Bench Coach

Yeah, blame Dusty. Because Dusty is the reason we don't have a solid bullpen, and a solid proven left fielder. Next time you call out Dusty put up some facts.

Soriano would be an impact bat. As long as we didn't have to give up too much I'm for it. I would like to keep Hollandsworth if possible. I'm willing to deal Patterson and Hill, and other prospects. Murton should be kept, however.

The Cubs have finally filled the 3B hole that opened when Santo left, now is not the time to open that up again. I would love to get Manny, but I'm not trading any of our real marguee guys, like A-Ram, Nomar, Lee, Prior, Wood, Z, Maddux, Burnitz, or Walker for him. Since I doubt the Red Sox would go for a stable of young prospects for one of the best RBI men in the game. It won't happen.

I wonder who's next on the booing list too. Oh yeah guys absolutely, I mean, Murton's played in a whole 12 games this year so he's definitely proven himself. (he said sarcastically) Look I like Murton, but he's a rookie. You don't send a raw rookie brought up from AA out there everday. They're not ready. I can think of only two guys who could do that: Pujols and Prior. Guys like Pujols and Prior aren't exactly run of the mill. He needs to learn. He's not taking credit, the media asked him about Murton and he replied truthfully. It's his job to put players in matchups where they will succeed. Despite what many people think being a Major League manager is more than sitting on the bench eating sunflower seeds. He's got to decide wat the best lineup from day to day is, and thats not always easy. Once again, everyone is attempting to scapegoat Dusty. The Cubs problems are a young shaky bullpen, and the sometimes lack of a good leadoff hitter. Firing Dusty isn't going to put a good veteran reliever in the pen, or Johnny Damon in the leadoff spot. Why does everyone on this site think firing Dusty would magically solve all the Cubs problems?

Thats because he's a good guy, and one of the team leaders. By the way, you better not be ragging on Mark Grace.

Not to nitpick, but The trade is pretty even financially either way. The Cubs are paying 1.8 mil to Hairston and 15.5 to Sosa, 17.3 total. Had they just kept Sosa, they would have owed him 17.875 mil. Add in the fact that Burnitz likely would not have been signed for 5 mil if not for the deal, and I don't think you can make the argument the Cubs would be paying more this year with Sosa. The question still remains would you rather be paying him that money to hit .230 for the Orioles or us?

There was no profanity in the post. There might have been a glitch. Anyway it doesn't really matter.

If a post is deleted,as one of mine appears to have been from the transactions forum and the "time to be sellers thread", I think an exolanation should be presented. The post in question was meant as a joke, commenting on the "doomsday" mentality many members of this site have. It was not meant to offend the author of the post, or any other poster. IT WAS A JOKE! I don't take the deletion of the post personally, or anything, however I would like to know why it was deleted.

I'm not eactly sure where to start piakcing apart this post, so I'll just start at the top. Baker, Nomar, Wood, and Patterson aren't the sole, or even biggest, reasons the Cubs aren't 10-15 games over five hundred. The reasons are: 1. The lack of a true leadoff hitter, before Hairston was placed there (yes, Patterson does tie into this). 2. An extremely inconsistent young bullpen. Those are by far our two biggest problems. Blaming Dusty, Wood, Nomar, and Patterson in some sort of blind rage is easy, but it's also wrong. You're scapegoating, when, in reality, the Cub's problems run much deeper than a top caliber pitcher who has been abused prior to joining the big leagues, a center fielder that was taught to be a power hitter all through the minor leagues and only now has been told to be a leadoff hitter, a perenial all-star shortstop who has won abatting title who tore amuscle from his groin andn (rather than sitting on his money) is now rehabbing in an attempt to rejoin the Cubs and contribute down the stretch, and a manager who you personally don't like even though he has carried to the NLCS, and back to back winning seasons for the first time in a long time. As far as the Sosa deal, would you rather pay him $20 mil (or whatever it would be) to bat .230 for us, or $15 mil (or whatever it is) to bat .230 for the Orioles. We've been through this already on this sight, there was NO better deal out there, especially after the video of him leaving the clubhouse early surfaced. Early in the season, Baker was batting Neifi and Patterson at the top of the order. Last year, Patterson had initial success in the lead off spot, and was told to prepare to be a leadoff man this year. That expiriment, at least for the moment, has failed. That's on Patterson not Dusty. Neifi was on fire for several months, and putting him at the top was logical. He has cooled off significantly since then. Yes Dusty like to play veterans, like Perez, over rookie's like Cedeno. This is a GOOD philospophy. Dusty is having to choose between experience and raw talent. Nobody knows how Cedeno would handle being a starter in the Big leagues, and the middle of a race for the wild card isn't the time to find out. I like young players too, but they have to prove themselves before I put blind faith in them like you do. Nomar Garcipara is a superstar, and deservedly so. He got injured, and has a recent history of injury. HE"S A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE! He's going to be injured. Hopefully his groin muscle is fully healed, because when health he is one of the best hitters EVER. Kerry Wood was overused by his High School coach, laying the foundation for the shoulder structural problems he has tody. His mechanics are much smoother now, taknig strain off that shoulder. Still, he went down again with shoulder tightness recently. After the season he may have a procedure like Matt Morriss did last year to repair some of the damage. This may be a good idea, because when healthy this guy is one of the best. His arm problems, at best, are only partially his fault, with others like his highschool Coach carrying much more of the blame. You blame Baker for Corey Patterson's struggles. Obviously you don't know much about how FARM SYSTEMS work. In the minor leagues he was trained to be a run producer, power hitter. He was told all along he would be a run producer, power hitter. He wants to be a run producer power hitter. Now, suddenly, he's ordered to be a leadoff man, a very differnt style of hitting. Patterson has neither the skills or desire to be a power hitter, and Dusty Baker is too busy being the MANAGER of a big league team to snap the kid into shape. If he will ever be a leadoff hitter, he will learn it in the minors for a minor league hitting coach, not a big league MANAGER. I'm sorry, but I'm really getting tired of people lashing out about problems with the Cubs, and blaming anyone and everyone in sight. One man cannot solve all the woes of the Cubs. Firing Dusty would signify the end for our bid to reach the post season this year. Do you really want to do that? We need bullpen help, and for Hairston and Walker to continue to produce at the top of the order. Nomar may provide a seruious spark should he return (I hope! I hope!). Kerry Wood is still a top level starter. He needs to watch himself the rest of the season, and, if necessary, get surgery to clean up some of the scar tissue in his shoulder. In the mean time he should be on a pitch count the rest of the season.

If your right about this...whoa.

He's bluffing. He doesn't want to sound desperate.

Joe Buck is ok, but McCarver just echos what Buck says, and twists the words a little bit.

http://cs-people.bu.edu/nrusso/yankeesSuckKid.jpg Our Red Sox brethern raise 'em right.

I'd try for Patterson, and some pitching prospects, for Tom Gordon.

I hope this is true.

Mark Grace is one of my favorite human beings of all time, therefore I'm glad he stayed with the Cubs as long as he did. Besides, wasn't Raffy traded because he slept with Sandberg's wife? Maybe thats not true, but thats what I heard from Rome.

Exactly.

Guys, Kearnes is hitting a whole .224. Lets try for a player with a batting average not hovering just above the Mendoza Line.

Thats like asking if you'd rather be shot in the head or the belly.

We're not out of this yet. Our bullpen needs shoring up, and obviously getting Wagner would do that.

I think he's a Canadian. Isn't he from Curacao?

A-Rod can play for the DR. Lets just make A-Ram a U.S. citizen and get him on the U.S. team. The American infeild could be Rolen(or A-Ram if we get on it), Garciapara\Jeter, Kent, and Lee. Thats a great infeild. Our starting pitching staff would be Prior, Wood, Clemens(if he hasn't retired), Sheets, Schilling. I don't think the Dominican would dominate. By the way, Puerto Rico isn't technically a country so why do they have their own team?

This isn't likely, but I would love for the Cubs to trade for Wagner. I know Dempster has been doing a great job, but we could just insert Wagner as a setup man, or vice versa. Or even move Dempster back into the rotation, but then we'd have to find another reliable bullpen pitcher.

I think he'd look good in blue... http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2004/10/31/1099233767_3004.jpg

Milton ripped off the Reds.