could be mousad could be hammas.

_____________________ Ari Gold

So the "lazy post didn't work"...I'll type it manually:

Todays lineup per Muskat:

CF Fuld
SS Castro
RF Colvin
1B Millar
LF LaHair
2B Fontenot
3B Tracy
C Chirinos
P Fattah Plattah (Silva)

he's got an option, but given his age, and other options (such as Snyder and LaHair, and even Castro) being deserving of inclusion on the 25 man, if not 40-man, it appears Hoffpauir's days are numbered.

Now, the Cubs can do a number of different things. Right now, the roster stands at 39. Guzman is out for the year, which opens a spot after he's placed on the 60-day. Then, you have Parisi, who is not likely to make the team, which takes it down to 37. Hoffpauir is also likely to be traded/released (even with his option), so that'd take it to 36 spots.

Now...who might make this team? Colvin and Snyder have great chances of making it, and if Snyder does, he'd take a spot, leaving us with 37. Russell has impressed, and is likely to make the team. That'd take us to 38. Tracy is likely to make the team, so that brings us to 39. Now, here's the dilemma...and one I believe the Cubs will make at the very last moment when rosters are due...What do you do about Castro?

Castro is a very impressive fielder AND hitter, and given the lackluster performance thus far by Baker, Blanco's injury (and below average offense), and Fontenot's defensive limitations, what do you do if he continues hot hitting and defense? That'd take you to 40 on the roster. That would almost certainly mean a trade of Fontenot and/or Blanco, as teams typically like to have a little roster flexibility for unforeseen injuries.

It'll be VERY interesting to see what happens...but here's what I've observed thus far, and I realize it's not in-person scouting...but, when Lou plays our young guys, I've noticed a lot of scoring, and far better hitting. When he plays a lineup with the likes of Lee, Soriano, Fukudome, ARAM, and Byrd, we seem to play lethargic. I realize that they contribute a lot to the team, especially ARAM, but isn't that a bit alarming to everyone?

As I've stated before, I'd much rather have a team that included a lineup like this:

Hak Ju Lee (yes, even at his age...AROD, Griffey, and others have done it)-SS
Castro-2B
Jackson-CF
ARAM-3B
Snyder-RF
Soto-C
Flaherty-1B
Burke-LF

...I'd much rather see that, then old, aging veterans that act indifferent, and really don't have the sense of urgency that young players have. Why? Because they've already got their money...there's no incentive, unless you have extreme pride in your game like an ARAM. It takes a very special veteran player to continue getting better after he gets his money, or an organization that demands excellence (something the Cubs have clearly lacked over the years).

Here's something to ponder for all of you. Why do you think so many young players like Howard, Fielder, Braun, Longoria, Wright, Tulowitzki, Cano, etc., have come along in recent years, and have done really well? One, their teams have committed to their development, and let them go through their growing pains, but more importantly, these were all young players, playing for their contracts, as nothing was guaranteed for them when they were starting out. Similarly, why do you see veteran players having career years in contract seasons, then cashing in on long-term deals, only to regress almost 90% of the time in their new contracts? It's because you took the proverbial carrot away from them, and they have nothing to chase. Think about it for a second....I hate to make another political analogy, but what if every member of Congress, including the President, was up for re-election at the end of every year...do you think it'd change their behavior? You bet your ass it would!! Historically, players that have signed year-to-year contracts perform at a higher level, because they're not assured of job security. They MUST perform, or lose out to more productive players.

If you put Lee, Soriano, Z, Fukudome, etc., on notice every year that they better put up numbers, or they'll be replaced, you can bet the farm that they'll be intop shape come camp, and when the season starts. There's a reason why a lot of young guys put up big numbers in Spring Training...it's because they're fighting to get noticed...they're fighting for a roster spot. Veterans get complacent, and that irks me to no end, especially when I look at our roster, and I see our entire OF locked up for the next 2 years and beyond, and we're looking at 3 guys that likely will produce 50 RBI each, and they're signed for a combined $35 million this season. Then, you have guys like Colvin, who took it upon himself to add 25 lbs of muscle in the off-season to earn consideration, and a guy like Snyder, who played in winter ball, and absolutely destroyed pitching there, and continues to do so in Spring Training, and they're outperforming all 3 starting outfielders, and the chances of them making the team are less than 50%. It's no wonder we haven't won in over 100 years. We have veterans year after year with a sense of entitlement to their roster spots and relatively no accountability whatsoever. You can look around the league, and see up-and-coming teams NOT giving anything to their veterans, as they make them earn their roster spots...I don't see that at all with the Cubs.

Thanks Neil...good to know...just working from the box...can't wait until all is on radio/tv.