ROSTER TALK - JULY 18. '08

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 9:52 AM CDT

Good morning everybody. It's time once again for roster talk. Let's get together here and discuss what we think the roster will, could, should, or even might look like over the next week until Fonzie comes back. Another bat should come up today, will it be Hoff, or maybe Pie? Who is the pitcher to go down? We know the team is looking for a RH hitter off the bench and to spell starter(s) in the OF. Marquis is on the block as well, can the Cubs get anyone to take on enough of his money to make a trade? If big Jim does make a trade for either need mentioned above, who could it be? Will Cedeno be moved, either down to AAA, or traded? It's time for Roster Talk. (Feel free to bring all possible nicknames to the roster(s) you post. Let's have fun until tonight at 7:00 CT.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I think we're standing pat.

Da Hoff comes up today for Hart, IMO.

The only thing I could see is us getting a bullpen arm, maybe in the mold of Ron Mahay.

But like I said, barring injury, I think we’re done making moves.

"This is the kind of thing … that makes you want to see the Chicago Cubs team lose." Marty Brennaman

by Bildo1805 on Jul 18, 2008 10:03 AM CDT reply actions

I think the Cubs add a reliever

What I’d really like to see is an 11-man pitching staff. If Piniella insists on 12, it woud be nice if he’d use all 12.

Either Marquis or Lieber needs to go—I like Liebs, but he’s not getting used correctly. He’s just taking up a roster spot right now. Really, I’d like to see both of them go, but I think that the Cubs want “depth” for the rotation. (What good is the depth if you don’t trust the pitchers?)

Here’s what I’d like to see once everyone’s healthy, assuming they DON’T add a reliever:
Rotation:
Zambrano
Harden
Lilly
Dempster
Marshall

Bullpen:
Cotts
Eyre
Gaudin
Howry
Marmol
Wood

Of course, that’s assuming that they can find a taker for Marquis.

by Shanghai Badger on Jul 18, 2008 10:14 AM CDT reply actions

Dang

How great is that pitching staff?!? I got giddy looking at it. Let’s hope it also looks good on the field.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jul 18, 2008 10:19 AM CDT up reply actions

I'm a lookin'

And I’m a likin’.

"This is the kind of thing … that makes you want to see the Chicago Cubs team lose." Marty Brennaman

by Bildo1805 on Jul 18, 2008 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions

What do ya think of replacing Eyre with somebody?

What is Hill can contribute down the road? What does that mean for Marshall.

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Hill contributes longing to my heart.

I want him to come back home. Although I like Marshall too in the Jason Marquis Memorial #5 Spot in the rotation.

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 18, 2008 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

The Marquis Memorial spot!!! Great stuff Roid!

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Jul 18, 2008 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Hoff got recalled for another cup of coffee

Cubs will make some deals that is a foregone conclusion as the ready their playoff roster.

Marquis will be dealt, I am suspecting that CO, NYM, LAD, NYY, TX or even Tor in a 3-way deal where they move Burnett to the one of the above and Tor takes Marquis, Cedeno, Wuertz and possibly Pie for Ryan or something.

This will engineer or offer Marshall a couple of starts to see if he is of a 5th starter status, but I think Hill will be in the role by Aug 15th and through September. Marshall will be moved to the swing position and Lieber thanked but released Cubs might waiver him and he might get picked up by a contender.

Thus I see the roster being:

Position starters: Soto, Lee, DeRosa, Theriot, Ramirez, Soriano, Edmonds, Fukudome
SP’ers: Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly, Marshall/Hill
RP’ers: Wood-cl, Howry, Marmol, Eyre, new LHP, Gaudin, Marshall/Hill(swing)
Bench: Blanco, Johnson, Ward, Fontenot, new bat IF

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Jul 18, 2008 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions

yeah, i'm gonna have to say that the 3-way deal...

is probably not gonna happen. In fact it has about the same likelihood as the chances of me getting into a “3-way deal” of my own this evening….and since i’m mainly planning on watching the game one would think my chances of hitting two home runs in the same game, if you will, are quite miniscule.

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 18, 2008 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Hey, ya never know...

...you might decide to order a pizza during the game, and the delivery person could turn out to be an attractive and adventuresome lass with the hots for fans of the Cubbie blue. She rear ends another vehicle pulling up to your house that happens to be driven by another frisky hottie, their heated discussion turns passionate, one thing leads to another and they rather impetuously decide to deliver your pie in tandem and…

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by daver on Jul 18, 2008 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions

You should write for Penthouse Forum daver...

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions

seems like the both of you aren't trying

the same was said in ‘03 when Hendry pulled off the Pittsburgh deal….

Naysayers….subject matter experts NOT all add up to Rosy Palm lovers…..

You want to laid….get out there….get embarrassed sometimes, a pretty one might find that attractive….as for baseball I see you all really know what you are talking about.

There are movers and shakers and there are sellers and buyers, all are motivated to do just what? Get moved and shaked and sold and to buy something.

Want a three-way they are out there but not for the palm lovers that is a one way deal to being alone

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Jul 18, 2008 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I think I just had

an existential experience.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 18, 2008 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions

daver that was inspiring...

anybody got any recommendations for pizza delivery?

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 18, 2008 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Wow. REC'D.

"It’s like they have 40,000 players on one team. Forty thousand people want to be in the dugout slapping fives. ‘Passionate’ is an understatement." -- Giants LHP Alex Hinshaw on Wrigley Field

by northsider on Jul 19, 2008 12:18 AM CDT up reply actions

lol @ trade

"It’s like they have 40,000 players on one team. Forty thousand people want to be in the dugout slapping fives. ‘Passionate’ is an understatement." -- Giants LHP Alex Hinshaw on Wrigley Field

by northsider on Jul 19, 2008 12:17 AM CDT up reply actions

can i dream?

and replace Marshall with Hill and Eyre with Marshall

that would make me quite happy

by DartmouthCubsFan on Jul 18, 2008 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions

It's tough to use all 12 pitchers cause we don't need 12!

I think it’s hard to argue with Shanghai Badger’s 11-man staff here. You’d think Lieber (who could have some value for us if we’d USE him..example he should have immediately come in as Harden left the game vs. Giants and finished the game. With Lieber and his awesome control, we will give up a ton of runs when we’re way ahead far less than when we put in our best relievers to finish such a big lead off..since Marmol is nasty but can always blow up with BB/HBP to give up 4+real quick.) could potentially have some value in a trade also, if you excuse my massive and ridiculous parenthetical. But yeah, I love that staff. Probably my ideal choice, and if you wanted a righty you could go with Hart instead of Cotts. Then in the field we have:
Soto (Blanco)
DLee
DeRo
Ryan “The Glove” Theriot
ARam
Dome
Edmonds (Reed J.)
Soriano

Reed and Blanco are for-sure necessary bench guys, in addition to Ward off the bench at PH. (note:he should just list his position as PH on the roster that would be sweet)
Fontenot: well, Lou loves him. And he is useful right now with Soriano out, but when he’s back then DeRosa shouldn’t move off 2B except rarely- and Cedeno can cover when we do this (or ideally RIOT then put Ronny at SS)

We would be better off if we could combine Ronny and Mikey into one player, who would then actually be good and useful. Otherwise i would rather have a true righty hitter and true defensive replacement- Cedeno is better than RIOT but then also I am better at D than theriot. This is where the infamous “RAKE” as dubbed by Ivy Walls would be nice to have. Also, if we had a true righty PH who would likely be an outfielder, we wouldn’t have to put DeRosa in the OF very often, which is generally a good thing.

so to me, the ideal 5-man bench would consist of something like
blanco, reed, Righty PH sort of like Ward except likely not quite as good a hitter and hopefully not as fat, The Man Ward Himself, and a RAKE (yeah i mainly like this term because it makes no sense whatsoever)

If we somehow manage to get the 11 man pitching staff which is stuff of Cub fan dreams; everyone’s favorite hamster would then be the PERFECT 6th bench guy…bringing walks and pocket-size power to the #2 Lefty PH spot.

This is all for now but it is friday and there hasn’t been a game in 5 days and I’m at work so clearly today’s posts will have the aggregate volume of a david foster wallace novel- that pretentious name-drop is in honor of this weekend’s pitchfork music festival, one of the nation’s top outposts of pretension from right here in our fair city.

by Canseco's Roid Party on Jul 18, 2008 10:39 AM CDT reply actions

If Lou would ever agree to the 11-man staff...

.... then maybe someone else could be acquired who could be a part time OF and bench bat from the RH side. Don’t know exactly who, but at least there would be a slot open.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jul 18, 2008 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions

I think if Lou felt like all 11 pitchers...

were strong & could hold their own weight, then maybe he’d go with an 11-man staff. If they can shed Marquis and some of his money, Marshall or Hill could slot in as the 2nd lefty Lou wants in the rotation. Opening up a slot for either Eyre, or somebody by trade that could do situational lefty and lefty work. Maybe. This is all maybe playing. Fun to discuss though. Any more scouts looking at Jason, Al?

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Well...

... since Marquis hasn’t pitched since the last time I said scouts were watching, probably not. :)

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jul 18, 2008 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Jimmy says: duh! I'm stupid.

Brain Fart. Can’t wait for the game tonight. The ASB totally threw me off my schedule…

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions

And, I say keep him

until the trade deadline. I liked his last start, if he keeps this up we still have the Marshall plan backup. If he tanks it, trade on. I know many of you will say that his trade value is probably at it’s highest right now but good pitching is hard to find and if he’s good, I’m all in for keeping him. Holding on until the trade deadline should give him 2 more starts (?) and we should know by then.

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Jul 18, 2008 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Cedeno has had 1 ab over the last 7 days

He’s just wasting a roster spot as Lou has zero confidence in him and I would say there is a 95% probability that he will be either traded (who’d want him though?) or sent down and replaced, very soon. That’s really to me, the only obvious move the Cubs will make.

I'm hunting down the next douchebag to respond to a post with +1.

by High_Tight_Fastball on Jul 18, 2008 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions

To clairify

Cedeno as we know, can not be sent down to AAA. He is out of options. The Cubs can see if he clears waivers, but you can be sure a team will hop on him.

"You can't take life to seriously, you don't get out of it alive"

by wild bill on Jul 18, 2008 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions

The Cubs have no one to replace him

so barring a trade, he will remain. They need a backup infielder. This is where Fontenot’s lack of flexibility hurts. Cedeno is the only bench player that can play SS and 3B.

by rlpete on Jul 18, 2008 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions

I happen to have insider knowledge that scouts WERE watching Marquis...

...while he mowed his lawn over the All Star Break. They were impressed by his footwork but thought his bagging technique could use some work. Nonetheless, one of the bigger landscaping conglomerates may pick up his contract.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by daver on Jul 18, 2008 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions

ChemLawn...

We trade him for some replacement sod and fertilizer…

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Would I be asking Lou for too much

if I asked him to just leave DeRo at 2B for a while so he can get his bat back in gear?

"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007

by DeRoMyHero on Jul 18, 2008 12:05 PM CDT reply actions

I think Lou wants to do that...

He gets side-tracked by DeRo’s great versatility. Sometimes a good thing, other times bad. Oh well, this is what we get; at least for now.

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 18, 2008 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Hill

Is he still in AAA?

by Dave in the basement on Jul 18, 2008 12:51 PM CDT reply actions

He was sent to Arizona and now he's in Daytona...

He was supposed to pitch last night, but they got rained out. He will pitch tonight, weather permitting.

"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun

by Bump Bailey on Jul 18, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Do they stream these games somewhere?

"It’s like they have 40,000 players on one team. Forty thousand people want to be in the dugout slapping fives. ‘Passionate’ is an understatement." -- Giants LHP Alex Hinshaw on Wrigley Field

by northsider on Jul 18, 2008 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

he will pitch there tonight....near the speedway

then it was mentioned he might move to West TN or straight up to IA…..if he is commanding look out folks…...we got a logjam of #5 pitchers….someone has to go…

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Jul 18, 2008 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Another reason

to hang on to Marquis as long as we can. If Hill fails again….....well you know!

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Jul 18, 2008 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions

This did not answer my question at all.

"It’s like they have 40,000 players on one team. Forty thousand people want to be in the dugout slapping fives. ‘Passionate’ is an understatement." -- Giants LHP Alex Hinshaw on Wrigley Field

by northsider on Jul 19, 2008 12:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe

Go here.

They run a Gameday Audio site similar to MLB (except it’s free) for any minor league games that are broadcast. The kicker is that some minor league teams (especially in the low minors) only broadcast a few games, or only home games, etc. If Daytona (or its opponent) is broadcasting the game, you can hear it there. (I think you have to register, but it’s free.)

"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007

by DeRoMyHero on Jul 19, 2008 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions