2009 Cubs thread

[Kalapse]

Gregg was hugely popular in Miami.

 

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

The Cubs should win the central, but it won't be the walk in the park their fans think it's going to be. I would worry about the bullpen, Harden isn't healthy, and Ryan Dempster will go back to being a league average pitcher.

[Harry Chappas]

The Reds rotation has a chance of being better than the cubs as I think Harang and Arroyo will bounce back and Cueto and Voloquez are going to be even better. If the Reds kids age nicely and cub veterans do not age nicely, the Reds could be a team to watch out for.

 

Also I like Walt Jocketty and Dusty has accomplished more in the last ten years than Lou has.......

 

 

[daa84]

The Cubs should win the central, but it won't be the walk in the park their fans think it's going to be. I would worry about the bullpen, Harden isn't healthy, and Ryan Dempster will go back to being a league average pitcher.

who in that division is going to compete with them? Watch every single Cardinals pitcher return to being below league average as well. The brewers lost their 2 aces that carried them into the playoffs. The pirates are the pirates. the astros stink and have absolutely 0 help on the horizon from the minors. The reds are managed by Dusty Baker. The cubs win that division by 12 games if you ask me.

[santo=dorf]

The last three outs are the hardest to get.

 

Marmol gets people to swing at his slider out of the strike zone. Hitters tend to make a pitcher throw strikes in the 9th inning we shall see if Mr. Marbles is able to get this done.

Oh bulls***.

 

[Balta1701]

The Reds rotation has a chance of being better than the cubs as I think Harang and Arroyo will bounce back and Cueto and Voloquez are going to be even better. If the Reds kids age nicely and cub veterans do not age nicely, the Reds could be a team to watch out for.

 

Also I like Walt Jocketty and Dusty has accomplished more in the last ten years than Lou has.......

The Reds could be a team to watch out for, but frankly, they need Jermaine Dye. They really need a threatening power bat from the right hand side, preferably at a corner OF spot where they're already weak. Their young power bats are all from the left side, and that really unbalances their lineup because they have to move Phillips down.

[Brian]

Who is it that works in IT at their job and blocks the Cub fans from getting tickets online the day they are available every year? That makes me smile every year.

[SoxAce]

The Reds could be a team to watch out for, but frankly, they need Jermaine Dye. They really need a threatening power bat from the right hand side, preferably at a corner OF spot where they're already weak. Their young power bats are all from the left side, and that really unbalances their lineup because they have to move Phillips down.

 

Agreed 100% Balta. And I remember saying the exact same thing weeks ago on a big thread. Give them that big SLG bat to complement Votto and Bruce and that changes the dynamic of their whole line-up. There was another thread I remember me picking them to win the division. I can actually see Jocketty pulling the trigger at the deadline. (hell if Gomes/Dickerson/etc.. struggles, I wouldn't be surprised to see him revisit a Dye trade)

 

EDIT: Ah Here it is.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Agreed 100% Balta. And I remember saying the exact same thing weeks ago on a big thread. Give them that big SLG bat to complement Votto and Bruce and that changes the dynamic of their whole line-up. There was another thread I remember me picking them to win the division. I can actually see Jocketty pulling the trigger at the deadline. (hell if Gomes/Dickerson/etc.. struggles, I wouldn't be surprised to see him revisit a Dye trade)

 

EDIT: Ah Here it is.

 

Make that two of us - http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...=69812&st=0

 

 

[The Critic]

Who is it that works in IT at their job and blocks the Cub fans from getting tickets online the day they are available every year? That makes me smile every year.

Ehh, Cubs fans or not, that's a dick move and I disapprove.

If the roles were reversed this place would have a collective aneurysm about it.

[witesoxfan]

Dusty has accomplished more in the last ten years than Lou has.......

 

No he hasn't.

 

Since 2000, Lou Piniella has led teams to 4 playoff appearances, 4 90+ win seasons (including a 116 win season), and got the lowly Devil Rays out of last place for the first time in their existence, who were an absolutely terrible team at the time. Meanwhile, Dusty Baker has made the playoffs 3 times, won 90 games only 3 times, and has had some pretty outstanding teams throughout that. The only thing you could argue is that Dusty Baker may be a better playoff manager than Lou.

 

Lou Piniella is far superior to Dusty Baker. Dusty is one of the dumbest managers in the game.

[NorthSideSox72]

Ehh, Cubs fans or not, that's a dick move and I disapprove.

If the roles were reversed this place would have a collective aneurysm about it.

And we've had that debate, complete with aneurysms, on SoxTalk before.

 

The poster in question is SSI71.

 

[RockRaines]

Ehh, Cubs fans or not, that's a dick move and I disapprove.

If the roles were reversed this place would have a collective aneurysm about it.

Its at his workplace where they shouldnt be buying tickets online during work hours anyway. So, no, not really.

 

 

And its SSI that does that and its awesome.

[southsideirish71]

Its at his workplace where they shouldnt be buying tickets online during work hours anyway. So, no, not really.

 

 

And its SSI that does that and its awesome.

 

The tradition lives.

 

 

[Melissa1334]

Miles and Theriot will prob split duty, although I am not in the norm thinking Soriano is bad in the leadoff spot. His OBP may not be good, but his power is scary up there and its obviously where he performs the best. IN the middle of the order he is just a strike out machine.

 

Also, the back end of their pen will implode this year, so will Harden's shoulder.

hopefully it happens in sept...if anything, after the trade deadline B)

 

They came back and won too many miracle games last year. Everything went right. When the Sox had a season like that, the next year everything went wrong.

they play in the n.l. though..lol

Edited February 20, 2009 by Melissa1334

[smalls2598]

The tradition lives.

Has anyone ever called IT to report this "issue"?

[Harry Chappas]

No he hasn't.

 

Since 2000, Lou Piniella has led teams to 4 playoff appearances, 4 90+ win seasons (including a 116 win season), and got the lowly Devil Rays out of last place for the first time in their existence, who were an absolutely terrible team at the time. Meanwhile, Dusty Baker has made the playoffs 3 times, won 90 games only 3 times, and has had some pretty outstanding teams throughout that. The only thing you could argue is that Dusty Baker may be a better playoff manager than Lou.

 

Lou Piniella is far superior to Dusty Baker. Dusty is one of the dumbest managers in the game.

 

But his trip to the World Sereis and taking the cubs to the NLCS are greater accomplishments than Lou. Lou not winning a playoff game the last two seasons outweighs any positive in my mind. Not saying who is a better manager just that Dusty accomplished more in the last 10 years. I also think Lou's teams were better than Dusty's.

[The Critic]

Its at his workplace where they shouldnt be buying tickets online during work hours anyway. So, no, not really.

 

 

And its SSI that does that and its awesome.

If he doesn't block the first day of Sox sales, because it's at a workplace where they shouldn't be buying tickets online during work hours anyway, then it's a dick move.

[southsideirish71]

If he doesn't block the first day of Sox sales, because it's at a workplace where they shouldn't be buying tickets online during work hours anyway, then it's a dick move.

 

If we had 200 sox fans at our Illinois locations opening up 20 or so virtual windows wasting half their day jacking around we would block them as well. I am an equal opportunity dick, our New England locations get the same treatment when they decide to do the same thing with the Red Sox stuff as well.

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

looks like for the 2nd time in my life I will be at Wrigley cheering on the Cubs, fiancee (cubs fan) got tix for game vs. the Tribe...

 

couple years ago when Detroit was there, I was hoping the Cubs would help the Sox in the divison, and they got pounded like 8-0...thanks

[RockRaines]

If he doesn't block the first day of Sox sales, because it's at a workplace where they shouldn't be buying tickets online during work hours anyway, then it's a dick move.

I'm sure the 15 or so people opening up one window on ticketmaster really bogged down the system. On the other hand, Cubs tickets are sold through a virtual waiting room which allows you to open up multiple windows per user with alot more people doing the work. As they bog down the web server and crap out the entire network and business suffers, Im sure the business case for selectively shutting them down grows by the min.

[kane0730]

looks like for the 2nd time in my life I will be at Wrigley cheering on the Cubs, fiancee (cubs fan) got tix for game vs. the Tribe...

 

My brain agrees with you, but my heart just won't let me root for the Cubs under ANY circumstance.

[The Critic]

They came back and won too many miracle games last year. Everything went right. When the Sox had a season like that, the next year everything went wrong.

This is entirely possible. They have some spots that can easily trouble them (Kevin Gregg jumps out at me, losing DeRosa is going to hurt them, and their bench seems weaker, especially at catcher), and if another division team gets hot early it could be an "off year" for the Cubs.

That said, I still like their chances. Their rotation is strong and their division is still relatively weak.

[Balta1701]

This is entirely possible. They have some spots that can easily trouble them (Kevin Gregg jumps out at me, losing DeRosa is going to hurt them, and their bench seems weaker, especially at catcher), and if another division team gets hot early it could be an "off year" for the Cubs.

That said, I still like their chances. Their rotation is strong and their division is still relatively weak.

Problem is, I can point to at least 3 guys in their rotation and say "This guy worries me". Dempster is simply not as good as he was last year. It'll take 5 years of that level of performance before I believe he's going to repeat that season.

 

Harden might give you 20 starts if you're lucky

 

And Zambrano keeps having these weird sort of injury things that suggest arm trouble is in the offing.

 

If that rotation is healthy it can dominate. Especially with Harden though, the odds of it giving them a healthy season are really low.

[The Critic]

Problem is, I can point to at least 3 guys in their rotation and say "This guy worries me". Dempster is simply not as good as he was last year. It'll take 5 years of that level of performance before I believe he's going to repeat that season.

 

Harden might give you 20 starts if you're lucky

 

And Zambrano keeps having these weird sort of injury things that suggest arm trouble is in the offing.

 

If that rotation is healthy it can dominate. Especially with Harden though, the odds of it giving them a healthy season are really low.

 

Yeah, when I say their rotation is strong I'm figuring on everyone but Harden being healthy.

I do kind of expect a drop in production from Dempster, but not a significant one if he worked as hard this offseason as he did last offseason when he was playing for a new contract.

Zambrano does have those fluky things happen to him, but they don't seem to derail him for very long. You could very well be right, though - sometimes the little things foreshadow the bigger problems later on. Plus he doesn't keep himself in the greatest of shape, so that may catch up with him too.

All in all, though, they do seem in position to have another good regular season.