CUBZ99

This year is over, but 2006 isn't. who can they get to come near his numbers at $2.5 million this offseason? He is a productive player with a great contract. Who can't turn a double play according to the Cubs org. Reading between the lines of all of the recent press, the Cubs are trying to get better defensively, that probably means Walker's time with the Cubs is done.

is Murton back with the big league team now that Lawton is rumored to be traded?

Baker had very little to do with the success of the Cubs his first season. Every year since, this club has slipped bit by bit. So you hold him accountable for this year, but refuse to give him credit for his success? Face it, Hendry let him down bad at the beginning of the season. He replaced Sosa and Alou with Hollandsworth and Burnitz. He replaced Matt Clement with nobody. He made the bullpen worse (if that was possible) and he left the bench a disaster. But yes, keep telling yourself it is all Dusty's fault. Hendry is the one who should get the axe. Hendry hurt the bullpen, but Baker finshed it off. How much different might things have been if Dempster had been closing since the start of the season, with Hawkins and Fox (Dusty's fault) setting him up? That's what Hendry wanted, but Baker saw fit to put Hawk in the closer's role (where EVERYONE knew he would fail), Dempster in the rotation (where he was no good), and Rusch in the bullpen. What a freaking waste. How much sense did that make? And it ruined what might have been at least a decent pen. Burnitz has been better than Sosa, but Hendry did mess up not replacing Alou. But Baker messed up just as bad by playing Holla when it was clear he stunk, and players like Dubois (who was marginally better, but better) and Murton festered on the bench. How about using his two worst OBP players in the 1-2 holes for the better part of a month, when Walker was avilable? Dumbassery. As for the rotation, going into the season with a rotation of Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux and Rusch was nothing to complain about, so you can't fault Jim for not replacing Clement. The bench has been a bit of a mess to say the least, but Perez playing through June and July (when he was flat out terrible), using Macias as the first bat off the bench, starting Holla when his strength is as a bench player, etc. has not helped matters any. But you just keep telling yourself it's all Hendry's fault. Both are equally at fault, but Baker is just a poor manager. Like it has been said in this thread, the 2003 playoff run was due to Wood, Prior, Z and Clement. Prior and Wood pitched on a whole other level for two straight months, and we still barely made it. Remember Lenny Harris leading off? Just many in a series of boneheaded Baker moves that got lost in the playoff fervor. The point is that the 2003 season wasn't really Baker's success. He messed up that year, but the rotation pitched like they never have before or since and bailed Dusty out. Dusty has always made his living riding on the coattails of great players and great performances. Matt Williams, Bonds, Kent, Aurilia (when he was good), Robb Nen, Billy Swift, John Burkett, Kerry Wood, Prior, Z, Clement...Dusty has benefitted from the best seasons all and more than they had to offer. And since Dusty likes to let "players police themselves" or delegate to his coaches (That's Larry's department"), you can't credit his coaching for their successes. No matter what he or anyone else says, the total lack of fundamentals, pateince at the plate, etc. reflects on him. He is the man in charge of the house, and it is poorly run, to be kind. You set much adversity in his way, and his teams fold like a lawn chair, as we have seen first hand. So why in the world would we give him a free pass for two years of blatant mismanagement because of one season theat wasn't that great (88 wins doesn't get you in most years) that he had little to do with? Please. I know we all get some warm fuzzies thinking about the pre-game 6 2003 season, but let's not let that cloud our judgement. Dusty wasn't that good then, and he sure isn't now. Hendry isn't with out his very large share of blame, but assigning Bakers share to Jim is patently ridiculous. Dusty has not made the best out of the hand he was dealt, or anywhere even close. If we win next year and Dusty is still in charge, it wil be in spite of him unless he totally overhauls his approach. Hendry should have known better with all of Wood's and Prior's injury history that the Cubs were going to need to replace Clement with someone capable, as well as keep Rusch for when Wood and Prior got hurt. With Alou, there is no excuse. Hollandsworth and Dubois were both equally horrible and should have never been given the starting job. If you look at Dusty's bench (which Hendry has kept short most of the season) he had Macias, Perez, Blanco, Hairston, Dubois. That is unacceptable for a major league team that is trying to make the playoffs. Baker has made some dumb moves, but Hendry has countered them almost move for move. Lets hope that this offseason Hendry doesn't sit around like he did last year and actually improves the team.

Baker had very little to do with the success of the Cubs his first season. Every year since, this club has slipped bit by bit. So you hold him accountable for this year, but refuse to give him credit for his success? Face it, Hendry let him down bad at the beginning of the season. He replaced Sosa and Alou with Hollandsworth and Burnitz. He replaced Matt Clement with nobody. He made the bullpen worse (if that was possible) and he left the bench a disaster. But yes, keep telling yourself it is all Dusty's fault. Hendry is the one who should get the axe.

I like Dusty's attitude in his comments about staying put. It doesn't seem likely that Hendry will fire him and he has already proven that with a good pitching staff and an OF or two who can hit, that he can take the Cubs into the postseason. I think it is time for Hendry to step up and makes some moves this off season. He is as much to blame as any one for the Cubs poor showing so far this year.

That is not saying much. Hollandsworth is clearly not an everday player. Dusty gave Dubois a better chance at earning a job, than both Cedeno and Murton. He also had a chance in Cleveland to grab an everyday spot as DH, he just hasn't taken advantage of his opportunities. I don't quite think he was going to take Hafner's spot. Once again, Wasn't Hafner hurt when Dubois was acquired? Dubois got almost 50 Abs with the Indians and struck out more than half of them. The way he was playing, he wasn't going to take anybody's spot and didn't even warrant staying on their 25 man roster.

yeah, they're going to let dubois take that "hafner" guy's spot...he sucks anyway, right? :roll: Hafner was off the DL when Dubois was traded? #-o

That is not saying much. Hollandsworth is clearly not an everday player. Dusty gave Dubois a better chance at earning a job, than both Cedeno and Murton. He also had a chance in Cleveland to grab an everyday spot as DH, he just hasn't taken advantage of his opportunities.

yeah but with Williams available in the bullpen isn't Wellemeyer a little redundant?

So the reason Murton doesn't play against righties is that he doesn't make enough money. Got it. Makes perfect sense now. :roll: I can't believe that Dusty is still playing Murton against Lefties. That is a huge step for him. With the playoffs on the line and after the Lawton trade Dusty could have easily created many excuses to bench Murton everyday and stay with Burnitz and Lawton.

One of the papers (Trib. I think) said that Guzman was throwing 96 MPH.

Fallingpieces, thanks for that report. :D 91 - 92 is not bad, maybe his arm is finally starting to gain strength. How was his outlaw curve working?

I think Oscar Acosta would disagree with you on the age. It seems a little premature to say that Rich Hill is not capable of putting up Zambrano like numbers. Whether he will or not is another question. Hill does have some filthy stuff.

one 20 game win streak and the Cubbies are right back in the wildcard hunt.

I'm sure the Cubs will get a quality minor league pitcher in return. :^o

Yes, although I haven't seen the lineup yet I don't like it and can't believe that Dusty can't come up with something better than that garbage. :D

if the tradeoff was that we could have fontenot instead of macias, but if the situation came up where we had to forfeit a game due to need of a third catcher due to injury, id still get rid of macias. when's the last time we needed a third catcher? do we have a fourth catcher? anytime we'd need a third catcher, it'd probably be in extra innings, and macias undoubtedly would've already botched an important pinch hitting opportunity earlier in the game. if macias is so valuable as a third catcher, does that mean we should never use him, just in case we should need him in the bottom of the 14th? If Fontenot were called up and used as the 25th man, then people would complain that he was rotting on the bench and losing valuable development time. ](*,) I think if your are expecting more than .296 Avg. and a guy that can play almost every position for your 25th man, you are being more than a little bit irrational. With all of the problems on this team, Macias should be the least of the Cubs worries at the moment.

His fastball was mid 90's or his outlaw curve? He has a ways to go before the outlaw curve is hitting 97 again. :D Not long ago it was reported that his velocity was returning in the bullpen. His numbers seem to have gotten a little better, but mid-90's would be excellent news.

Hairston won't get added to the 60 day DL? A torn tendon does not sound like the type of injury a player would come back in less than 2 months with, but I'm not a doctor, so I don't have a clue.

Is Murton hot because he's facing lefties or would he be hot no matter who he bats against? Before answering, he's struck out five times in 10 at-bats against righties. Hasn't he also gotten 3 hits in those 10 ABs? I'll ask again, is he hot because he's facing lefties or would he be hot anyway? I like Murton a lot, and would hope some of the vets would learn his plate discipline. I also don't want him in a position to be overmatched. As I said yesterday, I wouldn't have a problem with him facing a rookie righthander or a below average righthander. So, would he be playing considerably less under this scenario vs. the way he's being used now? I'm just glad that we're seeing two lefties this series. Again, I go back to my desire to get a true everyday leftfielder....the same desire I stated last off-season. Murton hit righties in the minors just fine, and when the alternative to Murton is a piece of excrement named Todd Hollandsworth I'll take Murton. If Holla is a piece of excrement, and he's a million times better at baseball than you, what does that make you? :roll: I'll bite. Does it make him not a professional baseball player?

Dude, you like gotta let the veteran play. Rookies gotta earn their playing time and Holly has been really hitting the ball hard lately, he is just unlucky. :^o

Dusty is just giving lip service to Neifi because Neifi is a veteran. There is no way that he is going to sit Nomar, when he comes back. He said the same thing when Walker came back.

Stop with the negativity. There will be baseball tonight. I hope. :D

It is great to have contributors on this board that can give some actual first hand accounts on the prospects for those of us that can't get to some of the games. BTW does anyone think that Sing will be added to the 40 man at the end of the year?

Two key hits in back to back games, and the guy still can't get a break. :D