Could the Cubbies fair different this year if....

[Inthecards]

someone like Bobby Cox or dare I say Tony L. was incharge of the cubs?

I mean if you look at the "paper team" it is one hell of a line up with a strong rotation and a weak bully. I am a cards fan and miss the heated rival games we had in 01-04 how fun they were compared to this present situation. As a cards fan I hope dusty stays but as a person who gets to watch this weekend games, I wish they were more of a "playoff" atmosphere.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

no question in my mind. if the cubs had cox or larussa, it'd at least be an interesting division race.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Yes, Dusty Baker is a big big problem with this team's lack of success.

[Inthecards]

Yes, Dusty Baker is a big big problem with this team's lack of success.

 

so what is out there for the manager's spot this year...Piniella? Mizzaloni(sp)?

 

Are they talking about people (under their breaths)? Or will you have no choice if dirty baker wants to comes back

[minnesotacubsfan]

Yes, Dusty Baker is a big big problem with this team's lack of success.

 

so what is out there for the manager's spot this year...Piniella? Mizzaloni(sp)?

 

Are they talking about people (under their breaths)? Or will you have no choice if dirty baker wants to comes back

 

 

Grady Little, Larry Dieker

 

 

unfortunetly, DB will more then likely be back...

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

We'd have to pay Dustball four million next year if we want to get rid of him. Hendry has said many times that he won't be fired, and Dusty said he wants to "honor his contract". So unless something drastic happens, there's a good chance he'll run us into the ground again next year. I hope we get someone else, but I doubt it right now.

[Inthecards]

Yes, Dusty Baker is a big big problem with this team's lack of success.

 

so what is out there for the manager's spot this year...Piniella? Mizzaloni(sp)?

 

Are they talking about people (under their breaths)? Or will you have no choice if dirty baker wants to comes back

 

 

Grady Little, Larry Dieker

 

 

unfortunetly, DB will more then likely be back...

 

Little, i forgot about him and I think that he would be good for your organization. Unfortunally dirty has one more yr. could you just put him in the "upper management job" for his last year and have him inspect toothpics around wrigley's concessions or something. :wink:

 

 

I remember when balor was replace with baker and both of my good friends who were cub fans were over rejoice and my card fan and myself were happy because we thought he would be awful for the cubs...if was the year after the giants beat us in the nlcs I think and he just come across as a mananger that in good time it is due to him and in bad times it is not his responsiblity/fault..he is only the manager and no the player

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

From what I hear, Grady Little makes the same type of stupid decisions that Dustball makes. So I'm not sure who I'd want out there.

[Inthecards]

From what I hear, Grady Little makes the same type of stupid decisions that Dustball makes. So I'm not sure who I'd want out there.

 

he made a mistake of leaving the ace in there 1 inning to long...who could blame him catch 22 crap.

 

Other than that I think he keeps his team morale up (redsox in the wc race).

 

just an opinion...why i am a fan and not walt or jim :wink:

[neely crenshaw]

strong lineup? strong starting rostation?

 

please tell who would take burnitz over what they have?

patterson?

dubois?

holla?

murton?(do not count his upside-this is about this year only)

neifi?

god love him but who would take walker over their current 2b?

barrett?

=pitchers=

who wants wood?

maddux for what he is paid?

hill (for the this year only also)

williams?

the answer no contenders, and very few pretenders(probably 0) and a few of the poor teams might take the cheapos like hill,williams,murton or neifi

[Wheelimus]

I have a feeling Dusty will be back next year, but that things will be drastically different. I don't see us spending much money on the free agent market with how weak it is, so I think next year we operate on a 85 million or so payroll, and we force the majority of players to be younger.

 

As in, I don't think Hollandsworth, Perez, or Macias come back next year, and I think they get replaced with kids from our system.

 

I think our lineup next year is something like this (just in generic position order, i suck at batting lineups but at least I admit it!)

 

C - Barrett

1B - DLee

2B - Walker

3B - ARAM

SS - Cedeno (or Garciaparra if he takes a low guarantee contract, and he'll split time 70/30 or so with Cedeno)

LF - Murton

CF - Patterson

RF - Lawton

 

Which actually could be a decent lineup if it stays healthy and Cedeno and Murton pan out, and Corey bounces back.

 

For the rotation, would be be a bit surprised to see a few big moves there, Penny or Burnett would be my first guesses, and probably mainly a bullpen of what we have now, plus whoever our yearly Dempster/Williamson contract is.

[UMFan83]

We are 18 games behind the Cardinals, I can't say that Dusty Baker has cost our team even 10 of those games.

[XZero771679666304]

We are 18 games behind the Cardinals, I can't say that Dusty Baker has cost our team even 10 of those games.

 

I can.

[Tim]

Honestly, I think the playoff run in 2003 hurt this team more than Dusty's managing in 2005. I have no real support for the idea, but I believe that burning Wood & Prior down the stretch of that season has been a major factor in their inability to stay healthy since that time. Fortunately for Z, he showed more visible signs of fatigue that year and Dusty didn't push him as hard down the stretch after the innings had piled up. And I think most managers would have succumbed to the temptation to load those guys up down the stretch in a playoff hunt, just like Dusty did.

 

If Wood & Prior were healthy and pitching like they should this whole year, Dusty's shenanigans wouldn't make that much difference. Given the injuries & effectiveness of personnel that the Cubs have had in 2005, I think Dusty hasn't cost the team more than 3-5 games.

 

But that's just me.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I think our lineup next year is something like this (just in generic position order, i suck at batting lineups but at least I admit it!)

 

C - Barrett

1B - DLee

2B - Walker

3B - ARAM

SS - Cedeno (or Garciaparra if he takes a low guarantee contract, and he'll split time 70/30 or so with Cedeno)

LF - Murton

CF - Patterson

RF - Lawton

 

I have a feeling we're going to see Felix Pie get a good amount of starts next season.

[jyoung55]

I think our lineup next year is something like this (just in generic position order, i suck at batting lineups but at least I admit it!)

 

C - Barrett

1B - DLee

2B - Walker

3B - ARAM

SS - Cedeno (or Garciaparra if he takes a low guarantee contract, and he'll split time 70/30 or so with Cedeno)

LF - Murton

CF - Patterson

RF - Lawton

 

I have a feeling we're going to see Felix Pie get a good amount of starts next season.

 

I doubt straight out of spring training though. At least I hope not, after the injury he likely needs a little bit more seasoning.