Cubs Will Win it All, On Paper!

article

110

2009-03-03T17:53:00-05:00

Playerpress

Yes

459 2048 Granted, I have been a fan of the Chicago Cubs throughout my lifetime, and even though the Cubs have the best team in the National League on paper, there is always that sinking feeling every year.  <meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type" /> <meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId" /> <meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator" /> <meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator" /> <link href="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List" /><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style type="text/css"> </style> On paper, the Cubs have the most dominant lineup in baseball. <o:p> </o:p> Alfonso Soriano hit 29 home runs and had 75 RBIs. He had a .280 batting average and stole 19 bases last season. In addition, he did this in just 109 games due to injuries. <o:p> </o:p> Ryan Theriot had 73 walks with only 58 strikeouts in 2008. He had a .307 batting average along with 22 stolen bases and he scored 85 runs last season as well. <o:p> </o:p> Derrick Lee has hit 22 and 20 home runs respectfully the last two years. Lee consistently hits for average, scores runs, and drives in runs. Last year he had a .291 batting average, scored 93 runs and drove in 90 runs. <o:p> </o:p>  Aramis Ramirez has had over 100 RBIs six out the last eight seasons. Last year Ramirez had 111 RBIs, a .289 batting average, and 27 home runs and a career high 74 walks last season. <o:p> </o:p> Milton Bradley led the league last year in On Base Percentage (OBP) with a .436 average. He had 22 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 80 base on balls. <o:p> </o:p> Geovany Soto ranked in the class of the top four catchers in baseball with 35 doubles, 23 home runs, 86 RBIs, 62 walks, and a .285 batting average. <o:p> </o:p> Mike Fontenot had a .305 batting average with a .369 on base percentage. Fontenot also had 9 home runs along with a .514 slugging percentage playing only part time in 2008. <o:p> </o:p> Reed Johnson had a solid .303 batting average, 50 RBIs, and 52 runs scored last year for the Cubs in a platoon role. <o:p> </o:p> Kosuke Fukudome had an excellent first half and started in the All-Star game. After that, his stats dropped dramatically. He ended with a .257 average, 10 home runs, 58 RBI’s, and he scored 79 runs. <o:p> </o:p> Joey Gathright is probably one of the fastest players in the game. He has a career .328 on base percentage, stole 21 bases and scored 41 runs last year with the Royals. <o:p> </o:p> Aaron Miles amassed a very impressive .317 batting average and scored 49 runs last year with the Cardinals. <o:p> </o:p> Micah Hoffpauir in 73 big league at bats last year, he had a .342 batting average. In the minors at Triple-A, he had a very impressive .362 batting average with 25 home runs and 100 RBIs in 71 games as a starter. <o:p> </o:p> The Cubs lineup does not lack any punch, or run scoring ability. As I mentioned previously, on paper, they should dominate from the plate. <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Their pitching staff is one of the better staffs in the league as well, again, on paper. The starters can also dominate at times while totally shutting out the opposition.   <o:p> </o:p> Ryan Dempster had a 17-6 win-loss record with a 2.96 earned run average (ERA) and 187 strikeouts last season. <o:p> </o:p> Carlos Zambrano had a 3.21 ERA with 130 strikeouts, and he pitched a no-hitter against <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Houston</st1:place></st1:city> in September. Big Z also adds to the Cubs with his bat. He is the best hitting pitcher in baseball. He had a .337 batting average with 4 homeruns and 14 RBIs. <o:p> </o:p> Rich Harden posted a 1.77 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 71 innings for the Cubs. Between the Cubs and the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Oakland</st1:place></st1:city> A’s, he had a 10-2 win-loss record. <o:p> </o:p> Ted Lilly had a 17-9 win-loss record with 184 strikeouts and only 64 bases on balls in 2008. Lilly threw two 1 hitters, two 2 hitters and one 3 hitter in last season.   <o:p> </o:p> Sean Marshall had an ERA of 3.86 in 2008 along with 58 strikeouts, which was an average of seven strikeouts per nine innings, and he only walked 23 batters in 65 innings pitched.  <o:p> </o:p> Even without the much talked about acquisition of Jake Peavy from the Padres, the Cubs starting staff is one of the best in baseball no doubt. They look great on paper too! <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The Cubs relief pitchers seem to be a great staff as well when you look at them on the stats sheets.   <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Carlos Marmol struck out 114 batters in 87 1/3 innings last season, and completed 7 saves in 9 chances. He also was one the league leaders in holds with 30, pitching in the 8th inning.   <o:p> </o:p> Kevin Gregg posted 29 saves and 58 strikeouts for the Florida Marlins in last season. <o:p> </o:p> Jeff Samardzija went 4-1 with 2.28 ERA in his first year in the majors with the Cubs last year. In 27 innings pitched, he had 25 strikeouts and 15 walks. He is a strongarmed pitcher with excellent control.   <o:p> </o:p> Aaron Heilman had 80 strikeouts with 46 walks in 76 innings pitched for the New York Mets last season. <o:p> </o:p> Chad Gaudin averages around one strikeout per inning pitched and only walked 27 batters in 2008.   <o:p> </o:p> Luis Vizcaino has been a very effective innings eater on the mound during his career. I am not sure what role he will play with the Cubs this season.   <o:p> </o:p> Neil Cotts had 43 strikeouts and only 13 walks while pitching 35.2 innings for the Cubs last season.    <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> As far as the manager is concerned, Lou Pinella is one of the best in the game. He has been named Manager of the Year three times during his career as a manager. Pinella has guided teams he has managed to seven playoff appearances with six division titles and one World Series title to his name as a manager. In his two years as the Cubs Manager, he has lead them to two division titles. <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Overall, the Cubs look unstoppable this year when you look at all of the intangibles of the team. Nevertheless, this is looking at the stats on paper. The Cubs are the best team in baseball on paper and being the long time Cubs fan that I am, paper does not mean squat! <o:p> </o:p> There have been excessively too many years, (but not enough,) well for me anyway, that the Cubs have had a good team on paper but in one-way or another disappointed in the end. <o:p> </o:p> I mean after all, they are the Cubs, the lovable losers, the curse of the goat and hundreds of other excuses year after year for the past one hundred and one years. <o:p> </o:p> Here is hoping that one of these years the Cubs will jump off the paper and play to their potential through the season, the playoffs, and win the World Series. As I have said before, at least once in my lifetime! Please! <o:p> </o:p> So for every Cubs fan out there, as we do year after year after year, we can dream. Right?       Photo Credit: Robin Alam / Icon SMI 0.0.0.0

2009-03-03T17:53:00-05:00

cubs-will-win-it-all-on-paper

Yes 66.249.67.136, 65.55.106.114, 65.55.105.211, 66.249.68.248, 66.96.220.69, 72.30.78.232, 67.195.113.245, 65.55.207.53, 67.195.115.163, 66.249.68.227, 217.14.6.210, 66.249.68.219, 65.55.207.126, 67.195.112.110, 66.249.68.242, 66.249.68.198, 83.167.62.163, 67.195.114.233, 65.55.207.122, 65.55.108.241, 66.232.124.243, 66.249.68.251, 67.195.112.159, 65.55.207.135, 65.55.106.187, 67.195.113.249, 67.195.111.172, 83.167.62.164, 66.249.67.227, 65.55.207.75, 67.218.116.131, 66.249.68.233, 65.55.207.45, 87.250.252.241, 38.99.98.111, 65.55.110.209, 66.249.67.229, 65.55.106.228, 66.249.67.200, 66.249.67.134, 66.249.67.58, 65.55.207.28, 66.249.67.129, 209.191.123.35, 65.55.218.158, 67.195.114.42, 67.195.115.181, 66.249.68.204, 65.55.106.110, 67.195.112.85, 67.195.112.114, 38.107.191.86

Cubs Will Win it All, On Paper!

No MLB, Chicago Cubs

Cubs Will Win it All, On Paper!

231

administrator