CuseCubFan69

I think those three could be adequate this year in the 2 hole. The problem is none of them are locks, or near locks to put up those numbers, or even get a shot to put up those numbers in the 2 hole. It would be a gamble, but I'd prefer to go w/ youth @ the 2 and get a slugger behind the top 2 on base guys, Lee & ARam. I'd be a little nervous about Neifi batting 2 tho... Oh don't get me wrong, I'm all for one of those three, or a mix of those three getting the 2 spot. And obviously completely against Neifi ever seeing it. My whole hope for this offseason was on getting an adequate middle of the order hitter, so that Lee, Ramirez and X would account for the heart, in whatever order. If the Cubs did trade for Vidro would you bat him 2nd or 6th? I'm guessing that Jones will bat 5th because he's LH. Could a healthy Vidro conceivably bat 3rd with Lee & Ramirez 4-5? I really hate how we're left hoping that Baker won't bat Perez #2 and that Murton shocks the world and hits 30 HRs. Otherwise the lineup is pretty pathetic. I'd love to have Vidro in the 2 spot as long as the knees were ok. I wonder if he would move to third to save his knees....he used to play there didn't he?

List all the posters that stole your idea and hire JC to sue them. I'd rather give Weaver a 3/24-27 than Clement.

I vote no. I don't like McGuires coward way out and if he was such a great hitter before the Roids why did he ever need them?

Charlotte needs a baseball team and hopefully they can move some of that useless school funding and put in a nice park so the future unemployed can work the concession stands there.

Then Hendry made at least one right move this off season. Huff's salary would have been $2M more than Jones this year for similar to less offensive production and sub par defense. Plus, Jones didn't cost the Cubs any prospects. 23 HR .249 .317 .757 22 HR .261 .321 .749 Definetely not a $2M difference. You are correct that it is not a 2m difference. However, how well will Jacque Jones play 3b if Ramirez has to miss any significant time? While Tampa may have been asking for Guzman in the early stages of the offseason, I'm sure it would take much less now. Between Huff coming off a bad year, his high dollar contract, 1 year rental and the fact very few teams have 7.5m to drop on an outfielder, I highly doubt that it would have taken much more or even as much as Nolasco and Pinto to get Huff at this later stage of the offseason. Compare it to Sammy last year. When the Cubs planned on moving Sammy, they set their hopes high for a guy like Cliff Floyd from New York in the early stages. Instead of a power hitting, high OPS guy who provides + production, they got a career part time player and a minor leaguer or two while paying all of Sammy's contract. Hey, Tampa may still be holding out for Guzman. If that's the case, fine. They can keep Huff. The Cubs will have the option of signing him as a free agent next year where it definitely won't cost them Guzman. I feel the Cubs really dropped the ball by not resigning Nomar. Fine, he can't field SS well enough to be an everyday starter? Stick him in RF. Use a guy like Jacque Jones as a 4th outfielder or spot starter if Nomar is replacing Aramis for whatever reason. Nomar wouldn't have costed that much, he would have costed us any players and he would likely provide more production than any one of our current starting outfielders. If your offseason worked out so well that Nomar is just a bit part, trade him to someone who has a starting job available. I think the Cubs are going to miss his bat. Yes, I know he missed most of the 2005 season so that there wasn't much bat to miss. However, it's 2006 now. Just because he missed a huge part of 2005 doesn't mean that it's automatic that he'd miss most of 2006. I guess we'll soon find out. BbB can you guarantee that Baker would even put Huff there? When is the last time Huff played third? My money says he would put Mabry or a defensive whiz like Perez there instead. I hate the fact that Baker is always in these equations.

See that might cause a problem with Johnny B though. If you have both Cedeno AND Perez in the lineup one of them is going to bat second. Yeah, Murton might be the best choice but Baker has this SS,2b, CF have to hit at the to of the order or at very least done it in the past so I doubt the Cubs will have a sdecent lineup with those two in there. My money has Perez at the 2 spot so far. Baker: (Assuming Walker is gone) Pierre CF Perez 2B Lee 1B ARam 3B Jones RF Barrett C Murton/Mabry LF Cedeno SS

I take a minor league managers record different than I do a Major League manager. I know here in Syracuse the Jays always had a lot of young good prospects here and they didn't win but a lot of them went on to help the Jays win the World Series. I want a good teacher at the minors.

No, balanced schedule is bad. While it is argues that is unfair, I'd rather have more chances to gain ground against division foes than an extra series or two against the Padres or Nationals. If it's unfair, I think it should be removed. Especially with the wild card, the difference between divisions should be minimized as much as possible. It should be weighted, just 12-13 games within the division and 9 against out of division. how often has the wildcard come from a weak weak division? ever? seeing as how many wildcard teams have won the WS, I don't think this has been a problem. if you can show me it has, I'll change my mind. The AL East for years.

That was a very easy vote for me.

BC is learning quickly how difficult the ACC is. They are a better team than they were the last two years and lost just 5 Big East road games. They've already dropped their first 2 ACC road games. Georgia Tech is young, very athletic, but despite moving to 2-0 in the ACC there is much to be done if they want to contend for an NCAA berth. Great win for a young team early in the season. And yet VTech and Miami who used to be in the bottom of the Big East are doing well in the ACC.

At Cincy (won), UConn (lost), @Villanova, @Pittsburg man this is tough.

Then Hendry made at least one right move this off season. Huff's salary would have been $2M more than Jones this year for similar to less offensive production and sub par defense. Plus, Jones didn't cost the Cubs any prospects. 23 HR .249 .317 .757 22 HR .261 .321 .749 Definetely not a $2M difference. Jones did cost a draft pick.

I wonder if Tampa would be more interested in Williams than the guys the Cubs sent to Florida? I think they would. Are you thinking Lugo? I would rather keep Williams as a part of a bigger deal, or for ourselves if he's as good as I think he is going to be. I don't think the difference between Lugo and Cedeno is really worth much, plus after next season we're going to have 3 open rotation spots to fill. Williams would look nice in there given his age, salary and potential. I agree with you about the Cedeno/Lugo thing but Baker is the manager and I really don't see Perez, Walker and Hairston watching Cedeno play. If the Cubs have those guys on Opening Day it's going to be Perez at SS and Walker/Hairston at second. Now if Walker or Hairston do get dealt then maybe there will be a chance for Cedeno to start but I still see the Vets getting the nod thus Lugo would be a lot better than Perez. What really worries me is all the contracts that will be up next year and a deal for Lugo would just be one more added to the pile. Now, if Hendry can get an impact bat for LF using Williams and Murton (if he has to) then go for it.

I'm not so sure that Huff is better than Jones. I like Jones defense a lot more and Huff still has to prove he wasn't a steroid wonder.

I wonder if Tampa would be more interested in Williams than the guys the Cubs sent to Florida? I think they would.

Hairston reminds me of Ramon Martinez. He's a good player that always seems to be injured.

Syracuse just recruited Tucker Baumbach that was going to Maryland and a receiver from downstate NY that was going to go to Wisconsin. I also like the fact that they just got Brian White the former Wisconsin OC to coach their QB's.

It worked for Beck. Heck, they even named a beer after him.

For me it's more of a frustration with Baker using him way too much and batting him at the top of the lineup. If Johnnie B would use him in spot starts at SS and 2B and bat him 8th I would have no problem with him being on the team.

RIP Willie. He was one of my first Cub baseball cards.

I really like Michigan but I dispise Tommy Stabinthebacker.

I remember that. I think the pitchers should worry about their own jobs and cover first on a groundball hit on the right side.

No, balanced schedule is bad. While it is argues that is unfair, I'd rather have more chances to gain ground against division foes than an extra series or two against the Padres or Nationals. If it's unfair, I think it should be removed. Especially with the wild card, the difference between divisions should be minimized as much as possible. It should be weighted, just 12-13 games within the division and 9 against out of division. So you hate the NFL scheduling then? Or College Football/Basketball? I don't know about UK but I don't like the NFL schedule. I don't think you could have a balanced schedule in the NCAA's with 118 teams in football and 180 or more in basketball.

this is exactly what i was going to say Make that 3 of us. If Baseball gets rid of the wildcard then an unbalanced season is ok but since there is one I see no reason why baseball has one.

Maybe he asked for 6.5M Franks? That would be about 1.3M in American currency so that's not too bad.