2007 thoughts

[back2backjax]

guys, there is a lot of negativity about the length and money of soriano's contract, but as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures and i can't remember an offseason like this one where cubs management was this aggressive in trying to upgrade the previous year's roster. i truly feel like they're trying to put a winner on the field in 2007.

 

regardless of the way he's gone about doing it, hendry has obviously kept his word to lou by re-signing ramirez, wood and blanco and signing derosa and soriano. and the best part is that he may not be done. if he gets a decent pitcher or two, you have to consider the cubs on paper to be a strong contender in not only the central, but the NL.

 

if you're not looking forward to opening day 2007, you're obviously never going to be a satisfied cubs fan.

[PackLandVA]

Last year, many fans were up in arms about Hendry's inability to bolster the club. About the only good thing regarding his inactivity in the off-season was that it pretty much sealed Dusty's fate as the Cubs manager beyong 2006.

 

I don't know if theese moves are gonna make the impact i want it to or not. As of now, though, I'm glad Hendry is sticking to his word of being a major player in the off-season.

 

History will tell if these signings are any good or not.

[cheapseats]

i can't remember an offseason like this one where cubs management was this aggressive in trying to upgrade the previous year's roster. i truly feel like they're trying to put a winner on the field in 2007...

 

if you're not looking forward to opening day 2007, you're obviously never going to be a satisfied cubs fan.

 

This was the worst team in the NL last year. Does adding Soriano suddenly make the Cubs "a winner?"

 

John Wooden said, "Don't mistake activity for achievement."

[PackLandVA]

i can't remember an offseason like this one where cubs management was this aggressive in trying to upgrade the previous year's roster. i truly feel like they're trying to put a winner on the field in 2007...

 

if you're not looking forward to opening day 2007, you're obviously never going to be a satisfied cubs fan.

 

This was the worst team in the NL last year. Does adding Soriano suddenly make the Cubs "a winner?"

 

John Wooden said, "Don't mistake activity for achievement."

 

No, Soriano doesn't make the Cubs a winner. But inactivity, like last year, proved to make them a team without depth, and consequently, a loser.

 

Had they stopped after signing ARam, I'd agree that one player will not make them a winner. But they didn't. In addition to adding a mangager that I think can do a better job than Dusty, they went and got other players. Soriano should be another bat that they clearly needed after last season. And there's no indication they'll stop after the Soriano deal.

 

I don't kow how good the team is gonna be, there's still plenty of holes, mostly in pitching. But I like that they're trying to do something that appears positive (at least to me).

[back2backjax]

i can't remember an offseason like this one where cubs management was this aggressive in trying to upgrade the previous year's roster. i truly feel like they're trying to put a winner on the field in 2007...

 

if you're not looking forward to opening day 2007, you're obviously never going to be a satisfied cubs fan.

 

This was the worst team in the NL last year. Does adding Soriano suddenly make the Cubs "a winner?"

 

John Wooden said, "Don't mistake activity for achievement."

 

you're clearly overlooking the fact that lee played in just 50 games. if you take last year's team and add derrek lee and alfonso soriano to it, not to mention an upgrade over our 2nd baseman last season and i say that's a huge upgrade. now he just needs a pitcher or two and we should have enough pieces to compete.

[hawkcub]

i can't remember an offseason like this one where cubs management was this aggressive in trying to upgrade the previous year's roster. i truly feel like they're trying to put a winner on the field in 2007...

 

if you're not looking forward to opening day 2007, you're obviously never going to be a satisfied cubs fan.

 

This was the worst team in the NL last year. Does adding Soriano suddenly make the Cubs "a winner?"

 

John Wooden said, "Don't mistake activity for achievement."

 

Record wise the Cubs were the worst team but do you really think a healthy Cub team was the worst team. Middle of the pack yes, worst no.

[NOLA]

So then a question...If the Cards won the Central last year with a mediocre pitching staff but a killer lineup, is the gap really that huge to overcome? I realize STL won the WS, but they did get hot at the right time.

[Backtobanks]

So then a question...If the Cards won the Central last year with a mediocre pitching staff but a killer lineup, is the gap really that huge to overcome? I realize STL won the WS, but they did get hot at the right time.

 

That's why I keep saying that you have to build a team good enough to get to the playoffs because everything after that is a matter of who gets hot when.

[back2backjax]

From the Sun-Times:

 

The former New York Yankees second baseman, who played left field last season for the Washington Nationals, will become the Cubs' leadoff man and play either center field, replacing departing free agent Juan Pierre, or left field.

 

 

Bruce, do you stand by your statement that Fonzie will play RF?

[C.C.]

So then a question...If the Cards won the Central last year with a mediocre pitching staff but a killer lineup, is the gap really that huge to overcome? I realize STL won the WS, but they did get hot at the right time.

 

I don't even think thier lineup was all that killer either.

[UMFan83]

I think we are about a 74 win team right now as currently assembled. Hey thats an 8 game improvement!

[MustangMike]

guys, there is a lot of negativity about the length and money of soriano's contract, but as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures and i can't remember an offseason like this one where cubs management was this aggressive in trying to upgrade the previous year's roster. i truly feel like they're trying to put a winner on the field in 2007.

 

regardless of the way he's gone about doing it, hendry has obviously kept his word to lou by re-signing ramirez, wood and blanco and signing derosa and soriano. and the best part is that he may not be done. if he gets a decent pitcher or two, you have to consider the cubs on paper to be a strong contender in not only the central, but the NL.

 

if you're not looking forward to opening day 2007, you're obviously never going to be a satisfied cubs fan.

 

It's a double edged sword really. They needed and wanted a big bat like Soriano, and they paid to get him. If they let someone outbid them, some are mad they didn't pony up, some don't care. Whatever he does there are going to be arguments and thoughts either way. I personally don't like the length, but its a necessary evil to signing him. Too many years of being outbid, its nice to win one of these. I look forward to 2007. Now go get pitching.

[Derwood]

I think that at the very least, the front office mantra has shifted from "trying to stay competitive in the division" to "trying to make the playoffs". A few more good signings will move that up to "contending for a championship"

[Mark_R]

I think we are about a 74 win team right now as currently assembled. Hey thats an 8 game improvement!

 

How can you say that when (assuming 1B plays in 150 games) Derrek Lee plays 100 more games and Alfonso Soriano replaces Juan Pierre? The rest is pretty much the status quo. This seems close to .500 right now with the potential to be much better with a couple of solid additions to our pitching rotation.

[UMFan83]

I think we are about a 74 win team right now as currently assembled. Hey thats an 8 game improvement!

 

How can you say that when (assuming 1B plays in 150 games) Derrek Lee plays 100 more games and Alfonso Soriano replaces Juan Pierre? The rest is pretty much the status quo. This seems close to .500 right now with the potential to be much better with a couple of solid additions to our pitching rotation.

 

With no improved pitching and the potential of 75 starts from Marmol/Mateo/Guzman, etc. I don't know how they can improve much more.

 

But just in general I like being pessimistic.

[Bote McBoteface]

Meh, we are about a .500 team right now.

 

Thats nothing to be too proud of. We still need a top of the line pitcher to replace Wood (Or, rather, what we kept hoping Wood would give us). The pitchers that have been talked about recently, such as Westbrook, Meche, Padilla... aren't going to cut it. I wouldn't mind signing Marquis or Westbrook as a 5th, but we'll need something better to compete.

 

Z

Prior

_____

Marshall/Hill/Marmol

Westbrook/Marquis

[MustangMike]

Meh, we are about a .500 team right now.

 

Thats nothing to be too proud of. We still need a top of the line pitcher to replace Wood (Or, rather, what we kept hoping Wood would give us). The pitchers that have been talked about recently, such as Westbrook, Meche, Padilla... aren't going to cut it. I wouldn't mind signing Marquis or Westbrook as a 5th, but we'll need something better to compete.

 

Z

Prior

_____

Marshall/Hill/Marmol

Westbrook/Marquis

 

 

 

Prior returns to 2003 form, we trade for westbrook, win world series.