Opening Day - 2006

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Well folks, it's that time again. Today is the start of the 2006 Major League Baseball season. I don't know if it's symbolic or tragic that the season is opening with a Chicago White Sox game, but I do know that today is a day of hope for those on the northside of Chicago. Today is a day where every single one of us dreams of the Chicago Cubs turning their misfortune into majesty. Pain into ectasy. Pesos into dollars (what?). Today is what everyone has been waiting for through the long winter. The weather is starting to heat up, the stadium is making it's final preparations, and the ivy is coming back to life. Today is the day where we all ask the baseball gods for a small favor. We wish for the good health of our pitchers. We wish for the wise decisions from our manager. And we wish for the pure collapse of the Cardinals. Even though the Cubs don't officially open their season until Monday, there's still a different feel in the air. That's because today is opening day for Major League Baseball. I can't think of anything better.

 

Keep the faith. Believe in your team. Good luck, 2006 Chicago Cubs... our team.

[NCCubFan]

Everybody's tied for first place.

[CubinNY]

I was thinking last night, as much as I rip Hendry he has done almost exactly what I wanted this offseason. The Cubs have overhaulled 4 positions from last year LF, CF, RF, and SS. They've went with youth instead of retreads and they've bolstered the pitching staff.

 

Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Hendry has done exactly what I have done, b/c I would have traded for a big bat in the outfiled. Nevertheless, He certianly remade the roster.

 

In the end I really don't think it is going to improve the Cubs that much from last year, but at least he didn't just rearrange the deck chairs.

[pyromaniac]

I am so flippin excited. Can't wait to see a full season of Murton and Cedeno. Hoping for another amazing Lee campaign, hoping for a full healthy season for Ramirez, and very frustrated at Wood/Prior

[Roast]

Well, I just got done watching Kerry Wood's 2003 NLCS homer, so i'm ready for some baseball!!

 

In all honesty I expect a 85-90 win, second place finish, with the wildcard being a real possibility. However, since its opening day i'm hoping for a 100 win 1st place finish, and a world series ring. And in the spirit of opening day lets talk about all the good things I expect to be true, and all the good things I hope to be true...

 

-I expect Kerry Wood back by mid-April, in his old dominant form

-I expect Mark Prior back by The end of April, In dominant form

-I expect Wood AND Prior to stay healthy the rest of the season

-I expect Murton to continue producing in LF

-I expect Cedeno to be solid at short

-I expect Michael Barret will improve his pitch calling/defense

-I expect Todd Walker to STAY on the team

-I expect a GOOD year out of Pierre

-I expect for Lee to be a stud yet again

-I expect Marshall to thrive in a starters roll

-I expect Z to be a god

-I expect Dempster to continue his closing sucess

-I expect our bullpen to be solid

-I expect A wild card birth!

 

-I hope We stay injury free from here on out

-I hope Dusty sticks with murton/cedeno through the rough patches

-I hope Williams can keep his era at 4 or lower

-I hope Maddux can do the same, and not give up a bunch of HR

-I hope Jock Jones can put up a .900 OPS (.850 would be good too)

-I hope Aramis and Lee can make up for the mostly powerless outfield

-I hope Murton continues to show his Power when hitting

-I hope Dusty threw away his Dugout Dice©

-I hope Neifi stays on the bench

-I hope for a first place finish

-I hope for a WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP.

[Cubfanintheknow]

As long as we're hoping for things...

 

I hope the Cubs post the first 173-0 season in major league history. I want them to not just win, but steamroll over everyone and everything in their path. Total domination, total annhilation, take no prisoners. I want other teams wetting themselves out of fear for the Cubs.

 

But really, I just hope they make the playoffs and take care of things from there.

[jjgman21]

I was thinking last night, as much as I rip Hendry he has done almost exactly what I wanted this offseason. The Cubs have overhaulled 4 positions from last year LF, CF, RF, and SS. They've went with youth instead of retreads and they've bolstered the pitching staff.

 

 

thank you for that NY. that's all I've been trying to say to you, goony and BBB all winter. Hendry may not have gotten the players you wanted, but changes were made in areas that desperately needed changing, and in an environment where Hendry was in very poor bargaining position. just like last year with the Sosa situation, every GM and agent in baseball new they had Hendry over a barrell because of his need to make these changes, yet he managed to improve the team, even if only marginally, without too much damage to the organization as a whole.

 

here's to a little health from our pitchers, and maybe a midseason trade to bolster the offense (or to hopes for a managerial change and the guts to have midseason fire sale if the season goes to hell)

[otis89]

Jigman, not trying to start an argument, but going from 89 wins in 2004 to 79 wins in 2005 is improving the team? Oh, and the Sosa situation was 2004, not last year.

[TB_11]

Last night I had a dream that I was in the Cubs clubhouse, and I was talking to Barrett and Ronny. While we were talking about how the White Sox won it last year, I looked up and saw Kerry walking by with ice on his shoulder. Randomly Dawson was walking in the other direction in full uniform, that big 8 sticking out on his back.

 

I think I'm ready for Opening Day.

[David]

Jigman, not trying to start an argument, but going from 89 wins in 2004 to 79 wins in 2005 is improving the team? Oh, and the Sosa situation was 2004, not last year.

 

The Sosa situation was last year... The offseason following 2004 and leading into 2005.

[jjgman21]

Jigman, not trying to start an argument, but going from 89 wins in 2004 to 79 wins in 2005 is improving the team? Oh, and the Sosa situation was 2004, not last year.

 

I was not speaking of whether the team improved from 2004-2005. my only reference was stating that in both offseasons, Hendry was kind of over a barrell because everyone knew what the Cubs were trying to do, and the urgency of getting it done.

 

 

and its jjgman

[Andy]

My hopes are higher than last year, when I predicted the Cubs to finish 2nd more out of hope than belief. This year, we'll have both Woody and Prior back by the end of May, we add another good pitcher in Miller in May, and we have a better offense, headlined by a leadoff man who can actually get on base and a guy batting 2nd who actually belongs there. We have a good closer for the whole season, and a bullpen that will be better than last year's at worst, and blow it out of the water at best.

 

We probably won't win the division or get to the playoffs - but this team has a ceiling that could enable it to this time around. The Cards are mortal, and there really isn't one giant in the whole league. If ever there was a year for the Cubs to sneak in the back door and make it all the way to the Series, 2006 would be it.

 

I can't wait. Go Cubs! :D

[pyromaniac]

I'm also hoping that this season firmly cements Matt Murton as the greatest red-haired major leaguer since the days of Wade Boggs.

[Omar]

I have more confidence going into 2006 than going into 2005. I don't expect an all-star at every position like many people here. This team is above acceptable. I don't know my confidence is higher than going into 2004, but I hope it is. I also think the amount of injuries is a bad excuse for this team to lose... With a farm system built around pitching, we should be winning with no excuses about pitching...

[USSoccer]

I'd describe myself as cautiously optimistic about 2006. I think the overall 25 man roster is better than the 2005 installment, and the fact that Pierre is here prevents Dusty from trotting out sub ..300 OBP leadoff people in front of two guys that should just mash the ball all year.

 

The rotation isn't as terrible as it looks at first glance. Z is a #1. Maddux and Rusch should be able to hold their own in April, when the weather is crap and the wind tends to blow in. That especially helps Rusch. Marshall and Williams are acceptable stop gaps, and I fully anticipate Wood being back before April ends.

 

The key question will be wether or not the team can survive the first 4 weeks without Wood. If they can, I think they'll be right there all season.

[soccer10k]

I have more confidence going into 2006 than going into 2005. I don't expect an all-star at every position like many people here. This team is above acceptable. I don't know my confidence is higher than going into 2004, but I hope it is. I also think the amount of injuries is a bad excuse for this team to lose... With a farm system built around pitching, we should be winning with no excuses about pitching...

 

I agree completely. Some people on this board act like the Cubs should be the Yankees, which isn't the right mentality. I think the Cubs have a decent team this year and could win anywhere from 75-95 games. 75 would mean Prior and Wood don't pitch much and the young guys don't play well. 95 would be the exact opposite. We'll just have to wait and see how the season plays out. Hopefully the latter.