LoneStarCubFan

He gets a pass because since he's been a Cub he's been really, really good. He's built up enough benefit of doubt. Jones had been bad for 3 years, and hasn't been good with us. So ARam carries no blame for the current funk because he's been good before? Gee, that make sense. Everyone on the team is responsible for this start. However, Aramis will very likely rebound. We have 3 years of track record to go on. Jones doesn't have anywhere near that ability or track record. Combine that with his contract, his idiotic baserunning and whining anout fans, and there you go. After last night he's got every reason to complain about the fans. He's treated them better than they deserve. And if you listened to the interview when he supposedly "whined" aboout the fans, you'd know he wasn't really whining. But hey, believe what you want.

Nobody is acting like he killed somebody. But your pathetic defense of him for "getting doubled off base a few times" is laughable. Jacque Jones was a terrible signing. Jacque Jones has played very poorly for the Cubs. Jacque doesn't have any kind of positive track record with the Cubs. And Jacque whined about fan treatment from day 1. He deserves a huge share of the blame. And trying to defend one pathetic player by citing the pathetic play of others is a terrible way to deflect negative attention from that player. I'm sorry your life is so miserable you have to take out your frustrations on anonymous people on a message board. Jacque Jones is not to blame for Jim Hendry offering him a three-year deal. Jacque Jones is not to blame for The Village Idiot managing this team not being able to comprehend the fact Jones is a platoon player. Jacque Jones is currently out-performing, among others, the Cubs' higher-priced third baseman despite the fact he's a platoon player playing every day. Jacque Jones shares equally in the blame for the Cubs current failures. If he should be traded to Baltimore for Corey Patterson so should ARam and any number of other guys on this roster. I'm sorry if I've offended your oh-so delicate sensibilities by pointing out the foolishness of your juvenile hatred of Jacque Jones. And I'm sorry you're upset your white trash girlfriend was too drunk to hit him with that baseball last night.

He gets a pass because since he's been a Cub he's been really, really good. He's built up enough benefit of doubt. Jones had been bad for 3 years, and hasn't been good with us. So ARam carries no blame for the current funk because he's been good before? Gee, that make sense.

Heaping the blame for the Cubs' failures on Jacque Jones is beyond ridiculous. Acting like he done the equivalent of go on a tri-state killing spree by getting doubled off base a few times is childish at best. Especially when he's currently out performing ARam, who is making a hell of a lot more money and seems to be getting a pass on this. Direct your anger at the guy who gave him a three-year deal. And the guy who isn't smart enough to platoon him.

Give me a freaking break. Seriously, this is absurd. Name me another guy who got picked off 2nd 3 times in 2 weeks on the same exact freaking play. Quit making freaking excuses, this is ridiculous. I give you Moises Alou who, I believe, was making a hell of a lot more money at the time than Jones is now. So you're excuse for Jones getting picked off 3 times in 2 weeks is that Alou ran poorly when he was a Cub? Like I said, absurd. This pathetic excuse making for Jones is absolutely absurd. Umm... no. I was responding to you asking to find somebody else who had done this. Took me about five seconds. But hey, if you want to change the subject since I made you look like an idiot, go right ahead.

Give me a freaking break. Seriously, this is absurd. Name me another guy who got picked off 2nd 3 times in 2 weeks on the same exact freaking play. Quit making freaking excuses, this is ridiculous. I give you Moises Alou who, I believe, was making a hell of a lot more money at the time than Jones is now. Was it a good idea to give him 16 mil over three years? No. Is that Jones' fault? No. Would you rather have Jeromy Burnitz stumbling around in RF? I know I wouldn't. The only problem with Jones is that our idiot manager isn't smart enough to realize he should only be playing against right-handed pitching. One of the 350 second basemen we have on the roster should platoon with him in RF. Play Hairston against lefties and Jones against righties. And ban that drunk skank from Wrigley for life.

Unless you're pouring a beer on Lenny Dykstra or Jim Edmonds, there is absolutely no excuse for throwing anything at a player. I cannot believe the Cubs didn't press charges against this drunk skank. She should be banned from Wrigley for life. And people need to lay the hell off of Jones and stop acting like he's the only guy who has ever been doubled off base in a game. It happens. Especially when a team is slumping and people are trying to make things happen. You take chances and sometimes they backfire. Where was Chris Speier in that situation? Why are the Cubs collectively playing like the dumbest team in baseball for the third year in a row? Hint: It's not because of Jacque Jones.

Bynum LF Perez SS Walker 1B Jones CF Mabry RF Hairston 2B Theriot 3B Blanco C Rusch P You had me until I got to the pitcher. I could totally see Dusty doing something like this.

Line-ups?

Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio

At one point there was a division with the Cubs, Marlins, Pirates and Nationals (Expos)

Yeah, making his second rehab start of the season...

Thank God for Pittsburgh

Baker's not going to use Blanco and Barrett in the same line-up. My guess is Mabry plays first base, Walker DH's and Neifi continues to suck deluxe at 2B. When a lefty is on the mound, Walker plays first, Hairston DHs and Neifi continues to suck deluxe at 2B. Meanwhile, Ryan Theriot moves into his new home in Helena, Mont. after entering the Witness Protection Program.

I guess the question is, how will Dusty manage to overwork an eight-man bullpen before Wood gets back.

I'm not sure that's enough. I just don't see Hendry firing him.

For the remainder of the season you have to clean up the roster as best you can. 1. Find a RH platoon option for Jones. 2. Play Mabry at first and Walker at 2B against RH until Lee gets back. 3. Eat Neifi's salary and send him on his way. 4. Play Theriot at 2B when Walker is at 1B against LH until Lee gets back. 5. Put Cedeno in the No. 1 spot and leave him there. 6. Eat Rusch's contract or get what you can for him. 7. Bullpen should be: Dempster, Howry, Eyre, Williamson, Novoa, Ohman 8. Fix the freakin' bench. When Lee gets back it should look like this: Blanco, Hairston, Mabry, RH OF Platoon TBA, Pagan, anybody but Neifi or Bynum 9. If this team is nowhere near the division lead or the WC by late July, call up Pie, put him in center and leave him there. Deal Pierre at the deadline. 10. Assuming Prior comes back, I'm not sure what I'd do with Miller when he's ready. Bullpen I guess with Novoa going to Iowa. 11. Offseason- Use all the excess pitching to find a fix for right field, decide what you want to do at 2B, re-evaluate Cedeno at SS. If there is a better long-term option, make a change.

And what do the Cubs do with the two prospects they already have at 1B?

Not only no but hell no.

Actually I have a huge problem with even offering a first year to Perez. Brian Giles wasn't coming to Chicago. He wasn't going anywhere but San Diego. That ship has sailed. People need to get over that one. In what I would call typical Cub luck, when the finally had the money to spend on big-ticket free agents, there weren't any worth spending the money on. Although, if they had signed Furcal Lee might not be on the DL. Of course everybody would be screaming they should have passed on Furcal and let Cedeno play.

You know, I was actually thinking about that the other day. There are some similarities between the two situations. A lackadaisical manager, a fairly young team, Juan Pierre leading off, a capable 2nd baseman, D. Lee, and the potential for a whole lot of pitching (if and when it gets healthy). Not that it is probable or even remotely likely, but it gives you a little something positive to think about. Unfortunately, there isn't a potential ML ready superstar at AAA. Felix Pie please pick up the white courtesy phone

I'd take our projected starting infield (Lee, Walker, Cedeno, ARam) over that infield. I'd take Barrett over Miller. But I'd take Alou over Jones and Lofton over Pierre.

The Trib bought the Cubs in 1981. They're working on 25 years of futility at this point. Since 1982 the Cubs have been to the NLCS three times. The only teams who have made fewer appearances in that span are: Philly- 2 (went to WS both times) San Diego- 2 (went to WS both times) Cincinnati- 2 (swept in one NLCS, won one WS) Fla- 2 (won two WS) Arizona- 1 (won WS) Even the teams with fewer playoff appearances have all appeared in at least one WS since 1982 and all but two have won a World Series. Two of baseball's most recent expansion teams have won three World Series since 1997. Only Milwaukee (an AL team until a few years ago), the Rockies (an expansion team), and the Expos/Nationals (who would have won their division in 94) have not been to the NLCS in that span. And Milwaukee was in the World Series in 1982.

He's taking ground balls at first base. Should be ready next week.