ESPN features Cubs in preview

[goonys evil twin]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview06/index

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview06/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&id=2385486

 

First baseman Derrek Lee made a run at the Triple Crown last year. Aramis Ramirez is one of the game's top third basemen. Juan Pierre gives them the leadoff hitter they so desperately needed. Jacque Jones gives them another bat in the outfield.

 

As Stark writes, the Cubs are not devoid of talent. They can make some noice. But why do so many people insist on referring to Jacque Jones this way. Not only Jones, but lots of guys fall in this category. Yeah, Jones is another bat. So what, it's not like they were going to start games with only 2 outfielders. They were going to have a guy who could hold a bat no matter what. The key is what the new bat is replacing. Jones is replacing a guy who was just as bad as him. No reason for optimism can center around the idea that Jones is now in the lineup. Jones wasn't the missing link from year's past. If they went from Jose Macias to Jones, then you have a reason to expect improvement. But this was stagnation.

 

Anyway, ESPN has a bunch of Cubs stuff up on the MLB page.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2381441

 

http://espn-att.starwave.com/media/mlb/2005/0703/photo/g_lee_412.jpg

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Yeah, just read that article. Interesting read.

 

But I think they're right. If this team is going to win this year, it's all going to come down to pitching. Prior, Wood, and Miller have to come back and be back in their old form.

[soccer10k]

I think the season depends equally as much on whether or not Jones and Pierre can rebound and if Matt Murton can be a decent MLB player. The offense needs to be more well rounded then we used to be and need to rely less on home runs.

[goonys evil twin]

I tend to think there isn't one need, and that this season isn't going to "come down to" anything in particular. The Cubs lost too many games last year for a variety of reasons. They came up short in 2004 for many of the same reasons.

 

The Cubs can win if both Prior and Wood miss significant time. It'll just take lots of Z, as well as solid Maddux, improved Williams and some help from the kid pitchers. If the pitching is okay, but not great, they can win if the offense picks it up. Likewise, if the offense stays stagnant, it doesn't mean they can't make it. Hendry had lots of options to improve this team because it had lots of need for improvement. Of course, they could still get great pitching and miss the playoffs, or take an enormous leap with the offense and still make some noice. There isn't a cure all out there for this team, and there isn't one area that will determine their success. Obviously certain things can take more precedence than others. But it still comes down to overall production of the hitters and pitchers, and not just one area of the team. They need lots of things to go right to have a good year, but they can also find success if a few go wrong.

[srbin84]

Cransik is a moron. How can the worst case for the Cardinals be to finish second to the Astros (who are arguably only the 4th best team in the division)? In the same article he says the best case for the Cubs is to win the World Series.

[abuck1220]

thank goodness the cubs signed a guy with a bat. for a while there i thought they were going to sign that guy w/ no arms.

[CubDad4Ever]

Gooney, I think that is one of the best things , i have seen you write. I could not agree more. Coach L. Have a great day.