Strangely optimistic

[AramisRamirez]

i am not the most knowledgable cubs fan, i am just a life-long northsider who bleeds cubbie blue. so im not claiming to be all-knowing, but i still feel pretty good about this season. i am excited to see how this unfolds. i really think Derrek Lee's health could be one of the more positive factors in 07. i think him playing a full season could make all the difference in the world. happy about Soriano and obviously having Aramis back and i think Murton could give us a great season. im hoping jones/floyd platoon and allow murton to play everyday. i love his solid bat. i think barrett is very solid himself.

 

the pitching rotation is fairly intruiging. im thinking zambrano will do his usual 200+ IP and 3.00-3.75 ERA. still wont count on prior or wood (been let down too many times) but hoping with wade miller that its realistic to expect 1 out of the 3 will remain healthy. lilly is interesting too though i dont expect an ERA in the 3.00's but if he stays low 4.00's we might be able to get 15 wins out of him.

 

my picks to click are Derrek Lee and Murton. go CUBBIES!!!

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm guardedly optimisitc right now. If in spring training, it's evident that Mark Prior is back to form, I may move to giddily optimistic.

[David]

I'm guardedly optimisitc right now. If in spring training, it's evident that Mark Prior is back to form, I may move to giddily optimistic.

 

I just hope his fastball is back in the mid-90's. That would be a great sign.

[otis89]

A Jones/Floyd platoon would be completely pointless because neither of them can hit lefties.

[Danny82]

A Jones/Floyd platoon would be completely pointless because neither of them can hit lefties.

 

Floyd has a career OPS against lefties of almost 800.

 

Jones has one of 625.

 

Quite a difference.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

A Jones/Floyd platoon would be completely pointless because neither of them can hit lefties.

 

Floyd has a career OPS against lefties of almost 800.

 

Jones has one of 625.

 

Quite a difference.

 

'04-'06

 

.226/.280/.370/.650

 

.218/.285/.379/.664

 

Hard to tell the difference recently.

[David]

With the talk of DeRosa/Theriot playing the outfield lately, I'm holding out hope that Lou will do the right thing and basically straight-platoon Jones and Theriot. That would probably make for a pretty productive combo.

 

Whether Theriot plays 2B and DeRosa plays RF or Theriot just plays RF in that scenario doesn't much matter to me.

[Jehrico]

There's no Neifi or Macias on this team...that right there is reason enough for optimism!

 

Unfortunately, we got Shawn Estes back this year, only he changed his name to Jason Marquis.

[Banedon]

I'm going to probably catch flack for being pessimistic, but here it goes anyway.

 

I refuse to get optimistic right now. Everything is being said correctly, and health wise the team looks good, even with the Wood "injury"...but I refuse to get myself excited until I see how this team plays. If we have a good April, and Piniella is actually doing a lot of the things he says he'll do, I'll be the first one to jump on board with things. But my guard is still up from being burned by the team so much. My pessimism is still a warm blanket I'm unwilling to part with....yet.

[CubmanPi]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

[daske17]

Unfortunately, we got Shawn Estes back this year, only he changed his name to Jason Marquis.

 

If Marquis can come through in the clutch in a late September game akin to Estes that helps us win the division, I'll take back some of the bad thoughts I've had about him.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

[CuseCubFan69]

Unfortunately, we got Shawn Estes back this year, only he changed his name to Jason Marquis.

 

If Marquis can come through in the clutch in a late September game akin to Estes that helps us win the division, I'll take back some of the bad thoughts I've had about him.

 

I agree. He can come into a game on of the 5 starters have struggled in and pitch 6 innings to only give way to Wood in the 9th for a clinching Cub victory!

[Outshined_One]

Unfortunately, we got Shawn Estes back this year, only he changed his name to Jason Marquis.

 

If Marquis can come through in the clutch in a late September game akin to Estes that helps us win the division, I'll take back some of the bad thoughts I've had about him.

 

I'd prefer that Marquis not suck for the rest of the season like Estes did in 2003. :D

 

Let's face it, if the Cubs had a fifth starter in 2003 worth his salt, September would have been a much easier month on Cubs fans.

[CuseCubFan69]

Unfortunately, we got Shawn Estes back this year, only he changed his name to Jason Marquis.

 

If Marquis can come through in the clutch in a late September game akin to Estes that helps us win the division, I'll take back some of the bad thoughts I've had about him.

 

I'd prefer that Marquis not suck for the rest of the season like Estes did in 2003. :D

 

Let's face it, if the Cubs had a fifth starter in 2003 worth his salt, September would have been a much easier month on Cubs fans.

 

Yeah but imagine how fun it'll be in the bleachers when he pitches! Wear your hardhat....INCOMING!!!!

[Twiggy]

lets go cubbies!

[Guest]

Unfortunately, we got Shawn Estes back this year, only he changed his name to Jason Marquis.

 

If Marquis can come through in the clutch in a late September game akin to Estes that helps us win the division, I'll take back some of the bad thoughts I've had about him.

 

I'd prefer that Marquis not suck for the rest of the season like Estes did in 2003. :D

 

Let's face it, if the Cubs had used a fifth starter in 2003 worth his salt, September would have been a much easier month on Cubs fans.

[Banedon]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

 

I agree...so long as they KEEP winning.

 

I may have trouble holding on to my pessimism until opening day.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

 

I agree...so long as they KEEP winning.

 

I may have trouble holding on to my pessimism until opening day.

 

Come on and take the leap....I know it's scary but what the heck it's always an interesting ride!

[Banedon]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

 

I agree...so long as they KEEP winning.

 

I may have trouble holding on to my pessimism until opening day.

 

Come on and take the leap....I know it's scary but what the heck it's always an interesting ride!

 

I took the leap last year, and my Cardinal buddy in the cubicle next to me never let me hear the end of it...I have to be at least a LITTLE more cautious this year.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

 

I agree...so long as they KEEP winning.

 

I may have trouble holding on to my pessimism until opening day.

 

Come on and take the leap....I know it's scary but what the heck it's always an interesting ride!

 

I took the leap last year, and my Cardinal buddy in the cubicle next to me never let me hear the end of it...I have to be at least a LITTLE more cautious this year.

 

Yeah but with Dusty as the manager you were leaping without a parachute.

[otis89]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

 

I agree...so long as they KEEP winning.

 

I may have trouble holding on to my pessimism until opening day.

 

Come on and take the leap....I know it's scary but what the heck it's always an interesting ride!

 

I took the leap last year, and my Cardinal buddy in the cubicle next to me never let me hear the end of it...I have to be at least a LITTLE more cautious this year.

 

Yeah but with Dusty as the manager you were leaping without a parachute into piranha-infested waters.

 

:wink:

[David]

I'm optimistic again, and it pisses me off. I hate this team.

 

Yeah but it's much more fun IMO to be optimistic from the beginning then to jump on board once they start winning!

 

I agree...so long as they KEEP winning.

 

I may have trouble holding on to my pessimism until opening day.

 

Come on and take the leap....I know it's scary but what the heck it's always an interesting ride!

 

I took the leap last year, and my Cardinal buddy in the cubicle next to me never let me hear the end of it...I have to be at least a LITTLE more cautious this year.

 

Let me guess, after we took all those games from the Cards early and before we lost Lee, right?

 

I was there too, man.

[radarluv1]

i'm pretty sure i wasnt this confident going into last year. but i'm not positive. i can be pretty irrational, i may have been thinking prior and wood are going to pitch a whole year, pitchers are going to be worried about pierre on first, lee is going to mash again. i think what i'm feeling this year is a something different, and is in more touch with reality.

[BigbadB]

I'm going into the season with an optimistic approach, but a nervously optimistic approach.

 

Last year, I think I predicted that they would finish 4th. 1st is definitely within their reach this year. I think I'll wait and see how healthy they are at the end of ST before I make any bold predictions, however.

 

I haven't had a lot of positive things to say about the Cubs the last several years. This offseason, I haven't had many negative things to say about this team, and when the first umpire screams "Play Ball", I think I'll be very excited about this team.

 

It's good to be able to say that again.