Disturbing LF Commentary from Paul Sullivan

[HoopsCubs]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060803cubsbits,1,5461632.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

 

"Though sluggers Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano will be free agents this winter and the New York Yankees are unlikely to pick up Gary Sheffield's $13 million option, the Cubs appear satisfied with the status quo in left field."

 

Reality or just a Tribune ploy to drive down somebody's price? You make the call.

 

From my perspective, a definite ouch, if the former.

 

 

 

Hoops

[C.C.]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060803cubsbits,1,5461632.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

 

"Though sluggers Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano will be free agents this winter and the New York Yankees are unlikely to pick up Gary Sheffield's $13 million option, the Cubs appear satisfied with the status quo in left field."

 

Reality or just a Tribune ploy to drive down somebody's price? You make the call.

 

From my perspective, a definite ouch, if the former.

 

 

Hoops

 

 

How does he know the Cubs appear satisfied with the Status Quo?

[RynoRules]

It actually sounds like speculation on Sullivan's part - what is his source? Is he just throwing it out there based on his own observations? He did qualify his statement.

[snoodmonger]

amazing if true. that's incompetence at an all new level.

[Banedon]

Meh...reading that article it looks like Sully just got that impression from Baker...not anyone else. And a few lines below we get this quote from Dusty:

 

I'm not as worried about next year as much as I am trying to play everybody and make some honest decisions for this year.

 

Sure...because I think he knows that he's not going to be around next year. So of course he's not worried about next years LF either.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

That's perfectly fine with me if offense is added at 2B or CF. Too bad that's not happening.

[C.C.]

That's perfectly fine with me if offense is added at 2B or CF. Too bad that's not happening.

 

I can see CLEE in LF or Soriano at 2nd. They can trade either Murton or Cedeno then. They have to do something to create more offense. I can't believe Hendry will stand pat.

[goonys evil twin]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

[Banedon]

That's perfectly fine with me if offense is added at 2B or CF. Too bad that's not happening.

 

Or SS.

[C.C.]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

 

How would leadoff if Jones moves to CF?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

 

How would leadoff if Jones moves to CF?

 

Murton

[C.C.]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

 

Who would leadoff if Jones moves to CF?

 

Murton

 

Hmmm...Interesting. Food for thought. Let's see how the rest of the season goes for Murton.

[biittner77]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

 

How would leadoff if Jones moves to CF?

 

plan A: the impact second baseman someone like Giles

plan B: Pagan or Murton either of whom could easily match Pierre's numbers minus the stolen bases.

 

The better question is where can the Cubs find an impact RF?

[C.C.]

Hendry is going to re-sign Pierre. When he was on Murphy's show it seemed like he really wanted to.

[Banedon]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

 

Who would leadoff if Jones moves to CF?

 

Murton

 

Hmmm...Interesting. Food for thought. Let's see how the rest of the season goes for Murton.

 

Or if you picked up Soriano for 2B, he could lead off.

 

Soriano 2B

Murton LF

Lee 1B

Barrett C

Ramirez 3B

Jones RF

Pierre CF

Izturis SS

P

 

I'd rather lose Pierre, but if he's coming back, this lineup would be the best I can forsee.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Or if you picked up Soriano for 2B, he could lead off.

 

Soriano 2B

Murton LF

Lee 1B

Barrett C

Ramirez 3B

Jones RF

Pierre CF

Izturis SS

P

 

I'd rather lose Pierre, but if he's coming back, this lineup would be the best I can forsee.

 

I'd rather put Soriano in the 5 or 6 spot in that lineup. His OBP has been historically bad.

 

Murton

Barrett

Lee

Ramirez

Soriano

Jones

Pierre

Can't hit a lick guy

Pitcher

[C.C.]

Status quo in LF doesn't have to be terrible. I'm going to assume that a 25 year old Matt Murton is better than the 24 year old version. He could put up a line like .295/.365/.420, not particularly good, but not a drag on the team either, especially with that OBP. The key is to get better elsewhere, whether that means moving Jones to center and getting a better RF, finding an impact 2B, getting proper bench players to help with platoons, etc. It would be asinine to go into 2007 with the entire lineup as status quo, but there's no reason why LF can't be the same, as long as improvements are found elsewhere.

 

Who would leadoff if Jones moves to CF?

 

Murton

 

Hmmm...Interesting. Food for thought. Let's see how the rest of the season goes for Murton.

 

Or if you picked up Soriano for 2B, he could lead off.

 

Soriano 2B

Murton LF

Lee 1B

Barrett C

Ramirez 3B

Jones RF

Pierre CF

Izturis SS

P

 

I'd rather lose Pierre, but if he's coming back, this lineup would be the best I can forsee.

 

I was thinking that also but if Dusty is the manager no way does he bats Pierre in the 7 spot.

[davearm]

Actually I think this is great news, if true.

 

I have this fear that Murton's Cub career will soon be steamrolled by an ill-advised Carlos Lee signing.

 

As some others have suggested, I'd much rather leave Murton in LF and have him hit 1 or 2 (where his high OBP and modest SLG is a natural fit), put Jones in CF and hit him in the 6-7 range, and go get a legit 4 or 5 hitter to play RF.

 

Murton

Barrett

Lee

Ramirez

Jones

<2B>

Izturis

 

IMO this plan works great if <2b> is a solid hitter with a high .700s OPS; it turns pretty dicey if <2b> is Cedeno.

 

EDIT: Naturally, you could make Soriano your 4/5 hitter and 2B, and get a high .700s OPS guy like Austin Kearns to play RF and bat 7th.

Edited August 4, 2006 by davearm

[Banedon]

I was thinking that also but if Dusty is the manager no way does he bats Pierre in the 7 spot.

 

For my own sanity, I refuse to consider scenarios for 07 that include Dusty.

[frostwyrm]

Going cheap at LF with Murton is not a terrible idea considering how many holes this team needs to fill. The rotation is a mess and Aram is about to get real expensive too. If it were up to me I'd move Jones to CF and spend big on RF and possibly 2B. Izturis wouldn't even be here.

[Caryatid]

I heard the end of a conversation on the radio the other day in which one of the hosts was talking about how Pierre has said that he wasn't coming back to the Cubs unless Baker was the manager. I hadn't heard that.

 

Couldn't someone get Perez, Rusch, Jones and Izturs to make the same demand?

[C.C.]

I was thinking that also but if Dusty is the manager no way does he bats Pierre in the 7 spot.

 

For my own sanity, I refuse to consider scenarios for 07 that include Dusty.

 

LOL! No doubt! I just feel it coming. If Dusty wants to come back he's a Cub next year.

[C.C.]

I heard the end of a conversation on the radio the other day in which one of the hosts was talking about how Pierre has said that he wasn't coming back to the Cubs unless Baker was the manager. I hadn't heard that.

 

Couldn't someone get Perez, Rusch, Jones and Izturs to make the same demand?

 

What? No way Pierre says that!

[Banedon]

I was thinking that also but if Dusty is the manager no way does he bats Pierre in the 7 spot.

 

For my own sanity, I refuse to consider scenarios for 07 that include Dusty.

 

LOL! No doubt! I just feel it coming. If Dusty wants to come back he's a Cub next year.

 

I don't think so. Personally, I think Hendry's already told Dusty he's gone after this year. I think they agreed on the rest of the year so that Dusty could leave and not be "fired". That's the feeling I get.

[goonys evil twin]

I heard the end of a conversation on the radio the other day in which one of the hosts was talking about how Pierre has said that he wasn't coming back to the Cubs unless Baker was the manager. I hadn't heard that.

 

Couldn't someone get Perez, Rusch, Jones and Izturs to make the same demand?

 

What? No way Pierre says that!

 

Why not? Most any other manager would have demoted him for his crap play. Dusty kept putting him out there at the expense of the team. Players like managers who kiss their butts and let them do whatever they want, without consequence.