It's Time

[jersey cubs fan]

 

So just let the year lapse without finding out much of anything about possible options for next year. That seems like a waste of time and money to me.

 

What exactly are these options they would be finding out about?

 

Mainly if any of our current coaches can manage.

 

not a good example

[soapy]

I wouldn't have a problem with putting Trammel in as manager immediately, but I don't think it makes much difference. As frustrated as I am with Lou, I don't think the Cubs are a new manager away from being a contender. Lee and Ramirez have to start hitting and (to a lesser extent) the bullpen issues need to be solved. If those three things happened, I think they'd probably be good enough to have an outside shot at the WC.

 

Of course, that's not saying much for a team with $140 million payroll, but that's probably another discussion entirely.

[lumafia]

Your evaluation of how hard a guy is working is completely dependent on the results you've seen thus far. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you know Aramis isn't hitting because he isn't working hard. He isn't hitting because he isn't hitting.

 

That said, I agree with this for the most part. Just don't mortgage the future on a marginal upgrade in a lost season. Use this season to work through Castro's growing pains and continue to develop the prospects. I can wait two years for us to get way younger and cheaper and hopefuly have a change of regime in the front office.

 

I'm not going to presume too much, but I can make an observation based on logic. I played competitive baseball (including college and semi-pro) long enough to know that there will come a time in EVERY player's career where they will feel tired and discontent. Some earlier than others. It is common to see player's take more than there share of "time off" in the offseason. Aside from injury, I can't think of any other reason for Aramis to be struggling the way he is.

 

That being said, I wouldn't blame him if he felt somewhat burnt out. I've been through it, and every player goes through it at some point. He has always been our most consistent player since his arrival in Chicago, and he had to sit and watch the Cubs completely fold in 08 when they were a favorite to win it all. He had to sit on the sideline with a freak injury as he watched his 09 team completely tank in a historic underachievement, even by Cubs' standards. It would be completely natural for him to feel somewhat responsible, and a little unmotivated coming into this season.

 

It's my opinion, and I'm sticking with it. Aramis decided to take a little extra time off. But it's time to come back.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

So just let the year lapse without finding out much of anything about possible options for next year. That seems like a waste of time and money to me.

 

What exactly are these options they would be finding out about?

 

Mainly if any of our current coaches can manage.

 

Pretty irrelevant since it's obvious that the Cubs are lining up Sandberg for the job.

[SouthSideRyan]

Aramis is pretty stupid if he decided to take time off in a season where he could opt out and get paid.

[Sammy Sofa]

He had to sit on the sideline with a freak injury as he watched his 09 team completely tank in a historic underachievement, even by Cubs' standards.

 

Wait, what? Talk about being melodramatic. Finishing 83-78 was underwhelming and a letdown, but a "historic underachievement?" Yeah, right.

[jersey cubs fan]

He had to sit on the sideline with a freak injury as he watched his 09 team completely tank in a historic underachievement, even by Cubs' standards.

 

Wait, what? Talk about being melodramatic. Finishing 83-78 was underwhelming and a letdown, but a "historic underachievement?" Yeah, right.

 

By Cubs standards it was a glowing success.

[Sammy Sofa]

Aramis is pretty stupid if he decided to take time off in a season where he could opt out and get paid.

 

No kidding. Any talk like he's slacking off or burnt out or whatever is just absurd. He has every motivation to do well this year in what his likely his last opportunity for a really big payday.

[Sammy Sofa]

He had to sit on the sideline with a freak injury as he watched his 09 team completely tank in a historic underachievement, even by Cubs' standards.

 

Wait, what? Talk about being melodramatic. Finishing 83-78 was underwhelming and a letdown, but a "historic underachievement?" Yeah, right.

 

By Cubs standards it was a glowing success.

 

Yeah, no kidding.

[hardcorecubfan]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

[Sammy Sofa]

How can Nady and Fontenot be spun as scapegoats at this point?

[erik316wttn]

Aramis is pretty stupid if he decided to take time off in a season where he could opt out and get paid.

 

No kidding. Any talk like he's slacking off or burnt out or whatever is just absurd. He has every motivation to do well this year in what his likely his last opportunity for a really big payday.

 

If he's terrible this year he can always choose not to opt out and try again next year in his contract year. That's why people had better pray he at least puts up respectable numbers the rest of the way if they don't want him on the team next year, because if he's terrible this season he'd be a fool to opt out and leave millions on the table if he has a good contract year next season.

[Soul]

 

So just let the year lapse without finding out much of anything about possible options for next year. That seems like a waste of time and money to me.

 

What exactly are these options they would be finding out about?

 

Mainly if any of our current coaches can manage.

 

Pretty irrelevant since it's obvious that the Cubs are lining up Sandberg for the job.

 

Well that sucks then, if true.

[Sammy Sofa]

Aramis is pretty stupid if he decided to take time off in a season where he could opt out and get paid.

 

No kidding. Any talk like he's slacking off or burnt out or whatever is just absurd. He has every motivation to do well this year in what his likely his last opportunity for a really big payday.

 

If he's terrible this year he can always choose not to opt out and try again next year in his contract year. That's why people had better pray he at least puts up respectable numbers the rest of the way if they don't want him on the team next year, because if he's terrible this season he'd be a fool to opt out and leave millions on the table if he has a good contract year next season.

 

The team has an option after next year, so if he kicks ass next year I wouldn't be surprised if they used it. Then he wouldn't hit the FA market until after the 2012 season.

[Backtobanks]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

 

I totally agree with you. If the Cubs play .538 ball the rest of the way they end up 84-78 and have a decent shot at the Wild Card. Now I agree that they have sucked this season, but you can't tell me that they can't play .538 ball assuming ARam and DLee start hitting. ARam might have a "down" year, but he's not going to stay in "Aaron Miles land" the whole season.

[Sammy Sofa]

 

So just let the year lapse without finding out much of anything about possible options for next year. That seems like a waste of time and money to me.

 

What exactly are these options they would be finding out about?

 

Mainly if any of our current coaches can manage.

 

Pretty irrelevant since it's obvious that the Cubs are lining up Sandberg for the job.

 

Well that sucks then, if true.

 

I'd be stunned if it wasn't. As much as I'd like Ricketts to be some kind of baseball savant above all else, as a businessman he'd have to be an idiot to not recognize the PR coup that would come with giving Sandberg the job, especially after 2 letdown seasons. They could easily frame it so that his first year will be a rebuilding year so he doesn't get slammed too much, if at all (look how Lou's been treating with kid's gloves), if the team does poorly.

[Sammy Sofa]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

 

I totally agree with you. If the Cubs play .538 ball the rest of the way they end up 84-78 and have a decent shot at the Wild Card. Now I agree that they have sucked this season, but you can't tell me that they can't play .538 ball assuming ARam and DLee start hitting. ARam might have a "down" year, but he's not going to stay in "Aaron Miles land" the whole season.

 

He might. Some guys simply fall off of a cliff after a major injury. I obviously hope that's not the case, but it's certainly not outside of the realm of possibility.

[SouthSideRyan]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

 

I totally agree with you. If the Cubs play .538 ball the rest of the way they end up 84-78 and have a decent shot at the Wild Card. Now I agree that they have sucked this season, but you can't tell me that they can't play .538 ball assuming ARam and DLee start hitting. ARam might have a "down" year, but he's not going to stay in "Aaron Miles land" the whole season.

 

He might. Some guys simply fall off of a cliff after a major injury. I obviously hope that's not the case, but it's certainly not outside of the realm of possibility.

 

He did hit .304/.381/.496 after returning last year.

 

The ISO's a little lower, but there were no signs that he'd be anything less than an above average hitter

[Soul]

Well that sucks then, if true.

 

I'd be stunned if it wasn't. As much as I'd like Ricketts to be some kind of baseball savant above all else, as a businessman he'd have to be an idiot to not recognize the PR coup that would come with giving Sandberg the job, especially after 2 letdown seasons. They could easily frame it so that his first year will be a rebuilding year so he doesn't get slammed too much, if at all (look how Lou's been treating with kid's gloves), if the team does poorly.

 

Is that what we will have been waiting a year for Ricketts to figure out? To hire a Cub legend with no experience to score vacuous points with the masses, devoid of actual analysis on what will make the Cubs successful long term?

 

Goodness I hope not.

[SouthSideRyan]

Sandberg's gonna get a standing ovation and chants of RY-NO RY-NO RY-NO when he gets ejected from his first game on April 12th.

 

As to how the fans will react to him when we finish 75-87, I'm not sure.

Edited May 10, 2010 by SouthSideRyan

[jersey cubs fan]

Well that sucks then, if true.

 

I'd be stunned if it wasn't. As much as I'd like Ricketts to be some kind of baseball savant above all else, as a businessman he'd have to be an idiot to not recognize the PR coup that would come with giving Sandberg the job, especially after 2 letdown seasons. They could easily frame it so that his first year will be a rebuilding year so he doesn't get slammed too much, if at all (look how Lou's been treating with kid's gloves), if the team does poorly.

 

Is that what we will have been waiting a year for Ricketts to figure out? To hire a Cub legend with no experience to score vacuous points with the masses, devoid of actual analysis on what will make the Cubs successful long term?

 

Goodness I hope not.

 

What matters is who the GM is, and what players that GM acquires.

 

I would prefer somebody other than Ryno, but he's not going to make or break the team.

[soapy]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

 

I totally agree with you. If the Cubs play .538 ball the rest of the way they end up 84-78 and have a decent shot at the Wild Card. Now I agree that they have sucked this season, but you can't tell me that they can't play .538 ball assuming ARam and DLee start hitting. ARam might have a "down" year, but he's not going to stay in "Aaron Miles land" the whole season.

 

I think the flipside of that is that you probably can't expect Byrd, Fukudome, Soriano and Soto to all continue to maintain OPS north of .970. In fact, you can't likely expect any of them do do that.

[Sammy Sofa]

Well that sucks then, if true.

 

I'd be stunned if it wasn't. As much as I'd like Ricketts to be some kind of baseball savant above all else, as a businessman he'd have to be an idiot to not recognize the PR coup that would come with giving Sandberg the job, especially after 2 letdown seasons. They could easily frame it so that his first year will be a rebuilding year so he doesn't get slammed too much, if at all (look how Lou's been treating with kid's gloves), if the team does poorly.

 

Is that what we will have been waiting a year for Ricketts to figure out? To hire a Cub legend with no experience to score vacuous points with the masses, devoid of actual analysis on what will make the Cubs successful long term?

 

Goodness I hope not.

 

What matters is who the GM is, and what players that GM acquires.

 

I would prefer somebody other than Ryno, but he's not going to make or break the team.

 

Right. Ricketts can still be plenty "baseball smart" and have Sandberg as the manager. The critical move is going to be who ends up as the GM.

 

I mean, you can't really slam Ricketts if he promotes Sandberg. I defy anyone to show me an owner that wouldn't go with such an obvious golden choice in terms of making the fans and the media happy. Again, he has to ideally be both a baseball guy and a businessman when approaching the Cubs. Sandberg seems to not be ideal for the former, but he's sure as [expletive] a slam dunk for the latter. He'd basically be stupid NOT to do it from that standpoint.

[Guest]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

 

I totally agree with you. If the Cubs play .538 ball the rest of the way they end up 84-78 and have a decent shot at the Wild Card. Now I agree that they have sucked this season, but you can't tell me that they can't play .538 ball assuming ARam and DLee start hitting. ARam might have a "down" year, but he's not going to stay in "Aaron Miles land" the whole season.

 

Has 84-78 ever won a wild card? 3 games over .500? 3 Division winners and then the team with the best record of the remaining 13 teams is only going to be 3 games over .500?

 

I suppose it could happen, or it might have happened once without looking it up, but I'd be extremely surprised if it did. Even if it did happen, I wouldn't want to bank on getting in with only 84 wins.

[Sammy Sofa]

Wow, it isn't even June. You guys sound like true Cub fans. I think the first thing that will happen is getting rid of small guys like Gabow, Nady and Fontenot a quick and easy scapegoat.

 

I totally agree with you. If the Cubs play .538 ball the rest of the way they end up 84-78 and have a decent shot at the Wild Card. Now I agree that they have sucked this season, but you can't tell me that they can't play .538 ball assuming ARam and DLee start hitting. ARam might have a "down" year, but he's not going to stay in "Aaron Miles land" the whole season.

 

He might. Some guys simply fall off of a cliff after a major injury. I obviously hope that's not the case, but it's certainly not outside of the realm of possibility.

 

He did hit .304/.381/.496 after returning last year.

 

The ISO's a little lower, but there were no signs that he'd be anything less than an above average hitter

 

Weirder things have happened.