Piniella will play guys who produce

[RichHillIsABeast]

"I remember when I played for the Yankees, I'd go to camp every year as the fourth outfielder," Piniella said. "By the middle of June, I was an everyday player and in the postseason, I was an everyday player because I was getting the job done.

 

"Just because we make determinations coming out of Spring Training, doesn't mean we'll stick with that all year," he said. "I'll play the people who are productive and who can help us win baseball games. That's really the bottom line here, and we'll be fair about it."

 

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[C.C.]

"I remember when I played for the Yankees, I'd go to camp every year as the fourth outfielder," Piniella said. "By the middle of June, I was an everyday player and in the postseason, I was an everyday player because I was getting the job done.

 

"Just because we make determinations coming out of Spring Training, doesn't mean we'll stick with that all year," he said. "I'll play the people who are productive and who can help us win baseball games. That's really the bottom line here, and we'll be fair about it."

 

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Sounds good to me.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

So far, Lou is saying all the right things.

[Schwarber Fan]

I'm liking him more and more each day

[Wheelimus]

And I believe him. He had a good number of years after the Tampa Bay debacle to listen to everyone theorize why he failed. There's no reason at all to think he hasn't learned from some of his past mistakes.

 

I think this puts the bullseye square on Cesars skull, to be honest. We're going to need .290/.340 minimum out of you Cesar, or that Theriot kid can give it a try.

[CubColtPacer]

And I believe him. He had a good number of years after the Tampa Bay debacle to listen to everyone theorize why he failed. There's no reason at all to think he hasn't learned from some of his past mistakes.

 

I think this puts the bullseye square on Cesars skull, to be honest. We're going to need .290/.340 minimum out of you Cesar, or that Theriot kid can give it a try.

 

I'm not sure about that-I think Piniella really emphasizes defense at the SS position. If Izturis is playing very good defense and batting how he has recently (.250/.300-which I think is reasonable, but I think it will be more likely he'll be more than 10 points higher than that then more than 10 points lower than that)-he'll keep playing him.

[cl smooth]

izzy will take a line drive off his arthritic shoulder or elbow and land on the DL quicker than you can imagine. i really don't see him being healthy the entire season.

[CubColtPacer]

izzy will take a line drive off his arthritic shoulder or elbow and land on the DL quicker than you can imagine. i really don't see him being healthy the entire season.

 

Well, that's certainly likely-my post was assuming his health, but I do see at least one DL stint as very likely for him this year.

[Banedon]

I'm nitpicking a little, but I wish Piniella wouldn't refer to "when I played". I feel like sometimes managers get stuck on their experience as players, even though the game has changed a whole lot since they played. But again, that's just nitpicking, probably because Dusty did so much of that too.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm nitpicking a little, but I wish Piniella wouldn't refer to "when I played". I feel like sometimes managers get stuck on their experience as players, even though the game has changed a whole lot since they played. But again, that's just nitpicking, probably because Dusty did so much of that too.

 

I understand that Dusty has effected us all in that regard but I think it's best that Lou uses all his experience's in the game....from his beginning to what he has learned lately. IMO, Dusty never could change and just was a stubburn man. IMO, everytime somebody brought up something new Dusty seemed to think it was a challenge to his knowledge of the game instead of listening and processing the information to his advantage. Maybe it's me but Lou has seemed to learn about the game as he goes along, at least that's what I'm hoping for.

[Vinestal]

I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and he moves him to the bulpen for someone that can do a better job. My feeling is that it will never happen, no matter how bad Marquis is he'll have the job because of his contract which is horible.

[Amazing_Grace]

So far, Lou is sounding much better than Dusty ever did. With Dusty, you'd hear meaningless drivel about sticking with horses and endless justifications for playing bad players.

 

Now, what a manager says and what he does are two entirely different things. We'll see if Lou actually benches Jones against lefties and benches Marquis for Guzman/Miller.

[CubColtPacer]

So far, Lou is sounding much better than Dusty ever did. With Dusty, you'd hear meaningless drivel about sticking with horses and endless justifications for playing bad players.

 

Now, what a manager says and what he does are two entirely different things. We'll see if Lou actually benches Jones against lefties and benches Marquis for Guzman/Miller.

 

The first one of those two scenarios, I hope Lou does for the first part immediately-the second one of those, I'm willing to give him a little time and see how things unfold first, and then see if he makes a change if a change is warranted.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and he moves him to the bulpen for someone that can do a better job. My feeling is that it will never happen, no matter how bad Marquis is he'll have the job because of his contract which is horible.

 

Lou has a lot of history managing and I'm curious on what he's done in the past regarding this issue?

[CubColtPacer]

I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and he moves him to the bulpen for someone that can do a better job. My feeling is that it will never happen, no matter how bad Marquis is he'll have the job because of his contract which is horible.

 

Lou has a lot of history managing and I'm curious on what he's done in the past regarding this issue?

 

From what I heard from a Mariners fan that I trust a great deal, Lou is not typically one who will stubbournly stick with a guy-if anything, he's a person who pulls a person too early that is struggling.

[BigbadB]

I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and he moves him to the bulpen for someone that can do a better job. My feeling is that it will never happen, no matter how bad Marquis is he'll have the job because of his contract which is horible.

 

Do we know for a fact that Marquis can do a better job than any of the bullpen arms? The Cubs are going into the 2007 with a pretty strong bullpen. You should probably change your comment to "I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and moves to the most expensive bullpen catcher in MLB history."

[CuseCubFan69]

I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and he moves him to the bulpen for someone that can do a better job. My feeling is that it will never happen, no matter how bad Marquis is he'll have the job because of his contract which is horible.

 

Do we know for a fact that Marquis can do a better job than any of the bullpen arms? The Cubs are going into the 2007 with a pretty strong bullpen. You should probably change your comment to "I'll believe this when Jason Marquis is sucking it up and moves to the most expensive bullpen catcher in MLB history."

 

Do we know what incentives Wood has in his contract? You may be spot on with that if he has one for saves and he's in the pen and healthy.

[CuseCubFan69]

If the Cubs stay moderately healthy, I wonder how much Baker will say Lou was lucky because they were healthy? I say this because I think being in shape and not over pitching your pitchers is one way to keep them healthy and those are things Baker just didn't do. I know others have pointed this out but when the Cubs had that trainer that made them work in 2003 they were at their most healthy, I don't think it was a coincidence.

[Bruno7481]

Somebody bump the old threads were people were freakin out about Lou being a candidate, and then hired.

 

Those were funny.

[CuseCubFan69]

Somebody bump the old threads were people were freakin out about Lou being a candidate, and then hired.

 

Those were funny.

 

It's a rollar coaster of love.

[BigbadB]

Somebody bump the old threads were people were freakin out about Lou being a candidate, and then hired.

 

Those were funny.

 

Lou was 3rd or 4th down my list of candidates (Bochy being #1 on my list), but I don't mind being wrong sometimes. Of course, we do still need to play some baseball before we sit down for a huge helping of crow.

[rawaction]

We should bump every single thread in which someone has posted something that looks like it could be completely wrong, even though the season hasn't started yet.

[Bruno7481]

We should bump every single thread in which someone has posted something that looks like it could be completely wrong, even though the season hasn't started yet.

 

Sounds like a good time to me :)