waffle

Barrett is not a catcher for a winning team. He can hit.... not much else We have offense. We have a very mixed bag pitching staff. Some youth, some vets, some hot heads, alot of inconsistency. I will take a catcher who hits .220 and calls a good game and doesn't give back runs with his arm or glove over someone like barrett Addition by subtraction here Now Floyd....

Man its good to see that down on the farms. Sure hope Ronny has worked it out. C depth and middle infield help sure would look good right now. Hopefully Murton can straighten things up also. Love the fact that they sent him down without alot of fan fare. Good orgs do that.

so, anyone ready to give a grade on this yet? Lots of complaints about this pick and/or that pick, but what's the big picture?

I'm happy with the pick. Does that make ME wasted?

See, I think that is the biggest criticism of Lou. We busted on Dusty for being a status quo guy to a fault I'll take a guy with guts and a proven track record of getting the most out of his players. Like Lou He needs to tinker BECAUSE 1) guys are not being consistent (he realizes that is a catch 22, some guys need consistent PT to get consistent and 2) he was given too many mediocre/high priced/high potential guys to play with. I wish he had FEWER pieces to move around (namely, Jones and Floyd, frinstance). Do you really think he will tinker the whole year? No, guys have to step up and take what is being offered. And because Lou has b*lls he will stick with them. In the end, I blame management for the team they put together more than I blame Lou. I loved the fact that they spent money, I was/am not so thrilled what they spent it on.

What a disaster this season is becoming.. we are right around .500 and have yet to play good baseball. I think we have it in us to play good baseball. I don't expect Lou to prevent us from playing good baseball.

I dunno folks Lou has already shown this team he will do almost anything to win Lou has shown that he will call out players if they are not producing Lou has a history of futzing with his lineups till he finds something that works Lou is by his nature not conservative I would MUCH rather have a guy like that, who is willing to try almost anything. Enough coddling the talent. I think everyone on this team knows where Lou is coming from and cannot be surprised if they get replaced if they are not producing. Lou has alot of pieces to play with here (one might say too many, as in OF'rs and middle of the road pitchers) I know the season is already over 1/4 over, but I do not feel that Lou is comfortable AT ALL with his "feel" for this team. I was not the biggest Lou supporter when they brought him in, but I have very few specific complaints about how he has handled the team so far. Yes, I want some stability, but part of that is up to the players, who have been amazingly inconsistent up to this point. I kinda hope we trade some bodies, bring up some young(er) arms and find time for the Pagan's, Pie's and Murton's of the world. I fully expect to get drilled for this.

I think Hendry messed up frankly, by overloading the OF with players who legitimately could/should play every day (maybe not for us, but somewhere). Throw in Derosa and Theriot and now Pagan.... geeez. that is a crowded bit of pasture out there. Murton/Soriano/ANOTHER PLAYER THAT GETS 50% of the AB's Left over Pagan Pie (unless he is the 3rd outfielder) Having both Jones and Floyd (heck, either one of them) makes little sense to me. Surely that money could have been better spent? More importantly, the roster spot?

Yes, just don't tell anybody. Trying to sneak away from the in-laws on Mother's Day (after golfing in the morning), is going to be quite the feat if you ask me. Going with a few Phillies fans on Saturday, although I swear, I've never met a single Philllies fan who comes anywhere close to being as crazy a fan as Cubs fans are. The same people are die hard nutty Eagles fans, but they just don't get up for the Phillies in the same way. It's a weird dynamic. It's true.. the guy I am going with is only one of 2 I know. He, however, is hardcore. Not just phillies, but baseball in general. We are about the same age (as in middle) so we can reminisce about great moments over the ages... like the infamous 23-22 game...etc.

Are you sure he didn't swing and miss? Actually the baby seal wasn't in the strike zone so he kept the club on his shoulder, waiting for the seal to get into his wheelhouse so he could pop it up. When the wind hits one of those little fluffy buggers they can really be hard to play... MM better run it out for sure.

I'll be there as well with my son. Section 241 (left field porch) - 1st row seats. Should be a great pitching match-up tonight. Don't plan on getting abused. I've been to dozens of Cubs games in Philly, and it's definitely nowhere near the same atmosphere of an Eagles game. They'll abuse the Phillies before they'll turn on a Cubs fan. Assuming you don't act like an ass, games in Philly are more like games in Atlanta than Shea or Yankee Stadium. It's true. The banter is actually quite entertaining. But I am kinda scrawny.... The guy I go with is about as much of a Phillies fan as I am a Cubs fan (as in HUGE) which helps.

I'll be at the game tonight and I am psyched. GREAT matchup of up and comers. Good seats too. I'll check in tomorrow with my observations. If you are watching it on T.V. and see a scrawny guy in a cubs hat being abused by Philly Loyals, say a prayer. Sometime it isn't easy to wear the colors.

Decreases his value? It was MVP level last year, except for his defense. Pie has already shown he has the D skills we lack. Stick him in center. Murton needs AB's and time to become an AVERAGE OF'r. That should be our lineup for the remainder of the year with Floyd/Jones getting spot appearances in C/RF...

isn't he old-ISH? 27 I seem to remember? I didn't follow him in the minors. Knew he struck folks out and developed a wicked curve. Has he been in our system his whole career?

I like it.

Bing bing bing!!!! WINNA See my sig

our pitching has been decent. Our fielding and hitting have been less than acceptable.

I'd prefer Soriano in RF because he's got a much better arm. I get the distinct sense that the sooner the Cubs put Soriano in left and leave him there for good, and quit trying to make him into something he's not, the better off everyone will be. Maybe I'm wrong (and hopefully I am), and this whole CF thing will work out, but if it doesn't, my next move is not to try him in yet another unfamiliar spot like RF. The phrase, "out of the frying pan and into the fire" races to mind. To me the issue is not what to do with Soriano, I think you have it completely right, its what to do with Jones and Floyd, how to play them where and when I mean, if we had an OF of Murton, Pie and Soriano with Soriano in Left (or right...) Murton in the other corner and Pie in C, I would be REALLY happy with that, but what to do with Floyd and Jones? To me those are 2 wasted roster spots. Especially when you have Pagan and the Riot as very capable occasional replacements. Pagan is total junk. Floyd and Jones, if used off the bench, can provide some power. Theriot should be starting in at least some games. No, going back to a wimpy, no power bench is a *terrible* idea. Allright, so bench Floyd/jones. It won't be appreciated, but who cares? I just don't see the value of those 2 on this team. Pie/Murton/Soriano OF. Let them develop, let them stick to the same position. Get the riot a few games out there and have Floyd/Jones as situational guys off the bench and against pitchers they have a proven record against. I just don't see the value of either of those players on this team. If they disappeared today, how much worse would we be?

I'd prefer Soriano in RF because he's got a much better arm. I get the distinct sense that the sooner the Cubs put Soriano in left and leave him there for good, and quit trying to make him into something he's not, the better off everyone will be. Maybe I'm wrong (and hopefully I am), and this whole CF thing will work out, but if it doesn't, my next move is not to try him in yet another unfamiliar spot like RF. The phrase, "out of the frying pan and into the fire" races to mind. To me the issue is not what to do with Soriano, I think you have it completely right, its what to do with Jones and Floyd, how to play them where and when I mean, if we had an OF of Murton, Pie and Soriano with Soriano in Left (or right...) Murton in the other corner and Pie in C, I would be REALLY happy with that, but what to do with Floyd and Jones? To me those are 2 wasted roster spots. Especially when you have Pagan and the Riot as very capable occasional replacements.

Not really. A majority of the people who love Wrigley have seen games in other places, and can legitimately say that the new parks aren't even close. I have been to probably 1/2 of the newer parks, including the wonders that are Baltimore and Philly. NOT EVEN CLOSE. They dream of being as "baseball" as Wrigley is. It's about baseball, baseball by its nature is a game of history. I also believe it should be watched CAREFULLY, for the nuances that often are the deciding factors in the end...

Seconded. I'll take it one step further as well. Lets say you take your four year old to a ballgame and the people sitting in your section are loud, annoying and full of profanity? Would it be nice to be able to take your son to other parts of the park to enjoy the game? It happens Man, I go to games in Philly, widely regarded as having the worst fans in the world... and I have almost never had a problem... "son, people drink beer. You daddy drinks beer. Sometimes when you drink beer you act like an idiot. Let this be a lesson to you. Observe and LEARN"

My son will be 4 in Sept. I am toying with the idea of taking him b/c my first game was when I was 4.5. I will probably wait till next Summer though. My boy is 3 and has been to the phillies 2x (we live in Philly) and to Wrigley once. Perhaps I am old school but I go to the game to watch baseball and consider all of the OTHER stuff to actually take away from the experience. YOu should have the opportunity to focus on the game, not have my limited attention span bombarded by noise and bright shiny things. If he wants to play, we go to the playground

Yeah I see your point, going to a ball park to watch a ball game does seem non-sensical.

if they can keep the leaning tower of Pisa standing, they can keep Wrigley together. It'll just take money and incentive, I suggest the incentive be many many many laws. Let's not have another soldier field here.

Didn't members of the opposing team yesterday state his mechanics appeared the same? Ah, the mysteries of the mind....