I think Lee will be a productive (.300) hitter, but he may have lost his 30 HR power stroke with the wrist injury. Basking in Barry's "managerial halo", I would bat Soriano 1 and Dome Ay 2 (OK, I'm giving up on the name Musha).

Soriano is a prima donna with the skills (and contract) to get by with that. He is a capable soloist who appears with the orchestra, and not the concert master who makes the whole orchestra better. So let him be first on stage (at least once a game) and watch him hit a double, a home run or strike out--not distracted by what a baserunner may be doing or the need to hit behind that runner.

Dome Ay isn't showing much of a power stroke but he is showing the ability to get on base and run. So let him bat second and create rbi opportunities for Lee and Aram. That leaves the capable DeRo and the hopefully capable Soto for 5th and 6th. I would bat Pie 7th and good contact hitter, Theriot, 8th. Theriot is likely better "leading off" in the 8 hole than at the top of the order.

If Dempster and Marquis continue as Mr. Inconsistent I and II through 4 starts, Lieber and Hart will be "Kiss your sister" adequate replacements until JH gets a 2-3 replacement for one of them.

All in all, this team is essentially the same team that finshed last year. (Fukudome replaces Jones/Floyd. Jones was not a liability in the second half.) Wood can be considered a pick-up if he stays healthy. The team still will not make good at bats and the offense will be inconsistent. It is not a WS contender as currently constructed.

Jim Hendry essentially has done nothing (Fukudome fell in his lap) The change in ownership can't happen soon enough for me.

Cary,

Here, here as well. For years this team has lacked patience and plate discipline. They can't (and won't) bunt, they can't (and won't) execute a hit and run. They run the bases like little leaguers, and just make bone head mental errors. The pitching staff, for all the salaries, are a bunch of head-cases who mentally unravel at the first sign of trouble.

The core problem is that management doesn't really construct a team well. It's about chemistry and character and heart (with the will to win) v. the veteran contracts. I want to believe this team will succeed, but I see Lee being a bust this year (his head is certainly somewhere else), Soriano being a DL candidate waiting to happen, and Dempster and Marquis being nightmare experiences. As for Hill, the kid (who's not a kid anymore) can't throw his bread and butter curve for strikes, but yet we tell him it's ok. I am so tired of these head-cases, high pitch totals, excessive walks, etc. Get ready for the kids coming up sooner than later.

Cary,

How can you forget 60's pitcher and 20 game winner Billy Hands? I'll take those late 60's starting staffs over ours anyday.

JimK,

I like the 16 game season idea. Something new and pretty cool.

Lastly, I just don't get this Hoffpauir stuff. Yes, he had a great spring and probably would be a solid bench player for some team. But to suggest replacing D Lee with him after a huge spring training ... that's a bit much. Anyone remember the monster spring former Blue Jay (and now Brewer) Gabe Gross had a few years ago? ... .385 with 8 HR is 52 AB's ... which was more HR's than he hit in over 400 regular season AB's. Outside of this spring and a terrific 1/2 season at AAA in '07, Hoffpauir hasn't had a ton of success.

JimK are you sure you were not a Major League scout/manager/GM?? You come off with some freak'n very powerful ideas. I literally am going to set up a chart of 16 ten game sets and track/predict during the season. Very smart Bro....

Cary, BRAVO on your DLee comments. I fully agree that this kid Hoff"power" should have been given first base based off of the DLee's horrible ST and last years "sleepwalking" as well. He really started off bad last year and couldn't get it together until after the ASB. It is not that I don't respect DLee, he is the consumate professional, but since his daughters' illness he just hasn't been the same so this leads me to believe that his dauther is not faring well and that is sad. I would rather put him on a leave of absence or something to allow him to clear his head. To watch his team succeed or fail w/o him on the ballfield. If he is not clicking by the ASB I say seek out a trade and give first to Hpower. The kid just flat out hits!!

BTW, Theriot looked terrible last night. I hope this isn't a look at what will be.......

GET BR!!!!!!

GO CUBBIES!!

So the Cubs need 15 wins to reach the 10,000 plateau. Let's see how long that takes this season.

Without being alarmist as it is still ST, this team has several recurring deficiencies. They have no plate patience, and that becomes a major liability in most games in which you have to manufacture runs, especially early in the season in the colder weather.

Soriano is an all or bust player. One day he'll be the superstar, but most times he'll break our hearts while swinging at 55 foot pitches. He won't bunt, and can't execute a hit and run in the #2 hole. Let's see how many runners he leaves stranded early on.

Lee, though a gold glove who we always hear wins several games with his glove, has lost his focus at the plate. I recall two years ago he approached every ST at-bat like it was Game 7 of the WS. That's gone. While I like Derrick, it would have been great to trade him while his value was extremely high, get that truly solid #2 starter (plus), and provide Hoffpauer with a spot to play. This loyalty to some players drives you nuts.

It's the same mentality in the rotation. We should have shuttled off Dempster and Marquis in some package/somewhere, and let the Marshall's, Veals, Lahey's gain their ML experience with some live arms. This rotation reminds me back in the 60's when you had a Jenkins and Holtman, and truly nothing behind it. So how much does a Dempster and Marquis earn per win?? Staggering.

While I too look forward to Monday, I sense we're in for a lot of agonizing aggravation, especially early on.

As we all know, we can't get too down or too exctied about one game--unless it's in the NLCS and/or the Series. I like breaking the season into sixteen 10 game tests and hoping that the last two games are when we rest our veterans.

I grade the 10 game tests pass, fail or kiss your sister. Six wins or more and the team passes. Four wins or less and the team fails. Five wins and you've kissed your sister--a nice gesture but nothing to brag about.

Four of 10 equals 40% or 65 wins during the season and failure. Six of 10 equals 60% or 97 wins, and the team is a kickin' butt success. The first test starts Monday. Kick butt, Cubs!!! The Faithful are ready to do some bragging!!!

Silva had been a good sinkerballer, though more flat than the movement you would expect from Halladay or Webb. But he should be practicing a cutter during ST games. Anyone observed that type of pitch? And how's Marquis' movement in this game compared to Silva's?

I agree. I believe the only reason Lieber is in the 'pen is because he came out and said he wouldn't mind. I think they're trying to keep Marquis happy....but I don't see Lieber staying in the pen all season. He's been too good in st.

The leash on Marquis has to be real short. If he can't win early in the season, he is CERTAINLY not going to win late...

3 HR in 3 innings pitched is pitiful...

Lieber is ready and waiting.