Dawning of a New Era for Cubs?

Aramis Ramirez, a fixture at third base for the Cubs since he arrived in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2003 season, has informed the team that he will declare for free agency following the season.  In one sense, it’s a big loss for the Cubs.  Having stability at one position for so long has allowed the team to focus on other needs.  Sadly, many of their plans in that regard have fallen flat (see: the Alfonso Soriano signing).  Still, the team always seemed to have the question of who’s on third answered before anyone even bothered to ask it, and there was always value in certainty.  Another certainty, of course, has been the production Ramirez offered.

The pedigree is certainly there for Ramirez.   He’s  been one of the more productive third basemen in baseball for the past decade.  Many forget he was a solid contributor for Pittsburgh before his penchant for laziness prompted the team to ship him to Chicago for next to nothing.  He originally came over with outfielder Kenny Lofton for a “prospects” that included the likes of Matt Burback, Jose Hernandez and a player to be named later (Bobby Hill).    Since then, Ramirez has reached at least 25 home runs in seven of his eight seasons with the Cubs, leading the team twice in that department.  He also led the team in RBIs on five different occasions.  His 238 home runs are sixth on the Cubs all-time list, and Ramirez is also third all-time in slugging percentage (.531), trailing Sammy Sosa and Hack Wilson.

As one of the top hitting third basemen available in an otherwise weak free agent class, Ramirez figures to be paid, and paid well.  Considering he’s already stated publically that “I think I can play three more years”, it’s hard to imagine Ramirez garnering anything longer.  Sure, it’s a possibility that someone in an act of desperation might extend themselves beyond three years (age 36 for Ramirez), but that would smack of something only a team like the Cubs might do.

While the absence of Ramirez’s bat in the lineup will be seen by most as a significant loss, it could actually provide the team with some much needed flexibility.  It might also prompt the new GM (whomever that may be) to finally embrace the rebuilding plan the Cubs so desperately need.  Despite a few burdensome contracts that remain (Soriano and Carlos Zambrano come to mind), management desperately needs to realize that fielding a competitive team is well out of reach.  Signing an expensive free agent like Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder would make headlines, but it would further limit the financial flexibility of a team already hampered by poor fiscal decisions.  Moving in the opposite direction, and without the likes of Aramis Ramirez, is a step in the right direction.

Nationals Considering Extending Wang

Then again, who among us isn’t?  After waiting the past two seasons for Chien-Ming Wang to make it back to a Major League mound, the Nationals were finally “rewarded” with the former Yankee All-Star finally toed the rubber for Washington in 2011.  While he’s hardly having a stellar season, with more walk than strikeouts and a 4.43 ERA, Wang has apparently impressed Washington team officials with his diligence and work ethic.   It’s also a dramatic improvement from his last big league season (2009) in which he went 1-6 with a [gulp] 9.64 ERA.  Phew.  It’s nice to see progress, but is gumption alone enough reason to simply throw away money?

Baseball is a results oriented game.  If you’re not first, you’re last and so on.  Considering his 2011 season stats, wherever they end up., there’s no way in hell that Wang has earned a spot on the Nationals team for 2012.  Has he?  Considering the direction in which the team seems to be moving (see: Jayson Werth), it looks like they feel they’re looking to contend in the near future.  A pitcher like Wang is hardly in a position to move them in that direction—not now.  In fact, there has never really been a point in time when Wang was good as the accolades he received.

Believe it or not (and only a Yankee fan would), Wang actually finished second in American League Cy Young voting in 2006 after going 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA.  Meh.  He pitched 218 innings that season and retired just 76 via strikeout, a miserable 3.1 K/9.  In fact, Wang’s career K/9 (4.1) is the lowest of any Major League pitcher with two or more seasons with at least 19 wins.  No, that’s not a real stat, but without looking, it seems logical to assume it to be true.  For all the wins he amassed (largely as a result of playing for THE New York Yankees), Wang is viewed in some circles as a solid pitcher because he’s a “winner”.  Sure.  Right.  Werth came from a culture of winning in Philadelphia too, and everyone has seen how is winning ways have translated to on-field success in and for Washington.

Michael Young: Mr. Ranger

It’s difficult to fully evaluate Michael Young and his place in Rangers lore, especially since his tenure with the team hasn’t yet expired.  Before the season, and following the acquisition of third baseman Adrian Beltre, the Texas Rangers seemed poised to trade Young, the Rangers all-time leader in games played, at bats, and hits (to name just a few).  Few would argue against the notion that Young is, for all the aforementioned reasons, the face of the Texas Rangers.  He’s been a fixture with the team since his first full season (2001), through good and bad, thick and thin.  Win or lose, Young was there, doing his part, no matter what part he was asked to play.

On one hand, Young gets credit for playing multiple positions during his 12 year career.  For his career, Young has played 28 games at first base, 428 games at second base, 330 games at third base, 788 games at shortstop, and served as the designated hitter in 89 games.  On the other hand, he has a reputation among the advanced metrics crowd for being a poor defender despite winning a Gold Glove at shortstop in 2008. Yet through all the changes and despite the criticisms, Young has always done two things very well—remain healthy and hit the baseball.

The Rangers have been beset by injuries all year.  Along with his inability to hit in day games, Josh Hamilton’s fragility is among his most identifiable characteristics.  Nelson Cruz too has developed quite the reputation for being an elite offensive contributor…when healthy (and he hasn’t been).  Beltre, the player that pushed Young from third, and very nearly off the team altogether, has seen his production limited by a bad hamstring.  Young, however, has played in 141 games (to date) and he’s done so while playing four different positions.  No matter what manager Ron Washington asked of him, Young delivered.  As in his career overall, Young’s 2011 season has been defined by versatility and hitting.

Known for his ability to amass hits and hit to a high average, Young’s current .333 batting average would be the highest off his career.  In fact, he’s currently second in the American League behind only Adrian Gonzalez of the Red Sox.  Should he manage to overtake Gonzalez, it would be the second batting title in Young’s career (2004 being the first).  He’s topped 200 hits on five different occasions, and appears poised to do so again in 2011.  As he’s done so many times in his career, Young again leads the Rangers in games played, hits, and batting average, as well as doubles, triples, and RBIs.

No matter how you slice it, the Rangers owe much of their success this year to their inability to trade Young before the season began.  Often times, the best trades a team can make are the ones that never happen.  That’s the case with Michael Young and the 2011 Rangers.  He went from would-be cast away to the glue that holds a division leading team together.  With one more superior season to his credit, Young has taken yet another step toward defining himself as Mr. Ranger.  http://tinyurl.com/3t5455o