2009 Cubs

[Dan Michler]

Its only 1 day away from 2009 so I'll start spouting my opinions on the Cubs for the upcoming season.

I'm not totally jacked about the offseason moves so far.  We're subtracting Kerry Wood, Bob Howry, Mark DeRosa, and Jason Marquis (soon) so far and added Kevin Gregg, Gathright, Miles, and Vizcaino.

Supposedly we are going to sign Milton Bradley to a big contract?  I really hope its not for very many years.  He is 30 years old and has topped 500 ABs ONE time in his 9 year career.  He's a nice hitter but just can't stay healthy.  Why would you think he's going to be healthy now?  Maybe he's worth a gamble on like a 2 year deal though since we clearly need another outfielder after the disappointment of Fukudome.  But I'd rather go get Pat Burrell for RF and Bobby Abreu for CF for relatively cheap and get 2 guys who play every game.

2009 Lineup:

Soriano LF
Reed Johnson?  CF
Fukudome?  RF
Ramirez 3B
Theriot SS
Miles?  2B
Lee 1B
Soto C

We need a second baseman and an outfielder.  One positive with Bradley when he's healthy is he draws alot of walks and hits for a high slugging percentage which is what made last year's Cubs score more runs than anybody else.  I can't wait to see what Hendry does.

[pearso66]

Yikes, you have to admit, an OF with Soriano in LF, Burrell in RF and Abreu in CF would have to be the worst OF in the history of baseball. 2 of them are LFers, and the other should be a DH.

[Sr.]

How can the Cubs get rid of a .289 hitter with a on base percentage of .375?  He also played almost every position error free!
I hope these are some good minor league players. The Cubs will miss DeRosa. 

[Jon Brakel]

Is it too early to say "Wait 'til NEXT year!"? 

[Sr.]

Is it too early to say "Wait 'til NEXT year!"? 

You got that right! Again and again and again and again................

[Dan Michler]

Cubs signed Bradley for 3 years 30 mill.  I hope he doesn't mind the cold!  The Rays got Burrell for 2 years 16 mill.  I still think Abreu would have been the better move for the Cubs than Bradley.  Abreu has played over 150 games every year of his career.  Bradley has basically had 2 full seasons out of a 9 year career because of injuries.  Abreu is old, but still hit .296 with 20 HR last year and he swings from the left side.  I'm sure he'll only be getting a 1 or 2 year deal, so its not like the Cubs would have had to committ long-term to him.

Hopefully next summer I won't be looking back at this post as prophetic.  So, Kosuke/Reed Johnson in CF then unless Felix Pie somehow gets his career kickstarted?

[Sr.]

Milton Bradley:

Lifetime: 817 games played.  .280 hitter with a .383 on base %.
2008: Batted .321 in 126 games with a .436 on base %.
Lifetime in Playoffs: Batted .310 with a .383 on base %. A outstanding .667 slugging %.

Switch hitter who hits about the same from both sides.

27 total errors.

I'LL TAKE HIM ON MY TEAM, BAGGAGE AND ALL. 

[Jwt4412]

DeRosa...  I'd want a team of 9 of them if I could.  My favorite Cub in a real long time...

[Dan Michler]

Milton Bradley:

Lifetime: 817 games played.  .280 hitter with a .383 on base %.
2008: Batted .321 in 126 games with a .436 on base %.
Lifetime in Playoffs: Batted .310 with a .383 on base %. A outstanding .667 slugging %.

Switch hitter who hits about the same from both sides.

27 total errors.

I'LL TAKE HIM ON MY TEAM, BAGGAGE AND ALL. 

Nobody will argue with you that Bradley is an excellent hitter and produces when he is in there.  The question mark is his ability to stay healthy.  I hope I'm wrong, believe me.  I've watched enough baseball though to know when a guy is that injury prone for that long, you can usually bank on him being injured.  Remember Rondell White?

I'm not making this up:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=4245

Going backwards from 2008:  142 games, 61 games, 96 games, 75 games, 141 games, 101 games, 98 games.

Thats an average of 102 games played, or 60 games missed, per season for the last 7 seasons.  Thats more than just some bad luck.  So don't be mad at Bradley when he goes down for a couple months this year, it was not a secret what we were getting.

On the flip side look at Abreu:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3537

156 games, 158, 156, 162, 159, 158, 157, 162, 154, 152, 151.  Thats what I call consistency.  Lifetime average .300  22 HR 98 RBI

All I'm saying is I'd rather have Abreu for 150 games than Bradley for 100 games.  But hopefully I'm wrong and after getting paid, Bradley will go the opposite way and become more motivated to stay healthy which will result in him playing 150 games and winning the NL MVP.  You can always hope!

[Jon Brakel]

But he's got a great collection of board games for rain delays and road trips! 

[airspuds]

It seems the Cubs are positioning themselves for a shot at Peavy still.

Pie is gone somehow someway.

Lot of cash spent on outfielders.

Two former White Sox added to the roster, one with World Series ring.

Luiz should provide some good middle relief, Miles - journey man at best but fits the model Lou wants.

Milton Bradley better be able to handle the boos, didn't he throw a chair in to the stands in OAK ?

DeRosa - class act - he will be missed.

Again, I predict a White Sox vs Cubs World Series. (  Sox will win in seven games)

Let's hope both teams can get by the first round this year.

The Hawks would have won if the game played at the Cell.

[stpitner]

MB will probably play 50% of the year in RF with Kosuke and Reed platooning center and Kosuke in RF and Reed in CF while MB is hurt.  I'd rather have Jim Edmonds but oh well.

Marmol 8th Wood 9th was better than Gregg 8th Marmol 9th.

Mr. Pinella, please hit Aaron Miles in leadoff and not you know who.  Aaron is as versitile as De Rosa, just not as powerful.  He'll do ok.

Intriguing question: would you rather see MB, Soto, or DLee hitting 3rd?  If I remember right, I remember hearing the Cubs hired a Japanese hitting coach (not replacing Gerald Perry) to help Kosuke with his swing.  If that's true, that will hopefully be the best piece to this puzzle.

My guess at opening day lineup if the roster remains the same:
Miles 2B
Soriano LF
Lee 1B
Ramirez 3B
Soto C
Bradley RF
Fukudome CF
Theriot SS
Zambrano P (probably)

[Dan Michler]

Soriano just isn't coming out of that leadoff spot is my bet.  And Bradley will hit 4th to setup the righty lefty righty combo.
It'll be:

Soriano
Theriot
Lee
Bradley
Ramirez
Soto
Fukudome
Miles
...finally big Z who should probably be hitting 3rd.......

[deucemeister]

CUBS = Completely Useless By September

[Dan Michler]

Uncalled for.  This thread is for a class organization and is not ment to be reduced to namecalling like the other worthless thread.

[pearso66]

Uncalled for.  This thread is for a class organization and is not ment to be reduced to namecalling like the other worthless thread.

A class organization? What class is that? Losing?

[stpitner]

Soriano just isn't coming out of that leadoff spot is my bet.  And Bradley will hit 4th to setup the righty lefty righty combo.
It'll be:

Soriano
Theriot
Lee
Bradley
Ramirez
Soto
Fukudome
Miles
...finally big Z who should probably be hitting 3rd.......

you're right, my lineup was more of a "wishful thinking" lineup and probably won't happen.  I agree on the RLR that MB would provide between Lee and Ramirez.  It would be nice to see Fukudome actually be able to step up and hit well in the 2 spot - that would give RLRLRRRS.  Again in dream world, but I wonder if you put Miles 7 with Theriot 8 and Fukudome 2, it would be RLRLRRSR - that would be very balanced.  But when your 1-2-3 is K-Pirouette-DP, you can't have that again.  I wonder if DLee was trying too hard.  He smacked the ball all over and hit it hard, but it was just right to people.  That's what led to all the double plays.  I'd like to see him go back to the doubles hitting machine that he used to be with some extra power to at least get 25 out.  I'm not expecting 40+ again, just get the doubles and get those runs in (hopefully not with 2 outs already!!)

[Dan Michler]

The Cubs had the most runs scored in the NL last year, so I'm fine if everybody just does the same thing as last year.  Bradley/whoever plays when he's injured, will really only have to improve on the performances of our center fielders last year (Reed Johnson/Pie/Edmonds), so thats pretty feasible.  However, Miles has no chance of equaling the 2008 DeRosa.  Hopefully Soriano stays healthy though and everything equals out to a 2009 World Series.

That is my official prediction:  Cubs World Series Champs in 2009!   

[OvEr HaNd AsSaSiN]

world series are you joking

[Mike Clark]

If they do not get Peavey trading Derosa was stupid. Even if they do get Peavey will he stay healthy.

Good luck keeping that outfield healthy. Bradley and Soriano might play 100 games together in the outfield.

The 2009 Cubs are a contender for the World Series again. But they could just as easily be a team that has injury issues worse than last year and they are not nearly as deep a team as they were last year without Derosa.

Huge injury risks for the 2009 Cubs.

Peavey. If they get him.
Harden. Is on the DL every year.
Soriano. Is on the DL every year since being a Cub.
Bradley. Has a history of being on the DL.
Rameriz. Is on the DL or is hobbling around the field.

The Cubs will have to play a significant amount of games with 2/3 of those 5 on the DL at any given time.

They have downgraded at the following positions;
Closer. Marmel is good but he is a rookie when it comes to closing.
Starting Pitching. If they get Peavey it will help alot.
Relief pitching. Moving Marmel to closer might be their biggest mistake. This leaves a big hole is the bullpen.
Outfield. It is still a mess. Bradley is a reach for alot of money. With the best RBI/Power hitter of the group leading off. Fuku turning his game around could change this a little.

I can not see them taking Ramirez out of the 4 spot. He has been one of the most productive cleanup hitters in MLB for the past few years. Bradley is not a proven RBI guy, his high is 77 last year. I think he will hit 2 or 5. He does not hit with power from the left side of the plate. Like most switch hitters his power comes from the right side of the plate.Bradley is not the guy we needed. Bobby Abreu is more the player the Cubs needed.

With Soriano and Derek Lee on this team you will never have balanced lineup. Bradley just adds to the problem. There are only so many positions on the baseball filed that a left handed thrower can play. The outfield and 1B. You do not want your RF being a lefty. You can get away with it but it is not best. Maybe you could have a lefty catcher but usually not. More right handed hitters than lefties. but nobody steals anymore so maybe that doesn't matter. That is all. So that means you have to resort to switch hitters who usually do not hit with power from the left side of the plate. So then you end up with freaks like Ken Caminitti and Bobby Abreu who throw right and hit left. Which I believe is the correct way to hit.

If this were the AL Big Z would be hitting in the 3 spot for me too. It would be cool to see him go to the AL and be a starting pitcher and everyday DH. He is the best left hand power hitter the Cubs have.

I could see the lineup looking like this.

Soriano - Unfortunatly I do not see this changing
2B - Need LHH to break up RHH.
Lee - He has nowhere else to hit on this team. This is the problem in the lineup. With Soriano on this team it really needs a LH power hitting 1B.
Ramirez - He is really good here I would not take him out of the 4 spot
Bradley - The best spot for him. Breaks up the RHH. He would also make a good 2 hitter. But then he would be asked to sacrifice.
Soto - Takes alot of pressure off a starting catcher.
CF - Theriot is a better OBP guy and that is what you really want in the 8 spot. Plus both CF have better power than Theriot.
Theriot - He should be the Cubs leadoff hitter. You can not have 4 righties at the top of the order. Bradley should not be hitting 4th.
Pitcher. Unless Big Z is pitching. Then Z hits 3 and Lee hits 5. The rest of the order moves down 1 spot.

Overall I think if they stay healthy and get Peavey all is good. But those are 2 big IF's. Last year the Cubs were gonna get Brian Roberts. That turned out well didn't it.

Go Cubbies...