Hope for Chitown baseball??

[pdrift1]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Hot-off-the-presses PECOTA projection for Kosuke Fukudome in Chicago:

PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS BA OBP SLG EqA VORP WARP
465 80 30 4 15 58 70 94 9 3 .289 .401 .504 .303 29.2 4.4
PECOTA holds Fukudome’s playing time projection down because he missed about half of last season due to elbow surgery. If he’s healthy in spring training, that should no longer be a concern. And look at that pretty OBP! Fukudome is unlikely to be a huge power threat, but that on-base ability should address one of the Cubs‘ primary areas of weakness. His top comparables give you a pretty good idea of what sort of player we’re looking at; his is a fairly common profile for a left-handed outfielder.

1. J.D. Drew
2. Gene Hermanski
3. Jim Edmonds
4. Fred Lynn
5. Johnny Grubb
6. Andy Van Slyke
7. Bobby Abreu

The question, of course, is whether they’ll be smart enough to put him in the leadoff spot (Fukudome also runs pretty well) and demote Alfonso Soriano. Something like this…

Fukudome, RF
DeRosa, 2B
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Soriano, LF
Soto, C
Pie, CF
Cedeno, SS

…is a pretty good-looking lineup. PECOTA very much likes Geovany Soto and Felix Pie, by the way, and is reasonably warm on Ronny Cedeno. If the Cubs let these kids play–perhaps also integrating Ryan Theriot and Matt Murton in platoons of various kinds–this could quite easily be the best lineup in the National League

its a nice order on paper but take out fuku and you have close to the same team as last year.

and as good as that lineup hit last year ,i'm not going to worry to much.

ramirez and lee were very slow outta the gates and are not playing as well as 2-3 years ago. age and injurys are closing in on these 2

.last year proved one thing that whats on paper for the cubs and then to execute those back stats is another.

and the starting pitching can get rattled very easily. zambrano-lily-hill-will be giving it up some this year just like last

[Scav]

Dome, RF
Theriot, SS
Soriano, LF
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
DeRosa, 2B
Soto, C
Pie, CF

Maybe switch Pie and Soto because Soto is more patient. take it easy with Cedeno, his defense is questionable. Theriot just fizzled towards the end, he was tired.

If Pie would ever chill out, he would be a perfect lead off hitter and it could look like this

Pie, CF
Theriot, SS
Soriano, LF
Lee, 1b
Ramirez, 3B
Dome, RF
DeRosa, 2B
Soto, C

What it will actually look like on opening day is

Soriano, LF
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Dome, RF
DeRosa, 2B
Soto, C
Pie, CF

If this Dome guy is as good as a contact hitter that he supposedly is, he would be great behind ARam, to protect him in good situations.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Scav

If this Dome guy is as good as a contact hitter that he supposedly is, he would be great behind ARam, to protect him in good situations.

All the crap you hear about guys "protecting" guys is usually just crap.

Would it not be better to put the guy who gets on base a lot in front of the RBI guys instead of behind them?

Soriano is not a 3 hole type hitter BTW

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

All the crap you hear about guys "protecting" guys is usually just crap.

Would it not be better to put the guy who gets on base a lot in front of the RBI guys instead of behind them?

Soriano is not a 3 hole type hitter BTW

Soriano hit like crap in all the other spots last year the times they tried it. Chicago would go nuts if they hit him 5th, he will either be the leadoff hitter or in the 3 hole. I don't think Pinella will mess with Lee and Ramirez in the 3 and 4 spot so it leave Soriano still leading off and Dome sitting in the 5 spot.

CEDENO...I can't believe you even mentioned it. He has two good games a year that keeps him on the map

[Scav]

They also might do.....

Soriano
Dome
Lee
ARam
DeRosa
Soto
Pie
Theriot

Lou likes contact in the 2nd hole and speed in the 7 and 8th hole so that pitcher can put the speed over

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Scav

CEDENO...I can't believe you even mentioned it. He has two good games a year that keeps him on the map

Got a better option?

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Got a better option?

Theriot is just fine, he got tired, he will be fine this year. They also messed around with him all year, and it was his first year as a starter in the bigs. He has been there done that now so he should be more solid.

I have no idea what to expect from this year, but at least they are doing something, especially given there is pending ownership issues.....

[disappearingdan_akaplaya]

lol wheres the pitching????????? wait till next millenium

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Scav

What it will actually look like on opening day is

Soriano, LF
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Dome, RF
DeRosa, 2B
Soto, C
Pie, CF

If this Dome guy is as good as a contact hitter that he supposedly is, he would be great behind ARam, to protect him in good situations.

God, I AM AMAZING....

Piniella said Alfonso Soriano will lead off on March 31 when the Cubs play host to the Milwaukee Brewers, followed by Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Mark DeRosa, Geovany Soto and Felix Pie.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/art...=.jsp&c_id=chc

[IrishofNDMan]

Originally Posted by Scav

God, I AM AMAZING....

Piniella said Alfonso Soriano will lead off on March 31 when the Cubs play host to the Milwaukee Brewers, followed by Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Mark DeRosa, Geovany Soto and Felix Pie.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/art...=.jsp&c_id=chc

cf Granderson
2b Polanco
lf Mags
3b Miggy
rf Shef
1b Guillen
C Pudge
ss Renteria
dh Thames (fill in name)

[Scav]

Originally Posted by IrishofNDMan

cf Granderson
2b Polanco
lf Mags
3b Miggy
rf Shef
1b Guillen
C Pudge
ss Renteria
dh Thames (fill in name)

Your actually counting Sheffield? He played 70 games a year

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Fukudome is a place in Amsterdam.

[horseofcourse]

Originally Posted by IrishofNDMan

cf Granderson
2b Polanco
lf Mags
3b Miggy
rf Shef
1b Guillen
C Pudge
ss Renteria
dh Thames (fill in name)

It's all about pitching my friend...the lineup means nothing. Just look at the AL Central. White Sox...world champions in 2005...greatly improved their offense in 2006...no playoffs. Detroit...world series in 2006...greatly improved their offense in 2007...no playoffs. Improved it again this year...big deal. Cleveland...far worse offense in 2007 than 2006...under .500 in 2006...1 game from world series in 2007.

It appears to me from 3 separate teams in the AL Central...the worse your offense, the better you do (that shouldn't happen, but completely proves it is all about the pitching...not your lineup.) Isn't Zumaya still hurt?? Detroit had one of the best offenses last year...how have they improved their bullpen this year??