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Soriano still employs a pronounced leg kick so it's safe to say that his legs are involved.
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All right there are quite a few things here I disagree with and I am going to go through it point by point here. Quade has not done a great job by any means, but no one was winning with this collection of talent this year. Doesn't mean Quade should be back, but there are some reasons for the numerous things you bring up.
I agree that he isn't suited to be a 3 hitter right now. However the problem with the Cubs lineup is that it has two or three table setters, a couple of guys that are true middle of the order hitters and three more guys that are really 6 and 7 hitters. There really isn't that true number 3 hitter on this team. I think the best lineup would have included Ramirez batting 3rd and Pena hitting 4th, but that really would have only been the best for the last month or so given the way those two started the yaer off.
I will give you good players for each as a very loose and subjective term. That doesn't mean they are good hitters, however. Barney is a useful player because he makes nothing and plays well above average defense. He hits for a decent average but he has no power and can't walk. So unless you are incredibly fast and hitting well above 300 that really limits who useful you are. Barney would be fine buried at the bottom of a good lineup with his plus glove. Byrd is one of the guys that really should be hitting 6th or 7th in a good lineup. Castro is fine at the top of the order, and Ramirez is doing what he has done for the better part of the past decade right now.
I don't know what Cashner would have given us as a starter, and unforunately we might never know what he would give us a starter given that he has still yet to begin throwing. Garza is a good starter, and Dempster has been fine outside of April really. Zambrano isn't great, but he has been decent. Overpaid for his production certainly, but he isn't the problem. The problem is that we have nothing behind those 3 guys right now, and as I have been arguing that is the biggest issue that needs to be fixed in the offseason.
Completely agree. See we actually agree on a few things.
Okay you lost me again. I realize he has struggled this year, but the guy has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball the past 3 seasons. The walks drive you crazy, but when he is on he is unhittable. I can't think of a better quality for closer than being extremely difficult to hit. Marmol is the best option as closer right now, and we ought to see if he can right the ship.
Can't really argue with either sentiment. This season doesn't fall on Quade, but it isn't like he is bringing much to the table either.
Chris J
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Barney is a rookie batting around .300 all year. That's impressive
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It's not so impressive when you realize that he's a singles machine who doesn't walk very much. That's why most people these days don't think in terms of batting average.
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ehhh yah..but his defense isnt great by any means...his OPS,OBP,slug arent that impressive..
he's a rather good consistent hitter tho
but he has alot of work to do
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It is an "empty" 300 though. Look I know some people think Barney is completely useless, and I think some people think Barney is a cornerstone to build this team around. I think the truth lies in the middle. Barney is not a good offensive player. He has one skill that prevents him from entering Neifi Perez/Rey Ordonez territory offensively, but that does not mean he is a good hitter. Also while Barney is a "rookie", he is also 25 years old. Other players on this team that are 25 years old include Blake Dewitt and Tony Campana. The odds of Darwin Barney becoming significantly better than he is right now is pretty low, but while he is cheap he is a useful part.
HeavyD
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I'm pretty sure the only way his value goes up is if he gets benched all season and other teams forget how shitty he is.
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Look we get it. Soriano signed the richest contract in Cubs history and so unless he was the second coming of Ernie Banks he was going to be a disapointment to many Cubs fans. Soriano is not a great player and he is not going to earn his contract. But if the option is to pay him not to be on the team or pay him to be on the team, the better of the two options is having him on the team. If another team wants to take a quarter or more of his salary the next three years great, but it appears unless the Cubs are paying him to be on their team they won't take him. If that is the case why not take his occasionaly power in a "platoon" setting? There aren't any options in the system that provided that kind of power.
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It was a bad contract, but prior to signing it Soriano was one of the best athletes in the majors and he was instrumental in 2007 and 2008, and keeping the Cubs in it in 2009 until he slumped/got hurt. To say that he was completely useless doesn't seem right. I agree in principle with Dabynsky but at the same time the Cubs will have to consider dropping him further down the line whether they get a salary dump or not.
My post is a little non sequitur :lol:
My post is a little non sequitur :lol:
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I while take the thought a little bit further. Everyone at the time knew that the deal was going to be bad the last few years of the contract. Ithink it happened faster than the Cubs had hoped. Soriano was a big part the 07 and 08 teams, and if the Cubs had won any playoffs games I think the feeling around Soriano would be alot different. Unforunately, for Soriano who I feel bad for as much as I can for a guy earning 18 million a year to play a game, it didn't happen. Looking at it without any of the emotion involved has to say that Soriano is at least useful as a bench player given his power. If the Cubs have to pay for him the next 3 years they might as well be the ones to enjoy what little is left in the tank for Soriano.
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I think that depends on how valuable you think he will be. As long as he gives you more than 0 WAR the Cubs should probably hang on to him if they can't dump him on another team, but once he gets into Koyie Hill worthlessness territory, they should release him.
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Well I think the WAR is pretty dependent on how he is used at this point. If he is taken out appropriately in late game situations (pinch running/defense) and perhaps a bit of a platoon against tough righties then I think his offense still provides some value. The OBP is always going to be AVG dependent and so when the AVG dips then the OBP will as well. However, the SLG provides some value by itself and as a 6 or 7 hitter can be pretty useful. Perhaps in another year or two he will enter the completely useless territory, but at this point he still provides a very useful skill in being able drive the ball very far on occasion.
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Yeah. I have the crazy-but-not-so-crazy idea of just throwing him at 1B if they don't sign Fielder so that he doesn't have to wear out in the outfield, but lots of people disagree 
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Yeah. I have the crazy-but-not-so-crazy idea of just throwing him at 1B if they don't sign Fielder so that he doesn't have to wear out in the outfield, but lots of people disagree
I argued for that last year because in the NL that would be the defensive position that takes the most strain off of his legs. That said he would be really terrible at 1B and a pretty compelling argument could be made that we need a plus defender at 1B given the franchise player's defensive abilities.
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If you believe in rebuilding though, Soriano at 1B receiving throws from Castro would help immensely in our pursuit of high draft picks
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You know I don't believe in rebuilding though, not in baseball at least where there is no salary cap and "half" of the amateur talent is available outside of the draft.
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Sure. I guess we'll find out how much the Ricketts are willing to spend in a few months.
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Pujols or Fielder? I woud rather have Fielder. He is younger and we really need a left bat in the lineup that can hit for average and power.
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I guess it depends on what you mean. If you are talking about payroll next year, that is a huge question. Personally I think the Ricketts are well aware of the fact that if this payroll dips much below 130 million there is going to be a huge fan backlash. They might be what they have to do and the only way we will know for certain is after this coming offseason. I am hopeful that the payroll will be maintained in the 130 million range (and I have a prime target for the Cubs in the offseason that I will elaborate on later).
On the amateur side, the Ricketts have shown that they are going to spend the money necessary to stay competive even when the team is doing well. Paying for overslot guys in the amateur draft and buying premium talent in the international market is how teams like the Yankees have top 10 prospects in baseball despite being a consistent playoff threat.
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I am actually going to put forward the argument of neither and add another name that the Cubs should throw their free agent budget at. But I will wait to fully formulate my argument before I put that name out there.*
*Yes this is what they call a teaser.