PREDICTION: Cubs to win game 3!

With the Chicago Cubs dropping the first 2 games in Arizona and having an uphill climb to advancing to the NLCS there is concern both in the clubhouse and with fans. The Cubs are heading back to the Friendly Confines where the hope there bats and pitching get on the same page. To look at the glass half full, the Cubs will have a loaded Wrigley Field with there own fans behind them and cheering them on. Wrigley Field the past month have been like a playoff atmosphere and the cubs have played well at home and I expect no different. The Cubs will have inexperienced Rich Hill on the mound against an aging changing speeds experienced pitcher in Hernandez. With inexperience you have 2 things that can happen... 1. You could blow up and let the pressure get to you and hand the series over to the Dbacks or... 2. You have tremendous sucess, take advantage of the tense Dbacks in an elimination game and force a game 4 with Z taking the mound. I think Hill with dominate and give the win to the Cubs.

The Cubs will not only win they will do it with the long ball, good pitching, and great defense. This will be the turn around game for the Cubs( it will have to be!!!) and bring that Cubbie Swagger we seen the last 2 months of the season. Expect Rammy, Sori, Lee, and Floyd to have big games and expect Hill to have a dominating playoff performance. I expect and predict the Cubs to win this game and I also expect and predict them to win the game on Sunday forcing a game five. Who knows what happens after that!

The Cubs need that Swagger back and I think it comes to them Saturday when there in front of there fans at the Friendly Confines.

GO CUBS GO!!!!!

Cubs Playoff Roser Set.

Some surprises, some no brainers here is the roster


Infield:
Lee
Theriot
DeRosa
Fontenot
Cedeno
Ward
Ramirez

Outfield:
Floyd
Murton
Soriano
Pie
Jones

Catchers:
Soto
Kendall

Pitchers:
Z
Lilly
Hill
Marquis
Eyre
Marmol
Hart
Howry
Wuertz
Wood
Dempster

Blanco, Marshall, Trachsel, Monroe and Ohman left off roster. The surprise to me is Monroe, he smashes lefties and he is good in the clubhouse and has post season experience. I would have picked him over Font or even Murton in my opinion. He has more power than Murton and better defense and a cannon for an arm. Another surprise is having Marshall left off the roster. If the cubs make it past the Dbacks you might see them both on the next roster in the NLCS. Lou has a good lineup, lets just hope he doesn't put dempster in a close game and god help us if he decides to have him close.

Cubs will face Dbacks

CINCINNATI -- The Cubs are headed west.
The Cubs will open the National League Division Series on Wednesday against the NL West winners, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Carlos Zambrano (18-13, 3.95 ERA) will start Game 1 for the Cubs against Arizona's Brandon Webb (18-10, 3.01 ERA), with Ted Lilly (15-8, 3.86 ERA) going in Game 2 on Thursday. The best-of-five series will shift to Wrigley Field for Game 3 on Oct. 6 and Game 4, if necessary, on Oct. 7.
The Cubs entered Sunday's regular-season finale not knowing who they would be playing because of the complicated Wild Card scenarios. All they had to do was wait and see if the Phillies lost, or the Mets lost or the San Diego Padres won. If one of those three things happened, the Cubs were headed to Arizona. The Florida Marlins obliged, and beat the Mets, 8-1.
This is the Cubs' first trip to the postseason since they won the division in 2003. That team was five outs away from reaching the World Series, when the Marlins rallied to take the NL Championship Series.
This is a new team, with a new look and new manager Lou Piniella.
"We've got as good a chance as anybody else," Piniella said. "We're going to have to pitch well, and we're going to have to get some timely hitting. We're built for the short term as well as the long term.
"We've got a veteran team here, basically, and we've got some pitchers in the rotation who can keep you in ballgames, and we have a strong bullpen to close things out," he said. "Really, what it amounts to is how well we hit."

My 25-man playoff roster

Here is my 25 man playoff roster-
1.Soriano
2. Theriot
3. lee
4.aram
5. floyd
6. Soto
7. jones
8.Derosa
9. Ward
10. Monroe
11. Murton
12. Kendall
13. Pie
14. Cedeno
15.Zambrano
16. Lilly
17. Hill
18. Marquis
19. Marshall
20.Dempster
21. Marmol
22. Howry
23. Eyre
24. Weurtz
25. Wood

Men left out are Fuld, Blanco, Font, Ohman, Hart, Trachsel.... I was debating Hart over Marshall but we may need another lefty coming out of the pen.

Monroe over Font anyday. He could be very valuable off the bench or to start against a lefty. He has post season experience so you have to have him on the 25 man roster.

Soto proved he deserves to be in the playoffs in the last stretch. He is a power bat and a good backstop. He is also very clutch hitting .385 with RISP. Sorry Blanco.

The only thing that could change is adding a pitcher or position player if Ward cant go. But I think Ward will be on the roster for the mere fact even when not 100% he will be very valuable off the bench. He is the best pinch hitter in the league in my opinion.

Feel free to comment or put your 25 man roser down.

Cubs name first 2 starters in playoffs.

Thanks to cubs.com-

CINCINNATI -- The Cubs aren't sure who they're playing in the National League Division Series, but they do have their first two starting pitchers set for the postseason.
Carlos Zambrano (18-13, 3.95 ERA) will start Game 1 of the NLDS and Ted Lilly (15-8, 3.86 ERA) will go in Game 2. Lilly will make his final regular season start on Sunday against the Reds, but wasn't expected to throw more than 40 pitches.
Rich Hill (11-8, 3.92 ERA) and Jason Marquis (12-9, 4.43 ERA) are the Cubs' other two postseason starters, but what order they will go in the NLDS was likely to be determined by who the team's opponent is.
"We'll play it by ear," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Right now, we're just waiting to see where we're going to go. Nothing has been decided on except Zambrano and Lilly will be the first two pitchers."
Zambrano notched his career-high 18th win on Friday when the Cubs clinched the NL Central.
"His last two games have been really good and that has to buoy his confidence," Piniella said. "He's our ace."
"I'm ready, I'm excited," Zambrano said. "After I went to the playoffs in '03, I got thirsty and hungry for that first game. Now that I have more experience in the big leagues, I'm ready for the playoffs."
Piniella and Cubs general manager Jim Hendry did meet on Saturday to discuss the postseason roster, which does not have to be finalized until Wednesday morning.

THE CHICAGO CUBS ARE DIVISION CHAMPS!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHICAGO CUBS! YOU ARE THE BEST IN THE NL CENTRAL AND ARE HEADING TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!

YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

GO CUBS GO!!!!

Bonds a fit for the Cubs?? What???

According to MLBTR-

Cubs a Good Fit for Barry's Bat
Tim mentioned in this post that fielding know-it-all John Dewan thinks Barry Bonds can still play a tolerable outfield. Well, Bob Nightengale has broken the rumor-ice and brought two NL teams into the "Where Will Bonds Play Next" game:
Chicago and Florida.
The Cubbies, heavy in right handed hitters, would love a bat like Bonds' in the lineup. They probably have the money, though they'll add $10MM in payroll for '08 just to maintain the current group. With Bonds' regular need for time off, there'd still be plenty of playing time for Matt Murton.
Bonds, meanwhile, just may be the apple of Jeffrey Loria's eye. The Florida Marlins owner was fined by the commissioners office last year for flying Bonds to New York in his personal jet. But if the Fish deal Dontrelle Willis in the offseason, it'd be hard to convince Bonds that they're a serious contender.

Wow I have to say this is a surprise. I wouldn't have thought Bonds would 1. Be interested in the cubs. 2. Cubs be interested in him. Barry as everyone knows has alot of baggage and could demand something like 8+ million a year from his new club. That's alot for a guy who doesn't play day games after night games. Having said all that man would I love his left handed bat in the lineup. He would be a great fit in the two hole hitting behind Soriano and in front of Lee or in the 4 hole in between Lee and Aram. Bonds would finally have a hitter friendly park and have guys in front and behind him that would protect him in the lineup.

I know saying I like Bonds will stir up alot of debate but if you look purely at his bat, you cant say you dont like the potential move.

My two cents worth he lands in Oakland or Seattle.

Arod to cubs spectulation raises!

It looks more and more arod will opt out of his contract whether the yanks win or lose the world series. The front runners you say???? The Red Sox and.... yes! the Chicago Cubs!

Thanks to MLBTR-

A-Rod, Partial Cubs Owner?

Deadspin's Will Leitch has an article in New York Magazine dissecting the Alex Rodriguez opt-out situation. Leitch, through a source, has a new piece of info for us sure to generate some discussion. He lists the Red Sox and Cubs as the teams most likely to lure A-Rod away from the Yankees, and lays out a unique Cub contract possibility:

Scott Boras knows which [ownership] group is most likely to be awarded the Cubs. The source says Boras has already been in touch with that group about the possibility of a contract that could reach $30 million a year over the next ten years while deferring a certain portion of money toward an eventual stake in the franchise.

David K. Li's source feels that this might constitute tampering. The group Leitch is likely referring to is the one headed by John Canning, who is currently a part-owner of the Brewers.
Pretty wild stuff. Cubs fans can salivate over a lineup featuring Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, and A-Rod. Keep all of those guys healthy the next few years and they could have the league's best offense. Still, ten year contracts are pretty rare and quite risky. It's tough to project a player more than a few years out, but it's going to take at least eight years to sign Rodriguez.

The Cubs have roughly $110MM on the books for 2008 (more on that in a separate post). They entered the '07 season with a payroll right around $100MM. Even in a backloaded deal I'd imagine A-Rod would earn $20MM+ in his first year. So if the Cubs want to go past the $130MM mark, they could have Rodriguez. That'd put the Cubs third in payroll behind only the Yankees and Red Sox.

This would be the biggest pick up for the cubs next year! Every cubs fan would approve of Arod becoming a cub, if they don't then they must not watch any baseball. I would personally love to give Arod a share in the company and would love to give him a deal worth 30 million a year. He is above and beyond the best player in baseball right now. No one has equalled his numbers on a constant basis. He will hit 40+ homers( especially at Wrigley), he steals bases, drives in runs, and is all around a great guy. If this guy can produce in the Evil Empire he can produce in Chicago. He is a hall of famer, and wouldn't he look good cubbie blue???? Breaking Bonds homerun record in blue pinstripes??? Playing shortstop for out beloved cubs??? The answer is YES! YES! AND OH YESSS!!!!

The thought of Arod playing at Wrigley has me drooling at the lineup. If he does become a Cub, he would play SS, a place where he is comfortable and a place where he has success( 2 time gold glove winner).

If the Cubs got Arod, they would be the best offensive team in MLB!!!

Trachsel to start Thursday and Z to start Friday.

Cubs.com-

CHICAGO -- The Cubs have tweaked their rotation and will start Steve Trachsel on three days' rest Thursday while Carlos Zambrano will get an extra day and go Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Trachsel threw 47 pitches over two innings Sunday against Pittsburgh and was roughed up, allowing six runs on six hits and one walk in the loss. He'll face Houston in the series finale at Minute Maid Park.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella had considered inserting rookie Kevin Hart into the rotation for Thursday so Zambrano could face the Cardinals, but opted for the veteran Trachsel.
"I don't think we really have much choice," Piniella said Monday. "He didn't throw many pitches yesterday in Pittsburgh, so it's not like he pitched six or seven innings."
Zambrano, who ended his personal winless streak with a win Saturday over the Pirates, is 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA against the Cardinals this year.
Ted Lilly and Sean Marshall will start for the Cubs in Saturday's day-night doubleheader at Busch Stadium, and Jason Marquis will finish the series Sunday. Piniella said Zambrano and Lilly will come back on three days' rest for the series against Cincinnati from Sept. 18-19, respectively, with Rich Hill starting Sept. 17.
"Then everything would be back on track," Piniella said.
The Cubs did lose an off-day Monday to makeup the Aug. 19 game against the Cardinals, but still have two off-days remaining, Sept. 20 and Sept. 24.
"I don't know why you need two days off the last nine games of the season and then play 34 out of 35 days," Piniella said. "I don't understand that reasoning, but look, I'm not a schedule maker. To get everything back on track, we'll have to bring both [Zambrano and Lilly] on three days' rest.
"Our pitchers are fairly fresh," Piniella said. "We've watched their pitch counts all summer. we've got enough pitchers now with all these callups that if somebody's struggling or we have a big lead -- which we haven't had -- we can shorten somebody up."
Head to head: The Cubs will play the Cardinals five times in the next seven days and entered Monday's game 7-4 against the Redbirds this season. St. Louis was nine games back on July 27 and has inched back into the National League Central.
"This is a big advantage to Milwaukee," Piniella said of the Cubs and Cardinals going head to head. "You've got the two teams challenging them playing each other. They'll be picking up ground, assuming they win games against somebody. What we need to do here is get hot against St. Louis and hopefully get them behind us a little more."
September hasn't been great for the Cubs, who are 4-5 and batting .265. The pitchers have a 5.81 ERA this month.
"The starting pitching hasn't been all that good the past two weeks or so," Piniella said. "We've had some sporadic work where we get a good game. The guys who have pitched the best have been Lilly and Marquis. We need a little more consistency. They're capable of it. Everybody goes through little slumps. I'm not overly concerned."

Chicago Cubs needs next year and payroll.

With rumors and news slowing down and everyone watching the crazy NL Central race I have decided to run down the contract obligations, the needs, payroll, and players the cubs might look at for next year.

First the Contract obligations-

1st- Lee 13m
2nd- Derosa 4.75m
3b- Aram 14m
SS- Theriot .5m
C- Soto .5m
OF- Pie .5m
OF- Soriano 13m
OF- Jones 5m

OF- Pagan .5m
OF- Murton .5m
IF- Font .365m
IF-Cedeno .5m
C- Blanco 5.25m

P- Zambrano 15m
P- Lilly 7m
P- Marquis 3.67m
P- Hill .5m
P- Marshall .5m

RP- Dempster 5.5m
RP- Howry 4m
RP- Ohman 1.6m
RP- Weurtz .5m
RP- Marmol .5m
RP-Gallahger .5m
RP- Hart .5m

PLAYERS WITH OPTIONS-
OF/1st- Ward 1.2m option/50,000 buy out
OF- Floyd mutual option 3m??
RP- Eyre 3.5 player option

PLAYERS OFF THE BOOKS-
RP- Wood
OF- Monroe( a non tender candidate)
SP- Trachsel
C- Kendall

Wild Card-
SP- Mark Prior 3.5m

If you add up all the guaranteed contracts before trades, arbitration, free agent signings, and add the contracts of Ward and Prior( who I think will be the only two back out of the impeding FA, DL, and Option players) you get a total of

102.835 million for next year

Now with not many players off the books with big contracts the cubs may be looking to get rid of bad/bloated contracts this winter. They also may be going the trade route this winter rather than the spending spree they took last winter. This free agent market looks ok but it doesn't match up with the cubs needs. The cubs could look at the Free Agent Market for a good player in RF, like a Kosuke Fukudome who just had surgery but will be ready to hit the FA market next year. The cubs do not need to much in the infield and could get by with the pitching staff they have especially if the can count on Prior being ready by openinig day (LMAO) or the could get one of there young kids a shot like Veal or Gallahger. The cubs could add another veteran pitcher via trade or get one threw the free agent market but with the price of pitchers and the cost they have spent on them this year I don't see that happening but they could surpise you and pick up a pitcher and reliever from Japan.

As far as the players with options that we currently have on this team, I see Eyre going somewhere else. He has struggled this year and needs a fresh start maybe back in a Sox uniform or in Detriot.

Floyd is an interesting option, the cubs or him could pick up his option just to have a veteran pinch hitter off the bench that can spell the corner outfielders once in a while so I cant tell you if is gonna be in a cubs uni next year.

Ward to me would be a steal for next year at 1.2million for a guy who can smash rightys and come off the bench to play 1st or the corner OF spots, he would be a steal. Im 90% sure that he will be a cubs next year.

Now for players like Monroe, Trachsel, Wood, and Kendall, they will all be in different uniforms next year. The most likely to come back would be Wood but I don't see that happening. Pitchers are getting big bucks on the FA market even if you have arm problems( like Adam Eaton and Wolf). The one player who I would love to bring back is Monroe. I guy who kills Leftys and can play all three OF positions would look good as the 4th OF on this team. I like him better than Murton. Having Pagan, Ward, and Monroe on the bench would be great for this team next year.

Players who have a good chance of being traded before opening day are as followed

Ohman- With the bad comments between him and the cubs staff, this is his last year as a cub.

Dempster- He is losing it on the mound, his performances vary each outing and you don't need that as a closer. Marmol will be the closer next year. Not to mention a 5.5m dollar contract for a closer who only has 20+ saves year. Jose Valverde of the Dbacks is making 2 million this year and Hoffman is making 6.5 million! enough said!

Jones- The cubs are going to go with Pie in CF next year and they need more production out of RF next year and with Jones lack of power and problems with cubbie fans.. He will likely be out before winter meeting are over.


If the cubs decide to pick up another utility guy or upgrade in the infield or acquire a pitcher you might see these guys in AAA-

Font
Cededno
Marshall
Gallagher
Hart
Murton

As far as the cubs needs I think they could go into next year just getting a utility infielder and a everyday right fielder with power and let young guys fill the holes in the pen. Of course everyone would love to see Arod at SS in cubbie blue even if it cost them 30+m a year but I just don't see that happening. I rather see them spend 30 million on a starting pitcher, RF, IF and maybe another reliever. Here is a list of some players that would be good additions to the team next year.

The Reliever-

Hitoki Iwase- This guy will be in a cubs uniform next year. He is the most dominate left handed closer in Japan and will be a great addition to the cubs for a small price. Here is his stats-

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=1065

here is video-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTUOipyLNHU

The Utility Guy-

IF- Mark Loretta- be a cheap good addition to the cubs adds versatility and would straighten the bench a great deal

The Righthanded Starters-

SP-Kenshin Kawakami- check out this guys stats he is 32 years old and could be the dark horse in the SP next year. Here is the link to his stats-

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=1026

SP- Carlos Silva- Another cheap good 4th/5th starter.. He is only 28 years old and has a record of 11 and 13 in 29 starts with a 4.34era. He is work horse already has 180 innings pitched and in the last for years he has made at least 27 starts with at least a 188 innigs pitched so he averages 7 innings pitched a game. Plus pitchers from the AL going to the NL always pitch better there first years.


SP-Koji Uehara- Another one of Japans great pitchers. Would be a great pick up as a #3 starter. Here is a link to his stats-

http://japaneseballplayers.com/en/player.php?id=uehara

The Right Fielders-

RF-Kosuke Fukudome- This guy should be the Cubs #1 priority this off season. He is a power lefty, and his glove is better than his bat and his bat is really good! He will be the next great thing! Here is a link to his stats-

http://www.japaneseballplayers.com/en/player.php?id=kfukudome

Here is a couple of videos of him-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTPVo5KA20&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYllEVLkKdM&mode=related&search=

WOW!

RF-Bobby Abreu- would be a decent pick up, good lefty bat, good OBP would benefit being out of NY

Other OFer who the cubs could pick up but probably wont because of price etc-

Aaron Rowand
Mike Cameron
Tori Hunter
Adam Dunn
Andrew Jones

Here is my opening day 25 man roster, starting lineup, and payroll for next year-

1. Soriano LF 13m
2. Theriot SS .5m
3. Lee 1st 13m
4. Aram 3b 14m
5. Fukudome RF 14m
6. Derosa 2b 4.75m
7. Soto C .5m
8. Pie CF .5m

Bench-
Ward 1st/OF 1.2m
Loretta IF 2.5m
Pagan OF .5m
Font IF .5m
Blanco C 5.25m
Murton OF .5m

Starters-
1. Zambrano 15m
2.Lilly 7m
3.Kenshin Kawakami 9m
4. Hill .5m
5. Marquis 3.67m

Relievers-
CL- Marmol .5m
RP- Howry 4m
RP- Weurtz .5m
RP- Marshall .5m
RP- Gallagher .5m
RP- Hitoki Iwase 4m

DL- Pior-3.5m

Bring the payroll next year to a respectable 120-125 million for next year.