My prediction on Felix Pie....

[CubColtPacer]

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?

 

Maybe so, but you could say that about a lot of things-abuck is right, I think defense is more important than what he is saying, but the Gonzalez example is really, really bad for that.

[abuck1220]

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?

 

my goodness, people, is that the only play you watched the entire series? ONE bad defensive play does not mean that defense cost the cubs a trip the WS...there were dozens upon dozens of bad pitches, and dozens upon dozens of unproductive at bats. have a little perspective.

[Balsa]

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?

 

my goodness, people, is that the only play you watched the entire series? ONE bad defensive play does not mean that defense cost the cubs a trip the WS...there were dozens upon dozens of bad pitches, and dozens upon dozens of unproductive at bats. have a little perspective.

Thank you!

[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?

 

my goodness, people, is that the only play you watched the entire series? ONE bad defensive play does not mean that defense cost the cubs a trip the WS...there were dozens upon dozens of bad pitches, and dozens upon dozens of unproductive at bats. have a little perspective.

You can say it was just one play, but that would be ignoring the context. It was ONE play late in a series-clinching game which, if executed properly, would have gotten our starter out of a tough inning, allowed our bullpen to come in with a lead and taken away momentum from the other team. You can criticize people for blaming the loss of a series on one miscue, but it's equally misguided to use the "one play" argument without putting it into perspective.

[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.

 

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.

 

I'm guessing he was responding to Abe's claim that the Cubs don't have a #5 hitter and accidentally quoted you.

[soccer10k]

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?

 

There is no way Gonzalez could have turned a double play there. The ball was hit in the hole and it wasn't hit extremely hard meaning it would have taken an extremely slow runner and even then he might not have turned it. He was only getting one out on that play even if he fields the ball cleanly.

[Abe Frohman]

OK, buck - you are right. To be more clear:

 

*I think D is very important.

 

*I'd rather have a decent defender with a decent stick than a great defender with a weak stick.

 

*Alex Gonzalez was a great SS for the Cubs. He was a good defensive SS, who made a bad play. It wasn't really fair for me to sound like it was entirely the fault of his error that the Cubs didn't advance. It was a bad break on a otherwise routine play for him. That's baseball.

 

*I believe a pitcher is going to do better with strong defense behind him. That's kinda academic.

 

*I am terrible at debating. Sometimes I take things too seriously.

 

*Yes, I have enjoyed a few bourbon/waters.

[Guest]

If the Cubs had hit one more 3 run home run in several of the games, the Cubs would have been in the WS.

 

If the Cubs had executed 1 better pitch in several situations, the Cubs would have been in the WS.

 

Picking any one play is silly.

[rawaction]

The one play that upset me most in the series, is bringing in a LHP to face Lenny Harris when everyone and their mother's mother knew Mike Lowell would come in to pinch hit.

[SouthSideRyan]

The one play that upset me most in the series, is bringing in a LHP to face Lenny Harris when everyone and their mother's mother knew Mike Lowell would come in to pinch hit.

 

It makes me puke to think about this series of events again, but Harris never even came up to bat. Dusty was too afraid of Lenny coming in to pinch hit that he went with the lefty, knowing that would really force McKeon's hand and force him to bring in the clearly inferior Lowell.

[Outshined_One]

The one play that upset me most in the series, is bringing in a LHP to face Lenny Harris when everyone and their mother's mother knew Mike Lowell would come in to pinch hit.

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

*Slams head into a brick wall*

[sweetpeteman]

The one play that upset me most in the series, is bringing in a LHP to face Lenny Harris when everyone and their mother's mother knew Mike Lowell would come in to pinch hit.

 

It makes me puke to think about this series of events again, but Harris never even came up to bat. Dusty was too afraid of Lenny coming in to pinch hit that he went with the lefty, knowing that would really force McKeon's hand and force him to bring in the clearly inferior Lowell.

 

 

Yeah, Dusty didn't put somebody in to face Harris, and then have Lowell pinch hit, he put in the lefty because he thought Harris would ph for the pitcher, even though Lowell was on the bench. Dusty thought that the career pinchhitter would come in, not the good player.

[CarolinaCubFan]

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.

 

Tell Billy Buckner that, he'd appreciate it.

[BDWeav71]

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.

 

Tell Billy Buckner that, he'd appreciate it.

 

There was still a game seven. That error did not lose the playoff series.

[soccer10k]

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.

 

Tell Billy Buckner that, he'd appreciate it.

 

Boston still had to go and lose Game 7 after Buckner's error.

[CarolinaCubFan]

Like I said, Tell Bill Buckner that, he'd appreciate it.

[Chris]

The one play that upset me most in the series, is bringing in a LHP to face Lenny Harris when everyone and their mother's mother knew Mike Lowell would come in to pinch hit.

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

*Slams head into a brick wall*

 

Ugh, I was there.

[NCCubFan]

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.

 

Tell Billy Buckner that, he'd appreciate it.

And Leon Durham.

[pitchcs]

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

 

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

 

I didn't read the whole long thread so I don't know if someone mentioned this. But didn't they say that Soriano would have just as hard a time playing RF as CF at Wrigley?

[davearm]

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

 

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

 

I didn't read the whole long thread so I don't know if someone mentioned this. But didn't they say that Soriano would have just as hard a time playing RF as CF at Wrigley?

Not everyone has figured this out yet, but if Soriano doesn't work out in CF, the Cubs are going to have a real dilemma on their hands. That would leave them with three LFs, all of whom are poorly suited to play anyplace *but* LF: Soriano, Murton, and Floyd.

 

Ultimately, the choice would come down to playing Murton in RF (despite an arm that's inadequate for that spot) and trading Jones, or leaving Jones in RF and trading Murton. Rock or hard place.

[Abe Frohman]

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

 

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

 

I didn't read the whole long thread so I don't know if someone mentioned this. But didn't they say that Soriano would have just as hard a time playing RF as CF at Wrigley?

 

Sure, each OF position is different in it's own way - but here is the situation: Pie is going to be the better man for CF when he comes up, and Soriano is going to have to shift over and learn another OF position. All the while, Jones could have filled in CF while Soriano learned RF - but now Soriano is going to have to figure out RF, and probably OJT style this season.

 

I'm sure I could be wrong, but this seems the most likely scenario.

[Fro]

Has Soriano even had an error in CF this spring? He looks pretty solid out there, and he'll get better the longer he plays out there.

[CubColtPacer]

Has Soriano even had an error in CF this spring? He looks pretty solid out there, and he'll get better the longer he plays out there.

 

He's had 3 official errors so far this spring, and has had several misplays besides that. I do think he will get better as the season goes along though.

[Backtobanks]

Has Soriano even had an error in CF this spring? He looks pretty solid out there, and he'll get better the longer he plays out there.

 

He's had 3 official errors so far this spring, and has had several misplays besides that. I do think he will get better as the season goes along though.

 

Obviously, Soriano won't be a Gold Glove CF, but misplays in the Arizona sun are pretty common for the best OFs. I would think the Cubs would try Pie in RF so Soriano doesn't have to learn a new position.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Has Soriano even had an error in CF this spring? He looks pretty solid out there, and he'll get better the longer he plays out there.

 

He's had 3 official errors so far this spring, and has had several misplays besides that. I do think he will get better as the season goes along though.

 

Obviously, Soriano won't be a Gold Glove CF, but misplays in the Arizona sun are pretty common for the best OFs. I would think the Cubs would try Pie in RF so Soriano doesn't have to learn a new position.

 

The Arizona sky is quite famous for making baseballs "disappear" in the air. I'm cutting him a lot of slack for learning another new position this Spring.