[LeftCoastCubFan]

Hi Bruce,

 

Alex Gonzalez is probably the least popular regular to fans this year. What does the organization think of him at this point?

 

Thank you. And thanks Tim. Thanks Mark. Thanks NSBB.

Edited April 15, 2004 by LeftCoastCubFan

[LeftCoastCubFan]

Other then the obvious (like Orlando Cabrera), are there really any viable alternatives to upgrade at shortstop come the trading deadline this year?

[CuseCubFan69]

Thanks for the time Bruce.

 

How much of a factor is it to Dusty when a player stays or shows up early and works instead of going home the second practice or the game is through. Along those lines, how much goes on that we as fans have no clue about behind the scenes regarding playing time and Dusty's decisions to stay with certain players.

[Banedon]

Many Cubs fans (at least on this board) view LF as an area that needs upgrading. Does the Cubs organization feel this way? Is Carlos Beltran a possible future Cub?

[Tedward]

Bruce,

 

What is the real deal with Prior's injury? Are the Cubs, as they say, taking precautionary measures with the Achilles or is there something else going on that we don't know about? When do you believe it's realistic to anticipate his return? Thanks.

[Jon]

Assuming Prior comes back before mid-June and Angel Guzman continues to progress well, will the Cubs try to squeeze in a few starts for him and possibly setup a midseason trade involving Clement? Or do you get the sense that Hendry will be hesitant to mess around with the starting rotation and we might have to wait until September to see Guzman if there are no injuries? Would Dempster be the first one to turn to if Mitre starts to struggle down the road, assuming they don't trade Sergio?

 

Thanks for your time.

[imb]

With Eric Chavez signing long-term with the A's, and Glaus again having early injury troubles, do you see an added emphasis being placed on signing Aramis in the offseason?

[stuy119]

Bruce-

 

What did Hendry see in Barrett that made him want him for a long period of time?

[stuy119]

Bruce-

 

It's early, but Hee Seop Choi is tearing it up down in Florida, and he's much less expensive than Derrek Lee. Is there any reason to think that the Cubs gave up on him too quickly? Was this another of the famous "Dusty won't play the kids?"

[rawaction]

The Cubs seem to have a pretty solid core of Lee, Wood, Zambrano, Prior, Patterson and possibly Ramirez, Sosa, and Barrett for at least the next 3 years. They have a great list of arms on the farm. Which direction do you think the Cubs are gonna take to fill the rest of the position slots (2B, SS, LF)? i.e. kids, such as Harris, Jackson, Kelton, Dubois or FA signing?

[rawaction]

Jim Hendry has been very reluctant to trade top prospects in the minors, but seemingly had a short leash with Choi, Cruz, and Hill without given them a full-time starting job. I know the last 2 managers have been criticized for being "veteran-friendly", so do you think those trades had more to do with the Cubs giving up on those players who admittedly had down years or have those trades been influnced by the respective managers?

[WrigleyField 22]

Is there anything fans don't know about the Juan Cruz trade that you may have isight about? Pratt has definatley dissappionted us. Were there issues besides Juan Cruz as a player? Do the Cubs have high hopes for Lewis? Did they just want another lefty in the pen?

[JC]

Bruce,

 

As a big fan of the frankness with which you write your stories, I was hoping that you could give me some insight into problems you encounter as a beat writer. How much, if at all, are your stories affected by the relationship you must maintain with Dusty and the players? Along those same lines, how would you best characterize Dusty's quirky answers to reporters: a) having fun with the reporters, b) intentionally evasive, or c) curiously if not cluelessly off point.

 

Thanks in advance for your anticipated response.

[T2E]

Clement will be a free agent after the season; do you see the cubs making an attempt to resign him?

[T2E]

If Mitre struggles (so far so good) with Guzman and Prior still out who is next in line to recieve a rotation spot?

[NCCubFan]

Todd Walker has been hitting very well this year. At the same time, Dusty has publicly stated that Grudzielanek is the starting 2B (when healthy) and Walker was signed as a bench player. When Grudz returns, do you think he'll keep the starting position full-time, or do you see Walker at least platooning (if not winning the job outright)?

[treebird]

It's pretty common knowledge now that Jim Hendry had his eye on Michael Barrett for some time, and he kept working until he got him. Are there any other under-the-radar types that he might have an eye on?

[hawkeyecub]

Bruce, thanks for taking our questions.

I'm curious as to what you think of Ryan Sweeney in the White Sox system. It seems as if his stock has risen quickly after a solid short season last year and a big spring in Arizona.

He's a local kid from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, so I've followed him closely. Many said that if he was from California, Texas or Florida he would have been a top 15 pick last year. You may know that he had numerous scholarship offers as a pitcher (San Diego State, Tulsa).

I've seen him listed as high as 3rd on the White Sox prospect list, and have seen him listed in front of guys like Borchard.

What do you think his ETA is, and what kind of potential do you think he has?

Thank you.

[the sport]

Mr. Miles,

I'm about to take a shot at the most popular GM in Chicago history......St. Jim Hendry. I wish I could see it, but I'm wrestling with a few issues:

1) All long-term trades appear to be failures. Hinske-Chiasson, Willis-Clement, Choi (LH & 450K Sal.)-Lee, Cruz-Pratt/Lewis, ect. (I know he wasn't the GM for those first two deals, but it was widely reported that he orchestrated both while Asst. GM.) How many of these would you take back now? All will only look worse down the road. Furthermore, Hendry really wanted Lowell and was very hesitant about ARam's salary AND did not need to include Hill or any real prospect in the deal (the Pirates desperately wanted to avoid paying him this year, but Hendry has an annoying habit of wanting the other side happy--which he is accomplishing!) Any GM from a large market could have pulled off the Aram-Lofton and Simon deals, no genius tag needs to be attached. Same goes for the Grudz deal, simply a salary move that turned out surprisingly well. Anyway, it won't have the lasting effect of those other deals.

2) For every Walker and Hollingsworth, there is an Alfonseca (5.5 mil.) an Estes (3 mil.) a Veres (1.5 mil.) and an O'Leary. Sure Hawkins was nice, but why sign him three days before the FA compesation deadline, when Minn. had no intention of making him an offer (it was in all the local Minn. newspapers--did Hendry want to make them happy as well) ???

3) With all those 90 plus loss seasons, Hendry's ameuter drafts, (the years he was in charge,) are vastly overrated. O.K. CPatt, 3rd overall, looks good, maybe not great, but who else? Martinez, Christensen, Kelton, Hill, ect. Want to apply the genius label that fits, apply it to Dick Stockstill (his '01, '02, and '03 drafts all look good to great.) Yes, having Stockstill replace him as minor league coordinator does have a touch of genius--Stockstill's.

4) Letting "Arm Grinder" Baker in charge all those precious, young arms, seems like tempting faith. To my lovable loser, pessimistic ears, the sound of a giant ship grinding along an ice berg must sound a lot like the fraying of elbow and shoulder ligaments.

Well Bruce, where have I missed the boat?

[stuy119]

Have you seen or heard from someone who has seen Ben Christiansen in action this year? Is he (once again) a possibility to see sometime in the next year or so at the Friendly Confines?

[Roast]

Whats the deal with Mike Remlinger. With all the media attention on Prior, little is said about Remlinger. Is he close to being back? Is there a set day for him to come off the DL? If not, What progress has he made?

[Roast]

Much has been said of Borowski's drop in velocity. So my question is simple, what is thought to be the cause of the sudden drop-off from last years level.

[texascub]

Bruce,

 

Last year Casey McGehee was drafted as a 3b and played him there all year. This year they've started teaching him to play C even after the draft which they stockpiled catchers in. Do they view him as a 3b or as a C? If they are viewing him as a possibility of both are they doing it to develop him as more of a utility man or is it something else?

[YanrSlater]

thanks for your time Bruce,

 

The bullpen started very well this season but in recent games it has sleeped badly. Wuertz has been smoked Farnsy has been very inconsistant pratt has been horrible and with Beltran not looking great in his 2 starts and with Dusty seeming not to show faith in the bullpen today leaveing wood in, in the 9th How do you see the cub youngsters shapeing up this season? Besides the core bullpen guys hawkins Merker Borrowski will this bullpen be as successful as the cubs want it to be?

[treebird]

Is Dusty Baker really set with Corey Patterson as his number 2 hitter? Is there any chance he'd move him out of that spot, and, if so, whom would he put there?