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Cubs Solve Center Field Woes With The Landing of Marlon Byrd.

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

The Chicago Cubs took another outfielder from the Texas Rangers today (Thursday) when the club signed Marlon Byrd to a three year 15 million dollar deal. This time, things should be vastly different then the Bradley experiment. In addition to the signing of Byrd, the Cubs also signed Byrd’s old hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo who is said to have a hand in convincing the club to grab Byrd before it’s too late. Byrd was ecstatic at the opportunity of becoming a Cub saying quote: “When I knew I had the opportunity to become a Cub, I was really hoping this would be my landing ...

2009 Cubs in Pictures

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Last year, I ran what I hoped to become a tradition here at Cubbie Nation, the current team captured in pictures. The premise is pretty simple. Teams and seasons come and go, and for as much time as we give to being with them, there's something wrong about the notion that many of these guys are gone, if not altogether forgotten, by the time the playoffs have ended. You know the guys. The Jose Ascanios, Kevin Harts, and Andres Blancos of the game. Maybe we'll see them again; maybe not. But you wore the uniform, and we cheered for you, so consider ...

Marlon Byrd: Worth 3 Years, $15 Million?

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Multiple sources have reported that the Cubs have inked free agent center fielder Marlon Byrd to a three year, $15 million contract. The question now becomes, is he worth it? While Byrd is a good player and was no doubt the best available free agent center fielder on the market, he fails to address a number of the Cubs needs. Byrd is a relatively solid hitter, coming off of a career year. This immediately begs the question, did the Cubs sign the Byrd who hit .295 with 40 home runs in the last three seasons in Texas, or the one ...

Chicago Cubs Find Their Center Fielder in Marlon Byrd

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Center field as really been a black hole for the Chicago Cubs during the 2000’s. They started off the decade with the legendary Damon Buford and over the last 10 years have had players like Gary Matthews Jr., Corey Patterson, Juan Pierre, Jacque Jones, Alfonso Soriano, Reed Johnson, Jim Edmonds, and Kosuke Fukudome patrol center field. Either players they had playing center weren’t very good overall (Patterson), or not very good defensively (Soriano), or were a short-term solution (Edmonds). Today, the Cubs hope they have finally found a long-term solution to their center field problems–at least for the next three years. According ...

Happy New Year: Cubs Sign Marlon Byrd

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Not since the days of Corey Patterson have the Cubs had a clear cut center fielder. This search is finally over, with the Cubs singing 32-year-old Marlon Byrd to a 3-year, $15 million deal. Byrd was arguably the top center field option on the free agent market this year, and at a cost of only $15 million over three years, could wind up being a great bargain. Yes, he's coming off a career year, however, he'll be working with the same hitting coach, as the Cubs signed Rudy Jaramillio earlier this winter. Byrd finished eighth in the AL in doubles in 2009, with ...

Marlon Byrd: A Good Signing That Fails To Address Chicago Cubs’ Issues

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

On New Year's Eve, almost exactly a year after Chicago last signed a free agent outfielder away from the Texas Rangers, the Cubs try again with Marlon Byrd. The Cubs announced Thursday that they have agreed to a three-year, $15 million deal with Byrd. Byrd's a nice complementary player. As Danny Sisto will tell you, he'll play at least above average defense and will hit the ball fairly well. Last year in Texas, he hit 20 home runs and drove in 89 runs. I have no issues with Byrd personally. To the contrary, I think this addition is perhaps the best value signing ...

Cubs Ink Marlon Byrd To 3-Year Deal

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Originally posted on: BringingHeat.com After long-exploring multiple trade and free agent options, the Chicago Cubs finally decided to sign 32-year old Marlon Byrd. Bruce Levine of ESPN reports that it will be a three-year contract worth $15 million. Byrd didn't hit his stride offensively until reaching Texas, having struggled previously in Washington and Philadelphia. Things changed when he became a Texas Ranger though. Over the last three years, Byrd has hit .295 with a .352 on-base percentage. His OPS over this span has been well above average, resting at .820. Some would worry his offensive production is a large result of playing in the offense-friendly ...

Come to Think of It: The Chicago Cubs Decade In Review

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

The 2000’s were a roller coaster of a decade for Cubs fans. From the excitement of the 2003 playoffs and the 97 win season in 2008, to the disappointment of the Bartman-led collapse and the futile effort against the Dodgers, there were many ups and downs.   While my distinguished colleague Tab Bamford anoints the decade as the worst one ever for Cubs fans, I say that while it was definately gut wrenching and heart breaking, it was certainly notable.   And hey, my friend, it's the Cubs, did you really expect them to win anything of significance?   Overall, the Cubs had a losing ...

RIP 2000-2009: The Worst Decade EVER For Chicago Cubs Fans

December 31, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

As 2009 comes to a close, many will look back at not only this calendar year in reflection, but also the decade that has just passed. As I wander back through my memory from this year's New Year's Eve to the beginning of 2000, I see ten years that stack up as the most depressing decade in the history of the Chicago Cubs. From the highs of Sammy Sosa to the lows of Milton Bradley, from the hype of Mark Prior to the surprise of Geovany Soto, this decade had it all... well, everything except a championship. Let's look back at ...

As Jim Hendry’s World Turns: Cardinals Make Big Holliday Offer

December 30, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting on Wednesday that the St. Louis Cardinals' offer to free agent outfielder Matt Holliday is in excess of $100 million. In the wake of Jason Bay agreeing to a four-year deal worth $66 million with the Mets ($17 million per), it's hard to imagine another team throwing that kind of coin at Holliday. The future implications of the Cardinals offering Holliday that type of money could be staggering in St. Louis, considering they've been working on an uber-extension with Albert Pujols for some time now. If relativity means anything, and Pujols' agent is worth anything, then what ...

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