Backtobanks

As politely as he could, Hendry basically made it clear that Monroe is here to face LHP. I'm thinking/hoping he's going to be Jacque's platoon partner in CF, the top bat off the bench to face lefties out of the pen and get an occasional start on the corner based on matchups. Actually, if you heard Hendry, he stated that Monroe was a right-handed bat off the bench to replace some of the kids. Lou will make the final decision on playing time, but Hendry made it sound like he is a right-handed pinch hitter.

I think great is probably out. He might be effective. If they tender him what will it cost the Cubs? I am guessing the payroll is getting pretty tight already and the need for another OFer is more important than a questionable starter/reliever. I'm wondering if the Cubs can sign him to a high-incentive low-base contract for 2008 with an team option for 2009. I'm not sure about the rules on tendering or non-tendering, but I agree with the others who said that they've sunk so much into him and you would like to see the final result.

Since when was a 334 BABIP on a 20.1 LD% really high? .013 above expected BABIP? Thats nothing. His BABIP is 256 this year on a 17.4 LD%. Thats .038 points below expected, or 3x as unluck as he was in 2006. In 2005 he had a 286 BABIP on a 20.7 LD%. Thats .031 below expected. Is Dye as good as his 2006 campaign? No, but hes better than he was in 2005 and better than hes been this year (especially because hes had to deal with injuries. He has a 20.6M MORP for 2008-2009. The Sox were hoping to have 4 serviceable, cheap OF options for 2008 with Anderson, Sweeney, Owens, and Fields (until he takes over for Crede in 2009). Of those Fields is the only one whos been anything close to adequate (only trails Konerko, Thome, and Dye in OPS). With no adequate internal options, no options on the FA market for the $ or years, and PR, I don't see how this is nothing short of a really good move by the whitesox. .334 is high when you have a career average of .297 over 5900 PAs and have only had a similarly high BABIP once, 5 or so years ago. Maybe he became a significantly better batter in terms of core skills at age 32 and this is just a fluke. I don't know, I don't watch the Sox. Maybe I'm way off base. Still, aside from last year and 2003 (a terrible injury year) he's been pretty average this decade. Not bad average, but $11 million average? Its more appropriate to look at the variance of the difference between his expected BABIP and actual BABIP. .013 "lucky" is not high whatsoever. I think no one really expects him to repeat 2006, but hes provided very solid, consistant production over the course of his career. Like I said, you have to look at the opportunity costs. What are the white sox going to put in RF if they don't resign Dye? Can they get production anywhere close to Dye's for similar or less money in a contract for similar or less years on the FA market? The answer is a resounding NO. Can the whitesox offense afford to hand RF over to an unproven youngster (unproven as in they've all sucked this year) or a crappy 25th man. Again, the answer is a resounding NO. Can the whitesox from a PR perspective let one of their more popular players leave in a critical time as their following is waning in a possible last place finish, just two years after a WS Ring? Again, a resounding NO. Regardless of whether you believe a .013 BABIP over eBABIP is significantly high or not, I don't think anyone can dispute with the answer to those 3 questions, and thats all that really matters when making the decision. Resigning Dye was a good PR move, but a lousy baseball move. The Sox should have been big-time sellers at the deadline and should be selling again this off season. As I've written before, the Sox should have received more for Taguchi, traded Dye, Konerko, and Contreras (for a bag of sunflower seeds) at the deadline. During the off season, they should trade either Garland or Vasquez and Uribe (if anybody wants him). The trading of Dye, Konerko, and Garland/Vasquez should have gotten them 2 major league ready players and at least 2 more very good prospects. The White Sox have no hope of competing in 2008, so their focus should have been on 2009-2010. They will be a 4th place club next year.

What a friggin waste of an asset that would be. Err, what SSR said. Asset? What exactly does Cedeno bring to the table? 24 year old who has torn up AAA. Could be valuable in a trade if we find a gullible GM...so basically if we try to make a trade with ourselves. I think Cedeno will be traded because he doesn't seem to have any future with the Cubs. I think the Cedeno experiment along with Murton and Jones goes to prove that some players are not part-time players, they need to play regularly. Of course that's hard to do when another player is outperforming you at your position. I could certainly see Cedeno being part of an off season package for Tejada or Renteria.

I don't know why we continue to discuss this, we all think Soriano would be better in the middle of the order and playing RF, but Lou has said Soriano will bat leadoff and play LF and his is the only opinion that counts.

Kenny Williams needed to take lessons from Jon Daniels (Texas GM) on what to do with a team that has no chance of competing in 2007 or 2008. He should have received more for Iguchi and should have traded Dye, Konerko, and Contreras (if anyone would take him) at the deadline. This off season he should trade Uribe (if anyone wants him) and either Garland or Vasquez. The Sox are the 4th best team in their division and I can't see them passing the Tigers, Twins, or Indians for quite a few years since those teams are better and younger than the White Sox. Also, Reinsdorf is not noted for throwing around too much money at free agents, so there isn't much hope of a quick fix.

People criticize Hendry because the only thing that counts is the team's record and then there's an article listing the top GMs and it doesn't include Schuerholz. Just goes to prove that it depends on who is doing the rating. As for Hendry, he could trade for Arod, Cabrera, and Santana during the off season and some posters would complain because we had to give up 3 good prospects to get them.

I've heard through some correspondents that the org doesn't like the idea of a sidearm throwing right hander playing RF. The belief is that he wouldn't be able to make the throw to third base at all when he has to go to his left to make a catch. ETA - these correspondents were not connected to the org, so I don't know for certain if that's the opinion of the org of the guys I'm talking to. Wasn't that one of the arguments against resigning Nomar to play RF.

The Yankees need Zambrano more than the Red Sox, but any team in the majors could make room for a #1 starter if they had the money.

I found the book "Baseball Between The Numbers" raised some very interesting questions. For the first half of each chapter it was pretty interesting, but the second half of each chapter seemed to over analyze each question with mind-numbing statistics.

I would assume he died of old age. It really drives me crazy that reporters need to find a cause of death when someone dies at 85 or 90 years of age.

I think we can all agree that the Cubs would be better off with Soriano batting in the middle of the lineup and playing RF. Since Lou has made it perfectly clear that Soriano is going to bat leadoff and play LF, I don't understand why we should even discuss it.

especially after this last road trip.

no you don't. Correction: You want a closer that has stuff that is totally dominating. If you look at the best closers in history, most of them had at least one pitch (95+ mph fastball, splitter, etc.) that was nearly unhittable.

Trade Dempster for Borowski. Only kidding, these two were always on the brink of disaster. You need a closer that has stuff that is totally dominating. I think Howry for now while easing Marmol into the role and then Marmol for 2008.

He'd be quite a bit worse. I don't agree. Burrell misplaying a ball is better than Floyd not getting to it at all. I literally think it would be impossible to do worse than him defensively, his range is completely nonexistent. It's pointless to argue unless they both play it and we can actually compare, but I definitely disagree. How much Burrell have you watched? I'm willing to bet not enough and you're making an intelligent guess based on how poorly you feel Floyd's been. It might be hard to believe but Burrell is worse and Wrigley's right isn't going to improve anything for him. I think Burrell is easily worse than Floyd or Murton out there. You could put a coatrack with a glove and a Cubs hat on it in Floyd's place and it would be an improvement. Unless Burrell does things such as throw the ball into the LF bleachers on a play at the plate or flirt with Burrell's Girls after making a catch instead of hitting the cutoff man, I have a feeling Burrell would have to actually make a conscious effort to be worse than Floyd is out there. That's a pretty good description of Burrell in the OF.

Hendry needs to explain to Kenny Williams why Podsednik got through the whole AL and most of the NL without being claimed. It's because he sucks and the White Sox ought to be glad somebody is going to give them anything for him.

For all of the criticism of Jones, he is an adequate hitter and it's not surprising that he has improved since his terrible 1st half by playing regularly. I think the same will happen with Murton if he is given the chance to play everyday. Unfortunately that probably won't happen. Most players, when given enough playing time, will end up near their norm.

It's all those day games, plus Kaspar and Brenley as announcers that are killing the Cubs.

Yeah, let the Yankees have him because if he's in the NL he will shut us out every time we face him.

If Aram is out of the lineup, Zambrano probably could bat 4th. He certainly has more power than most of the lineup.

Apparently he has given it to all of our hitters.

I would give up Ohman in a heartbeat -- he has little value. Don't you believe that for a second. Ohman is a Loogy who has had 2 bad outings in a row, but has been pretty good for the last few years. Pretty good Loogies have long careers and are in demand most of the time.

You answered your own question. It's pretty obvious that they're having enough trouble finding room for the first Matt Murton on the team.

while we do have problems against lefties.... 1. we face way more righties 2. defense is not the problem, offense, namely power, is. dunn remedies this. 3. we have some tradeable commodities. 4. soriano goes to right, dunn stays in left. yeah...soriano went down earlier in the year...moved from CF to LF...so...it is only natural to assume...given the soon to be acquisition of Dunn...that he will move to RF upon his return to the club third time is a charm, right? i like soriano in left, i really do. but dunn is much more valuable in left, and soriano is more valuable in right. sorry, sori, you're ours for as long as the cubs want you, so you'll do what you're told. I agree that Soriano in RF makes a lot of sense, but messing with Soriano's psyche may throw him into a funk. We can all say that it shouldn't and he should be able and willing to make the change, but we saw what happens when he's taken out of the leadoff spot. The bottom line is that you have to cater to these prima donna players somewhat whether we like it or not.