Cubs '06, start anew with a new team (some thoughts)

[mg420]

i would like to see something like this in 06:

 

lineup

 

greenburg/hariston cf

murton lf

lee 1b

aram 3b

cp rf

walker 2b

cedeno ss

barrett c

 

 

bench

 

perez

hollands/grieve

fontenot

??

blanco

 

sp

 

wood

prior

zambr

rusch

hill/williams

 

bp

ohman

bartosch/russ rohl

wuretz

novoa

jvb

dempster

[chicubs]

You guys are overrated Greenberg. He was called up out of need, not because he really earned it. The guy was batting .270 at AA. Hes not ready to bat leadoff on a (should-be) championship contender.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

You guys are overrated Greenberg. He was called up out of need, not because he really earned it. The guy was batting .270 at AA. Hes not ready to bat leadoff on a (should-be) championship contender.

 

While I agree that it's premature to pencil in Greenberg at leadoff in '06, his .275 average comes with a .384 OBP. In the short term, he should be at the top of the order when he plays, and if he is able to keep up the pace he has been on, he should be given a shot to earn that future spot.

[chicubs]

bp

ohman

bartosch/russ rohl

wuretz

novoa

jvb

dempster

 

That looks awful. You have huge question marks in everyone besides Dempster:

 

Ohman: consistency (lack of play this year could really hurt)/injuries

Bartosch: ability

Wuertz: ability

Novoa: Consistency

JVB: Never proven himself beyond AAA

[Backtobanks]

You guys are overrated Greenberg. He was called up out of need, not because he really earned it. The guy was batting .270 at AA. Hes not ready to bat leadoff on a (should-be) championship contender.

 

I look for Greenburg to be the future Todd Hollandsworth. A 4th OF/pinchhitter seems to be his future. I would love to be wrong and see him playing everyday and doing a good job at leadoff, but I doubt it.

[Jazz]

Im hoping more along the lines of

 

Manager - Anyone not named Dusty

 

CF Damon

2B Walker

1B Lee

3B Ramirez

LF Hairston

RF Murton

C Barrett

SS Cedeno

Pitcher

 

1. Prior

2. Wood

3. Zambrano

4. Maddux

5. Williams

 

Mitre

Wuertz

Novoa

Williamson

Dempster

Wagner/BJ Ryan

 

Blanco

Perez

Dubois

?

?

?

 

tell me that is not out of reach...

[Outshined_One]

Im hoping more along the lines of

 

Lineup

 

tell me that is not out of reach...

 

Doable, but problematic.

 

1) I think Sergio Mitre's best value to any organization is as a starter. Sinkerball pitchers tend to need an inning or two to find their right mechanical groove and to get everything set, typically. Having him as a reliever would just be problematic, imo.

 

2) That would be one of the worst collection of arms in an OF I've seen. Murton was a LF coming up through the Boston system; clearly they knew his speed and arm limitations would be a non-issue in Fenway. Damon would be a nice acquisition, but I'd be leery of the contract he's been seeking. Jerry in LF wouldn't be ideal, in my opinion.

 

3) We're unsure of whether or not Williamson will come back 100%, if at all. If he comes back ala Dempster last season, then yes, that'd be a nice pickup.

 

4) With the emergence of Dempster, I'm unsure of whether or not this team really needs to splurge on a closer like Ryan or Wagner. Closers tend to be overused and expensive...I'm not so sure I'd like seeing that.

 

5) Aside from Wagner/Ryan, you have no left handers in that bullpen.

 

I'll be posting my own lineups in a moment...

[burnt out cubbie fan]

2) That would be one of the worst collection of arms in an OF I've seen. Murton was a LF coming up through the Boston system; clearly they knew his speed and arm limitations would be a non-issue in Fenway. Damon would be a nice acquisition, but I'd be leery of the contract he's been seeking. Jerry in LF wouldn't be ideal, in my opinion.

Murton's speed looks pretty decent to me. He isn't a burner but he isn't Mo Vaughn either.

 

Ohman: consistency (lack of play this year could really hurt)/injuries

Bartosch: ability

Wuertz: ability

Novoa: Consistency

JVB: Never proven himself beyond AAA

I would put it:

Bartosh: ability

Wuertz: consistency/overuse

Novoa: control

JVB: stuff

[Outshined_One]

Okay, here are some of my assumptions coming into the 2006 season.

 

1) The Cubs end up being sellers at the 2005 trading deadline. Corey Patterson, Greg Maddux, Todd Hollandsworth, Glendon Rusch, Jerry Hairston, and Mike Remlinger are all traded at some point.

 

2) Dusty "retires" following the season.

 

3) Nomar Garciaparra thanks Cubs fans for their support, but leaves for greener pastures in free agency.

 

4) Due to the Rule V crunch, Jim Hendry will decide to trade certain guys away in order to make room for players such as Sean Marshall and Felix Pie as well as to get value for them. Out the door are a decent number of AA and AAA starters and relievers, which will likely include guys like John Koronka, Jon Leicester, Bobby Brownlie, and Ricky Nolasco. Jason Dubois and David Kelton will also be traded.

 

5) Acquired in these trades will be offensive help, including a CF and a RF.

 

The players:

 

LF Matt Murton

CF Vernon Wells

RF Trot Nixon

3B Aramis Ramirez

SS Ronnie Cedeno

2B Todd Walker

1B Derrek Lee

C Michael Barrett

 

Bench

 

IF Michael Fontenot

OF Adam Greenberg

4 other players including a backup catcher, three utility guys, and another lefthander.

 

Rotation

 

Mark Prior

Carlos Zambrano

Kerry Wood

Jerome Williams

Rich Hill

 

Bullpen

 

Closer: Ryan Dempster

Setup Man: Michael Wuertz

Long Man: Todd Wellemeyer

3 other pitchers including a LOOGY and maybe Scott Williamson

 

Vernon Wells is in a similar situation to Corey Patterson in Toronto right now (although with less strikeouts), so I think a change of scenery might not be the worst of ideas for him. Boston has shown willingness to deal their players to the Cubs in the past with Nomar and I think they might be interested in taking Corey Patterson off our hands, plus Nixon would add a nice lefty bat to the lineup.

 

Other than that, I think this team could compete in 2006 and beyond. The offense would be potent, the bullpen would be solid given the right acquisitions, and the starting pitching would be pretty darn good.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Fire Dusty, Clines, Sarge, and maybe Rothschild (although I would be most inclined to keep him out of the group)

 

Starting Lineup

 

Walker 2B

Murton LF

Lee 1B

Ramirez 3B

Quentin RF

Barrett C

CPatt CF

Cedeno SS

 

Bench

 

Hairston

Hollandsworth

Fontenot

Greenberg

Blanco

 

SP

 

Wood

Prior

Zambrano

Burnett

Williams

 

BP

Aardsma

Ohman

Wellemeyer

Williamson

Wuertz

Dempster

 

This also includes a large amount of praying that Corey will turn things around (I haven't given up yet). Maddux, Mitre, Leicester, Nolasco, and Novoa to the Diamondbacks for Carlos Quentin before the trade deadline. Eat as much of Maddux's contract as needed. If Williamson doesn't work out or Aardsma isn't ready, sign BJ Ryan or Mota if Ryan is too expensive.

[mg420]

bp

ohman

bartosch/russ rohl

wuretz

novoa

jvb

dempster

 

That looks awful. You have huge question marks in everyone besides Dempster:

 

Ohman: consistency (lack of play this year could really hurt)/injuries

Bartosch: ability

Wuertz: ability

Novoa: Consistency

JVB: Never proven himself beyond AAA

 

wasnt dempster a ? mark himself a month ago? i would rather they go young and stay inside the system (ala the braves) than get more "proven" guys like hawkins & remmlinger. your jvb ? mark seems very dusty baker like btw. thats his reason why cendeno sits on the bench every other day. a guy with an era around 2.00 for the last 2 years at iowa deserves to get a shot imo.

[chicubs]

 

wasnt dempster a ? mark himself a month ago? i would rather they go young and stay inside the system (ala the braves) than get more "proven" guys like hawkins & remmlinger. your jvb ? mark seems very dusty baker like btw. thats his reason why cendeno sits on the bench every other day. a guy with an era around 2.00 for the last 2 years at iowa deserves to get a shot imo.

 

I do like JVB and have stated so in other threads and would bring him up right now instead of Wuertz. The problem is that you cant have a bunch of AAAA guys in the bullpen and expect them to be even decent. You need to have at least 2 proven guys in your bullpen. The bullpen is a big weakness for the Braves, so its not something I would really want to copy.