A Range of Takes and Additional Info on the Dexter Fowler Trade

chicago cubs logo featureYesterday, the Cubs picked up one of the best fits for their needs in Dexter Fowler, and the addition might be the capper on a really successful few months.

Those are my takes on the addition, but let’s see what folks elsewhere are saying about the trade …

  • Well, the man, himself, is excited about it. Dexter Fowler told MLB.com: “I envisioned myself when I first went to the Astros to help the young guys and see what comes. It’s tough leaving my teammates and relationships I’ve built, but going to a young team like that is awesome.” If it sounds like Fowler could be a good influence, check out this read from the Houston Chronicle about the bond between Fowler and young star George Springer, or this read from the Chronicle about the mentoring Fowler provided to Jonathan Singleton.
  • The ZiPS projection was already released for the Astros, so Fowler is on there. Obviously this is in Houston and pre-trade, but, in case you were wondering: .258/.359/.394. I’d take it.
  • Eno Sarris at FanGraphs looks at the deal as each of the Cubs and Astros putting themselves in a little better position in 2015 to compete – because why not? – and dealing from positions of depth on the big league roster to address positions of weakness on the big league roster. Sarris is a little higher on Dan Straily than most, for which I won’t bag on him, but I will point out that, absent about three pitching trades and three other injuries, Straily had no shot of making the Cubs out of Spring Training. From there, he becomes depth at Iowa – something the Cubs have in spades – and you hope his velocity returns (which it did not last year). I’m not going to say Straily was of absolutely no value to the Cubs, but he makes much more sense as an inclusion in a deal like this than as a guy the Cubs try to find innings for at the big league level. The picked him up as a flyer last year, saw what he could do, but also saw Tsuyoshi Wada, grabbed Jacob Turner and Felix Doubront because they became available, and also saw more of Eric Jokisch and Dallas Beeler.
  • A great read from Tommy Cooks at Cubs Insider about the (probable) fallibility of defensive metrics when evaluating Fowler’s D in center field – the advanced metrics presently say Fowler has been, for his career, something between bad and historically awful. Tommy takes a different angle to evaluating Fowler’s defense, and comes away with the impression that it’s probably league average or better. I think we’re going to find that Fowler’s defensive track record is the subject of extensive debate until we get a couple months into the season and have a better sense for ourselves. Based on how much the Cubs gave up to get him, and how the outfield configuration shakes out with him in the fold, I’m pretty sure the Cubs, at least, believe he’s fully capable of playing center. If not, the days when he’s in center and Chris Coghlan is in left could be adventurous.
  • (For my part, I wonder what the impact has been of playing in two very large, difficult outfields so far in his career at Coors Field and then Minute Maid Park. Contrast with Wrigley Field, which, because of the short alleys, is a fairly easy center field. We’ll see.)
  • More on the defensive angle over at Cubs Den. These are all good reads if you really like digging in.
  • The FanGraphs standings projections were updated this morning, and the Cubs bumped up to 84 wins from 83. That’s actually tied for the 8th highest win total in baseball. Projections. Are. Conservative.
  • Fowler’s hitting coach in Houston last year, by the way, was John Mallee – the Cubs’ new hitting coach. I’m sure it will be nice for Fowler to have that familiarity and prior working relationship.
  • Baseball Prospectus has a comprehensive take on the deal from both sides.
  • Although this is from last April, it is relevant here: one analysis concluded that Fowler has the best batting eye in all of baseball. Sure, he’s got some swing and miss, but, generally speaking, he knows which pitches to swing at and which ones to take.
  • Curious to see what Astros fans/bloggers are saying about the deal? You get can a flavor here. From where I sit, they’re really underestimating Valbuena, and focusing way too much on Straily. But, hey, maybe that’s my own bias sliding in.
  • Perhaps the most important item of all:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    Latest News

    Braves vs. Phillies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Atlanta Braves start their season as road favorites (-125) in a matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday at 3:05 PM ET, live on BSSO from Citizens Bank Park.Spencer Strider will get the ball for Atlanta while Philadelphia will...

    Washington State vs. Illinois Women’s Basketball: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Two hot teams meet when the Washington State Cougars (21-14) host the Illinois Fighting Illini (17-15) on April 1, 2024. The Cougars will put their three-game win streak on the line against the Fighting Illini, who have won three straight.On...

    Villanova vs. Penn State Women’s Basketball: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Villanova Wildcats (21-12) will try to extend a three-game winning streak when they host the Penn State Lady Lions (22-12) on April 1, 2024. The Lady Lions have also won three games in a row.In its previous game, Villanova...

    Brewers vs. Mets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Milwaukee Brewers open their season as -110 favorites in a road matchup with the New York Mets on Friday at 1:40 PM ET, live on SNY.Freddy Peralta gets the starting nod for Milwaukee while Jose Quintana is New York's...

    Braves vs. Phillies Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

    The Philadelphia Phillies (0-0) host the Atlanta Braves (0-0) in an Opening Day contest at 3:05 PM ET on Friday.The Braves will call on Spencer Strider against the Phillies and Zack Wheeler.Braves vs. Phillies Pitcher Matchup and Game InfoWhen: Friday,...

    Suns vs. Thunder Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The game starts at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The matchup's point total is...

    Brewers vs. Mets Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

    The Milwaukee Brewers (0-0) and the New York Mets (0-0) face off on Friday at Citi Field for Opening Day. First pitch is at 1:40 PM ET.The Brewers will look to Freddy Peralta versus the Mets and Jose Quintana.Brewers vs....

    Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

    Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

    Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

    more cubs news