What to do with Pie?

[Cubsfan97]

We have Jnes locked down for 3 years, We wanna resign Pierre and dont want Murton to go anywhere, so my question is, what do we do with Felix Pie? I dont wanna give him up since hes supposed to be really good, but maybe we could trade him to improve the Rotation or solidify it. Just curious of what ya'll say.

[redwhitenblue]

We have Jnes locked down for 3 years, We wanna resign Pierre and dont want Murton to go anywhere, so my question is, what do we do with Felix Pie? I dont wanna give him up since hes supposed to be really good, but maybe we could trade him to improve the Rotation or solidify it. Just curious of what ya'll say.

jones is signed-doesn't mean he'll be here 3 years, all 3 of the OF's could be serious trade bait next offseason and beyond

[Fukudome = God]

Pie for D-Train.

lol

Wishful thinking.... i know!

[otis89]

Just because we signed Jones to a 3-year deal doesn't mean we can't trade him. I expect Pie to perform well enough in AAA to earn a September call-up.

[Slightly Sarcastic]

Just because we signed Jones to a 3-year deal doesn't mean we can't trade him. I expect Pie to perform well enough in AAA to earn a September call-up.

I'd honestly prefer he didn't get called up.

He needs consistant AB's at this point to work on his plate discipline, and he just won't get them under Dusty's watch at the big league level. I would absolutely hate to see him have a good year in the minors and then get called up in September only to sit on the bench for the rest of the season.

[Bob Sacamento]

I'd honestly prefer he didn't get called up.

He needs consistant AB's at this point to work on his plate discipline, and he just won't get them under Dusty's watch at the big league level. I would absolutely hate to see him have a good year in the minors and then get called up in September only to sit on the bench for the rest of the season.

Pie needs to develop a better approach at the plate. He's current philosophy is "Swing first, Swing often". He has a propensity to swing early in the count and swing at pitches out of the zone, yet he's has an above average contact ability and hits at a pretty good average. Very Vlad Guerrero like. Pie's power will pick up, as seen this year in his 11 hrs in 240 at bats in West Tenn before his ankle injury. Before 2005, he had only 16 hrs in 1162 AB in his minor league career.

He'll be patroling CF in Iowa for the 2006 season and the only way I can see him being called up before September is if something happens to Grissom, Pagan, Sing, or Restovich. One thing Hendry did this offseason was put good spacer room between refining skills in AAA and a forced MLB bench role (25th man) for Pie during the season. As Grissom (most likely) will get the final roster spot, with Pagan giving him a run for his money and ready to pounce if Marquis gets injuried again. And if another positional roster spot is needed, Sing could fill it or even Restovich, or darkhorse Greenberg. Pie is not really needed for the 2006 and that's great. If Felix is called up it probably won't be until September, and it's fine if he's sitting the bench then as the minor league season will be over. And he'd be used as a pinch runner, defensive replacement, or even a pinch hitting opportunity, as long as the Cubs are in contention.

On a sidebar, we could see a starting Cubby French OF at some point during this season with Marquis in LF, Pierre in CF, and Jacque in RF.

[Slightly Sarcastic]

My main concern is Pie being on the big league team and not seeing enough time to really gain anything from it. Even after the minor league season is over, there are plenty of ways he can work on his game that don't include sitting on the Cubs bench 5 out of 7 days a week.

Like you said, he's not really needed in 2006, and that is a good thing. The worst thing that could happen to him is that he gets rushed up and becomes Corey Part II.

[aarond23]

If Pie performs at the AAA level and we don't actually 'need' him in 06 of course he's going to get a September call up.

I don't see any disadvantages to any player being in the majors for a month. I don't think its ever hurt the development of any player.

In fact I think Pie would feel slighted if he does well in Iowa and doesn't get the call up, of course its also entirely possible that if Pierre is injured that he gets call up just based on need.

[cubmanjay]

Sarcastic - it is a common major league practice to bring your young stars up in September to give them a taste of the bigs. Much like spring training it is a good experience especially if the team is in a pennant chase. I'm looking forward to seeing Pie at the end of the season, young kids like that are what brings energy at the end of a long haul.

[Cubsfan97]

of course its also entirely possible that if Pierre is injured that he gets call up just based on need.

When does Pierre get injured though?

[Cubsfan97]

What I meant is what if Jones, Pierre and Murtona re all stars, what will happen to Pie? Do we trade him for a better palyer at a weak position, because I feel we could get some serious players with him if we throw in a major leaguer like MArquis or Neifi.

[Slightly Sarcastic]

Sarcastic - it is a common major league practice to bring your young stars up in September to give them a taste of the bigs. Much like spring training it is a good experience especially if the team is in a pennant chase. I'm looking forward to seeing Pie at the end of the season, young kids like that are what brings energy at the end of a long haul.

No kidding?

I've been watching baseball for nearly 4 decades and I had no idea that minor leagues commonly got called up in September.



With Dusty managing this team though, Pie's big league experience in September will be almost entirely limited to collecting splinters in his butt, especially if this team is in a pennant race.

I too am looking forward to seeing Pie in action this year, and I will be going to Iowa to do so.

[aarond23]

When does Pierre get injured though?

Well Cubfan97 I'm not psychic if I was I would predict the lottery numbers and retire to Wrigleyville lol

Sarcastic though when has being a September call-up ever HURT a player? No matter who the manager is or how much they play plenty of players have went through the experience and I've never heard anyone saying it delayed their developemnt. Its either sit on the bench or go home for him. If the Cubs are out of it he may actually get to play some in September.

[Slightly Sarcastic]

Sarcastic though when has being a September call-up ever HURT a player? No matter who the manager is or how much they play plenty of players have went through the experience and I've never heard anyone saying it delayed their developemnt. Its either sit on the bench or go home for him. If the Cubs are out of it he may actually get to play some in September.

If the Cubs are out of it, then yeah he could get some playing time, maybe. That would be a good thing, in terms of him getting MLB experience, but I don't want to see the Cubs out of it in September.


Just because the minor league season is over doesn't mean there aren't options available for Pie to improve his game. I don't think wasting away on the Cubs bench happens to be a good one.

Maybe I see a kid with worlds of talent but is still raw, no real place to play him, and a manager that has a history of not finding alot of playing time for rookies. Maybe I'm still a little burnt on what happened with Corey and how he was rushed through the system and was up in the bigs before he was really ready. Maybe it's a bit of both.