Backtobanks

Two words: Jeff Blauser Comparing Jeff Blauser to Carlos Lee is ridiculous. If you're worried about his Wrigley Field numbers, then don't trade for Dunn either since he hits a ton at Wrigley.

During the offseason, many posters just drooled at the thought of getting Dunn to play LF. Also, many posters dismiss the availability of Carlos Lee. I admit that I'm an old-timer in regards to sabermetrics, but I would love to see Lee playing for the Cubs. A guy who averages 30 HRs and 105 RBIs while hitting .284 sounds like a pretty solid corner OF to my 1950s statistical mind. With Dunn, you have 3 choices......HR, SO, or BB. Neither is a great defensive OFer, but Dunn makes anybody look good. Abreu would be great, but at what cost and for how long? Obviously, I think we all agree that Cabrera is the answer, but CLee wouldn't be a bad second choice.

By the time the Cubs fire Dusty, Dusty will have lowered the trade value of half the team. Dempster is the latest example, preceded by Murton and Walker. Of course, there's the overuse of Wood and Prior. Knowing Dusty, he will continue to use Jones against lefties until his batting average plummets along with his trade value. I'm not defending Hendry, but he will be lambasted for the low-potential prospects he ends up getting for the likes of Jones, Walker, Maddux, and Dempster. If Murton is ever traded, I look for him to become a solid .300 hitter.

How many are left....10, 8,?

Not with the question marks of Prior and Wood.

That's the best laugh I've had in a long time.

How about Jones and Walker to the Yankees for one of their few top prospects. Walker might help now that Cano is injured. Both of them being lefties would look good in Yankee Stadium.

It might if they get shut out for the rest of the season.

I have no Idea why the bolded would interest anyone, even considering Blanco's hot streak. If the Cubs package the 4 of then for an unopened package of sunflower seeds plus pay their salaries, they might find a buyer.

Baker and his staff need to be fired not only for the lack of fundamentals, but it is obvious that this team has quit on Baker. If he says nobody on this team has quit, he needs to be fired for being blind and stupid. I've defended Hendry in the past, but something drastic needs to be done by the All-Star break.

not will the Cubs win, but will the Cubs ever score again?

Derrek Lee was a possibility back in the 03-04 offseason. Florida was trying to move him for pennies on the dollar. A few teams showed some interest, but not enough to take on his entire contract. Derrek Lee was an average offensive 1b prior to his 2005 season with the Cubs. When the Cubs traded Choi and Nannini for Lee prior to the '04 season, I don't think anyone here could visualize Lee putting up the '05 season that he did. It was a total salary dump from the Marlins side of this deal. Hendry got a steal of a deal, as Lee not only made it a totally lopsided trade, but he went from an overpaid, mediocre 1b to an underpaid all star 1b in 2005. Do you consider a player with an OPS over 860 a bad player. Because in only one year since 2000 has Lee been below that and that was 2001. He always had a high OBP, always had atleast decnet power (since 2000 only one year below 28 homers), and you have to add in the facts he is great defensively and he is a great baserunner. DLee was always a very good player. He was just always under appreciated. Your example of the DLee trade is the perfect reason not to trade Aram for a prospect. You never trade a proven potential all star commodity for prospects, unless it is a complete salary dump. You could end up getting the shaft. Especially when the proven commodity is just turning 28. Yes, Aramis has his flaws but so does every player. That is what makes building a team so difficult. You need to find players who help to minimize their teamates flaws. You know Aramis has minimal range at third so you get a shortstop that has a lot. You don't put three sub standard defensive outfielders all in the same outfield. It can only lead to problems. You can live with one bad defensive corner outfielder if you have a great centerfielder. I know this gets annoying but i'm going to show you my perfect team for next year...that is reasonably possible for the Cubs to achieve. This is just to show how you need to build a team of players that compliment one another. 2b Walker C Barrett 1B Lee 3B Ramirez CF Hunter LF Jones/Murton SS Cedeno RF Pie You can count on Walker and Barrett both to have OBP around 350 or better. Then you can expect DLees to be around 400 and Arams aroudn 350 and then Hunter aroudn 330. Jones/Murton will be about 360 when they are platooned. This Cubs team really doesn't need a lot of work on the offensive end. They just need to sign the right player. By the way Barrett is the perfect 2 hitter. HE doesn't strike out much and he has a high OBP so he knows how to take pitches. Pitching it woudl be great to sign Zito and then go with Zambrano, Prior, Zito, Marshall, Maddux. The outfield will be much better defensively with Hunter and Pie that it shoudl help the pitching staff quite a bit. We may not have the speed that Pierre brings this year but Pie, Hunter, Lee, Cedeno, and Jones all have decent speed. I agree that the lineup you mentioned is very attainable for the Cubs, but I think Hendry will have to make a bigger splash in the lineup than adding Hunter and Pie to satisfy the fans. Secondly, he had better hire a manager who might arrange the batting order as you suggested since Dusty has had Walker and Barrett all season and hasn't tried them at the top of the lineup. I'm not a big fan of Zito (especially for the cost), but I guess it would solidify the rotation.

The bolded part sounds perfect for the Cubs.

The one complaint that I have heard about Mariotti is that he doesn't go to the clubhouse to get his stories. A friend of my wife works for the Sox and says that Ozzie is just "a pig". He verbally abuses his sons, women, his players, sportswriters, and opponents. I guess the best desciption of him is "classless". The amazing thing is that everyone is shocked by Ozzie after the Sox and the media have spent the last two years "pimping" Ozzie by celebrating his openess and candor.

Baker has said that he will not play the OF because of defensive liabilities and the Tribune article basically said that all parties understood that they needed him only until DLee got back. I'm hoping they can get something for him rather than releasing him and getting nothing.

In today's Tribune, Baker emphasized that Nevin is gone as soon as DLee returns. By the time he leaves (in a few days), he might be leading the team in HRs and RBIs. If only Hendry could find a team desperate for a right-handed DH and be willing to give us a decent prospect. Oh well, I can dream.

I don't think Aram is comfortable being "the Man" on the team. I think he plays (and hits) better when he is considered the 2nd or 3rd best hitter on the team.

That's a foregone conclusion. Let him try relieving for the rest of this year (assuming there are no physical problems) and, if successful, restructure his contract at $3-5 million plus incentives as a closer.

I'm hoping Hendry has looked at the results of free agency (both his and others) and realizes that most free agents don't produce anywhere near the level people expect of them for the money. I think Hendry's strength has been in the trade market rather than free agency. Pitchers like Zito, Mulder, and Schmidt are great but not if you have to get in a bidding war over them and end up giving them $50-60 million.

If he has his dominating stuff, I'd say groom him as the closer. Howry and Eyre are good enough for the 7th and 8th innings. Dempster would be good trade bait.

If doctors are sure there are no more physical problems with Kerry Wood, just that he gets fatigued after 60 pitches, why not go back to letting him try to develop into a closer. He probably would have plenty of rest this year since the Cubs might not need a closer more than once a week. This would tie into the thread of trading Dempster. Also, the Cubs seem to be in a better position to replace Wood (or any starting pitching) with their prospects (Guzman, Marmol, Marshall, etc.) I know what happened last year, but they tried him in the bullpen while he was injured.

When we talked about Cabrera, that's not the one we're talking about.

I agree. Winning has made Williams a genius and Guillen a Hall of Fame manager. The Sox should be favorites to win their division, league, and World Series when you look at their whole team (including pitching). They come in 2nd and miss the Wild Card and Ozzie starts looking like the profanity-laced big mouth that he is. If he wasn't coming off a championship, I wonder if the Sox or the league would fine or suspend him for some of his actions and comments.

But Neifi can "catch the ball".

I would love to get rid of Baker, but I'm sure Hendry feels he has to give Dusty a chance with all of his players back, especially since Dusty has been using that as an excuse all season. The next question is what would constitute a successful turn around for the team. Obviously, the playoffs are out of the question, but what about ending the season at .500? I know how most of us feel, but what would Hendry do in that situation?