UK1679666180

For this to be true, they would've had to been hitting well with no runners on or a runner on 1B. The team had an OPS of .628 vs. LA and .562 vs. AZ. When you have a team that collectively hits like Pie and Macias over a 3 game series like the Cubs have in '07 and '08, there are bigger fish to fry that hitting with RISP since you have to hit or BB to get them there which they didn't do. And unlike Soriano, Lee, and Ramirez, Dunn's weaknesses present a different type of approach and different methods of pitching to retire him something you didn't see with how LA and AZ schooled the Cubs' RH'ed and overaggressive hitters.

Dontrelle was never rated a top 10 prospect in the Cubs system by Baseball America. He was #4 in the Marlins system in 2003 . He was prob. the 4th rated pitcher in the Boise rotation (those were the days of a great farm :( ). Just a great pick by Florida among the avail. names they had to choose from.

So if it was Lee, Dunn, Ramirez, Soto, Derosa, you would be concerned that the Cubs might struggle to score runs w/RISP b/c Dunn is hitting with runners on? By doing that you're also willing to ignore the increases chances Dunn gives Ramirez, Soto, Derosa b/c of his ability to get on base? As well as the overall increased run production Dunn gives them b/c of his ability to hit for power combined? All that for simply 5 RBIs throughout the course of the year. There are valid complaints about Dunn, I think your angle is extremely flawed and wrong in trying to point that out. Dunn would do more damage defensively in RF for the Cubs than his "inability" to hit with RISP.

Heh, I pretty much said the same thing a page or two ago. Is this before taking location into consideration?

You're basing something on the batting avg. of a situation that only occurs just over 1 out of every 4 plate appearences as to why you don't want Dunn. Lee has a career avg. of .283 w/RISP and last year he has 180 PAs with RISP, if you go by RBI per PA over their careers Lee would've finished with 58 RBIs and Dunn would've had 54. 5 run difference out of 855 runs for the total runs scored of the year is about .04% which nothing. This makes no sense whatsoever, you think he's terrible at hitting with RISP, yet teams are unwilling to pitch to him b/c he's a bad baserunner and a baserunner that has runners in front of him which limits his potential of making a bad baserunning error. The odds of him making a base running error or being forced at 2nd that an avg. runner would've made are even more mimimal than the difference of having Lee up w/RISP and Dunn. Fwiw, I took away IBB from his OBP w/RISP and I came up with .378 for his career. (218+231+20)/(969+231+20+21) (H+BB+HBP)/(AB+BB+HBP+SF) There are valid arguments towards not wanting him, the cubs inability to try and put Soriano in RF to allow dunn to play LF, Dunn's defense in LF is also a valid reason. But, avg. in RISP isn't a valid reason given how infrequently it occus compared to other ABs as well as the miminal amount of variance between one of his ABs and other middle of the order hitters over the course of the season. That's before taking into consideration of how well he does in his other ABs.

But he's actually significantly better as a righty. His career OPS as a LHB vs RHP is like .798 or something like that. You're right, for some reason in my mind I had it backwards.

I think it would be wise to limit some of Bradley's ABs and give him some rest to have him more of a lefty vs. RH'ed pitching than try and get 160 games out of him by having him hit as a righty vs. lefties.

This will look good since he will take the following week off.

Keeping Theriot is the better option. If they needed a SS, I could see why they would go after him, although I think trading for Greene or Bartlett would be a better option than overspending on Furcal.

You accused Wrigely Fans of being inherently and uniquely hostile to blacks players, so much to the point that Bradley would probably be less inclined to play with the Cubs. You point to one example of of where a player (allegedly) experienced racism for your proof. I counter by pointing to two examples of the opposite behavior in Wrigley Fans. We can go back and forth exchanging anecdotal experiences, but you still haven't shown me how Wrigely Fans are inherently and uniquely hostile towards black players anymore than they would receive playing any other city. While I have no doubt there may be racists at heart in the crowd of any sporting event, forgive me for being highly skeptical that words and slurs that might incite a beat down are openly, freely and loosely being thrown around around in a stadium of 45,000 people in a city with one of the largest black demographics in the US.

The same right field bleacher Wrigley fans who used to give Sammy a standing ovation every time he took the field and would collectively kowtow to Andre Dawson? I think the issue with Jacque might have had more to do with the fact that he was horrible than some latent, inherent racism of Wrigley fans. The reason they disliked him was because he wasn't very good, not based on race. With that said, they decided to respond with racial slurs as far as their method of letting Jones know of how disgusted they were of his play. Regardless of why they used racial slurs whether it be lack of production or color of skin, they're still racist of that is their method of response. Yes, the racist nature of some of those inbreds has become an issue with players like Jones as well as Baker and if I was Bradley, it would likely factor in my decision process. Unfortunately, you are probably going to find inbreds shouting racist comments in most ML cities (certainly the larger cities), so I'm not sure it should factor into Bradley's decision. Also, I'm sure Bradley will hear all kinds of comments when on the road, because fans know they can get under his skin. I don't know of any team beyond the Cubs that have had a recent incident where people were yelling racial slurs, let alone racial slurs at players at their home stadium.

The same right field bleacher Wrigley fans who used to give Sammy a standing ovation every time he took the field and would collectively kowtow to Andre Dawson? I think the issue with Jacque might have had more to do with the fact that he was horrible than some latent, inherent racism of Wrigley fans. The reason they disliked him was because he wasn't very good, not based on race. With that said, they decided to respond with racial slurs as far as their method of letting Jones know of how disgusted they were of his play. Regardless of why they used racial slurs whether it be lack of production or color of skin, they're still racist of that is their method of response. Yes, the racist nature of some of those inbreds has become an issue with players like Jones as well as Baker and if I was Bradley, it would likely factor in my decision process.

You must be looking way down the road. He's only 25, so we're looking at a good 7-8 years before he can start being productive. He was a good pitcher as of 2006', while the knuckle ball might not flutter as much in the PCL, giving him a shot at Iowa for a chance to get to the majors is likely a better than most of what we'll see in iowa's rotation this year. I've always thought haeger has a shot as a btm of the rotation starter. Never sign a knuckleballer under 30. I can't even think of one that was decent at that age. http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wakefti01.shtml

You must be looking way down the road. He's only 25, so we're looking at a good 7-8 years before he can start being productive. He was a good pitcher as of 2006', while the knuckle ball might not flutter as much in the PCL, giving him a shot at Iowa for a chance to get to the majors is likely a better than most of what we'll see in iowa's rotation this year. I've always thought haeger has a shot as a btm of the rotation starter.

2 plus pitches, no command, will collaspe easily. I love his arm. That's the name that jumped out at me. Think he could find improved control pitching one inning at a time? With him, he's worth a look depending on whether a team overvalues his tools. His FB has dropped his velo over his career going from 96 to 92.5 or so and since he struggles with command of it as a 4 seamer, I wonder how he would with a cutter or sinker and possibly a splitter with the size of that man's hands and arm action. At worst, I think you give him a shot in the pen to go more max effort and concentrate on just his FB and slider.

2 plus pitches, no command, will collaspe easily. I love his arm.

I've warmed up to Lowe, with him being in as good shape as he is and that clean bill of health, despite his age, he looks like a pitcher I would not object to them offering a multi-year deal for. Before I knew about Peavy, Lowe was the guy I wanted. He fits Wrigley about as perfect as can be. However, I read today that he might not be interested in how many years rather than how much per year, which would likely mean he'd be impossible to fit in the budget. I think that pitching in Wrigley stuff is overrated, the wind blows in just as much if not more than out. It's not a matter of him preventing HRs with his sinker when it's on, it's a matter of ground ball vs. line drive. With the crap that Burnett got, it definitely makes it more difficult for the Cubs to compete with teams looking at that second tier pitching (although I think Lowe is worth more per year than Burnett based on production).

I've warmed up to Lowe, with him being in as good shape as he is and that clean bill of health, despite his age, he looks like a pitcher I would not object to them offering a multi-year deal for.

Well there's one outfielder taken care of. Is anything else going on? Same. Try to trade Marquis. Try to sign Bradley, who's their No. 1 choice for OF. I might be in the minority but Bradley's potential edge might be a good thing in the clubhouse. Obviously, they have limited concern about his knee injury at the end of his '07 season impacting his range in RF?

Fair deal for someone who at worst looks likely to fill one half of a platoon.

mnoye (arbitration)

For help right now... Saito Wigginton Gomes Proctor Cabrera help down the road... Britton Haeger

Why? The guy can rake. He's 36, is expensive, awful on defense, and I wouldn't say an .837 OPS for a corner outfielder is "raking". And yet many around here want Hermida, who put up less than .800 OPS in 2008. Comparing Ibanez and Hermida is apples and oranges. Age, salary, talent, defensive position, Hermida's below avg. '08 all favor him as a better option than Ibanez.

I think this is an odd move, given the poss. regression of Ibanez unless there are some clubhouse issues that obviously didn't prevent them winning it all or Burrell looking for more, I don't see why Philly went after Ibanez. Their line-up is extremely balanced regardless of Burrell or Ibanez. Rollins Utley Howard Worth Victorino With those 5 you have two switch-hitters, two lefties and a righty that murders lefties. As far as Ibanez on the Cubs, his bat is a great fit and his defense is bad enough to where they would have to make Soriano a RF'er.

I'd keep him where I think his value is maximized which is as a late inning defensive replacement at this point and thru injuries/improvement, hopefully plays well and ends up as the starting CF'er. I think the Cubs would be foolish to count on Pie as their starting CF'er, I feel the same way about Fukudome as the starting RF'er (unless they upgraded CF). Having Derosa as the backup in RF with Fontenot going to 2B is an ok backup plan, but you're still counting on them duplicating what they did last year and I don't see either doing so. The guy they missed on was Joyce from det. (who TB just traded Jackson for), he would be ideal for a L/R platoon as the lefty bat of that equation in RF.