Are putting up some runs in spring training. After today scoring a total 188 runs to only giving up 129. I think this will be a good season with 90 wins and the central division..again.
Chicago Cubs
- Thread starter Dave19642006
- Start date
thats not the issue for us.... its the postseason. cubs will win the central... just please not another postseason collapse 
I think they will be better offensively. It is going to hurt not having Derosa but I really think Fontenot is ready to break out. Milton Bradley is going to be huge. I think if they can get their closing situation in order then this team has the potential to be just as good, maybe even a little better then last years.
I have no doubt they'll win a weak central division by a comfortable margin but after the last 2 postseasons I am not that optimistic until I see it in the playoffs. I was convinced last year was finally "the year" with how dominant they were in the regular season but even a 100 win season this year won't convince me till they show it in the postseason.
I still worry about this year's bullpen, the rotation if Harden goes down, and the loss of DeRosa may come back to haunt as he was probably the most consistent player in the lineup as well as versatile. The CF spot worries me with Johnson and Fukudome because Johnson is not an every day player and Fukudome only hit .235 in the WBC which doesn't put a lot of confidence in him turning things around at the plate. Bradley has already been hurt in spring training and now Derek Lee is starting to show his age too.
Just a lot of factors that have me worried right now that the Cubs could be a lot of talk right now and have all those things above blow up on them and make things difficult.
I still worry about this year's bullpen, the rotation if Harden goes down, and the loss of DeRosa may come back to haunt as he was probably the most consistent player in the lineup as well as versatile. The CF spot worries me with Johnson and Fukudome because Johnson is not an every day player and Fukudome only hit .235 in the WBC which doesn't put a lot of confidence in him turning things around at the plate. Bradley has already been hurt in spring training and now Derek Lee is starting to show his age too.
Just a lot of factors that have me worried right now that the Cubs could be a lot of talk right now and have all those things above blow up on them and make things difficult.
I was a DeRosa fan too, but he had a career year last year and it's probably not a push to say it would have been hard for him to repeat that. Bradly isn't a bad trade.
I think Fukudome simply got homesick and was not used to the grind here. I expect a much better year out of him this year. Reed Johnson is one of my favorite players. If he can keep his back healthy he'll be productive once again.
I will be pissed if he starts anywhere but the bench this season. He might be good as a pinch hitter but he was still in the minors at the age of 29 for a reason.
The offense is going to score runs.
The key is keeping pitchers healthy, and people like Dempster and Lilly, who had tremendous years last season, to continue their success.
Also, Zambrano and Bradley have to work hard not to go apeshit on each other in the dugout.
The key is keeping pitchers healthy, and people like Dempster and Lilly, who had tremendous years last season, to continue their success.
Also, Zambrano and Bradley have to work hard not to go apeshit on each other in the dugout.
I don't think Lee is going to start every game this year. He is aging and his numbers were down last year and continue to be down this spring. You can't discount Lee's glove, however, but I would still expect to see Hoffpaurer have some starts this year, especially since he bats from the left.
That reason is that the Cubs have had Lee at 1st for quite a few years now. He hasn't had much of a shot at the majors yet but has done well when he has.
There is a reason for that, and that reason is Derrek Lee. If the Cubs had traded him to an AL team, he would be starting at first or make a nice DH, at the very least.
Hoff was a man without a position when he was in Des Moines, and now he's basically Daryl Ward.
Sorry but Hoffpauir had a career year at the age of 28 and now all of a sudden he is supposed to be our starting 1B? Not buying that one second. He was very average in the minors up until 2007.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
I agree with you here. DeRosa had only done so much in his career, and had a career year. Reed is steady, and I think your assessment of Fukodome is right on.
Who said he was going to start? He has simply been blocked from moving up by a Gold Glover playing the same position, thats all.
The *kid* can rake, and turned himself into a somewhat serviceable outfielder in case the situation calls for it.
I was pretty upset about the DeRosa trade when it went down, but looking back on it, Hendry unloaded him at the peak of his value. It was a classic sell-high trade.
I still think that they'll miss his versatility, however.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
100% agreement. I didn't like it at first. Now it makes sense, or I've learned to rationalize it to make it sound better.
Hoff is not a starter but I do think they need to stick him in there once in awhile to rest Lee once in awhile. Maybe on an AL team Hoff could DH but his defense is average at best anywhere you put him.
The bullpen still scare me. Crazy to think Samardzija could start the season at Iowa after the success he had late last year too. Cotts scares me as the only lefty in the pen and I know they really like the Patton kid they got from the rule 5 draft but he only pitched A ball last year. Getting from the starters to Gregg and Marmol could be a little shaky.
I'm still not optimistic about Fukudome. He has a terrible swing and once pitchers figured out he could not hit breaking balls it got even uglier.
The bullpen still scare me. Crazy to think Samardzija could start the season at Iowa after the success he had late last year too. Cotts scares me as the only lefty in the pen and I know they really like the Patton kid they got from the rule 5 draft but he only pitched A ball last year. Getting from the starters to Gregg and Marmol could be a little shaky.
I'm still not optimistic about Fukudome. He has a terrible swing and once pitchers figured out he could not hit breaking balls it got even uglier.