Sammy Sofa

What's really being wasted? Cedeno I think will have a decent baseball career, but odds are it won't be anything spectacular. Marshall has been a pleasant surprise and again, I think will have a career in the bigs for a long time, but if it was as anything higher than a #3 starter I'd be even more surprised. I'd like to keep him, but this team needs some serious help. If they were making a push for a complete overhaul with longterm younger players, Marshall would be key, but this is the Cubs and they simply do not work that way, for better or for (usually) worse. Tossing in guys like Hill and Guzman...look, Guzman MIGHT pick it up down the line, but that's a HUGE maybe. This guy was touted as being ready for the 2003 playoffs if he hadn't been injured, and 3 years later he still looks not even close to ready...plus his recent minor league stints having be too great, either. I'd much rather gamble on guys like Prior and Wood who have had actual success as opposed to an injured never-was. And Hill is useless in this organization. Sell him as a speciality relief guy. As a starter he'd be a #5 or #6...Rusch with a big curve and without the man-teets. And I mentioned trading Maddux...look, I love Maddux as much as any man can without Brokebacking it, but he's in the last couple of years of his career. Tejada is getting older, but still has quite a few years left and is a proven superstar, unlike any of the guys I'm talking about trading besides Maddux. Getting him would require some big gambles pitching-wise, but if they man up and go pick up a good, reliable starter in the off season, I could live with it. That's a big if, but hey, big things need to be done. Trying to be a pitcher's team has left the offense pathetic. A big offensive injection is needed, and I think getting Tejada and eventually getting Pie up plsu getting back Lee would do that.

They're gonna need some more bat to replace Tejada. It would have to be 3 of the young guys plus Cedeno or Maddux and Marshall plus Cedeno...and then someone who can hit. Granted, this guy is NOT that person, but try snowballing them with Pierre. I'd love to see Cabrera as a Cub, but he'd decimate the farm system getting here. The O's want youth, too, but I think they wouldn't be as dead set on it as the Marlins are and have been.

The only reason I figure Maddux might make it happen is his history with Mazzone. Baltimore could essentially use both of them to build up a younger pitching staf.

See? I AM an idiot.

I posted this in the "what do you do if Dusty gets fired?" thread...I will preface the whole thing by saying I'm an idiot, and if this idea reflects that, don't be afraid to say so. I'd really like to see Maddux finish his career with the Cubs, but honestly, he may be the best bargaining chip to use in a big trade this year. Target a team that needs the pitching desperately...there was all that talk of getting Tejada from Baltimore earlier this season...maybe package Marshall and Maddux and Cedeno and offer them? Sell Maddux and Marshall as a duo...they seem attached at the hip; Maddux seems to want to teach him and Marshall wants to listen. Maddux has the history with Mazzone who is now in Baltimore. I'd think Baltimore would certainly want a little more bat in the deal for Tejada, so toss in a prospect who might have a little pop that can be spared (someone besides Pie...but who?). Or hell, toss in Hill and see if that makes them bite. Or you give them Pierre. Maddux, Pierre and Cedeno? Or would Marshall be needed as well? And of course, this hinges on the Cubs' management doing what they should have done already and shelling out for another quality and RELIABLE starter. Yeah, this means gambling on Wood and Prior AND Miller, but if you toss in Big Z and another quality starter picked up, that's a more than workable starting line up. Then you have Lee, Ramirez, Tejada, Walker, Barrett and Murton all hitting in the same line up...plus Jones hitting righties. Pierre would be the big offensive black spot there, but heck, if he keeps tanking, let's try out Pie (though NOT as a lead off hitter. I'd much rather see Walker in that role). Walker Murton Lee Tejada Ramirez Barrett Jones Pie pitcher Works for me. This has been my moron armchair GM post of the day. Please feel free to mock me mercilessly.

I'm gonna grab onto those jowels and shake some sense into them!

Bonds is at the point he's looking like he's going to fall apart on the field. Walk away, man...walk away...

Too true. The dismal offense this year is being overlooked by people bringing up those teams. It's beyond just being a slump...even unslumped and unhurt, it's still "kinda bad" at BEST.

"jwilliams?" Jerome Williams killed this team? Yeah, he sucked WAY more than he should have/the Cubs needed, but it balances out by Marshall coming in out of nowhere. If Williams had played to potential, he would have just filled Marshall's role and we'd be exactly where we still are, suffering through Rusch, Hill and Guzman, who I think all would have been called up before Marshall if things didn't time out like they did.

Dusty had his 2nd chance at the start of 2004. He had it again when they picked up Nomar. Then he got his 3rd chance at the start of 2005. And his 4th when they got the in house "boost" of the injured players returning later in that same season. His 5th was at the start of this season. His 6th was after the first losing streak. I really don't have the patience to give him a 7th.

Will I ever give up hope in the grand scheme of things as Cubs fan? Of course not. Might I give up hope on THIS season? I think that's perfectly reasonable. Probably healthier, too.

I'd really like to see Maddux finish his career with the Cubs, but honestly, he may be the best bargaining chip to use in a big trade this year. Target a team that needs the pitching desperately...there was all that talk of getting Tejada from Baltimore earlier this season...maybe package Marshall and Maddux and Cedeno and offer them? Sell Maddux and Marshall as a duo...they seem attached at the hip; Maddux seems to want to teach him and Marshall wants to listen. Maddux has the history with Mazzone who is now in Baltimore. I'd think Baltimore would certainly want a little more bat in the deal for Tejada, so toss in a prospect who might have a little pop that can be spared (someone besides Pie...but who?). Or hell, toss in Hill and see if that makes them bite. And of course, this hinges on the Cubs' management doing what they should have done already and shelling out for another quality and RELIABLE starter. Yeah, this means gambling on Wood and Prior AND Miller, but if you toss in Big Z and another quality starter picked up, that's a more than workable starting line up. Then you have Lee, Ramirez, Tejada, Walker, Barrett and Murton all hitting in the same line up...plus Jones hitting righties. Pierre would be the big offensive black spot there, but heck, if he keeps tanking, let's try out Pie (though NOT as a lead off hitter. I'd much rather see Walker in that role). Walker Murton Lee Tejada Ramirez Barrett Jones Pie pitcher Works for me. This has been my idiot armchair GM post of the day. Please feel free to mock me mercilessly.

Man, odds are this one will be blacked out here in DC...seems like most of the Nats games are. Not that I have any great desire to see the Cubs do much of anything, though it would be cool to see Big Z tear it up.

While I'm sure the absence of Lee is something the players couldn't ignore, if him not being there was such a crippling blow, why didn't they just bottom out right away? Instead they manage to hang around for a few victories or close games...they played like a team that had to play harder. Mind you, they didn't often play "good," but they didn't topple off the map until well after Lee was gone. Him being injured is clearly a factor, but more must have contributed to the basically team-wide slump that hit. Maybe Aramis still struggling and making it all too obvious that they have essentially zero power in their lineup?

I may start watching the grass grow.

Yeah, I did a double take when I first saw it. I tought Sarge had somehow run out into the OF and collided with another player, which, given how everything is going this year, would not seem freakishly out of place.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v315/deltau922/tradition.jpg

It would be the miracle of miracles for them to actually win this game. I know that odds-wise the Cubs WILL eventually win another game...but after today, it pretty much feels like an impossible feat. Maybe the sick bastards are merging their usual 3 or 4 losing streaks a year into what is essentially one MASSIVE streak of 25-30 games in a row, give or a take a fluke win every so often.

Why do you keep posting that? Because that's how the current playing makes me feel. It's a relatively recent skit on SNL I think called "Debbie Downer." One of the few things still remotely funny on that show. Basically a woman who says horribly depressing things in response to whatever is said, no matter how positive, and ends up driving everyone around her to misery, or worse. Kind of like my beloved Cubs.

http://www.hdbeat.com/images/2005/09/downer.jpg

You guys just can't appreciate the true beauty and genius behind the onslaught of sac bunts.

I like Murton, but honestly, I think his best role right now would be platooning with Jones. It would be easier to pick up another decent or big and plug them into LF, if that's even possible without literally selling the farm...and I don't think it is...and I hope it doesn't happen. I know nuthin'!

http://www.hdbeat.com/images/2005/09/downer.jpg

http://www.hdbeat.com/images/2005/09/downer.jpg

Are you serious? Him making a run-scoring hit in a game the Cubs are getting murdered in beyond hope makes up for all the other times he's played and screwed up when victory was even at least remotely possible? Bynum sucked before the triple and still sucks after the triple. Out of pure spite, I'd say he actually sucks even MORE than before for hitting it in a game like today's. the fact that it was a lazy fly ball played into a triple by a crippled old man might have something to do with it as well. Which is hugely ironic, since Bynum's terrible playing and outright laziness have given opponents extra base hits a couple times this year. Karma is 'effing weird like that.