The Unresolved Bullpen Angst Thread

[Eli]

Although I fear his glove to be of McGriffian quality.  Hope I'm wrong.

I think it's even worse than that.

[PenFoe]

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/05/cubs-call-up-fox-send-down-scales-and-cotts-put-miles-on-dl.html

Cotts & Scales to Iowa, Miles to the "DL".

Welcome back positive.

Sigh...clearly Freel should have been the one sent down instead of Bobby, but then Hendry would have to even further admit how much he's sucked this year and obviously that's not an option.

Jake Fox was apparently getting some time at 3B in the minors, hopefully he can fit in there rather than creating more of a logjam at 1B/RF.  He's been raking too much to not get a chance.

As for Rube...I mean...would it be completely crazy not to have a lefty in the pen? 
Wouldn't it be better to have effective righties?

[RV]

Although I fear his glove to be of McGriffian quality.  Hope I'm wrong.

I think it's even worse than that.

Yeah, he's awful at defense. I can't seem to find them now, but AZ Phil at the Cub Reporter wrote about several clown-college plays Fox made at 1B this last spring training. Here's what I could find:

I think it's fairly obvious that Jake Fox can hit, and he probably has the most power of any player in the Cubs minor league system. The problem is, his best position is DH, but if he stays in the N. L., his only chance to DH is a couple of weeks in June during interleague play and then (maybe!) in the World Series.

Fox is a defensive liability no matter where he plays, but it looks like the position where he might have a chance to become at least passably mediocre is 1st base, and so it appears that the Cubs have decided to get him as many reps as possible there, which is probably why he hasn't played any LF, RF, 3B, or catcher so far this Spring, even occasionally.

[PenFoe]

This was from 5/24:

Fox watch:  Jake Fox has a 13-game hitting streak at Triple-A Iowa and is hitting .423 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs in 37 games.

But if the Cubs call him up, it probably won't be until the final week of June, when they get to use a designated hitter in six interleague games against the White Sox and Detroit.

"We've talked about Jake, but where do you put him?" Piniella said. "We know he's swinging the bat really well. ... If he could play third base, that would be an obvious place. He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play.

"I know we're having trouble scoring runs, but, boy, if we give up many, it makes it more difficult. Maybe when we get into the American League and you need a DH, or we want to put him at first base and DH Derrek Lee one day, or something like that, that's a possibility."

[Kermit, B.]

As for Rube...I mean...would it be completely crazy not to have a lefty in the pen? 
Wouldn't it be better to have effective righties?

Yes.  That's what the Padres did for much of the 2007 season, if I recall correctly.

[Eli]

"He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play."

I was under the impression that Fox hadn't played any third base this year. 

[Lukester]

This was from 5/24:

"We've talked about Jake, but where do you put him?" Piniella said. "We know he's swinging the bat really well. ... If he could play third base, that would be an obvious place. He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play.

He can't be much worse than Freel and Fonty.   Can he?    In the last week or so we've watched these two queers drop foul balls,  lose footraces,  and just generally look like monkeys having sex with door knobs.     And we haven't hated them for it,  we hate them because they cannot hit a baseball.    
Having a nice rack helps me overlook buttered faces.

[Tank]

"He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play."

I was under the impression that Fox hadn't played any third base this year. 

The impression I've gotten is that they've been getting him some work there since Pancakes went down, to see if he could serve as a desperation 3B.

[PenFoe]

"He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play."

I was under the impression that Fox hadn't played any third base this year. 

Per B-R, he's played exactly 1 game at 3B this year.
I guess 1 is a little more than 0.

[CT III]

"He's been playing third base a little more in Triple A, but that's a tough position to play."

I was under the impression that Fox hadn't played any third base this year. 

The impression I've gotten is that they've been getting him some work there since Pancakes went down, to see if he could serve as a desperation 3B.

I forget, is it desperation time now?

[Dave B]

Now we know what Carlos has been up to:

http://deadspin.com/5270503/carlos-marmol-leaves-team-to-be-with-wife-not-pictured-his-wife?skyline=true&s=x

[Slaky]

Now we know what Carlos has been up to:

http://deadspin.com/5270503/carlos-marmol-leaves-team-to-be-with-wife-not-pictured-his-wife?skyline=true&s=x

I've come to expect nothing but chivalry and class from pro baseball players. You've shattered my entire world.

[ChuckD]

Now we know what Carlos has been up to:

http://deadspin.com/5270503/carlos-marmol-leaves-team-to-be-with-wife-not-pictured-his-wife?skyline=true&s=x

I've come to expect nothing but chivalry and class from pro baseball players. You've shattered my entire world.

I'm more disappointed that he's wearing (what appears to be) a Remetee.

[BH]

Now we know what Carlos has been up to:

http://deadspin.com/5270503/carlos-marmol-leaves-team-to-be-with-wife-not-pictured-his-wife?skyline=true&s=x

I've come to expect nothing but chivalry and class from pro baseball players. You've shattered my entire world.

I'm more disappointed that he's wearing (what appears to be) a Remetee.

The girl in the picture is against cancer according to her bracelet. IDITOS

[Tank]

Now we know what Carlos has been up to:

http://deadspin.com/5270503/carlos-marmol-leaves-team-to-be-with-wife-not-pictured-his-wife?skyline=true&s=x

I've come to expect nothing but chivalry and class from pro baseball players. You've shattered my entire world.

I'm more disappointed that he's wearing (what appears to be) a Remetee.

It says Affliction.

So it's by the same brain trust behind Remetee.