Cubs trying to hit the century mark
The Cubs signed Neifi Perez to a two-year contract today. Suffice it to say, I'm not pleased with the move. Since Dusty Baker's going to be around for at least one more year, possibly more, Hendry has to construct the roster so that guys like Neifi Perez aren't around. If Neifi's on the team, Neifi's gonna start at least five times per week. Dusty wouldn't have it any other way. It's not so much that Neifi's bad. He is, but that's besides the point. He could be useful purely as a backup. He plays good defense, and you could get by with him hitting eighth for a week or two. His problem is that he simply doesn't hit well enough to play every day. And when Baker hits him first or second, as he did 382 times last season, the problem is compounded. His miniscule OBP simply neuters Derrek Lee's effectiveness. (Lee was 50th in the league in number of ABs with runners in scoring position - a pathetic total that owes a huge assist to out-making machines Neifi and Corey.) I suspect the Cubs' road now forks in two different directions.
1) Sign Rafael Furcal. This is the best move by far. Furcal is young, plays excellent defense, hits well, steals bases, and has an excellent on-base percentage. Furthermore, he's a proven veteran. If he's on the team, Dusty will play him nearly every day and bat him leadoff. The worst possible outcome here is Neifi starts stealing at-bats from Todd Walker. I wouldn't be very happy about this, but at least Neifi's ability to drag the team down would be cut in half.
2) Go into the season with the intention of Ronny Cedeno being the starting shortstop, leaving Neifi as insurance. I'd be OK with this move if we had a different manager. Cedeno is far from a sure thing, but he hit well in limited duty and plays excellent defense. Plus he's young enough (22) so that there's hope he might blossom into a better-than-average player. His youth, though, is a liability in Dusty's mind. The first sign of a slump would yank Cedeno from the lineup faster than you can say Jason Dubois. Neifi would hit .300 for a week and cement his place in the lineup for six months. Cedeno would rot on the bench for the rest of his career as a Cub.
So really there is only one option at this point. Sign Furcal. Whatever he wants, pay the man. I can't take another season (or two) of Neifi popping up and grounding out to short. If the Cubs give Perez more than 25 starts in either of the next two seasons, expect the 2008 season to mark the 100th consecutive season of championship-free baseball on the North Side.