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Analysis, News & Rumors
Archives
March 2006 Headlines
Bleachers Now Budweiser Bleachers - 3/31/06 6:48am
Rookies Stepping it Up - 3/29/06 11:39pm
Grissom vs. the Rookies - 3/28/06 9:01pm
Where Does Felix Pie Fit? - 3/19/06 9:10pm
Cubs Foolish to Trade Walker - 3/15/06 10:04pm
Would the Cubs Lie to Us? - 3/15/06 11:24am
Cubs 19th in Power Rankings - 3/14/06 11:15pm
Wrigley Field Tour - 3/10/06 10:57pm
Wood's Health Status - 3/8/06 11:15am
Analyzing the Starters - 3/1/06 7:33am
3/31/06 6:48am - Bleachers Now Budweiser Bleachers
If you haven't heard, the Wrigley Field bleachers have a new name. They are now called the Bud Light
Bleachers.
For most casual fans this isn't a big deal. In fact, it means more money for the Cubs, which could
potentially mean a higher payroll. It could almost be considered a good thing. The only problem is that
Wrigley Field, the Cubs, and their fans have prided themselves on not selling out.
The good thing about this move is that it sounds like there won't be additional signs visible from
the field or television cameras. Instead, the major advertising signs will be outside the stadium.
Still, some fans are very upset at this move. The fear is that it could lay the groundwork to have
advertisements all over the park, similar to stadiums such as the Cubs Southside rivals.
The naming rights come after the renovation to the bleacher section of the stadium. Hardcore fans hope
the new renovation and the naming rights will not effect the historic look and feel of Wrigley Field.
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3/29/06 11:39pm - Rookies Stepping it Up
The focus on the Cubs lately has been on the battle for the second base position, injured starting pitching in Prior and Wood, and the
expectations and health of Ramirez and Lee. During this time, it has been the rookies who have been stepping up.
When it comes to pitching, there is another battle between two strong rookies in Angel Guzman and Sean Marshall who helped
combine for 9 hitless innings the other day. One of them will probably join the big league roster since Prior, Wood, and Miller
will all start the season on the DL. John Koronka and Jae-Kuk Ryu have also posted solid spring stats.
On the hitting side, the Cubs have already projected Ronny Cedeno and Matt Murton as starters. Though they may not be considered rookies,
they will only be playing in their second season. Murton is poised for a breakout season as he is currently hitting .395 this spring.
Some of the rookie outfielders have been very impressive. Angel Pagan has shown he deserves a spot on the roster posting a .376 average,
while showing veteran qualities and speed. Felix Pie and Adam Greenberg also have been impressive this spring.
After the Cubs have been working hard to add veteran leadership to the team, it is the young rookies who may just make the biggest
impact.
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3/28/06 9:01pm - Grissom vs. the Rookies
As Spring Training comes to a close the Cubs are forced to make a big decision. Should they keep the veteran leadership
in Marquis Grissom or should they make room for one of the talented rookies who have been playing well.
Grissom has already indicated that he is evaluating himself more than the Cubs are evaluating him. After being signed
to a small contract, Grissom said if he felt like he couldn't do it anymore, he would retire. With 40 at-bats this spring,
Grissom is only batting .200.
Meanwhile, some of the young rookies in the Cubs farm systems are tearing it up. Angel Pagan is batting .376, Adam Greenberg
is hitting .350, and Felix Pie is at .324. Each of these rookies are battling Grissom for the backup outfield position.
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3/19/06 9:10pm - Where Does Felix Pie Fit?
With the signing of Jacque Jones to a multi-year deal and the acquisition of Juan Pierre where will the Cubs fit Felix Pie?
Pie is considered the Cubs #1 prospect and would have been called up to the big leagues last year if
it wasn't for a bum ankle. This gave Matt Murton a chance with the team and he is now expected to be the
starting Left Fielder.
The Cubs would be silly not to sign Pierre to a longer deal and expect them to do so. With Jones in right field,
some expect that he will platoon the position with other players. A veteran like Marquis Grissom may share some time with
Jones.
It may come down to the performance of young, Matt Murton. If he performs well, he could be in left field for the
foreseeable future. If not, the Cubs could turn to Felix Pie for help.
Don't expect the Cubs to trade Pie if Jones, Pierre, and Murton play well. Pie is only 21 and is still considered to
be raw talent. He needs to be developed and the Cubs would be willing to wait on that development.
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3/15/06 10:04pm - Cubs Foolish to Trade Walker
Its hard to understand why the Cubs seem to have no interest in Todd Walker. The newest rumor floating around is that
the Cubs are trying to work out a deal that will send Walker to the Orioles for Luis Matos.
Why the Cubs would be willing to do this is a question many are asking. Walker is almost a lock to bat .300 and would
be the perfect #2 hitter behind Juan Pierre. His low salary of $2.5 million should be music to the ears of the Cubs. For some
reason the Cubs seem to think his defense is less than desired, but he has consistently shown that his defense is not
as bad as most think.
Walker is also a very positive guy to have in the clubhouse. Matos would be be considered a utility player or backup outfielder
for the Cubs. He isn't good enough to split time in right field with Jones and he definitely isn't good enough to start. Why would
the Cubs be willing to take someone like Matos when it seems that Corey Patterson will win the starting spot on the Baltimore
roster ahead of Matos?!
This move would position the Cubs exactly as most would have expected. It seems as if they had no intention of starting Todd Walker this
year and would plan to use Neifi Perez and possibly Jerry Hairston Jr. at second base.
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3/15/06 11:24am - Would the Cubs Lie to Us?
For several years, the Cubs management has shown signs of hiding injuries from the city of Chicago. The only problem is that you can't
hide injuries forever because they have a tendency to show themselves at some point.
Early in Spring Training we were told that Mark Prior had a throat infection and spent some time in the hospital. Many experts raised
red flags immediately and even fans have to question why it has taken Prior so long to get ready to pitch. The question we as
Cubs fans should ask is: Why does it seem that the Cubs management continues to hide these problems from us?
In February there was another report that said that Prior and the Cubs were hiding a shoulder injury. Prior and the Cubs have continued to
deny that rumor. Now, two weeks before the season starts, Prior complains of shoulder stiffness. Was this just a case of a coincidence
of the internet rumor or is there truly something to it.
We dealt with the same types of issues last year when fans were told Prior would miss 5 to 10 days of spring training. Initially
the Cubs reported in Spring that Prior would miss a few days, then he was placed on the DL and was expected to return by the season
opener. Then it was May.. Finally, Prior returned in June. Hopefully this latest scare is just a case of the Cubs not taking any chances with Prior. He was
a bit stiff and they wanted to get it right. Hopefully..
If it comes out that he truly is hurt, the media and fans alike SHOULD NOT FORGIVE THE CUBS MANAGEMENT. There is no reason
or excuse to withhold this information. Injuries will disappoint the City of Chicago either way, but if you want to anger the fans, lie to them or
deceive them in some way.
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3/14/06 11:15pm - Cubs 19th in Power Rankings
If you believe FoxSports.com, the Cubs will have too many ifs this year to be successful.
If the bullpen plays to its potential.. If Juan Pierre hits better than last year.. If the starting pitching stays
healthy.. If Derrek Lee plays anything like he did last year.. If the rookies perform well..
While there are quite a few question marks, the Cubs had made some big improvements for 2006 and expect to
be a contending team. 19th may be exactly where the team wants to be right now as they hope to move in
under the radar.
Some other interesting rankings had the Brewers ahead of the Cubs at #16, the Cardinals at #4 and the White Sox at #2.
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3/10/06 10:57pm - Wrigley Field Tour
Interested in experiencing all parts of Wrigley Field? The Wrigley Field Tours allows fans to do just that.
The tour consists of a 90-minute view of the field, dugouts, clubhouse, press box, security headquarters, and much more. For
only $20 per person, Cubs fans can experience this once in a lifetime opportunity. Be sure to bring your glove as you will
be allowed to play catch near the ivy.
The tours are offered on various Fridays and Saturdays when the Cubs are on the road. Tours begin at 10am and a new tour begins every
half hour until 4:30pm. Current tour dates are:
April 23
May 6
May 19
May 20
June 2
June 3
June 9
June 10
June 23
June 24
July 7
July 8
August 11
August 12
August 25
August 26
August 27
September 8
September 9
September 22
September 23
All benefits go to the Cubs Care foundation. For more information, call 800-THE-CUBS.
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3/8/06 11:15am - Wood's Health Status
As you probably already heard, Kerry Wood underwent sucessful arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday.
The twenty minute procedure removed torn medial meniscus in Wood's knee. This latest surgery is estimated
to move Wood back two weeks on his road to recovery.
Wood, who's also recovering from shoulder surgery, needs a huge year for the Cubs. The good news is that
Wood could start to throw again by the end of the week. The bad news is that this is yet another injury
for the big Texian.
Wood is still expected to return near early to mid May. At this point, unless Wood returns to the linup
and returns to his once dominiating form, this may be his last year with the Cubs. He will be making $11 million
this year with a $13.5 million option for 2007.
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3/1/06 7:33am - Analyzing the Starters
Zambrano - Though Prior and Wood got most of the attention over the past few years, he has been our #1 guy. He deserves to be opening day starter and will be in 2006. Zambrano is Cy Young material and if emotionally balanced, should get 20 wins.
Prior - The Cubs are depending on Prior to be 100% healthy this year. There have been quite a few rumors floating around that Prior may be hurt yet again. The Cubs and Mark Prior both deny this rumor saying he had a respiratory infection during the off-season. Prior will be the key to the pitching staff this year.
Maddux - This guy continues to roll. Don't be surprised if he lowers his ERA, wins a few more games, and pitches another few years.
Williams - Jerome should be the wild card this year. He's listed as #5 on the depth chart behind Rusch, but don't be surprised if he pitches much better than last year. Williams had a good year with the Cubs posting a 3.91 ERA, but only won 6 games and lost 8. Expect him to strike out more batters this year. Currently, Williams looks pretty sharp in Spring Training.
Rusch - Rusch has filled in well as our utility pitcher for the past two years. He has a 4.52 ERA last year, but still finished with a 9-8 record. Expect him to be consistent again this year and will give the Cubs the option of keeping him in the starting lineup or bullpen.
Wood - This will be the most important year of Kerry Wood's career. Though he has already started throwing pitches in Spring Training, there is no timetable on his return. Some have suggested he may return in early May, but may first join the bullpen to build up his arm strength.
Miller - Wade Miller was a great insurance policy for 2006. The only problem is that his injury has put him on the same schedule of Kerry Wood. They should both be out for approximately the same time and may both return in early May. Either way, Miller has the potential to make quite an impact.
Hill - Rich Hill had one of the best minor league seasons of any player last year. During the off-season, his name came up quite a bit from other teams interested in trades. In 2005, he moved from A ball all the way to AAA. He finished AAA with a 6-1 record, while striking out 92 batters and walking 14 in 11 games. Hill also had some valuable experience with the big league team in 2005.
Guzman - Angel Guzman has been a top prospect for quite a few years. Unfortunately, he hasn't quite put it all together. At 24, he still has time, but he is coming off shoulder surgery from 2003 and a strained forearm last year. So far this spring, he looks decent, but will be joining the minor league club yet again.
The starting lineup to start the season should look like this:
1. Zambrano
2. Prior
3. Maddux
4. Williams
5. Rusch
There has been some early talk about having a 4-man rotation through mid-April due to some off-days. Because of the past injuries, this may not be the best option as the team may rather see Rusch pitch than stress the starting 4 early in the season.
After Wood and Miller come back, things could get interesting. Depending on how healthy they are, the Cubs could place either Wood, Miller, Williams, or Rich Hill in the 4th and 5th spots. They could even go with a 6-man rotation if they wanted to. Since Rusch has pitched well as a long reliever in the bullpen, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to move him back to the pen.
The Cubs have a very deep staff of starting pitchers. For 2006, It will be a matter of being healthy for the Cubs rotation.
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