4/11 Cubs (Gorzelanny) @ Reds (Leake) 12:10 CST CSN+

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wonder how long before Rudy J comes under fire. So far, his 3 mil looks to be about as well spent as Aaron Miles and John Grabow. I know you can only blame a hitting coach so much, but damn, this is brutal.

[UMFan83]

I just can't believe that Soriano's contract isn't even half over yet. Yeesh.

 

Honestly at this point....predict where Soriano is in 4 seasons. What team is he on? (if he is on a team), what position is he playing? What is his role on the team?

 

I'm going to predict that the Cubs in the next 2 seasons find a way to trade him, for either another albatross contract or for a PTBNL while eating a majority (meaning 95-100%) of his contract to an AL team where they try him at DH. I imagine at some point he will fail miserably enough where that team cuts him, and he sits on his ass collecting money from the Cubs.

Edited April 11, 2010 by UMFan83

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't know Lee maybe, but Aramis can opt out if he wants, he'd pry rather finish out the year with us before he opts out.

 

Not necessarily. There's little reason for him to refuse to be traded if the team stinks and he knows he's going to opt out. He's likely to opt out anyway, but it would be a lock if they sat him down and said they weren't going to re-sign him no matter what since he's not going to wait around and get a year older on a crappy team. Unless he's feeling vindictive there's little reason for him to refuse a trade for the last few months of the season, especially since he'd likely go to a team that's actually contending.

[illiniguy]

I don't know Lee maybe, but Aramis can opt out if he wants, he'd pry rather finish out the year with us before he opts out.

 

Not necessarily. There's little reason for him to refuse to be traded if the team stinks and he knows he's going to opt out. He's likely to opt out anyway, but it would be a lock if they sat him down and said they weren't going to re-sign him no matter what since he's not going to wait around and get a year older on a crappy team. Unless he's feeling vindictive there's little reason for him to refuse a trade for the last few months of the season, especially since he'd likely go to a team that's actually contending.

But, this is his last chance for good money. Wrigley still is a pretty good place to hit and his family is here for now. If we trade him off to San Fran or somewhere with a pitcher park it would hurt his numbers and potentially cost him money. I guess you can avoid this though by helping find a team you both can agree on. Again though, I don't want Hendry being the guy selecting the players we get back.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I really wish there was some way to let Soriano go and do something like the Dodgers did with Andruw Jones only with more money involved. Just set it up so he gets 5 mil a year for the rest of his natural life in exchange for going away.

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't know Lee maybe, but Aramis can opt out if he wants, he'd pry rather finish out the year with us before he opts out.

 

Not necessarily. There's little reason for him to refuse to be traded if the team stinks and he knows he's going to opt out. He's likely to opt out anyway, but it would be a lock if they sat him down and said they weren't going to re-sign him no matter what since he's not going to wait around and get a year older on a crappy team. Unless he's feeling vindictive there's little reason for him to refuse a trade for the last few months of the season, especially since he'd likely go to a team that's actually contending.

But, this is his last chance for good money. Wrigley still is a pretty good place to hit and his family is here for now. If we trade him off to San Fran or somewhere with a pitcher park it would hurt his numbers and potentially cost him money. I guess you can avoid this though by helping find a team you both can agree on. Again though, I don't want Hendry being the guy selecting the players we get back.

 

I don't think a hitter as good as Aramis would have his reputation ruined or significantly impacted if he went from a hitter friendly park to one that wasn't for just 2-3 months. The biggest thing will be whether he can stay healthy or not.

[ctcf]

Looking at the positives from the first week, the starting pitching, save opening day, has been northing short of spectacular. The offense has underperformed. I expect it to still be below average but much better than what we've seen so far. We probably are going to win more than 75 games this year. How much more has yet to be decided. More likely closer to 80 wins than 90, but nothing is out of the realm of possibility yet.

 

I could see them not winning more than 75. It wouldn't be a shock to see the offense regress from last year when they weren't that good and it wouldn' be suprising to see the pitching not hold up when you have guys like Gorz and Silva in the rotation.

 

Yeah but I don't know but I feel strangely positive after this first week. The starting pitching was the thing I was worried about most coming into this season, and they've looked good so far. Obviously going by track records, I shouldn't expect Gorz and Silva's starts to be the norm but every time they pitch well the more confidence I get. Besides, the thing I was most excited to see as Wells' performance the other day.

 

The offense has to be better than this. Half the lineup is hitting under .200 and I cannot remember a single extra base hit that wasn't a home run this season, other than Soriano's check swing double (although I'm sure there have been, just can't remember them). They will probably be a slightly below league average offense this season, but that's still better than how they played this week. Plus, if they can just be solid enough to get to July, there is always the possibility of an upgrade.

 

The bullpen worries me, but you gotta hope by the middle of May, we'll have sorted out roles a little better, and hopefully someone in there can be a reliable 8th inning guy. If not, we have some other arms in the minors that could be worth a try.

 

I don't know, after seeing how close we could easily be 5-1, it's hard to be too pessimistic about the team after the first week. It's definitely distressing to see us 2-4, but there will be weeks where we'll get lucky and have a better week than we've played too. If we can get 2 against Milwaukee, we should be able to at least get 2 against horrible Houston, and we'll be back to .500 a week from today.

 

Gotta say I'm with UMF here.

[Andy]

I wonder how long before Rudy J comes under fire. So far, his 3 mil looks to be about as well spent as Aaron Miles and John Grabow. I know you can only blame a hitting coach so much, but damn, this is brutal.

Don't scapegoat the hitting coach when the offense is for the most part made up of pretty bad players. Other than our 2-5 hitters is any other hitter on the entire team that good?

 

Thinking like that led to us getting rid of a perfectly good hitting coach last year and I'd really prefer not to chase off another one because he's saddled with crappy ballplayers.

[erik316wttn]

I heard just small bits and pieces of this game: The final 3 batters in the first after they loaded the bases with nobody out and let Leake off the hook, and Caridad walking in the go-ahead run.

 

12 LOB again, I see. Yet another pathetic performance. Hopefully they can remove their heads from their asses and do it soon.

 

At least Gorzelanny pitched well.

 

There has got to be something that can be done to drive in more runs. Getting on base doesn't seem to be the problem, it seems to be driving runners in when they're on base. Pressing? Anti-clutch? Who the hell knows, but something needs to be done about it.

[BigSlick]

Seeing the corpse of Vernon Wells actually do something the first week of play might push Soriano over the hump and well into "Worst Contract Given Out In the History of MLB"

 

I almost have a perverse desire to see this go as bad as it can. Soriano, over the course of 300 odd at bats, on and off injured, hitting around .180, little to no power, absolutely terrible defense. Then I want to see the blaming, the namecalling, the fighting in between the front office and him. I just want to see the whole media circus and then he's dishonorably thrown to some other team while we pay his entire contract.

 

Thats what I want to see.

[erik316wttn]

Seeing the corpse of Vernon Wells actually do something the first week of play might push Soriano over the hump and well into "Worst Contract Given Out In the History of MLB"

 

I almost have a perverse desire to see this go as bad as it can. Soriano, over the course of 300 odd at bats, on and off injured, hitting around .180, little to no power, absolutely terrible defense. Then I want to see the blaming, the namecalling, the fighting in between the front office and him. I just want to see the whole media circus and then he's dishonorably thrown to some other team while we pay his entire contract.

 

Thats what I want to see.

 

I don't really blame Soriano if he's just to the point where his skills have naturally started to decline. However, if he's just half-assing it, then I hope the media crucifies him.

 

I don't blame him for taking that ridiculous contract. Anybody in baseball would have signed for those kind of years and money.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Soriano will be this offseasons Designated Scapegoat and gone for an overpriced player with a similarly bad contract.

[Keener98]

Seeing the corpse of Vernon Wells actually do something the first week of play might push Soriano over the hump and well into "Worst Contract Given Out In the History of MLB"

 

I almost have a perverse desire to see this go as bad as it can. Soriano, over the course of 300 odd at bats, on and off injured, hitting around .180, little to no power, absolutely terrible defense. Then I want to see the blaming, the namecalling, the fighting in between the front office and him. I just want to see the whole media circus and then he's dishonorably thrown to some other team while we pay his entire contract.

 

Thats what I want to see.

 

I don't really blame Soriano if he's just to the point where his skills have naturally started to decline. However, if he's just half-assing it, then I hope the media crucifies him.

 

I don't blame him for taking that ridiculous contract. Anybody in baseball would have signed for those kind of years and money.

 

Why in Gods name would he be, or would you think he is, half-assing it? The idea of him half assing it is beyond ignorant

[jersey cubs fan]

Why in Gods name would he be, or would you think he is, half-assing it? The idea of him half assing it is beyond ignorant

 

Why would an athlete with a guaranteed longterm contract half ass it? Seriously? That's a question?

[Keener98]

Why in Gods name would he be, or would you think he is, half-assing it? The idea of him half assing it is beyond ignorant

 

Why would an athlete with a guaranteed longterm contract half ass it? Seriously? That's a question?

 

Yes its ignorant. Im sure he loves going out there sucking it and being boo'd every day and embarrassing himself. Makes for a wonderful way to spend 6 months Im sure.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why in Gods name would he be, or would you think he is, half-assing it? The idea of him half assing it is beyond ignorant

 

Why would an athlete with a guaranteed longterm contract half ass it? Seriously? That's a question?

 

Yes its ignorant. Im sure he loves going out there sucking it and being boo'd every day and embarrassing himself. Makes for a wonderful way to spend 6 months Im sure.

 

That doesn't make the accusation ignorant. Your comment makes you sound naive though. Being good at baseball is hard. Especially as you age and break down physically. It's got to be very easy to take shortcuts along the way when you have a huge guaranteed contract.

[Keener98]

Why in Gods name would he be, or would you think he is, half-assing it? The idea of him half assing it is beyond ignorant

 

Why would an athlete with a guaranteed longterm contract half ass it? Seriously? That's a question?

 

Yes its ignorant. Im sure he loves going out there sucking it and being boo'd every day and embarrassing himself. Makes for a wonderful way to spend 6 months Im sure.

 

That doesn't make the accusation ignorant. Your comment makes you sound naive though. Being good at baseball is hard. Especially as you age and break down physically. It's got to be very easy to take shortcuts along the way when you have a huge guaranteed contract.

 

My comment doenst make me sound naive at all. Of course there are ways to take shortcuts, but Sorianos awful hitting and awful fielding have little to nothing to do with that. You said it in your post baseball is hard especially as you age and break down physically, that seems alot more likely to why Soriano has sucked for the last year, than him sucking because hes not trying.

[jersey cubs fan]

My comment doenst make me sound naive at all. Of course there are ways to take shortcuts, but Sorianos awful hitting and awful fielding have little to nothing to do with that. You said it in your post baseball is hard especially as you age and break down physically, that seems alot more likely to why Soriano has sucked for the last year, than him sucking because hes not trying.

 

It's hard and it takes hard work. Not trying at all and half ass trying aren't the same thing. You insinuate there is no way an athlete with a guaranteed contract would half ass it since they can't be happy sucking. But being happy about it has nothing to do with it. There's plenty of reasons to think he might be half assing it. I happen to believe he didn't know how to work at baseball in the first place and simply relied on his fantastic physical abilities. A lot of older players talk about having to work twice as hard as they get older, if you just keep doing the same things, you aren't trying hard enough. And if you have a guaranteed contract, there's very little incentive to add to your workload.

[TruffleShuffle]

chad tracy sucks pretty badly

[Soul]

I just can't believe that Soriano's contract isn't even half over yet. Yeesh.

 

What a horrible thing to say.

 

At least give me a fighting chance of not having to realize this.

[Soul]

Shark for 8th inning reliever!

 

 

 

 

 

(J/K)

[TruffleShuffle]

someone needs to learn some command on his fastball.

[Keener98]

someone needs to learn some command on his fastball.

 

Someone needs to learn to post in the right thread.... :D

[TruffleShuffle]

someone needs to learn some command on his fastball.

 

Someone needs to learn to post in the right thread.... :D

 

lol i'm an idiot

[Soul]

someone needs to learn some command on his fastball.

 

Someone needs to learn to post in the right thread.... :D

 

lol i'm an idiot

 

And so am I. I still don't know how I did that.