Soul

I don't believe for a second that the Cubs are serious bidders for Zito. I think the Cubs have become this year's Yankees since we've thrown around so much money. All the agents are using us to hike up the price for their client. Could be. Or people are just guessing Cubs everywhere to try and be right because the Cubs are throwing around so much money. I was listening to Mike & Mike a little while ago and they said Rangers or Mets for Zito.......no other serious players. No mention of the Cubs.

Good point. I guess he gets a pass because he pitched at Coors field?

FLIGHT DELAY LOL, I got a good laugh out of that one, thanks 8-)

We're going to be pretty thin on defense next week if Harris and Vasher are both out. I wonder who will play nickel, assuming RMJ slips in as starting CB. Oh wait no I don't----it will be Hester. Bulger better hope Devin doesn't get his hands on a pass. Instant TD. I'm pretty sure it will be Tank Johnson and Ian Scott starting at DT, which I think is alright. Ian Scott is better than he gets credit for---just not spectacular like Tommie.

I know. I didn't think Benson had that burst when he came into the league. I was wrong. He's not only a bruising runner, but he can bounce it outside as well. It's pretty clear Benson's the better back. I know there's a loyalty to TJ, but he's no longer the best RB on the team. I still like TJ, but I'm more excited when Benson is getting carries than TJ.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lillyte01.shtml http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/padilvi01.shtml He said, "explain," not "post links." If you have an opinion, bring it here. And if he has a problem with me posting links providing the obvious explanation, allow him to defend himself. Otherwise, mind your own business. Well maybe I would like to hear your explanation. Here's a thought: maybe other posters thought the same thing! Until you know what I'm thinking, STFU, and http://community.allhiphop.com/images/smilies/aktion034.gif Can't speak for anyone else, but what I thought was you jumped down Pedro's throat for no apparent reason.

First day, things are just starting to heat up. I didn't think we would have a flurry of signings and trades right away. I expect things to get in gear sometime tonight. It is the winter "meetings." So I assume during the day they have scheduled meetings----you know, like seminars and conferences and stuff like that. Then at night they start dealin'.

Meh... You are witnessing the great Rex rope-a-dope, circa 2006.

The game wasn't close. You keep saying a mediocre QB would have beaten the Bears. I can play that game too. Any kind of mediocre QB performance from the Bears and we slaughter you by 30 points. So there. If BOTH teams had mediocre QB performances, what do you get? Probably a 10 point Bears win. I'm sure I'm a bit biased, but it does seem that you are playing what-ifs with the Vikes, while ignoring the fact that the Bears played their worst football of the year and still took out the Vikes with little trouble at all.

Good Rex will show up. Gotta believe it. No weather, bad defense. Rex will rebound.

Were you at the game? Yes they did. I probably shouldn't have said "all day", but when they were and Johnson had time, he still missed them. The one time he saw the man wide open, he overthrew Marcus Robinson streaking down the sideline uncovered inside the 20. Our recievers also dropped 8 passes yesterday. You're right, the Bears did get pressure and that was impressive. But he wasn't pressured on the Manning INT for 6. What pressure caused the INT that went off Duggan's pads? He had plenty of time and Duggan was wide open. I'll give you the other two although he had completely escaped the pressure on the first INT. On the final INT he was almost pulled down, escaped and threw it 5 yards over the head of Chester Taylor who was standing 5 yards away. I just wouldn't be that excited about that defensive performance if I were you. The Vikings without a doubt have the worst WR corps in the league and now have a QB that is playing as badly as anyone in the league. Look at what our offense has done in previous weeks and compare it with yesterday. By the time the RMJ INT came, Johnson was feeling pressure regardless of whether it was there. Duggan was about to get put in the hospital, which is why he gave up the ball.

Since Griese is not immune to mistakes and far from a guarantee for the Bears to win the SB, I think I'd rather Grossman just start playing better. I agree that Griese isn't immune to mistakes. I do think he'd be more likely to avoid games like: 14/37 144 0TD 4 INT 2 Fumbles lost 18/42 210 1TD 3 INT 1 Fumble lost 15/34 176 0TD 3 INT 6/19 34 0TD 3 INT Those games are just incomprehensibly brutal. Agreed, but Griese won't be shredding anyone like Grossman did to Seattle, Buffalo, the 49ers, and the Giants either. I'm always amazed at the fickle nature of Chicago fans. When the offense is dink n' dunk, they rant, rave, complain, put up websites to "Fire Shoop!", make sarcastic comments about how terrible the offense is, "why don't we throw deep!." Now the shoe's on the other foot. My how quickly we come crawling back to the Holy Shrine of John Shoop. All Hail the mighty Dink n' Dunk!

Why not just support Lovie in whatever he does? 1) 2 division titles does indeed buy you some respect and some slack. 2) Rex has played well this year, and put up 100+ QB ratings against two top NFC teams (Seattle and NY). Maybe he can't put it back together---but this idea that there's no chance is a little premature. 3) Yes, we can win the Super Bowl without a top offense. We just need to limit the turnovers to 1, maybe 2 per game. It's been done before, many times. All Turner needs to do to limit the turnovers is simply take the long pass formations and plays away. It can be done immediately. 4) According to everyone around here, Griese can come in with one maybe 2 games prior to the playoffs (I don't really agree, but hey that's alright). So sit back and relax; plenty of time to put Griese in later.

IMO it's unfair to make Hill pitch out of the #2 spot. You'd probably have to try Jennings there in that scenario. It's not a particularly strong rotation.

Starting to look like somewhere in the bowels of a backroom in Orlando, Hendry got the final word that Schmidt either wasn't interested in Chicago, or only would be if the money was incredibly high, or wanted 5 years, or whatever. I agree, *sigh*

Yukky if we only sign Lilly and then some other option like Meche. Probably tons of $$$$ too. And yukky.

So what does everyone think about Lilly? Isn't he a bit of a mismatch for Wrigley, being a flyball pitcher and all? Maybe I'm not seeing it right. Should be an upgrade regardless, albeit an expensive one.

Yeap. Yeap, it sure did. Wowza.

Who exactly exposed to the world that Sammy left the clubhouse early? Hmmmm. As well they should have. Bottom line is that he left, it all goes back to Sammy's actions regardless of what the Cubs do or don't say. For Sammy's part, he claims he asked for and received permission to leave. I have no clue. But this incident wasn't the only thing that tarnished his image anyway. On to '07.

Wow, we must have lost by 10 points. Damn. Oh wait... J/K. It is getting a little old hearing how terrible we were on a day when we won by 10 points though. Yes, there are issues, big ones. Which bad teams win through their mistakes? Only the good ones do that :wink:

That's WAY too optimistic. He's going to have to prove to me that he can sniff anywhere near those stats. He couldn't do it against a team with the 31st ranked (2nd to last) pass defense. I have NO faith in him anymore. Everytime it goes up in the air, my reaction is "Oh crap!" :cry: Come on. Muster up that last little bit of faith way deep inside :lol: Sorry, Soul. That's reserved for the defense, Good as Gould and the Windy City Flyer. Opening kickoff. Hester for the score 8-)

yeah, i'd much rather pay gil meche 4/$40 to put up a 4.50 era than pay marshall $300k to put up a 4.70 era. Marshall putting up a 4.70 would be quite the improvement. Marshall: 125 2/3 ip 1.52 WHIP 5.59 ERA Marmol: 77 IP 1.69 WHIP 6.08 ERA Guzman: 56 IP 1.88 WHIP 7.39 ERA Mateo: 45 2/3 IP 1.62 WHIP 5.32 ERA Smallish sample size, but none of their peripherals were at all impressive (other than Guzman's K/9, which still wasn't spectacular), and I don't see much that would lead me to believe that any of them would improve to even Gil Meche levels next season. They were all bad, really bad. If Guzman could stay healthy and get it together he could be good, but I personally don't believe he will. Counting on any of these guys next season would be just the type of irresponsible behavior that Hendry has been blasted for in the past. YES, a guy like Gil Meche is probably a better bet than any of the kids we saw last season, save Rich Hill. Sure Meche is no superstar, but he has never posted numbers as bad any of the four kids did in 2006. Even if we sign Schmidt (which is far from a given), the rotation would look like this: Zambrano Schmidt Hill (borderline ?) Miller (?) Prior (?) Mateo/Marshall/Guzman/Marmol (????) Unfortunately, at least one Lilly/Meche guy will have to be signed, or a Jennings/Westbrook traded for. I would like to see one of the kids get a chance, but with all the potential question marks we have in the rotation, I don't see how that would be even a remotely good idea. Is it worth 10 million compared to 370K? Probably not, but it's not our money. Pitching is at a premium right now, and unfortunately the Cubs need it. All good points. I thought Marshall looked pretty good for a few starts last year. Not saying that means he's great, but I think he's got a chance. If it comes down to having to plug in Sean or Angel in as the #5 guy, then I think we're alright. If we start needing to put both in the rotation, then yeah it starts to look pretty thin.

Not necessarily. It could mean that both Miller and Prior suffer setbacks, and that there was little else to choose from after Zambrano, 2 new guys and Hill. In other words, he could win the job by default without having pitched all that well. Alright, let me amend my statement... I really hope to see Guzman outpitch several other viable candidates to grab a spot in the 2007 rotation out of spring training! :D Love to see it. I'm just a little down on him right now because it seemed to me last year he displayed some poor attitude out there when things went wrong. Hopefully he corrects that and grows into a decent starter. He's 25 now (I believe) so it's getting to be that time where he needs to show it.

That's WAY too optimistic. He's going to have to prove to me that he can sniff anywhere near those stats. He couldn't do it against a team with the 31st ranked (2nd to last) pass defense. I have NO faith in him anymore. Everytime it goes up in the air, my reaction is "Oh crap!" :cry: Come on. Muster up that last little bit of faith way deep inside :lol:

Really? I thought Marshall might have a chance to be serviceable at some point. Maybe Gooz, but I'm starting to lose a little faith in him.