TrueBlueCubFan

D. Eckstein ss A. Nunez 3b A. Pujols 1b J. Edmonds cf L. Walker rf M. Grudzielanek 2b J. Rodriguez lf E. Diaz c J. Suppan p There is a reason that line-up wasn't posted. Most people here don't care about the Cardinals. He cares, so he decided to post it, and I reckon that the several card fans who stop by these threads during Cubs/Cards games care too. Take it easy. The key word in my post being: MOST So some people care, and he does, no need to try and instigate something or just antagonize the guy. I will continue to express myself the way I see it. My opinion is just that, if you don't like it, put me on ignore.

Why? B/C CPatt's a major liability offensively. He is clearly not big league material. An absolute joke @ the plate.

D. Eckstein ss A. Nunez 3b A. Pujols 1b J. Edmonds cf L. Walker rf M. Grudzielanek 2b J. Rodriguez lf E. Diaz c J. Suppan p There is a reason that line-up wasn't posted. Most people here don't care about the Cardinals. He cares, so he decided to post it, and I reckon that the several card fans who stop by these threads during Cubs/Cards games care too. Take it easy. The key word in my post being: MOST

BTW, Hollandsworth is starting for the Braves today & batting 5th! Does this make Bobby Cox a moron,too?

D. Eckstein ss A. Nunez 3b A. Pujols 1b J. Edmonds cf L. Walker rf M. Grudzielanek 2b J. Rodriguez lf E. Diaz c J. Suppan p There is a reason that line-up wasn't posted. Most people here don't care about the Cardinals.

That's a decent lineup, with the exception of the fact that Prior should hit 8th. Also, it appears Murton is still not ready to face those RH pitchers. It's never a good line-up when Patterson is in it! Hairston to CF & Murton to LF, please!

Here's my potential moves for the off-season: As realistic as possible: Not nessarily what I want to see happen, but more what I think might happen. Line-up: 2B Cedeno 350K LF Murton 350 K RF Giles 10.6 mil. (3 yr. 32 mil) 1B Lee 8 mil 3B Ramirez 10.5 mil SS Nomar 5 mil+ incentives CF J.Jones 6 mil ( 3yr. 18 mil) C Barrett 4 mil. total: 44.85 mil. bench: C Blanco 1.5 mil 2B/3B Fontenot 350 K 1B/3B Mc Clain 350 K OF Greenberg 350 K OF Hairston 1.5 mil (arbitration eligible) total: 4.05 mil SP: Prior 7 mil (arbitration eligible) Zambrano 8 mil (arbitration eligible) Wood 11 mil base + bonus Maddux 9 mil Williams 350 K total: 35.35 mil bullpen: Novoa 350 K Ohman 350 K Weurtz 350 K Van Buren 350 K swing man: Rusch 2 mil + incentives set-up: Williamson 2 mil. closer: Dempster 3 mil ( 2yr. 6mil) total: 8.4 mil line-up- 44.85 mil bench- 4.05 mil SP- 35.35 mil BP- 8.4 mil TOTAL: 92.65 mil. This is as realistic as I could possibly get the roster for 06'. However, I feel there will be some trades & other moves which are very hard to predict. Wellemeyer(out of options),Mitre & CPatt will be most likely trade bait. I have a feeling JH will make alot of moves this off-season, unlike LY, where his main focus was dumping Sosa. Giles is a OBP machine & this is an area the Cubs will need to improve. J.Jones can play CF & is an excellent defensive OF Defense is an area the Cubs need to signficantly improve Posible alternative moves: Burnitz option pu, instead of signing J.Jones Neifi resigned as utility man or starting 2nd baseman Furcal instead of Nomar resigning Walker & moving Cedeno to SS A stronger bench like signing of M.Sweeney or C.Gomez Pie might make the roster out of ST, however, I think he will start the season @ AAA Iowa

If Corey doesn't go to winter ball like the Cubs have asked him, I think he's as good as gone. If he does go, they may give him through ST to improve his horrendous approach at the plate. Corey in no way should be considered part of the Cubs future. Not with Pie very close. Corey's attitude is what has done him in.

very unrealistic

Why is that interesting? That means he's at the bottom of the barrell. 10 of 16 is not bottom of the barrell, it is by no means good, but not bottom of the barrell. & he was also signed this year with the intention of him being a back-up SS, not a starting one. Not bad!

He needs to light up the minors for an extended period before he is should even allowed back to the bigs. The talent is there, the positive attitude is very lacking.

Perez is a very good utility IF. He was not used properly this year by Dusty, however, Nomar's injury wasn't planned either. I just don't understand what most people expect from a back-up SS around here, b/c the hate for Neifi here is completely unwaranted. He gives 100% all the time & has done very well since he has put on a Cubs uniform. I am fine with Neifi coming back next year as long as he is a back-up SS or utility IF.

Well it's the results of one of two things: 1) post- steroid era? or 2) just the natural decline of someone his age? Nevertheless, I wouldn't be suprised if he retires.

He was brought back by the Cubs b/c in 04' the Cubs were too RH dominant offense. Needing to get some LH hitters in the mix. A goal for the Cubs is going to be get stronger defensively, IIRC they rank near the bottom of the NL in defense.

True, but if it happens, you have to respect an organization that decides to "go for it all" when they have the chance. If they think Griffey will put them over the hump and get them a WS ring, thenas a fan I'd be hard pressed to complain about the deal if it has a potential affect on the future. It still is a huge risk. Respect the White Sox? No thank you! All teams who think they have a shot @ winning a champioship in Sept. usually make these types of deals. The Sox have had a nice run of it this year, but Championship caliber? I doubt it. The last few weeks have shown their true colors. Griffey put them over the top? we shall see.

Griffey will help the White Sox this year, but won't his salary strap that mid level payroll team down for many years to come? If they fail to win it all, this could turn out to be a bad move by Williams. Not to mention Griffey is still very injury prone.

Dubois will be a career minor leaguer, nothing else.

I was thinking the same thing, but I would rather have Giles than Huff. I know Huff is younger, but Giles OBP is hard to pass up. Now if we can go a few million over $100... There's nothing saying we couldn't have both. I'll try to work out the logistics on such a scenario at a later time. Assuming we make a trade for Lugo and Huff, giving up Nolasco, Sing, and another minor league pitcher. We'd have Lugo at 5 million and Huff at what 6.4-7 million? We could still afford to offer Giles 8 million to play right. Nolasco, Sing, Hill, and Fontenot for Lugo and Huff...Sign Giles to a 3 year 30 million dollar deal...sign Milwood to a 6-7 million dollar deal...resign Dempter at $4 Million, and add 2 quality set up guys at about $2 million each. That team would be at or under $100 million. Question marks would be the bullpen and CF. Both of those though have the potential to be good though depending on the young relief pitchers (Aardsma, Guzman?) and Pie. It will take alot more than that to get Lugo & Huff. Lamar(TB's GM) is out to fleece other GM's every chance he gets. That's why GM's don't like working with Lamar. He will want one of either Pie,Zambrano or Prior.

I agree with you. I'm just sick of watching Walker takling the baseball @ 2nd. Not to single him out, but Aram,Barrett & Nomar are also avg. to below avg defenders. Hitting is very important to create runs. However, a good defense behind a decent pitching staff is also very important & is a major ingredient in winning championships. Ex. Marlins of 03'. There was not a better defensive IF in MLB. The key here is finding the complete ball player. I just feel, Todd Walker is not it. And you may be right. However, there aren't really any "complete" 2B men out there to be had right now, and Walker is the best option we have. If they do happen to find a "complete" 2B in the offseason, fine, trade Walker. However, they'd be stupid to do anything without an adequate backup. Orlando Hudson is a more complete player than is T. Walker. O. Hudson would be a great fit for the Cubs.

I agree with you. I'm just sick of watching Walker takling the baseball @ 2nd. Not to single him out, but Aram,Barrett & Nomar are also avg. to below avg defenders. Hitting is very important to create runs. However, a good defense behind a decent pitching staff is also very important & is a major ingredient in winning championships. Ex. Marlins of 03'. There was not a better defensive IF in MLB. The key here is finding the complete ball player. I just feel, Todd Walker is not it.

I doubt it will happen, but I would love to see the Cubs trade for O.Hudson. Isn't he a FA this coming off-season?

That would be an excellent move, Walker is a defensive liability & the Cubs do have Hairston & Neifi who can play 2nd along with rosters expanding on Sept. 1st.

well since Dubois is a scrub, it's not a bad move

I'd prefer Walker's bat over Neifi even against a lefty. However, Neifi is a much better defender. Dusty tends to overemphasize defense & people on this board tend to underemphasize it. Just an observation!

Starting Lineup Name AVG HR RBI SB 1. J Pierre, CF .265 2 36 42 2. J Conine, LF .300 2 21 1 3. M Cabrera, 3B .333 27 88 1 4. C Delgado, 1B .294 25 89 0 5. J Encarnacion, RF .298 15 67 2 6. D Easley, 2B .231 9 27 1 7. A Gonzalez, SS .269 5 45 5 8. M Treanor, C .228 0 9 0 9. J Vargas, P .267 0 2 0 Starting Lineup Name AVG HR RBI SB 1. J Hairston Jr., CF .261 4 19 7 2. M Lawton, LF .240 1 4 1 3. D Lee, 1B .353 37 91 14 4. M Barrett, C .290 13 53 0 5. N Garciaparra, 3B .247 2 8 0 6. J Burnitz, RF .262 19 65 5 7. N Perez, 2B .272 9 47 6 8. R Cedeno, SS .259 1 3 0 9. G Rusch, P .111 0 0 0