BigbadB

I posted minor league numbers. Is it hard to believe he'll do better than his minor league numbers in a very limited part time role at the major league level? Yes. I think it is hard to believe.

Now, I can overreact with the best of them, but wow to this thread. Every year, especially nowadays, many foreign-born players have visa issues re-entering the US of A. I don't know that this is why Aramis is late, but I also don't see the issue. He's not fighting for a starting job. But, I really do like the post that said he's late because he's sleeping with beautiful women on a huge pile of money. Can you blame him for being late? As a teammate, I'd probably be high fiving him.

Maybe he's just having visa problems.

They'd probably need to move Hall back to the infield if that were the case. They are pretty deep in the outfield.

Again, FWIW PECOTA predict a .278/.342/.426 line for Pagan, and .245/.318/.378 for Finley. I don't have time to check the other projection systems, but I can't imagine any being too high on a 42 year old who has suffered a severe dropoff lately. What does PECOTA draw that information from? He's never posted that high of an OPS in his entire minor league career (excluding extremely small sample sizes). His minor league career numbers are: .281/.340/.371

Ryan Theriot, Jacque Jones and Cliff Floyd

If the 25th roster spot came down to Steve Finley, Angel Pagan or Ronny Cedeno, I think I'd take Finley.

I don't think I ever commented on Lou's steal efficiency in any thread. I certainly don't recall commenting on Lou's steal efficiency.

Likewise. :D

That's specious reasoning. An AB can have multiple outcomes that result in a runner reaching without an out. A stolen base attempt has 2 outcomes. Soriano had a 68% success rate stealing last season. He had 3 net SB's. That's bad. It is a bad idea, with few exceptions, to take a runner at 2nd and have him try and steal 3rd. That's my point soccer, the few exceptions and I have never said all the time. You pick your spots and the post BbB just made gives me more confidence that Lou will do just that. What point did I make? I haven't made a single post in this thread until now.

What is wrong with how Floyd performed two years ago? Nothing, if you don't mind how Sosa performed 2 years ago. :wink:

Who? Oh, you mean the best lead off hitter the Cubs have had in the 21st century.

That's who I'm voting for. Fred McGriff (the human statue) for runner up.

I'm going into the season with an optimistic approach, but a nervously optimistic approach. Last year, I think I predicted that they would finish 4th. 1st is definitely within their reach this year. I think I'll wait and see how healthy they are at the end of ST before I make any bold predictions, however. I haven't had a lot of positive things to say about the Cubs the last several years. This offseason, I haven't had many negative things to say about this team, and when the first umpire screams "Play Ball", I think I'll be very excited about this team. It's good to be able to say that again.

Tell us how you really feel, Rotoworld... Rotoworld: Attention Nationals fans: You suck I think they already knew it. And why did I think Cleveland signed Belliard earlier in the off season? They traded for Josh Barfield.

The draft is less thanDavid Newhan a week away. Everyone should be working diligently to find Dee Brown those lightning in a bottle guys with their first pick. Vlady is very subliminal at best.

Vlad won't be picked in the first round. He had a horrible season last year. He will continue his regression in 2007. There are plenty of GOOD outfielders (Dee Brown, So Taguchi, David Newhan, Larry Bigbie) to pick from in the early rounds. You should expect Vlady to be available somewhere in the 3rd or 4th round. He wouldn't be a horrible pick up in the 2nd round, I suppose.

Do you think Spring Training is the best indicator of what a player will do at the major league level for that season? Because I can give you an extensive list of players who did well in Spring Training and then did nothing at the major league level. Angel Pagan got a job last year because of his Spring Training. Should Angel play over Murton? Now, Spring Training is good and all, but what is it really when you compare it to the grind of a long baseball season? #1. It's played in Arizona, where it's 80+ degrees everyday and there is little to no humidity and the ball travels very far when it is hit. When does Chicago have that kind of playing condition? Never? Once in a blue moon? #2. Spring Training is when pitchers are for the first time stretching themselves out. Starters don't make it past 3 or 4 innings until the very end of Spring Training. Even then, they aren't throwing their best stuff over and over to tax their arms before the season even starts. #3. Because pitchers are only going a small handful of innings, crappy pitchers who are trying to make big league rosters are lobbing balls up there for hitting pleasure. #4. Scouting reports on where to play guys defensively? Probably not a huge emphasis on that, therefore balls can find holes that might not be holes during the regular season. I'm sure there's plenty more that others can add. Spring Training is for getting everybody in good playing shape, work on fundamentals and maybe, just maybe get a good look at someone to fill a roster spot if there is an opening. The only opening on the Cubs 25 man roster is the 25th man, IMO. Murton or Floyd are not the 25th man. Murton and Floyd is depth, and I do like that. It's something Cubs outfields have not had in a very long time. While it is a problem finding playing time for all the outfielders, it's a much better problem to have than to not have depth at all. Murton has proven he is a major league caliber player. He doesn't need spring training to prove anything. As far as playing time, it's up to Lou Piniella to find plenty of playing time for all 4 outfielders, and the ones who are playing the best deserve the most playing time.

Here is the list of free agents signed with Tampa for the year in question: Brian Buchanan Brandon Larson Josh Phelps Steve Cox Alex Gonzalez Danny Bautista Shane Halter Roberto Alomar Travis Lee Alex Sanchez Damon Hollins Luis Ordaz Dee Brown Michael Restovich Eric Munson Charles Johnson The point of signing Roberto Alomar? So Lou wouldn't have to play some kid named Jorge Cantu at 2b. Luckily for Jorge, Alomar retired.

So when was the last time it happened in a full season? I'm way too lazy to look it up.

Murton is clearly the best choice. He has patience to draw the walk. He hits the ball to all fields, which makes him a great hit and run candidate with runners on base, and he makes great contact. He would probably be excellent at hitting the holes with Soriano running. DeRosa would be the 2nd best option. Jones would probably be the third best. If Theriot won a starting job, he might be the best overall. I wouldn't bat Barrett 2nd. When Lee and Ramirez are cranking doubles, I want someone with a little more speed than the guy crouching behind the plate all day scoring from 1st. Since Murton won't play all that often compared to someone like DeRosa, I'd probably prefer DeRosa. I'd like consistency at the top of the order.

No one on the team drew more than 50. I wonder how far back you would have to go with every team in MLB to find a team that had no players draw more than 50 walks. I found one without looking too hard. The Padres best base on baller in 1994 only drew 48 walks. But, they only played 117 games that year.

One article isn't enough for me to write the guy off. But, "feeling a little bit better" as opposed to my original thoughts isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.

Speaking of Billy Mueller, I wonder what his status is? There really hasn't been much mention of him anywhere. He got hurt with the Dodgers last year and I haven't heard from him since. He's not listed on the 40 man roster with LA. Betemit is penciled in at 3b in LA. Is he done? If he's healthy and not under contract, he'd make a great 25th man. He can play 2b, 3b and would be very solid off the bench. Whoops. Nevermind. It appears he retired in November and will earn his salary for 2007 as a special assistant to Ned Colletti.

Coomer logged quite a bit of time at 3b that year too. Was that the year Mueller got hurt?