First of all, Smitty...I'm never far, but thanks for asking.
Rather than start adding comments to previous entries, I'll do a mishmash today and try to get to everything under one post.
1. Hockey. Okay, here' s what bothers me most about the hockey game at Wrigley. The Blackhawks scored more than the Cubs did in either their last two games of the year there. I did not watch any of the game because I remembered at the time that it was hockey.
2. Aaron Miles. Southsider makes a strong point. The guy was hitting in front of the Mighty Albert. In Chicago, he'll hit in front of Dlee and perhaps set the world record for most outs on the front end of a double play. Or maybe he'll just be a sub, now that DeRosa is gone. Or maybe he won't play at all, and Jim Hendry is just stockpiling cute, little cajun guys 'cuz he kinda likes them.
3. Mark DeRosa. Initially, I was against trading DeRosa. Now, after a few days of thinking about it? I am against trading DeRosa. Good guy. Was just reading that he is considered one of the best (smartest) baserunners in baseball. Here's the biggest question I have about trading him: Who is going to back up Ramirez at third? Miles? Cedeno? Kevin Orie? We lose a lot more than a second baseman with this guy -- and I hear that all three pitchers are "good" but that none are considered to be an "A" prospect. What does that mean? They all will eventually pitch in the bigs. But not well. Great. Maybe we can flip them for a backup third baseman. Oh, wait.
3a. DeRosa part 2. I'd have rather had DeRosa in RF all year than Marvin Hasbro. Kenny Mattel. Whatever. Better guy. Smarter. More durable. More than that, though, I'd prefer to have DeRosa at 2b and Adam Dunn in right field. Damn the defense.
3b. Part of this whole thing is Jim Hendry's belief that Mike Fontenot is going to be the second baseman of the future for the Cubs. See cute little cajun guy comment above. I'd rather have Brian Roberts now...for a number of reasons, including leadoff bat.
3c. It's hard for me to fathom this comment, but I fear it is true. We are now WORSE than we were when 2008 ended. Period. Essentially we've gained Kevin Gregg and Aaron Miles. No big deal. We've lost Kerry Wood and Mark DeRosa. Two great clubhouse guys. A closer who was getting better each year for a set up man who is getting older and worse, and a mini sub for the league's most versatile player and the Cubs '08 MVP. Plus, we lose 20 homers, 90 rbi's and teams best (or one of the best) on base % guys in DeRosa.
3c1 -- oh wait! We also added Joey Gathright to replace Jim Edmonds. So we lost ANOTHER 19 home runs and the accompanying rbi's. If Gathright plays everyday and gets 600 at bats? He might hit 2 out. Maybe. So we are down at least 40 homers...(more if you count Jason Marquis --who was always good for a couple) which brings us to...
4. Sorry Candyland! Our new right fielder? At 3 years/$30m? Good for him. Glad we cleared salary for that. Guy played 120 games last year (100 as a dh) and hit 22 homers. Um, Jim...that's still way short of the 40 we lost. (Note to everyone who's been on Mars -- Adam Dunn hits about 40 a year) And Candyland can't play everyday. He gets owies.
I have to say that I am grossly disappointed in this offseason. I realize that it isn't over...but if this is the team going into next season...I'm gonna be pissed off. We didn't address a single real NEED, and we lost some strengths. We won 97 games last year and have overreacted because of a lousy three playoff games. Plus, the ownership situation doesn't help...but you know what? It's always SOMETHING because these are the fucking Cubs and that's the way it is. Watch. Someone else will get Roberts -- I'm hearing it'll be the White Sox, and someone else will get Peavy. We'll have a good year, because we have a "good" team...but it's not a great team -- not by a long shot and it has no chance, as it stands, to be a postseason winner.
What number was I on? Oh, yeah. 5. Mesa. I don't know if I can make it to Mesa for the Melee. Not that I don't love a good melee, mind you. I will know more this week.
I'm pissed about the Bradley/DeRosa thing. I'd like to rant and rant and rant, but since we are quoting Gilda Radner characters...as Emily Littela would say...nevermind.
Sherm
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3 comments:
I just kicked my dog after reading all that. Much to my chagrin I can not disagree. I loathe the thought of signing HasBRO at all let alone a 3 year deal. Hitler has to be pissed also, another shitty right fielder who is owie prone.
I will now take Big Country asap.
Derosa was the one that actually got a HR in the post season, swapping Miles for Derosa- big downgrade.
Maybe we should look to trade for Jerry Hairston Jr, Ogie Ojeda and Manny Trillo so we can really corner the market on mediocre infielders.
thanks for parrot-ing everything I have said over the past 3 days. We have no back up 3b, for Aramis, who needs days off, and we'll be luck to get 100 games in RF out of Milt. Gathright and Pie are essentially the same guy, Miles, Fontenot, and Theriot are triplets, and Peavy is still a father. Crullers better have some serious shit up his sleeve, or we will be worse than last season.
I have to hope that Peavey is in our future, because if not, we have done some dumb things. I'll with hold judgement until I see it pan out. Good rant by Sherm today and valid points. I fortunatly have no doggy nearby at time of reading.
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