2008 MLB Season

[Chainmeister]

I think we are in for another brutal year. 

One thing I love about Cubs fans is the unbridled emotion.  Mike, its one, count 'em, one, game.  You are cheering for a warning track shot again.  Its sort of like sitting too close to the televsiion set and not seeing the entire picture. Or, to put it in the context of this message board, its like a double bogey on the first hole of a four round tournament.  One game, one weird and unfortunate game but one game.  it is neither reason to fear that its all over nor reason to think that the Brewers have it sewn up.  At least your starter didn't get lit up like a neon sign.  That being said, I'm not ready to say its going to be a brutal year yet either.

[Dan Michler]

i'm pretty sure mike is a Brewers fan not a Cubs fan.

[Chainmeister]

I think you're right.  Same comments apply but the Brewers do have cool mascots who play disc golf. I am resisting the double edge sword-- where I get to say something snotty about both Cubs and Brewers fans. 

[Dan Michler]

Is Prince Fielder ever going to hit a home run?

[Dan Michler]

Soriano doing his Mark Prior impression now.  Sprains ankle on the most routine fly ball ever hit and leaves the game in the 1st inning.  Solid!!!!!!!!

[Dan Michler]

So far your predictions on the Reds success and Wood's health aren't looking very accurate Mr. Pitner....

Wood is going to stay relatively healthy and save 30 games this year...FACT.
Kosuke is the new Mark Grace and is exactly what the Cubs needed.  His numbers aren't going to be overwhelming, but he is worth every penny we spent on him.  #2 in the league in pitches seen per AB, which I think is a very important stat when it comes to helping your team win games.

Also the Astros are an underrated team and are going to challenge for the division before the year is over.

[JCthrills]

I got to see your Cubs beat the Reds last night, first NL game I've been to.  There were more Cubs fans than Reds!

[stpitner]

So far your predictions on the Reds success and Wood's health aren't looking very accurate Mr. Pitner....

Wood is going to stay relatively healthy and save 30 games this year...FACT.
Kosuke is the new Mark Grace and is exactly what the Cubs needed.  His numbers aren't going to be overwhelming, but he is worth every penny we spent on him.  #2 in the league in pitches seen per AB, which I think is a very important stat when it comes to helping your team win games.

Also the Astros are an underrated team and are going to challenge for the division before the year is over.

I didn't see where I mentioned stuff about Wood's health - although I didn't read all of the past posts closely.  Wood has been fine - unless I missed a recent story?  5 for 8 in saves, correct?  He'll be fine.

Yeah, the reds are just a bunch of ex-cubs flubbing it up right now.  I didn't expect St. Louis to play as well as they are right now though.  Will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes...

[Dan Michler]

Is it just me or has big Z sucked since Uncle Lou pushed him to 130 pitches a few weeks ago.  He could probably use a couple light starts under 100.

[Tom McManus]

A very exciting weekend coming up with both teams in first place. I am glad that the Sox do not have to face Zambrano, not that he was scheduled to pitch anyway.

[Dan Michler]

Your right Tom, it was a very exciting weekend.  I guess the awesome starting rotation that Sox fans keep telling me about, just doesn't quite cut it.  Just need to take 1 next weekend to win the season series, hell yeah!

Really sick of the Lou vs. Ozzie talk that seems to be in the media alot lately.  Actually the less time they can spend showing Ozzie's worthless, whiney mug on TV the better.  I love how he goes off on some ridiculous rant, blasting everybody, but then 2 weeks later when things are better he says 'people have to understand, when I say these things its just to make my players better".  shhhhhure.  all part of ozzie's master plan     or maybe he lost his temper after another bad offensive perfomance and then decided to blame it on his GM for giving him bad players?  Ozzie was on to something there though, his GM does suck bigtime and so do his players, fans, stadium, and general attitude towards life.  the Sox SUCK!!!!!!

[Chainmeister]

Kudos to the Cubs.  They kicked the Sox butt this weekend.  We will see what happens next weekend and we will see who plays in October and for how long.

I don't think the Sox hit better because Ozzie went on a rant a few weeks ago.  However, I think that rant was called for. His pitchers had done a great job in Tampa Bay (much better than this past weekend) and his hitters had done nothing.  I don't think he was telling anything but the truth. If his hitters continued to swing at air he was going to use different players. I don't doubt for a minute that he would have done so.  The Cubs have a more talented team.  The Sox will continue to battle and are still a good pick to make the post season.  The Cubs WILL have a better record by the end of the season. Will they succeed in the post season?  Hmmm.  Fortunately, they also have an eccentric manager. I think he is the reason why they have a chance to actually win something.  Of course, if they meet in October I would not bet against Ozzie or his pitching staff.  However, I am sure I can find a few suckers on this message board, bouyed by the recent sweep, who are looking to lose some paper or plastic on such a wager.

[Dan Michler]

Dave, if we meet in October/November, 1st of all the universe will collapse in on itself, and 2nd of all I will DEFINITELY be taking all bets on that series.  The Sox have a LONG way to go to even make the postseason and a ton more obstacles in their way than the Cubs (see the Tigers and Twins).  All I know is this is the best team the Cubs have had since I've been alive.  That being said I still half-expect Lee and Aram to contract malaria and see the Cubs divebomb into last place.............

[Mike Clark]

My goodness this Cubs team is loaded. Could CC Sabathia be another Rick Sutcliffe? He is more than available right now. I just don't want to give up as much to get CC as we did to get Sutcliffe. But it would be worth another Joe Carter for a shot at the World Series. If we have 1 in the minors.

Now who can convince Soriano to hit in the 6 spot when he comes back?

Dan you were alive in '84 weren't ya? Probably just don't remember any of it. I know they didn't put up the offensive numbers like they do nowadys but that was before the so caled "Live Ball ERA" *cough, cough* HGH, Steroids.

I think we could live without Lee for awhile with Micah Hoffpauir available but please do not let anything happen to Aram. I never thought I would say that about Aram but the numbers don't lie.

And I never thought I would be routing for Jim Edmunds. That is almost as bad as when I was routing for Dennis Rodman.

[Dan Michler]

Its too early to compare this team to a team from another era (all we know so far is this team has a better win% than the 84 team). If this team makes it to the World Series though, then obviously every sane person is taking this team over every Cubs team since 1945.

The Cubs have scored 418 runs and given up 306.  Next best run differential is the Phils with +71.  We are 1st in On Base, 4th in Slugging, and 1st in AVG.  We have the 4th best Team ERA.  No matter how you look at it, we have been the dominant team in all of baseball this year.  Clearly adding another starter is going to be a priority for Hendry before the trade deadline rolls around.  Sabathia and Zambrano at the top would make us far and away the class of the NL.  In my opinion right now, Lou needs to be alot more conservative on Zambrano and Dempster's pitch counts.  I said that earlier after Z's 130 pitch outing, and what do you know, on the DL now with shoulder soreness.  And leaving Dempster out there for 100 ptiches every time isn't smart either considering his history of injury problems as a starter AND the fact that he hasn't pitched 100 innings in a year since 5 seasons ago.  We don't need a bunch of burnt out starters come October (i.e. 2003 squad).

I'll ignore the comment about us being fine if Lee goes down.     I like Hoffpauir too, but he's still an unproven prospect who has a long ways to go to replace a Derrek Lee.

I'm

[Chainmeister]

Its too early to compare this team to a team from another era (all we know so far is this team has a better win% than the 84 team). If this team makes it to the World Series though, then obviously every sane person is taking this team over every Cubs team since 1945.

The Cubs have scored 418 runs and given up 306.  Next best run differential is the Phils with +71.  We are 1st in On Base, 4th in Slugging, and 1st in AVG.  We have the 4th best Team ERA.  No matter how you look at it, we have been the dominant team in all of baseball this year.  Clearly adding another starter is going to be a priority for Hendry before the trade deadline rolls around.  Sabathia and Zambrano at the top would make us far and away the class of the NL.  In my opinion right now, Lou needs to be alot more conservative on Zambrano and Dempster's pitch counts.  I said that earlier after Z's 130 pitch outing, and what do you know, on the DL now with shoulder soreness.  And leaving Dempster out there for 100 ptiches every time isn't smart either considering his history of injury problems as a starter AND the fact that he hasn't pitched 100 innings in a year since 5 seasons ago.  We don't need a bunch of burnt out starters come October (i.e. 2003 squad).

I'll ignore the comment about us being fine if Lee goes down.     I like Hoffpauir too, but he's still an unproven prospect who has a long ways to go to replace a Derrek Lee.

I'm

The starting pitching is not nearly as good as other division winners. The relief pitching is tremendous.  The lineup is as good as any past Cub club.  Nice mix of speed and power. They have the best manager they have ever had.  Most importantly, they seem to play for today rather than the echos of the past.  That could be a lethally dangerous weapon.  The fans, oh, i've railed about that in the past. Nonetheless, this is a very good team. Over a season, nobody will beat them. However, I think their starting pitching could be a big problem in October.

[stpitner]

just start Dempster for only home playoff games, heh, that will help.

I've been hearing rumors about the Cubs going after Rich Harden of Oakland - the guy is injury prone though, so hopefully they can find someone else that has a rubber arm.

One key is to make sure that if C.C. doesn't come to the Cubs, he doesn't go anywhere in the NL either where it could come back to bite them.  Milwaukee is supposedly the frontrunner for C.C., and that's not cool w/ me.

[discpro99]

Cubs definetly need to make some moves if they intend to win a World Series. There starting pitching is not good enough to with stand playoff baseball. By the way , IMO if they sweep the SOX at the CELL next weekend thats just as good as a World Series to me ONLY becouse all my disc golf buddies are SOX fans .

CC would be a good addition to the rotation but I dont think he is the missing piece to the Cubs puzzle. He wants a WHOLE LOT of money that the Cubs can spend else where. I DO NOT think CC will ever put up the numbers he has put up in the past 3 years. Just another MLB stud to dud in the MLB season who wants WAY too much money for sub-par play. The funny part is that the Cubs are one of the only teams who are able to give him that money and probably will the way they are spending money now a days. Does anyone else think its a coincendece that the Cubs are spending all this money since October and about to sell the team and stadium? Sorry for the spelling I been drinking. I just think if the Cubs dont do well in the playoffs this year there will be ALOT of roster moves next year that will put us right back in the position we have been in the past 100 years. Thats right 100 years!

[Dan Michler]

I disagree on Sabathia.  His numbers are not what they have been the past couple years yet.  But since his total debacle of a start to 2008, he has returned to form.  By the end of the year his numbers will be right in line with his typical career numbers.  Starters like him who can dominate and never miss starts (atleast 30 starts in 6 of 7 seasons) are priceless.

[pearso66]

I don't think the Cubs have enough to get CC.  While he might not be the ideal player, he is the best pitcher available, and I just don't think the Cubs have what it takes.  I can almost guarantee that he will be traded to the NL also.  The Indians don't want to trade him in the AL (similar to Santana) and then have to face him a lot in the coming years.  Not to say they won't, but it would take a lot to do it, and the Yankees and Red Sox wouldn't give up what it would take to get a much better pitcher in Santana.  I think there is a very good chance CC doesn't get traded, since it sounds like the Indians won't give anyone a window to resign CC before a trade is finalized.

The Cubs are a very good team, but as they stand, I don't think they can win it all.  They need more pitching.  Zambrano is already hurt, and if you remember how the Cubs handled the Prior/Wood fiasco, who really knows how hurt he is?  I don't think Dempster will last the whole year without a big drop off.  He hasn't pitched more than 100 innings the past few years, and he got hurt more than once as a full season starter.