CheeseHead Cubs Fan

Granted, Dusty is not a perfect manager and quite possibly may not be the "right" guy for Chicago. However, that is a pretty bold statment. Off the top of my head, I can think of a few guys (under Bakers Managment) who have had career years... Barry Bonds - Giants Jeff Kent - Giants Russ Ortiz - Giants Rich Aurlia - Giants DLee ARam Mark Prior Joe Bo Moises Alou Glendon Rusch Carlos Zambrano Ryan Dempster (30+saves) Michael Barrett I am sure there are more, and sure, there are some players who sucked during there career in Chicago or even SF. However, to say that it doesn't matter who we get as long as we have Dusty to manage...is simply wrong! Bonds: no worse after dusty left Kent: better under dusty (peak years) Russ ortiz: about the same his first year out of SF as in SF. Has had a negative career trend since 2001. Aurilia: a whole bunch of the same sort of years under dusty and other managers, then that one monster year (2001) Prior: getting worse under dusty Zambrano: irrelevant, only manager he's ever had (excluding his rookie season) Barret: positive under dusty. Also been healthy and entering peak years. borowski: went way downhill under dusty, was better before he got here. No career year here. Was getting old when dusty arrived. Alou: best seasons away from dusty, nothing close to a career year for him under dusty. Lee: Big year, better than anyone expected. that's a career year for you. Aram: Had his best seasons in chicago, but hardly unexpected given his age. Dempster: new position, no real applicable trend line here. So the actual positives we have here: Lee, barret, Aram, aurilia, kent. I'm going to toss out aurilia's season because (assuming his 2001 was all dusty's doing) what use is a manager who can make you play out of your mind 1 year in 10? This looks like random chance to me. Not that this is evidence that dusty makes players suck. Ha, that is classic. I understand the frustration with Dusty... but man, give the guy some credit.

Granted, Dusty is not a perfect manager and quite possibly may not be the "right" guy for Chicago. However, that is a pretty bold statment. Off the top of my head, I can think of a few guys (under Bakers Managment) who have had career years... Barry Bonds - Giants Jeff Kent - Giants Russ Ortiz - Giants Rich Aurlia - Giants DLee ARam Mark Prior Joe Bo Moises Alou Glendon Rusch Carlos Zambrano Ryan Dempster (30+saves) Michael Barrett I am sure there are more, and sure, there are some players who sucked during there career in Chicago or even SF. However, to say that it doesn't matter who we get as long as we have Dusty to manage...is simply wrong!

The Brewers are very high on David Krenzel, he is groomed to play CF and I wouldn't be suprised if they moved Clark. That being sad, living in Milwaukee, all you hear is Cub hate, I would be SHOCKED if they ever trade another MLB player to the Chicago Cubs. Literally I am hated for being a Cubs Fan (don't think they hate me for other reasons:)

Nice to know things like that happen to other teams... :) The media will blow this up something horrible...and it needs to be!

Word is Nomar broke his throwing arm and has a slight groin pull after the heroics.... :) I kid, I kid ....

I hated him with the Reds, everytime I looked up in 04 he was hitting a double off the wall against the Cubs.... He would be a nice option! Go for it!

I don't know how Sheff feels after the 2nd postseason with the Yankmes, but he was quoted he would retire a Bronx Bomber. Although he is on my wish list, I highly doubt he will be playing in Cubbie Blue anytime soon. Zilla on the other hand is an interesting option, he is loved by Yankee fans and I would imagine George would like to keep him.... Although 8 men left on base in game 5 doesn't help the love fest!

GO Badgers!!! On a side note, women play by play = HORRIBLE! Someone tell her to get out of the booth and let a man take over!

I would hate to play 1B for the Mets if he does end up at 2nd. Jeez, the guys arm is so strong it would be wasted at 2B.

Between Z, Livan and the rest of the Cubs starting pitchers, they could put up better number combined than Macias, Blanco, Patterson, Perez :) I'll take the trade in a heartbeat!

I have heard much of Brian Giles lately, and I'll go on record, I like him...but I think he will stay in SD with The Fathers :(

Just wanna say, sweet car. Thanks bro...a work in progress. But man, this baby moves...!

I like it...good move! No Billy Wagner, but that lefty isn't about to sign for 5mill per year. Nice job!

I would try to flip Lowell to the Brewers (who are in desperate need for a 3B) take Branyan (good bench option) off their hands and throw a PTBNL in and call it done!

Pass on Dave Stewart please. He quit on the Brewers a few years back, couldn't handle the pressure... Ha, Milwaukee = Pressure, ah...I don't think so... wouldn't last past lunch if he was hired by the Cubs.

Can't stand the guy, but you can't fault the man for his skills! That being said, I would like him much more if he hit 700+ in a Cubs uniform!

Here ya go... fuzznuts@hotmail.com

It amazes me that Santo put Shane Andrews ahead of him...

Hmmm... Well, I'll go on record as saying I agree with Barrett. I am proud of the Cubs! Granted, I have my huge dissapointments and even anger at some point. But, every single time I get pi$$ed and walk away from the TV or turn off the radio, I always find myself going back and cathing up. Hoping till that last pitch that the Cubbies will turn it around and win the ballgame. Am I proud that we have near 100 million bucks going towards a team that has a rookie left fielder, a role playing starting SS, a CF who forgot how to play and a 4/5 starter with + 4.00 era's NO. Am I proud that we are neck and neck with the Brewers and closer to last place than first, NO! However, I carry the biggest smile on my face of anytime during the day when the Cubs get a "W" ... I am proud to see Maddux throw 200+ innings, to see him record his 3000 K in Cubbie blue. To hear and watch DLEE put up MVP numbers. To watch ARAM have a great year - An All Star. To have Mark Prior back from the horrible elbow hit earlier this year and pitch well. To watch Big Z go nuts and start to mature along the way. Heck...I'm proud of the Cubs and I am proud to be a Cubs Fan!! Now, think of how much happier we will all be when we win the World Series soon! Go Cubs!

Booing Dusty and Co. in the middle of winter? Save your energy and enjoy the convention... Let him boo. Why not express your displeasure for the team's choices in a forum when you're boos can be heard? The convention isn't just about blowing sunshine up each other's rears for 3 days. Ha, I have been to the conventions before and already have a room at the Hilton lined up. I just find it almost annoying when a dozen or so fans constantly boo the whole entire time. There are plenty of times to boo during the season...Enjoy the 3 day weekend and have some fun! And if fun to you is blowing smoke up someone elses rear...good for you. I'd rather have you ask some good questions instead of the fluff ones that are often asked. "Dusty...do you think Ron should be in the hall?" Get in there and quote some numbers and ask Baker to defend some of his moves and quotes. Agreed, However...if history has anything to say about the questions asked, it will once again be a waste of time. Keep in mind I am not against booing of anykind. Heck, I must look odd booing at the TV at times during the season. However, there is a time and place and the Cubs Convention is not a time to be a drunken sailor screaming "Dusty Sucks" (even though most feel that way) I look at the Cubs Convention as a good time to gear up for Baseball, after a long, cold winter I have hopes of spring and seeing the boys in blue take the field. Even if some don't like certain (or all) moves made by the Cubs staff, its hard not to get excited every spring. After all, isn't that what being a fan is all about? Hope of a championship. Ok, sorry...I have hijacked the thread and turned it into something it didn't need to be... Carry on!

Booing Dusty and Co. in the middle of winter? Save your energy and enjoy the convention... Let him boo. Why not express your displeasure for the team's choices in a forum when you're boos can be heard? The convention isn't just about blowing sunshine up each other's rears for 3 days. Ha, I have been to the conventions before and already have a room at the Hilton lined up. I just find it almost annoying when a dozen or so fans constantly boo the whole entire time. There are plenty of times to boo during the season...Enjoy the 3 day weekend and have some fun! And if fun to you is blowing smoke up someone elses rear...good for you.

Booing Dusty and Co. in the middle of winter? Save your energy and enjoy the convention...

In the paper today... Would it be a problem to sign Nomar for SS, go with Perez at 2nd and hopefull hit him in the 8th hole? Maybe 7th on days Blanco gets the node? Thoughts?

Neifi has the lowest OPS and second lowest OBP of the shortstops you listed, you do realize that, don't you?? The frustration I agree should be more directed at Dusty though. Neifi as utility infielder, I have absolutely no problem with, in fact, I like it. The problem is he should never be a starter, and he should never hit anywhere other than 7 or 8 when he does spot-start. That poor usage is all on Dusty, just like he misused Mulletsworth, and Remlinger, and Simon, and Harris before him. Dusty is a "pet lover." PS--What, there's a software filter now so you can't call Baker "Dust bag"? That's pretty lame. Yes, I realize that...and this thread was not to praise Neifi, just a comparison to other well-known SS. Once again, he is not as bad is individuals point him out to be, rather just used in the wrong spot in the batting order. For me, he is the best glove man the Cubs can offer at SS this season.

You don't think having a player with a .306 OBP who has a majority of his at bats at the top of the order would "hinder us"? Nefi is a decent back up if he is used as a back up and when he plays he isn't put ahead of run producers. But unfortunatly he was not used in the proper way this season, something that happened to a lot of Cubs players this season. I hear ya man, like I mentioned, I am not advocating Neifi for starting SS. However, if we get a few additional bats in the lineup via FA, I would settle for Neifi at SS hitting 8th. Of course, in my dream world...Nomar would be signed for $$ per minute played and hit around .330 playing almost 155 games :)