Disturbing LF Commentary from Paul Sullivan

[goonys evil twin]

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.

 

I refuse to allow myself to believe this is true, because it would both be one of the stupidest things to do (allowing a manager with no stake in the future to make managerial decisions) and something that I've been hoping against hope to happen for 4 years.

[frostwyrm]

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.

 

I have the opposite feeling. I expect a 2 year extension.

[KaiserCesar]

Jones is really bad against lefties. Even in CF he should have a platoon partner. My original plan was a lineup along the lines of

 

Roberts CF

Fontenot 2B

Lee

Aram

Lee

Murton/Jones

Barrett

Cedeno

 

Now, with the Izturis whatever you want to call it, I can only hope he is involved in some deal to bring in a power SS like a Tejada. That would leave Cedeno at 2B and no room for Fontenot's great OBP and decent power. However, if Murton's splits are straightening out, and you trade for your SS in Tejada, you can get another platoon/bench guy for Jones and have a similar lineup.

 

Roberts CF

Murton

Lee

ARam

Tejada

Jones/Platoon guy

Barrett

Cedeno

 

Now I don't know how feasible the whole Tejada thing is, but this is just me coping with the Izturis thing. Worst case scenario is Izturis, Cedeno, Murton and Jones are all full-time players and Pierre is extended at a high price. Here is the best way to make that lineup in my mind.

 

Pierre

Murton

Lee

ARam

Barrett

Jones

Cedeno

Izturis

 

If Aram opts out, I quit. The best in-house solution is would likely be sliding Fontenot over since McGehee is much worse offensively in AAA (although 3 years younger) and Moore is a K king in AA. Probably what will happen is Pedro Feliz. In that case, I'm going to scare you all with the potential lineup with Dusty being retained next year if things go bad.

 

Pierre

Izturis

Lee

Jones

Barrett

Feliz

Murton

Cedeno

 

Looks like I got a little off track

[A New Era]

There's a problem. Hendry really likes Pierre and Jones. Even if Dusty isn't here next year, I HONESTLY beleive the only position he will change in the OF is Murton's position. Not that it's right.

[biittner77]

There's a problem. Hendry really likes Pierre and Jones. Even if Dusty isn't here next year, I HONESTLY beleive the only position he will change in the OF is Murton's position. Not that it's right.

 

Or Hendry could sign Soriano with the promise of returning him to 2nd base. Under a sane manager the lineup would then look like this:

 

Pierre

Murton

Lee

Ramirez

Soriano

Jones

Barrett

Izturis (assuming Hendry intends to keep him)

P

 

That lineup isn't that horrible.

[David]

I don't know how exactly to explain it, Sullivan seems to have a tendency to always say that the Cubs are always not going to make a move. Like around trade deadlines and in the offseasons, he'll mention rumors and then say stuff like "don't look for anything to get done," or "don't count on it."

 

Ok, I'm not sure I'm even making any sense with this post. Just something I've noticed.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Has Sullivan ever had any idea what the Cubs are going to do?

[forbez18]

Who cares who they get for the field. The Cubs need PITCHING!!

They need to figure out maybe the top young guy that can start, move the next best guy to the pen. Go out get Shmidt or Zito or someone that can be a number two guy. Then possibly trade for a pitcher that could be a number two/three guy. You then have a rotation of Z, Z or shimdt, (new guy), Prior, and Marshall/Hill/Marmol..Get a good outfielder that can rotate in keep aramis and the Cubs would win the division.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Has Sullivan ever had any idea what the Cubs are going to do?

 

I remember when they had him on TV one day during a rain delay last year and he correctly predicted the game would eventually resume.

[badger1679666666]

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

 

If he doesn't he has to answer to why he wasted 3 pitchers (2 good ones with plenty of upside) on a one year rental who sucked for half the year.

 

Jim doesn't admit mistakes.

[badger1679666666]

Has Sullivan ever had any idea what the Cubs are going to do?

 

no but he's nowhere near the moron that Phil Rogers is. So he's got that going for him.....

[wilk]

I see so many people putting Soriano as the Cubs' 2nd basemen next year. Is this even remotely realistic? Shouldn't we assume that if there were a chance of Soriano, it's as an outfielder? Especially with Hendry's obsession with defense, is he going to grab Izturis for short, only to put SORIANO at 2nd? I don't see Soriano requiring he moves back to 2nd now that he's an "All-Star outfielder" and all, but if so, I'd say it's nearing a 0% chance that it's the Cubs who put him there. What are you guys basing it off of?

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

Soriano, Dunn, Kearns, et al will not be with the Cubs next year. Izturis and Cedeno are the keystone combo next year. Pierre will lead off unless he goes else where.

 

Lee is a possability but he will be expensive and in the long run a bad signing. Decling production and increased cost at the end of the contract. Sheffield would be interesting if he would take a one year and an option contract.

 

In the end you are looking at Pierre and Isturis hitting 1-2 150+games next year with Dusty back. Even if he doesnt come back, I dont know alot of managers that Hendry would hire that would hit Pierre and Izturis any differently.

[DiamondMind]

I thought we loved Murton? We don't now?

[David]

Jim doesn't admit mistakes.

 

No, he just compounds them.

[NewUserName]

If CLee is the answer to our LF problem, than I would much rather go with Murton. He will probably be putting up higher OPS by 2008. CLee and Soriano are both going to be way overpaid and a big headache to the team that signed them in a couple of years. The Cubs are not going to win the WS next year anyway so I would just rather see young players develop more. I wouldnt waste a lot of money on CLee, Soriano or Jason Schmidt.

[d_money]

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.

 

Amen.

[frostwyrm]

In the end you are looking at Pierre and Isturis hitting 1-2 150+games next year with Dusty back. Even if he doesnt come back, I dont know alot of managers that Hendry would hire that would hit Pierre and Izturis any differently.

Yeah, managers would drool at the chance to put a career .295 OBP in front of Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez.

[Guest]

I want Murton back in LF next year. But I want big upgrades to RF (with Jones moving to CF) and 2B (Soriano).

 

Please note: It's not what I expect the Cubs to do. It is simply what I would do were I GM.

[CUBZ99]

I want Murton back in LF next year. But I want big upgrades to RF (with Jones moving to CF) and 2B (Soriano).

 

Please note: It's not what I expect the Cubs to do. It is simply what I would do were I GM.

 

It is unfortunate that Murton can only play one position. It is equally unfortunate that the position he plays is stereotyped as a power hitters position. Murton's .358 OBP and decent speed would in theory make him a good leadoff hitter, and his numbers would be a pretty decent improvement over Pierre.

[NewUserName]

The Murton/Pagan platoon has been very effective in July. I would like to see Pagan play some CF. If he can keep his production close to what it is now and move to CF that would be better, cheaper alternative to resigning Pierre next season. I think if given the CF job the worst Pagan would be is as good as Pierre.