Could a 2nd base platoon of Jeff Baker(left) and Mike Fontenot(right) be coming?
There's an article on Yahoo Sports' MLB Rumors section titled, "Source: Cubs deal for Rockies' Baker". I haven't seen it anywhere else, but it seems like an odd trade to make up since it's about a player maybe 90% of baseball fans have never heard of. Here's an excerpt from the article:
The Chicago Cubs have acquired Jeff Baker from the Colorado Rockies according to a source close to the club.It is unclear who the Rockies will receive in return for Baker or the Cubs' plans for him.
Baker's spent his entire career in Colorado, and I've lived in Denver during all of it, so I'm quite familiar with him. I'd like this move. The Cubs won't be forced to give up much, and he has a lot of pop in his bat, along with the ability to play all over the field. Since trading Mark DeRosa, the Cubs have been looking for a guy just like this. They hoped that guy would be Aaron Miles and then Ryan Freel, but neither has done anything offensively.
Baker, who just turned 28 on June 21st, has been out since late April with a left hand sprain. He appears ready to be able to return to action, but the Rockies are quite happy with their roster right now and he doesn't really fit in there. He's been on a rehab assignment in the minors since June 19th, and is swinging the bat pretty well. He was 3 for 23(.130) with 3 RBI in his short time with the Rockies this season.
In 2006, he hit .368(21 for 57), with a 1.207 OPS, and a whopping 14 extra-base hits, 5 of which for homers.
In 2008, he finally found a good chunk of playing time with the Rockies. He batted .268 in 299 at bats, with 12 homers, 48 RBI, and a .790 OPS.
In his career, he's played second base(52 games), first base(44 games), right field(26 games), third base(24 games), and left field(8 games). He's been solid defensively at all of those positions, with third base being his natural position. You may remember him starring there in college for Clemson, where he set the school home run record(59) in just three seasons. He was also a three-time Baseball America All American.
I'm not sure if he'd immediately be with the Cubs or if he'd start out in Triple-A Iowa. He might actually have a shot at becoming the new starting second baseman against lefties. In his career versus southpaws, Baker is a career .279 hitter, with 13 home runs, and a .902 OPS. Fontenot has a career .809 OPS against right-handers, so this could be a productive platoon. Andres Blanco has definitely earned more playing time at second base and probably gives the Cubs a better chance to win than Fontenot does right now due to absolutely sensational defense, but he appears to be a liability on offense at the same time.
His home/road splits are very worrisome though, and it's obviously a big deal when your home games are at the hitter's paradise of Coors Field. He has a career .898 OPS at home, and just a .601 OPS on the road. Some guys are going to just hit a lot better at home no matter the park, but that's an alarming difference without question. While we're at it though, another very interesting statistic is that he's a career .701 OPS hitter in the first half of the season with 9 homers in 336 at bats, and has a career .877 OPS in the second half of the season that includes 13 homers in just 246 at bats.
He's also 2 for 4 in the playoffs with an RBI. That sort of production from a player may have won the Cubs a playoff game in the last two years(crying).
Anyway, this wouldn't be a sexy move by any means, but if it's just an average prospect the Cubs are giving up, sign me up.
UPDATE: As you may have seen in the comments courtesy of Justin, this deal was in fact made, and the Cubs gave up minor league pitcher Al Alburquerque. Baker is up with the big club and available to play tonight according to reports.
To make room for him, the Cubs designated Ryan Freel for assignment.
