CuseCubFan69

Holy crap my HS kids know to do this. Sometimes it just amazes me how little these guys know about their craft.

I've suggested it for years, and been flamed for it. he should've had a David Wright deal in place when he had as much service time as...David Wright. The Cubs just don't lock up their studs in pre-arby times. They seem much more interested in going year-to-year through the arbitration process, and letting a guy approach free agency. They prefer flexibility 2-3 years from now over stability and cost certainty. And I completely disagree with their strategy. Maybe that's because they never have to go to arby with anyone? I think if MacPhail goes through a nasty arb he might change that strategy.

He's a young player and will go through his slumps and hot streaks. I'd be thrilled if he had a 280/330 career with 10-12 HR ability.

Since Hendry's job will depend on his next hire I'm curious if he would go to a "new" guy like Joe. I'd like to see it happen and maybe since Joe is an ex liked Cub that might help.

He had Tommy John surgery and apparantly has a degenerative arthritic elbow or something like that. So this trade gets better all the time, eh? Hendry seems to have a thing for injured elbows.

What injury did Izturis have in the past?

Why can't Baker sit Pierre once in a while and put Pagan in CF? I don't understand his extremely limited thought process.

I think it was a win-win choice between Mauer and Prior. I've seen many of those HS catchers fail way more often than succeed and it's nice to see one work out. As for Barrett, I think a guy that is hitting 330 or so could find a spot in the lineup no matter where he played.

I'd be shocked if Ramirez gets less than 12 a year out in the open market.

There are a few starting pitchers in the big leagues who have succeeded with only 2 pitches. And, of course, he has 3 pitches. Technically, he has four. He has the 88-93 mpg FB, the 12-6 curveball, the 9-3 ish sweeping curve, I've seen him throw (or is that a slurve?) and a work in progress change up. I would love to see Hill developed consistanices with his secondary pitches. Everybody knows he has the big overhand curve, he loves to use, but if he can improve his change-up, and his sweeping curve to a point, they become atleast decent options for out pitches, then I say he is "turning the corner." With that said, these last two starts PROVES he can pitch at this level. Adn the possible thought of a ALL HOMEGROWN talent in the rotation (Prior/Zambrano and any combo of /Marshall/Hill/Guzman/Ryu/Gallagher) is awfully tempting. I hope Hill keeps doing his thing, cause Hill and Marshall would be PERFECT compliments to the hard-throwing Z/Prior/Guzman/Marmol. I should ask Rich if I can ride his fastball to work! I'm not getting that kind of gas milage. Ha....he's using one of those scooters and that's probably why the Cubs didn't call him up, not manly enough to drive a Harley.

The Mets are locking up their young impact guys and I hope the Cubs do the same with Z and not wait until the last minute. I'm curious on how Z feels about the direction the Cubs are heading and if that would have an impact on signing a long term deal.

I think he's a kid on track and will have his ups and downs. I think what will really matter is how he handles the downs....and how Baker handles them as well.

I agree and I'd like to see a stat that shows how often a hitter hits the sweet spot. Granted, line drives would be a big part of that but if a kid is hitting the ball hard a good percentage of the time I'd be more impressed with that than a decent average. This is such a mental game and I know that frustation sets in when you're crushing the ball and you get no on base results so I'm curious on how that has a part of it too. Hpefully the coaches are helping them with this since most of them have always had success hitting and this may be the first time they had to deal with a long term failure.

Maybe he was excited to be there...he didn't seem to stop talking.

I wonder if a team has a SS go down if they would try to get Perez?

I can't see him being any worse than Pierre. I'm agreeing with you a lot lately, goony. But that statement is true. Jones might not have the range of Pierre, but I think he gets better jumps. His arm even when spiking the ball in the grass on a third of his throws is better than Pierre. That being said, wouldn't we want someone better than both on defense, all things being equal? More importantly, I guess my question is would it benefit the Cubs to move Jones to CF and find a RF bat (in that case who?) or keep Jones in RF and go with a Pie/Lofton (or someone comparable) platoon? A Lofton/Pie platoon isn't likely with both of them being left-handed. You could platoon Pie with Murton in LF, if you move Jones to CF and sign a big bat for RF. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought someone had posted that Pie is actually hitting lefties pretty well this season. If he can continue to do that, and you go with the outfield that I just listed, you could start Murton in LF, Pie in CF, and in RF, with Jones on the bench against some lefties. So in essence, you'd be looking at more of a Murton/Jones platoon. Hendry is a day late and a dollar short because if he singed Lofton this past off season and kept those pitchers he sent to Florida I would have felt a lot better about this teams chances in 2006. This team will never win with Hendry as the GM.

You and your crazy money ballin ideas.

Nice job of battling back by Hill. I like to see him go after hitters after an HR.

Then Baker will be too expensive to extend a contract too. Right? God I hope I'm right if your senerio is true. What are the Cubs payroll numbers for contracts in 2007? If Baker runs Z into the ground before he leaves (if he really does go) than this move will be like the stroke of genius of pitching Wood from the pen. It's the little things like this that wears and eats at the health of the players and when the horses get driven into the ground Baker just blames bad luck. I believe that Baker sticks his toothpicks into a Hendry VooDoo doll and controls his mind.

He hits a lot of line drives. Hopefully his BABIP will follow as he enters his prime years. He was a nice player here but no more than a 300 hitter with a very poor OBP. That new guy (assistant GM) the Cubs got from the Jays isn't going to help the OBP problem. He just likes better hitters than Hendry. Nice job Rich....I can't wait for Baker to take credit for it.

I'll bet the fans who don't like Ramirez will be on him about the baserunning and fielding today.

Ronnie sat on that.

A player the Cubs trade for an even worse player. That is an impact player.

It's called pinch hitting not pinch walking. I think it would drive Dusty nuts to watch him take so many pitches.

He must have made someone very angry because he doesn't seem to get any attention from the Cubs brass.