Backtobanks

I do think certain players bring more to a team than just statistics. In Lee's case, it changes the dynamics of the lineup with your 3rd hitter out of the lineup. If you move someone up to bat third, you nake a hole somewhere else. Another perfect example is in a bullpen, where some pitchers can be set up men but not closers and vice versa. Also, there are some players who cannot be "the man" (ARAM?), but are outstanding players as the 2nd or 3rd best hitters on a team. I do believe in stats, but there are some "intangibles" that affect a team's play too.

Signing Zambrano to a new contract is a priority, but not quite the #1 priority on Hendry's mind. He needs to pick a manager and to re-sign ARam first. Zambrano's not going anywhere for awhile.

Unfortunately, I think the choice will be someone like Piniella. Hendry knows that he needs to get this team back to contention (83-85 wins) next year and going with a young manager who seems to have some "issues" isn't the answer. It would be nice to hire someone like Girardi and show some improvement next year with 2008 as the goal, but the new regime needs to make an impression next year.

I like the way you think.

I am amazed at how many people seem to think on this board that Dusty will be re-signed. There is zero chance of that happening especially now that MacPhail has resigned. The Cubs are trying to show fans that losing won't be tolerated and bringing back Dusty would certainly be a reversal of changing leadership at the top.

a season is a marathon, not a sprint, like i said. although the games appear to matter more in august and september, they really don't. don't let the "music of the spheres" fool you. although a pennant race may appear to be more of a race in september, it's just as much of a race in april. I agree with you, but it is obvious his lack of production that past two months has hurt their chances. ARam & Pierre's April hurt our chances, too. BTW - I think the Reds' demise can be linked to the idiotic trade with Washington. I agree with A-ram and Pierre hurt the Cubs. But why is it so hard for everyone to admit that Dunn has been abysmal since August? To say his lack of production didn't effect the Reds chances is puzzling to me. Combine ARam & Pierre's April with Dunn's end of the year and you would really have a pitiful team (more pitiful).

That sure is a scary list of predictions. You forgot #8 - Hendry fired for allowing #1-7.

Ha this was rumored last year. I even started a post on it then. Clemens is a jucie head. With these allegations, it just shows what an outstanding pitcher Greg Maddux has been and still is.

The Cubs need power, but I'm not so sure on CLee anymore. I think there are ways of addressing the power issue (Andruw Jones, Soriano at 2B or CF, Craig Wilson in a platoon with Jones, Jones in CF with a power hitter in RF, etc.) without replacing Murton.

Everything that I have seen says Pierre wants to test the FA market. Assuming that is true, I can't see Hendry paying Pierre what he wants for the number of years that he wants. I would assume Pierre wants something like $24 million over 3 years and Hendry doesn't have that kind of money to pay a singles-hitting CF when he has a ton of other problems to address. Lofton could produce about the same for $4 million for 1 year.

I assume you meant Pie. An OF of Murton, Jones, and Sanders would really be horrible. A deal for Brown or Sanders has to be looked at as a minor deal for a platoon player and not as a starter.

As many of you have stated, Theriot deserves a chance to compete for a starting job (2B or SS) during spring training. I'm a big fan of Cedeno, but package him with some of our young pitching and you might be able to get an impact bat. Better yet, package Izturis with the young pitching and keep Cedeno.

Obviously, Dusty will be "let go" on Monday. In what order do you think these other events will happen (of course, some are based on hope)? 1. Cubs name a new manager. 2. Wood re-signed. 3. ARam's contract extended. 4. Cubs make a minor trade or sign a minor free agent (non-starter). 5. Cubs sign a major free agent. 6. Cubs make a major trade.

That's a nice, quick summary of the free agents or trade candidates out there. In the end, my gut tells me that CLee will become a Cub, and Murton will be dealt along with a prospect to get a starter. I think Hendry and a lot of GMs will think long and hard about CLee and his stats at the end of the year. I'm hoping Hendry goes the FA route to get Schmidt and uses his young players to get an impact bat (Tejada or Andruw Jones). I think dumping Dempster is a must.

I wonder how long it will take Hendry to hire a new manager. Most of the rumored names aren't in the playoffs, so interviews could start soon.

I don't think Murton's season has gone unnoticed by Hendry. I think the only way Murton gets traded is if it's for Cabrera and I don't think there's a big chance of the Cubs getting Cabrera.

Source: http://bleedcubbieblue.com/ Is it me or is Hendry getting dumber and dumber with every passing day? Ugh. Why are you using some random speculation by a person not connected to the Cubs to attack Hendry? Did Hendry say GMJR is a target? Did Hendry say Murton is on the trading block? Let's citicize Hendry on his actions or his statements and not on someone's speculation as to what might happen in the offseason.

Hendry won't hire him because Frank is too old to hold up a sea bass.

I'd call his 2003 great, without question. Not down in history great, but great nonetheless. As great as Zambrano last year. zambrano wasnt great last year either imo. we must have a different opinion on what "great" means. i look at some of the years pedro, maddux, clemens, johnson & sanatana have had and woods 2003 just looks like a very average year that a good pitcher would have. not a great year by any stretch imo. Woods' greatness has always had more to do with potential and short term achievement rather than season-long achievement.

He's way too infatuated with jack of all trade types, as opposed to masters of one. He needs to get guys who are good at something, not just mediocre at everything. He thinks a bench is there for defensive backup, and doesn't even think about the need for offense, accept for finding guys who can put it in play and bunt (because Dusty actually used pinch hitters to sac bunt on a regular basis). Preferably the one thing they are good at would be delivering a pinch hit. Who needs a .220-hitting defensive SS on the bench? One backup middle IF, one backup C, one player who can play 1B & 3B, and 2 OF should make up the bench. It would be nice to have at least 1 lefty and 1 righty who have some power. By signing Craig Wilson and you fill a lot of holes .....RF platoon, backup 1B, right-handed power off the bench (left-handed power off the bench when Jones is sitting). Theriot can certainly fill the substitute middle IF role and I think Soto can fill the substitute C role.

The Cubs stink like a dead fish, so I guess the message is that he can handle it.

Guillen and his band of thugs have made lots of enemies. they have a disappointing season next year and people will see that Ozzie as the sham that he is.

Poor Ozzie is quoted that people were hoping the White Sox wouldn't make the playoffs. I admit I was hoping they would lose because I'm tired of hearing Ozzie as much as I'm tired of hearing Dusty. I guess winning a World Championship makes you a genius and gives you the right to comment on any subject (see Mike Ditka). It will be interesting to see how the White Sox do next year when they go back to "Ozzieball". It looks like it could be a very interesting and busy offseason on both sides of town. They had better hope Buerhle regains his form, Thome stays healthy, and Dye doesn't regress to his career averages. Of course, they will have Pierre to save the franchise.

No matter what anyone thinks of Juan Pierre, he just isn't worth re-signing at the amount he is going to ask for. $7-8 million per year for 3 years for Pierre is ridiculous.

He hasn't even had one quality start. Then I'll plead ignorance to what a "quality start" technically is. I figured he pulled them off the last 3 starts, but if I had to guess, they're not technically quality starts because of the amount of innings pitched each game, right? Well, despite that, I'd still call them quality starts, just in the "rest of the world" definition of the word "quality." Sure, I'd like to see him last longer and get a bit more oomph on his velocity, but he looked pretty damn good. He's looked pretty darn mediocre to me. He's a junkballer, and he's given up nearly as many walks as strikeouts. His WHIP is 1.58. And he's getting the majority of his outs in the air. He's doing it with mirrors right now. And he's not lasting past the 5th inning. People gave Wood and Prior a ton of crap for not lasting 7. I'm not against a low guarantee with high incentives for innings pitched. But if they offer him big money in those incentives, they better have a manager who is not afraid to pull him if he's pitching like garbage in those innings. **** A quality start is 6+ innings with 3 or fewer runs allowed. And that isn't even a good start since it's a 4.50 ERA. It's a short leash, to an extent, but he's also getting to 90 pitches in the 5th inning. That's inefficient. You need to realize that September is his spring training. Having not pitched for that long of a time has to affect his location. I agree that there shouldn't be even a hint of "big" money in the contract offer, but I would take a chance on a low-base-with-incentives contract. Actually, the way he is pitching should help the Cubs re-sign him because nobody will be offering much more than what I've suggested.