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Is it true that he is going to be in the pen, with Tomko in the rotation? Everyone hated Depodesta, but I really don't like Colletti-Little. Luis Gonzalez instead of James Loney? Really? Anyway, I'm excited to see Murton get playing time (and not get bumped for guys like Freddy Bynum). Excited to see some young guys make an impact (Theriot, Cherry, Guzman). Also excited to see if Samardzija develops some good secondary pitches.

Thanks for the warning.

Oh, please don't go there. O'Malley makes John Koronka look like a dominating lefty. It is possible he does well in the minors and could spot start if/when the Cubs are in trouble. Don't read too much into that one good outing last year. I'd imagine the Cubs would bring up Gallagher before O'Malley, and possibly have even Cotts start over him.

Please post more.

wow, you predicted that wood would be hurt? you're obviously very smart. No, I predicted a whole mess of you would get excited about his first start, declare him a god (again) and then see his human frality and come up with another thread about it. Are all your predictions full of hyperbole?

i think it's millers job to lose at this point. the big question is with wuertz back and wood hurt, who gets the open pen spot-guzman or cherry? cherry has obviously earned it over guzman and it would be a shame imo to send him back to the minors. if dempster tanks and marmol cant find his control cherry might end up closing some games for the cubs. I don't see how Cherry has obviously earned it over Guzman. Based on what, only Spring Training appearances? If Dempster does tank, I'd much rather have Howry or Wuertz closing over Cherry.

It depends on the time of the year. NCAA brackets now, but any time football or baseball season is about to start, fantasy is an easy choice.

Spring training wins would be refreshing?

I can't wait for the first time Erstad goes 0 for 3, but gets praised for moving a runner over and sac bunting or some nonsense like that. I'm guessing that day is coming real soon too.

Amen, lets hope he stays in Arizona.

I wasn't comparing the deals, I was comparing the attitudes people have of Wood and Zambrano. Also, I'm not entirely opposed to giving Zambrano Zito money, the man deserves it. He's what, 26? Jesus guys. I'd give it to him too. The question is, does Hendry have it to give to Zambrano? After giving the big money out to all these other guys, I'm not so sure he has the money to offer Z. He had an opportunity to lock up Zambrano before he paid out money to Lilly, Floyd and Marquis. He didn't do it. Now he risks losing him to someone WHO WILL give Zambrano Zito money next year, maybe more. If that happens, should Hendry lose his job? Absolutely. My desire to trade Zambrano now is only to attempt to get more than a couple of draft picks when Zambrano leaves. I believe Zambrano won't be back if he isn't signed before this season starts. No way will the Cubs be able to outbid the Yankees. I agree with this. To sign Lilly and Marquis without knowing for a fact that you still had money for Zambrano is unforgivable in and of itself. This blunder alone would cost any MLB GM his job, and Hendry is a guy that should, IMHO, have been fired earlier. If this goes down the way I fear it will, with Z walking for draft choices and no Cub WS in 2007, Hendry will, and should, go down as one of the worst GMs in Cubs history. Being one of the worst GMs in Cubs history is akin to being one of the whitest players to play basketball at Duke. Every new crop wants to top the actions of their predecessor. I honestly don't know how it works, but I remember in Moneyball, Billy Beane called up his owner for some extra cash to sign someone. Unless it was a different incident, I think he tried to get extra cash for Rincon. Didn't Beane end up dealing one of his left handed relievers to a NL team to free up payroll? I remember Beane was even willing to go as far as to sacrificing his own money to make the deal work, although it never came down to it.

Melvin has been quoted a number of times that Hall will start in Center! As he should. I believe the Brewers have a guy named, J.J. Hardy, who plays the ss position pretty well. He's a black hole in the lineup. I'll miss playing the Brewers and seeing him in the 2nd spot.

i was in the centerfield bleachers, called the grand slam...my friends, both cardinal fans, are probably still picking the silly string and peanuts off of them. I was in the left field bleachers, the ball was hit just to my right. Awesome game.

Wait, I thought NO was the team of destiny...

Isn't Carroll only credible when it comes to injuries? I remember some of his "scoops" in the past turning out to be very wrong.

Joe Theisman finally admits that he never thinks.

I absolutely do not want the Cubs wasting precious resources on a "closer." The cash and talent spent to acquire somebody to do that job wouldn't be near as much of an upgrade (if at all) in the bullpen than it would be if it were spent on SS or CF. Wood Howry Eyre Dempster Ohman Wuertz That's a freaking stacked bullpen. (relievers not listed in order of talent, but in the likely hierarchy Lou sees them in... Wuertz for closer, w00t!) how is that a stacked bullpen? besides wood, it's the same pen they had last year, and it wasn't anything special. Hopefully Wuertz is in the pen all year, instead of being wasted at AAA like he was last year. Who knows if Cotts will be any good. Hopefully some of these guys will be traded before the year starts anyway.

We should just stop trading with Baltimore...

(undeserved) All-Star appearance + GW homerun in one game = good player?

Lets hope this is another "Aramis Ramirez decides to test FA" article by Rosenthal... EDIT: Damn, TT beat me by a few seconds

It is too bad he's inactive this week, I figured you'd let Griese start in the second half and then let Orton have a series or two.

How tough is it to call a game when the stands are depleted, the audience at home isn't as large, and the games don't mean as much? Which rookie player impressed you the most in 2006? Which opposing player's name is your least favorite to pronounce?

Careful or you will hear from the stats junkies who will find some statistic to downplay his offense. No, you won't. What you will find is some solid evidence suggesting it'd be foolish to expect him to achieve those feats again. There's no reason to be optimistic that he's capable of repeating this years success. It's a fluke and it's out of line with his last few years. But even if he doesn't achieve those feats again, his career averages would be a huge upgrade at 2B or CF for the 2007 Cubs. True, but if he does regress to his career averages, would he be worth the huge contract we'd have to give him?

Isn't there some rule where the Reds always open the season at home since they're the oldest team in the bigs? I thought I remember reading that somewhere.

His 20+ errors are going to be a big help with a rotation that issues walks to anyone with a pulse. The only problem with Soriano in LF is it displaces Murton, which sucks. I'd rather trade Jones and stick Murton in RF. At least he doesn't spike throws into the grass instead of hitting the cutoff man. Obviously most people would. How likely do you think it is that the Cubs trade Jones though? Realistically, Soriano straight up replaces Murton in LF. End result, the Cubs 2007 team has more power, gets on base less, and scores enough runs to be around average instead of horrible. gets on base less? I'm not sure that's true. Murton's .055 ISOD is less than impressive. Murton is at .297/.362, putting his IsoD at .065.