My questions for '08:

[rynefan]

And we still don't really know what Pie's got.

[UK1679666180]

And we still don't really know what Pie's got.

 

They have to find out, unless every positional prospect is on the Soto development track of 3 years at Iowa before becoming an everyday starter.

[Guest]

In the paper today they were saying get ARod, put him at SS. Move Theriot to second. Put DeRosa in right. Hmmm.....

 

If the Cubs get ARod/Tejada/Renteria, Theriot had better take a seat on the bench. Leave DeRo at 2nd and put Murton in RF. Theriot has no business in the starting lineup at anywhere other than SS with the players we have right now.

[Guest]

Jersey is correct about the main point, though: This team is going to have to have either one of their young position players break out, or have Prior return to form to see signifigant improvement over 2007. We're not going to have the payroll to add impact players.

 

Thus, it comes down to Prior, Pie, Soto, or maybe Murton to exceed expectations.

 

Agreed on the bolded part.

 

I will say that even if Soto reaches expectations and doesn't necessarily exceed them - a mid .700's OPS would be around the minimum I would expect - that would still be a huge improvement over the .673 OPS we got out of the catching position this year. And that includes Soto's 54 AB's with a 1.100 OPS. If Soto had a .800+ OPS that would be amazing.