This team needs Changes.

[badger1679666666]

We are not out of this WC race by ANY means, but changes need to be made. Here are my thoughts.

 

1st Dusty has to go. Something needs to light a fire under these guys asses and teams usually respond when a new manager comes in (see Houston, Florida). His managing is a C- at best - and allthough managers don't win or lose most games, his idiocy is amazing.

 

2nd Patterson has to be traded. Get his bum ass out of this town, I'm sick of seeing him suck all the time, make no adjustments, and pop up, foul out, or strike out every at bat. I don't even want him benched anymore, his 5 tools can be shipped out and maybe for his sake, he will discover them at some point in time, but he's on his way to being a Weak Preston Wilson. Put Hairston in CF, unless we trade for a CF like Kotsay.

 

3rd Get a Power hitting LF. Holla has been admirable lately, but he's a bench player. Dubois Strikes out more than pimpled face nerd in a bar.

 

4th Perez needs to be benched, and Cedeno has to play. Neifi blows more than a hooker in Vegas.

 

5th Maddux's option can't vest. Maddux is doing very little to help this team win, please don't tell me about his 7 wins, I'd love to see his RS numbers. Bring up Hill, send Maddux to the pen.

 

6th Ramirez ALWAYS bats behind Lee. This LRLR crap is overrated. I want Ramirez in the 4 hole.

 

That's all I got.

[rocket]

This team needs to change 1 thing really. Philosophy.

 

But that won't happen. Ever.

[E.J.]

This team needs to change 1 thing really. Philosophy.

 

But that won't happen. Ever.

 

It's all about tools man. Those are the most important thing.

[AramisRamirez]

well, i cant disagree with the notion that dusty baker and corey patterson have completely underachieved this season. in regards to dusty, while he is a below average strategist in a game of strategy, i also think alot of his problems can be directly attributed to hendry's poor off-season. alot of hendry inactivities are justified though. for one, he isnt given the green light to break the bank like the yanks and red sox. two, alot of the decisions he made this off-season turned out to be right, despite popular opinion at the time. we say no closer, and that certainly was a major issue, but look at last season's FA closers. pervical and benitez havent pitched at all. kolb are struggled mightly and we would have give up several good players for him.

 

so placing the blame can go around to everybody, starting at the top. i checked carl crawford's stats tonight because he is on my fantasy baseball league (plus we have been hearing alot of absurd rumors regarding him lately) and he is producing incredibly well. a .285 BA, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 21 SB line is great for a leadoff hitter.

 

yes, he is everything we need and is he a guy worth mortgaging our farm system for?? he plays LF but could easily slide to CF (especially after we sign damon this summer j/k).

 

what would it take to get him?? the absolute ideal player for the cubbies....hmmm. maybe dopirek and pie, two top-line prospects. dopirek is a 1B with hitting skills likened to Richie Sexson. Pie is also a potential star, with mega skills in mulitiple areas. Then, we could pony up another potential 5-tool guy in corey patterson.

 

you may say corey, dopirek, and pie is way too much for crawford. and it is true that corey patterson has more potential than crawford. corey, after all could be 40/40 if he maximized his talents. and dopirek literally could be a richie sexson type and pie has more upside than either possibly.

 

but truth by told, crawford at the top of our order with walker, lee, and ramirez behind him would be incredible. a great combination of speed and strength, virtually ideal. crawford is a base-stealing machine and him on first would alter the pitchers game plan immediately. than todd walker steps to the plate, and he is a pain the rear to strike out. he is a great on-base guy.

 

which leaves the pitchers sweating it out with derrek lee stepping to the plate and no outs. scared of getting behind early, lee is a tossed a 90-mph fastball right down the middle. he steps back, takes a gigantic swing, and crushes the ball 803 feet onto Irving Park Road.

 

i would gravely consider this trade because it keeps our wonderful pitching rotation intact. prior, zambrano, and woody.

[imb]

so placing the blame can go around to everybody, starting at the top. i checked carl crawford's stats tonight because he is on my fantasy baseball league (plus we have been hearing alot of absurd rumors regarding him lately) and he is producing incredibly well. a .285 BA, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 21 SB line is great for a leadoff hitter.

 

There is this thing called OBP, I think it's a new idea or something.

[Outshined_One]

This team needs to change 1 thing really. Philosophy.

 

But that won't happen. Ever.

 

I'll go get Dusty some books on Wittgenstein, Sartre, and Derrida...

[XZero771679666304]

This team needs to change 1 thing really. Philosophy.

 

But that won't happen. Ever.

 

I'll go get Dusty some books on Wittgenstein, Sartre, and Derrida...

 

The only good those will do is if you use them to clobber Dusty to death, or at least into submission.

[Jimy is a misspell]

send Maddux to the pen

:lol:

[XZero771679666304]

send Maddux to the pen

:lol:

 

That's not going to solve anything, is it? And I don't think a HOF starter is going to take a demotion lightly, regardless of how badly he's pitching.

 

My solution:

 

1. Load Baker, Perez, and Macias into a rocket and launch into deep space, never to return.

 

2. Trade Patterson, Rusch, Walker and minor leaguers for a big bat for LF.

 

3. Trade for Mark Kotsay.

 

The critical step is the first one.

[nilodnayr]

6th Ramirez ALWAYS bats behind Lee. This LRLR crap is overrated. I want Ramirez in the 4 hole.

 

If we get a decent enough power hitting lefty for left field then I have no problem slotting him in 4th.

 

Who are you slotting into center? Possibly, JHJR? Have I won you over?

[nilodnayr]

send Maddux to the pen

:lol:

 

That's not going to solve anything, is it? And I don't think a HOF starter is going to take a demotion lightly, regardless of how badly he's pitching.

 

My solution:

 

1. Load Baker, Perez, and Macias into a rocket and launch into deep space, never to return.

 

2. Trade Patterson, Rusch, Walker and minor leaguers for a big bat for LF.

 

3. Trade for Mark Kotsay.

 

The critical step is the first one.

 

1) Keep Perez...without Dusty, he can be a good backup. Start Cedeno and bat him seventh

 

2) Keep Walker (bat second), trade patterson, rusch, and prospects for big bat for LF (preferably a lefty and slot him him between DLee and ARAM, moving Burnitz to 6th permanently).

 

3) Don't trade for Kotsay as his value to the team would be his OBP at the top of the lineup, which we already have inhouse with JHJR, who will now be starting CF and leading off permanently (see #1)

[XZero771679666304]

send Maddux to the pen

:lol:

 

That's not going to solve anything, is it? And I don't think a HOF starter is going to take a demotion lightly, regardless of how badly he's pitching.

 

My solution:

 

1. Load Baker, Perez, and Macias into a rocket and launch into deep space, never to return.

 

2. Trade Patterson, Rusch, Walker and minor leaguers for a big bat for LF.

 

3. Trade for Mark Kotsay.

 

The critical step is the first one.

 

 

 

1) Keep Perez...without Dusty, he can be a good backup. Start Cedeno and bat him seventh

 

2) Keep Walker (bat second), trade patterson, rusch, and prospects for big bat for LF (preferably a lefty and slot him him between DLee and ARAM, moving Burnitz to 6th permanently).

 

3) Don't trade for Kotsay as his value to the team would be his OBP at the top of the lineup, which we already have inhouse with JHJR, who will now be starting CF and leading off permanently (see #1)

 

If we added a power bat in LF, having Kotsay and JHJR at the top would be quite nice. Plus while JHJR is serviceable in CF, he isn't particularly good there, and Kotsay is. A good defensive CF goes a long way in preventing runs. Lets say we add even a decent bat in LF, perhaps Raul Ibanez, Matt Lawton or even Aubrey Huff - how would this look:

 

1.Kotsay CF

2.Hairston 2b

3.Lee 1B

4.Ramirez 3B

5.Huff/Ibanez/Lawton LF

6.Burnitz RF

7.Cedeno SS

8.Barrett C

[nilodnayr]

send Maddux to the pen

:lol:

 

That's not going to solve anything, is it? And I don't think a HOF starter is going to take a demotion lightly, regardless of how badly he's pitching.

 

My solution:

 

1. Load Baker, Perez, and Macias into a rocket and launch into deep space, never to return.

 

2. Trade Patterson, Rusch, Walker and minor leaguers for a big bat for LF.

 

3. Trade for Mark Kotsay.

 

The critical step is the first one.

 

 

 

1) Keep Perez...without Dusty, he can be a good backup. Start Cedeno and bat him seventh

 

2) Keep Walker (bat second), trade patterson, rusch, and prospects for big bat for LF (preferably a lefty and slot him him between DLee and ARAM, moving Burnitz to 6th permanently).

 

3) Don't trade for Kotsay as his value to the team would be his OBP at the top of the lineup, which we already have inhouse with JHJR, who will now be starting CF and leading off permanently (see #1)

 

If we added a power bat in LF, having Kotsay and JHJR at the top would be quite nice. Plus while JHJR is serviceable in CF, he isn't particularly good there, and Kotsay is. A good defensive CF goes a long way in preventing runs. Lets say we add even a decent bat in LF, perhaps Raul Ibanez, Matt Lawton or even Aubrey Huff - how would this look:

 

1.Kotsay CF

2.Hairston 2b

3.Lee 1B

4.Ramirez 3B

5.Huff/Ibanez/Lawton LF

6.Burnitz RF

7.Cedeno SS

8.Barrett C

 

If I have 350 and 370 OBP guys on my team, Id rather find a way to have them start than trade one of them and bring in a 360 OBP guy. Kotsay is better defensively in CF than Hairston, but enough to make up for the prospects and additionaly salary wed have to take on? No. Just like Walker, Hairstons defense is underrated. He won't win a Gold Glove (neither will Kotsay), but he will get the job done just fine.

 

Hairston

Walker

Lee

Dunn

Ramirez

Burnitz

Cedeno

Barrett

 

is a much much better lineup and would cost us only slightly (maybe a little more than slightly, but not a whole lot) more than yours.

[XZero771679666304]

send Maddux to the pen

:lol:

 

That's not going to solve anything, is it? And I don't think a HOF starter is going to take a demotion lightly, regardless of how badly he's pitching.

 

My solution:

 

1. Load Baker, Perez, and Macias into a rocket and launch into deep space, never to return.

 

2. Trade Patterson, Rusch, Walker and minor leaguers for a big bat for LF.

 

3. Trade for Mark Kotsay.

 

The critical step is the first one.

 

 

 

1) Keep Perez...without Dusty, he can be a good backup. Start Cedeno and bat him seventh

 

2) Keep Walker (bat second), trade patterson, rusch, and prospects for big bat for LF (preferably a lefty and slot him him between DLee and ARAM, moving Burnitz to 6th permanently).

 

3) Don't trade for Kotsay as his value to the team would be his OBP at the top of the lineup, which we already have inhouse with JHJR, who will now be starting CF and leading off permanently (see #1)

 

If we added a power bat in LF, having Kotsay and JHJR at the top would be quite nice. Plus while JHJR is serviceable in CF, he isn't particularly good there, and Kotsay is. A good defensive CF goes a long way in preventing runs. Lets say we add even a decent bat in LF, perhaps Raul Ibanez, Matt Lawton or even Aubrey Huff - how would this look:

 

1.Kotsay CF

2.Hairston 2b

3.Lee 1B

4.Ramirez 3B

5.Huff/Ibanez/Lawton LF

6.Burnitz RF

7.Cedeno SS

8.Barrett C

 

If I have 350 and 370 OBP guys on my team, Id rather find a way to have them start than trade one of them and bring in a 360 OBP guy. Kotsay is better defensively in CF than Hairston, but enough to make up for the prospects and additionaly salary wed have to take on? No. Just like Walker, Hairstons defense is underrated. He won't win a Gold Glove (neither will Kotsay), but he will get the job done just fine.

 

Hairston

Walker

Lee

Dunn

Ramirez

Burnitz

Cedeno

Barrett

 

is a much much better lineup and would cost us only slightly (maybe a little more than slightly, but not a whole lot) more than yours.

 

I still think Dunn is a total pipe dream. I would like to be proven wrong, but I doubt I will.

[nilodnayr]

recent talk about him going to houston has piqued my interest again. Prospects would also be better spent on Wilkerson or Huff. I just don't get how Kotsay improves this team nearly as much as he would cost if hes replacing Hairston in CF (assuming CPatt is traded). And as weve seen Dusty might actually give Hairston a shot there if we get rid of CPatt.

[cubs dane]

The time to have changed this team has come and gone as far as this season is concerned. The off-season was the window of opportunity.

 

This team was limited by the results of our off-season, and the personal that the Trib and co. went with. The players and roster are the problems. As in poker, it was a losing hand from the beginning, we're just playing it out.

 

Same problems, no production out of LF, no bullpen, no offense, and Dusty to run the aslyum. Sorry to be so pessimistic, but the handwriting has been on the wall, imho.

[nilodnayr]

The time to have changed this team has come and gone as far as this season is concerned. The off-season was the window of opportunity.

 

This team was limited by the results of our off-season, and the personal that the Trib and co. went with. The players and roster are the problems. As in poker, it was a losing hand from the beginning, we're just playing it out.

 

Same problems, no production out of LF, no bullpen, no offense, and Dusty to run the aslyum. Sorry to be so pessimistic, but the handwriting has been on the wall, imho.

 

in poker you can trade your cards in and a crap hand can turn into a full house

[KatJ]

Here's an admittedly crazy idea - if we don't get Kots, Winn, or snag something (Jason Bay? ) out of our AAAA closet (a.k.a. the Pittsburgh Pirates):

 

Can TWalk play LF at all? I want Hairston and Cedeno up the middle next year (although Dusty is doing his best to louse that up!) as 1-2 in the order. But if Corey keeps being KKKKKorey, TWalk and Hairston could stop the OBP bleeding if in the lineup everyday. Corey is usually no slouch on defense, so even if he continues to stink with the bat, the defense would be there, and could make up for Walker's sins in positioning.

 

And I want that tool Neifi on the bench yesterday, with Macias as his footstool!!!!

[imb]

It's all we can do to get Hairston in left, Dusty will never let Walker set foot out there.