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Backtobanks

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  1. Backtobanks
    And he's going to show that in a week? Pie will likely make it regardless of his hitting because of his defense and speed. Fact is, he is the guy you want in center when trying to preserve a lead, and he is the best guy the cubs have to use as a pinch runner. I think the cubs roster will look like this: Pitchers (11) (S) Z, Demp, Harden, Lilly ® Marquis (longman), Cotts, Marmol, Wood, Howry, Shark, Gaudin (if healthy, Marshall if not) Position players (14) Lee, Derosa, Riot, Ram, Soto, Fukudome, Edmonds, Soriano, Reed, Fontenot, Blanco, Cendeno, Ward, Pie I expect the Cubs to clinch within a few more days and then Lou probably will be giving a lot of playing time to Pie. Pie might be great for speed and defense, but Edmonds and Johnson are pretty solid defensively. If Gaudin is healthy, it wouldn't surprise me for both Marshall and Gaudin to be on the roster. A second lefty in the bullpen might be necessary.
  2. Backtobanks
    Edmonds will positively be on the roster. Howry has the "experience" factor going for him. Marquis will make it unless he really sucks the rest of the way. Pie won't make it unless he shows he can hit. Fukudome will make the roster for depth and defense.
  3. Backtobanks
    The latest from MLBtraderumors: File this under rumor… Word on the street is that Thomas Ricketts and the Ricketts family are the winning bidders for the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, and a 25 percent stake in ComcastSports Chicago. Thomas Ricketts is the chief executive of Chicago investment bank Incapital LLC, His father, Joe Ricketts, is the founder of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.
  4. Backtobanks
    I really feel old when posters grew up listening to Steve Stone. I go back to Jack Brickhouse and Vince Lloyd.
  5. Backtobanks
    That team is full of chokers. Only one of them has a World Series ring. And we don't have a bullpen. With that lineup and those starters, even Howry could pitch in relief.
  6. Backtobanks
    The topic of this thread is what we would do during the off season, but realistically DLee isn't going to be traded by the Cubs. He is the high-character, elder spokesperson for the team. It might be in the best interest of the Cubs to replace him, but it won't happen.
  7. Backtobanks
    If you're interested in Burrell, that means Fukudome moves to CF and Pie is traded. It looks like the Mets will be in the playoffs, but I had heard that they might shop Beltran if they missed the playoffs. A package starting with Pie and Marshall (plus others) for Beltran and his overpriced contract would be interesting. I would think that Cedeno will be traded to someone who needs a young SS.
  8. Backtobanks
    And replace him with?
  9. Backtobanks
    Did anyone else look at the title and think the Cardinals called up Randy Wells?
  10. Backtobanks
    As long as you consider Jason Marquis your #5 starter, he's decent. The problem has always been about the raised expectations because of his contract. You can't blame Marquis for taking the money.
  11. Backtobanks
    Fixed
  12. Backtobanks
    I don't see how Lou should be given any credit for not pitching a pitcher who is obviously hurt. Lou should get credit for many things about the Cubs, but he has many faults too. The most obvious fault with him is his "doghouse" where players have been known to disappear for weeks at a time (i.e. Murton, Eyre, Wuertz, Marshall, Pie, etc.).
  13. Backtobanks
    I think Wood and Dempster will be back with favorable contracts because of their relationship with Hendry and the Cubs. I do think that Edmunds will be gone opening the way for Pie/Johnson in CF. I'm not sure what Johnson will cost, but he is a decent 4th OF/platoon, so I think he will be back. As you pointed out, Wuertz should be back even though he seems to be "out of the picture" with Lou. With a good spring, he might be valuable as trade bait if Lou doesn't want him. To me, Cotts is a question mark because he is hot and cold. I guess a lot will depend on who might be available during the off season to cover possible holes at CF/RF and lefty relief pitching.
  14. Backtobanks
    There's nothing that says Pie can't be called up after Iowa's season ends. Pie could be valuable as a pinch runner and defensive replacement after his season ends.
  15. Backtobanks
    I wonder if Detroit would want to move their RF? I have seen Magglio's name mentioned as a possible trade candidate because of his salary and the Tiger's pitching woes.
  16. Backtobanks
    The big issue I see with that rotation is that you could easily have half your rotation down by midseason. You trade Lilly and Marquis, and suddenly you lose 2 of your guys who you trust to make every start. Harden, Marshall, and Hill are all huge question marks in one way or another. They give you the best production when things are going good, but they also have a high chance of being gone for at least 1/4 of the season. That's a major problem in the rotation when you have to start dipping down into your 7th and 8th starters for long stretches of the season. That makes me wary about going with that particular rotation. I'm not advocating trading both Lilly and Marquis, but with enough advance notice the coaching staff could stretch out one or two of Gaudin/Marshall/Hart/Samardja in addition to any other players from the minors plus any free agents or players obtained in trades.
  17. Backtobanks
    I agree with you that the Cubs will re-sign Dempster somehow, but I still think it's hilarious to think the Cubs would let the year-long ace of the rotation leave because they have one year left on their #5 starter. That would make for a real public relations disaster for the new owner after Dempster leads the Cubs to a WS championship. Dempster has already stated he wants to stay with the Cubs and to me that translates into something will be worked out. If Marshall continues to improve, trading Lilly (and Marquis) could be a possibility if money really is an issue.
  18. Backtobanks
    It is amazing what "people in the know" can write with a straight face. From John Perotto (baseball Prospectus) via MLBtraderumors: Despite a great season, the Cubs may be hesistant to re-sign Ryan Dempster to a long-term deal because they already have Rich Harden, Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, and Jason Marquis signed for 2009. Let me get this straight, the Cubs might think twice about re-signing Ryan Dempster because we have Jason Marquis under contract for 2009. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
  19. Backtobanks
    Yeah, I think it's time to "fish or cut bait" with Pie. He's still young, but he needs to step up and show he's ready to hit in the majors. There will be a lot of pressure on Pie to perform or Hendry to make a deal to keep the Cubs in the playoff mode for 2009 and beyond. Unless Fukudome gets back to hitting, I can't picture the Cubs going with 2 defensive OFs (Pie and Fukudome) for 2009.
  20. Backtobanks
    Assuming Dempster and Wood resign with the Cubs, I would think you have to see what happens before next season to Marquis, Guzman, Hill, Marshall, etc. I think Marshall is a better starter than reliever, but if Marquis is on the team, it will be as a starter. Right now, I would think Hill is out of the picture, but if he gets his head screwed on straight anything could happen. Guzman is a real possibility for the bullpen, if healthy. Marquis, Hill, or Guzman could be traded. Don't forget that there were hints of Lilly being traded to the Yankees earlier. I think that you can be reasonably sure that the pitching staff will have Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly, Gaudin, Samardija, Marmol, and Wood. Who will fill the other 4 slots is open for speculation.
  21. Backtobanks
    I mentioned in my post that I don't always agree with sportswriters (especially about Santo), but I would hope that posters ought to agree that any player elected on the first ballot was a great player (and usually a great hitter). If posters can't agree that players like Carew, Boggs, Brett, etc. were great hitters, then I think their definition of a great hitter is skewed.
  22. Backtobanks
    I think it's more accurate to say hitters you like and hitters you don't like, because your definition of great hitter appears to be quite arbitrary. I don't always agree with sportswriters, but they do follow baseball for a living. Somehow they manage to figure out what a great hitter is when they elect them to the HOF. Names like Boggs, Carew, Gwynn, Brock, and Brett made it on the first ballot and Rose would have except for a little gambling problem. In a few years Biggio will be a HOF on the first ballot. Unless Dunn hits 900 HRs, he will need a ticket to get in. Apparently my definition of a great hitter seems to follow what the "experts" think.
  23. Backtobanks
    A lot of extra "stuff" has come into this discussion. Descriptions like "more valuable", "more productive", "more total bases", etc. These terms have nothing to do with my original point. I disagreed with a poster who called Dunn "a great hitter" and I stated that he is a great slugger, but not a great hitter. There are great hitters who also are great sluggers (Bonds, Pujols, ARod, etc.) who combine the great hitting statistics with great slugging statistics, but Dunn comes up great in slugging statistics and lousy in hitting statistics. Players like Gwynn, Ichiro, etc. come up great in hitting statistics and lousy in slugging statistics. I never argued who's "more valuable", "more productive", etc. As I stated in an earlier post, I give credit to Dunn for doing what he does, but many of you can't give credit to great players like Gwynn for doing what he did.
  24. Backtobanks
    It's amazing that the word "logic" is used when posters quote statistics, but when the statistics are used against them it's "idiotic". Using Kyle's statistics in a 600 AB season, Gwynn would make contact 528 times resulting in 185 hits. Dunn would make contact 342 times resulting in 106 hits. I stand by my original point that Dunn can be described as a great slugger, but should not be described as a great hitter.
  25. Backtobanks
    A perfect example of trying to use statistics to make a point that is ridiculous. Most of Dunn's non-contact were Ks. You're assuming that Gwynn swung at bad pitches ("sacrifice the chance for a BB") to get more singles and never tried to get extra base hits. I suppose the 40 point difference in BABIP means nothing especially since Gwynn puts 30% more balls into play.
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