Levine: Cubs are happy with what they got

[Soul]

I sure as hell question trading Pie for some mediocre player just to try and save Hendry's job.

 

That better not happen.

 

Besides, when the sam hell are we going to develop a player who becomes, you know, GOOD at the major league level? I'm talking positional players here. When?

[Backtobanks]

We MAY be able to win this division by standing pat offensively, but I can guaran-damn-tee you that we won't get very far in the playoffs without another big bat.

 

The Playoffs and the WS are a crapshoot. Someone like Aram, Dlee, or Soriano gets hot and they can carry you through a 7 game series. The same thing is true with a pitcher who could win 3 games in a series. It all depends on who gets hot when. That being said, we would all like to see another big bat in the lineup.

[A New Era]

We MAY be able to win this division by standing pat offensively, but I can guaran-damn-tee you that we won't get very far in the playoffs without another big bat.

 

The Playoffs and the WS are a crapshoot. Someone like Aram, Dlee, or Soriano gets hot and they can carry you through a 7 game series. The same thing is true with a pitcher who could win 3 games in a series. It all depends on who gets hot when. That being said, we would all like to see another big bat in the lineup.

 

Or even someone onthought of like RHill or a Derosa could get hot during the playoffs. I also agree we need another big OF bat.

[Brendan]

We MAY be able to win this division by standing pat offensively, but I can guaran-damn-tee you that we won't get very far in the playoffs without another big bat.

 

The Playoffs and the WS are a crapshoot. Someone like Aram, Dlee, or Soriano gets hot and they can carry you through a 7 game series. The same thing is true with a pitcher who could win 3 games in a series. It all depends on who gets hot when. That being said, we would all like to see another big bat in the lineup.

 

that definitely seems to happen every year, but i'd argue those 3 are the only ones who have that potential. and, at this point, we know for sure that it won't come from hill/kendall or pagan. and probably not theriot, jones, floyd, or dero.

[Electron Blue]

I sure as hell question trading Pie for some mediocre player just to try and save Hendry's job.

 

That better not happen.

 

Besides, when the sam hell are we going to develop a player who becomes, you know, GOOD at the major league level? I'm talking positional players here. When?

 

Who cares? Prospects are valuable in two ways: to develop in to low-cost, long-term assets, and to be traded for short-time, more impactful players. Ramirez and Lee, our two offensive cornerstones, both were a result of our prospect development.

[Derwood]

just to play devil's advocate (again), don't you have to apply the same "he was good last year" logic to Laird that you do Murton? Okay, good may be stretching it, but a 106 OPS+ and a .795 OPS are better than anything we have catching right now.

[JeffH]

just to play devil's advocate (again), don't you have to apply the same "he was good last year" logic to Laird that you do Murton? Okay, good may be stretching it, but a 106 OPS+ and a .795 OPS are better than anything we have catching right now.

 

Not really.

 

Murton's BABIP last season = .321 (sustainable)

 

Laird's BABIP last season = .380 (not sustainable)

[jersey cubs fan]

just to play devil's advocate (again), don't you have to apply the same "he was good last year" logic to Laird that you do Murton? Okay, good may be stretching it, but a 106 OPS+ and a .795 OPS are better than anything we have catching right now.

 

The difference, of course, is Murton produced as a minor leaguer and was expected to do that in the majors. Laird didn't do much of anything in the minors until age 25, in his 3rd stint in AAA. Plus, Murton produced last year over pretty much twice the amount of PA. And he had the sort of K/BB ratios that translate into a guy who knows what he's doing. Laird had a K/BB of 54/12 and basically had a few more balls fall into place than may have been expected, hitting .296, despite a career minor league average of .277. Murton hit a shade below his minor league numbers.

 

 

When you look at it, Laird looks to be a little older version of Soto. Okay minor league numbers, with one very good season, but at a year older than Soto had his. Neither is what I would consider a fantastic bet to succeed in the majors, but you already have one of the guy and would need to trade assets for the other. There's really no logic supporting such a move.

[Derwood]

fair enough, just throwing it out there for argument's sake

[TysonCBulls423]

Steve Stone was just on and basically said the same things Levine said. Said Cubs were really interested in Mahay but now probably won't make a move.

[Wheelimus]

Well, I'd rather make no move than make a bad move. A lot of the deals proposed would be really bad moves.

 

The fact is we just don't have starting pitching to spare. That or elite prospects (and I think most of us still want to hold onto Pie and not cross the bridge that would be dealing a Veal or other high ceiling prospect) are what it's going to take to get impact players.

 

I feel good right now. The rotation should hold (please hold please hold). The bullpen should hold and we hopefully have Woody coming (please come Woody please come). The offense should hold, especially with platoons at CF and RF (please platoons at CF and RF please platoons at CF and RF). That of course will depend on what Theroit and Fontenot give us for the rest of the year (please don't suck please don't suck).

 

:lol:

[Keener98]

So we are barely over .500 and our GM thinks we dont have any spots to improve? Well, if we dont make the playoffs this year, him doing nothing at the deadline to push us over the top, better be enough to send his ass out of Chicago.

[Bruce Miles]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

[TysonCBulls423]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

Does a Murton for Dye type deal constitute as a blockbuster :lol:

[Keener98]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

[TysonCBulls423]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

Team isn't exactly hovering around .500 anymore...

[Keener98]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

Team isn't exactly hovering around .500 anymore...

 

check the standings you are wrong. They are yet to reach 10 over, all it takes is a 3-4 game losing streak and they are right back down there.

[David]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

Team isn't exactly hovering around .500 anymore...

 

 

Seriously... right now, the team is on pace for 86-87 wins, and I expect that to continue to improve as they continue to distance themselves from that rough start.

 

They're a few wins behind where they should be based on the pythagorean standings.

 

I, in all honesty, with the remaining schedule, see a 90 win team, even without reinforcements.

 

That said, I would really, really like to add a big bat to this team. Otherwise, we'll have to find hope in DLee's recent power surge and see what we can get out of Murton and Floyd.

[Bruce Miles]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

I see your point, but who's to say this roster can't keep pushing to more games over .500?

[TysonCBulls423]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

Team isn't exactly hovering around .500 anymore...

 

check the standings you are wrong. They are yet to reach 10 over, all it takes is a 3-4 game losing streak and they are right back down there.

 

Add a 4 or 5 game winning streak and they have the best record in the NL. Gotta look at it both ways...

[jjgman21]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

I see your point, but who's to say this roster can't keep pushing to more games over .500?

 

Bruce, would be very appreciative of your feelings on what the plans are for Murton over the final two months of the season.

[Keener98]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

I see your point, but who's to say this roster can't keep pushing to more games over .500?

 

Well the fact that we are getting no production out of C, and below league average at SS, CF, and RF, doesnt really instill alot of confidence. We had our big hot streak, and I think now its more likely to see win 3 lose 2 and vice versa the rest of the way.

[Bruce Miles]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

I see your point, but who's to say this roster can't keep pushing to more games over .500?

 

Bruce, would be very appreciative of your feelings on what the plans are for Murton over the final two months of the season.

 

I don't think anybody knows that at this point.

[Keener98]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

Team isn't exactly hovering around .500 anymore...

 

check the standings you are wrong. They are yet to reach 10 over, all it takes is a 3-4 game losing streak and they are right back down there.

 

Add a 4 or 5 game winning streak and they have the best record in the NL. Gotta look at it both ways...

 

Having the best record in the NL, is kind of like having the best tasting poop. Id rather push us to being a top team in the Majors, but if just hopeing to make the playoffs is ok with you then thats fine. I have a little higher standards, and its right there for the taking, but instead Hendry would rather sit back and "hope".

[jjgman21]

Hendry was quite forceful in saying Pie won't be moved. If they do anything at all, it won't be of the blockbuster variety. (Subject to change, with last-minute phone calls, of course.)

 

well so much for pushing us over the top, I guess Hendry would rather settle for being right around .500 and hopeing to make the playoffs instead of making a move to push us over the top.

 

I see your point, but who's to say this roster can't keep pushing to more games over .500?

 

Bruce, would be very appreciative of your feelings on what the plans are for Murton over the final two months of the season.

 

I don't think anybody knows that at this point.

 

 

crapsticks. thanks for the input...I guess.