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****Since we are leaving soon, we are going to Turn Back the Clock a little bit on some of our best posts. Here I am pushing for Ronny Cedeno to get called up to the Cubs last season. This post was originally run on July 5, 2007.
You guys remember this guy, right? The best Cubs shortstop prospect since.....I guess Shawon Dunston. When lil' Ronny Cedeno was with the Cubs last season, and at the beginning of this season, he was a strikeout machine and not really that good of a defensive player. Well, you send a guy down to Iowa and he becomes the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week.....
I-Cubs infielder Ronny Cedeno slugged five homers and drove in ten runs for a slugging percentage of 1.069 during his award-winning week. He also posted a .448 batting average during that stretch, racking up 13 total hits with three doubles in seven contests. A native of Carabobo, Venezuela, the 23-year old Cedeno now holds a season batting average of .387 with nine home runs and 25 RBI.
That is not a misprint. Cedeno is on fire down on Iowa. He hit .446 in June and is hitting .400 in July. More than that, Cedeno went down to Triple-A and learned some plate discipline. For all of you who remember his flailing swings at balls out of the zone, you will be relieved to hear up to this point Cedeno has 25 walks and 22 strikeouts in 48 games. That's a top notch ratio. Here is a rundown of all of Cedeno's meaningful stats:
48 games, .391 avg., .470 ob%, 1.114 ops, 10 HRs, 28 RBIs, 35 runs, 68 hits
Color me impressed. The only problem is....hasn't Ronny already been given his shot? Well, seeing as he's only 23 years old it might be prudent to give him another one. With a guy hitting near .400 at Triple-A, I have to believe Ronny is one infield injury (or a Cesar Izturis trade) away from being up at Wrigley. He certainly has earned the right.
This is what you want young players to do when they don't initially succeed at the Major League level. Just as Lou Piniella did earlier this season with Felix Pie, I'm sure Lou told Cedeno to work on his plate discipline in Iowa and become a better overall hitter. Cedeno took it upon himself to do this and has become successful.
About a month ago I called for trading Cedeno in a deal to get a shortstop that was already Major League ready, but would seem to be foolish at this point. Even if he doesn't make it to the Cubs until next season, he's still only 24 years old and has shown he can succeed at the highest level of the minors.
Usually you find me on here ripping on Cubs players and saying this player should be traded and that player should be let go. Today I'm saying that the Cubs need to keep Ronny Cedeno and give him a shot to be their shortstop of the future. Whether that is this season, or next, it needs to happen. He's certainly earned it.
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I have been an anti-cedenoite for quite some time. Its going to take a lot of hitting on his part before I forget about all those k's on pitches above his shoulders.
Trade him. The only way Cedeno will change my mind is if he comes up to the Majors and puts up those stats.
Wow, you guys are harsh, ha! I too, remember all the k's but I wonder what life would be like with a productive 1b, 3b and ss for the next 6-8 seasons.....I'm still slightly intrigued by him. I was waaaay down on him earlier this season.
Speaking of production...is our 1B ever going to hit another homerun?
I'm going to say...Yes? He got the night off tonight and D. Ward is producing. Maybe Lee will start feeling the heat. I can't believe he didn't drop his appeal of the suspension so he could miss the games against these weak teams. Especially when he's always struggled at RFK.