JGalt73

I'll second this. An amazing rotation in the playoffs is helpful, but no guarantee of success. How much help would this provide for winning the division? Would we win it anyway? Would you trade for one or two post season starts? I'm not sure how to evaluate that one.

This analysis is less optimistic than Will Carroll about the location of the injury...

Per David Pinto's Baseball Musings: Inning OBA SPct 1st .318 .464 2nd .362 .462 3rd .370 .456 4th .377 .481 5th .374 .458 6th .371 .480 7th .380 .478 8th .379 .388 9th .302 .373

The Cubs should lose <2 games due to Soriano's absence. Soriano's bat is contributing about .2 runs/game (BP's MLVr). Over 40 games: ~8 runs. If you include a hot streak or 2 to add to those numbers, it's still very unlikely to cost more than 20 runs. Whatever production is gotten from the replacements only mitigates these losses.

DeRosa 18.5 VORP in 239 PA Roberts 19.2 VORP in 270 PA Also... Cedeno 5.3 VORP Gallagher 5.1 VORP

When inter-league schedules were compared to start the season, the Cubs looked to have an easy go, but at this point in the season they have the toughest opponents of the NL Central contenders with only 1 series vs. a currently sub-.500 team. Those upstart White Sox (predicted at 78-84) and Jays (predicted 77-85) along with the blossoming Rays make this a formidable mix. Team and (BP's 3rd order win percentage - component and SOS based) Cubs Inter-league June 3 @ Blue Jays .546 3 @ Tampa Bay .573 3 vs. White Sox .540 3 vs. Orioles .486 3 @ White Sox .540 Opponents' third order win %: .537 Brewers Inter-League 3 @ Red Sox (swept 0-3) .586 3 vs. Twins .446 3 vs. Blue Jays .546 3 vs. Orioles .486 3 @ Twins .446 Opponents' third order win %: .502 Cardinals Inter-League 3 vs. Tampa Bay (2-1) .573 3 vs. Royals .441 3 @ Boston .586 3 @ Detroit .478 3 @ Royals .441 Opponents' third order win %: .504

Hmmm... since when has he been in a slump?

Is Jon Lieber still on the team?

Baseball Prospectus - Tuesday June 03, 2008 1:00 PM ET chat session with Len Kasper. Len Kasper is the television play-by-play man for the Chicago Cubs, and a longtime BP reader who raises the bar by bringing performance analysis to the booth. He stops by to talk baseball and broadcasting. link

:D

I think his major adjustment was hitting with a 15MPH wind at his back.

1969 Cubs through May 32-16 (+82 run differential) finished 92-70 1977 Cubs through May 28-16 (+35 run differential) finished 81-81 1984 Cubs through May 37-20 (+35 run differential) finished 96-85 1985 Cubs through May 37-17 (+32 run differential) finished 77-84 1998 Cubs through May 37-20 (+15 run differential) finished 90-73 2008 Cubs through today 34-21 (+89 run differential) finished ???

I can only assume at this point that it makes TOO much sense for Lou and Hendry. It's such an obvious move that they automatically don't trust it, and kind of fear it. I never thought of that, but that's the most likely explanation. It's too good to be true - we can't possibly have a great offense with a young guy struggling to adjust to the majors, so it must not be possible, even though logic dictates that our total offense wouldn't suffer if your replaced a horribly-performing vet with a less-horribly-performing young player. I'm ultimately at a loss to explain it. I don't think they're stupid men...surely they can look at stats and see that Felix so far this year would at least match the horrible performances they've gotten from Edmonds and Johnson against RHP. Why is it tolerated out of veterans, but it's completely unacceptable ad treated as if it's "hurting the team" if it's a kid learning the ropes who has shown after he adjusts he succeeds at every level so far? There's asbolutely no logical excuse. I wonder what it is that we are all missing? Is there a hidden (to outsiders) character/work ethic issue - hence the need to play up Sam Fuld as a viable option, bring in Reed Johnson, sign Edmonds? Or is all of this really an innate Cub management distrust of Pie's skills? If they really distrust his skills, then it would seem logical to trade him to a team that believes in him while his value is high. Or do the Cubs really not buy into minor league stats? Is Hendry hoping that winning now with Soto (and Theriot) absolves his bigger player development failures? I am at a complete loss with the Pie saga, and as it seems, so are many others.

Gotta get a DP one of these times...

A moment of silence please for the demise of the two-time defending-CWS champion Oregon State Beavers. http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2007/06/24/oregonstatex-large.jpg

I'm not sure what's worse the strike 'em out, throw 'em out DP with no outs or the inning-ending type. I guess the former is more deflating, but...

He just kinda stood there He gave this kinda half-assed jump attempt, idk what that was about. Thanks to all for the color commentary - I have an all too vivid image now! (Maholm on pace for an 81 pitch CG?)

So if it indeed hit the wall (I'm on audio), how does Soriano not catch it?

Fukudome vs. Righties .315/.411/.438 Fukudome vs. Lefties .293/.434/.415 Yep - best to bat him 6th vs. those southpaws?

Good ole Dusty...

The legend grows. Nice!

Don't you want to keep Berkman righty?

97 pitches through 7 - needs some quick innings. How many did Buchholtz throw last year? 115

97 pitches through 7 - needs some quick innings.