BigbadB

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?

I think he was on that diet when he was a Cub.

We could probably nitpick the West Tennessee reference also. :D

No. Coomer didn't join the Cubs until 2001. He shared time at 1b with Matt Stairs.

Looks like it's the new Sun-Times beat writer for the Cubs, Gordon Wittenmyer. last year he covered the twins. on xm homeplate the other day he pretty much said he doesnt know anything about the cubs That makes me feel better about the guy. I'll wait until he learns a little bit about the Cubs before I give up on him. If he saw Rich Hill pitch, he'd probably be singing a different tune.

Who wrote it?

I agree with this sentiment. This team is in a position to make a huge turnaround from the 2006 season, and there's nothing better than seeing everyone in camp early to get a good head start on that turnaround.

That Arizona sun sure can be bright, too.

This may be more that The Powers That Be see DeRosa as a better RF backup or platoon option since he has experience there. I've heard that he has a good outfield arm. It would make more sense to have him play RF and Theriot 2B than the reverse if you want them both in the lineup. Eric Patterson will hopefully earn a look later this season. I'm all for positional flexibility when it makes sense. That's true, and I could see Piniella putting DeRosa in RF over Jones with Theriot coming in to play 2b against lefties. Man this team really needs another infielder. Theriot's sample size isn't really all that small. He's definitely earned an opportunity to show what he can do. Theriot just turned 27 in December, so it's not really fair to say he didn't make it until age 27. Brian Giles was 25 when he got his first decent sample size at the major league level. Paul LoDuca? 27. I'm sure there are many others. Will Theriot have an OBP over .400? Absolutely not. But, the guy gets on base at a very respectable level. 53 games is not a full season, but it's not just a total fluke either. DeRosa in RF while Theriot plays 2b against LHP is, IMO, a whole lot better than DeRosa at 2b, Jones in RF and Theriot on the bench.

Floyd, Murton, Jones, Soriano, Ward, DeRosa, Theriot, Pagan Pagan is not needed.

DeRosa>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Macias

Hmm. I thought he was. Maybe some spots will open up this spring with a trade of a bullpen arm that will give Hill or McGehee a chance to win a job.

I was always under the impression that Jones wanted to be traded, not that the Cubs wanted to trade him. Soriano plays nearly every game. Jones has played 159 games in CF at the major league level, with 5 errors and 11 assists. He makes for an adequate back up if Soriano needs to be rested for one reason or another. If they need something more than a temporary fill in, they can call up Pie. I did list Theriot 4th on the depth chart at 3b. If Hill made the team, Theriot would be 5th on the depth chart. If for some reason they had to go that deep at 3b, they could call up one of Moore, McGehee or Craig. Basically, I think with the guys that are currently locked into positions, they have 1 opening for the last bench spot, and I don't think it really matters all that much who it is. It could be a utility infielder like Hill or McGehee, or it could be Pagan. As long as it isn't Tomas Perez, I won't care all that much who gets the last spot from the group of Moore, McGehee, Hill or Pagan.