Josh Vitters or Kevin Kouzmanoff

by CRUSHDAVIS on Nov 11, 2008 9:14 AM CST

The Padres and Cubs are said to be looking for a third team to get involved in their Peavy talks b/c the Cubs lack farm pitching. With the lack of third base options here and on the farm, Should Texas become that third team and try to get Josh Vitters from the Cubs or Kouzmanoff from the Padres? What pitcher or pitchers would we have to give up and What other kinds of prospects could we receive?

Josh Vitters Scouting Report

Kevin Kouzmanoff Scouting Report

Chase Headley Scouting Report

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Is he

a 3B in a 1B body? Is he a player that plays good defense or will he most likely have to make a position change when he gets to the majors? If his defense is adequate at best, I rather just keep Davis at 3B and then Smoak at 1B.

by Coolbean04 on Nov 11, 2008 9:37 AM CST reply actions

Pedro Strop

kidding… but is Vitters projected to stay at 3rd?

by chase182 on Nov 11, 2008 9:38 AM CST reply actions

Just read the scouting report.

I will pass on him.

He’s not really a 3B so he does nothing for us. It also would require a lot to get him, I rather keep our assets.

by Coolbean04 on Nov 11, 2008 9:41 AM CST reply actions

I think I need to pass

The challenge is that the Cubs don’t have enough talent to land Peavy – not that they have the wrong talent.

At a minimum, the Padres would want something along the lines of Salty, Feliz, and Andrus for Peavy. That is the domain that they are asking from Atlanta or LA.

That means that in a 3 way deal, the Rangers would have to give up that much to get Peavy to Chicago. So Chicago would have to give us back more than Vitters. But they don’t have anything more than Vitters.

I guess I could envision a deal where the Padres don’t want Vitters, but want a catcher, so we trade Salty + some low level pitching prospect for Vitters, and the Cubs do a Salty + pitching prospect + Samardzija. But that still doesn’t seem enough for the Padres

by JBImaknee on Nov 11, 2008 9:44 AM CST reply actions

Vitters, Ceda, Veal

I don’t propose giving up Feliz or Andrus, but the Cubs do have some talent…I haven’t looked at Vitters projections at 3B, but Ceda does intrigue me…

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." - Hunter S. Thompson
"The two most important things in life are good friends and a strong bullpen" - Bob Lemon

by tin_cup on Nov 11, 2008 10:17 PM CST up reply actions

Vitters is about it

and he’s no elite prospect at this point. He’s a promising bat with legitimate questions about his power and defense. I like Ceda too. He’s a solid closer/late relief prospect. But they can’t trade their first rounder this year, and that’s pretty much everything that they have left. Veal is not a highly regarded prospect any more. And there is Samardzija, but they’ve supposedly said they wouldn’t deal him for Peavy for who knows why.

by Brett Perryman on Nov 12, 2008 8:22 PM CST up reply actions

You updated to include Kouzmanoff?

Pass. I watch him in San Diego often, and he seems like a poor man’s Dean Palmer. If he were non-tendered, I’d make him an offer, but I’m not trading anything of value for him.

by JBImaknee on Nov 11, 2008 9:46 AM CST reply actions

I was goin to add Chase Headley

but he seems destined for the outfield and off of third base

by CRUSHDAVIS on Nov 11, 2008 9:55 AM CST up reply actions

Not if they unload Kouz on some poor unsuspecting team, from what I've heard

Headley’s the guy I’d want actually, if we where going to be involved in said three-way. Too bad there’s no way SD is going to part with him if they’re rebuilding.

A Lonestar in California

Just say no to Scott Olsen.

by LSJ on Nov 11, 2008 9:58 AM CST up reply actions

If there is a three-way

I want Jessica Alba. Forget Headley, Kouzmanoff and Vitters.

by coolaid on Nov 11, 2008 10:33 AM CST up reply actions

This Headley's a'ight

Yummy!

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Nov 11, 2008 10:37 AM CST up reply actions

Hah, nice

I’ve liked her ever since I saw “The Contractor”. And obviously 300, of course.

A Lonestar in California

Just say no to Scott Olsen.

by LSJ on Nov 11, 2008 10:42 AM CST up reply actions

How is her 3rd base D?

by coolaid on Nov 11, 2008 10:44 AM CST up reply actions

Very tight.

"He’s basically told himself unconsciously that he can’t be any good unless he catches 130 games a year. If he played with the baseball smarts of a guy like a David Eckstein, he’d maximize his talent and be an incredible player." - Andy Seiler, Texas Rangers Analyst

by inactive lsb user on Nov 11, 2008 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

They don't call it

the hot corner for nothing.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Nov 11, 2008 11:39 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs

This diary was better before you added Kouzmanoff's name

I’d love to have Vitters, but putting Kouzmanoff’s name beside his akin to… well, this.

I know Kouz plays in PETCO, which can kill a hitter’s power #‘s (whereas the RBiA can revive them) but this guy OBP’d .299 this year for petes sake. In 1,263 career plate appearances the man has walked a grand total of 60 times. Versus 245 strikeouts. PASS.

A Lonestar in California

Just say no to Scott Olsen.

by LSJ on Nov 11, 2008 9:53 AM CST reply actions

I really wouldn't want him that much either but

Chase Headley who I would much prefer doesn’t seem likely to stay at third

by CRUSHDAVIS on Nov 11, 2008 9:58 AM CST up reply actions

Hurley and Poveda to SD for Vitters..... I am probbly underselling on Vitteres....

The Cubs and Padres have talked about a deal built around Josh Vitters, the Cubs’ top pick from 2007. But unlike the Braves, Chicago is not steeped in pitching, and so the Padres and Cubs are in the process of drawing in a third team into their talks, and that third team would be the side that would flip the pitching necessary to San Diego, in order to make the deal work for the Padres.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3695551

by laxtonto on Nov 11, 2008 10:14 AM CST reply actions

No way that gets it done

by JBImaknee on Nov 11, 2008 10:22 AM CST up reply actions

That's what I said about the laughable rumors of a 3-way deal sending Manny to LAD and Jason Bay to Bahstun.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Rule 5? No…talk to the hand.

by thedirkatron on Nov 11, 2008 10:25 AM CST up reply actions

If the Cubs want Peavy so bad I'd tell 'em they can always call and talk to me about Aramis Ramirez.

I’d deal some niceness to get my grubby little hands on A-Ram.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Rule 5? No…talk to the hand.

by thedirkatron on Nov 11, 2008 10:29 AM CST reply actions

Goldstein on Vitters

Ranked him #1 in the Cubs system today (no surprise):

1. Josh Vitters, 3B
DOB: 8/27/89
Height/Weight: 6-3/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Signed: 1st round, 2007, Cypress HS (CA)
2008 Stats: .214/.214/.429, .000 EqA at Low-A (4 G); .328/.365/.498 at Short-season (61 G)
Last Year’s Ranking: 2

Year in Review: A slow-healing hand issue held Vitters back in the first half of the year and kept him out of a full-season league, but he was the best pure hitter in the Northwest League, and did nothing to lower expectations.
The Good: Vitters is a natural hitter with incredible bat speed and a picture-perfect swing that gets the barrel of the bat into the zone quickly. His plate coverage is nearly off the charts, and he’s equally comfortable turning on inside fastballs as he is poking outside pitches the other way. He’s worked hard on his defense, to the point where Cubs officials think that he can stay at third base and be at least an average fielder.
The Bad: Vitters’ bat is his only impact tool. He doesn’t run especially well and still needs to improve his reactions and footwork at the hot corner. He has the body and strength for power, but may be guilty of focusing a bit much on contact as opposed to driving the ball. His ability to hit so many pitches might work against him at times, as it has slowed the development of his plate discipline.
Fun Fact: While Cypress High has produced its share of ballplayers, including Scott Moore and Troy O’Leary, if you play video games you’ve probably heard more from fellow grad Christina Pucelli, who has provided voices for the latest installment of Metal Gear Solid, Psychonauts, Viewtiful Joe, and the Xenosaga series.
Perfect World Projection: An All-Star third baseman who competes for batting titles while also supplying solid/average power.
Glass Half Empty: If his power doesn’t come and his defense doesn’t progress, you have a mismatch in terms of skill-set and position.
Path To The Big Leagues: Aramis Ramirez is signed through 2011 with a club option for ’12, so the timing might actually be perfect here.
Timetable: Vitters will finally get a full-season assignment by beginning the year at Low-A Peoria. The Cubs will let his performance dictate his timetable from there, and will move him up quickly if he dominates.

by Brett Perryman on Nov 11, 2008 11:23 AM CST reply actions

3rd base

if we wanted an average defense/great offense 3B, we could probably just work on davis. People will probably disagree but I think Chris can become slightly below average if he works hard

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Nov 11, 2008 2:33 PM CST up reply actions