Michael Barrett - What's the real story?

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 >> Stay informed about: Michael Barrett - What's the real story? 

<Bubbamike_01.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9g3p739hvqngpt87spt1cn8q690fqonnra@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:42:55 -0600, "Cubs" <cubs.DeleteThis@cubs.com> wrote:
>
>>Barrett was (admittingly) slumping a bit this year but when all is said
>>and
>>done, he'll have his normal .290 18HR kind of a year while the guy we
>>got in exchange will have a .220 BA, strike out once every 3 ab's and end
>>the season with 4 or 5 hr's.
>
> The unfortunate problem for a catcher like Barrett is that you have to
> be able to catch and he is lacking in this skill. Catcher may be one
> of the few positions where defensive ability can override offensive.
> And Barrett could be very offensive.

Articles I have read state that his defensive ability has even gotten worse
since he has been playing regularly for the Cubs. This defensive inability
no doubt plays into problems he is having with the pitchers. Then too, Lou
is an old-fashioned manager who likes good defensive ability up the middle.
 >> Stay informed about: Michael Barrett - What's the real story? 

A very good catcher will either throw like Charles Johnson or hit like Mike
Piazza. A great catcher will do both. Barrett was trending away from both
concepts, making base running errors, and pissing pitchers off. Pressing
during his option year, maybe? Let him work it out somewhere else. I
wonder if the Padres vetted him with Maddox?

"Cubs" <cubs.DeleteThis@cubs.com> wrote in message news:dM%ei.61$o11.29@newsfe12.lga...
> x-no-archive: yes
>
> I don't live in Chicago anymore and was wondering what the local papers
> there are saying about the Barrett trade. I read a story on the Cubs web
> site about how Zambrano and Hill were "great" friends and like brothers to
> Barrett. Also read how the Cub players were sad that Barrett was traded.
>
> I'd like to know what the real truth behind this was. Why would the Cubs
> trade the NL's best hitting catcher (since 2004) for someone who's going
> to
> bat .220 and strike out once every 3 plate appearances?
>
> What really happened? This trade came out of nowhere and seemed to
> happen
> so quickly. Tells me there some reasons for this that have not been
> exposed to the public.
>
> Are they hoping Zambrano will sign with the Cubs next year now that
> Barrett
> is gone? Other reasons?
>
> Barrett was (admittingly) slumping a bit this year but when all is said
> and
> done, he'll have his normal .290 18HR kind of a year while the guy we
> got in exchange will have a .220 BA, strike out once every 3 ab's and end
> the season with 4 or 5 hr's.
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Michael Barrett - What's the real story? 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Michael Barrett - What's the real story? 

Cubs wrote:
> x-no-archive: yes
>
> I don't live in Chicago anymore and was wondering what the local papers
> there are saying about the Barrett trade. I read a story on the Cubs web
> site about how Zambrano and Hill were "great" friends and like brothers to
> Barrett. Also read how the Cub players were sad that Barrett was traded.
>
> I'd like to know what the real truth behind this was. Why would the Cubs
> trade the NL's best hitting catcher (since 2004) for someone who's going to
> bat .220 and strike out once every 3 plate appearances?
>

First of all, when a player has been around for a while, we almost
always hear from the players who are sad he is gone - whether those
three represent everyone or are the only three. There's no point in
bad-mouthing the departed. You just anger Barrett's friends.

I'm not looking for hidden meanings here. My gut feeling is that
this trade is a steal. Barrett can hit, but the catcher is a
critical player on the team and the Cubs have fared poorly
since Barrett got the job. Bowen, OTOH, looks like a much better
hitter than folks give him credit for. So far, this year, his OPS
is about the same as Cliff Floyd's.

ray heitmann
 >> Stay informed about: Michael Barrett - What's the real story? 

"User Name" <heitmann RemoveThis @math.utexas.edu> wrote in message
news:f5ouvt$rbm$1@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
> Cubs wrote:
>> x-no-archive: yes
>>
>> I don't live in Chicago anymore and was wondering what the local papers
>> there are saying about the Barrett trade. I read a story on the Cubs
>> web
>> site about how Zambrano and Hill were "great" friends and like brothers
>> to
>> Barrett. Also read how the Cub players were sad that Barrett was
>> traded.
>>
>> I'd like to know what the real truth behind this was. Why would the
>> Cubs
>> trade the NL's best hitting catcher (since 2004) for someone who's going
>> to
>> bat .220 and strike out once every 3 plate appearances?
>>
>
> First of all, when a player has been around for a while, we almost
> always hear from the players who are sad he is gone - whether those
> three represent everyone or are the only three. There's no point in
> bad-mouthing the departed. You just anger Barrett's friends.

Would Barrett have made that play at home yesterday?
 >> Stay informed about: Michael Barrett - What's the real story?