thedaymen

Lots of Bynum and Neifi!!! Oh boy!!! Yep, because the 1991 World Champion Twins were speed demons! Kent Hrbek Dan Gladden Mike Pagliarulo Gary Gaetti(was he on this team?) Scott Leius Brian Harper Chili Davis(older and near retirement) These are some of the main guys I can think and in terms of speed Kirby Puckett, Chuck Knoblauch, and Shane Mack. Not really a roster built on speed and this was their home park. Someone please tell Dusty. Pucket was hardly a speed demon. And yes, Gaetti was on the 1991 twins...and the 1987 twins. Gladden actually stole more bases then Puckett usually did.

For free? Now that ain't right! Thanks for all the comments. I'll keep after 'em. I understand all the arguments against Carlos Lee. I wanted to throw a name out there. Somebody wanted to know, "Why not write this after the Detroit series?" When you have an off-day in the schedule, that gives you a better opportunity to come up with a feature or an analysis or a column. With space in the paper being so tight on game days, this provided the better opportunity. I WILL have to hire some of you guys as assistants when I take over the Cubs. LOL. No offense Bruce...but I'm a couple hundred miles outside your circulation area. Let me know if you ever start writing for the Newark Star Ledger.

He spent at least two season managing in the Phillies minor leagues after a couple of years coaching. In (I think) 2002 he was the manager of the Reading Phillies (AA) when they won the Eastern Division Title. He was then promoted to AAA where he managed for a year before being promoted to Philadelphia Phillies bench coach where's he's been since. A slightly better resume then Randolph had 18 months ago.

That's an interesting choice. Personally I don't care if the new manager is an ex-Cub or not....I just want a good manager. Agreed. I'd also look at managers who have been part of a winning tradition. That's why I've very high on Fredi Gonzalez. I hope the Braves way of doing things has rubbed off on him. I hope you mean interesting as "unexpected and thought-provoking" not interesting as "[expletive]." :? I agree with that also, but there are those out there that like Sarge because he's Sarge and and think Billy is a fine coach because he hit all those hr's decades ago. People like that could like Varsho. I think he has the resume to be a good major league manager...some folks might want a guy like Gary to have a "starter" team first before moving on to the big time; but I want an overhaul. I think a new manager and new players could grow together. There's no reason the 2008 Cubs can't resemble the 2006 Mets.

For the princely fee of 50 cents, we’ll provide our own five-point plan. Because the Cubs’ troubles are wide, deep and — most important — systemic, we’ll call for no one’s immediate firing because the problems and solutions transcend any one person. Nice, I got it for free...

1. I read about a possibility of a platoon with Murton and Bynum in left... has that really happened, or was it just a mention of it being a possibility? It seems to be starting to happen. Its hard to say because its only been a week since Dusty said it. If it has happened, its time for the "Free Matt Murton" signs. 2. Who's been getting the bulk of playing time at second lately? Also tricky because of the games in AL stadiums. Fred's stats show that its been a pretty even split, but even when not playing second, Walker is usually in the lineup. 3. Is Nevin the backup catcher while Barrett is suspended? This has been answered already, but yes. 4. I read a headline saying Wood might be done for the season. What?! It appears he's done for the year. My personal belief: Kerry "Under" Wood will get his wish to retire as a Chicago Cub. But who would have guessed he would have his last appearance as a major league baseball player before Maddux wrapped up his career. 5. What's up with Prior and his horrible first start? What did he say after the game? Prior only had command of one pitch and it was Charlie Brown's old "straight ball." After the game he stood up and admitted that was pretty bad. 6. How has Pierre been lately? And what about Aramis? Any consistent improvement? Pierre continues to be the only leadoff hitter in baseball with an obp sub-.300. I think Dusty is trying to get him the record of "least rbi's per at bat" and you can't do that if you don't have a minimum number of plate appearances. As was predicted by those folks that look at past performance to measure future performance, Aramis has warmed up with the weather...about two weeks behind Big Z. 7. Who has been batting 2nd? See responses #'s 1 and 2.

I know he's gotten no love from anyone on this, but I think if the Cubs want to go with a young manager, Gary Varsho should be in the mix. He won an Eastern Division title with the Reading Phillies, has spent time on the bench in Philadelphia and for those who are in to nostalgia, was a member of the 1989 NL East Champs.

At our worst we can get swept by the Royals too And if we're lucky, maybe by the Pirates. I sure hope this BandWGN didn't cause the Pirates to get swept by the Royals.....

If the Cubs resign him to an incentive laden one year deal, I want a team option for the second. I don't want to rehab him and have him get healthy on our dime so the Yankees can give him more money and take him.

There were a bunch of back pages stories here about how the Mets were starting to cut into the Yankees fan base. Its not just that the Mets are playing better, its just that guys like Wright, Reyes and Pedro are cooler then Damon, A-ROD, and the Old Unit.

Its a great ballpark. I went a couple of years ago, I think 2002 when Don Baylor was still there. I got to see him ruin Jon Lieber by having him re-take the mound after a two hour rain delay. But a great ballpark. Not a bad seat in the house.

Thank you?Somehow, that just doesn't convey what I'm thinking. Are you saying this isn't what the Pirates meant when they said they were creating a "new Pirates generation" of fans? They didn't mean disatisfied Cubs' fans?

Unfortunately, only one team has to deal with Neifi Perez :D

I live in New Jersey. I think there is. I'm not one of them though.

Hmmm, maybe this ought to be a Royals BandWGN.

The basic premise of this thread is wrong. The Cubs aren't going to go on a pro-longed two month slug fest and beat every team out there. It just isn't going to happen. What might (1 in 20 chance) happen is the Cubs with Lee and the real Mark Prior might run off a 10 game winning streak at some point.

Do you have Banco Popular's in Chicago? Will anyone get a Blanco Popular joke?

That's alright kids do not read these days. :wink: "You can't read a newspaper if you can't read." - George W. Bush

Well, I'm sure they'll play the Cubs soon. Last night was a disaster for the Pirates BandWGN but bring on the Royals!

Exactly...there's bad and there's 'funny bad.' The "2006 Chicago Cubs: Funny Bad"

Wasn't it 2001? I just looked at his stats...Fassero had a great 2001, stats wise. I do remember an issue with dead arm for about a month there at the end of the season...

I know he's never going to be Rickey Henderson or anything, but he gives pretty good production for a seventh hitter. When its compared to either Pierre (as our cf) or whoever is batting seventh of a given day, its pretty sad.

I see a big difference. In those years the Cubs made a managerial change (after the season in 1999, during the season in 2002). This year we have an incompetent general manager given an extension and talking about giving an incompetent manager an extension. At least in those other years they did something about the situation; this time they just blame it on injuries and pretend that all is hunky dorey. Not only that...as much as people don't want to say it...the 99 and 02 teams had a rightfielder who was as much fun to watch as any player in baseball.

I saw the O's on Friday. Patterson definately had a different look at the plate. The O's had him batting sixth and he, I don't know...seemed different. When he stole a base (on a pitchout!), I knew Reyes was going to go first chance he got. The O's should have just threw pickoff after pickoff when Jose got on base.

Am I the first? I think we need the Buccos to not just pass the Cubs, but fly past them to have any chance of management changes. In the lost season, its time to say "Lets go Bucs!"