jersey cubs fan

With word that they're shifting Williams to RT if they sign Pace, I don't think they've given up on him. I don't understand why they're not shifting Pace to RT, but I haven't seen anything that makes me think they're giving up on Williams. Shifting him to RT if they sign an aging LT is absolutely a sign that they are souring on the guy, or at least have doubt. Players who miss their entire rookie year to injury (on the first day of practice) don't tend to be given leeway from coaches. Word was they drafted him because he was the most capable of starting from day one, and not necessarily the best LT prospect. Given how much that blew up in their face, I could see some tension there. To me it means one of two things, most likely: 1) They're giving preference to the veteran and letting Pace keep his more normal position. Also, they could figure that Pace has played LT much longer than Williams has and, therefore, the switch would be easier for the younger Williams. 2) They simply think Williams would make a better RT than Pace. Maybe he's more comfortable making the switch or in their meeting with Pace they determined he would not be comfortable at all with the switch. If they were saying that Williams would compete with Shaffer for the RT job or just coming right out and saying that Williams would back up Pace at LT, that would cause me to think they've lost confidence. But swapping a young player's position - while still starting him - doesn't strike me as giving up on him. No, not outright giving up, but souring on him.

With word that they're shifting Williams to RT if they sign Pace, I don't think they've given up on him. I don't understand why they're not shifting Pace to RT, but I haven't seen anything that makes me think they're giving up on Williams. Shifting him to RT if they sign an aging LT is absolutely a sign that they are souring on the guy, or at least have doubt. Players who miss their entire rookie year to injury (on the first day of practice) don't tend to be given leeway from coaches. Word was they drafted him because he was the most capable of starting from day one, and not necessarily the best LT prospect. Given how much that blew up in their face, I could see some tension there.

Bradley's bat is obviously much better than DeRosa's, but Bradley isn't taking DeRosa's ABs. He's taking Edmonds' ABs from last year. DeRosa's ABs will be taken by Aaron Miles and whoever replaces Bradley in right when Milton gets hurt. But I do appreciate Bradley's bat - I hope he's healthy all year. Mike Fontenot says, "Hi." Fontenot will take Fontenot's at bats, and some of DeRosa's. But my bet is Miles will have more PA than Fontenot will have increased PA. I really don't see Miles getting more PA than Fontenot barring injury or Fontenot completely sucking. We shall see. I didn't say he'd get more than Fontenot. But Fontenot played on the Cubs last year. In order to say he will take DeRosa's at bats, you have to only count whatever at bats he gets in addition to what he had last year, 284 PA.

Bradley's bat is obviously much better than DeRosa's, but Bradley isn't taking DeRosa's ABs. He's taking Edmonds' ABs from last year. DeRosa's ABs will be taken by Aaron Miles and whoever replaces Bradley in right when Milton gets hurt. But I do appreciate Bradley's bat - I hope he's healthy all year. Mike Fontenot says, "Hi." Fontenot will take Fontenot's at bats, and some of DeRosa's. But my bet is Miles will have more PA than Fontenot will have increased PA.

This, and they'll look better now that they'll be paired with the all-blue hat. one fan's opinion- the grey set with the all-blue hat will never look better because all grey sucks. and so did ditching the road hat. The greys absolutely do suck.

Management transition

He's signed through 2011. That gives a team three seasons to build around him, make their team more attractive, and sign him. There's no reason why any team should be worried about him up and leaving.

I highly doubt they will take less just to get back at them. That organization is in disarray. They can't afford to screw around sending messages. If they perceive equal value between the Bears and Detroit, I could see sending him to Detroit as an added insult, or maybe giving Detroit the opportunity to match any other offer that's made. But I doubt they actually take less just to screw him. I didn't mean drastically less. But if the packages are close, I think they'd take the Lions deal. Maybe if it's Jets vs Detroit, where they don't want him staying in the AFC.

I highly doubt they will take less just to get back at them. That organization is in disarray. They can't afford to screw around sending messages. If they perceive equal value between the Bears and Detroit, I could see sending him to Detroit as an added insult, or maybe giving Detroit the opportunity to match any other offer that's made. But I doubt they actually take less just to screw him.

This team has "maybe 2 playoff wins" written all over them. The likelihood of them winning 4 of 7 at this point has to be very low.

If I'm Denver, I don't want the #1, and I especially don't want the #1 and use it on Stafford. That guy is not worthy of #1 draft pick QB money. I'd much rather take multiple picks and a player or two than the #1 overall. Without a Peyton Manning available in the draft, the #1 overall pick just is not worth what it once was. It costs too much money and risks too much cap space on an unknown quantity.

I blame Cutler a little. He has gone overboard with the whining. But if that's what it takes to get traded, so be it. McDaniels really screwed up here. He had a franchise QB but tried to upgrade that with "his guy" when "his guy" had very little track record of success. He should have immediately praised Cutler for being the franchise QB, instead of hedging like he did at the beginning by saying things like everybody is tradable.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-01-bears-chicago-pace-apr01,0,1624787.story Showing interest in Orlando Pace was intriguing. But reports that they are seriously targeting him and planning on using him at left tackle raises an eyebrow. This suggests to me they have serious doubts about Williams. Pace would be a nice addition at RT. But his elite LT days are over.

In 2003 they might have won less games, missed the playoffs, but kept Woody and Prior's arms attached to their bodies for a few more years. Wood yes, Prior no. Prior had some freak injuries not caused by overuse. And some not so freak injuries clearly related to the absolutely insane abuse.

I highly doubt that. Some in the media have already gone on record saying they don't want that crybaby/quitter on the team. I'm sure there's a significant portion of the fan base that doesn't have any interest in "some primadona QB".

The title of this thread would make for a horrible online video.

Now what the heck am I supposed to read tomorrow morning?

They are nice backups or fine plugging in with 2 or 3 other solid lineman. But they aren't core lineman. Well, that's where Williams, Beekman and hopefully one of the top 5 OGs (in a good guard draft) come in. Beekman is an unknown, and quite frankly, so is Williams at this point.

They are nice backups or fine plugging in with 2 or 3 other solid lineman. But they aren't core lineman.

Going down to massage parlor to get dong-yub.

Not really since the Cubs brought Gaudin back, and he was pretty much a lock to make the team until 2-3 weeks ago. But right now mixed with the way he struggled last year, and the fact that he's shown no signs of improving this spring. Now he appears to be in Lou doghouse, and could be the odd man out. Personally I hope Gaudin is on the roster on opening day. He's still a good pitcher to have a around who's struggling now. But once he figures it out he should help the roster. Lou doesn't do contracts. The Cubs could have non-tendered Gaudin, but that wouldn't make sense, because he was an asset. But Hendry keeping him around was meaningless with regards to whether or not Lou wants to use him.

in their prime or today? I think Bonds was quicker. Sheffield's entire approach at the plate was more violent and involved more movement, but I think Bonds always had the quicker bat.

Same here, or at least I assume I'll be ridiculously excited for opening day. I just set it to record on my DVR last night, because I'll be flying home earlier that day and may miss the first pitch.

You said that before, and it didn't make sense then, or now. Tait was a highly sought free agent who was paid big bucks to pry him away from his team. Shafer was passed over by his team for JSC. If that's the Bears line in 2010, I predict they suck big time. Omiyale and Shafer are both backup caliber guys, or people you throw in to a line that is solid at the other spots.

I would describe it more as addressing it halfheartedly (which is still better than completely ignoring it). The Bears preach building from the draft, yet the one spot they have most ignored via the draft, and have routinely brought in outside help, is the offensive line. Signing these stopgaps isn't really addressing the longterm question on the line. It's the same thing they did in 2004/05, when they acquired a couple guys who helped for a couple years. Kreutz isn't going to be around forever, and none of the people acquired this offseason are likely to be longterm stable solutions at right tackle. If I remember correctly, Angelo's Tampa teams routinely struggled with finding the right fit on the offensive line. Maybe he just don't know how to draft/develop them, and can only sign others' castoffs. Well......but they did make a big draft pick last year on OL, for the most important OL position. I don't consider Omiyale a stopgap if he's moved to OG. Shaffer is less of a stopgap if viewed as a OG. That's yet to be determined. What I really meant was that OL is obviously now taking up much of Jerry's brainspace, unlike the past several years. He's thinking about it, taking action. We'll see where it leads, but I like the effort. I understand what you're saying, I'm just thinking this is more about catching up and patching holes, than actually building a longterm solution. They did spend one big pick on it last year. But it's a 5 position group that typically uses 6-7 on a fairly regular basis. You can't count both of those guys as guards until/unless they actually get a legit RT. And center is going to be an issue in the not-too-distant future. Omiyale is pretty much what Garza was when they signed him. Shafer is another team's castoff that they replaced with a Bears castoff. These guys are just filling space, they aren't securing positions for years to come.