I think they are still very underrated, even considering they were a game away from going to the World Series last year.

Agreed.

The Cubs will contend, but it will be another year of heartbreak and frustration on the north side. They'll either choke it up to the Brewers, DBacks or Mets ... at some point. No World Series in Wrigley this year.

No World Series in Wrigley this year.

 

OhhhhNoooooooo!!!

 

Hill, Lieber, Dempster

 

Horrible back of the rotation. Maybe one of the worst around. Lieber and Dempster have the ability to put up 5+ERA's in the NL, Hill should flirt with 4 again.

 

No closer, no middle relief, question mark set up guy.

Edited February 26, 200818 yr by RockRaines

Didn't it seem to anyone else like last year was one of those years where every major break seemed to go the Cubs's way?

No closer

Marmol. Guy looks pretty sharp actually.

I have my doubts if the Cubs will even make the playoffs.

Marmol. Guy looks pretty sharp actually.

Same could be said for Cotts and Politte after 2005. We all know how that turned out.

Same could be said for Cotts and Politte after 2005. We all know how that turned out.

Those two guys combined have no where near the talent of Marmol.How could you even compare?

1. Brewers

2. Reds

3. Cubs

4. Cardinals

5. Astros

6. Pirates

 

That is your final 2008 NL Central standings, much to fathom's dismay. Rich Hill is a guy who had a career year in his late 20's, not a pitcher coming into his prime, Marquis sucks, Dempster never could start, and Lilly will come back to earth. Combine that with no CF, a HORRIBLE defensive OF, and a bullpen by commitee (as Ed Farmer says, bullpen by commitee means your bullpen sucks), and they are in deep doo doo. Plus, Milwaukee will be better and Cincy has just so much young talent, even Dusty can run that to 2nd in baseball's worst division.

Edited March 1, 200818 yr by whitesoxfan101

Those two guys combined have no where near the talent of Marmol.How could you even compare?

 

the comparison was from their 2005 years.

 

Cotts 69 games, 60.3 innings, 38 hits, 1.95 ERA, 58 strikeouts, 1 homerun, 29 BB

 

Politte 68 games, 67.3 innings, 42 hits, 2.00 ERA, 57 strikeouts, 7 homeruns, 21 BB

 

 

Marmol 2007

 

59 games, 69.3 innings, 41 hits, 1.43 ERA, 96 strikeouts, 3 homeruns, 35 BB

 

pretty similar except for strikeouts

 

 

 

And the point of the comparison is not talent, rather that bullpen pitchers are always iffy, and from one season to another they can go from lockdown to complete and utter crap with no gray area in between. I dont think this is going to happen to Marmol because I think he is going to be pretty good if he can keep his arm in one piece, but IIRC Cliff Politte went from a flame throwing pitcher who could reach the high 90's(2004) to someone who could barely reach 90(2006) in a 2 year span.

How many saves did marmol have last year? (rhetorical question)

 

My confidence in him is shaky at best, because setting up isn't the same mental game. Even if he panned out, he was the setup guy last year, who is going to fill that void? Their BP still sucks.

Edited March 1, 200818 yr by max power

I predict another 100 years of futility. In all seriousness the Cubs are in the worst division in baseball. The Cards are in in a re-tooling plan, the Reds and Pirates will suck again, the Astros might be a suprise the added K. Matsui and M. Tejada for some more offensive power to help Berkman and C. Lee. And the Brewers are still very young and im just not sold on Gagne being their closer. On paper the Cubs have the best team in the NL central. But we've seen them choke before and i wouldnt be surprised if it happened once again. Lets not forget that no Chicago baseball team has went to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the early 1900's.

I wish the Sox were in the NL central.. what a pathetic division.

Holy s*** someone gave carlos marmol an MVP vote last year?

 

 

hahahahaha, seriously?

1. Brewers

2. Reds

3. Cubs

4. Cardinals

5. Astros

6. Pirates

 

That is your final 2008 NL Central standings, much to fathom's dismay. Rich Hill is a guy who had a career year in his late 20's, not a pitcher coming into his prime, Marquis sucks, Dempster never could start, and Lilly will come back to earth. Combine that with no CF, a HORRIBLE defensive OF, and a bullpen by commitee (as Ed Farmer says, bullpen by commitee means your bullpen sucks), and they are in deep doo doo. Plus, Milwaukee will be better and Cincy has just so much young talent, even Dusty can run that to 2nd in baseball's worst division.

 

I believe CWS already made that joke. FWIW, it sounds as if Angelos agreed to let Roberts be traded, so the Cubs are going to add him early next week. I saw K. Wood pitch a little today, and he looked awful.

Cliff Politte went from a flame throwing pitcher who could reach the high 90's(2004) to someone who could barely reach 90(2006) in a 2 year span.

 

to Politte's credit (...? no idea what to call it), it is hard to throw 98 with a shoulder that's torn to hell

In Pollitte's defense...

to Politte's credit (...? no idea what to call it), it is hard to throw 98 with a shoulder that's torn to hell

 

That was part of my point towards Marmol. If he can stay healthy(keep his arm in one piece) then he should be pretty good, Politte couldnt do that and went from a hard thrower to out of the league in 2 years. The comparison was drawn between Marmol 07 and Cotts/Politte 05, and the question was asked "how could you even compare?", when in reality they were pretty close.

I believe CWS already made that joke. FWIW, it sounds as if Angelos agreed to let Roberts be traded, so the Cubs are going to add him early next week. I saw K. Wood pitch a little today, and he looked awful.

 

Has there been any speculation on what the Flubs would give up? You don't get a player like Roberts for garbage. Although, if I recall they got Aramis Ramírez for next to nothing. :fthecubs

Edited March 3, 200818 yr by BigEdWalsh

Their pitching is overrated. Zambrano does have a ton of ability, but he's coming off a terrible year (well, by his standards, though a 3.95 ERA and WHIP above 1.30 isn't exactly front-line starter material in that league) and is kind of erratic. Even in a career year Lilly had a 3.83 ERA in the NL, and Rich Hill was a tad worse. If all three of those guys pitch to the peak of their abilities they have a very nice staff, but what are the odds of that happening? Plus those three really have to carry the rotation, the group of guys competing for the last two spots is far from impressive. You can say the same thing about the pen. Marmol, Wood, and Howry all have good stuff, but can they all produce? If not, they have no depth behind them.

 

Sure, on paper they're the favorites to win that division, but I see them maxing out somewhere in the mid-80's for wins, which is probably just enough to go to the playoffs and lose to a stronger team in the first round.

Edited March 3, 200818 yr by ZoomSlowik

Has there been any speculation on what the Flubs would give up? You don't get a player like Roberts for garbage. Although, if I recall they got Aramis Ramírez for next to nothing. :fthecubs

 

The Cubs would also take Jay Payton from the Orioles. They'd give up Marshall, Gallagher, Cedeno, and Murton.

The Cubs would also take Jay Payton from the Orioles. They'd give up Marshall, Gallagher, Cedeno, and Murton.

So, garbage, prospect, garbage, garbage. It doesnt make sense for the O's. Why would they take on a bunch of players that cant make the team for the cubs?

Why would they take on a bunch of players that cant make the team for the cubs?

 

Marshall - "lefty rotation prospect" who doesn't make any money

Gallagher - "bullpen depth" who doesn't make any money

Cedeno - "change of scenery" who doesn't make any money

Murton - "untapped potential" who doesn't make any money

 

The second part of each description is the real reason, the first part is how they'll sell it to their fans.

(They still have fans, right?)

 

Marshall - "lefty rotation prospect" who doesn't make any money

Gallagher - "bullpen depth" who doesn't make any money

Cedeno - "change of scenery" who doesn't make any money

Murton - "untapped potential" who doesn't make any money

 

The second part of each description is the real reason, the first part is how they'll sell it to their fans.

(They still have fans, right?)

With the mess that the Orioles have been over the past decade or so, sucking with players who don't make a lot of money is still a step above sucking with a few players making a good amount of money. At least maybe you're building something around guys like Markakis if you're sucking with guys who don't make much money.

Back to the subject of the Cubs: Oh. My. God.

 

The Cubs have had a variety of injuries this spring. So far, infielder Mark DeRosa was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat, pitcher Jose Ascanio had a bruised face after getting punched in a robbery attempt, and outfielder Felix Pie missed a couple of days early because of a twisted testicle. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez remains sidelined with a sore right shoulder.

Edited March 4, 200818 yr by kyyle23