carolinacubbie

If Alfonso Soriano is the Cubs biggest problem, then thank god. We will be a pretty damn good team.

Us Cubs fans (me included) sure can find a thing to bitch about no matter how good things are going. Whether it be Hill, Pie, Edmonds, Cedeno, Marshall, Marquis, Wood, Johnson, Dempster. We sure don't know how to accept winning. Hell, maybe we should all sit back, relax and watch our ball club. A ball club who is tied for the best record in Majors and has the best record by ourselves in the NL!!!! How many times on May 27th can we say that??

They're out of options, so they get a free pass. But he just signed Edmonds. And I don't mind Johnson on the roster for LHP, but it seems stupid for me to say that Pie got booted for not producing when we have gotten no production whatsoever from center field against RHP. that's my problem as well. Pie should have gotten a month straight starting to see if he can produce. Giving him 5 games doesn't give him time to adjust to the faster pitching. The Hill thing as infruiated me from the moment he was pulled. Yes he was walking people but his ERA was still 4.11. He can walk all the people he wants as long as he strikes the next guy out and doesn't allow a run. He has been our most consistent pitcher the last two years and he's yanked 2 weeks into the season when his ERA is still somewhat good??? That makes absolutely no sense. Not that big of a deal, but no, Zambrano has been been our most consistent pitcher. Honestly, I think Rich Hill has been ridiculously inconsistent. He either looks unhittable and the next big thing. Or he just gets rocked, and gives up home run after home run. Either way, he should be in the rotation, and Marquis shouldn't. Rich Hill has 1 more mutli-HR allowed game than Zambrano since the beginning of last year. (All came last season.) I'm not bashing Rich Hill. I want him up and think it was crazy to ever send him down, but he isn't even comparable to Carlos Zambrano. When Z goes out there I have a great deal of confidence the Cubs are going to win the game. When Hill goes out there, I honestly don't feel good one way or another. The rotation should be 1. Z 2. Lilly 3. Dempster 4. Hill 5. Gall People do underestimate the walks though. Yes he might get out of a lot of jams because he can strike people out, but at the same time when you walk a ton of batter, you can't go much more then five innings which then hurts your team for the next few days, not just that one. If Hill does want to become an elite MLB pitcher he has to lower his BBs. But even with that said, he should be trying to fix that problem in the majors not minors.

I think you miss the point. I could care less what we paid Edmonds. I could care less how little cost it spent us, and how it was low risk. What I do care about is the fact that this guy tarnishes the Cubs uniform that I love. I have to sit down and watch this scrub blow every single at bat. I don't dislike the guy the guy because I think he is hurting our organization. I dislike the guy because he was probably my most hated player outside of Derek Jeter and Khalil Greene before he came to the Cubs. It sickens me that he is a Cub. It is basically the fact that we would go get one of the Cardinal's ex World Series Champion players who was never liked by any Cub fan, and let him take our top hitting prospects at bats. Everyone knew he was going to suck. He has sucked. Like I said I don't care that we didn't spend much money, it is just the principle that everyone knew Edmonds sucked when we signed him, and he has sucked, and it has killed Felix's confidence that he got sent down, so who is to know now whether that kid will ever be a quality player for us EVER. We might have ruined a guy who we have been talking about for 4 years now because of freaking JIM EDMONDS.

We have had some guys we hate that were Cubs. (Juan Pierre, LaTroy Hawkins, Neifi Perez, Tudd Hundley, ect.). But is their possibly anyone on here that doesn't now consider Jim Edmonds their least favorite Cub of all time, HANDS DOWN???

They're out of options, so they get a free pass. But he just signed Edmonds. And I don't mind Johnson on the roster for LHP, but it seems stupid for me to say that Pie got booted for not producing when we have gotten no production whatsoever from center field against RHP. that's my problem as well. Pie should have gotten a month straight starting to see if he can produce. Giving him 5 games doesn't give him time to adjust to the faster pitching. The Hill thing as infruiated me from the moment he was pulled. Yes he was walking people but his ERA was still 4.11. He can walk all the people he wants as long as he strikes the next guy out and doesn't allow a run. He has been our most consistent pitcher the last two years and he's yanked 2 weeks into the season when his ERA is still somewhat good??? That makes absolutely no sense. Not that big of a deal, but no, Zambrano has been been our most consistent pitcher. Honestly, I think Rich Hill has been ridiculously inconsistent. He either looks unhittable and the next big thing. Or he just gets rocked, and gives up home run after home run. Either way, he should be in the rotation, and Marquis shouldn't.

I know this trade has gotten beaten into the ground a million times, but wow was that Juan Pierre trade bad for us. Not only did he do nothing for us, and was only on the team for one year. But just check out Renyel Pinto's numbers this year. Wow, would I love to have him in our Pen to go along with Wood and Marmol. Nolasco's numbers aren't that good, but he has had some good starts, and when I watch him throw I still like what I see. That was just such a desperate trade to get a so called lead off man who has an awful OBP. Nolasco is 2-3 with a 5.35 ERA. Not very good, but like I said I've seen him show signs this year. Pinto is 1-1 with a 0.76 ERA. That is in 23.2 IP. Even last year and the year before he had good numbers.

Back to the original post, hopefully Fontenot. If Pie can keep swinging the bat like he has the past two days, what need is there for Mike? Pie can do those LH pinching hitting roles when he isn't starting.

My mind has gone blank on his name, but the guy from the Red Sox last year made it, I think.

Got my wish!!!!

I'd love to see Felix get a multi hit game.

2 outs. 2-2 count against Delgado. Now three outs. Thank you, what a surprise, Marmol is excellent again. How many K's?

Has the inning started, gametracker is freezing up on me?

This has to be the longest inning summary for just one run... - A. Ramirez singled to left - K. Fukudome doubled to deep center, A. Ramirez to third - M. DeRosa singled to right center, A. Ramirez scored, K. Fukudome to third - R. Cedeno struck out swinging - D. Ward hit for H. Blanco - P. Feliciano relieved J. Smith - G. Soto hit for D. Ward - M. DeRosa to second on wild pitch - G. Soto intentionally walked - M. Murton hit for B. Howry - J. Sosa relieved P. Feliciano - M. Murton grounded into fielder's choice, K. Fukudome out at home, M. DeRosa to third, G. Soto to second - R. Johnson grounded out to second - End of Inning (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors)

3-3 today, not too worried, he loves playing at wrigley.

That is insane to try to compare. Lee was a proven player. I'm sorry, but Felix Pie at the Major League level is nowhere near proven. He, honestly is bad. He had a big hit against the Pirates on a bloop single, but outside of that anytime he comes up with RISP he strikes out. In all honesty I don't think Pie is that great of a prospect. The only reason any of us think he is is because we have such a lack of prospects that are any good that he is our best. Around baseball though, I don't think Pie is that HIGHLY thought of. I feel like people think he can be a good player, but not an all star. If he didn't lose his rookie eligibility, he would have made Baseball America's top 100 for 6 years in a row, so he is fairly highly thought of throughout baseball and has been for quite some time. Does that mean he is guaranteed to do anything? Of course not, however its pretty foolish to feel that he is overrated as a prospect when your only evidence is a handful of major league at bats at such a young age. He could very well be a bust, but its way too soon to give up on him. And good players are valuable, especially when they come from your farm and you have them under control for 6 years at low salaries. I agree with not giving up on him. He is still only 23. I just feel like he isn't ready for the MLB. There is nothing wrong with that. He needs another year in the minors to work on hitting breaking balls. In a year where the cubs can possibly win the world series, I don't want a 23 year old there putting up a .230/.300/.600 line.

I find it to be crazy. Their are certain players on this team that no matter what they do, they suck. (Ryan Theriot, Ryan Dempster, Reed Johnson, Jason Marquis) Then their are certain players on this team that no matter what they do, they are awesome. (Matt Murton, Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno) Why can't we just find a medium. Theriot- He is a pretty decent ballplayer who at times finds a way to get on base, I don't care what any of you say he isn't bad. As much as I hate the old gives it his all, he does. Johnson- He is having a great year so far, why bash him for that, atleast give credit where credit is due. He might fall off, but right now he isn't. Don't pull against him. Dempster- He has had now four good enough outings. Yesterday's outing wasn't that great, but it was good enough. Marquis- He is our number five starter, it isn't like we need him to go out their and pitch gems. If he can produce like he did last year, that will be fine for a number five starter. Murton- I love Murton to death. But he needs to stop hitting so many weak groundballs and swinging bunts. He had a solid 06 season, but honestly we have no place for him right now. Would any of you really rather him start over Fukudome or Soriano?? Pie- As of right now, he can't hit MLB pitching. He has a career average of .205. That is in 205 at bats, so it isn't like it is that small of a sample size. His OPS is .568. That doesn't cut it. In Reed Johnson's first year in the MLB, he put up a .780 OPS. I don't think we need to give up on Pie. We all forget he is only 23. He needs another year in the minors. He has to work on being able to hit a breaking ball. 24 isn't that old to start playing everday in the majors. Cedeno- I like Ronny a lot too, and I wouldn't mind seeing him get a couple starts a week, but it isn't like he didn't get any chances. He started the whole year in 06 and was very unproductive. A lot less productive then Theriot was last year. It just really pisses me off when it seems like some of you pull against the current cubs starters because you like other guys better. Like someone said before yall aren't Cubs fans first, yall are Cedeno, Murton, and Pie fans.

That is insane to try to compare. Lee was a proven player. I'm sorry, but Felix Pie at the Major League level is nowhere near proven. He, honestly is bad. He had a big hit against the Pirates on a bloop single, but outside of that anytime he comes up with RISP he strikes out. In all honesty I don't think Pie is that great of a prospect. The only reason any of us think he is is because we have such a lack of prospects that are any good that he is our best. Around baseball though, I don't think Pie is that HIGHLY thought of. I feel like people think he can be a good player, but not an all star.

Wait, I have an even better idea. Let's bench our top position player prospect after 20 bad at-bats in favor of a journeyman outfielder who was cut in spring training, even though our team currently has one of the best offenses in the National League. If anything, the fact that we just scored 13 runs for two straight days should support the idea that Pie should be playing, since his struggles wouldn't affect us too much. Do you honestly believe that we would have scored 13 runs today or yesterday had Pie been in the lineup instead of Johnson? I don't know what player any of ya'll have been watching, but Felix Pie is not ready for the major leagues. It is one thing to bash AAA pitching, but in AAA the ball doesn't move like it does in the bigs. Pie can't hit a breaking ball to save his life. Out of all the players on our team, when he is up I have the least amount of confidence. Right now he is fine for what he is, a defensive sub and a pinch runner. Yeah, we should worry about the future, but we haven't won a world series in 100 years, and I honestly think this team is good enough to win one, and Reed Johnson as of now gives us a million times better chance to win then Pie does. We are 12-6 with the second best record in the major leagues, yet you people still will find a way to complain. It is amazing to me, be happy that Reed is doing well, and pull for him. I can't believe some of you actually pull against him. Sorry, but that isn't being a fan.

Go [expletive]!!! I live in Columbia as well, huge Carolina fan, hopefully we take it to Kentucky tonight.

Fuku can back up CF when need be. I am looking for Pie to play about 150 games though. Obviously as the season goes on the roster will change.

South Carolina SS Reese Havens coming out of of HS was a big time prospect, but his first two years at Carolina was a bit of a disappointment, but his year has been on fire. I really feel like he can get himself elevated to a first round pick, and I would love for the Cubs to take him with their first round pick because I feel as if SS is a need. What do you guys think?

To Pirates fans: I am a huge South Carolina fan, and I watched Steve Pearce in college, and the kid can hit. I don't care what any scouts or anyone else says, he can flat out hit.....where do yall see him fitting in this year??

I know, and that is where the hard part happens, I wish I knew something to do with them. Obviously the easy thing to do would be put Marshall in AAA, and start Lieber. But I am trying to do the best for the team and imo Marshall is the guy that is best for the team. I wish we could just cut ties with Demp, and who the hell knows why we ever signed Lieber in the first place?????

Ahh I can't wait for the season. I love everybody on our team, but for some reason, when Aram hit that walk-off against the Brewers he became my favorite player, and I don't think anyone will ever overcome him. I love Santo, I do, but hopefully before Aram's time is done, he will be considered the greatest Cub 3b of all time.