2010-11 Cubs Offseason: I, For One, Welcome Our New .196-Hitting Overlord

[Eli]

If the Cubs somehow manage to reach the playoffs in 2011, be prepared to hate Pena.  The guy struck out 7 times in 14 at bats in the 2010 ALDS, and has struck out 24 times in 67 career post season at bats. 

He also has a .910 career playoff OPS, which I could live with.

But obviously, this is not something we'll have to worry about.

[SKO]

If the Cubs somehow manage to reach the playoffs in 2011, be prepared to hate Pena.  The guy struck out 7 times in 14 at bats in the 2010 ALDS, and has struck out 24 times in 67 career post season at bats. 

He also has a .910 career playoff OPS, which I could live with.

But obviously, this is not something we'll have to worry about.

Yeah, but strikeouts look really bad. He should hit a double play, like DeRosa, so he looks like he's at least trying to make contact. Then Huey will love him forever.

[Bort]

If the Cubs somehow manage to reach the playoffs in 2011, be prepared to hate Pena.  The guy struck out 7 times in 14 at bats in the 2010 ALDS, and has struck out 24 times in 67 career post season at bats. 

He also has a .910 career playoff OPS, which I could live with.

But obviously, this is not something we'll have to worry about.

Yeah, but strikeouts look really bad. He should hit a double play, like DeRosa, so he looks like he's at least trying to make contact. Then Huey will love him forever.

Like Brett Favre?

[SKO]

If the Cubs somehow manage to reach the playoffs in 2011, be prepared to hate Pena.  The guy struck out 7 times in 14 at bats in the 2010 ALDS, and has struck out 24 times in 67 career post season at bats. 

He also has a .910 career playoff OPS, which I could live with.

But obviously, this is not something we'll have to worry about.

Yeah, but strikeouts look really bad. He should hit a double play, like DeRosa, so he looks like he's at least trying to make contact. Then Huey will love him forever.

Like Brett Favre?

Don't be ridiculous. Huey can't even love his wife the way he loves Brett Lorenzo.

[Kermit IV]

At least 87 walks each of the previous 4 years.  His slugging last year looks like an anamoly.  Despite a .407 SLG, he still had an OPS+ over 100.  His BABiP was .222 last year!

This deal seems more and more very unlike Hendry.  High reward, not too much risk.

I was ready to kind of hate this, but what the hell.  I positive.

His BABIP was one of the first things I noticed. His career average was .279 so I don't think we can expect a revert back to the norm at .300. Without looking at some of the peripherals that can better explain his BABIP it looks like he was an unlucky hitter next year who is sure to be struck with the luck of the Billy Goat next year and raise his BABIP up to .310 and then he'll have a wOBA of like .375 and then Hendry will sign him to a 5 year deal worth $95.35 million.

And I'm sure that was a run-on sentence but I don't give a fuck to go back and make it better

It was so weird how those opposing infielders just KEPT ON CATCHING his pop-ups!

[Quality Start Machine]

They're still shitty.

[R-V]

At least 87 walks each of the previous 4 years.  His slugging last year looks like an anamoly.  Despite a .407 SLG, he still had an OPS+ over 100.  His BABiP was .222 last year!

This deal seems more and more very unlike Hendry.  High reward, not too much risk.

I was ready to kind of hate this, but what the hell.  I positive.

His BABIP was one of the first things I noticed. His career average was .279 so I don't think we can expect a revert back to the norm at .300. Without looking at some of the peripherals that can better explain his BABIP it looks like he was an unlucky hitter next year who is sure to be struck with the luck of the Billy Goat next year and raise his BABIP up to .310 and then he'll have a wOBA of like .375 and then Hendry will sign him to a 5 year deal worth $95.35 million.

And I'm sure that was a run-on sentence but I don't give a fuck to go back and make it better

It was so weird how those opposing infielders just KEPT ON CATCHING his pop-ups!

Actually they weren't popups, they were groundballs, jerkstore.

The most noticeable change in Pena's numbers is a spike in his ground ball rate. Nearly 45 percent of his balls in play were hit on the ground, quite a jump from the 29 percent he hit in 2009 and his 36.9 percent career rate. His BABIP also took a dive in 2010, all the way down to .222 against a career average of .272. The difference might have been a blip, then– something that might even out next season?

Of the 2,483 pitches Pena has put into play during his career, 52 percent of them have gone to right field. Last year he pulled balls at about the same rate, but it was the types of balls in play that were the problem. Over 60 percent of the balls he pulled were on the ground, a nearly 10 percent increase from his career rate. Combined with some teams employing a defensive shift, it certainly can lead to an abnormally low BABIP. That's clearly going to have to change if he's going to succeed with the Cubs.

But none of this really concerns me. What we really need to worry about are his 24 postseason strikeouts. DOOOM!

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

At least 87 walks each of the previous 4 years.  His slugging last year looks like an anamoly.  Despite a .407 SLG, he still had an OPS+ over 100.  His BABiP was .222 last year!

This deal seems more and more very unlike Hendry.  High reward, not too much risk.

I was ready to kind of hate this, but what the hell.  I positive.

His BABIP was one of the first things I noticed. His career average was .279 so I don't think we can expect a revert back to the norm at .300. Without looking at some of the peripherals that can better explain his BABIP it looks like he was an unlucky hitter next year who is sure to be struck with the luck of the Billy Goat next year and raise his BABIP up to .310 and then he'll have a wOBA of like .375 and then Hendry will sign him to a 5 year deal worth $95.35 million.

And I'm sure that was a run-on sentence but I don't give a fuck to go back and make it better

It was so weird how those opposing infielders just KEPT ON CATCHING his pop-ups!

Actually they weren't popups, they were groundballs, jerkstore.

The most noticeable change in Pena's numbers is a spike in his ground ball rate. Nearly 45 percent of his balls in play were hit on the ground, quite a jump from the 29 percent he hit in 2009 and his 36.9 percent career rate. His BABIP also took a dive in 2010, all the way down to .222 against a career average of .272. The difference might have been a blip, then– something that might even out next season?

Of the 2,483 pitches Pena has put into play during his career, 52 percent of them have gone to right field. Last year he pulled balls at about the same rate, but it was the types of balls in play that were the problem. Over 60 percent of the balls he pulled were on the ground, a nearly 10 percent increase from his career rate. Combined with some teams employing a defensive shift, it certainly can lead to an abnormally low BABIP. That's clearly going to have to change if he's going to succeed with the Cubs.

But none of this really concerns me. What we really need to worry about are his 24 postseason strikeouts. DOOOM!

I might be wrong, but I don't believe Canadouche was being serious.

[R-V]

At least 87 walks each of the previous 4 years.  His slugging last year looks like an anamoly.  Despite a .407 SLG, he still had an OPS+ over 100.  His BABiP was .222 last year!

This deal seems more and more very unlike Hendry.  High reward, not too much risk.

I was ready to kind of hate this, but what the hell.  I positive.

His BABIP was one of the first things I noticed. His career average was .279 so I don't think we can expect a revert back to the norm at .300. Without looking at some of the peripherals that can better explain his BABIP it looks like he was an unlucky hitter next year who is sure to be struck with the luck of the Billy Goat next year and raise his BABIP up to .310 and then he'll have a wOBA of like .375 and then Hendry will sign him to a 5 year deal worth $95.35 million.

And I'm sure that was a run-on sentence but I don't give a fuck to go back and make it better

It was so weird how those opposing infielders just KEPT ON CATCHING his pop-ups!

Actually they weren't popups, they were groundballs, jerkstore.

The most noticeable change in Pena's numbers is a spike in his ground ball rate. Nearly 45 percent of his balls in play were hit on the ground, quite a jump from the 29 percent he hit in 2009 and his 36.9 percent career rate. His BABIP also took a dive in 2010, all the way down to .222 against a career average of .272. The difference might have been a blip, then– something that might even out next season?

Of the 2,483 pitches Pena has put into play during his career, 52 percent of them have gone to right field. Last year he pulled balls at about the same rate, but it was the types of balls in play that were the problem. Over 60 percent of the balls he pulled were on the ground, a nearly 10 percent increase from his career rate. Combined with some teams employing a defensive shift, it certainly can lead to an abnormally low BABIP. That's clearly going to have to change if he's going to succeed with the Cubs.

But none of this really concerns me. What we really need to worry about are his 24 postseason strikeouts. DOOOM!

I might be wrong, but I don't believe Canadouche was being serious.

You're probably wrong, but if you're right, Ivy6 Sr. and I have some Canadian egg on our face.

[Tinker to Evers to Chance]

They're still shitty.

THI

[morpheus]

They're still shitty.

THI

Seams logical.

[CT III]

They're still shitty.

THI

Seams logical.

Problem is, unless you believe that Cincinnati has built themselves a dynasty, shitty could still win this division.

And we all know once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen.

/HOPEJINX

[Internet Apex]

They're still shitty.

THI

Seams logical.

Problem is, unless you believe that Cincinnati has built themselves a dynasty, shitty could still win this division.

And we all know once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen.

/HOPEJINX

The Reds pitching is far from dynastic. It's no better than the Cubs' situation. In fact, many will argue it's in worse shape due to the ballpark and the manager. But Jocketty knows this and I think he'll be working on it. For good or ill. These aren't your big brother's Reds who wallow in suck for 10 years and refuse to trade Adam Dunn.

[thehawk]

Maybe the Cubs can sign this guy to replace Pena in 2012, heard he's pretty good.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove10/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5900442&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines

[Brownie]

Maybe the Cubs can sign this guy to replace Pena in 2012, heard he's pretty good.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove10/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=5900442&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines

Or they could go younger and see if Ernie Banks is interested.