CubinNY

what about those who first-guessed the deal? ssshhh!

c'ya Matty. In light of the fact that Dusty has had ample opportunity to bench Matt already and has not done so, I'm taking a wait and see approach. Murton has been hot lately. Let's see how this plays out. I like this move. Nevin can play first until Lee returns and then gives use RHed pop off the bench, and hopefully a platoon partner for Jones. Exactly who was going to replace Mutron? Bynum? Restovich? the dearly departed JH Jr? It could be that Murton wasn't replaced becuase there was no one to replace him. But as you and Tim pointed out, we shall see. Although having a viable option on the bench is great, I fail to see how this move makes the Cubs appreciably better. Look at the number of at bats by the bench so far and the cumulative OPS of the bench players. Improving the bench is a very big deal. The Cubs have 1703 ABs. Of those 350 are "bench" ABs. Neifi has the most with 93 or 26%. If we exclude his ABs (He has been the primary 2nd baseman) the number goes down to 257. That is right at 15 % of the ABs. If you take out Blanco (43) who rarely if ever PH, the number goes down to 12.5% or 214. As of tonight the Cubs are averaging a pathetic 33 ABs/game. Using these numbers that gives us 3.96 ABs per game by the bench. For argument sake let's say that Nevin takes the lion's share of the bench ABs (say 33%) that gives him a grand total of 1.3 ABs per game. I reiterate, I fail to see how this makes the Cubs appreciably better.

c'ya Matty. In light of the fact that Dusty has had ample opportunity to bench Matt already and has not done so, I'm taking a wait and see approach. Murton has been hot lately. Let's see how this plays out. I like this move. Nevin can play first until Lee returns and then gives use RHed pop off the bench, and hopefully a platoon partner for Jones. Exactly who was going to replace Mutron? Bynum? Restovich? the dearly departed JH Jr? It could be that Murton wasn't replaced becuase there was no one to replace him. But as you and Tim pointed out, we shall see. Although having a viable option on the bench is great, I fail to see how this move makes the Cubs appreciably better.

c'ya Matty.

"at all"??? You are overstating your position. It obviously gives the Cubs a better option than they currently have at 1B until Lee gets back and a right handed power bat on the bench when he does. It makes them better right now. You will have a hard time refuting that point. Once Lee gets back Phill's 5 or 6 PAs/week will put the Cubs right in the cat bird seat. On the other hand, maybe he can help IF they wake up and platoon JJ with him. That might be his best use.

Just now read this. Eric Duncan and Phillip Hughes? Seriously? Duncan has been sucking and Hughes is ok, but nowhere near even in the jock sniffing range of Prior.

Except for when Murton goes into a slump and never again gets regular playing time.

Jesus Christi, the Cubs do love the washed up vets. Do they have a shot at Jose Lima?

Let's cut out the middle man here. Maddux for Manager/Player.

Ok. Someone tell me something good about Chris Marrero 3B Florida (HS) Is he as good a prospect as Rowell? Are the Cubs done drafting high ceiling HS pitchers in the first round?

I'm not sure the GM's between Santo and Ramirez would agree! Bill. Madlock. I'm on record as being the biggest Madlock fan on the board, dang I was heartbroke the day he was traded. Along with Ryno and Big Daddy, my three favorite Cubs of all time. Second biggest. Did you cry when he was traded? I did. I was only 4 or 5.

He only gave Sanchez a chance because Randa is hurt. Both Tracy & Littlefield are saying that once Randa is healthy, he & his .220 batting average will resume the starting role at 3b, and Freddy Sanchez, who, as I type this, is second in the NL in batting average will go to the bench. Sanchez, by virtue of his play last year, earned the right to compete for the 3b job this year. But he was never given a chance. Who cares that he won't hit 20 HRs this year. There is a good and valid reason the Pirates and the Cubs are at the bottom of the National League, and it has nothing to do with payroll or curses.

Two games?

Three great posts in a row. Just jugding from the qoutes of Dusty, he seems to have a mystical approach to life. When he left SF it was because it was meant to be. Perhaps he and some of the Cubs believe the injuries, poor approach to batting, and repeated mental errors are just the way things are. In certian respects they are. But it is not the gods shining disfavor on a cursed franchise or charma for a previous life. It is what it is; really bad pitching, really bad hitting, and really bad defense. Maybe a change of philosophy is in order. Or better yet, a change in management As the Tuna says, at some point you are what your record says you are.

Victor will be traded at some point in this season. His problem has always been he doesn't have a position. His defense is not good enough for second and he doesn't have a strong arm. But he can hit, make no mistake about that.

Exactly. Not to mention what it does for a player's development or lack there of.

Who else you gonna run out there until the injured guys get back? Nobody else has done anything to warrant getting the spot. neither has rusch. I'd give Ryu another start. Hell, I'd give him 4 or 5 more starts. But it seems as the Cubs and many of the people on this board wouldn't.

Ruch on fire. Whenever Glendon has pitched well, it's when he's stayed in the strike zone. He gets into problems trying to nibble and getting behind in the count. The most important pitch in baseball is strike one. If you pitch ahead in the count you will win more than you lose. Unfortunately, the Cubs have demonstrated that on both sides of the field this year.

Easy. He is a good prospect. The key word being PROSPECT.

Dusty looks like he is in physical pain.

Everything is belt high or higher. Those balls get deposited in the bleachers.

If JK gets the ball down, he will be fine. If not more HRs will follow.

What's the AL East?

I referred to him as Neifi Cedeno a few days ago. Cubs seem to be high on him. Probably like his Neifiesque tendencies. With the way Cedeno was hyped, I thought he'd have a little more plate discipline. Then you haven't paid attention to his minor league or winter league numbers. Regardless, HE'S A ROOKIE (not technically, but practicaly). There is a great probability that he will get better next year and for many years to come. Cedeno will probably never have much power or take a lot of walks, but for a SS he probably will hit pretty well. Your obsessive need to take the contrary side of every issue is tiresome.

Everyting in life is relative. Player X's trade value is relative to any number of factors that can include among other things: Salary Need of other teams Other player(s) traded with him Timing Player(s) from other team who are offered Written another way, Freddy Bynum has trade value if he's traded for a low level prospect with no future and the Cubs pay all his salary. To say that this player or that player has no value is tottally false.