CubinNY

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however. That's just BS. The things they do that are dumb and ineffective are a direct result of the manager. It's not like these things happen every once in a while. The mistakes they make are repetitive. Repetitive mistakes are the manger's fault. I am sick and tired I hearing that crap. This is a terrible baseball team BECAUSE Dusty is the manager. It's not BS. The majority of the stupid plays have been committed by veteran players that shouldn't need a manager to hold their hand. This team isn't going to improve JUST BECAUSE THERE'S IS A NEW MANAGER. Are you kidding me? This team would improve a great deal if Neifi freaking Perez wasn't hitting in the 2 hole 3 days a week platooning with Todd Walker or subing for Cedeno on a double switch. This team would improve a great deal if the manager didn't feel the need to "run to the hot hand" out of the bullpen and let the closer sit on the bench 4 out of every 7 days. This team would improve if Glendon freaking Rusch had a seat next to Dick Pole on the bench and never saw the field again. And most importantly, Tthis team would improve if veteran ballpalyers lost playing time becuase they didn't hustle out of the box on a double or missed the cut off man for the sixth freaking time in a month. I cannot believe you are defending a manager of a 90 million dollar team on its way to losing a hundred games. It's beyond obsurd. One last thing, the 2003 Marlins improved a great deal when Torborg was shown the door and Mckeon was put in charge. He got rid of the likes of Todd Hollandsworth, yes that Todd Hollandsworth and crappy starters and went with young kids. Low and behold they had the best record in baseball after he took over.

I have to agree with the idea that Dusty isn't playing for the team. If they do something dumb or are ineffective it's on the players. Dusty is responsible for strategic blunders however. That's just BS. The things they do that are dumb and ineffective are a direct result of the manager. It's not like these things happen every once in a while. The mistakes they make are repetitive. Repetitive mistakes are the manger's fault. I am sick and tired I hearing that crap. This is a terrible baseball team BECAUSE Dusty is the manager.

Maybe they can get Sheets and resign Wood. Then the Cubs would have 3 starts on the DL most weeks.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! Booohooboohoobooohooo!

The thing is, I'm not sure how having disagreements with Baker would keep Rothschild from doing things like helping to improve the control of our pitchers or trying to get our starting pitchers to become more economical, though. I'm sure Baker isn't telling Rothschild to make sure every young pitcher coming up from the farm system remains a wild man or that everybody on our staff should be turned into home run derby pitchers. Rothschild really needs to go with the rest of them. How do you have 23 posts? I'm confused There's J.R. and JR. That's going to get confusing. J.R. loves American cars, hates Hillary Clinton, wants to deprot all illegal alienes, loves fireworks, and detests liberals. JR, I have no idea.

This is what, your third ".500 by date X" thread? With each thread the date gets set progressively more distant in the future. I'd say that your next thread should say .500 by April 1st. That's realistic. None of you .500 by date X threads have been in the realm of reality.

He's got talent but he's still also rather raw. I think that he's at Boise because any changes in his swing will be easier to implement there against lower talent than at say Peoria or Daytona. He'll probably have good production while there but I don't think we'll see any sort of vast improvement until the offseason where he can start working more seriously on changing his swing mechanics. This all may be true and good. Still, it seems rather odd to spend a high pick on a guy who lacks RF arm, CF speed, HR power, and plate patience, but who is drafted because he has a nice swing. If in fact his nice swing isn't actually very nice and needs to be reconstructed. If a guy's swing needs to be reconstructed anyway, then what was it that you draft him that high for? Hopefully you'll be right, they'll tune up his swing and he'll be a genuine hitter next year, or perhaps later this very summer. Still, not a very encouraging way to get going. I couldn't agree more. This entire year starting from the free-agency period to this very second has been a Cub fan's worst nightmare. At the rate things are going the Cubs organization won't hit rock bottom for a couple more years.

Angel Hernandez should be fired.

I am more than willing to let this year be erased for Prior with all that has happend to him and the team. He's still very young and really has never faced adversity like this. Maybe he learns a lot from this year and it helps him for the future. I think Prior will be a top pitcher for many years to come.

IMO, Hendry has to do something this is getting pretty ridicilous.

I predict he'll be gone at the ASB. With the Williamson comments and the losses pileing up, they have to do somehting.

Wow, Clemens threw 115 pitches in 5 innings. I'd say it's time to hang up the spikes Rog.

What, no Jimmy Edmonds? Oh, that's right you meant actual web gems. Nicely done.

I'd trade Walker for Victor Diaz. Diaz can play second (not well). He's rotting in AAA, kind of like Hill.

I disagree. First, the Cubs may want to limit Guzman's innings this year, given how little he's thrown since 2003. Second, they may have wanted to work on his mechanics. Third, the more time he spends in the majors, the less nervous he will be when he's a starter in 2007. I disagree with your disagree. First, if the Cubs want to limit Guzman's innings have him on a pitch count. Having him sit on the bench for 2+ weeks is no way to develop whatever talent he has. Second, how can he work on his mechanics if he never pitches in game situations? Third, how in the wide, wide, world of sports does sitting on the bench help him to not be nervous when he's pitching? Your logic escapes me.

I agree with the previous two posters.

I hope they can at least get a decent prospect for him. But that might be asking for too much. With guys like Slappy, Walker, Nevin, Hill, and Maddux potentially on the block I hope the Cubs can manage to get at least one guy who will contribute something toward the future. But I expect they'll get guys like Andy Pratt, Bo Flowers, or some other such talent in return.

You've got to be kidding me? He's a rookie. I cannot believe how quickly some people want to give up on young players. Who said anything about giving up? Teams need good 4th OFers, including the Cubs. I think Murton would be an excellent platoon player and OF backup. He simply doesn't have anything even close to the power needed to be a serious fulltime corner OFer. Sure, that could change, but he has a long way to go. I'd like to see Murton stick around, but I'd start Carlos Lee over him in a heartbeat. I'd say saying Muton will be a good 4th outfielder is writing him off. Carlos Lee at $10 mill year/5years. No thanks. Carlos Lee is not that good. He's not. Especially at the price he will command.

Wow. So, if Pierre continues his retched season, Hendry is gonna offer him arbritration in hopes of getting a draft pick? What happens when he accepts and gets $9M/year? Jim Hendry is a moron. This buffoonery is only going to keep setting us back. This comedy of errors is a trainwreck. Do people actually read before spinning out of control? Hendry didn't say he was offering arbitration to Pierre. A poster here made that leap, and others ran with it. It's not possible Hendry expects Pierre, in a weak FA class for CF, to get signed before arbitration time? I don't understand why there is no middle ground on this board. It's always extreme or bust. Hendry is right - the team doesn't need to be blown up. Half the position players should and will stay. Barret, Lee, Ramirez, Cedeno, and Jones are all Cubs next year. That's a solid core. LF, CF, and 2B are the changes needed. Those are tweaks, not bombs. Most of the pitching the stays. Zambrano, Marshall, (one other kid from the 5 to choose from), Howry, Eyre, Dempster all return. Likely Prior as well, though he could be moved. But that leaves 2 starters and a couple of bullpen slots. Tweaks, not hand grenades. I don't understand why Hendry is getting railed here. He is correct. What this team needs is another very good starter and a stud in the OF. Have you looked at the stats of this year's Cubs team? Another year of tweaking might make this team mediocre... if everything goes right.

You've got to be kidding me? He's a rookie. I cannot believe how quickly some people want to give up on young players. In Maddux first season he showed he might be a 5th starter. ----------------- In Adruw Jones' first full season in the bigs he put up this line .231/.316/416 Grady Sizemore put up this line .289/.348/.484 Vernon Wells put up this line. .275/.305/.457 Alex Rios put up this line. .262/.306/.397 All four of those guys are all-stars this year.

I can't talk to Hendry. The Cubs are on pace to lose a hundred games. The Cubs record tells me there isn't enough talent on this team. Hendry has been tweaking for three years and every year they get worse. If it walks like a pig, squeals like a pig, and looks like a pig, it's a pig.

This is a hundred loss team. http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/cubs.asp?id=204685

Larry?

No, it's not bad. And I just showed you that it's not bad. And it's hardly slightly above terrible, or any other ridiculous hyperbole you'd like to use. Get over your dislike of him for two seconds and acknowledge the FACT that his batting average is good. And as for your last statement, how else would you like to evaluate minor leaguers if you don't want to look at their stats relative to their competition? You compare a player's numbers to the best numbers of players playing his position in the minors. Then you look to see if the person is old or young for his league. Compaing a player to league averages is ok for a major leaguer but the vast majority of minor leaguers never make it. Why compare a player to a guy who isn't good enough to move up a league? His batting average would be good if he also had an OPS of .950 or an OBP of .390 for his career, but alas his doesn't. I don't hate Pagen. I have nothing against him.

The problem is that very few FA each year are worth pursuing as a difference maker. The vast majority are missing pieces and bench guys. The question then becomes are they worth what they will get. In the past the Cubs have passed on Thome, Beltran, and Vlad to name a few. I would have been happy if the Cubs got any of those guys (without the benefit of hindsight). They have signed guys like Maddux, Eyre, Howery, Remmlinger, and Hawkins to name a few. Without the benefit of hindsight I was only happy about Hawkins. If someone advocates for Carlos Lee and his big dollar contract I would think that that person thinks Lee is a difference maker. Same with Zito.