The run to October: What do you want done in the 2nd half?

[Old Style]

There's only one thing I want done in the 2nd half:

 

The Cubs winning the whole soapdropping thing.

 

:)

[RynoRules]

Trade Marquis for Fuentes or Marte. Corrospondingly, put Marshall in the rotation.

 

Get Fonzy and Eyre (yes, him too) healthy and clicking on all cylinders for the postseason.

 

Cut down Marmol's appearences by about 20%.

 

"Win the whole **bleeping** thing."

[RammyFanny]

Colorado thinks Fuentes will fetch type A status so they have said they want close to that same value for him. Marquis doesn't fit that description.

[Soul]

Colorado thinks Fuentes will fetch type A status so they have said they want close to that same value for him. Marquis doesn't fit that description.

 

True. I just glanced at Jason's numbers and was mildly suprised to find he's a 101 ERA+

 

Probably some teams out there that would like to be able to get league-average performance from their #5 starter. Although for Jason's price? That's another matter.

[Choonch]

For the NL to win the AS game, and for the Cubs to maintain the best record in the NL so they would have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. With the way this team performs at home, that's huge.

[CubmanPi]

There's only one thing I want done in the 2nd half:

 

The Cubs winning the whole soapdropping thing.

[nilodnayr]

 

Oh I know. Hence him being a backup. I'd do that deal hoping a change of scenery might make him not suck.If SD would let him go cheaply enough (which we all know won't happen), he'd be a great option as a backup. Hendry would get kudos from me for buying low on a guy who normally was one of the league's best shortstops. Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, Hendry should seriously consider selling high on Theriot. I love what the guy has done, but I can't see this year as being anything other than a fluke. Get Khalil, trade Theriot high in the off season, then let Khalil and Ronny fight it out next year.

 

Once again, his hit charts (even in his current year) show that hes hitting a ton of warning track shots that would be gone in Wrigley.

[NeifiIsMyHomeBoy]

This is all pretty much in line with what has been said already, but it is my two cents.

 

1. I'd like to see the Cub's get another arm in the bullpen. That is the part of this team that can fall apart the quickest even though it has been pretty solid up to this point. Not getting an insurance plan for Marmol could be the achilles heel for the Cubs. I think Gaudin was a big step in the right direction in this respect though. Getting another quality bullpen arm will also keep a quality bullpen arm away from Milwaukee.

 

2. Get Alfonso going again, his addition to the offense can provide the boost we need to get through the dog days without losing ground.

 

3. Don't ride Harden too much, he is way to valuable come October to have him suffer an injury before then.

[TheDude]

I want people to stop trying to break what isn't broken.

 

I also want to see Marmol straightened out by the time the playoffs start.

[BigSlick]

Pretty much the only thing I want is to figure out one way to get Marquis either out of the rotation or off teh Cubs for ever.

 

Whatever we fetch for him, if nothing other than paying his contract for the next year and half, is fine by me.

 

Put Marshall in the rotation, and bam, one of the best rotations in the history of the 5 man rotation.

[otis89]

Put Marshall in the rotation, and bam, one of the best rotations in the history of the 5 man rotation.

 

I remember the last time we said that, in 2004.

 

Wood

Prior

Zambrano

Clement

Maddux

[BigSlick]

Put Marshall in the rotation, and bam, one of the best rotations in the history of the 5 man rotation.

 

I remember the last time we said that, in 2004.

 

Wood

Prior

Zambrano

Clement

Maddux

You act like its any less true now then when you said it? :?:

 

All healthy and in their prime it was.

[C.C.]

Just a thought...

 

Why not do a 6 man rotation for the rest of July and the Month of August. Keep the starters fresh and rested for Sept and beyond...

 

 

Z

Harden

Dempster

Lilly

Marshall

Marquis

[twothousandfive]

A right handed PH who can also be RH DH in the world series. And maybe a lefty if Ward doesn't look like he can get the job done. Tony Clark is not appropriate for either or both roles.

[otis89]

Put Marshall in the rotation, and bam, one of the best rotations in the history of the 5 man rotation.

 

I remember the last time we said that, in 2004.

 

Wood

Prior

Zambrano

Clement

Maddux

You act like its any less true now then when you said it? :?:

 

All healthy and in their prime it was.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. In fact, I'm actually not sure how I meant that. That was one of those posted before thinking moments.

[kjfoster 1553]

Just a thought...

 

Why not do a 6 man rotation for the rest of July and the Month of August. Keep the starters fresh and rested for Sept and beyond...

 

 

Z

Harden

Dempster

Lilly

Marshall

Marquis

 

Limiting Z and Dempster to once every six days is why you don't use a 6 man, but if Harden starts to have a fragile arm it wouldn't be a bad strategy, imo.

[bukie]

One thing I don't want to do is to trade actual player assets for a bench or relief "upgrade".

 

If the Cubs were able to significantly upgrade the rotation or the lineup (at, say, CF), then I'd jump at the chance.

[MSG T]

Just a thought...

 

Why not do a 6 man rotation for the rest of July and the Month of August. Keep the starters fresh and rested for Sept and beyond...

 

 

Z

Harden

Dempster

Lilly

Marshall

Marquis

 

Limiting Z and Dempster to once every six days is why you don't use a 6 man, but if Harden starts to have a fragile arm it wouldn't be a bad strategy, imo.

 

Couldn't you have Z and Dempster pitch on their normal days and rotate the other 4 guys throught the 3 other spots.

 

Z

Demp

Harden

Lilly

Marshall

Z

Demp

Marquis

Harden

Lilly

Z

Demp

Marshall

Marquis

Harden

Z

Demp

Lilly

Marshall

Marquis

 

 

Something like that. Keep Z and Demp every 5th day, and get the other guys in where you can. Try to keep Harden every 6th day or so. Either that or keep Harden every 5th day and limit his number of pitches( my preference), say 95-100. Let the other three rotate in the other two spots.

 

Or, another thought, probably stupid, but, plan on Harden every fifth day and just use Marquis to come in around the 6th or 7th to replace him? Go with a normal 5 man with Marshall and Lilly.

 

Just spitballing with all of that.

 

Also, what to do if Hill comes back and they haven't made another deal, preferably involving Marquis?

[Amazing_Grace]

I'd like to see what it would take to get Milton Bradley from Texas. He can play LF until Soriano returns, probably mid-August, then you can wrestle with the question of whether Bradley can play CF, and/or whether to move Kosuke to CF based on how well Edmonds is continuing to hit. I'm glad Edmonds has done well, but I wouldn't bet the Cubs best chance at a WS for the past 25 years on a 39 year old's ability to hit like he was still 32.

 

If I had the chance to deal Marquis and acquire another SP at reasonable cost, I'd consider it. It's a 50/50 proposition whether Harden can stay healthy, if not worse. Marquis always collapses in the 2nd half. Hill looks like he may come back, but probably not this year. Finally, there's no guarantee Dempster will continue to defy all conventional wisdom and previous statistical data that suggest he's not this good.

[woodchip2153]

Just a thought...

 

Why not do a 6 man rotation for the rest of July and the Month of August. Keep the starters fresh and rested for Sept and beyond...

 

 

Z

Harden

Dempster

Lilly

Marshall

Marquis

 

Limiting Z and Dempster to once every six days is why you don't use a 6 man, but if Harden starts to have a fragile arm it wouldn't be a bad strategy, imo.

 

Couldn't you have Z and Dempster pitch on their normal days and rotate the other 4 guys throught the 3 other spots.

 

Personally, if they did go to a six man rotation, I would want Dempster receiving the maximum rest. Since he's coming from the bullpen, he's going to at least go through a dead arm period, so I'd like to try to keep him as rested as possible.

[CubColtPacer]

I'd like to see what it would take to get Milton Bradley from Texas. He can play LF until Soriano returns, probably mid-August, then you can wrestle with the question of whether Bradley can play CF, and/or whether to move Kosuke to CF based on how well Edmonds is continuing to hit. I'm glad Edmonds has done well, but I wouldn't bet the Cubs best chance at a WS for the past 25 years on a 39 year old's ability to hit like he was still 32.

 

If I had the chance to deal Marquis and acquire another SP at reasonable cost, I'd consider it. It's a 50/50 proposition whether Harden can stay healthy, if not worse. Marquis always collapses in the 2nd half. Hill looks like he may come back, but probably not this year. Finally, there's no guarantee Dempster will continue to defy all conventional wisdom and previous statistical data that suggest he's not this good.

 

Soriano's not supposed to be gone nearly that long. He's only supposed to be out for 1 more week, maybe 2.

 

And if Hill comes back, it will be this year. If he has another major setback that sets him back from the timetable of later this year (probably between mid-August and September 1st), then that's a major red flag to him ever coming back.

[CyHawk_Cub]

I'm trying to figure out a way to word this so I'm not accused of wishing for a Cubs player to fail, but... I have a feeling we would've been better off if Edmonds had simply remained at his level of suckage rather than shown this recent revival. It's been pointed out in another thread that a couple weeks (til the trading deadline) isn't enough time to force Hendry to make a move for CF if Edmonds were to start sucking again. I think his recent play is a mirage...I truly hope I am wrong. I just don't feel comfortable counting on him & RJ for the stretch run & playoffs. Yes, I do know the rest of the lineup is solid so it can probably w/stand CF being mediocre. I'd just like to minimize our exposure as much as possible. That's all I'm saying...

[David]

I'm trying to figure out a way to word this so I'm not accused of wishing for a Cubs player to fail, but... I have a feeling we would've been better off if Edmonds had simply remained at his level of suckage rather than shown this recent revival. It's been pointed out in another thread that a couple weeks (til the trading deadline) isn't enough time to force Hendry to make a move for CF if Edmonds were to start sucking again. I think his recent play is a mirage...I truly hope I am wrong. I just don't feel comfortable counting on him & RJ for the stretch run & playoffs. Yes, I do know the rest of the lineup is solid so it can probably w/stand CF being mediocre. I'd just like to minimize our exposure as much as possible. That's all I'm saying...

 

If that goes back to being a strict platoon when Soriano gets back, it should be fine. Edmonds may not OPS .900 against RHP all year, but he should be good for .750+, which is adequate enough. RJ is a fairly productive hitter against lefties.

[fromthestretch]

I'm very comfortable with the starting offense but I expected more from D-Ward, who has not swung the bat very well off the bench.

 

False.

 

As a sub, Ward has hit .250/.429/.438 in 42 plate appearances. As a starter, he's at .300/.300/.400 in 20 plate appearances. Small sample size, but you're looking at a difference of .166 in OPS. He hasn't done the greatest job as a pinch-hitter this season, but his overall numbers show that he's a decent option off the bench.

[CuseCubFan69]

I'm trying to figure out a way to word this so I'm not accused of wishing for a Cubs player to fail, but... I have a feeling we would've been better off if Edmonds had simply remained at his level of suckage rather than shown this recent revival. It's been pointed out in another thread that a couple weeks (til the trading deadline) isn't enough time to force Hendry to make a move for CF if Edmonds were to start sucking again. I think his recent play is a mirage...I truly hope I am wrong. I just don't feel comfortable counting on him & RJ for the stretch run & playoffs. Yes, I do know the rest of the lineup is solid so it can probably w/stand CF being mediocre. I'd just like to minimize our exposure as much as possible. That's all I'm saying...

 

If that goes back to being a strict platoon when Soriano gets back, it should be fine. Edmonds may not OPS .900 against RHP all year, but he should be good for .750+, which is adequate enough. RJ is a fairly productive hitter against lefties.

 

I agree but what worries me is how well Sori will come back from his injury. If he's back and doing his thing what you wrote is fine but if he isn't, what the Cubs have now imo won't win it all. More production is needed out of left and DeRosa/Johnson/Ward don't do it for me.