CubfaninCA

a team's in big trouble when the cleanup hitter's batting .189.

Tell me about it. If he can't hit, at least play some defense. Jones has been bad but Aram right now just flat out sucks. If Pierre could get on base more often, ARam would surely be leading the league in Runner's Left on Base.

ramirez is making jones look good. :(

human growth hormone

Walker's been great so far. When your hitting like him, subpar D can be overlooked.

Honestly, why does my response shock you? These are the same things I have screamed about since his first days as a Cub manager. That he's actually doing the things I'd like to see him do isn't going to change my views. I don't argue just for the sake of arguing. And I'll give props when I feel he's doing a good job. I can't say he's been perfect, but what manager is? I just wish he had a completely healthy team so we could see if he could work a little magic this year. Now, that also doesn't mean that I'm not still mad that Brian Giles, Aubrey Huff, Milton Bradley and/or Kenny Lofton aren't on this team, but that's not on Dusty. :D ahh, I'm just joking with you, but i guess if you don't tip the hat to baker, then hendry gets the hat tip. ;) i'll give you credit for calling it like you see it tho. lofton's age & health would concern me.

Boy, if you even consider that Baker may have been sacrificing the good of the team to hold to his philosophies of favoring veterans, I can't see how you could have any respect for him. As a non-Dusty fan, I haven't even suggested that he has intentionally placed his philosophies ahead of Cub success. I think its just a function of his misplace philosophies that cripples the club on occassion. i'm not a baker supporter. just don't think he's awful. i don't think baker thinks he's sacrificing for the good of the team when he falls back on his vets. if the az rumors are true, then baker must think these rookies are pretty good, as baker loves neifi.

Really?? I can see him wanting to bakc back west, but Arizona doesn't have a big enough budget for Baker to hide behind. I'm guessing he'd love to go back to LA, but they just hired Little. Anaheim isn't looking to hire. He's already been in San Fran. SD, Oakland and Seattle don't spend enough money for him to hide behind. Jmo but he might not have anywhere better to go considering neither NY teams or Boston want him. I think the suggestion of Arizona is based on two points: 1. It is lower profile than Chicago, and 2. his former agent, Jeff Moorad, is running the show there. He has expressed a continued fondness for his old agent now and again. Baker is Boston or NY? That would be bloody. he'd definitely have a lower profile, but that roster will expose him big time. way too many young guys for dusty.

Yeah, I tip my cap to him. I wasn't able to see most of the games last week, but prior to that, I was quite pleased with Dusty sticking with the kids, giving the kids a chance at the top and middle of the order, batting Neifi at the bottom of the order when he does play, dropping Rusch from the rotation instead of "sticking with him" because he's a veteran. We've gone around quite a few times. I'm sure I didn't need to point that out. However, Dusty is doing things that I can't really complain about. Therefore, I'm not. :wink: I'm a little shocked w/ your response. :) I'm not sure whether to tip the hat or chalk it up to Baker not having a job next year if he doesn't change his ways. Of course, then the hat tip goes to Hendry.

Really?? I can see him wanting to go back west, but Arizona doesn't have a big enough budget for Baker to hide behind. I'm guessing he'd love to go back to LA, but they just hired Little. Anaheim isn't looking to hire. He's already been in San Fran. SD, Oakland and Seattle don't spend enough money for him to hide behind. Jmo but he might not have anywhere better to go considering neither NY teams or Boston want him.

true. texas, cincy, philly, toronto, baltimore , washington, san fran and minnesota quickly come to mind..

Is Baker's job on the line & Hendry's forcing his hand or are these young guys just quite a bit better than what has been up in the past?? Going by Baker's track record he doesn't play youngsters right? I'm pretty surprised that Neifi isn't starting everyday considering Cedeno had a rough spring. Not so surprised that Murton's in there tho. Does Baker deserve a tip of the hat for playing these guys and going w/ the youngsters in the rotation??

of course they would. and the cubs are also going to have a hard time contending w/o lee. but they're also going to have a hard time contending with a black hole in rf, rusch in the rotation, wood on the shelf, and having a complete lack of plate discipline. but the focus will be on lee's injury. just like st. louis would put the focus on pujols being hurt. so you don't like the way they're addressing the starting pitching? if not, what do you prefer? I don't totally buy that they would put the focus on Pujols being out. Last year the were without Rolen, and Larry Walker wasn't 100% either but you didn't see the Cards start making excuses, they just plugged someone in and kept on going. I know that Pujols is much better than Rolen and that they didn't have to make excuses because they won. But that is the whole thing, they have good management who seems to find the right pieces to plug into their lineup and get the job done. We have Dusty "Dude" Baker, and a GM who constructed a roster that had no contigency plan in place should someone go down. pujols >>> rolen. also, take away carpenter and whoever their #3 pitcher is. suppan?? marquis?? i guess the cubs could have built up the rotation by signing millwood, byrd or weaver, but then the complaints would be about wasting money. the rotation is the least of my concerns right now (especially if rusch gets the boot). the bench, rf, cf, and a general lack of concern for plate discipline are problems that will be ignored b/c any lack of success this season will be attributed to lee's injury. yes, pierre & jones lack plate discipline and pierre's been a disappointment so far, but the six other starters have plate discipline.

of course they would. and the cubs are also going to have a hard time contending w/o lee. but they're also going to have a hard time contending with a black hole in rf, rusch in the rotation, wood on the shelf, and having a complete lack of plate discipline. but the focus will be on lee's injury. just like st. louis would put the focus on pujols being hurt. so you don't like the way they're addressing the starting pitching? if not, what do you prefer? I don't totally buy that they would put the focus on Pujols being out. Last year the were without Rolen, and Larry Walker wasn't 100% either but you didn't see the Cards start making excuses, they just plugged someone in and kept on going. I know that Pujols is much better than Rolen and that they didn't have to make excuses because they won. But that is the whole thing, they have good management who seems to find the right pieces to plug into their lineup and get the job done. We have Dusty "Dude" Baker, and a GM who constructed a roster that had no contigency plan in place should someone go down. pujols >>> rolen. also, take away carpenter and whoever their #3 pitcher is. suppan?? marquis?? i guess the cubs could have built up the rotation by signing millwood, byrd or weaver, but then the complaints would be about wasting money. Hendry went into the season knowing that Wood was going to be out for a while. And with the history of injuries over the last few years, he had no contingency plan, I know Lee isn't a guy you plan on being hurt, but what about Ramirez? What about Prior? Hendry had plenty of money in his budget this offseason and wasted it by overpaying guys with little or no talent, ie. Neifi Perez, Jacque Jones, and Glendon Rusch. Hendry has got to shoulder a big part of the blame and I would imagine Dusty had some input as to the players on the roster. who should have been signed then?? the free agency market was pretty poor.

No rush to trade Rusch. Perhaps he can recapture his mojo in the bullpen. If he's traded, Florida might be a nice destination - a team with little to lose that might benefit from advice from a veteran. I wouldn't wish exile in KC on anybody. exactly. give him the long relief role out of the pen & hope he gets on track. Half the teams in baseball have era's over 4.65, so it's quite likely a few of those teams will take a chance on rusch, if he looks decent in long relief. rusch had an era of 4.32 as a starter in 05 and 3.50 in 04. saying rusch had little value at the end of 2005 is just hyperbole. the numbers from 04 & 05 say otherwise.

He wasn't negotiating against himself? I thought he signed Glendon before Glendon talked to any other teams. so he negotiated against himself for lee too? there was a market for rusch, he just didn't let him test it. Are you really comparing the free agent markets for Lee and Rusch? Are you implying they should have been handled similarly? Yes, Hendry locked up the MVP contender without letting him test the free agent market. So he should've done the same with the inconsistent, journeyman left hander? i'm not implying they should have been handled similarly. just saying that under goony's definition, hendry negotiated against himself for lee, ramirez and wood too. those 3 along w/ rusch were locked up before free agency. the bottom line is that there would have been a market for rusch. several teams were very desperate for pitching.

I'll bet you that he doesn't have any trade value. bet taken, and i'll bet you that grissom doesn't start in LF too. :wink:

He wasn't negotiating against himself? I thought he signed Glendon before Glendon talked to any other teams. so he negotiated against himself for lee too? there was a market for rusch, he just didn't let him test it.

of course they would. and the cubs are also going to have a hard time contending w/o lee. but they're also going to have a hard time contending with a black hole in rf, rusch in the rotation, wood on the shelf, and having a complete lack of plate discipline. but the focus will be on lee's injury. just like st. louis would put the focus on pujols being hurt. so you don't like the way they're addressing the starting pitching? if not, what do you prefer? I don't totally buy that they would put the focus on Pujols being out. Last year the were without Rolen, and Larry Walker wasn't 100% either but you didn't see the Cards start making excuses, they just plugged someone in and kept on going. I know that Pujols is much better than Rolen and that they didn't have to make excuses because they won. But that is the whole thing, they have good management who seems to find the right pieces to plug into their lineup and get the job done. We have Dusty "Dude" Baker, and a GM who constructed a roster that had no contigency plan in place should someone go down. pujols >>> rolen. also, take away carpenter and whoever their #3 pitcher is. suppan?? marquis?? i guess the cubs could have built up the rotation by signing millwood, byrd or weaver, but then the complaints would be about wasting money.

I'll bet Rusch has some trade value left. It's not like Hendry was "negotiating against himself." Hopefully, Rusch can look decent in the mop-up role and they can deal him during the summer.

if either pitches over 15 games for the cubs this year, it's a miracle.

of course they would. and the cubs are also going to have a hard time contending w/o lee. but they're also going to have a hard time contending with a black hole in rf, rusch in the rotation, wood on the shelf, and having a complete lack of plate discipline. but the focus will be on lee's injury. just like st. louis would put the focus on pujols being hurt. so you don't like the way they're addressing the starting pitching? if not, what do you prefer?

St. Louis would have a difficult time contending w/out Pujols, who's probably the only hitter in the NL who's better than Lee.

Did they actually do something? I haven't heard anything official. Taking him out of the rotation is doing something.

why not give jerome williams another shot?? :o j/k i don't think anyone could have predicted 3 rookies being in the rotation along with murton & cedeno starting. i guess being in the last year of a contract can change a man. dusty must want to work after 2006.