Last Offseson"Get lefthanded", this Offseason is....

[Keener98]

going to be to get more speed. Lou made a few comments yesterday in the paper, and he seems to be setting it up like that. Every offseason Hendry has a new"philosophy" from "guys who catch the ball", to "being more left handed". Looks like this year is going to be "get more athletic and speedy".

 

"You've got to remember this, Wrigley Field is a smaller ballpark that plays into our scheme of things a lot better than these big parks on the road," Piniella said. "I don't think it's a coincidence that we haven't played well in Colorado, we haven't played well in Arizona, we haven't played well in this place. They're all bigger ballparks. You've got to cover more ground. The infields are harder."

 

"Our team basically is a team that when you look at how it's built, it's built for more power," Piniella said. "When you go and play in these bigger ballparks, you don't hit for as much power. There's no coincidence as to why we struggle in these ballparks. You need athleticism, you need more stolen bases -- I think we're last in the National League in stolen bases. Our team has to hit, and when we don't hit, we look flat."

 

I really hope Lou and Hendry are gone after this year, but I know its not going to happen.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090819&content_id=6508784&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[A-Cal]

but we had gathright

 

:scratch:

[jersey cubs fan]

That was the plan when they got Pierre.

 

 

Oh joy.

 

What speed hounds tend to forget is that while speed itself may not slump, players who depend on it sure do, if they don't just suck all the time to begin with. And it doesn't age well either. Once a guy establishes himself as a good speed player, and gets paid for it, he's going to start slowing down. If a guy's best attribute is speed, he better be in his low-to-mid 20's, and cheap as hell. That's why you play guys like Patterson and Pie everyday before they start making loads of money.

[Post Count Padder]

GRIT at every position! Yay!

 

 

:banghead:

[A-Cal]

how long until we look good again with promising youth?

 

3, 4, 5 seasons?

 

i can't wait for the debut of vitters

 

yay

 

:hug:

[imb]

but pierre was lefthanded and fast and he sucked out loud

[Schwarber Fan]

speed doesn't slump

[cheapseats]

Just fire both of them now.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There's like one line in there that's not exactly what Lou should say, and it looks like one of his normal post game ramblings. Not really a big deal.

[jersey cubs fan]

There's like one line in there that's not exactly what Lou should say, and it looks like one of his normal post game ramblings. Not really a big deal.

 

But he left out something he should have said.

 

"Our team basically is a team that when you look at how it's built, it's built for more power," Piniella said. "When you go and play in these bigger ballparks, you don't hit for as much power. There's no coincidence as to why we struggle in these ballparks. You need athleticism, you need more stolen bases -- I think we're last in the National League in stolen bases."

 

Should have added:

 

But since we're all a bunch of morons we are 10th in CS because we're a bunch of morons who keep trying to run even though we suck at it.

[Keener98]

There's like one line in there that's not exactly what Lou should say, and it looks like one of his normal post game ramblings. Not really a big deal.

 

You really dont see the writing on the wall? Last year he rambled on about needing to get more left handed, and now with the team 6 games out of 1st hes rambling on about needing more speed and athleticism. The GM and manager of this team have a history of having ridiculous "offseason philosophies" and hes already setting the stage for it. Speed and athleticism have very little to do with why the Cubs have struggled this year.

[seanhopper]

how long until we look good again with promising youth?

 

3, 4, 5 seasons?

 

i can't wait for the debut of vitters

 

Problem is, Hendry will have to use some of this promising youth to bring in the major league ready players Piniella wants to change the teams complexion again for next season. I really wish the Cubs, for once, would wait it out for a real youth movement. I would much rather pull for a struggling young team, than watch a bunch of poor playing vets that have no character.

[Little Slide Rooter]

more athletic and speedy sounds like another way of saying younger and less expensive. Question is, where are these speedy athletic players going to play? Soriano, Bradley, and Fukudome arent going anywhere. Ramirez is the cornerstone, and Lee shouldnt be traded. Edited August 20, 2009 by Little Slide Rooter

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There's like one line in there that's not exactly what Lou should say, and it looks like one of his normal post game ramblings. Not really a big deal.

 

You really dont see the writing on the wall? Last year he rambled on about needing to get more left handed, and now with the team 6 games out of 1st hes rambling on about needing more speed and athleticism. The GM and manager of this team have a history of having ridiculous "offseason philosophies" and hes already setting the stage for it. Speed and athleticism have very little to do with why the Cubs have struggled this year.

 

No, he's saying when you don't hit in big ballparks then you suck unless you do other things like run well or play really good defense. He explicitly said they needed to hit. Please don't take a throwaway line in one of his postgame ramblings in August as an indicator of what the whole offseason theme is going to be, it's ridiculous.

[SouthSideRyan]

but pierre was lefthanded and fast and he sucked out loud

 

The Dodgers only started losing their lead because they replaced Pierre with Manny.

[jersey cubs fan]

There's like one line in there that's not exactly what Lou should say, and it looks like one of his normal post game ramblings. Not really a big deal.

 

You really dont see the writing on the wall? Last year he rambled on about needing to get more left handed, and now with the team 6 games out of 1st hes rambling on about needing more speed and athleticism. The GM and manager of this team have a history of having ridiculous "offseason philosophies" and hes already setting the stage for it. Speed and athleticism have very little to do with why the Cubs have struggled this year.

 

No, he's saying when you don't hit in big ballparks then you suck unless you do other things like run well or play really good defense. He explicitly said they needed to hit. Please don't take a throwaway line in one of his postgame ramblings in August as an indicator of what the whole offseason theme is going to be, it's ridiculous.

 

Why is it ridiculous? It's really the same kind of stuff that led to "more lefthanded" last year, and this team absolutely does have a history of locking onto one thing and trying to get more like it. It could be a throwaway line. But if you assume they are going to try something new this offseason, is it that hard to believe it might be the speed thing again?

[Keener98]

There's like one line in there that's not exactly what Lou should say, and it looks like one of his normal post game ramblings. Not really a big deal.

 

You really dont see the writing on the wall? Last year he rambled on about needing to get more left handed, and now with the team 6 games out of 1st hes rambling on about needing more speed and athleticism. The GM and manager of this team have a history of having ridiculous "offseason philosophies" and hes already setting the stage for it. Speed and athleticism have very little to do with why the Cubs have struggled this year.

 

No, he's saying when you don't hit in big ballparks then you suck unless you do other things like run well or play really good defense. He explicitly said they needed to hit. Please don't take a throwaway line in one of his postgame ramblings in August as an indicator of what the whole offseason theme is going to be, it's ridiculous.

 

Why is it ridiculous? It's really the same kind of stuff that led to "more lefthanded" last year, and this team absolutely does have a history of locking onto one thing and trying to get more like it. It could be a throwaway line. But if you assume they are going to try something new this offseason, is it that hard to believe it might be the speed thing again?

 

 

Exactly. This organization has a history of this by now. It was also a postgame rambling last year that led us to getting more left handed. Also it doesnt matter if its a big ballpark or a small ballpark, if you dont hit then you suck, regardless if you run well or play really good defense.

[JGalt73]

I really think that 'hitting with RISP' is going to be the mantra. It will be used to cover the hideous flaws of a number of hitters that we'll be forced to acquire.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Why is it ridiculous? It's really the same kind of stuff that led to "more lefthanded" last year, and this team absolutely does have a history of locking onto one thing and trying to get more like it. It could be a throwaway line. But if you assume they are going to try something new this offseason, is it that hard to believe it might be the speed thing again?

 

It's ridiculous to think so based off that quote from Lou. You're the one always talking about how Lou doesn't stick to what he says and plans with his quotes, and this isn't nearly as concrete as the many things he's reneged on.

[nick23]

I thought we already tried "getting more athletic" one offseason? Maybe I'm thinking of the "guys who catch the ball" offseason. I'm starting to get them confused.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why is it ridiculous? It's really the same kind of stuff that led to "more lefthanded" last year, and this team absolutely does have a history of locking onto one thing and trying to get more like it. It could be a throwaway line. But if you assume they are going to try something new this offseason, is it that hard to believe it might be the speed thing again?

 

It's ridiculous to think so based off that quote from Lou. You're the one always talking about how Lou doesn't stick to what he says and plans with his quotes, and this isn't nearly as concrete as the many things he's reneged on.

 

It's speculation. What is wrong with speculating? If Lou says Fukudome is going to leadoff everyday or that Kendall is going to be his starting catcher until the end of the year, I'm going to have doubts. If he starts planting seeds about what this team needs to be better, I'm going to take notice. He talked about the need for LH relievers early in the season and that led to Marshall in the bullpen and the Grabow acquisition. If this is the only time he mentions it, I'll chalk it up to postgame nonsense. But he's definitely talked about the lack of athleticism/speed on this team in the past, and if he continues, I'd bet heavily that that is the way they go, unless they dump Hendry.

[Keener98]

Why is it ridiculous? It's really the same kind of stuff that led to "more lefthanded" last year, and this team absolutely does have a history of locking onto one thing and trying to get more like it. It could be a throwaway line. But if you assume they are going to try something new this offseason, is it that hard to believe it might be the speed thing again?

 

It's ridiculous to think so based off that quote from Lou. You're the one always talking about how Lou doesn't stick to what he says and plans with his quotes, and this isn't nearly as concrete as the many things he's reneged on.

 

I dont see why its so far fetched to think Lou, an old school manager who we know likes to run even though we dont have speed, would think part of the problem with this years team is lack of speed and athleticism. Every year its some new thing, and this seems exactly the way Lou and Hendry would be willing to go.

[Guest]

Why is it ridiculous? It's really the same kind of stuff that led to "more lefthanded" last year, and this team absolutely does have a history of locking onto one thing and trying to get more like it. It could be a throwaway line. But if you assume they are going to try something new this offseason, is it that hard to believe it might be the speed thing again?

 

It's ridiculous to think so based off that quote from Lou. You're the one always talking about how Lou doesn't stick to what he says and plans with his quotes, and this isn't nearly as concrete as the many things he's reneged on.

 

It's speculation. What is wrong with speculating? If Lou says Fukudome is going to leadoff everyday or that Kendall is going to be his starting catcher until the end of the year, I'm going to have doubts. If he starts planting seeds about what this team needs to be better, I'm going to take notice. He talked about the need for LH relievers early in the season and that led to Marshall in the bullpen and the Grabow acquisition. If this is the only time he mentions it, I'll chalk it up to postgame nonsense. But he's definitely talked about the lack of athleticism/speed on this team in the past, and if he continues, I'd bet heavily that that is the way they go, unless they dump Hendry.

Given Lou and especially Hendry's past behavior I think it is safer to assume something like this is going to happen. I don't know how it will happen but I could see the Cubs planning an entire season for the 9 or 10 games they play a year in big parks. They planned this entire season on the results of three games, more or less.

[apete6]

Chone Figgins: 3 years, 27 million to play 2B. Book it.

 

 

 

And then kill me.

[UMFan83]

I would say the odds are even money that Chone Figgins finds his way onto the Cubs roster this offseason. Switch hitter with speed and versatility. Hendry would give him Soriano money to get him on the team

 

 

(of course he'll fail to look at the fact that figgins ops's .887 vs. lefties and .633 vs. righties)

Edited August 20, 2009 by UMFan83