Cubs Send Tyler Colvin to Triple-A

It's been a rough beginning to the 2011 season for Cubs OF/1B Tyler Colvin. Playing time has been scarce, and when he has found his way onto the field, he's managed a grotesque .113/.191/.258 line (OPS+ of 19) in 62 at-bats. So after Monday's loss to Cincinnati, the Cubs brass decided to end Colvin's misery and give him a chance to regroup in Triple-A Iowa.

In truth, while Colvin posted decent numbers in his rookie season - 20 home runs in only 358 at bats, along with a .500 slugging percentage - there were some red flags, particularly his poor 100/30 K/BB ratio. But it's not as simple as saying he's another Corey Patterson, and that pitchers have figured out that you don't have to throw him strikes to get him out. Looking at Colvin's strikeout and walk totals this year (17/6), the ratio is pretty similar to last year's, as is the percentage of strikeouts and walks per plate appearance (in 2010: 25.3% of PA were strikeouts, 7.6% were walks; in 2011: 25% of his PA have been strikeouts, 8.8% have been walks). The real problem is just that there's no place to put Colvin into the lineup right now to give him a chance to straighten things out at the plate. He can't really play CF. Alfonso Soriano has been the only Cub to show any power (11 HR, no other Cub has more than 4). Kosuke Fukudome has been off to his usual hot April start (.886 OPS) and since he and Colvin are both left-handed hitters, they can't be platooned. What's worse for Colvin is that Reed Johnson, a better defender, has posted a 1.086 OPS (in very limited playing time) and has thus passed Colvin for the 4th outfielder spot.

The good news for Colvin is that each of the Cubs regular corner outfielders have glaring weaknesses: for Soriano - a .293 OBP, with fewer walks than Colvin in more than twice as many plate appearances, while displaying the range and catching ability of a cactus in left field; for Fukudome - the fact that it's no longer April, and he generally hits worse as the season progresses. It's the same limitations that last year, helped Colvin get the opportunity to play as much as he did, and if he hits well in Iowa he'll get another chance to take at-bats from Fukudome and/or Soriano (and Johnson, once he comes back to earth) later in the season.

The worst news, as far as Cubs fans are concerned? As bad as Colvin has been this year, he still has more HR and as many RBI as the guy who's been our primary #3 hitter, and more HR than our primary clean-up hitter too.