HurricaneDij39
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Ditto.
The likelihood of Dews speaking objectively is that of LeBron James coming out and actually admitting he suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
Ditto.
The likelihood of Dews speaking objectively is that of LeBron James coming out and actually admitting he suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
HurricaneDij39
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...Or Silence actually forming his own opinion.
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Pucker up sugar tits.
HurricaneDij39
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No offense Chris, but that's beyond idiotic. So because our team could "potentially" be historically bad that we should simply just punt the position???
Gotta start somewhere. Remember last year at this time when Marm and Camp routinely blew late leads our young and unproven offense could actually muster?
It does matter, folks. Veras could be a valuable veteran presence in our bullpen, but his days as a closer (short, at that) need to be numbered.
CSF77
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The team lacks talent to play strait platoons. I have never been a fan of them in general. I'm a believer of a balanced line up that uses LH bats to split up RH bats vs stacking them.
I've shown enough proof to state my case. I can understand trying to get Olt hitting as he has power upside but putting a hitter trying to establish himself into a part time role is a recipe for disaster.
They are better off playing Valbuena playing full time and making Olt be the primary PH. He can hit a HR in any AB but lacks contact. Over all it is a loss.
You always look at OBA first. Valbuena is a better player right now. If he cools his jets then switch it up. But you have to give Olt the lion share then to get him productive
CSF77
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But I would go with Kalish in CF and Bonifacio at 2B now. Sweeny and Olt PH and Barney as UI. Keep that running for Apr. see how that works. If Valbuena is hitting .200 by then then push Olt out there full time. Until then have him strengthen his shoulder in the gym.
Kalish I would want to see what he can do every day.
Kalish I would want to see what he can do every day.
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My favorite teams
:andruw:
CSF77
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Looks like someone has the right viewpoint:
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/22740/week-in-review-closer-lineup-questions
Week in review: Closer, lineup questions
April, 7, 2014
APR 7
12:19
PM CT
By Jesse Rogers | ESPNChicago.com
CHICAGO -- The first day off for the Chicago Cubs on Monday gives us a chance to review the first week of the season.
No conclusions can be drawn from their 2-4 start, for the team or individual players. The most we can examine is whether there are any short- and long-term trends forming. In analyzing the Cubs, the long-term implications are always more important than the short term, at least for now.
With that in mind, let's review the first week:
Starting staff: Like early last season, they're doing their job. The lone so-so performance came from All-Star Travis Wood, but there is little to worry about with him. The Phillies' Chase Utley destroyed the Cubs over the weekend, and Wood made one costly mistake to him on a wind-aided home run Friday. Newcomer Jason Hammel was great in saving the bullpen Thursday in Pittsburgh in the Cubs' first victory of the year.
Jeff Samardzija has been very good through two starts, although he has no wins to show for it. With zero runs scored while he's been on the mound -- losing 1-0 and 2-0 -- the idea of a trade to a contender might sound better and better to him. It's simple. If Samardzija can keep his pitch count to a reasonable number and have success throughout the first half while staying healthy, that combination should bring a huge return for him in a trade by July 31. That is unless the Cubs change their minds and sign him. The starting staff produced a 1.93 ERA through the first week, good for fourth in baseball. Cold weather or not, that's impressive.
The lineup: If you want to give manager Rick Renteria the benefit of the doubt for the first week of the season, go ahead. If you think Ryan Kalish deserves some starts, an argument can be made for it, and not just because of his two-hit, three-RBI performance Sunday. He was a rising prospect with Boston before injuries sidelined him, and he's young enough (26) that he could play his way into a larger role in Chicago. But there is no short- or long-term reason that outfielder Ryan Sweeney should be getting starts over Junior Lake. And Mike Olt needs to be playing more often as well.
Are the Cubs really going to rotate a platoon through basically four positions at third, second, left and center? That does no one any good. Renteria might be trying to win a game that day, but if the Cubs are interested in winning every game, they would have a better team on the field in the first place. Nothing against Sweeney, but he isn't going to be a starter on this team when it becomes a contender; neither will Luis Valbuena. The other players could be. The argument ends there.
As for Emilio Bonifacio, he's been amazing. What team wouldn't want a player with speed who can play as many positions as he can? In fact, how many players play center field, shortstop and second base in a season? It's not a long list. Bonifacio played all three in the first three games and hit .500 for the week. It's unclear what his long-term role on the Cubs could be, but any contender would like to have this version of Bonifacio somewhere on the field or bench. He made the first week fun to watch.
The closer: For the second spring in a row, the Cubs chose to ignore all the signs that their closer wasn't ready for that role to start the season. Even if we're supposed to look the other way at the results in spring, Carlos Marmol and now Jose Veras simply weren't moving in the right direction with their stuff as the Cactus League progressed. It's no surprise that Veras has blown one save and gave up runs in his second appearance of the season on Sunday against the Phillies in a nonsave situation.
Renteria has said he's not worried about Veras, but he might be the only one. Long term, it isn't a big deal because Veras won't be here, but at this point handing the job to Pedro Strop might be the way to go. Then again, Veras' trade value will plummet like Marmol's. But at least there will be fewer late-inning headaches along the way.
Overall analysis: It's no surprise the offense struggled through the first week. It's not very good, and Starlin Castro is just starting to look better after missing most of spring training. Their poor hitting (.170) with runners in scoring position is getting all the headlines, but getting on base is more important right now. Their .294 on-base percentage through one week -- which includes a seven-walk day against A.J. Burnett and the Phillies on Sunday -- pretty much mirrors their .307 figure this spring and .300 for all of last season. It's not nearly good enough.
When that improves, everything else on offense will as well. And the offense will improve over time if the best hitters and hitting prospects are in the lineup. Even if players struggle on a certain day, playing Olt and Lake -- and to a smaller extent Kalish -- should be the Cubs' No. 1 priority at the plate.
As I've said the main problem with the Cubs is Rick's platoons. We get the lack of talent but his platoons are making it worse.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/22740/week-in-review-closer-lineup-questions
Week in review: Closer, lineup questions
April, 7, 2014
APR 7
12:19
PM CT
By Jesse Rogers | ESPNChicago.com
CHICAGO -- The first day off for the Chicago Cubs on Monday gives us a chance to review the first week of the season.
No conclusions can be drawn from their 2-4 start, for the team or individual players. The most we can examine is whether there are any short- and long-term trends forming. In analyzing the Cubs, the long-term implications are always more important than the short term, at least for now.
With that in mind, let's review the first week:
Starting staff: Like early last season, they're doing their job. The lone so-so performance came from All-Star Travis Wood, but there is little to worry about with him. The Phillies' Chase Utley destroyed the Cubs over the weekend, and Wood made one costly mistake to him on a wind-aided home run Friday. Newcomer Jason Hammel was great in saving the bullpen Thursday in Pittsburgh in the Cubs' first victory of the year.
Jeff Samardzija has been very good through two starts, although he has no wins to show for it. With zero runs scored while he's been on the mound -- losing 1-0 and 2-0 -- the idea of a trade to a contender might sound better and better to him. It's simple. If Samardzija can keep his pitch count to a reasonable number and have success throughout the first half while staying healthy, that combination should bring a huge return for him in a trade by July 31. That is unless the Cubs change their minds and sign him. The starting staff produced a 1.93 ERA through the first week, good for fourth in baseball. Cold weather or not, that's impressive.
The lineup: If you want to give manager Rick Renteria the benefit of the doubt for the first week of the season, go ahead. If you think Ryan Kalish deserves some starts, an argument can be made for it, and not just because of his two-hit, three-RBI performance Sunday. He was a rising prospect with Boston before injuries sidelined him, and he's young enough (26) that he could play his way into a larger role in Chicago. But there is no short- or long-term reason that outfielder Ryan Sweeney should be getting starts over Junior Lake. And Mike Olt needs to be playing more often as well.
Are the Cubs really going to rotate a platoon through basically four positions at third, second, left and center? That does no one any good. Renteria might be trying to win a game that day, but if the Cubs are interested in winning every game, they would have a better team on the field in the first place. Nothing against Sweeney, but he isn't going to be a starter on this team when it becomes a contender; neither will Luis Valbuena. The other players could be. The argument ends there.
As for Emilio Bonifacio, he's been amazing. What team wouldn't want a player with speed who can play as many positions as he can? In fact, how many players play center field, shortstop and second base in a season? It's not a long list. Bonifacio played all three in the first three games and hit .500 for the week. It's unclear what his long-term role on the Cubs could be, but any contender would like to have this version of Bonifacio somewhere on the field or bench. He made the first week fun to watch.
The closer: For the second spring in a row, the Cubs chose to ignore all the signs that their closer wasn't ready for that role to start the season. Even if we're supposed to look the other way at the results in spring, Carlos Marmol and now Jose Veras simply weren't moving in the right direction with their stuff as the Cactus League progressed. It's no surprise that Veras has blown one save and gave up runs in his second appearance of the season on Sunday against the Phillies in a nonsave situation.
Renteria has said he's not worried about Veras, but he might be the only one. Long term, it isn't a big deal because Veras won't be here, but at this point handing the job to Pedro Strop might be the way to go. Then again, Veras' trade value will plummet like Marmol's. But at least there will be fewer late-inning headaches along the way.
Overall analysis: It's no surprise the offense struggled through the first week. It's not very good, and Starlin Castro is just starting to look better after missing most of spring training. Their poor hitting (.170) with runners in scoring position is getting all the headlines, but getting on base is more important right now. Their .294 on-base percentage through one week -- which includes a seven-walk day against A.J. Burnett and the Phillies on Sunday -- pretty much mirrors their .307 figure this spring and .300 for all of last season. It's not nearly good enough.
When that improves, everything else on offense will as well. And the offense will improve over time if the best hitters and hitting prospects are in the lineup. Even if players struggle on a certain day, playing Olt and Lake -- and to a smaller extent Kalish -- should be the Cubs' No. 1 priority at the plate.
As I've said the main problem with the Cubs is Rick's platoons. We get the lack of talent but his platoons are making it worse.
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This is what I believe in a nutshell/ We are going to suck. Everyone knows that. No excuse to not play the youngs guys who have a future. Sweeney, Valbuena, Barney, Kalsih, and others do not have a future on this team or very much future in this league.
czman
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You really are part of the illiterate brigade aren't you? I stated I felt 3 years was a reasonable time table on bringing that mess of a team to 500. They are obviously not going to reach what I consider a reasonable timeline.
Everyone has a timeline that they find to be reasonable. I still think the people that said the Cubs could turn it around in one year are absolute imbeciles. If the Cubs suck for another few years I am sure the fast majority of fans will be very unhappy.
The question is and has always been; what is a reasonable amount of time? I still feel 3 years was reasonable. I am sure others feel 5 is. People are not changing their tune when their reasonable amount of time is reached. They are just sticking to what they stated previously.
For a lot of people it is not about Theo. it is about giving the new group a reasonable amount of time to fix the mess they had. Everyone has their own threshold.
Now pull your head out before you go on ignore too.
theberserkfury
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I agree, except for Kalish... he's young enough and seems to have enough potential to be worth testing...
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I can see minors guys being as good as him. Just my opinion.
HurricaneDij39
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Silence formed his own opinion. We have liftoff at last.
In all seriousness, Kalish and Sweeney have practically the exact same skill set, and unfortunately, we have Sweeney locked up through 2015.
I'd be nice if we could cut ties with one and bring up Coghlan, knowing he has experience at 3B (assuming he could still play the position).
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I feel like I am talking to Gary Busey!
beckdawg
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You don't talk with Gary Busey. He talks at you.
theberserkfury
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Well, looks like he himself says talking "to" things...
[video=youtube;HHoNQrxG_8M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHoNQrxG_8M[/video]
patg006
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Boy the Red Sox are sure imbeciles with their World Series trophy a year after losing 93 games.
Stupid facts.
CSF77
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The Red sox traded Crawford, Beckett and Gonzalez in 2012. So they dumped salory. Then they added Napoli, Ellsbury had a bounce back year.
Theo dumped some salary off to the Cubs with Garciaparra before the 2004 season and who went to the series that year?
Payroll flexibility to be able to add later year.....(Peavy)
Now that has nothing to do with the Cubs current situation. The Red Sox had to shed some dead weight and re tooled with the new found flexibility. The Cubs are not funding a winning product.
Boobaby1
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Put me on ignore? What are you like 10 years old or something?
I believe you had also stated that you would be joining that BRIGADE if the Cubs weren't doing anything in your timetable. Glad to see that you aren't holding up to your end of the bargain, but simply skating around it and passing it off with more excuses.
Heaven forbid a certain someone who always pointed out other people for coloring outside the lines can't simply say that he was wrong about something.
Now, go ahead and do the pubescent thing and put me on IGNORE. :clap:
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My favorite teams
I haven't had the ability to watch much of any game yet. How is Castro looking at the plate? Does it appear that he may have a better year than the previous 2? What about Rizzo?