Post by Jim Hendry on Nov 9, 2005 15:37:14 GMT -5
First Base
NOW: Carlos Delgado
THEN: Derrek Lee ('05 & '06)
SKINNY: Maybe the biggest offensive improvement without sacrificing much defensively
Second Base
NOW: Mark Derosa
THEN: Jemel Spearman/Mark DeRosa in '06, Todd Walker in '05
SKINNY: Jury is out. Walker probably the best in the bunch but DeRosa's stay at 2nd will be short lived, as Spearman and Richard Lewis are set to make splash in '07
Third Base
NOW: Sean Burroughs
THEN: Sean Burroughs in '06, Mark Bellhorn/Jose Macias in '05
SKINNY: Burroughs is developing into solid thirdbasemen...he improved not only defensively in his sophmore year at Wrigley but increased all offensive #'s while decreasing his Ks. Bellhorn and Macias don't come close
Shortstop
NOW: Junior Spivey
THEN: Jimmy Rollins in '06, Nomar Garciaparra in '05
SKINNY: Spivey clearly falls short of the potential his predecessors possess, however, Spivey is just keeping the 6 spot warm for top Cubs prospect Les Clement, who after a brilliant rookie season at AA will get some time at AAA instead of rushing straight to the bigs
Outfield
NOW: Lew Ford, Luis Matos, Jeremy Burnitz/Ryan Klesko
THEN: Ford, Klesko, Sammy Sosa in '06, Ford, Jacque Jones, Junior Griffey in '05
SKINNY: Ford will get 100% time in the leadoff spot which should pull his numbers back up to '05 level and beyond. Matos will prove to be very similar to Jones. Griffey and Sosa didn't put up the numbers to reflect their salaries. Burnitz and Klesko combined don't make near a quarter of what Jr or Sosa were paid and both put up respectable numbers in past two years
Catcher
NOW: Chad Moeller
THEN: Ramon Castro in '06, Matt LeCroy in '05
SKINNY: Castro was a slight improvement in avg from LeCroy while LeCroy had much more pop. Moeller had neither in '06. Look for one of the AAA catchers to get a spring training call up and shot at the job if for no other reason, they can at least hit .225 and have much stronger arms
Rotation:
NOW: Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Mike Mussina, Bartolo Colon, Brazleton
THEN: Prior, Wood, Mussina, Brian Lawrence, Dewon Brazleton in '06, Prior, Wood, Ted Lilly, Damian Moss, Lason Bere in '05
SKINNY: On paper, 2006 should have been a strong year for the Cubs based on their big time names. Unfortunately, the big time pitching didn't come through. Prior and Wood topped 250 Ks, Prior's 297 a career high...but also career high for MP, a 4.62 ERA. Hopefully a fluke season sets up for solid CBPOY for '07. Wood and Mussina will benefit from increased run support. Brazleton is still learning but he and Colon should give everything you'd expect from guys pitching in the 4 and 5 spot. If the bottom 2 struggle, the Cubs have a few homegrown arms cited as the future of the organization that are ready to be tested now
Closer
NOW: Trevor Hoffman
THEN: Billy Koch ('05 and '06)
SKINNY: Hoffman is aged but still had the stuff in '06 and if he can bring some of it back for '07 then the Cubs will be much better off. Koch's best days are most likely behind him in the closer spot.
Overall: Its hard not to imagine this team will be better than sub-.500 as it was in 2006. The problem was that its hard to imagine the 2006 Cubs were sub-.500. 2007 success will rely mainly on major players giving their best and a few prospects bringing everything that the organization thinks they can. Given the age of some of the big names, it could be now or never. Should the 2007 go south, the Cubs may deal some power players pfa's away to prepare for the future and build around a core ot talented youth.
NOW: Carlos Delgado
THEN: Derrek Lee ('05 & '06)
SKINNY: Maybe the biggest offensive improvement without sacrificing much defensively
Second Base
NOW: Mark Derosa
THEN: Jemel Spearman/Mark DeRosa in '06, Todd Walker in '05
SKINNY: Jury is out. Walker probably the best in the bunch but DeRosa's stay at 2nd will be short lived, as Spearman and Richard Lewis are set to make splash in '07
Third Base
NOW: Sean Burroughs
THEN: Sean Burroughs in '06, Mark Bellhorn/Jose Macias in '05
SKINNY: Burroughs is developing into solid thirdbasemen...he improved not only defensively in his sophmore year at Wrigley but increased all offensive #'s while decreasing his Ks. Bellhorn and Macias don't come close
Shortstop
NOW: Junior Spivey
THEN: Jimmy Rollins in '06, Nomar Garciaparra in '05
SKINNY: Spivey clearly falls short of the potential his predecessors possess, however, Spivey is just keeping the 6 spot warm for top Cubs prospect Les Clement, who after a brilliant rookie season at AA will get some time at AAA instead of rushing straight to the bigs
Outfield
NOW: Lew Ford, Luis Matos, Jeremy Burnitz/Ryan Klesko
THEN: Ford, Klesko, Sammy Sosa in '06, Ford, Jacque Jones, Junior Griffey in '05
SKINNY: Ford will get 100% time in the leadoff spot which should pull his numbers back up to '05 level and beyond. Matos will prove to be very similar to Jones. Griffey and Sosa didn't put up the numbers to reflect their salaries. Burnitz and Klesko combined don't make near a quarter of what Jr or Sosa were paid and both put up respectable numbers in past two years
Catcher
NOW: Chad Moeller
THEN: Ramon Castro in '06, Matt LeCroy in '05
SKINNY: Castro was a slight improvement in avg from LeCroy while LeCroy had much more pop. Moeller had neither in '06. Look for one of the AAA catchers to get a spring training call up and shot at the job if for no other reason, they can at least hit .225 and have much stronger arms
Rotation:
NOW: Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Mike Mussina, Bartolo Colon, Brazleton
THEN: Prior, Wood, Mussina, Brian Lawrence, Dewon Brazleton in '06, Prior, Wood, Ted Lilly, Damian Moss, Lason Bere in '05
SKINNY: On paper, 2006 should have been a strong year for the Cubs based on their big time names. Unfortunately, the big time pitching didn't come through. Prior and Wood topped 250 Ks, Prior's 297 a career high...but also career high for MP, a 4.62 ERA. Hopefully a fluke season sets up for solid CBPOY for '07. Wood and Mussina will benefit from increased run support. Brazleton is still learning but he and Colon should give everything you'd expect from guys pitching in the 4 and 5 spot. If the bottom 2 struggle, the Cubs have a few homegrown arms cited as the future of the organization that are ready to be tested now
Closer
NOW: Trevor Hoffman
THEN: Billy Koch ('05 and '06)
SKINNY: Hoffman is aged but still had the stuff in '06 and if he can bring some of it back for '07 then the Cubs will be much better off. Koch's best days are most likely behind him in the closer spot.
Overall: Its hard not to imagine this team will be better than sub-.500 as it was in 2006. The problem was that its hard to imagine the 2006 Cubs were sub-.500. 2007 success will rely mainly on major players giving their best and a few prospects bringing everything that the organization thinks they can. Given the age of some of the big names, it could be now or never. Should the 2007 go south, the Cubs may deal some power players pfa's away to prepare for the future and build around a core ot talented youth.
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