Fantasy Baseball: The Jake Fox Dilemma

by Ray Guilfoyle on Sep 1, 2009 12:51 PM EDT in Baseball

The Chicago Cubs have a very good hitter that sits on the bench most of the time. But when has has started, all he has done is hit. He can play many positions including catcher. His name is Jake Fox, and he should be on your radar in 2010.

In 168 ABs, he has hit .286-.333-.530-.863 with 11 HRs and 32 RBIs. Those stats projected over 500 ABs is a 30-100 season. With those stats combined with the fact that the Cubs have had problems scoring runs this season may lead the Cubs to give him more playing time in 2010.

With the said, we learned this from Baseball Prospectus' John Perrotto on Sunday in his On the Beat: Sunday Roundup column:

The Cubs are likely to trade right fielder Milton Bradley this winter, even if they have to eat a large portion of the $21 million left on the final two years of his contract.

Fox was called up to the Cubs back in June after hitting 17-53-.413-.497-.850 in just 160 ABs at AAA Iowa, so its obvious he has accomplished all he needs to in the minors. His only deficiency is he can't catch or field the ball to well. But, will the Cubs decide that his bat will win more games for them than his glove, similar to what the Dodgers and Diamondbacks have done with Manny Ramirez and Mark Reynolds?

Could Jake Fox be the Cubs rightfielder in 2010? If not, I could see the Cubs trading him to an AL team where he would be a perfect DH.

Poll

Should Jake Fox see more playing time for the Cubs in 2010?

Yes, he can mash with the best of them.

82 votes

No, he can't field a lick.

16 votes

98 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Fox

Fox seems a great low cost option to replace Bradley. As a result, he will be one of the most hyped fantasy sleepers in 2010.

Nicotine patching at Rotisserie Musings

by faketeams on Sep 1, 2009 7:09 PM EDT reply actions

My question

is what do the Cubs expect to get for Bradley? He’s gotta go to an AL team since he can’t play the field without getting hurt, and apparently he can’t hit. It looks like it’s just a sunk cost for the Scrubs

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."

by Hyatt on Sep 2, 2009 12:51 PM EDT reply actions

Problem

Bradley’s got two more years left on his contract, and he has demonstrated the ability to burn a bridge in about one season’s time. Heck, the Cubs may have to pay all his remaining contract and add Fox.

Nicotine patching at Rotisserie Musings

by faketeams on Sep 3, 2009 9:32 AM EDT reply actions