baseball7897

Why would the Yankees trade a 23yr old 2b that hit .342? Cano wont be traded.

And choices like Bochy wouldn't. Or if Dierker had been hired, he wouldn't mean the Cubs wanted to win? Didn't hiring Dusty mean the Cubs wanted to win too? I love me some meaningless cliche's backed up my meaningless conventional wisdom. You need to relax. It was just a joke.

Mercker's main complaint was about a dumbass Chip Caray comment, if I remember right. IIRC, Mercker's complaint was initially about Chip gushing about the grand pitching performance of Roy Oswalt in a game in which Oswalt gave up six runs. Mercker called the booth from the clubhouse to ask how in hell was Oswalt's outing such a "grand" performance. Stone then leaked the information to the media and then later commented about it on the air. This pissed off Mercker as he felt the whole affair should have been left behind closed doors. The players, not just Mercker seemed betrayed by the media. The story goes, Mercker later confronted Stone about it. Stone in turn once again leaked details of the confrontation to the media and in a way that made Mercker seem much more beligerent than the encounter likely was in reality. The players then wanted Stone and Caray thrown off the team charter. As broadcasters for the team, the team felt betrayed by them and that is understandable. Furthermore, Stone got more sarcastic and caustic as the season wore on. It was clear he held a grudge. Personally, I want no more of Stone. That could of been avoiding if Mercker never called the booth in the first place. He had no right calling the booth. Shows how much Dusty didnt discipline his players. Mercker is one of the biggest jokes in baseball for doing something like that.

You can't try and get away from the things you've never been near. 3-run homers are good things. Sac bunts and making things happen waste outs and decrease your run totals, and are therefore bad things. Thank you. I wanted to respond with exactly that, but didn't want to open a whole can of worms in this thread. Waiting for the 3 run homer is what I wish we'd do (or the 2 run double). If you have guys who get on base and hit for power, there would be plenty of opportunities for it, and you'll win plenty of games doing it. Didnt the Cubs live and die by the long ball in 04? Didnt work. Only chance they had to win was win the wind was blowing out. Waiting on the 3-run homer is not smart. What happens when you dont have that 3-run homer? Then how are the Cubs going to win? Small ball to some on this site dosent work. Give me a balanced of attack on offense, a solid rotation, a deep bench, and a bullpen that can hold down the opponents in the late innings. Thats how Hendry should construct the 07 Cubs.

Yes, the bench does matter to a team success. What if Soriano gets hurt. Then who is going to fill in CF? What if Lee gets injured again. Who will take his spot at 1b? You need depth on your bench. A versitle bench is the way to go.

How is the pitching staff looking then? You dont have pitching, you wont win a World Series.

Not going to happen.

Cubs wont trade Zambrano. Why would you trade a staff ace? Cubs have very little SP talent as it is. Dont need to make another hole on the team.

Bring back Steve Stone. I always seem to learn something when he talks. He is a very smart baseball man.

Jay Payton

i have a feeling there is going to be a lot of peolpe proven wrong next season by Dempster when excels again with regular work. He is a converted starter who rusted away last season after a good first run as a closer and doing well as a reliver. Wuertz Eyre Howry Wood Dempster crazy good. Ohman in your plans? I dont know if the cubs plan on adding another arm to their pen, but a guy I think will excell in a middle relief role is Jason Grilli. I like his 98mph fastball, his cut fastball, and his sharp breaking curveball. I think he found a role he could excell in. If there was one thing I dont like about him, its the number of walk he gives up. If he can cut down his walk totals, I think he would be a risk Hendry should take.

I agree...Soriano is not an ideal leadoff hitter IMO. Murton LF Durham 2B Lee 1B Ramirez 3B Soriano CF Barret C Jones RF Izturis SS We should trade for Tejada, that would be my ideal lineup. Murton LF Soriano CF Lee 1B Tejada SS Ramirez 3B Durham 2B Barrett C Jones RF Sign Zito and someone like Meche and/or Padilla, boom...bam...get the season on! I would rather see the Cubs add Suppan to their rotation.

Steve Stone also said the Cubs would win a World Series with Baker as their manager.

wow, none of those things are particularly important for a 1 or 2 hitter. Are you kidding me? Have you watched the Dertroit Tigers? Granderson gets on base, then Polanco moves him over with a bunt, or the hit and run. Works out pretty well for them. Whitesox used it in 05 also.

I would rather have Dierker. :lol: :lol: I like the Lou signing. Tells me that the Cubs want to win now.

You wouldn't bat Murton 1 or 2? I'd do: Murton Soriano Lee ARam Jones/righty Barrett Izturis Theriot/Fontenot I would rather have Soriano leading off. Soriano is more of a threat to steal a base than Murton is. Murton would benefit being in the 2 spot, because he has the ability to hit the ball anywhere on the field, and he makes contract the majority of the time.

He's right here. Remember? :lol: Do you have to have that big of a picture in your signature? Yes, it's my guy Zito!!!!! I will find another one.

He's right here. Remember? :lol:

Lou Piniella for president if Cubs win the World Series next year!!! http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/jay_mohr/08/10/hot.read/p1_piniella.jpg

I want: Zito, Soriano, A Rod, Matsazuka, Vernon Wells, some depth on the bench, and I want a Cubs championship in 07. Not that hard. :lol:

I think he should suggest to them that maybe they could throw a strike once in a while? The # of base on balls our staff gave up this year is hard evidence of incompetence on someone's part. So I suggest to you that A) our pitchers all suck or B) our pitching coach/pitching philosophy sucks. I dont like Larry's philosophy either. He should teach his pitchers to attack the zone. Larry also dosent like the slide step with his pitchers. I dont have a problem with that, because some pitchers prefer to use a higher leg lift than others. But, with Barrett behind the plate, you have to give him some chance of throwing out the runner.

http://media.scout.com/Media/MLB/371383_piniella.JPG

I hate Bucker. It was so obvious last night that he didnt want to announce the game anymore after the Mets turned the game into a route.

WSCR is bush league. I dont believe anything they say anymore.

I know Hendry had interest in Zito the past couple of years according to Kaplan. Schmdit's fastball was at 88mph at the end of the year. He is a power pitcher. He needs that 95mph fastball to have his greatest success in the big leagues. I dont think you can expect Schmidt to reach his 03-04 form again. Before those years, he was a average pitcher. Zito has always dominated hitters. I think Daisuke Matsuzaka will have great success in the big leagues. Hitter's wont have a clue at first against him. Im not sure why kind of pitcher he is. Is he a power pitcher? Or is he a guy who locates all his pitches pretty well?