CubinNY

Root for small ball? This isn't going to be a small ball team. Juan Pierre will slap some singles and steal some bases, but other than that this is not a small ball team. It's a baseball team. Why do people insist on trying to pretend it's one or the other. Everybody wanted to call the White Sox a small ball team despite the fact that they relied so heavily on homeruns to win games. The Cubs have been for years among the league leaders in sacrifice hits and bunts yet people said they never tried small ball stuff. We shouldn't pretend this offense is going to be immensely different than it has been in years. Pierre isn't going to change everything on his own. Anyway, of course Cubs fans are going to root for Pierre. I personally wouldn't have gone so hard for him to be on the team, and I think many people grossly overvalue him. But I like him and think he can help the team and will be pulling hard for him, and all the rest of the team. Just to piggy back here. In addition, the Cubs are lacking at least one run producer in the middle. Right now I would say their offense is slightly below average to average. If DLee or Aramis regresses significantly to the mean or below the mean of the career performance the Cubs will have a hard time scoring runs. I think Slap Nasty is an upgrade from the previous years but the Cubs are still lacking consistent run producing people, at least as it stands right now. How are we slightly below to average offensively? I can think of 3 NL teams that have a better offense than us on paper. STL, PHI, and NY. And we might be better than New York. You might could throw the Dodgers in there too, but they have some pretty big health concerns. I think we'll easily be in the top half of the league in runs scored this season. The Cubs will likely not hit as many HRs as last year or the previous year. They haven't been in the top half of league in runs scored in quite some time and they haven't done much to improve their situation this offseason. I guess I could ask you why you think they will easily be in the top half this year. Why won't they hit as many HR's as last year? I think we'll easily be in the top half of runs scored this year because the 3 black hole positions as far as OBP last year(CF, SS, and LF) have been improved quite a bit. Becuase the people in LF, CF, RF, and SS will likely hit less HRs then the people in those positions last year. In addition, Lee, Walker, and Barrett will probably hit less HRs this year. Both Barrett and Lee had or tied career highs in HRs and walker is another year older. I am not saying the offesnse is terrible but it is not good either. Last year they were middle of the pack. I expect the same thing this year.

Root for small ball? This isn't going to be a small ball team. Juan Pierre will slap some singles and steal some bases, but other than that this is not a small ball team. It's a baseball team. Why do people insist on trying to pretend it's one or the other. Everybody wanted to call the White Sox a small ball team despite the fact that they relied so heavily on homeruns to win games. The Cubs have been for years among the league leaders in sacrifice hits and bunts yet people said they never tried small ball stuff. We shouldn't pretend this offense is going to be immensely different than it has been in years. Pierre isn't going to change everything on his own. Anyway, of course Cubs fans are going to root for Pierre. I personally wouldn't have gone so hard for him to be on the team, and I think many people grossly overvalue him. But I like him and think he can help the team and will be pulling hard for him, and all the rest of the team. Just to piggy back here. In addition, the Cubs are lacking at least one run producer in the middle. Right now I would say their offense is slightly below average to average. If DLee or Aramis regresses significantly to the mean or below the mean of the career performance the Cubs will have a hard time scoring runs. I think Slap Nasty is an upgrade from the previous years but the Cubs are still lacking consistent run producing people, at least as it stands right now. How are we slightly below to average offensively? I can think of 3 NL teams that have a better offense than us on paper. STL, PHI, and NY. And we might be better than New York. You might could throw the Dodgers in there too, but they have some pretty big health concerns. I think we'll easily be in the top half of the league in runs scored this season. The Cubs will likely not hit as many HRs as last year or the previous year. They haven't been in the top half of league in runs scored in quite some time and they haven't done much to improve their situation this offseason. I guess I could ask you why you think they will easily be in the top half this year.

I'll second that and say the same thing for Barrett and Lee. Go Mexico and the Dutch Antelees! Watching the USA get beat by Canada proved what a farse this WBC is. Upsets make competition a farce? No, Canada playing the USA in an "exhibition" game is not competition, it is a farce. Hopefully the USA will lose to one of the other teams in their pool next and Lee and Barrett don't get hurt.

I'll second that and say the same thing for Barrett and Lee. Go Mexico and the Dutch Antelees! Watching the USA get beat by Canada proved what a farse this WBC is.

Root for small ball? This isn't going to be a small ball team. Juan Pierre will slap some singles and steal some bases, but other than that this is not a small ball team. It's a baseball team. Why do people insist on trying to pretend it's one or the other. Everybody wanted to call the White Sox a small ball team despite the fact that they relied so heavily on homeruns to win games. The Cubs have been for years among the league leaders in sacrifice hits and bunts yet people said they never tried small ball stuff. We shouldn't pretend this offense is going to be immensely different than it has been in years. Pierre isn't going to change everything on his own. Anyway, of course Cubs fans are going to root for Pierre. I personally wouldn't have gone so hard for him to be on the team, and I think many people grossly overvalue him. But I like him and think he can help the team and will be pulling hard for him, and all the rest of the team. Just to piggy back here. In addition, the Cubs are lacking at least one run producer in the middle. Right now I would say their offense is slightly below average to average. If DLee or Aramis regresses significantly to the mean or below the mean of the career performance the Cubs will have a hard time scoring runs. I think Slap Nasty is an upgrade from the previous years but the Cubs are still lacking consistent run producing people, at least as it stands right now.

I don't know what "scouting" means, and I don't want to start any conspiracy theories, but it makes me wonder what the Cubs are not saying about the million dollar arms of Wood and Prior. I know, I know, but it is fair to speculate, no? All this stockpiling of starting pitching is starting to worry me.

Lee batted 6th for most of his career

Really? I thought he got that nickname as soon as he stepped on the scene few years ago, before he lasted to one of the final cuts. I thought it was strictly a name thing. I could be wrong. I wish JC were still around. I think he coined the phrase. What happened to JC? I don't believe I've seen him in quite awhile, though I also didn't frequent this board much of the past months. He had another child and is busy doing lawyer stuff. I think he is coucil for a tripple murder suspect or somehting.

Really? I thought he got that nickname as soon as he stepped on the scene few years ago, before he lasted to one of the final cuts. I thought it was strictly a name thing. I could be wrong. I wish JC were still around. I think he coined the phrase.

Die hard also comes from the fact that he is like 33 or something and is a career minor leaguer and he always does well in ST so he is cut late.

Wallrung and he was Wallrung up by die hard

Did anyone catch the sound of his shot? It sounding like a tree splitting. Dope= power

Dope Slap

Well, gentelman and ladies? What do you think? He looked pretty damn good against the Giant scrubs yesterday.

For anyone that has MLB.radio. The game will be broadcast by the A's radio network. I will listen.

yeah, I know.

Isn't that obvious? He is left handed. Augie!

Marshall looks good against the minor league team the Giants brought. In fact, all of the Cubs AAA and AA pitchers have looked pretty good to date. One of the only good things about the WBC and the Prior and Wood setbacks (if that is what we want to call them)is that we'll get to see a lot of the farm arms.

I am having a hard time with this one. ZZ was so predictable. He was contrary to the point of ridiculusness. I remember one thread where he argured about music against everyone else. Then when one or two people agreed with him he changed positions mid thread and started arguing with them. yanr was before my time but I got to read some of his gems. cubsfanbreadsauce I felt sorry for as he was just a kid living in Alaska with not much going on up stairs. The others were unremarkable in anyway. I think I will have to go out of the box and vote for auggiedoggie. His hatred for Todd Walker should be remembered by all.

I concur. I freaking feel like Bill Murry in Groundhoug Day. Maybe the Cubs should reassess their reassessment of thier reassessment and try something altogether different with these guys. At this point I don't know what to think. I really wonder how much all those 2003 innings hurt the long term future of both Wood and Prior. Thank goodness that Zambrano wore down in late July or he might be right there with them.

And wants to go back to the AL after this season. Bowden may give Soriano away for pennies on the dollar tallent wise, but he will still cost @10mill for the privilege of him agreeing to play 2nd base poorly.

Pie with his second tripple of the year.

If Dope has a good spring and continues to hit in AA he becomes a valuable trading chip come deadline time. I really think he is destined to go to the AL and become a 1b/DH. Unless, he can vastly improve his defense.

Grissom is done, he's been done for at least two seasons. keeping him on the roster only holds a someone else down.

Dempster is not exactly zeroed in yet. He has to throw strikes