cubbish
Expected improvement or decline by position:
SP: No change to slight decline.
Harden didn't have a great 09, but I don't see the Cubs improving on his performance with in-house talent. I'm hopeful Dempster does a little better this year, but I expect Wells to do a little worse. The big factor is that Lilly won't put up his performance from last year. Unless Gorzo or Samninja are special (and that seems much to ask), I don't see this as a better group.
RP: No change to slight improvement.
I can see Marmol/Guzman/Grabow bettering Gregg/Marmol/Heilman
C: Improvement
I'm a believer in Geoskinny Soto
1B: Slight Decline
Lee won't do better than last year, but I don't think it's going to be a drop-off like we saw after 05. His cast of back-ups doesn't impress me.
2B: Slight Improvement
I'm expecting Fontenot to improve, Baker to regress, leaving us with a slightly better performance over last year overall.
3B: Improvement
More Aramis means more love. Chad Tracy back-up is appealing too
SS: No change.
Just a higher dollar per scrap ratio(t). I don't expect Castro(t) to be anything remarkable for this season.
LF: Moderate Improvement
I'm not expecting great, or even particularly good things from Soriano. But even decent play will be quite a bit better than last year, won't it? Nady seems like a solid back-up if healthy.
CF: No change to slight improvement.
I like Byrd in a small center field doing better with total defensive and offensive contribution than Fukudome last year. Concerns about back-ups though.
RF: Slight improvement.
Fukudome/Nady platoon sounds solid, but it requires both Nady to be healthy and Soriano to be healthy so Nady isn't covering him in Left.
Bench: Slight improvement.
No Jake Fox or Micah Hoffpauir pop, but I like Trady and Nady if healthy. And keeping Bobby Scales off the team has to count for something.
Overall, I'm seeing the world through cubbie blue lenses, but I'm seeing a lot of chances for improvement. Optimism, I tells ya.
SP: No change to slight decline.
Harden didn't have a great 09, but I don't see the Cubs improving on his performance with in-house talent. I'm hopeful Dempster does a little better this year, but I expect Wells to do a little worse. The big factor is that Lilly won't put up his performance from last year. Unless Gorzo or Samninja are special (and that seems much to ask), I don't see this as a better group.
RP: No change to slight improvement.
I can see Marmol/Guzman/Grabow bettering Gregg/Marmol/Heilman
C: Improvement
I'm a believer in Geoskinny Soto
1B: Slight Decline
Lee won't do better than last year, but I don't think it's going to be a drop-off like we saw after 05. His cast of back-ups doesn't impress me.
2B: Slight Improvement
I'm expecting Fontenot to improve, Baker to regress, leaving us with a slightly better performance over last year overall.
3B: Improvement
More Aramis means more love. Chad Tracy back-up is appealing too
SS: No change.
Just a higher dollar per scrap ratio(t). I don't expect Castro(t) to be anything remarkable for this season.
LF: Moderate Improvement
I'm not expecting great, or even particularly good things from Soriano. But even decent play will be quite a bit better than last year, won't it? Nady seems like a solid back-up if healthy.
CF: No change to slight improvement.
I like Byrd in a small center field doing better with total defensive and offensive contribution than Fukudome last year. Concerns about back-ups though.
RF: Slight improvement.
Fukudome/Nady platoon sounds solid, but it requires both Nady to be healthy and Soriano to be healthy so Nady isn't covering him in Left.
Bench: Slight improvement.
No Jake Fox or Micah Hoffpauir pop, but I like Trady and Nady if healthy. And keeping Bobby Scales off the team has to count for something.
Overall, I'm seeing the world through cubbie blue lenses, but I'm seeing a lot of chances for improvement. Optimism, I tells ya.