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Backtobanks

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  1. Backtobanks
    While I agree with your sentiment, the Marlins are not a terrible offensive team. Ramirez, Uggla, Hermida, and Cabrera would all be starters for the Cubs and most of the other teams in the majors. Pitching and defense are certainly important factors in winning baseball games over the long haul, but sometimes hitters can just take over a short series.
  2. Backtobanks
    That would be great, but you had better hope Mark Cuban becomes the owner because they would have a $200 million payroll.
  3. Backtobanks
    Whether he starts Tracshel or one of the other pitchers (Hart, Gallagher, Marshall, or Piggy), he should keep a short leash on the pitcher. Tracshel might be okay the first time through the lineup (3 innings) and then bring in Marshall or Gallagher for 3 innings and Hart or Piggy for a couple and then go to the regular end-of-the-game bullpen guys.
  4. Backtobanks
    I would like to add Tejada, but not at that price. Renteria would probably be available for Marshall, Cedeno, and a lower pitching prospect.
  5. Backtobanks
    I'm not in favor of signing Bonds, but this is an interesting statistic for all of the Dunn, Burrell, and Bonds lovers out there: John Dewan, author of "The Fielding Bible," created a plus/minus system that determines how many plays a fielder makes that are above or below those of an average player at his position. Dewan and the staff at Baseball Info Solutions watch tapes of every major league game and track every play. Bonds this season is minus-8, which is ugly. But even at 43, with his creaky knees and occasional lack of hustle, he scores higher than left-field counterparts such as Boston's Manny Ramirez (minus-35), Cincinnati's Adam Dunn (minus-29), Florida's Josh Willingham (minus-28) and Philadelphia's Pat Burrell (minus-25).
  6. Backtobanks
    Better yet, how about $30 million per year for 6-7 years in cash and the last 3-4 years in Cubs stock.
  7. Backtobanks
    I don't understand your trade of Soriano for Tejada. The only thing that does is save some money while downgrading the offense. As for Cedeno, I can't help but think that he has about run out of chances with the Cubs. He looks to be the perfect example of a AAAA player. If the Cubs can make a trade for Tejada or Renteria during the off season, I would imagine Cedeno would be part of the package.
  8. Backtobanks
    I don't know about "offically" clinching it, but I think winning 5 out of 6 from the Pirates and Marlins would just about guarantee it.
  9. Backtobanks
    I guess the good part about Soto continuing to rake and show good defensive abilities is that I'm actually starting to believe Hendry and Lou would be comfortable heading into 2008 with Geo penciled in as the starter. The offensive power advantage over Kendall is wonderful, but the defensive ability to throw out runners should make it a no-brainer to continue starting him.
  10. Backtobanks
    If the Cubs can win 5 out of 6 against the Pirates and Marlins, they won't have to worry much about what the Brewers do.
  11. Backtobanks
  12. Backtobanks
    I don't have the answer, but the question has stumped all of the baseball "experts" all season. With Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Murton, and Barrett (earlier in the season), you would think they would be killing lefties. If I were an opposing manager, not only would I line up my starting rotation so that I had lefties facing the Cubs, I would call up any lefty minor leaguer to face them.
  13. Backtobanks
    This goes back to a thread I started about Lilly being the ace of the Cubs this year. If the 3 games the Cubs are most likely to lose are Zambrano against the other team's ace, is he really the "great" pitcher all of us make him out to be?
  14. Backtobanks
    I've got a good idea. Let's wait to see if Hendry picks up someone like Tejada or not and then bash him for whatever decision he makes.
  15. Backtobanks
    That would be great if we could replace Murton in the deal with Cedeno. Marshall, Jones, Dempster, and Cedeno for Tejada sounds good, even if we have to add another low level arm to the deal.
  16. Backtobanks
    Theriot has done okay for a middle infielder. Somehow we all got spoiled by these shortstops who hit 50 HRs and drive in 130 runs. Also, let's remember that he's still young and may get better. That being said, of course you upgrade with someone like Tejada if he can be had for a decent price. Obviously, Ryan Theriot as your starting SS is not the biggest weakness on this team.
  17. Backtobanks
    Naw. I never heard of this guy either. And yet there are 3 pages of posts about him getting a new contract.
  18. Backtobanks
    You're joking, right? I'll admit he made some good signings this past offseason, but that doesn't undo the damage he did in 2005 and 2006. The Cubs still are far behind where they were in 2003 and 2004; they just have the good fortune this year to be the least crappy in a crappy division. He doesn't deserve an extension simply for partially recovering from his past incompetence. I don't know why he is joking. Ozzie just got a 5 year deal for taking a World Champion to last place to 2 years. On the same subject, Kenny Williams seems to have a lifetime position for doing the same thing.
  19. Backtobanks
    It was a great pickup. Even though Floyd has gotten hot. I feel much more comfortable with Ward at bat. Ward is able to come off the bench and deliver. There aren't many players that have that skill. Floyd needs regular at bats to be of value.
  20. Backtobanks
    Once the playoffs start everything is out the window. All you need is one or two guys to get hot at the right time and they can carry you through a short series. Look at how many time the "hero" in the playoff series or WS was some obscure player that nobody in their right mind would pick as the "hero".
  21. Backtobanks
    Boy, I hope you're right. Personally, I see the Cubs winning it with 84-78.
  22. Backtobanks
    I don't agree with your "out of the box" thinking. First, let Kendall go and start Soto with Blanco in reserve. While I like Kendall offensively, he has shown to be terrible on defense. I would love to get Either, but Loney is a big downgrade, offensively and defensively, from Lee. Your idea of trading Howry, Murton, and DLee for Loney and Either and we would probably have to throw in some money and a couple of young arms is unbelievable. The 3 players you mentioned for Either and Loney is so one-sided in the Dodgers' favor that to add cash and young arms is outrageous.
  23. Backtobanks
    How many FAs at any position are worth half of what they end up getting?
  24. Backtobanks
    Soriano is a #5 hitter, not a leadoff hitter. It really is as simple as that. How Lou doesn't see that is beyond me. I'm hoping Lou will convince Soriano that batting 5th and playing RF will help the 2008 Cubs. Doing those 2 simple things gives you more power and RBIs in the middle of the order, gives you a higher OBP guy leading off, strengthens your OF defense in both LF and RF, and allows Murton to play everyday. Make Soto your starting catcher and you've improved the defense at that position too. Obviously, these changes won't be enacted for the rest of this year.
  25. Backtobanks
    Well that equates to a 4.50 ERA and a good amount of pitchers do better than a 4.50 ERA. Not sure what you mean by "do better than the 6/3 QS". What I'm simply asking is. What percentage of starting pitchers have a 6 inning 3 run line or better game? If it's a low percentage than it might be considered a qualty start. I realize that a 4.50 ERA is that that good and that giving up 2 runs should be a quality start and 3 should be called something else but as I wrote, I wonder what percentage of games have starting pitchers keep the other team from scoring more than 3 runs in 6 innings? I would think that a 6-inning 3-run start by a pitcher that is your #5 starter is pretty darn good. I would think that most managers would be happy if their #4 and #5 starters would give them 6 innings with only 3 runs.
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