Cubs Sign Cliff Floyd
The Cubs signed Cliff Floyd today to an incentive-laced deal that is worth anywhere from $3 to $17.5 million. Interesting.
I've always kind of liked Cliff Floyd. He was a local kid that actually played baseball against one of my friends in high school. I think he played football, too, at tight end or something. So from a personal standpoint, that's kind of neat.
It's a good signing for the money, too. If he bombs out and plays like Cliff Floyd circa 2006, it'll only cost the Cubs one year, $3 million. Peanuts for MLB in 2007. If he manages to play every day, that means he's producing like Cliff Floyd circa 2005 and he'll be worth every penny of the $17.5 million he'll get over the next two years.
The thing that bugs me, though, is this move forces a logical platoon between Floyd and Matt Murton. With Floyd being the lefty, this means Murton is set to sit for two-thirds of the games. I think Murton has a real shot to be a really good player in this league, but my only fear is we won't find this out while he's wearing a Cubs uniform. I don't think he's going to be a hall of famer or nothing, but I do think he's capable of putting up a string of decent, marginal all-star type of seasons. .300/.380/.480 with 25-30 HRs or so. This signing stunts that potential growth. Unless Jacque Jones is traded, Murton being yanked into and out of the lineup will be reality.
Of course, maybe now that Floyd is in the fold, Jones WILL be traded before opening day. As much as I'm not a fan of Jones, I'm not sure if I like that move either. Jones is consistent, and Floyd might be washed up. If the Cubs trade Jones and Floyd IS indeed washed up, we're looking at a black hole at one of the outfield positions. Plus, we still don't know who of this quartet is going to be the starting Center Fielder. Right now it looks like Soriano, but it may be Jones, it may be someone who has yet to surface. I heard even Theriot might get a shot. I like Theriot, but starting him in Center doesn't exactly give me the warm fuzzies either.
Interesting move. Let's see how it plays out.