RegulusBlue

Soriano does not belong in CF. Soriano's defense (or lack thereof) is better hidden in a corner OF. Soriano's bat picked up after he was switched to LF (coincidence or not). The Cubs are playing their best baseball since. The Cubs jumped to 1st place in the standings. You don't f*** with 1st place in the standings. Should I keep going? No, you should stop talking. Does not belong? I challenge you to defend that line of reason in any meaningful way. Soriano's defense has been pretty damn good, actually. Soriano started hitting because he's a good hitter, not some magical property of being 150 feet farther to the 3rd base side. The Cubs are playing better due to better offensive production and some lineup changes. You do F with first place in the standings because this team isn't as good as it could be. Baseball isn't magic, buddy. Its scary numbers and evil computers.

Marshall is not a good pitcher.

I'll agree that Jones is average defensively in CF, but I'm very concerned with his offense. I have never thought he was a good hitter, but he managed to patch himself up nicely last year after one of the worst starts I've seen to a season. He has nearly zero strike zone awareness, his swing gets a huge loop in it when he's excited, and he is a very bad baserunner. He strikes out way too much, isn't a contact hitter unless in Juan Pierre mode, and he really brings nothing to the table if he's not hitting bombs, which he is certainly not. If it were up to me, I put Jones on waivers yesterday, or flip him for a worthless minor leaguer and some cash just to cut payroll in a transitional year for ownership. Every million not spent on Jacque could easily be spent on Big Z. On the crazier side, I've never seen concrete evidence that Murton can't be given a shot in CF. He's probably similar to Jones out there, and then DeRosa can grab more time in RF, and Floyd can still be properly used. He's got enough speed to get to some balls, and he's got a better arm than JJ, so lets do it. Murton/Pagan in CF and Murton/DeRosa/Floyd in RF. We could also stop being sissies and put Soriano back in CF where he belongs. That move to LF is the reason our roster has been so skewed all year for sure.

It certainly does overlook the point. I'll edit it out to allay further confusion.

that's weird box score has 2-4 with one double. :? I thought his last hit was a single and an error by the LF. that would be a terrible scoring decision... the ball was blooped short of the LF who almost made a very good catch, but the ball popped out of his glove and rolled away. Yeah, Murton would've only been at first if he hadn't dived for the ball, but you still can't change him with an error there. The way I look at it, he shouldn't have dove if it was a hit anyhow. Also, I think the error should have been Rowand's for biffing on the ball for a throw to second.

I know I'm excited that the Cubs have caught the surprising Brewers, who look like they're falling apart, but our team has huge gaping holes in it. 1. Jacque Jones just cannot play a good CF. He misjudged a couple balls in the inning that tied the game, his arm is atrocious at best, and he just isn't a good enough hitter to be a positive for a team shooting for the playoffs. Pagan is better running in the field, but he's not very good at the plate either. Answer: Felix Pie. It'll take dogged determination to leave him in until he's comfortable, but Felix is the best CF we have, and watching the Brewers succeed with youth should make it obvious that we can as well. 2. Koyie Hill and Jason Kendall do not belong on a MLB roster right now. Kendall has picked it up quite a bit since he's gotten here, but the face remains that he's just not 2000-2003 Jason Kendall anymore, and his numbers are as ugly as his facial hair. Hill, on the other hand, does nothing well enough to merit even consideration at this level. He's the worst hitter I may have ever seen, period. Answer: Geovany Soto. This one is even easier than Pie, because we're trading in Hill, who does nothing, for someone who can throw out runners, and hit a little bit. A Hank White/Soto tandem is ideal eventually for this year. 3. Cliff Floyd is no longer an everyday player. He is valuable in his own right, and he's a lefty bat in a lineup that is somewhat short on them, but he literally cannot play everyday, and he risks injury or getting worn down by the end of the year. Feel free to abuse him in October, but I'd rather not get him running on fumes now. He needs to sit more often, or he'll lose effectiveness. Answer: Matt Murton. Regardless of how you feel about Murton, his numbers suggest that he is at least as good as Floyd at this stage of his career, and he is young enough that wearing down won't be an issue. He is the answer that has the most experience and success at this level. Floyd still gets 2 starts a week, but is largely a pinch hitter to preserve him. 4. DeRosa needs to play as much as possible. A player that can play RF, LF, or any INF spot is very useful, especially when he's as good as DeRosa has been. To maximize his value, you have to play him instead of the weakest link on the field. Right now that is Fontenot or Theriot. DeRosa is a second baseman by trade, so it makes sense to slot him over Fontenot. Answer: 3-5 starts at 2B, 1-2 starts spelling other players per week. DeRosa's value is maximized if he's utilized as a starter whenever possible, but also to give rest to everyday players, such as Lee and Ramirez. 5. Marquis is becoming himself again recently. A handful of shaky outings (with one excellent start in there as well) recently has the discerning Cubs fan fearing the next couple months. Last year's bad season for Jason is probably closer to his actual ability than his good season the year previous. How long can he continue to skate by with 4-6 run, 5 inning outings and expect to get a win? Answer: Nothing. Short of pulling him in the fourth or fifth inning regularly and giving him his own safety pin long reliever, Marquis will likely revert to himself, if he hasn't already. This is one problem with no solution for the Cubs this year, and it will cost us a few games, but we've done well enough so far, so we'll just have to hope.

that's weird box score has 2-4 with one double. :? I thought his last hit was a single and an error by the LF.

Baldelli is not better than Gomes. Not having seen much of either myself, PECOTA disagrees with you. I guess I believe them.

He's apparently available for very little right now. That said, I could live with a Baldelli type, but I'd really rather add a big old power bat to this lineup to hide our OBP deficiencies that we refuse to fix in the smallest fashion. The biggest hurdle is that Baldelli will cost much much more than Gomes, but that's probably because he's a better player probably, unless Gomes can drive the OBP back up.

I don't know man, he walks a bunch, has good power, he's got several years before we have to really pay him. We could plug him into the OF and really get an offensive shot in the arm. I'm all for it. If the price is right, why the hell not?

According to MLBTR, Gomes is available for any decent offer. I think we could fit him in for sure, and he's not gonna be very expensive.

FTH does that mean? Means he's not mentally tough. Can't handle the pressure Lou puts on players to perform. I've heard this before from Levine. In other words, let's make up an excuse for not playing the guy. A really, really bad excuse as well. I dislike Lou very much.

I think we'll trade for Laird, now. The Rangers got Salty, so they are +1 in the legitimate catcher department. Trade for Laird, DFA Kendall or Hill. Or just [expletive] play Soto. Play Murton always. Play DeRosa at 2B, or elsewhere to give guys a rest. Try Fontenot at SS again, use as a backup if that doesn't work out. We can fill two huge holes without trades, but Lou doesn't see it. God...

Koyie is a terrible offensive hole. Playing him is just giving up 4 outs a game. That's a whole inning by game's end. This team can't keep going with these holes. The whole "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" theme is asinine. We're not winning because of Hill. I promise. A golden sombrero never helps you win, and he's not even gunning guys. We'll lose the division and miss the playoffs if Kendall and Hill are our catchers with Floyd/Jones in the OF. No OBP (aside from Floyd, but just barely), no SLG, no nothing. Please play Soto/Kendall if you have to. DFA Hill! He's worse than Neifi ever was, for god's sake!

I've seen this play before. Murton is getting benched despite being the best option in RF regardless of the dominant arm of the pitcher on the mound. Lou sent him down for struggling early in what at best was a lame attempt to get him 30% of the starts. Don't forget he was labelled the starting LF, started ONE consecutive games, and sat for 2 days after that. I believe, IIRC, that he started 2 times during the opening seven or eight games. He's never been given a fair shake by Lou, and that's the truth. Spot starts, pinch hits, and being lifted from games halfway through have devastated his season so far. To argue that somehow he'll rise to the top through PH'ing is ludicrous. I'd say OPSing well over .900 as he did in AAA before this is rising to the top. Sadly, Lou will give him one start and pinch hit him for two weeks before banishing him again to Iowa. Our holes at C, RF, and CF WILL cost us the playoffs. Book it. We have in house answers to both, but Lou is too damn dumb to figure it out. Just call him Dusty Piniella, although Dusty gave Murton more of a shot than Lou is, despite Murton having a solid history in the MLB now. Pathetic.

why? It's not tryout camp. He failed early and why should he replace anyone? exactly. Murton was brought up to be a pinchhitter and an occassional starter. That is what he should be unless he proves himself differently. Oh god. Compare last season's stats of our entire OF and tell me who the top three are. Until then, try to talk about something else. You may make sense that way.

I'm the archbishop, but I lack the will to take that pic down.

Murton is getting screwed again. Floyd is fair at best at the plate, atrocious in the OF, and hurt alot. Fontenot should be battling Theriot for time in the middle INF, but Theriot is apparently untouchable. DeRosa deserves a spot, and he should get it... in the INF. Take time from Font/Theriot and spell Lee or Aramis once a week or something. This is a problem that will cost us games soon, unless we get a legit OF from a trade. Even if you're winning now, having huge holes at C and RF/CF will get you. Take it to the bank.

Beware of Dunn's old player skills. He will fall off a cliff in a couple years, most likely. I'll take Murton simply because our resources are better spent at center field, where we currently do not possess a viable option. Murton costs almost nothing to keep for several years, and he's an OBP heavy hitter, which is what we need.

Well, he's not taking up a roster spot right now, and I don't believe he's blocking any prospects from getting their starts. He's not going to retire today and forfeit the rest of his guaranteed money. I don't see any harm in keeping him around as a worst case scenario insurance policy for a spot start if something happens to the rest of the staff and all their backups. Isn't he on the 40 man?

/clears voice BOOYA. MATT MURTON IS BACK. HOORAY FOR HAVING A BRAIN. Now I have to change my sig.

The Brewers are folding, and Milwaukee is panicking (the fans, anyway). I live up here now, and they are pissed. I love it. Take from the poor on their best day!

This offense is weak in OBP and Slugging. That usually turns out very badly, unless everyone can steal a base (not happening).

No one ever really complains about Lee, do they? well no, but he did say our best player, which is Ramirez. Consult the numbers. You are wrong.

TRUE. People hate Duke, Florida State, the Yankees, etc. all because they were good. ARod is almost Tiger Woods good, therefore people hate him. I still am confused by the people who are angry at him over his contract.