Sammy Sofa

Maybe...or maybe it's realizing that "hustling" is such a vague and superficial issue that it's best to focus and encourage a player's overwhelming strengths instead of possibly sacrificing or taking valuable attention away from those for something incredibly subjective and not very well defined.

How are his hustle stats looking these days?

I think it is fair to assume over the course of a season that a runner hustling from to 1B to 3B or stretching a single into a double or someone backing up a play that isn't part of his defensive responsibilites that can impact the game in a positive manner that would not have occured had he not done it. There's nothing negative that can come from hustling on a play. Except if you expect it from a guy that isn't one of those type of players (Aramis, Manny, Dunn, etc.). Odds are at this point it's going to get them hurt and make them miss more playing time than they would if they didn't "hustle" or "stretch it out" all the time. Players get set in their ways as they get older, especially the ones with very obvious talents. If their talents extend away from having to be a "gamer," often they'll drift away from being that type of payer because they can with minimum negative impact to the rest of the team. Pushing guys like this to suddenly "step it up" when they really don't need to is going to push them out of their set fitness/playing routines and likely make them more at risk to get seriously hurt. So would you rather have Aramis leg out those grounders every now and then or diving left and right and going on the DL more often or have him keep playing like he is and be able to offer his offensive skills to the team? Too many people get on contributing and valuable players for hot "hustling" when the "hustling" isn't what makes them who they are nor would it significantly improve their game or the team around them. It's a superficial expectation better applied to teeball players than to MLB all stars. Especially when you're likely going to push them onto the DL and then we get nothing, hustle or otherwise.

How do you know it would win you 1-5 more games?

A mix of rookies and young players with vets is exactly what I want. That's how you afford high priced free agents is by having your league average LF make 400,000 a year. The only things I would set in stone right now for next year are C: Barrett 1B: Lee 3B: Ramirez LF: Murton Bench MI: Theriot Bench C: Soto SP: Zambrano SP: Hill SP: Prior RP: Wuertz RP: Ohman RP: Aardsma RP: Eyre RP: Howry Obviously if somebody offers you a great deal for the players above you take it, but I don't see any trades that would be worth it to us for any of those guys. I'm not saying overhaul the rest of the roster, but be flexible with everybody else. I agree that the rookies should be given chances to play and act as the chief backup/bench players. I don't think, however, the Cubs can give up more than 2 non-pitching spots to rookies on a starting basis. Personally, I'd like to see Murton and Pie be those 2 rookies. I'd want someone like Soriano at 2nd and someone like Craig Wilson platooned with Jacque. Beyond that, you're getting too close to "blowing up" mode to make giving out longterm deals to guys like Lee, Ramirez and Barrett make any sense. And pitching...is anyone seriously suggesting attempting to do better than this year with 3 rookie pitchers starting BEFORE there are any injuries or trades? That seems ridiculous to me. I like Hill as a lock to be in there and I think Marshall should be the go-to #6 guy for injuries, etc., with Guzman behind him. The rest need regular work in the minors or in the bullpen to get them more experienced.

I agree 100%. It's a waste of his slugging power to have him bat leadoff. Especially if his BB/PA reverts, we want that power lower in the lineup. Oh, I totally agree as well. I'm just thinking that knowing the Cubs they're probably going to keep him at the top of the lineup, in which case I'd rather see him hitting second instead of first.

That's your choice but that isn't what anyone said. That's just my general list of baseball absurdities that I keep hearing that either mean nothing are just not very bright. Wow...you'd rather see guys jog down the first base line on a grounder than run hard? That's absurd? I'll give you the same exact team as I have. Your teams jogs for flyballs and running out grounders while mine hustles. I'll bet my team wins more games. I'm not saying a player should be "lazy" all the time. I just think the idea of "lack of hustle" costing games or even excessive runs is a totally subjective non-issue that ultimately can't be proven or disproven. And "hustling" all the time, in my opinion, doesn't somehow improve or excuse a mediocre player. See: Burnitz, Jeromy. Bottom line, if the choice is between "hustling" players like Jacque and Burnitz and "lazy" players like Dunn, Manny and Aramis, give me the latter any day of the week.

If their goal is coming in 3rd or 4th at best, sure. just like hill is a aaaa pitcher, murton a 4th outfielder & theriot isnt a starting 2b. if the cubs went young in 2007 i think they could contend. i am tired of high priced free agents who either suck or get hurt. the future of the cubs is in the farm system not on the free agent list. That's basically what we have right now and we stink. It's not that high priced free agents stink, it's only the high priced FA we pick up. so did detroit & the marlins last year. this year they both seem to be doing ok. besides they young guys havent played full time the whole year. it took dusty almost the whole season to start using murton in LF everyday and theriot, soto & mateo are only getting playing time because nefi is gone and barrett, lee & rusch are injured. If you want to be the Marlins, say goodbye to Barrett, Lee, Aramis, et al. Do you want all youth or what? You can't just randomly make your lineup half or more rookies and young players and keep a few vets here or there. 9 times out of 10 that kind of mix isn't going to work. Soto is not going to outplay Barrett. If anything, he'll take on a Blanco-like role. Mateo is not ready to be a counted on starting pitcher for an entire year if you're putting him up there with 2 other starting rookie pitchers and you expect the team to win and hit .500. Bottom line, you're suggesting a hideous team that potentially does even worse than this year's.

If their goal is coming in 3rd or 4th at best, sure. just like hill is a aaaa pitcher, murton a 4th outfielder & theriot isnt a starting 2b. if the cubs went young in 2007 i think they could contend. i am tired of high priced free agents who either suck or get hurt. the future of the cubs is in the farm system not on the free agent list. Marshall and Mateo are still way too raw to be counted on in that capacity. I think Hill is great but I think he's still going to be elarning when starts facing teams again and again. You simply cannot expect to win again and again with that as your starting rotation, even in a division this crappy. It's an absurd expectation. And for the record, yes, there are a lot of players I'd rather have out there than Murton right now. Do I hate the idea of him starting in LF next year? No. Do I think it's the autpmatic or best choice? No. And you couldn't convince me that Theriot should be the starting 2B if you were made of money. There's zero point in the Cubs going "half young" like you're suggesting. Either they sell of guys like Barret and Aramis and Lee and get what they can and go all youth or they insert a FEW rookies where they can. I'd happily accept Theriot as the chief IF utility guy next year...or with Murton, make him the primary OF backup and insert him into a legitimate platoon with Jones. But not both at the same time. This team is nowhere near being good enough to afford that luxury if they want to genuinely rebuild. Same with the pitching...having 1 rookies starter? Works for me. 2? Eh...if needed, alright But not in the long run. 3? That's not going to work.

That's your choice but that isn't what anyone said. That's just my general list of baseball absurdities that I keep hearing that either mean nothing are just not very bright.

So the vague times someone like, oh, I don't know, Aramis "doesn't hustle," THAT gets you mad more than anything or anyone else involved with the 2006 Cubs? Wow. My hat's off to that.

I don't think it would be too difficult to move him to #2 instead.

I'm chalking "he does/doesn't hustle" up there with "guys who put the ball in play" and "clogging the bases."

If Jacque Jones merges with, say, Craig Wilson next year, THEN I'll happily and heartily appreciate him on a daily basis. That sounded weird.

Lee has been nothing but one of the greats since becoming a Cub and this news is really something nobody should ever have to hear. I wish my best to Lee and his family and hope his daughter makes a full recovery down the line.

Mind you...I'm as critical of Hendry as anyone...but at 5/Mil a season..is it really that bad of deal? It seems border-line bench players are getting near 5 a season these days. It's less the money and more the 3 years. Jacque, in my book, is a 1 or 2 year player at this point, and 2 is being generous. Isn't his total deal for $16 million? Probably. I think he will be gone by the third year regardless. I mean...someone took Neifi at 2+ million with another year left! Multiple people making similar stupid decisions doesn't suddenly make it OK. Obviously, Jacque is better than Neifi, but his signing serves mostly to highlight how poorly Hendry has gone about reshaping and rebuilding this team since 2004.

Mind you...I'm as critical of Hendry as anyone...but at 5/Mil a season..is it really that bad of deal? It seems border-line bench players are getting near 5 a season these days. It's less the money and more the 3 years. Jacque, in my book, is a 1 or 2 year player at this point, and 2 is being generous. Isn't his total deal for $16 million?

If their goal is coming in 3rd or 4th at best, sure.

True. He can gun it. He just needs to figure out how to aim. Jacque has performed very serviceably. On a team with more big hitters, he'd be a very nice #6 hitter. As it stands, his contract still ticks me off and management not finding a platoon partner ticks me off even more.

Ugh. Dempster is rank these days.

Dempster better get some time in the 9th.

Oh, thank the dear Lord. ABOUT AN INNING TOO LATE, JERK-STORES!

If Zambrano hits I'm gonna plotz.

Dusty and Rothschild are the biggest tools in baseball. Yeah, Zambrano is looking good...but it's the 7th inning in a 11-0 blowout and your starting pitcher just missed 2 weeks bith back troubles! Christ, how dumb are these guys? Did they learn nothing from 2003? I know it's a broken record, but they never cease to amaze/infuriate. The bullpen is rested, this is a perfect time to bring in guys like Novoa, Marmol and Dempster and give them some playing time when their potential implosions won't cost the game. In the words of the immortal G.O.B., "COME ON!!!"

The Riot with TWO home runs in one game?!? Jesus, who are these people and where are my Cubs? Cubs are apparently finally realizing how hideous their HR numbers are, especially at home.