Bruiser Chong 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 I'd put Ramirez in the four slot, too. Even Dusty said that he was his RBI guy. They usually go in the cleanup spot, right? I think Stoney was on the money when he said Patterson wasn't going to be a leadoff hitter, he would eventually become a middle of the lineup guy. And with his strikezone, I sure hope that comes true eventually. Still, I think a LOT of us slept on the Nomar re-signing. Here's a guy who can still produce if he's healthy and we'll have him for a full season this time, not just two months. If Sosa can produce, Nomar stays healthy, and the Cubs quit trying to hit jacks all the time, they could be a very potent offense. Lots of "ifs," though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 as long as the lineup stays healthy, I really think the Cubs should win the Central. Most teams in the league don't have an infield as good as Lee, Walker, Garciaparra, and Ramirez. There are few holes in the lineup, the rotation is the best in the league, and while the bullpen is maligned, its not going to kill the team. Yeah. I'm not sold on the 2005 Cardinals just because it seems impossible to recreate the magic two years in a row. Everything just fell into place and that might not be duplicable. The team seems more or less the same as last year's, minus Renteria and Womack plus Eckstein and Grudzielanek. Mark Mulder is a good acquisition, but he's not good enough to make the Central race a done deal. Whoever wins the division, be it Chicago, St. Louis, or Houston, is not going to win it by ten games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfaJack 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 If Roger Clemens retires, the Astros are in serious trouble because their rotation will be pretty thin and their lineup has lost a lot of its pop from last year. Cards had more than a couple of guys give either career or near-career performances last year and I just don't see it happening again. Pujols' heel injury flaring up again recently will hurt them if he ends up missing any significant time with it as well, and they can't afford that. The Central should be for the Cubs taking but we've got a long way between now and October. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Yeah, Stros are looking at what? Pettitte-Oswalt-Backe? Who else? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sfaJack 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Some combination of Redding/Hernandez/Duckworth, I suppose. Good news for the National League, to be sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 Cower at Brandon Duckworth. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted January 18, 2005 "God created the sun, the stars, the heavens and the earth, and then made Adam and Eve, The Bible never says anything about home runs. You can't say there's been home runs when you never saw them. Someone actually saw Adam and Eve. No one ever saw a home run." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 God, it's really depressing being a baseball from Illinois who has watched the Cubs and Sox since day 1. At least the Cardinals are good. This statement is just a big bowl of wrong. Yes, yes... I know. But you see, I grew up in central Illinois, 1.5 hours east of St. Louis and 3 hours south of Chicago. In Springfield, at least, allegiances are split between the Cubs and cards (I think I was the only Sox fan there). I even know I guy who has a "CUBNALS" license plate. Long story short: I personally took to the Sox, but my family is full of hardcore Cubs fans (my grandpa even made a moving wooden model of a bear in a Cubs hat kicking a cardinal in the ass) so I like them as well. But the Cards got Mark McGwire around the time I started watching baseball religiously, and I am a fan of theirs as well. I know it may not be kosher to a Chicagoan such as yourself, but I'm just one of many who like both the Cubs and Cards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Amazing Rando 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 God, it's really depressing being a baseball from Illinois who has watched the Cubs and Sox since day 1. At least the Cardinals are good. This statement is just a big bowl of wrong. Yeah...since when can a baseball TYPE?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 The Cubs have offense, they just don't utilize it. When everyone from the leadoff hitter down to the number eight hitter is trying to constantly launch one out of the park, the results aren't pretty. Here's the question I have - do you think these guys (in this case, the Cubs) went up to every at-bat with the singular approach of hitting a home run, or did they "switch" approaches and try to slug it out only in critical situations? To me, it seems like it would be hard to switch batting approaches like that. These guys aren't playing on an X-Box - the muscle memory for a swing, which you train through years of playing experience, can't just flip on a dime. I tend to think players have the same batting approach every time up in every game - now, whether Dusty or the hitting coach influenced them to try to drive the ball more and sacrifice power in spring training, and said influence carried through a season...I don't know. Whatever the case, it's not like they were "home run or bust" - the Cubs hit .268 collectively as a team, which was good for sixth in the NL. When it came to patience at the plate, however, (in this case, quantified by OBP-BA), the Cubs were next-to-last in the NL: SFG: 0.087 CIN: 0.081 PHI: 0.078 HOU: 0.075 ATL: 0.073 MIL: 0.073 LAD: 0.070 COL: 0.070 SDP: 0.069 NYM: 0.068 STL: 0.066 FLA: 0.065 MON: 0.064 PIT: 0.061 CHC: 0.060 ARI: 0.057 The most egregious offenders in OBP-BA that got significant at bats for the Cubs were: Macias: .024 Grudzielanek (go cards.): .040 Barrett: .050 Patterson: .054 Ramirez: .055 Other than Grudz, all of these guys are coming back next year. Todd Walker will help matters by playing everyday (.078), but Alou, who was one of more patient Cubs at the plate (.068), is gone and having Nomar all year (.057) won't help in that regard either. You can't play for the three-run home run when nobody is willing to draw a walk to get on base. Of course, walks clog up the basepaths, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted January 19, 2005 ok I skipped the last page or so but the Cubs should go Patterson Lee Ramirez Nomar Sosa Walker Barret whoever you could switch Patterson and Walker, it's about the same either way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 Nah, I'd rather have Lee in the heart of the lineup with Walker in the 2 spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 Honestly, I think the Cubs should go: L - Walker R - Lee R - Nomar R - Sosa R - Ramirez R - Patterson R - Barrett R - Hollandsworth / Dubois Patterson's the guy who really needs to step up - if he improves his hitting (hit .260 last year) and becomes more patient, they could stuff him at leadoff, then hit Walker, Lee, Sosa, Ramirez, and have Nomar give Ramirez some protection. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 ok I skipped the last page or so but the Cubs should go Patterson Lee Ramirez Nomar Sosa Walker Barret whoever you could switch Patterson and Walker, it's about the same either way. Jesus. People, JASON DUBOIS CAN PLAY. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 19, 2005 God I hope Al makes fools of us all on the Dubois thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted January 19, 2005 Jesus. People, JASON DUBOIS CAN PLAY. sure he can play....the question is will he play? *cue ominous organ music* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 20, 2005 Dusty don't like them young players. They don't have INTAGIBLES~. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 20, 2005 God I hope Al makes fools of us all on the Dubois thing. Here's Dubois' minor league figures: Single A - .321/.422/.562, 20 HRs Double A - .269/.367/.458, 15 HRs Triple A - .316/.389/.630, 31 HRs The home run boost in Triple A may be a perk of playing in the PCL, but the walk rates and slugging percentages are encouraging and, even though he hit .217/.240/.435 in his september call-up, that was in 23 at-bats. When Hollandsworth gets his annual injury and leaves the platoon open to DuBois, it may actually be a blessing in disguise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 20, 2005 Dusty don't like them young players. They don't have INTAGIBLES~. And why use a relief pitcher when you have a perfectly good starter on the mound? If you've pitched 7, what's 8? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted January 22, 2005 shocking news from the Daily Herald "Who's in left? If the season started today, the Cubs would field a left-field platoon of veteran Todd Hollandsworth and rookie Jason Dubois. Dusty Baker made it clear Friday whom he prefers. 'It's Holly first,' Baker said. 'Even if I have a platoon situation, Holly is probably going to play 135-140 games. Holly gets the first shot.' didn't see that one coming. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Man in Blak 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2005 That's all right, the last time that Hollandsworth reached 140 games was in his rookie season. He'll play until around mid-July, tear a hamstring, send all of Cubbie fandom into a collective panic, and then move over for Dubois, who'll probably hit .260/.330/.450 for the rest of the year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarleyQuinn 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2005 Wow...Hollandsworth has only played 100 games 4 times in his career(1996, 1997, 2000, and 2002). If Dusty were smart, he should try giving more playing time to Dubois in hopes that Holly can stay healthy and play more games as a result rather than seeing him flameout in 70 games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruiser Chong 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2005 He'll never play that many games. He was great as a fill-in for Sosa, but there's a reason he went from being ROTY to being a bench guy. I'm fine with a Hollandsworth and Dubois platoon. Too much emphasis has been made on signing a big name. Big names don't always yield big results. Just ask Steinbrenner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 22, 2005 shocking news from the Daily Herald "Who's in left? If the season started today, the Cubs would field a left-field platoon of veteran Todd Hollandsworth and rookie Jason Dubois. Dusty Baker made it clear Friday whom he prefers. 'It's Holly first,' Baker said. 'Even if I have a platoon situation, Holly is probably going to play 135-140 games. Holly gets the first shot.' didn't see that one coming. This reminds me of Dusty wanting Grudzielanek over Walker, then Grudz gets hurt, Walker fills in, excels, and gets benched. "He's not gonna get any better if I don't use him!" That does explain Farnsworth, too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
