C.C.

I would hate a manager like that. A manager should have to explain himself to the GM when asked, unless the GM is asking him about every little thing. If Joe can't handle a superior asking him why he did something it doesn't speak well for his ability to work within the hierarchy of an organization. I agree with you goon. The more I read about Girardi, the more I sour on him as manager of the Cubs.

I'm not sure what that means, but you only have to look at 2003, when Prior was healthy, the kind of numbers he put up. The 2nd half of 2003 he was just dealing... I also look back to 2003 when he simply crumbled on the mound in game 6 of the NLCS. Prior doesn't have the killer instinct on the mound that Z has. Crumbled? Gonzo was the one that crumbled? I think you have your history of that game confused...BTW what did Z do in the playoffs that year?

I'm not sure what that means, but you only have to look at 2003, when Prior was healthy, the kind of numbers he put up. The 2nd half of 2003 he was just dealing...

Still dosen't look good for Joe in florida.... http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/15503087.htm Baseball officials close to the situation say the main issue has been this: Loria likes his organization run collectively, with the front office having input beyond player procurement. And too often, Girardi has resisted those suggestions, causing a significant strain between him and the front office, including GM Larry Beinfest. ''It has been a constant fight,'' one of the officials said. Also For much of the season, Girardi's approach, according to one of the officials, has been ''very controlling, like I'll run this team the way I want to run this team.'' When front-office officials ask Girardi after games why he made certain decisions, he hasn't been particularly responsive, which also has been an issue.

True, but a team dosent have a chance to go to the playoffs every year. This is probably the Twins year to win the world series. I think their pitching is solid(specially in the bullpen). Their lineup produces enough runs to win a game every day. Twins are my favorites to win the World Series if they make it to the playoffs. I agree if you have a chance to get to the playoffs and contend for a ring you do anything you can to get there...

No doubt! But Healthy is the key word here...

When a team makes 5 errors you have no business winning the game.

Man, I hope your right because I miss the Prior of old. He basically has been out all year with this injury...I just hope it heals properly in the offseason. I just have a feeling that sugery is just around the corner. I'm no doctor, but I find it strange that a sore shoulder would keep you out for a year. Yeah, me too. I just can't for the life of me figure out how a pitcher like that would end up needing surgery along those lines. We all know he was overworked in 2003, but he's shown he still had it outside of those random onfield injuries since then. Why now? What happened between the end of last year and spring training that wrecked him? I think him being sick in the offseason and possibly bad off-season workout habits all contribute to this. When was the last time we heard news about him? Kinda strange eh?

Man, I hope your right because I miss the Prior of old. He basically has been out all year with this injury...I just hope it heals properly in the offseason. I just have a feeling that sugery is just around the corner. I'm no doctor, but I find it strange that a sore shoulder would keep you out for a year. If indeed it is his shoulder? Who knows!

What makes you confident? I was confident he would be back this year and was wrong. I'm done being confident... Because this is the only year where he's had problems like this, and given what we know about what kind of pitcher it is it's highly unlikely he'll be plagued with the same type of year so soon short of another fluke injury. If he gets hit by another ball or player again, hey, there's not much you can do to avoid that. You subtract those two injuries, his extended DL time is pretty minimal outside of this year and whenever he has been back, again, outside of this year, he's been really good to excellent. But what's problem? We still don't know exactly is wrong with him? Is it his shoulder? How serious is it? He's still not healthy and I'm not so sure this same problem won't plague him next year.

his control is questionable. he needs to pitch at least a half a season at aaa imo. mateo & marshall are more likely to contribute in 07 imo. Guzman would be best served as a long man/spot starter. He needs control and to stay healthy...

What makes you confident? I was confident he would be back this year and was wrong. I'm done being confident...

Sure...Duke was 43-17 with a 2.38ERA and Rich Hill was 19-19 3.90ERA. Why can't you compare the two again? So did you not read what he said, or did you do that on purpose? Duke had a Minor League K/9 of 7.25, Hill's is an obscene 12.59. I didn't read the K part...Sorry 'bout that...I thought it said look at their minor league stats... I'm just saying you can't rely on a guy to be your 2-3 starter that has had a good 2 month run. Maybe not a 2 or a 3 starter for next year, but if he's not in the rotation to start the season, something is seriously wrong. Hill has earned a spot in the opening rotation for 2007. He'll be in the rotation in 2007 no doubt!

Sure...Duke was 43-17 with a 2.38ERA and Rich Hill was 19-19 3.90ERA. Why can't you compare the two again? So did you not read what he said, or did you do that on purpose? Duke had a Minor League K/9 of 7.25, Hill's is an obscene 12.59. I didn't read the K part...Sorry 'bout that...I thought it said look at their minor league stats... I'm just saying you can't rely on a guy to be your 2-3 starter that has had a good 2 month run. So are you siding with Goony and saying we have to go out and sign a #2, #3, and #4? Regardles if you think Hill is a 2,3,4, or 5th starter you still need a 3 more starters right? Unless you are counting on Prior to be healthy...

Sure...Duke was 43-17 with a 2.38ERA and Rich Hill was 19-19 3.90ERA. Why can't you compare the two again? So did you not read what he said, or did you do that on purpose? Duke had a Minor League K/9 of 7.25, Hill's is an obscene 12.59. I didn't read the K part...Sorry 'bout that...I thought it said look at their minor league stats... I'm just saying you can't rely on a guy to be your 2-3 starter that has had a good 2 month run.

I got lost somewhere along the way here. Anyway, the Cubs do have enough money to get a couple of good starting pitchers this offseason. What they must do is cut bait on expensive, but unproductive players, elsewhere, and stay away from wasting a million here and there on roster filler, when $350,000 guys can do the same job. Whether or not Hill pitches the third game of the season is irrelevent to me. I just feel like a lot of people are going overboard in what they think he's likely to do next season, along the lines of those who thought Murton was a shoe-in 850 OPS guy and Cedeno was going to be great. You have to build contigencies into your team, and plan for setbacks. You can't build teams with too high of expectations for individual players, otherwise you are setting your team up for failure, in terms of meeting your expectations. A perfect example of this is Zach Duke. He was 8-2 with a 1.81 ERA last year. He was counted on to be their number 3 starter this year, and so far he's 9-13 with a 4.68 ERA. There's a lesson to be learned here. Hill should be counted on nothing more but a 5th starter. duke & hill are totally different types of pitchers. look at duke's minor leauge k's compared to hill's. perhaps two of the twins pitchers would be a better comparision-santana & liriano. not to say that hill is going to be one of the best lefties in baseball but he certainly has the stuff to do so. Sure...Duke was 43-17 with a 2.38ERA and Rich Hill was 19-19 3.90ERA. Why can't you compare the two again?

I got lost somewhere along the way here. Anyway, the Cubs do have enough money to get a couple of good starting pitchers this offseason. What they must do is cut bait on expensive, but unproductive players, elsewhere, and stay away from wasting a million here and there on roster filler, when $350,000 guys can do the same job. Whether or not Hill pitches the third game of the season is irrelevent to me. I just feel like a lot of people are going overboard in what they think he's likely to do next season, along the lines of those who thought Murton was a shoe-in 850 OPS guy and Cedeno was going to be great. You have to build contigencies into your team, and plan for setbacks. You can't build teams with too high of expectations for individual players, otherwise you are setting your team up for failure, in terms of meeting your expectations. A perfect example of this is Zach Duke. He was 8-2 with a 1.81 ERA last year. He was counted on to be their number 3 starter this year, and so far he's 9-13 with a 4.68 ERA. There's a lesson to be learned here. Hill should be counted on nothing more but a 5th starter.

He did kind of hinted at that, if I'm not mistaken, but your giving Lee more years.

And, for this year anyway, it was probably a good move by the Dodgers. According to BP's stats, a SS who adds 6.2 wins is worth $11.75 million. Furcal has been good for 6.9 so far, and the season isn't over yet. There was a minority that believed the Dodgers made a smarter offer than the Cubs; the Dodgers might be paying more per year than the Cubs offered, but they're paying less overall, and they're getting what should be his best remaining years. I agree I couldn't understand why the Cubs wouldn't match it??? I would rather pay more for his prime years...I still think that was a huge mistake. I remember in the Cubs Convention Hendry said 13 million per year is way too much to pay for a leadoff hitter, but the Cubs offered 5/50. 5/50 or 3/39...It's all relative isn't it?

i really don't think that ramirez will get 15 mil per, i really don't. the dogers might inflate his asking price a bit, but i'm not worried that we won't match it, we're already planning on paying him like 11 mil, right? what's another couple of mil to keep one of your best hitters? I also didn't believe that Furcal can get 13 million per year, but he did...

I think Hendry might go to 4/50, but Hendry knows he needs to sign at least ARam and an expensive pitcher, so any other free agents might be the cheaper variety (Durham, Loretta, Craig Wilson, etc.) The Cubs will bid just enough to finish 2nd or 3rd place in the FA market.

And somehow the Cubs still lose! 1-0 ...an error 3 BB's in the 9th thats how it would go down. And the funny thing about it is nobody would even be shocked. It would be just another loss this year.

Everything I've been reading is he's staying in Washington.

And somehow the Cubs still lose!

Hill is the only reason I'll be watching this game. C'mon Hill!