My prediction on Felix Pie....

[Abe Frohman]

...he will be up with the team before the All Star break. For good.

 

The Cubs are really going to need him defensively in CF. I don't think that Soriano in CF is going to be as effective as having him in RF, and Pie in CF. Jones is going to have to be moved.

 

So where will Jones go? That's a good question.

[Omar]

If they can satisfy us offensively, I could almost care less what they do defensively.

[Balsa]

Why not just move Jones to center if Soriano is that bad?

 

Besides, he'll get better as the year moves on.

[CubColtPacer]

Why not just move Jones to center if Soriano is that bad?

 

Besides, he'll get better as the year moves on.

 

Well, they've got a little bit of a look at Jones as well-so he must be that bad at this point also.

 

I do think Soriano will get better at CF as the year goes along, just as he got better at LF last year as he got more games under his belt.

[Abe Frohman]

If they can satisfy us offensively, I could almost care less what they do defensively.

 

It's all about the W's and L's. You can't win without good defense. You need offense too, and I don't think Pie is going to really hurt us. There is a logjam in the OF right now, but I really think Murton & Soriano are going to be mainstays.

[Balsa]

If they can satisfy us offensively, I could almost care less what they do defensively.

 

It's all about the W's and L's. You can't win without good defense. You need offense too, and I don't think Pie is going to really hurt us. There is a logjam in the OF right now, but I really think Murton & Soriano are going to be mainstays.

Yes you can. You might have trouble winning playoff games with bad defense, but just look at the Red Sox in 2004.

[Abe Frohman]

If they can satisfy us offensively, I could almost care less what they do defensively.

 

It's all about the W's and L's. You can't win without good defense. You need offense too, and I don't think Pie is going to really hurt us. There is a logjam in the OF right now, but I really think Murton & Soriano are going to be mainstays.

Yes you can. You might have trouble winning playoff games with bad defense, but just look at the Red Sox in 2004.

 

I'd much rather have the luxury of good defense up the middle to help the pitching staff out. With this group of arms, they are going to need as much help as possible.

 

Besides, I am sure that Izturis is going to be an offensive upgrade or equal to what we had last year, while providing great defense.

[abuck1220]

You can't win without good defense.

 

yes you can. baseball is not like football or basketball where defense is 50%...i'd guess it's closer to 10%...if that.

[abuck1220]

If they can satisfy us offensively, I could almost care less what they do defensively.

 

It's all about the W's and L's. You can't win without good defense. You need offense too, and I don't think Pie is going to really hurt us. There is a logjam in the OF right now, but I really think Murton & Soriano are going to be mainstays.

Yes you can. You might have trouble winning playoff games with bad defense, but just look at the Red Sox in 2004.

 

I'd much rather have the luxury of good defense up the middle to help the pitching staff out. With this group of arms, they are going to need as much help as possible.

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

[Abe Frohman]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

[KingCubsFan]

If they can satisfy us offensively, I could almost care less what they do defensively.

 

It's all about the W's and L's. You can't win without good defense. You need offense too, and I don't think Pie is going to really hurt us. There is a logjam in the OF right now, but I really think Murton & Soriano are going to be mainstays.

Yes you can. You might have trouble winning playoff games with bad defense, but just look at the Red Sox in 2004.

You can win without plate discipline too. Just look at the White Sox in 2005. Yet, I highly doubt anyone on this board would advocate that approach

[abuck1220]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

you're wrong.

[Abe Frohman]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

you're wrong.

 

I don't think so.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

Gonzalez, if I remember correctly, wasn't bad defensively. That one horrible play isn't the best example for your overall argument.

[rawaction]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

you're wrong.

 

So, the guy who hit 27 HRs and slugged .500, while putting up a .960 OPS with runners in scoring position last year, isn't good enough for you? What about the guy who put up an .885 OPS, and .930 with RISP?

[Abe Frohman]

Gonzalez, if I remember correctly, wasn't bad defensively. That one horrible play isn't the best example for your overall argument.

 

Gonzalez was a good defensive SS, but his bad defense in that particular situation cost the Cubs outs and let the big inning happen. Bad defense hurt the Cubs chance at the World Series in 2003. Good defense helped get them there.

 

My overall arguement is simply that you can't win without good defense. Bad defense cost the Cubs in the 2003 NLCS.

[soccer10k]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

Gonzalez was on the team mainly for his defense. He hit a few home runs but he surely didn't spend 13 seasons in the league because of his career .302 OBP.

[Abe Frohman]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

Gonzalez was on the team mainly for his defense. He hit a few home runs but he surely didn't spend 13 seasons in the league because of his career .302 OBP.

 

You are absolutely right. You are helping my arguement that defense is important to winning teams. I think offense outweighs defense, on a scale - but the defense has to be solid for a team to be really good.

[Balsa]

Gonzalez was a good defensive SS, but his bad defense in that particular situation cost the Cubs outs and let the big inning happen. Bad defense hurt the Cubs chance at the World Series in 2003. Good defense helped get them there.

 

My overall arguement is simply that you can't win without good defense. Bad defense cost the Cubs in the 2003 NLCS.

One error does not lose a playoff series.

[abuck1220]

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

you're wrong.

 

I don't think so.

 

 

first of all, your "case in point" is based on one isolated play out of 50 bagillion.

 

secondly, using the gonzalez error as your example is a terrible way to prove your point that you need to have great defenders in your lineup...because gonzalez was considered a great defender...and he still screwed up.

[abuck1220]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

Gonzalez was on the team mainly for his defense. He hit a few home runs but he surely didn't spend 13 seasons in the league because of his career .302 OBP.

 

You are absolutely right. You are helping my arguement that defense is important to winning teams. I think offense outweighs defense, on a scale - but the defense has to be solid for a team to be really good.

 

argh...this is not supporting your argument. gonzalez was considered a very good defensive player.

[A New Era]

Abe your arguing that Defense is more important than 10% (and I agree) however you are giving an example of a SS blunder that "cost" the team, yet in your arguement, the man who did it was a GOOD defensive SS. So infact, GOOD defense, LOST them that game. . :wink: 8-)

[abuck1220]

 

 

yeah...offensive help.

 

Hell, we still don't have a #5 hitter. Actually we do, but he's leading off. We have a few options for leadoff too. Oh well, I think a team needs the right balance of pitching, defense, and offense to be really good.

 

Defense is going to make a bigger impact than 10%. Case in point Alex Gonzalez and his "defense" could have helped the Cubs get to the WS in 2003. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

you're wrong.

 

So, the guy who hit 27 HRs and slugged .500, while putting up a .960 OPS with runners in scoring position last year, isn't good enough for you? What about the guy who put up an .885 OPS, and .930 with RISP?

 

i don't know who you're referring to...if it's jones, i have no problem with him being on the team. i'd much prefer him in the OF to pie.

[abuck1220]

Abe your arguing that Defense is more important than 10% (and I agree) however you are giving an example of a SS blunder that "cost" the team, yet in your arguement, the man who did it was a GOOD defensive SS. So infact, GOOD defense, LOST them that game. . :wink: 8-)

 

exactly. if you wanted to build the 2003 team with defense in mind, gonzalez would no doubt be your ss. using gonzalez as the example actually hurts your argument because it shows that any defender can boot balls, and the difference between a very good defender and an average one is miniscule.

[KingCubsFan]

Gonzalez was a good defensive SS, but his bad defense in that particular situation cost the Cubs outs and let the big inning happen. Bad defense hurt the Cubs chance at the World Series in 2003. Good defense helped get them there.

 

My overall arguement is simply that you can't win without good defense. Bad defense cost the Cubs in the 2003 NLCS.

One error does not lose a playoff series.

You don't think there's a very good chance we would have been in the WS if he had simply turned that double play?