USSoccer

It's been said over and over on the radio broadcasts if not in print that Clines and Mathews wanted Murton to pull the ball more. These reports started about 2-3 weeks ago. It doesn't take a PhD to connect the dots on that one. Excuse me for not living in the Chicago area...I was unaware of such reports. No insult meant. I'm sorry if it came across that way.

It's been said over and over on the radio broadcasts if not in print that Clines and Mathews wanted Murton to pull the ball more. These reports started about 2-3 weeks ago. It doesn't take a PhD to connect the dots on that one.

And that's BK, with your "Depressing Cubs Stat of the Day!"

Why not call up Gallagher or Marmol? Option clock. Plus those 2 aren't likely to be ready. Marmol's clock is already ticking. Calling him up won't affect that. Really? I didn't know that.

No reason for Aramis to be 6th.

Why not call up Gallagher or Marmol? Option clock. Plus those 2 aren't likely to be ready.

Oh boy, Rusch. There's no difference between Hill and Rusch. Other than age. Why not call up Williams?

"Your 27 outs are your most valuable possesions"

No reason to trade for Willis. He's an arm surgery waiting to happen. If we're going to overpay for someone it's had better be Cabrera.

First off, you're assuming that either Philly or Baltimore would have made those deals straight up. IIRC Baltimore wanted another player from us. Second, you're also assuming we would have an above average pitcher in Prior's place. Who would that have been?

I toss a coin in the air five times, and it comes down heads five times. Therefore, whenever I toss the coin in the air again, there is a 100% chance that it will come down heads. You are one seriously illogical person. I think we can agree that 15 years is about the length of the average major league star player career. He's already about a third done with his. I don't see how that is comparable to flipping a coin. Maybe you or other people on this board use 20/20 hindsight, but I don't. As long as we get a player I like in return for Prior, I'd support the trade no matter what Prior does, just as I have done with the Patterson trade. You're missing the biggest flaw in your logic. Who would be pitching in Prior's place if you traded him? Hill, Rusch, Williams or Guzman.

What funny is that you're not seeing that if they had traded Prior, they'd have had the same 4 scrubs waiting to start in his place, adn we'd be right about where we are right now. And in regards to CA's post, I think he's found a reason bigger than our "offense" that we're struggling. In those 15 starts, we've been out of the game quickly in most of them.

Ridiculous. Neither Stone nor Brenly are idiots. JC, you think that Stone would be an effective GM? First, I was just pointing out that neither are idiots. I don't care for Brenly as a broadcaster, and would be horrified if he were to become manager of the Cubs. Despite my criticisms of him, he's no idiot. My thoughts on Stone are well documented. To answer your question, I wouldn't be opposed to giving Stone a shot. Stone has been remarkably on point with respect to talent evaluation, IMO. Furthermore, he seems adept at identifying club needs. I don't think he is as old school as has been asserted. At the very least, Stone appears to be open minded to me, such that at least there is a glimmer of hope he'd be more accepting of statistical analysis with the construction of a club. If I had my druthers, I'd just as soon have Stone return to the booth where he is eminently talented and qualified. I would also like to see him as a part of an ownership group before taking over a GM position. That's kind of what I figured you were saying, though I wasn't sure. For my part, I'd not want Stone near a position to dictate the roster. I wouldn't mind him in the booth, nor would I mind him being part of an ownership group. GM is a little much. I hated his trade idea with Aramis and Manny Ramirez last season, and I think he takes things way to personally tobe an effective GM. But that's just me. Brenly I'd want no part of as manager.

CA, I know you're not happy with Aramis, but if they dumped him the pitchforks would be justified. I'm iffy on Wood coming back, but I would understand letting him walk. I can see the argument you're making, but I think Hendry's failure is more philisophical than anything. I don't think you can win consistently with the kinds of players he prefers.

Ridiculous. Neither Stone nor Brenly are idiots. JC, you think that Stone would be an effective GM?

*seconded*

Is that Guillen in the middle of that mess? Wow. Way to get yourself suspended when our offense already sucks, Mike.

what happened to Aramis? Again.

So I forget to set my TiVo and miss a brawl. Typical. Is there a video anywhere of this?

Steve Stone would be a terrible, terrible GM. Just awful. Brenly isn't great either. I'd prefer a non recycled manager.

This is not going to be a pretty game. The Sox are going to kill us. I'm thinking 9-3. They are just a lot better than us.

I don't think ARam is untouchable anymore. I'd want him included in a firesale. This isn't a knee-jeck reaction in response to his failure to contribute since DLee went down. I been disgusted with his hustle, hitting, and leg injuries. I disagree, but whatever. He's legges out a couple IF hits, played good defense, and last year's leg injury was flukish. His hitting should come around. You don't give him up. If you did, unless you got a top 3B prospect you just create yet another hole for our "brilliant" GM to fill.

I doubt Aramis opts out.

I don't think we're any good. We're certainly not good enough to overtake 4 teams 8.5 back. Even at full strength we'd have needed luck. My guy Aramis has been MIA, but even if he's himself, we'd still be about where we are. Pierre has been terrible, just terrible. We have too many holes. Not enough offense. Inconsistent pitching. Laughable managing. I would rather see us dynamite the periphery of this team, keep Barrett, Z, Prior, Aramis, Murton, Lee and Cedeno, and get rid of just about everyone else, and build around that group. I could almost stomach losing if it looked like we'd be building for 2007. Unfortunatly, that won't happen. At some point, we'll make a run, go on a little streak, and get back to spitting distance. Somewhere like 5.5 out in 3rd place. And then we'll limp around playing .500 ball the rest of the way. And we'll have wasted a chance to get value for Pierre and Walker, and wasted the chance to unload Jones on some sucker team that needs an OF at the deadline. And when we finish 80-82, or whatever, we'll hear about injuries. And bad luck. And we'll hear nothing about the deeply rooted organizational flaws that will choke this team to death until thy're eliminated.

That sounds about right. And yes, in the Daily Herald he said he "needs Ramirez's defense" at 3rd. Which amuses me, because don't we have Neifi because he can catch the ball? We sure don't have him for his bat! We have Neifi because he saved us last year-saved us from having to pay Lee more after winning the MVP... For all his offensive woes, Ramirez has only 1 error this season, which isn't too shabby considering he's mostly been throwing to Walker at 1B. And I think he'll have a good offensive series, provided that he stops trying to swing too hard and hit a 12 run, 7 game winning HR every time he bats. He generally has success against the Sox, IIRC.