Transmogrified Tiger

Why wouldn't Loretta work in the leadoff spot? Because he doesn't fit the stereotype? He has almost the exact same numbers hitting 1st (.298/.365/.403/.768) as he does 2nd (.300/.360/.402/.763). If he doesn't want to come here, then that's okay, it's not intensely difficult to get a 2B with a good enough OBP to leadoff or hit 2nd(Catalanotto can do both too). Catalanotto is better than Murton. His career OPS is around .800, which Murton hasn't been able to reach with a favorable platoon and a hot 5 week stretch. He's a better player. Not enough for a corner OF spot? Maybe, but remember like I outlined in the truncated part of my post, we are forced out of the ideal by the awful Izturis and Jones deals. The Cardinals middle of the order looks pretty crummy if you take out Pujols too. Of course you look worse when you take out the best hitter. I'd like to get a better hitter and force Barrett down to 6th, but Hendry's density has precluded that with putting the subpar Jones in RF. Not expecting to win? Pie provides cost effectiveness near the bottom of the order, solid defense, and potential to hit well and develop at a young age. If you want to trade him that's okay, it's not an idea without merit, but the idea that playing Pie is somehow a forfeiture of '07 is a baseless one. I understand why people get apprehensive about Schmidt, but I think he's the best option available. For all the overuse talk he's made at least 29 starts in 5 straight years. Maybe the overuse accelerates his decline, or maybe he's just an exception that has been able to take the abuse. Either way, when healthy he's better than Zito, who is going to get a monumental contract due to his partially undeserved reputation. Also, you'll also note that I didn't definitively say to go after Schmidt, it was just one outlet for the money that was allocated to get a very good SP.

I don't think that's true. An FA starter will essentially replace Wood's salary. If you let 1 of them play(Pie replacing Pierre's 5.75 mil is my choice), let Soto replace Blanco, and then you've freed up another 6-7 million. Add in the fact that we had money to spend last year that we may be able to use again, and the fact/hope that a budget crunch would force trades of Neifi and/or Rusch, I think we can add a big contract player and 2 intermediate ones if we need to. So a budget crunch is going to force us to trade Neifi and Rusch, but we'll also have money left over from last year? Putting aside the obvious contradiction, any trade of Neifi or Rusch is most likely going to mean WE'RE picking up salary. Who's going to take either at their salaries? The best we can hope for is that the Cubs DFA Rusch and eat his salary, less the league minimum any team would have to pay if any were stupid enough to take him. Same with Neifi, but I highly doubt he gets DFA'd. And speaking on money left over, think like a corporation. If you as CFO allocate $X to one of your sudsidiaries, and they don't spend all of it, do you give them MORE next year? Heck, no. If you're like 99% of the corporations in the world, you thank them, then give them LESS the next year. Now, granted, the Cubs are a special kind of subsidiary, so you probably don't CUT their budget. But if you're a corporation in serious financial difficulty like the Tribune, you most certainly don't give back last years leftovers. I should have worded that better so it didn't appear to be a contradiction. My point was that it shouldn't be a problem to make the necessary acquisitions, but IF money became an issue, then I think it's likely Hendry would dump the heavier bench contracts of Rusch and/or Neifi to make sure he added the starting position player he wants, especially since in that scenario he'd have Cedeno to take over for Neifi, and obviously an arm available to take Rusch's spot.

So the guy who got the hit was either picked off or doubled up on a fly ball?

I don't think that's true. An FA starter will essentially replace Wood's salary. If you let 1 of them play(Pie replacing Pierre's 5.75 mil is my choice), let Soto replace Blanco, and then you've freed up another 6-7 million. Add in the fact that we had money to spend last year that we may be able to use again, and the fact/hope that a budget crunch would force trades of Neifi and/or Rusch, I think we can add a big contract player and 2 intermediate ones if we need to.

I fail to see how Colvin putting up an .850 OPS in Boise as a college draftee proves he's not a bust. It's far from being a disaster, but it's also far from warranting I told you so's.

I don't like the idea of USMNT games going into what's basically a premium cable/satellite channel. You're shutting out a part of your fanbase. It doesn't sound like it's all of them though.

I'm not a big expert on the draft so I can't really project where he'd go, but Horton(the UNC SS) didn't declare because he isn't old enough. He was a Sophomore this year, so if he wants he can enter next year if he wishes. so once you enter college you have to stay until after your junior year? Yes, although I believe it's different if you go to a JUCO.

I'm not a big expert on the draft so I can't really project where he'd go, but Horton(the UNC SS) didn't declare because he isn't old enough. He was a Sophomore this year, so if he wants he can enter next year if he wishes.

Let's assume that Lee, Ramirez, Barrett are absolute locks for next year's lineup. Ideally then, we'd have: 1 2 Lee Ramirez 5 Barrett 7 8 Now let's assume it's pretty likely Jones and Izturis are in the lineup next year. Adjusting for that, ideally it'd be: 1 2 Lee Ramirez 5 Barrett Jones Izturis With 2B, LF, and CF to be filled Obviously that makes things more difficult, since Cedeno, Pierre, Theriot, Fontenot, and Pie aren't good choices for any of the remaining spots. On the plus side, we were dealing with the ideal situation, so it's not the end of the world if we can't do that. My suggestion, would be to go into next year with Pie in CF, then use LF and 2B as the top 2 spots in the order. I'd target Catalanotto and Loretta. Neither will cost a fortune, neither will be big names or extremely sought after that will inflate their cost beyond reason. One is right handed, the other left. Most importantly, their cost will be low enough to make sure we get a good SP, whether it's making sure we have the money to get Schmidt, or the money to take on the contract of someone we trade for(not counting on Murton or Cedeno to start adds to our trading depth as well). So, the finished product is: Loretta Catalanotto Lee Ramirez Barrett Jones Pie Izturis

April: .184 BB/IP (16.3 IP) May: .375 (18.7) June: .300 (6.7) July: .423 (26) August: .167 (6, through the 5th inning tonight)

Cannon with a great save then almost commits suicide coming out to the 18 when 2 defenders were there. And there's the whistle. Way to go, MLS.

The Izturis trade is pretty much a "screw you" to Cedeno if Hendry plans on building a capable offense. No matter which of those guys plays SS, I think Murton in LF is a sketchy idea, although it could work if the team was constructed differently(much more difficult than getting a better LF). If both Cedeno and Izturis are in the lineup, then without question Murton better not be in the lineup, for the offense's sake.

ESPN gets TV contract with MLS De Rosario just scored in the 70th minute for the MLS All-Stars to put them up 1-0 over Chelsea. Freddy Adu is doing a nice job, I hope he adds some inches though.

Also relating to this year's draftees, Evan Longoria is in AA already after putting up a .424/.487/.879/1.366 line in the NYPL (Short season A), and a .327/.402/.618/1.020 line in the California league (High A). He doesn't turn 21 until October.

Let's put it this way - I think all of us learned who was to cover 2B on that play back in Little League. Cedeno has looked lost and timid lately, and the excuse about learning a new position doesn't hack it with me, this is very basic stuff any professional middle infielder should know by instinct. agreed. cut him. agreed, you hate players that play well. Why even say that? No one was saying anything close to "we should get rid of Cedeno because he screwed up that play".

With everyone in the NL playing crappy baseball, and the Cubs 11 games out in the wild card, it remarkably isn't out of the question. Yes, yes it is out of the question.

Wuertz is the best reliever on the team.

Did you know: Pagan is hitting .300/.363/.483/.846 since he returned from injury. (66 PA's) EDIT: It also looks like he could benefit from abondoning the right side of the plate.

Are you talking about when Bay took second? If that is the play you're referring to it was because he went out to serve as a relay man as he would had he been playing ss. And he didn't see Izturis?

If Izturis is at SS next year, and all indications are that he will be, you cannot go with Cedeno at 2B. You just can't. It sucks for Ronny that Maddux got traded for a more expensive version of himself, but as long as Hendry doesn't try to start both of them in the same IF, then the only thing we've lost from the trade was the opportunity for more for Maddux, and 4 million bucks.

How do you not know that you're supposed to cover second on a play like that? I admit I didn't see it, but what would possess you not to be at 2nd on a play like that?

Raise your hand if you saw this coming.

Has Sullivan ever had any idea what the Cubs are going to do?

Count the Rings

Good for Greg.