2009:
Third base in 2009 really became a hot button issue for one and on reason only...Aramis Ramirez got hurt. The Cubs took a big gamble in 2009 when they traded away Mark DeRosa, as he had been the backup third baseman for the previous two seasons. I felt it was a mistake to leave spring training last year without a backup at that position as Ramirez has had a history of injuries.
Well, the Cubs left camp...Ramirez looked very good to start the season, and then May 8th, the worst possible thing happened to this team...the only senario they weren't prepared to cover...Ramirez dislocated his shoulder, would miss 6 to 8 weeks. And they had no one to play third base.
Oh no!!!!
The Cubs had tinkered in spring training having Mike Fontenot play third for a little bit. This wasn't a horrible idea as Fontenot actually has a good arm to sling the ball across the diamond.
The problem Fontenot had taking over third was that he struggled at the plate after the move. I don't think anyone could have replaced Ramirez at the plate, but his struggles left a glaring hole in the line up...especially due to the fact that Aaron Miles took over the day to day operations at second base. And Miles was flat out horrible over there.
The Cubs tried a series of different approaches after it became apparent that the Fontenot experiment wasn't quite working. (They seemed to wait too long to really try to remedy the situation.) Bobby Scales was brought up and played some third, but the career minor leaguer proved why he was 31 years old and still in the minor leagues. Koyie Hill even took a few turns at third. On May 27th, Jake Fox was brought up from the minors. Jake was pounding the hell out of the ball at Iowa (15 homers, 53 RBI and .409 batting average in only 45 games!). But his biggest problem was that his glove was horrible (and I mean HORRIBLE!). Third base appeared to be his natural position, and at times place it not too horribly.
Finally, basically on the eve of Ramirez coming back, the Cubs made a move to solve the problem (too little too late). The Cubs acquired Jeff Baker in a trade with Colorado. The Cubs, in the end I believe, were hoping that Baker could ultimately fill that role which DeRosa had (and that Miles failed so horribly at). He was injured most of the year in Colorado before coming to the Cubs...but played very well in a Cubs uniform.
Baker was injured for the Rockies early in the season, and wouldn't have helped in time.
Well, Ramirez returned from the DL on July 6th...and honestly still looked hurt at that time. But as the season went on, he seemed to recover and did play his usual good third base and slowly became a force again at the plate. He ended the season with 15 HRs and 65 RBI while batting .315 in basically a half season of at bats.
2010-What is likely to happen:
Ramirez will be back and is signed through 2011 with an option for 2012. Given Ramirez's history of many little nagging injuries, I think the Cubs should consider, if they intend to keep Ramirez around, to have him move to first base...at least part time. But that's a discussion for another day. Ramirez will earn $15.75 million this season and $14.6 million in 2012 (he does have a player option that year and could opt out of the contract, but that I don't think is likely). The Cubs also do have an option to keep him in 2013 for $16 million (with a $2 million buyout).
Ramirez has been the best and most consistent hitter for the Cubs since they picked him up in 2003 in a trade with the Pirates. That has been on of the best trades the Cubs have made (along with the Derrek Lee trade) this decade.
I want to see a lot of this in 2010!
I would assume Ramirez will be healthier than in 2009, so you can expect his usual 30+ homers and 100+ RBI and a batting average at or above .300. Jeff Baker, unless traded, will also be on the team as backup at third, and assuming Jake Fox stays, he can play there too. Don't expect a repeat of the disaster at that position like we saw in 2009.
Doc's comments:
I have been critical of Ramirez in the past. And probably unfairly so. I've come around quite a bit after I saw the effect his loss had on the team. I still feel the Cubs, even without the backup at third base, offensively should have been able to compensate for the loss of Ramirez...geez, we still had Lee, Soriano, Soto and the hero of democracy, Milton Bradley, to drive in runs, and Fukudome and Theriot to get on base. Theriot and Fukudome did get on base, but only Lee was able to consistently drive them in. The lose of Ramirez, I think, put a lot more pressure on the ego fragile Bradley, and an added strain on an already somewhat injured Soriano.
Aramis has shown the ability to never let the pressure of a situation get to him...much like another Ramirez out in Los Angeles. He isn't vocal a team leader, and at times looks like he's loafing it out there...but there isn't a player in the National League outside of Albert Pujols that I would rather have at the plate when the game is on the line. He doesn't strike out and isn't afraid to take a walk.
Same last name...and handle pressure the same way too!
I'll still say that he is a sub-par third baseman...and I'll stick by that. A lot of people have talked up his defense, but honestly, when I have seen other competent players man that station for the Cubs...notably Mark DeRosa, Jeff Baker and even Mike Fontenot...I am stunned at the difference. The range and the quick reaction times I see out of others at that position is really an eye opener. Ramirez has a very strong and accurate arm, and that is his big plus on defense. But he can only use that if he gets to the ball.
So with that being said, I expect big things from A-Ram this year. And I do hope the Cubs start working on a contract extention for him...and start eyeing him for a possible switch over to first base. The Cubs need his type of bat and cool attitude in the clubhouse for years to come.
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