

I think he just means he doesn't want to "settle" for a walk. That might not be the best word to describe it, but I guess he just wants to hit to get on base.

But yeah, I get what you mean. I think other than maybe Kosuke and Pena, not too many guys are going up there with the afterthought of taking a walk.

I'm all for getting on base by whatever means possible.

 

[poodski]

But yeah, I get what you mean. I think other than maybe Kosuke and Pena, not too many guys are going up there with the afterthought of taking a walk.

Aint that the truth. I think they have like 45% of our walks.

If we don't resign either (we probably won't) we might not walk 100 times next year.

I just REALLY REALLY hope they fire Jaramillo.

 

[Jntg4]

Aint that the truth. I think they have like 45% of our walks.

If we don't resign either (we probably won't) we might not walk 100 times next year.

I just REALLY REALLY hope they fire Jaramillo.

Why would we fire the best hitting coach in baseball? Not his fault we suck.

 

[poodski]

Why would we fire the best hitting coach in baseball? Not his fault we suck.

Best hitting coach my ass. He is awful. He preaches one thing and thats swing, and swing hard.

It's a pitchers league, we should not be just up there hacking you have to work yourself into good counts and hopefully get a mistake.

Right now we just swing and swing and swing. That's we have one of the highest BA, and lower than average OBP. The Cubs 6.5% walk rate is the lowest since the 2008 Royals, and we are only that high thanks to Fukudome and Pena.

I could deal with the low OBP if we were hitting for power, but we also have the tenth lowest IsoP.

And if its not his fault whose is it? Why is it the coach that's the reason they do well, but not the reason they suck?

His philosophies are outdated.

 

[TheCubfather]

more fragile? my grandma's china set or the 2011 Chicago Cubs? :thinking:

 

[Jntg4]

Best hitting coach my ass. He is awful. He preaches one thing and thats swing, and swing hard.

It's a pitchers league, we should not be just up there hacking you have to work yourself into good counts and hopefully get a mistake.

Right now we just swing and swing and swing. That's we have one of the highest BA, and lower than average OBP. The Cubs 6.5% walk rate is the lowest since the 2008 Royals, and we are only that high thanks to Fukudome and Pena.

I could deal with the low OBP if we were hitting for power, but we also have the tenth lowest IsoP.

And if its not his fault whose is it? Why is it the coach that's the reason they do well, but not the reason they suck?

His philosophies are outdated.

Because he has nothing to work with... nobody could coach these players well... they are either past their prime, just suck, or are a young player who isn't going to take walks anyway.

 

[daddies3angels]

i also not fan of Jarmillo. Cubs were one of the most patient teams in 2008 and now cant take pitches if there live depended on it

 

[daddies3angels]

#Cubs probably activate Sori for Barney. Maybe Sori will play second base. They've done nuttier things in the field this year.

Twitter

Thought this was funny

 

[Doogolas]

If he hits 277 on the season, I'll take it.

Like I said, theres no sense in debating in whether or not Barney should start. He's likely going to the DL and Dewitt will likely replace him. Dewitt is still young too, not a prospect, but a utility man the Cubs could find a use for somewhere.

Are you kidding me? DeWitt is every bit the prospect that Barney is. In fact, he's still a better one, as he once was extremely, extremely highly thought of, and those are the types of guys that sometimes put it together in their mid 20's. They are the same age. Literally three months separate them.