windycityfan

BoSox's Murton maybe?

Will Ohman

Where's the spirit?

Ron went ape $h*t as well on XM.

Did you watch his stint in CF earlier this season? Why do you think he was switched back to LF? So he could look better with the Under Armour sing in the background? His jumps were late, his reach awkward and miscommunication with corner OFs could have cost lives. Whatever the reasons why he started hitting aside, Lou and Soriano himself manifested several times over that stretch that he felt more comfortable concentrating on his bat after the CF 'experiment' was over (edit - disguised through the hamstring injury). Long story short, his defense was not good in CF. I'll leave it up to you to dig up the articles. He had never played there before. Of course there would be an adjustment period. He'd look better in LF because he had a year of experience there. Remember when he kicked the ball around in Washington at first in LF? He had to adjust. Somehow, the Nats stomached a couple of weeks of learning on the job and he became relatively good. The bottom line is we panicked when he tweaked something on a weird play, and threw our OF backup situation into disarray. If he went back to CF, we could play the correct lineups, and we'd be much better for it. But it'd be a matter of time until he gets to switch back. Pie is truly our best CF. Give it a couple of weeks. The way it's going again (with JJones' play and Floyd's nicks), we may finally see our OF of the future very soon and everyday: Soriano, Pie and Murton (order be damned).

Did you watch his stint in CF earlier this season? Why do you think he was switched back to LF? So he could look better with the Under Armour sing in the background? His jumps were late, his reach awkward and miscommunication with corner OFs could have cost lives. Whatever the reasons why he started hitting aside, Lou and Soriano himself manifested several times over that stretch that he felt more comfortable concentrating on his bat after the CF 'experiment' was over (edit - disguised through the hamstring injury). Long story short, his defense was not good in CF. I'll leave it up to you to dig up the articles.

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?

I believe it was two or three seasons ago when Manny Ramirez cleared waivers while Stonie made an appearance on national TV calling for the Cubs to deal for him. Last season it was Andruw Jones as another big name/big help who could have become available this route. This said, what factors drive having these 'marquee' players being put in waivers? Based upon such triggers, any scenarios out there which could bring the kind of help not filled by yesterday's deadline?

Cannot believe we're standing pat. While status quo might get us in the playoffs, mentioning this team in the same breath as championship caliber (i.e. the Red Sox) is laughable. Jermaine Dye pleasee!!!

:lol:

YES!

:)

Because?

How does Murt compare to Willy? Anybody? Would they be tradeable for each other?

will there be an encore of this game tonight on comcast?

The applicable concept here is diminishing marginal returns. Overspending for such crappy production leaves you with no choice but driving those players into the ground until they become sunk costs. Simply economics Jimbo. Get it. Better yet, clear up your office and just drift off into oblivion.

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, but here's a link to an article from Baseball Prospectus on the Barrett trade - but more importantly, on Jim Hendry's decision making (by the way, nothing that we don't know of). While the argument stands that this trade may hurt the team this year and in the future, Koyie Hill and Rob Bowen have filled in just fine so far and the lineup has picked up elsewhere. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=426

Both Izturis and Jones out by tonight? Too good to be possible.

Brewers leading now.

A twist on this all, BBTN's Olney mentioned that something had been going on not only in this clubhouse, but also (paraphrasing) players talking or complaining to other players on other teams about the direction of this club and the handling of the bullpen. Did anybody hear any of this? Any other reports coming from other sources?

Melikes.

You said it best.

I disagree. Good hitters should be able to launch first pitch fastballs right down the pipe over the bleachers. If anything, I'm seeing Soriano's 'patience' of late hurting him more. He's getting first pitches right down the middle for strikes and everything else off. With these free swinging types, you ain't going to get a heck of a lot done when the scouting report tells you they will swing at them.

Absolutely not. Selective means choosing the right pitch to hit regardless of the count, whereas patience means working the count - which in turn translates to two quick strikes and a third one in the dirt swung at.

It's called strike zone judgment (or lack thereof). But it doesn't end there. Anyhow, I agree wholeheartedly. Soriano especially would just watch by a perfect first pitch fastball and then swing at another two feet off the plate to get himself in the hole - every time out. Floyd did it too in a different fashion. Hitters count, swings at an obvious ball four and follows it by swinging and missing for a K. Another issue particularly frustrating to me is ARam's approach to just to murder the ball on any count (I know there's bigger fish to fry on this team, but, does he realize the intent is to get on base with, let's say, nobody on and no outs?). All in all, it's an acquired ability most of this lineup haven't and won't learn. It goes on and on and on. No wonder this team's offense can't ever muster any consistency or build rallies in any way shape or form. Let alone quite the frustrating experience to watch.