Baseball talk ...
Amazingly, the Cubs are throwing money around like a drunken George Steinbrenner this winter ... after watching a mediocre Cardinals team win the Central with a lousy record -- and then get hot at the right time and win the Series last year -- I think they've finally realized it doesn't take too much to win the Central. And after that, anything can happen.
Right now ...
C: Michael Barrett - I'd like to see an upgrade here, if only because Barrett is not a very good defensive catcher. But he's one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. Henry Blanco will get a few starts and he is as good of a defensive catcher as you'll find.
1B: Derrek Lee - the second-best 1B in the NL, which isn't a bad place to be given Pooholes is just ahead of him.
2B: Mark DeRosa - I'm not too sold on him, but I could see him platooning with Ryan Theriot, who had a very good second half last year. FA signing.
SS: Cezar Izturis - Came in the Maddux trade. A Gold Glover who can get away with hitting 8th.
3B: Aramis Ramirez - the Cubs opened the checkbook and it should help give the team a thunderous middle of the order.
LF: Matt Murton/(Cliff Floyd) - Floyd is rumored to be heading to Chicago. I like Murton as an everyday player and No. 2 hitter. Between them, there could be quite a bit of production. I could see each starting about 50% of the time. I'd prefer Murton for defense, but Floyd has power.
CF: Alfonso Soriano - Wow. A leadoff hitter who can hit 40+ homers. That gives the Cubs three bats in the lineup with that kind of power. His defense worries me, though.
RF: Jacque Jones - He was the whipping boy early last season, and it's rumored the Cubs are shopping him for another SP (and possibly therefore moving Soriano to one of the corners and Felix Pie to CF). Jones ended up having a very productive year.
Of those, every single one of the new guys is a significant upgrade from that spot last season.
Everyday lineup:
CF-Soriano
LF-Murton
1B-Lee
3B-Ramirez
RF-Jones
2B-DeRosa
C-Barrett
SS-Izturis
Pitcher
With the Ted Lilly signing (I think he could give the Cubs the same value Bronson Arroyo gave the Reds), the pitching looks semi-improved. Now, if the training staff can get (and keep) them ready, so there won't be four rooks in the rotation this year, it would help :).
Zambrano - a bona-fide No. 1.
Hill - emerged as a very strong pitcher late last year. If the August-September Hill shows up, he could win 15 games (or more).
Lilly - good lefty, could put up some good numbers. His flyball-grounder ratio worries me, but few people realize the wind blows in as much as it blows out at Wrigley. Just don't let him start in Cincy. Still, an upgrade from this spot last year.
Prior/Miller/Cotts - If Prior can ever get healthy and regain 2003-04 form, he can help round out a very good staff. Same with Wade Miller and regaining the form he had with the Astros. If not, Neal Cotts (who isn't tremendous by any means) is there to be a Glendon Rusch-style swingman. I'm still anticipating another move for an SP.
Kerry Wood finally realizing he can't start might revitalize his career. He was NASTY out of the pen with a bad arm in '05.
I like this group, though ...
Middle relief: Neal Cotts OR Wade Miller
Middle relief: Kerry Wood OR Ryan Dempster
RHP setup: Bobby Howry
LHP setup: Scott Eyre
Closer: Kerry Wood or Dempster
I'm not sure if this is going to be a division-winner or a playoff team. But it's going to be one of two horses in the race in the Central, at least.
Right now ...
C: Michael Barrett - I'd like to see an upgrade here, if only because Barrett is not a very good defensive catcher. But he's one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. Henry Blanco will get a few starts and he is as good of a defensive catcher as you'll find.
1B: Derrek Lee - the second-best 1B in the NL, which isn't a bad place to be given Pooholes is just ahead of him.
2B: Mark DeRosa - I'm not too sold on him, but I could see him platooning with Ryan Theriot, who had a very good second half last year. FA signing.
SS: Cezar Izturis - Came in the Maddux trade. A Gold Glover who can get away with hitting 8th.
3B: Aramis Ramirez - the Cubs opened the checkbook and it should help give the team a thunderous middle of the order.
LF: Matt Murton/(Cliff Floyd) - Floyd is rumored to be heading to Chicago. I like Murton as an everyday player and No. 2 hitter. Between them, there could be quite a bit of production. I could see each starting about 50% of the time. I'd prefer Murton for defense, but Floyd has power.
CF: Alfonso Soriano - Wow. A leadoff hitter who can hit 40+ homers. That gives the Cubs three bats in the lineup with that kind of power. His defense worries me, though.
RF: Jacque Jones - He was the whipping boy early last season, and it's rumored the Cubs are shopping him for another SP (and possibly therefore moving Soriano to one of the corners and Felix Pie to CF). Jones ended up having a very productive year.
Of those, every single one of the new guys is a significant upgrade from that spot last season.
Everyday lineup:
CF-Soriano
LF-Murton
1B-Lee
3B-Ramirez
RF-Jones
2B-DeRosa
C-Barrett
SS-Izturis
Pitcher
With the Ted Lilly signing (I think he could give the Cubs the same value Bronson Arroyo gave the Reds), the pitching looks semi-improved. Now, if the training staff can get (and keep) them ready, so there won't be four rooks in the rotation this year, it would help :).
Zambrano - a bona-fide No. 1.
Hill - emerged as a very strong pitcher late last year. If the August-September Hill shows up, he could win 15 games (or more).
Lilly - good lefty, could put up some good numbers. His flyball-grounder ratio worries me, but few people realize the wind blows in as much as it blows out at Wrigley. Just don't let him start in Cincy. Still, an upgrade from this spot last year.
Prior/Miller/Cotts - If Prior can ever get healthy and regain 2003-04 form, he can help round out a very good staff. Same with Wade Miller and regaining the form he had with the Astros. If not, Neal Cotts (who isn't tremendous by any means) is there to be a Glendon Rusch-style swingman. I'm still anticipating another move for an SP.
Kerry Wood finally realizing he can't start might revitalize his career. He was NASTY out of the pen with a bad arm in '05.
I like this group, though ...
Middle relief: Neal Cotts OR Wade Miller
Middle relief: Kerry Wood OR Ryan Dempster
RHP setup: Bobby Howry
LHP setup: Scott Eyre
Closer: Kerry Wood or Dempster
I'm not sure if this is going to be a division-winner or a playoff team. But it's going to be one of two horses in the race in the Central, at least.