Category: Cliff Floyd

Cliff Floyd Thinking About Retirement

September 14, 2007 by Squib Hits

In the two games after I wondered whether the Cubs should take Cliff Floyd out of the starting lineup, partially due to his lack of power this season, he has hit home runs in back-to-back games, both big wins over the Houston Astros. Meanwhile, Floyd is considering retiring after this season, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. If so, here's to hoping he goes out with a bang. Cubsfaninky has more.

So Many Chances; Theriot to Rest; Should Floyd Be the Starter?

September 12, 2007 by cubsnet

Following last night's 10-hit, 10-walk, but only 4 runs performance, the Cubs are now 16-22 since moving to a season high 8 games above .500 on August 1. And yet they are still just one game behind the division leading Brewers. During that same time frame, the Los Angeles Dodgers have gone 17-20 and have gone from 1 game back in the NL West to 6 games back. Just another way of confirming the mediocrity of the NL Central.

A few other notes:

Piniella Not Happy With the Roster?

May 31, 2007 by cubsnet

The Daily Herald's Bruce Miles writes in today's paper that "there have been rumblings that Piniella is growing impatient with the roster given to him by Hendry." I'd be curious to know what Piniella wants.

The Cubs are currently 6th in the National League in runs scored, but there are certainly problems on offense. Three of the top four outfielders have slugging percentages below .400. Jacque Jones, Matt Murton, and Cliff Floyd have just four home runs between them. None of them have ever had slugging percentages that low over a full season, excepting Floyd's rookie year as a 21-year-old in 1994. Jones is hitting .245/.302/.335 as the starting centerfielder. Much more of that and the Cubs will be compelled to replace him with Felix Pie for good. The trouble is that Jones is signed through next season, and for $6.3M.

Floyd Tossed Because Joe West Heard "Somebody" Say Something?

May 21, 2007 by Squib Hits

Cliff Floyd's ejection yesterday seemed strange -- he seemed to be arguing that he checked his swing on strike three, when he clearly did not. Today's Chicago Sun-Times gives us an explanation of what happened, from Floyd's perspective:

Floyd, who returned to the field, bat in hand, after the ejection to confront West, said he got mad because West told him the ejection was for ''somebody'' yelling that the ump was ''terrible.'' Floyd said he told West it wasn't him, and West said he would toss whoever said it, too.

I would hope Joe West's explanation was actually better than that.

This Outfield Isn't Hitting

April 25, 2007 by cubsnet

The Cubs may have a logjam in the outfield, but it's the sorriest hitting outfield logjam there is. Entering today's play, here are where things stand:

Cubs Sign Cliff Floyd

January 24, 2007 by cubsnet

After months of speculation, the Cubs have finally signed Cliff Floyd. (Hat tip: Baseball Think Factory.) The deal is for one year with a mutual option for 2008. No word on the amount yet. If the Cubs keep Jacque Jones as well, the big loser here for the 2007 season is Felix Pie.

PECOTA projects Floyd at .265/.344/.461 next season. Those numbers could be even better if Lou Piniella severely limits Floyd's at-bats against left handed pitching. For each of the past five seasons, Floyd's OPS against righties has been at least 100 points higher than his OPS against lefties.

UPDATE (9:20pm): Contract details, courtesy of the AP:

Is Pie the Man in Center?

December 14, 2006 by cubsnet

The Chicago Tribune's Dave van Dyck on why the Cubs did not make a bid for Kenny Lofton:

Indications are they wanted to have a spot ready for top prospect Felix Pie. If Pie is ready for the big time, the $6 million would have been poorly spent and Lofton would have been unhappy on the bench. If Pie isn't ready, then the problem may be addressed in spring training. The Cubs' options would be to start Angel Pagan in center, or even Jones. And newcomer Alfonso Soriano could play there if Pie seems to be a long way off, which the Cubs don't believe is the case.

After putting up acceptable but not top prospect numbers for much of the year for AAA Iowa (he was hitting .274/.333/.417 as of early August), Pie finished strong, ending his season at .283/.341/.451. Pie will be just 22 in February.

Piniella: Soriano Will Play One of the Corner Outfield Spots

December 6, 2006 by cubsnet

The Daily Herald's Bruce Miles reports that Lou Piniella said yesterday that Alfonso Soriano will not be playing center field in 2007, but will play one of the corner outfield spots. That means one of three things: the Cubs will either 1) sign a stopgap center fielder like Kenny Lofton; 2) move Jacque Jones to center field; or 3) let Felix Pie, Eric Patterson, and Angel Pagan fight it out in spring training. (On Patterson playing center, see View from the Bleachers.)