CubinNY

five days 1,2,3,4,...fif.

Under a week 6 days

Care to give me 60:1 odds? if so I will bet you 10$. Need I remind you they finished ahead of the Cubs last year and have improved just as much (on paper)? I guess I do.

Just for the record. I am behind the Cubs all the way. I want Pierre to have a career year. I want Cedeno and Murton to play like ROYs even if they are not eligable. I want the pitching staff to be heathy and productive. I will root for Dusty. Go Cubs!

9th in runs scored in the 16 team NL. That's bad. Below average is bad. 4th in OPS doesn't come close to telling the whole story. The OBP side of OPS should weigh more heavily than the SLG side. The Cubs are good with the SLG, but absolutely terrible with the OBP. This offense is not among the worst of the worst, but it's far from good at the same time. It's an enormous problem. That's one (entirely pessimistic) way of looking at it. Take away the time that Aramis Ramirez missed, and the team would be above average in runs scored. Maybe even top 5. Pessimistic? It's the god's honest truth. Just the facts, no spin. It's tough to score runs when you don't get on base very often, and the Cubs don't get on base often enough. You're the one throwing around ifs. Yeah, if everything works out perfectly the Cubs would win every game. I live in the real world where the Cubs have had a real run scoring problem for several years that is tied to an OBP problem, which is entirely based on their inability to draw walks. But no, let's all pretend that's just pessimism and not the truth. It is pessimism! And that's fine, but that's what it is. And I'm well aware of the OBP problems, but they have been addressed to a degree and I'm 100% confident that the team OBP will be a lot better than what it was last year. I'd hardly say that the offense is an "enormous problem" like you originally stated. The team had the second best batting average in the league (tied with the Cards) and the 4th best OPS last year... and it has been upgraded. I know, I know, their OBP was bad. Well, OBP isn't everything. This offense is fine. Runs scored is what matters and the Cubs were well below average in that department. That is not pesimism, that is fact. Maybe they have upgraded with Slap Nasty in CF but they have either stayed the same or down graded at every other position offensively. How anyone cannot see that is beyond my capacity to understand.

Way below.

One week

I think it is a bit early to make predictions but here goes mine NL East: NY Mets NL Central: Milwaukee Brewers NL West: SF (with Bonds) LAD if no Bonds NL Wild Card: St. Louis AL East: Toronto AL Central: Minnesota, Ozzie's luck will not hold AL West: Oakland AL Wild Card: NY Yankees NL Champs: Milwaukee Al Champs: Oakland World Series Champs: Milwaukee CubinNY goes to Vegas and collects $6,000

Let the season begin! Poor White Sox fans. The Sox win the WS and all they can do is obsess over a bunch of loosers like us. So much hate so little time...I guess. EDIT: or poor Cardinals fan, you know the rest of the story.

Aside from better than average eyesight and foot speed I cannot think of one tool that a baseball player can be born with. However, the question is, can pitch recognition, plate discipline, and hittiing for power be developed later in life then little league? I would have to anwser yes. If not, why have coaches? Patence can be taught, pitch recognition can be taught. I had really crappy little league coaches but when I got to high school our coach preached plate discipline and "hitting your pitch". We practiced it. During BP we were not encouraged to swing away even if it mean we only took 5 or 6 swings in 40 pitches.

Mckeon was pretty laid back. I wonder if Joe will mello with age or become a Buck Showalter.

Especially if he puts up crappy numbers. If Jones puts up numbers similar to his last two years Hendry will either have to take a bad contract back or trade him for pennys on the dollar

9 days. The Superbowl is over, it is time for baseball!

10 days. Almost to single digits

You can't include either. Willis spent a year + in Florida's system before making it. You can't give the Cubs credit for developing and motivating him into the majors. So can the Cubs now take credit for developing and motivating Murton into the majors? He was in the Cubs system for a year before he came up to the majors, too. You can't have it both ways. Willis had his breakthrough season in the Cubs organization and then maintain that growth with the Marlins. Who gets to claim that they developed him? I don't see how anyone could defend a position that it was clearly one team or another. Same with Murton. Murton was clearly recognized as a good hitter before he came to the Cubs and was in the Boston organization much longer, but his breakthrough season came with the Cubs. Is it clear and obvious that his improvement had absolutely nothing to do with any of the Cubs instructors or coaches? No, just as it is not provable that they did cause his breakout performance. It seems pretty clear to me that some people will choose to think the Cubs were foolish for needlessly protecting Cedeno the year they did and others will think that given his upside, they were smart not to risk losing him even though it was a small risk to take. I don't think there is enough evidence to prove one is clearly the more accurate interpretation. Its a matter of perspective. Clearly, Cubs management has made some poor decisions. And they have made some excellent ones. There is plenty of evidence on both sides of the argument over whether Cubs management has improved this organization over the last 11 years or whether they have failed at their jobs. No one is stupid for holding either opinion. It is all a matter of perspective. As I believe this question of Cedeno is, as well. I hope Ronny makes Hendry look like Shurhholtz. But I think the evidence is pretty clear that he is not. Why the heck are people so afraid to admit the Cubs management might do some things wrong? As one of my professors use to say, "the proof of the process is in the product." Since MacPhail and Hendry took over the Cubs a decade ago they have had three medicore seasons and one decent season and still haven't cracked 90 wins with an escalating payroll every year. Did you read the post you responded to? In it, I wrote that there is evidence on both sides of the argument. That Cubs management has made some poor decisions and some excellent ones. So who is afraid to admit that "Cubs mgmt. might do some things wrong"? Who is claiming that Hendry is as good as Schuerholtz? Who is even comparing the two? My post was about how the reality of the situation is probably somewhere in the middle of many of the perspectives on this board. I readily acknowledge the mistakes made by Cubs management. I also see a lot of things that they have done to improve the organization. I don't think that you are afraid to admit that they have done a lot of things right, are you? So why are you accusing me/people of being afraid to admit that they do some things poorly? Maybe we can lose the extremism and the division of Cubs fans into one faction or the other. Maybe we can realize that our perspective isn't the only valid perspective out there, and we can allow for someone who disagrees with my take on things to actually have some valid points. Maybe its time we start recognizing our common ground in threads like these. Nah, what fun would that be... I saw what you wrote. I should have not quoted you, it was my mistake. No excuse, I had to go and didn't have time to edit it. But the question stands as a rhetorical one. I don't think there is anyone who posts here that thinks Hendry has not made ANY good decisions. I get frustraded that it appears that some deny reality b/c the Cubs are historicaly better then they have been. During the Mcpahial/Hendry tenure the Cubs have never been good as defined by record or outcome. To me the Cedeno rostering proves absolutely nothing.

Was '99 when they lost 13 in a row to begin the season? I remember sliding down to front row seats behind the Cubs dugout right before the 11th loss in Shea screaming, "Today's the day Riggs! Get the boys up." And getting blank stairs from the Cub players. What a pathetic bunch. 1997 Thanks. I think??

Was '99 when they lost 13 in a row to begin the season? I remember sliding down to front row seats behind the Cubs dugout right before the 11th loss in Shea screaming, "Today's the day Riggs! Get the boys up." And getting blank stairs from the Cub players. What a pathetic bunch.

You can't include either. Willis spent a year + in Florida's system before making it. You can't give the Cubs credit for developing and motivating him into the majors. So can the Cubs now take credit for developing and motivating Murton into the majors? He was in the Cubs system for a year before he came up to the majors, too. You can't have it both ways. Willis had his breakthrough season in the Cubs organization and then maintain that growth with the Marlins. Who gets to claim that they developed him? I don't see how anyone could defend a position that it was clearly one team or another. Same with Murton. Murton was clearly recognized as a good hitter before he came to the Cubs and was in the Boston organization much longer, but his breakthrough season came with the Cubs. Is it clear and obvious that his improvement had absolutely nothing to do with any of the Cubs instructors or coaches? No, just as it is not provable that they did cause his breakout performance. It seems pretty clear to me that some people will choose to think the Cubs were foolish for needlessly protecting Cedeno the year they did and others will think that given his upside, they were smart not to risk losing him even though it was a small risk to take. I don't think there is enough evidence to prove one is clearly the more accurate interpretation. Its a matter of perspective. Clearly, Cubs management has made some poor decisions. And they have made some excellent ones. There is plenty of evidence on both sides of the argument over whether Cubs management has improved this organization over the last 11 years or whether they have failed at their jobs. No one is stupid for holding either opinion. It is all a matter of perspective. As I believe this question of Cedeno is, as well. I hope Ronny makes Hendry look like Shurhholtz. But I think the evidence is pretty clear that he is not. Why the heck are people so afraid to admit the Cubs management might do some things wrong? As one of my professors use to say, "the proof of the process is in the product." Since MacPhail and Hendry took over the Cubs a decade ago they have had three medicore seasons and one decent season and still haven't cracked 90 wins with an escalating payroll every year.

For which team is pitching not the key? Hell, if the first four pirates pitchers pitch as well as everyone expects, we'll win the division. It may be a lot of 1-0 games, but we can still win them. If Kip pitches like 2003. If Ollie pitches like 2004. If Zach pitches like he did in his short 2005. If Maholom pitches like he did in his short 2005. Then, we'll win the division. Whatever. Who put the bee in your bonnett?

Maybe this dude is in denial like I am. I hope the guy they got for JVB ends up performing well

A dozen

Unforunately, that's what we've said for the past two years. I agree and they still have three pretty decent starters. If they add Huff or another RBI guy to go along with Berkman they will be tough. To me, the key for the Cubs is obvious, pitching. Lee will likely regress a little, Aramis hopefully will produce, but the Cubs have to find someone to step up in the five slot and table set in the two slot. Pierre will be fine at the top of the order. Hopefully Walker comes out hot in ST and then produces at career norms, that would go a long way to solidifying the lineup. I am optimistic about Murton and Cedeno but I don't think we should count on either of them to be diffence makers. All and all, I am hopeful but not optimistic.

True, but striking out is better than hitting into a double play. I wish Neifie would have struck out a little more last year. I think that is part of goony's point. A weak roller to the 2nd baseman withh a runnner on first is much worse than a K.

YESYESYES process, not results. That's all well and good...and I agree with that mantra. However, that being said...isn't that a mantra that supports looking at the reasoning behind why Sisco was left off of the 40 man roster and not calling it a bad move simply because of his subsequent success with the Royals? I mean, people can't use that saying when it supports their "side" of the matter and then ignore it when it supports the other, can they? I mean, isn't that what is commonly referred to as "having your cake and eating it too?" No. having your cake and eating it too would be when someone asks "honest" questions so they can bait people into pointless arguments. I am happy the Cubs have Ronny and hope he does well. If not, Neifi would be starting and nobody wants that. bad move leaving Sisco unprotected. Bad move putting Cedeno on the 40 man. I think that is pretty consistent. I am not all that clear on how it works, but I do know putting guys on the 40 man who shouldn't be starts clocks that shouldn't be started, forces other guys off or forces trades to be made that maybe shouldn't be made.

YESYESYES process, not results. process and results!