jersey cubs fan

The keys are Soto and Pie. Assuming both get the starting nod, if they can give the Cubs something close to the average level of production at their respective positions, they should be able to handle the central, as long as most everybody else at least stays level. Fukudome probably isn't going to be a tremendous improvement over what they got out of RF last year, but it should be an improvement nonetheless. Pie clearly has the tougher task. The average CF production is signficantly better than the average C production, not to mention much better than what Pie has shown in the majors. Even if he eventually turns out to be a bust though, he may be able to at least flirt with the .273/.335/.427 line NL CFers put up last year. Although if Soto manages that or better, then they can probably get away with Pie going .256/.318/.393, the 2007 average line for NL catchers, and still win the division. SS is likely to be bottom of the barrel again, unless Cedeno gets the nod and reaches his potential, or they make a move. But I think they can get away with one black hole. Last year's 3 black holes, coupled with some disappointing mediocrity in RF is what sunk the lineup. The rest of the crew just isn't good enough to makeup for those issues. I still think they need one more significant improvement to solidify their position at the top of the division, and possibly the NL.

I think Bruce's article makes it clear that Hendry has only reluctantly mentioned OBP, mostly because people like Bruce kept bugging him about it. But he has yet to grasp the value of the walk, and really only thinks of OBP as an extension of batting average.

Cuse, you've let emotion determine every sentence you've written about the Prior issue, so don't start with me on this nonsense. Your damn right emotion comes into play. My emotion is being pissed that the Cubs are run by incomptent idiots who let stuff like this get to the level where it's at.

Henry Blanco and Jacque Jones say hi. Oh, and we should introduce you to Jason Marquis pretty soon.

As Bruce stated in his article this morning, there didn't seem to be much interest from other teams in terms of trading for Prior. Because the Cubs made it painfully obvious they were going to give him away for free. And we all know that all 29 of the other teams can sign him. I'm sure no team ever trades for a guy in July that is going to be a free agent the next season either. They wouldn't if he was going to be a free agent on August 1.

Bye bye nancy boy Prior, you non-trying towel throwing slumpy body language girly man. Karma really bit you for screwing over the Cubs and the fans the way you did you just ducky stiffing mph losing getting hurt on purpose can't throw 150 pitches wussy. I hope you didn't strain your vagina when you found out Hendry finally pulled you off the Cubs' teat and took away all that free money you've been getting. What's that, you could have made many many more millions if you weren't hurt? Don't give me that nonsense, I know you aren't even hurt and even if you were you did it on purpose so you could get paid for nothing and live the highlife back in SoCal with all your wimpy pretty boy jerkheads.

As Bruce stated in his article this morning, there didn't seem to be much interest from other teams in terms of trading for Prior. Because the Cubs made it painfully obvious they were going to give him away for free.

I watched Mike and Mike the next Morning and they never even touched on it. Pretty surprising. PTI touched on it, but they just ripped on him for being stupid enough to sign with the Cubs. It was never in their breaking news box on espnnews, as that was filled with Petrino news and then a mitchell report promo at least 15 hours in advance. They did have the Prior news in that box for a short time. But it's definitely true that the lack of coverage is clearly affected by the fact that Boston and the Yankees were not involved. Had the Cubs beat either of those two teams, it would be newsworthy.

Have you considered that maybe there is a reason that Bill James was wrong? For instance, maybe Bedard's strikeouts in the minors were on pitches more likely to strike out major league hitters than Hill's were? Don't they strike out essentially the same amount? 8.74 to 8.43 in the majors, with Bedard's 2007 being the one outlier of all the seasons that tilt it in his favor?

I like PTI, mainly because Kornheiser and Wilbon aren't prone to sweeping generalizations, stupid statements and general d-baggery like the ATH guys. They may not be the lowest common denominator types like those on ATH, but they are only the next level up.

A marketing job, no, regardless of level. If she's working in player development in any capacity, or providing any other services that may in some way shape or form assist players players on the team, whether it's buying their steroids or busting their slumps, then yes.

The fans did not boo him for his season stats. They booed him because he was exactly the opposite of what this team needed, he had a horrible start, he got picked off repeatedly, he threw the ball directly into the ground or 100 feet over the cutoff man, AND HE WHINED ABOUT THE FANS IN HIS FIRST WEEK IN UNIFORM. I'm not going to say I approve of the booing, but this is a completely different situation.

He's a fan favorite ever since the Game 7 catch and his career year in 2006.

That is true, but it seems they have grown a little more impatient since 2003. I guess it is the Old Style fans with the "New Stlye", "Gen-Y" I want it now, and don't care about the ramifications of my actions type attitude that concerns me. I just don't think booing is ever productive. I would rather you phone into radio shows or boycott tickets (although the latter doesn't work in Chicago). I am not the only one thinking about this http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_whatsgoinon/2007/12/will-cubs-fans.html : The man he essentially replaces, Jacque Jones, got a three-year, $16 million deal in 2006 that Cubs fans hated and voiced their displeasure at every opportunity, first with Jim Hendry -- by booing Jones -- then with Jones' slow start -- by booing Jones. Then they booed him some more. Jones rallied to hit .285 with 27 homers and 81 RBI that first year, which was better than what Cubs fans should have expected based on his numbers with the Twins the previous two seasons. But he never won them over. Fukudome brings a .305 lifetime average in Japan and the reputation as a patient hitter to the Cubs outfield, which easily will improve defensively. He also comes with a lot of hype, a nice, new four-year, $48-50 million contract and an elbow injury. Fukudome averaged 29 home runs between 2003-06, but hit .294 with 13 homers last year in a season cut short by the injury. Cubs manager Lou Piniella says to give him a year to adjust to day games. But will the fans wait that long? Will they even wait a month? Jacque Jones was exactly the opposite of what this team needed, he played like crap from the beginning, and whined about the fans after the initial smattering of boos. He made himself the fans' target with his repeated "rookie baserunning gaffes" and those absolutely amazingly bad throws. Fukudome's signing has been seen as a positive by practically all involved, there really isn't a comparison. I would expect it to be much more like Soriano and the extended honeymoon he enjoyed, if not quite the Nomar level of absolute love.

Theriot. Khalil Greene will start No offense to you in particular, but why is everyone so nuts about the average SS Khalil Green? Leaving out for a moment that average may be understating it, I will just say that average would be a huge improvement over what the Cubs have at SS.

The Cubs spent 2.5/yr on Neifi Perez. The Cubs spent $6 million over 2 years on Glendon Rusch. $3 million isn't much to roll the dice and see what you can get out of someone with the potential of Mark Prior. But he's not staying. Also, wouldn't it be a smart move to not repeat past mistakes? Just because they've made some foolish moves in the past doesn't mean they should continue making them. That's only a good point if you are under the mistaken assumption that keeping Prior would be a mistake. You gamble on potential greatness, or even goodness. Those foolish moves were wasting money on guaranteed crap.

I think more likely the wrench comes from the Orioles side. On one hand, it's been said that Andy needed to trade other guys before he could trade Roberts. On the other hand, once Angelos gives the OK for trading Tejada and Bedard, he can probably justify saying, okay, that's enough, we have to keep Roberts for PR reasons.

That is......., I don't know. Laughable I guess. Did you forget trainer-gate? All the issues with timetables for returns and whatnot? The Cubs are awful with health. Those all involved Prior though. The trainer's decision to leave him out there after Giles was horrible, and he was rightfully fired after that. I can't think of another player where the Cubs mishandled his injury though. Wood pitching in relief when he had surgery scheduled anyway and the season was over? Wood, Prior and many others pitching 130+ repeatedly and having management thing nothing was wrong with that. Prior and Wood were not the only guys who saw 2-4 weeks turn into 4-6 months. And just because all those things happened to Prior, it doesn't mean they don't count. The Cubs are boobs with health. Hey Lieber, pitch through a 2 hour rain delay would ya, and then do it as many times as possible until you need TJS. Clement, same thing. Scott Eyre, why the Cubs? The Cubs don't make you excercise. This team has been roundly criticized for their ignorance of modern baseball analysis, but they've also maintained an old school, "just tough it out pansy" attitude with pitching injuries, and a rub some dirt on it philosophy with injuries in general.

That is......., I don't know. Laughable I guess. Did you forget trainer-gate? All the issues with timetables for returns and whatnot? The Cubs are awful with health.

So the Cubs wanted surgery...then get upset when Prior wants it too? Again, it doesn't add up. The Cubs wanted him to tought it out and pitch. I'm done with this topic. I don't have the energy to discuss the painfully illogical notion a parting of the ways is somehow best for everybody involved. It's a shame, but it's hardly a fluke that something like this would have to the Cubs organization, and the people who run it.

All of this is incorrect. All of it. Hendry even came out once in 2004 or 2005 and ripped Prior for coming out of a game when "nothing was wrong with him". They waited until 2007 (!) to have his shoulder properly examined and operated on. I'd like to see this ripping that was done by Hendry. Also, Prior is a smart man and I'm sure he could have had his shoulder looked at on his own if this was the case. There were numerous quotes by Hendry that more or less insinuated he thought Prior was a big baby. I wouldn't call it direct ripping, but it was plainly obvious he shares your opinion that he's really just a wimp.

I felt the same way. I'm no scout, and I can't look at a guy and dissect the swing properly. But it appears long to me. Although he also seems to be able to keep his hands back.

His other jerseys said Fukudome. Is he really going to go with Kosuke? I've never owned a Cubs jersey. I have a Ramirez T and a couple sweatshirts, but if it's Fukudome, I will have to get one. And yes, that is because of the immature word play.

Dempster has 1 year, $5.5 million left on his contract. Marquis has $6.375M and $9.875M remaining.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ Interesting. wow. so it wasnt the highest bidder. I wonder if all that talk of 5 years $70 mil was Texas?? I always take this "we were right there financially" talk with a big grain of salt. It's very convenient for teams to leak to their fans that they were willing to spend big on a guy they won't ever have to spend a dime on.