Houston_Cub_Fan

I think it was the 04 Astros, but point taken. However, when this team continues to sign free agents as if it were a middle market team and not one of the most profitable franchises in baseball. And as long as the minors continue to fall short of expectations as a pipeline. This team will suck no matter the manager. Still. Firing Dusty would fill my heart with joy.

I just saved a lot on my auto insurance!

"Perhaps this goes without saying, but I'd much rather deal Hill than Marshall. Marshall also has a great breaking ball, but he knows how to throw strikes." Not that it has translated to the majors yet, but Hills K numbers in the minors suggest that he does know how to throw strikes. That said, someone has to go in a trade (if there is one) and with what Marshall has been able to accomplish to date, it would be hard to let go of him.

Beat me to it Careless! Garwilly, please consult dictionary. :)

It was the Gammons InSider article quoting Hendry who was probably kidding at the time. But after this start by Rusch perhaps he'll consider it more soberly. "Angel Guzman, 23, once a prize in the class of a Zambrano, made a significant comeback this spring. "His velocity was back up to 95-96," Rothschild says. As he pitches at Iowa, Guzman will be closely monitored for his command, especially of his breaking ball. When asked if Guzman could help by midseason, Hendry laughed and said, "It could be by the end of this month."

In an article this week (can't remember which, can ayone help?) Rothchild was asked if Guzman would be a late season callup and he replied (perhaps jokingly) that it could be later this month.

Please. Anything but Rusch again.

Doesn't the plate have five corners? :)

1) The attitude. This team seems to have the mentality that they are in every game. Even in the loss they showed heart. 2) The outlook for April. Great chance now to be above .500 when we get Prior Wood and Miller back in May. Who would have thunk it? It's all we could reasonably ask for.

Stoney used to say that if you swing at the first pitch, your swinging at what the pitcher wants you to swing at rather than the "ideal" pitch." By working the count you force the pitcher to come across the plate. Maddux has made a career out of making batters hit "his" pitch rather than "theirs." He usually has low pitch totals because "his" pitch is usually early in the count. At least that's what i think.

This just in: Sun Rises in East

Rocket Sauce, I think you just destroyed the destroyer. :)

Just say no to corn rows.

How many games did Maddux leave with a lead only to lose? Will he be a big beneficiary of an (allegedly) improved pen?

"After the top 3 (and Miller IF he is healthy), none of those guys are starters for a playoff team, and that's what our focus should be. I'm sure you thought the same about the Astros pitchers last year. After Oswalt Clemens and Petitte, were Backe Astacio and Rodriguez playoff pitchers? The Cubs needed a real RFer - still do. We have enough talent and depth to cover the (expected) loss of Wood.

I agree that the paranoia on this board is at an all time high. Sit back and relax. Prior is scheduled to pitch the second game of the season. They have a timetable for him based on arm strength issues, not health issues. Wood wasn't going to be ready until May at the earliest anyway. If you were going into the season thinking that Kerry's health will make or break us, you were setting yourself up for dissapointment. Anything we get from Kerry should be seen as a bonus.

The Astros rotation isn't particularly good this year. They've got a strong 1-2 in Oswalt and Petitte, as good as any in the league, but there's a huge drop off after that. Backe has come up big in the post season, but his numbers are otherwise unimpressive. His ERA was well over 5.00 last year and I don't see why anyone expects massive improvement at this point. Astacio and Rodriguez are irratic and high ERA guys in their own right. Hernandez may make the rotation coming off of surgery a couple years ago, but his fast ball tops out at 90 now and he was always viewed as a power pitcher. One injury at the top of the roation and this team will be in trouble - and we know that Petitte is always a candidate for an arm injury. As it is, they'll have to find a way to score a lot of runs three out every five games. I don't think Preston Wilson improves their offense so significantly that you can expect them to all of sudden put up five-plus runs on a regular basis. My point here is that this is why Houston will do everything in their power to have Clemens in an Astros uniform if he plays anywhere. I don't think money will be an obstacle (I believe the Stros will collect on the Bagwelll insurance). They certainly arn't going to sit idly by and let the Rangers get him. Shades of Nolan Ryan. At this point I think you have to tenatively pencil Roger into the Astros rotation by June. I guess the x-factor is whether the Stros are in the running still at that time. But after last year's improbable run, and the fact that Clemens puts butts in seats, I think Houston management will want him no matter what, and will give him the same lattitude in terms of no going on some road trips etc, that they did last year.

Having watched Oswalt up close for the past couple years, I would definitely say he will be a prime candidate. The WS gave him more national exposure to writers and he's put together some great years. We'll see how Houston's offense is, but with Lidge in the bullpen, Oswalt doesn't have to worry much about late leads being blown. Zambrano is a candidate, but like Lee last year the Cubs may have to do something as a team for him to get the credit he deserves. Offense could hurt, but the improved bullpen is a plus. Carpenter has to be included in this list. Sheets, scares me because he could be the lynch-pin in a big year for the Brew-crew. We already have our hands full with the Cards and Stros. Let's see if he can put it all together. Durability is the issue with Pedro, do the Mets have the arms between him and Wagner to put a game away. Prior will have to prove it to me. Call me a pesemist, but the last two years have been hard to ignore. Even when healthy he's ben inconsistant. I'd love to se it, though, for obvious reasons. Dark Horse Candidate: Duke - Probably too young, but he sure looked good last year. If they can give him any run support, could be interesting. We'll see what he can do with a full season.

I heard that Milo says some crappy things about Harry in his new book. Anyone know if this is true?

Has there ever been a sports hero who fell so far so fast? For years, Sammy WAS the Cubs. Unfortunately adulaton created an ego that helped bring down a pretty good team (04) and a stellar career - his own. Does the good (98-02) outweigh the bad? In my mind, he's a HOFer, but his induction will be bittersweet.

I tend to agree that Big Mac will be the test case. Some writers will be out to send a message and not vote him in first try. But it seems like an empty message to me if they then let him in on the second year. Either he's a Hall of Famer or he's not. Either steroids are a deal breaker, or they're not. Making someone wait an extra year or two seems petty. I can respect a writer who decides never to vote for those tainted by the steroids scandal. But those who merely delay their vote are just posturing. I think Sammy, Mac and Bonds are all first ballot HOFers.

That is a beautiful ball yard.

Vance, based on arbitration raises and FA signings, how close are we to the $100M mark, which seems to be our cap?

Not to add to the pessimism :) But we also can't expect Lee to produce like he did last year. That is slack someone else will have to pick up. Who?

I agree that JJ was a horrible signing and leaves us with a huge hole in the five slot. I'm not really optimistic about this team and few are. Two things we can hope for: Healthy pitching (seems unlikely give then past few years, but who knows) and the benefit of lowered expectations (not a whole lot of pressure on this team compared to last two years, maybe they'll loosen up in the clutch and get a few hits with runners on. I think we were second to last in team BA with RISP last year.) Obviously these are big ifs. I also tend to think the bullpen will be a strength this year, which is a luxury we haven't had recently.