2007 Chicago Cubs: worst offense ever?

[Shilzzz]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves.

 

your infield is ? at 3B, Izturis SS, Cedeno 2B, Lee 1B

 

your outfield is ? in LF, Pierre CF and Jones in Right.

 

 

it is quite possible they score no more than 3 runs in a single game, and the times they score three is when Lee has multi-HR games.

 

the ship is not going in the right direction.

[Backtobanks]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves.

 

your infield is ? at 3B, Izturis SS, Cedeno 2B, Lee 1B

 

your outfield is ? in LF, Pierre CF and Jones in Right.

 

 

it is quite possible they score no more than 3 runs in a single game, and the times they score three is when Lee has multi-HR games.

 

the ship is not going in the right direction.

 

The White Sox won with small ball and the Cubs will try to win with Little League ball.

[A New Era]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves..

 

JH isn't going to let ramirez leave. Now more than ever since he's got his "defensive" MI now.

 

JH will keep ramirez and sign carlos lee, a SP, and hopefully try to improve OF at other positions as well.

[Outshined_One]

We won't know what this offense will look like in 2007 until the 2006 World Series is decided.

 

After that, expect a cheap and poorly made knockoff of the team who won it.

[Shilzzz]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves..

 

JH isn't going to let ramirez leave. Now more than ever since he's got his "defensive" MI now.

 

JH will keep ramirez and sign carlos lee, a SP, and hopefully try to improve OF at other positions as well.

 

if that's the case then great. but i really don't think it's going to happen. one, maybe two of the three, but not all three.

[Drew Doughty]

it would be hilarious if ramirez left and we had an IF of Lee, Cedeno, Perez, Izturis.

[A New Era]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves..

 

JH isn't going to let ramirez leave. Now more than ever since he's got his "defensive" MI now.

 

JH will keep ramirez and sign carlos lee, a SP, and hopefully try to improve OF at other positions as well.

 

if that's the case then great. but i really don't think it's going to happen. one, maybe two of the three, but not all three.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. After all, his job DEPENDS on doing these 2-3 things. And he has the money now with Wood and Maddux's money.

[cubsjunky95]

Hopefully this sets the table to make a run at Lee during the off-season. Don't forget that the NL is weak and probably won't be any better next season so the Cubs are one big bat and one front line starter from maybe being a contender....aw who am I kidding this is the Cubs they will find some way to mess this up.

[Shilzzz]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves..

 

JH isn't going to let ramirez leave. Now more than ever since he's got his "defensive" MI now.

 

JH will keep ramirez and sign carlos lee, a SP, and hopefully try to improve OF at other positions as well.

 

if that's the case then great. but i really don't think it's going to happen. one, maybe two of the three, but not all three.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. After all, his job DEPENDS on doing these 2-3 things. And he has the money now with Wood and Maddux's money.

 

the only problem with that is that i can guarantee that the payroll will be cut back to somewhere between 85-90m, and nothing higher than 90m. carlos lee and barry zito as free agents, while re-upping Aram is going to be tough with those parameters.

[cubs121]

i EXTREMELY dought Ramirez leaving... i dont think JH will let that happen!

[goonys evil twin]

i EXTREMELY dought Ramirez leaving... i dont think JH will let that happen!

 

I doubt he is leaving as well. Although I've thought all along he'd opt out, because he can get better than 2/22 on the free market. Jim will just have to pay more for Ramirez and give him a longer deal. I'm guessing something creative like a 4 year deal with another opt out clause and a dual option with a buyout.

[A New Era]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves..

 

JH isn't going to let ramirez leave. Now more than ever since he's got his "defensive" MI now.

 

JH will keep ramirez and sign carlos lee, a SP, and hopefully try to improve OF at other positions as well.

 

if that's the case then great. but i really don't think it's going to happen. one, maybe two of the three, but not all three.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. After all, his job DEPENDS on doing these 2-3 things. And he has the money now with Wood and Maddux's money.

 

the only problem with that is that i can guarantee that the payroll will be cut back to somewhere between 85-90m, and nothing higher than 90m. carlos lee and barry zito as free agents, while re-upping Aram is going to be tough with those parameters.

 

No, the payroll will not be reduced to $85mil. That would be a terrible PR move and a HUGE disaster. Honestly, the Chicago cubs HAVE to go out and get Carlos Lee and Jason Shmidt. Otherwise they really risk the chance of decreased attendance. I seriously beleive that. After this horrendous season, they KNOW they have to get ALOT better. Trust me on this one.

[d_money]

Decreased attendance? Puh-leez. Thats the last thing the Cubs are worried about. The lemmings will continue to pack'em in (Iowa blue hairs, fraternity parties, local yuppies).

[YearofDaCubs]

We won't know what this offense will look like in 2007 until the 2006 World Series is decided.

 

After that, expect a cheap and poorly made knockoff of the team who won it.

Hilarious but so true.

[abuck1220]

it would be hilarious if ramirez left and we had an IF of Lee, Cedeno, Perez, Izturis.

 

well, sometimes you have to cut corners when you're a small market team. oh wait, we have the second highest payroll in the league.

[goonys evil twin]

Decreased attendance? Puh-leez. Thats the last thing the Cubs are worried about. The lemmings will continue to pack'em in (Iowa blue hairs, fraternity parties, local yuppies).

 

People said the same thing about the stock market in 2000. The Cubs attendance is negatively affected by bad play. It is positively affected by good play. The nearly unprecedented success of 2003/2004 (in comparison to past Cubs teams) brought about an unprecedented response from fans who thought the big one was coming and didn't want to miss out. Back to back sub .500 seasons will negate much of that. Eyeballs are already leaving the broadcasts, butts are already not filling in all the seats, even though tickets were sold in February, when there was hope.

[Outshined_One]

Decreased attendance? Puh-leez. Thats the last thing the Cubs are worried about. The lemmings will continue to pack'em in (Iowa blue hairs, fraternity parties, local yuppies).

 

Ratings are down pretty badly from previous seasons. Advertising revenue is going to tighten up if they don't have enough people watching the games.

 

And yes, that could have a noticeable effect on the team's budget.

 

On a slightly related tangent, aren't we third or fourth in NL payroll? I know the Astros and Mutts are towards the top, but I'd have to imagine the Dodgers are somewhere in there.

[d_money]

Decreased attendance? Puh-leez. Thats the last thing the Cubs are worried about. The lemmings will continue to pack'em in (Iowa blue hairs, fraternity parties, local yuppies).

 

Ratings are down pretty badly from previous seasons. Advertising revenue is going to tighten up if they don't have enough people watching the games.

 

And yes, that could have a noticeable effect on the team's budget.

 

On a slightly related tangent, aren't we third or fourth in NL payroll? I know the Astros and Mutts are towards the top, but I'd have to imagine the Dodgers are somewhere in there.

 

I want to believe that the Chubs brass is thinking about losing revenue etc.., b/c its the only way to get their attention to address the problem on the field. But you never know what the **** they're thinking.

[Hacking Out Machine]

We won't know what this offense will look like in 2007 until the 2006 World Series is decided.

 

After that, expect a cheap and poorly made knockoff of the team who won it.

 

Poorly made, yes. Cheap, no. I think Jim Hendry might be the only GM in baseball who can fashion a $100M payroll with about 3 worthwhile players on it.

 

They've got $22 million tied up in Dempster, Eyre, Howry, Izturis, Perez and Rusch alone and with all due respect to Howry and Eyre, none of these guys can significantly alter a team toward a championship.

[soccer10k]

it would be hilarious if ramirez left and we had an IF of Lee, Cedeno, Perez, Izturis.

 

well, sometimes you have to cut corners when you're a small market team. oh wait, we have the second highest payroll in the league.

 

MLB team payrolls

 

These are as of the beginning of the year. I couldn't find an updated list but I highly doubt we have the second highest payroll. At the beginning of the year the Cubs had the third highest in the NL and seventh highest in ML.

 

On a side note, I was surprised to see that the White Sox payroll was higher than the Cubs.

[Outshined_One]

MLB team payrolls

 

These are as of the beginning of the year. I couldn't find an updated list but I highly doubt we have the second highest payroll. At the beginning of the year the Cubs had the third highest in the NL and seventh highest in ML.

 

On a side note, I was surprised to see that the White Sox payroll was higher than the Cubs.

 

The Jim Thome and Vazquez trades upped their payroll a nice amount.

 

The Astros moved ahead of the Cubs when they signed Clemens and acquired Huff. They were #1 in the NL for a period of time, although I'm unsure if the Dodgers have moved ahead of them with their recent acquisitions. Ditto the Mets.

[soapy]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves..

 

JH isn't going to let ramirez leave. Now more than ever since he's got his "defensive" MI now.

 

JH will keep ramirez and sign carlos lee, a SP, and hopefully try to improve OF at other positions as well.

What about Hendry's past makes people believe this? On top of that, will he even have enough money??

[Derwood]

let's speculate for a moment.

 

ramirez leaves.

 

your infield is ? at 3B, Izturis SS, Cedeno 2B, Lee 1B

 

your outfield is ? in LF, Pierre CF and Jones in Right.

 

 

it is quite possible they score no more than 3 runs in a single game, and the times they score three is when Lee has multi-HR games.

 

the ship is not going in the right direction.

 

The White Sox won with small ball and the Cubs will try to win with Little League ball.

 

if by "small ball" you mean hitting a million home runs and having 5 healthy pitchers all year, then I agree

[RynoRules]

Didn't we actually spend less this year than last year? And this year's team will lose 100 games as opposed to just 90-something. Makes sense.

[10man]

We won't know what this offense will look like in 2007 until the 2006 World Series is decided.

 

After that, expect a cheap and poorly made knockoff of the team who won it.

It definitely won't be cheap since the payroll will still be close to $100M but it will definitely be a poorly made knockoff.