mul21

I'm off this weekend and had delusions of taking my three year old son to one of the Detroit games, but face value was out of our price range for an impromptu trip like this. I knew scalped tickets would be really high, but I had no idea teams jacked up playoff tickets that much. I'm pretty sure MLB dictates a lot of the pricing for the playoffs. Not that the teams wouldn't gouge you anyway, but it's not entirely their fault.

I really think you have to like the Dodgers chances. They have Brad Penny, who is great if he can keep his cool. Derek Lowe, who has the potential to pitch very well and has post season experience and then you've got Maddog who is liable to come up with a gem at just about any time. If they can score a few runs I see no reason why they shouldn't be the favorite in the NL.

You mean kinda like the Marlins did with Uggla this year? I mean I don't expect mid 20 HR numbers from Theriot, but if he can hit .280-.300 with a .350-.380 OBP there's no reason not to play him everyday. I don't think you can pencil him in at 2B next year, but a solid year next year in the minors gives him a shot to be a really good bench guy or a starter in the middle infield and a contributor to a good team.

My bad, I was just excited about Hill's start. The kid is looking really good and his recent performances have me feeling much better about our potential rotation next year. If we could land a top of the rotation FA pitcher, I think the staff could be quite good. Z FA -- Zito, Schmidt, The kid from Japan Prior Hill Miller However, I'm not sure any of those acquisitions is realistic. Schmidt is probably headed to Seattle, Zito is going to cost a ton, and the kid from Japan has other more likely suitors. It may be worth it to pay for Zito and I would be in favor of keeping Miller at the back of the rotation to make it work since he would probably come cheap. I really hope we don't go into next season with both Prior and Miller planned in the rotation. One should be the #5 starter the other is the backup plan. If Prior or Miller could pitch 180 innings next season in the #5 slot the Cubs should be in good shape. Like I said earlier, what spot Prior should be put in is pretty meaningless. If Prior can pitch, the rotation could look like: Zambrano Prior FA Hill Miller/Marshall/AAA pitcher That would mean we'd need a good #2 pitcher from FA. If you don't count on Prior for anything, you'd need a good #2, and a good #3. The problem is, what two FA pitchers are out there whose salaries we could pay, and would be better enough compared to the kids to justify getting them instead of spending money elsewhere? Unless you think the Cubs are going to get Zito and Schmidt or completely rebuild, I don't see how the team's offseason plans would be any different with Prior in as the #2 or on the DL. I guess what I'm saying is, how do you think the Cubs should act differently than they would if they assumed Prior would be back? I don't think they need to act differently, because Prior shouldn't be asumed to have anything better than #5 starter stuff if/when he pitches next year. If you go about it that way, you have this: Z FA Hill FA or young guy/Miller Prior or young guy/Miller Whatever you get from Prior is a bonus and I think between Marshall, Mateo, Marmol and whoever else you want to throw in there you would have an acceptable back end of the rotation even without Prior. The biggest issue at this point is finding some offense without getting rid of the guys who are developing (Murton in particular).

I never said the Cubs aren't "one of the worst run organizations in professional sports", I'm saying they are not THE worst organization, but just ONE of the worst run orgnizations. There's a difference, Jeff. They are bad, but there are in the collection of really bad organizations, and you are singling them as they are the ONLY team that is run badly.[/u] I'm not singling them out. There are many franchises that are poorly run. However, none are run as poorly as the Chicago National League Ball Club. So you are saying the Knicks and their $120 million dollar team salary (over half are generously gift to the BACKCOURT and are about 60 or so million over the tax line) ain't nearly as badly runned organization as the Cubs? Why don't you, Jeff take a peek at some of the newspapers clippings of the NY papers this past yr (or two yrs), and see if you don't change your perception that the Cubs are not the WORST run organization in sports, merely ONE of the worst run organizations in sports. In other words...the Knicks are RIGHT THERE, Jeff, as to being a poorly runned org. How hard is it to see the fact, Jeff? Who are you talking to??????? :D

It's really pretty simple baseball economics. Guys tend to get paid for what they have done, not what they are going to do. Plus, it's not easy to find guys who pitch 200+ inning every year without getting hurt and having a sub 4 ERA. I agree that he's not woth it, but that's just kind of the way the cookie crumbles.

As much as I can't stand him hitting 2nd, that was a nice turn on the DP by Bynum.

Leadoff solo shot.

That is a play Aram wouldn't have made a couple years ago.

Is the Southern league a pitcher's league that would account for the not so spectacular slugging %?

It's his biggest problem, definitely. He does have a good eye and takes a good share of walks. Looks like an Adam Dunn type player. Anybody have his minor league line handy?

Good to see our most patient hitters not playing against a guy who's given up more walks than Ks since coming to the NL.

I think arguably the best option is to let Pierre go, move Jones to CF and try to get the big bat for either corner OF position with Murton staying in the everyday lineup. We all know that Hendry won't do that, but I'm not the only one thinking this would be the way to go, assuming you can pick up Soriano or Lee or whatever other bat you can get to add offense to the middle of the order. I do agree with the thought that everyone is writing off Murton way too quickly. As you say, he is by far the most likely to improve his numbers next year and for years to come and it would be foolish to get rid of him for anything less than a very good every day player.

Get rid of Vick in both leagues. He's completely worthless. I think you may get laughed at for the 2 trades you proposed. They're both a little lopsided in your favor. If you can, pick up Mike Anderson in the league where you've got Lewis, I have a bad feeling about his hip and his age. Maybe look for him for team 4 as well. A little thin at RB in a couple of places, but without being able to see who's available, that doesn't look too bad.

I fell for your "ooh, click me" trick and found some loser with these numbers playing for a team called Iowa: 293/374/561/935 As did I. I also noticed the guy right above him who also plays for that Iowa team hitting .296/.375/.825 and playing 2B. Couldn't use that at the top of the order or anything........

First, it's probably best to start by distinguishing between weak protection and strong protection: http://www.baseball1.com/faqs/protection-faq.html I totally believe that weak protection exists, but I'm not sure what difference it would have made for Aramis, who normally hits behind Lee, anyway. If anything, having Aramis in the lineup makes pitchers less likely to walk Lee, but not vice versa. I don't believe in "strong protection" - at least, not on the big league level - and there's a good but long article on that here: http://www.baseball1.com/bb-data/grabiner/protstudy.html I think it relates to the fact that Lee being on base 38-40% of the time would result in Ramirez seeing better pitchesbecause the pitcher doesn't want to put another guy on base. No statistical backup, just something that makes sense to me.

he did have .891 in 04, & has .888 so far this year. not exactly .900 but close enough. he hits .300 with 30 hr & 100 rbi every year. not sure what he's worth but there aren't many guys out there available who put up those #'s and the cubs should have alot of cash to spend next year. i would rather see them over pay in salary than in prospects. Carlos Lee has only hit .300 for a full season twice in 7 full years and has been in the .260s 3 times. This year is the 4th straight he's hit 30 homers, but the big contract he'll get will put him at 34 or 35 by the end of it and he'll be an albatross to the payroll. Not to mention he's a butcher in the outfield. Would I like to see him in a Cubs uniform? Yeah, but not at the pricetag he'll demand.

The point is, Dusty is attemtpting to direct attention away from the crappy job he has done as the Cubs manager and put the focus on other things to make the city of Chicago, Cubs fans, Cubs management, and whoever else he sees fit look like the fall guys for him not being retained as the manger. He, as usual, is willing to accept zero blame for what's going onin a clubhouse that he is supposed to be great at controlling. (sorry for the rant but man this situation makes my blood boil)

Ceda is the guy we got for Walker right?

The only thing I agree with is that Dusty is far from the only problem with the Cubs. I'd like to see Hendry & MacPhail hit the road, too, but that seems unlikely this off-season. Apparently he's unable to do basic research either.

With a rookie pitching for the Cubs, I don't get it. You have to assume the 1-0 game in this ballpark with these two well rested pitching staffs. Just read this 2 hours after the game was over. Thought the irony was fairly amusing.

Does this guy have much of a future? Just looking at his numbers for the year, he appears to have decent control and Ks about 6.5/9. Haven't heard his name mentioned much and just wondered if any of the experts out there have any thoughts.

And throws 452 pitches in doing so, thereby rendering him armless for the rest of his natural life.

How is Murton the best hitter on this team? Barrett, Ramirez and Jones are clearly better (with Murton & Jones being somewhat close) See bold.....I think he was referring to the really good night Murton was having before our moronic manager had to get overly involved.

I'm not sure what the point of getting Catalanotto is. Murton is only a liability due to lack of power if there isn't another power bat added, which you have happenning with Shef and Soriano. Keep Murton in there, save the cash to throw at other FA or a deadline acquisition assuming we're in it. But I like the direction you're going. Certainly better than what Hendry will end up with.