KatJ

Am I the only one here who groans at the thought of Jeff Kent being our next 2B? First of all, he broke Ryno's HR record - I wince thinking about the Joe Morgan commentary now. Secondly, he seems to bring controversy wherever he goes (Bonds, Bradley). I know Mr. Pornstache puts up good numbers, but I'd rather not switch one 2B who can't keep his trap shut for another.

Exactly. I'll feel a lot better about that $9 mil, though, if Hendry actually signs or trades for another bone fide starter. I don't want Dusty messing around with the rotation in the likely event that one of our vaunted staff gets injured. The way he used Rusch and particularly Dempster to fill in holes looked like a monkey betting at the craps table to me. I like to think of some of the $9 mil as punitive damages for letting Maddux go in the first place.

I don't know that I want to see the Nats in the playoffs. Selig would take some sort of credit for moving the team and them turning it around in just one season, which would make me ill. And as for the Indians, that would be all right, or the Twins. Just as long as the White Sox fizzle in the first round and the Yankees don't get in at all, I'm happy.

Nah. See Bryant, Kobe. Dusty would not only stay on, but do so at Jim Hendry's behest. The result would make the 2004 Tigers look like All-Stars. On the upside, you could clean house for '07. Hmm... But I'm not volunteering as Mr. Boddy, or even Ms. Boddy. :)

IIRC, the Cubs had both the Tool and the Headcase in the pen (or was it the rotation?) at some point in one of the seasons past. Insanity = repeating the same things, hoping to elicit a different result. I doubt that anyone who wants Tavarez or Farnsy (especially Tavarez) has yet graduated from high school. That is not so much a knock on age, as it is a belief that they haven't seen enough years of Cub baseball to see the dismal results of retreads. I would also like to add Tom Gordon to your list.

I could live with your team. But I would like to see more of an upgrade in the OF (a la Johnny Damon), but that would push the payroll to a (for us) absurd level. And I have a gut feeling that Dusty would play Conine way too much - just a hunch. What about Glavine as a Cub? Just curious. Bottom line is that Neifi has got to go. It's got nothing to do with Neifi, but has everything to do with Dusty. I'm big on Cedeno, and no way does he get off the bench with any regularity if Perez is a Cub next year.

At the risk of sounding like a message board Nazi, could you all keep to the topic at hand? I'm talking about what to do up the middle next year - don't need a rehash of EACH position, nor a smart alec (sp?) response, without anything substantive to contribute.

What would it take? Anything less than another bout w/cancer or some other major illness, would not do it. PLEASE NOTE THAT I AM NOT WISHING PHYSICAL ILL UPON DUSTY. You asked a question, and I'm answering it as realistically as I can.

My head is spinning. The players above are spinning around in my head as possibilities for the Cub '06 IF (with EPatt as a dark horse candidate - he's doing well, but needs to spend more time in the farm). Here are my thoughts: -TWalk could spell DLee at 1B when he isn't playing 2B. -Cedeno should be a part of the STARTING team in '06. -If Hendry keeps Neifi, Cedeno doesn't have a prayer of seeing playing time unless starters at SS and 2B get injured. In a pinch, he could also spell Aramis, but I doubt our current manager would allow that. -Hairston would be a decent option as leadoff, has good IF D, and if Hendry doesn't pull the trigger on a CF and Pie doesn't come up or (God forbid) gets injured, he would be serviceable in the OF if CPatt is traded or continues to have no bat of consequence. -Furcal is a great leadoff, but would cost tons of $, would stand in the way of Cedeno's progress, and could get into more DUI trouble. -Getting rid of Neifi and keeping Nomar might guarantee Cedeno more playing time, particularly if Nomar needs to be a PT SS to keep away injuries. I know I don't make the decisions, but at this writing, I'd: (1) ditch Neifi because Dusty plays him too much (2) keep TWalk because his bat is reliable if not always his D - trade him if I could get good value (pen or a reliable ML starter) (3) sign Nomar to another incentive-laden contract (that is, unless someone in the AL West doesn't snatch him up first), and (4) make Cedeno a Counsell (2001 D'Back version) or Freel kind of guy - starts for whoever needs a rest or (as in the case of Walker taking over 1B) subbing for someone else. It keeps him playing, which is the main thing, and during the year or offseason he can settle down at one position. Unfortunately, my opinion changes almost daily. What about you?

What do you all suppose the chances are that Burnitz is back next year?

Yeah, I know about Rusch's outings of late, but who's left in the rotation who hasn't pitched lately? Who else would you have up there - Wood? Okay, maybe it would be a time to give Rich Hill another go, come to think of it.

That's 2-2 for DLee isn't it? His HR are never cheapies. :-)

Anyone taking bets on Jim Leyland coming back as the Pirates' skipper in '06? Unfortunately, his GM will probably not give him the talent he needs. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Littlefield's office next season...

I bet you all a cyber steak dinner that Jim Leyland will be the 2006 skipper.

While we're on the subject, does anyone have a copy of the 1989 NLCS games? Vin Scully did an almost-poetic piece about Wrigley Field in the (was it?) Game One pre-game - compared Wrigley to an old lady who has been waiting and waiting for a championship. It sure would be neat to see and hear it again.

Ick. On the other hand, the Mariners in 2004 signed Melvin to a one-year extension, and then fired him a couple of months later. But that situation, like with Dusty, would only get rid of a symptom, not the disease. Worse yet, it would get rid of the symptom during the season, which rarely works. Right now I don't care about 2008 anymore. Next year, I'm not spending hours on end in the VWR to get Wrigley games to see these chumps. But I think I can see them in Seattle next year, so I guess that makes me a hypocrite.

Absolutely NOT. He has some skills, but he was a chump as a Cub and is an even bigger chump now. Your man was the one who drilled Nomar in an at-the-time meaningless game vs. the Cards. That tool aggravated Nomar's back. As to Z, as an all-around athlete, it's good for him to have some fun... especially since he's been one of the few players we could count on for the past couple/few years. So, great, play futball... just stop sticking up your pitching hand to snag liners, El Torito!

Yeah. If Macias injured our other corner guy, oh man, I know what I'd do!

Didn't see the play (watching online) BUT>>>> Aramis's injury spooked him, was afraid he would tear up his leg as well. Uh-huh, yeah... that's the ticket. We need you to deliver again, TWalk.

That would take extra effort and since the Cubs fired the one trainer that made them work too hard, I doubt it'll happen. Can Ryno be some sort of training instructor? He doesn't have the degree, but he does have the work ethic and did the regimen throughout his playing career.

It's the Chicago way. :twisted:

I do like Patterson's defense. He wouldn't seem like such a liability with a good-hitting SS... oh, wait, we have one of those, he just can't stay healthy. I hope Tavarez bats for himself at some point during the last StL series. That tool needs to get pegged for the way he tagged Nomar.

For which team? :P

I will so LMAO if Macias jacks one here. Well, so much for that.

NICE JOB TODD! Doubles in Lawton.