What needs to happen

[Backtobanks]

Dayn Perry from Foxsports.com has a column about the Cubs and what needs to happen for them to win. Nothing earthshattering or that we haven't discussed here on NSBB:

 

Lee must stay healthy. While it's not likely he'll ever again be as dominant as he was in 2005, he is capable of returning to his typical "very good but not great" self. Provided he avoids injury.

 

The annual refrain is that Mark Prior needs to work 200 or so innings, and this year is no different. He's finally throwing off a mound, and he says his shoulder is feeling much better. Of course, that's also a familiar song and dance.

 

Manager Lou Piniella needs to resist the temptation to bat Soriano in the leadoff spot. Soriano is a great power source, but he's not an on-base threat, which is what the table-setter needs to be. Bat him in the middle of the order, where his home runs will mean more.

 

Jacque Jones must be platooned. Religiously. Jones has never been able to hit lefties, and with Matt Murton on the roster (and now out of a starting job) there's no need to run him out there against port-siders.

 

Speaking of Murton, if Floyd is hitting as he did in '06 and not like he did in '05, then Murton needs to regain the starting job in left.

 

Kerry Wood needs to work out of the bullpen and eventually become the closer. Wood isn't warming to the idea of pitching in relief, but it's clear he'll never be able to stay healthy as a starter. Giving him the closer's job should sate his ego.

 

The pitching staff needs to continue racking up the strikeouts. The Cubs' team defense, particularly in the outfield, is lacking. So the pitching staff, which led the NL in whiffs last season, must keep the ball out of play as often as possible. That means missing bats, as they're accustomed to doing.

 

Carlos Zambrano needs to be signed to a contract extension sooner rather than later. Zambrano, who's eligible for free agency after the upcoming season, wants a new deal, but the Cubs are stalling. This is important because Zambrano is emotionally fragile at times and prone to distractions on the mound. If there's one important player on the roster who doesn't need this manner of distraction, it's Zambrano.

[goonys evil twin]

I can't agree with much of this.

 

Yes, Lee has to be healthy and reasonably good.

 

But Prior doesn't have to throw 200 innings for this team to win. They'd need some other breaks if he isn't able to pitch at all. Soriano isn't an ideal leadoff hitter, but they can win with him there. Wood doesn't need to become the closer either. And I don't see why Zambrano's contract status would affect the 2007 season.

[Sammy Sofa]

Wood "isn't warming to the idea" of pitching relief? I hadn't heard that before.

[Drew Doughty]

Dayn Perry is anti-cubs, isn't he?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Dayn Perry is anti-intelligent, isn't he?

 

fixed

[radarluv1]

Wood "isn't warming to the idea" of pitching relief? I hadn't heard that before.

 

yeah, me too. we've got lots of starters (potentially) w/o wood. we could go 6 man rotation, or have one start/week of a 3headed PriorWoodMiller monster throwing 3 innings each.

[A New Era]

God he has no idea on how anybody on the cubs actually ARE, does he? He sounds like some cardinal posters on the cards board who think that Zambrano got his feelings hurt because the Cubs "lowballed" him, and will leave just like maddux did. :lol:

 

Wood not warming to the bullpen, closer slate his ego? Hmm that's funny, everything I've heard from Wood's mouth and his actions state he really wanted to stay a Cub and offered to go into the bullpen.

 

Zambrano emotionally fragile? :lol: My god that is a laugh. I think Carlos is emmotionally strong, and his emmotions make him a better pitcher.

 

Maybe he should look up soriano's stats when leading off. He basically is either lying or just pulling most of this stuff out of his ass. Are you sure you just didn't pull a post on the cardinals.com messege board instead? :lol:

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Wood is so pissed about potentially being a relief pitcher that he signed a contract with a bunch of bonuses based on games finished. That'll show 'em, they make me a reliever, I'll take more of their money!

[otis89]

Where was it ever implied that Murton was not going to be the starting left fielder? Why do people just assume the signing of Floyd means Murton will be sent to the bench? Piniella isn't as stupid as Dusty. He knows Murton deserves more playing time than Floyd.

[Guest]

Where was it ever implied that Murton was not going to be the starting left fielder? Why do people just assume the signing of Floyd means Murton will be sent to the bench? Piniella isn't as stupid as Dusty. He knows Murton deserves more playing time than Floyd.

Lou didn't have a very good track record when it came to giving playing time to some of Tampa Bay's hot prospects. Of course that doesn't necessarily mean that he has anything against young players; maybe he just doesn't like felons. ;)

[CubsWin]

Where was it ever implied that Murton was not going to be the starting left fielder? Why do people just assume the signing of Floyd means Murton will be sent to the bench? Piniella isn't as stupid as Dusty. He knows Murton deserves more playing time than Floyd.

To answer your question: it wasn't ever implied that Murton was not going to be the starting left fielder. In fact, Hendry has been quoted saying basically the opposite that he is not looking to replace Murton in LF.

 

As far as Dayn Perry's list is concerned, I'd call it pretty darn embarrassing. FoxSports.com must be pretty desperate for content to keep paying this guy.

[FergieJ31]

Wood "isn't warming to the idea" of pitching relief? I hadn't heard that before.

 

Bunk .. Perry is talking out of his derriere there