DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Enterprise
HTML https://enterprise.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: General Discussion
*****************************************************
#Post#: 5002--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: DWing17
Date: January 7, 2012, 9:59 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I'd like to see Soriano gone & Byrd stay for the simple reason
that if we must keep one, Byrd is the better example to the
young players. Seems like MB hussles while AS lolligags.
During ST workouts MB puts 100% more effort into everything he
does than AS. I would not miss Soriano for a second if he was
sent packing.
#Post#: 5004--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: StrikeZone
Date: January 7, 2012, 4:01 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
See, here's the problem -- hustle doesn't win games.
I would rather have a team full of talented players that "take
it easy here and there" over a team of "gritty little hustlers"
every single day because talent will win over hustle more times
than not.
Yes, in little league, it's great to sell hustle to kids and
it's a fine little slogan to get fans lathered up and media
folks foaming at the mouth to sell papers and get hits on their
blogs.
In the real world, where baseball is an every day grind for
players, they simply can't go all out 100% of the time. Well,
not all of them can. Pete Rose could because that was the way
he was wired and he had access to uppers. Today's players don't
have legal access to those "greenies" and they have travel
schedules and 24-hour news cycles and media microscopes that
those players of yesterday didn't have to deal with.
Pete Rose could have a fight with his wife and the police could
be called to his house and it didn't end up on ESPN within the
hour. It's a different world now. Everybody has a cell phone
camera. If you're drunk at a bar, it ends up on YouTube.
Starlin Castro was just accused of sexual assault. From the
details I read, I doubt that case would even have made it into
the media twenty-five or thirty years ago. Who knows what
really happened? It doesn't sound good for Castro but I don't
know if there is enough evidence for a criminal case.
Marlon Byrd blew up at the media and fans a couple of times last
season complaining about his manager and b!+ching about fans.
That doesn't seem like a great example to me for younger
players. That sounds to me like someone that has trouble
dealing with pressure. The media pressure in Chicago is only
going to get tougher this season as they lose more and more
games.
"Why isn't this new approach working?" "If Theo is so smart,
how come you're in last place in June?" "Why did you just get
swept by the Cardinals again?" "When is this group of younger
players going to finally start showing some kind of
improvement?" "You're a veteran on this team of first and
second year players -- how are you leading these youngsters?"
"When is this losing streak going to end?" "Why did you throw
the ball when it looked like you had no chance to get the runner
there?" "Now that you've been eliminated, what are your goals
here in August?" "As you come back from your third trip to the
DL this season, David DeJesus, what's your approach going to be,
here in July?" "Why haven't you gotten off to a good start,
Bryan LaHair, considering you've crushed AAA pitching the last
six years?" "Hey, Randy Wells, how come you aren't any good?"
"So, Carlos Marmol, after that fifth walk, ever consider trying
another pitch other than your slider?" "What do you think Koyie
Hill's doing these days?"
And so on...
Alfonso Soriano is what he is -- a six or seven hitter that is
going to hit 25 homers, which is going to far and away lead the
team this year, if he stays on the club. It's not his fault Jim
Hendry gave him that contract.
Byrd is more tradeable and would bring back more in a trade,
considering he has a smaller contract and is in his final year.
Of the two, I would expect them to have an easier time finding a
taker for Byrd.
The Fonz gets a bad reputation with fans and media because of
his contract. From all reports, he's a good teammate and a hard
worker off the field. He's just a player with declining skills.
You never hear him complain about the boos. He is miscast as
an outfielder and the Cubs knew that when they signed him but
they signed him anyway. Again, I don't understand how that is
his fault.
Byrd is just a guy. But because he "runs hard" people think
he's some great dude that can move mountains. He's been a
malcontent in Philadelphia and Washington when he lost playing
time to better players. He's had run-ins with media and fans in
his time with the Cubs but I guess people want to forget about
that because he looks like he hustles.
I don't want it to seem like I'm defending Soriano or any player
for not producing. Nothing could be further from the truth. I
want the Cubs to play players that are good at baseball. I only
want to point out the inequity of opinions when people only look
at behavior on the field or hustle as a barometer. I just think
that's unfair.
#Post#: 5005--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: blue
Date: January 7, 2012, 5:12 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Of the two players, I think that Byrd fits into the mold of
players that Theo would *actively* want to unload... He is a
free agent after the season, and while Marshall was a player
that MIGHT have been gone after 2012, Byrd is a player who
absolutely WILL be gone after 2012. He was a Hendry signing and
hasn't done anything noteworthy... Other than apparently run
hard. So they'll try to turn him into a prospect or two. If you
were in their position, why wouldn't you? I think they'll
ultimately be successful because you wouldn't ask for much for
Byrd.
Since Soriano is signed for a while, and you would have to eat a
LOT of salary to move him, there are two reasons you would trade
him: a) He's blocking a hot shot outfield prospect that you'd
like to get a look at (where you treat the salary you're dumping
as a sunk cost) or b) you are able to turn him into multiple
prospects that you will have control of for a long time... The
Cubs arent exactly swimming in major league-ready outfield
prospects, so option A isnt going to happen. As for option B,
could you actually imagine another team trading multiple
prospects to the Cubs for a player of Soriano's declining
skills? I couldn't. But you never know.
So you throw his name out there and see what other teams are
willing to give you, the same as Garza... The price being even
higher for Garza. If no one can come up with a package worthy of
the sunk cost, you just keep him around as a much-needed
right-handed bat. Maybe he can put together a good season or
maybe another year shaved off of the remainder of his deal will
make him more tradeable next off season. Or if he continues to
decline, releasing him becomes more palatable. Assuming of
course that they have added a little more right-handed pop and
can lose him from the lineup.
#Post#: 5017--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: DWing17
Date: January 7, 2012, 11:51 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Fine, then I vote for legalizing the uppers & sending them all
out onto the field high. :P ;) That may be the only way any
of us make it through this season.
#Post#: 5018--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: Kaylynna23
Date: January 8, 2012, 12:38 am
---------------------------------------------------------
They need uppers & we need Xanax!
#Post#: 5020--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: Layna
Date: January 8, 2012, 8:15 am
---------------------------------------------------------
LOL Kay....so true
#Post#: 5023--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: Kaylynna23
Date: January 8, 2012, 12:30 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I have some...I'll share. :)
#Post#: 5118--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: Cubette Tx
Date: January 13, 2012, 6:19 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
KERRY WOOD IS BACK!!! Video posted on FB by Bleacher Nation!
#Post#: 5120--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: K1
Date: January 13, 2012, 7:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm really confused. Hasn't he been back?
#Post#: 5122--------------------------------------------------
Re: CUBS IN 2012
DIR By: StrikeZone
Date: January 13, 2012, 8:25 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: K1 link ---
>
> I'm really confused. Hasn't he been back?
>
--- End Quote ---
No, Kerry Wood was a free agent at season's end and was only
re-signed today, conveniently just before the Cubs Convention
opened.
*****************************************************
Page 13 of 51
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page