No matter what happens with Felix PIe the rest of this season, I think we all need to give the kid a slap on the back for his momentus bomb that put the game away tonight. 

When Pie first came up to the bigs, the aspect of his game that impressed me the most was the his reputation for having a dogged work ethic - no, not his arm, his speed, defense or power....his work ethic.  He takes none of his skills for granted, and while he's had a rough start to the year, Felix Pie continues to put in the extra time and effort to improve his game and tonight he reaped the reward of his effort.

Let's all keep encouraging this young man because in an era when the most talented young athletes rest on their laurels, Felix Pie is a throw back to the old school - he respects the game as much as he loves to play it, and his hard work will pay off.

One thing's for certain, no matter what happens in the final 8 games of the season:  the big three have been playing clutch baseball for us in the final month of the season.   Whether it's Lee's average, Aram's rbi's or Soriano's HR's, these guys have showed Cubs fans why they get paid the big bucks.  

Who are you voting for for player of the month?

Aramis
.301 AVG
.393 OBP.
1.064 SLG
7 HR
18 RBS

Lee
.351 AVG
.425 OBP
27 hits
6 2B's

Soriano
.293 AVG
10 HR's
17 RBI's

You pay for what you get, and without these three, we'd be nowhere.  Add to that the amazing play of DeRosa in September, and the emergence of Geovany Soto, and you have the reason for our recent resurgence and success.

Making the playoffs is all about your big $$ guys play big $$ baseball, and our three have performed as well, if not better than any three in baseball this month.  Clutch performances by clutch players as we chase the playoffs.  Loving it.

We've all been fooled.

That's what I was left thinking today after the Cubs won their third series this year, second in a row against division competitors--complete with a do-or-die, rain 'em out, come from behind 5 run bottom of the fifth inning-- (to think it all began after a harmless Izturis bloop....hah).  

I kept thinking: How can this team be 12 and 14?  Well, besides the fact that we're 0 for 6 in 1 run games.  I mean this team is dominant.  How can we be 5 1/2 behind the Brewers? The Brewers? How can The Brewers have the best record in baseball right now?  Who called that?

See, what I'm thinking is this team is really a stellar team that's been posing as a bunch of losers.  That's why Lou hasn't flipped yet.  He knows that there have been alot of tough bounces and hard knocks and that this team will produce.  He's just been patiently waiting.  Lou? Patient?. Hell, we're outscoring all our opponents.  And outpitching them, most of the time.

Offense-great.  Lee-monstrous (the homers are coming).  Soriano - turning it on, big time. (please stop with the careless base running).  A - Ram-solid.  Theriot-exactly what we've always needed, and playing like a vet.  JJ-solid (.278 with men in scoring position, could be better).  Floyd-Dangerous (with the bat, that is).  Barret, Derosa - (will come on stronger).  Pie-Wild Card. Is a team batting average with men in scoring position of .282 that bad?  (I agree, it should definitely be better).  It doesn't have to be Yankees better, but better nonetheless.

Starting pitching--solid, could be dominant (Lily-A, Marquis-A, Hill-B+, Z-will pull it up from a C, you know it. Bull Pen - solid, (sans the ghost of Scott Eyre).  Defense - not bad (except Izturis).  Defensively, this is not Dusty's team.

In fact, that's what we need to remember, this is not Dusty's team.  This is not the Cubs of the last two (or 5, or 10, or 100 years).  This is Lou's team, and what question marks will exist this season (too many outfielders, short stop, pen, 5th starter), he will have to manage, and manage he will.  You'd have to think that Lou likes this team.  

I know I like this team, and I think that the last two series has told me so.  This could be a dominant team.   I just hope they have fun and not overthink it, b/c all the tools and pieces are there.  

We need a fifth starter.  
We need Eyre to come back from the dead.  
We need to let Lou manage the ss situation......(and tell him to keep Pie)

Then, we might finally see what this team really is--World Champions (at least potentially).

It's ok, we were just fooled for a second there (right?.....right guys?)

PAYROLL - WHAT CAN WE SPEND?

Now that the Cubs have resigned Aram, it's time to figure out just what the team can and can't do, within the boundary conditions of their payroll.  If the Cubs are, in fact committed to upping their payroll over 100 million (and some have said to 120 mil) then it would appear that we have a lot of flexibility and room to go out and get the free agents we need to compete.

Let's say that the entire payroll for the Cubs including coaches comes to 75 million as of now--committed.  That still leaves approximately between 25 million and 40 million left to spend.  With that kind of money, we should be able to sign 2 quality starting pitchers, and 1 big bat, preferably Soriano - or 2 bats (Drew and Wells) + 1 quality starter -- ?  It all depends on just how much more $$ the Cubs will have to sign guys.  I like the idea of Soriano, Wells, and then assuming we're not going to get Matsuzaka, Schmidt or Zito--fill in the # 3 and #4 starters appropriately - A big hitch:  If we do get Matsuzaka, then he will sign for significantly less than Zito or Schmidt.  Could be interesting.

Seems to me you get one superstar + parts, or you spread it around.  I say we go for Schmidt, Wells (in a trade), Wilson and a serviceable 2B.  That we could do for b/t 25 and 30 million.

With this kind of flexibility, and based on these numbers, what would you do?  

POSITION PLAYERS

3B    Aramis Ramirez 14,000,000.00
1B     Derek Lee         13,000,000.00
SS    Cesar Izturis        4,150,000.00
OF    Jacques Jones      4,000,000.00
C    Michael Barrett       3,000,000.00
OF    Matt Murton          380,000.00
OF    Angel Pagan          380,000.00
IF    Robby Cedeno          380,000.00
IF    Ryan Theriot          380,000.00
IF     Freddie Bynum          380,000.00  
C    Geovany Soto          380.000.00

POSITION PLAYER TOTAL 40,430,000.00

PITCHERS

SP    Carlos Zambrano 6,500,000.00 (arbitration?)
RP    Ryan Dempster       5,000,000.00
RP    Bob Howry       4,000,000.00
SP    Mark Prior           3,650,000.00
RP    Scott Eyre           3,500,000.00
RP    Glendon Rusch       3,250,000.00 (injured)
SP    Wade Miller       1,500,000.00
RP    Kerry Wood       1,000,000.00 (incentives)
RP    Will Ohman          610,000.00
RP    Michael Wuertz          380,000.00
RP    Roberto Novoa          380,000.00
RP    David Aardsma          380,000.00
SP    Sean Marshall          380,000.00
SP    Rich Hill              380,000.00

PITCHER TOTAL        30,910,000.00
TEAM PAYROLL TOTAL    71,340,000.00

NOTES:
-Zambrano will get more $$ assuming he goes to arbitration
-Rusch is obviously injured, and we have to eat his contract
-Wood's money could be more depending on contractual incentives

I know, I know--it's all heresay......but,

Charlie Steiner is on ESPN Radio 2:54 PM EST saying that Buster Olney has an inside scoop on the Matsuzaka bidding and is reporting that The Red Sox have won the rights to Matsuzaka with a bid somewhere between 38 and 43 million dollars.

For what it's worth--

Anyone else out there have the feeling that if the Yankees lose this game that they're blowing right now, Steinbrenner will buy out the rest of Torre's contract and hire Lou Pinella??  There's no way the Big Boss isn't going to blow this Yankees team up after their choking.....

That's my prediction, at least.  Pinella to the Yankees--Girardi to the Cubs.  This would be good news for those of us rooting for Girardi as the next manager of the Cubs.  

Thoughts?

Sandberg? Sutcliffe? Grace? Maddux?

As the Cubs search for a new manager (again), and fans begin to project who would make good coaches in the new regime, something continues to baffle me:  Why do fans continue to throw out the names of former Cubs' favorites as prospective coaches?

I mean, come on, who doesn't love Ryno? The Red Barron? Gracie?  Sarge?  Right?  They are Cub icons, and all-of-them, fan favorites.  However, it seems borderline ridiculous, or at least yet-to-be-justified to be throwing these guys names out there as coaches for the new regime.  What is it that will make Ryne Sandberg a great coach?  What is it that will make Greg Maddux a great coach?

I can't say what it is that makes a good coach, but I think that we all agree that from the manager on down, what the Cubs need are excellent, hungry, devoted teachers of the game.  We've all complained, and all agree, no-matter-our-differences, that the Cubs' coaches as of late have plain-sucked.  It showed on the field everday.  The best teachers of the game -- or the best teachers in general, in life -- are not necessarily the Hall of Famers or best players.  That is one thing I have always observed about baseball--or any sport for that matter--it's usually the mediocre former players or no-namers that make the best managers and coaches.  Excelling as a coach utilizes a different set of skills than succeeding as a player.

So, do people really want these former stars to be coaching our players?  I just want to know what other people seem to suggest:  What is it that will make Ryne Sanberg a great coach?  Maddux? Grace?  Me, personally, I always feel more comfortable with the manager making the choice.  I mean, it's not a popularity contest.  

What does it take to be a great coach?  Who are the best candidates?  Why would former star players make good coaches?

As an unashamed, long time Baker supporter, I have often posted in defense of the Cubs' manager who led us to our best season since 1984.  I accept that, and I accept that some of you don't think Baker is the man to bring our Cubbies a championship--nuff said.

However, I have never seen--and I admit that I could have missed--a posting that suggested the Cubs offer Baker a contract, but only with the stipulation that the coaching staff is replaced: top to bottom.  We need some hungry, hands-on baseball lifers and thinkers who are motivated to rally the players and do everything possible to get the best out of them.  

First off, I think we all agree that the Cubs organization has made one major mistake: eating the hype surrounding our young aces, and relying too heavily on their arms--namely Prior and Wood; Secondly, and contrastingly, we've also been the recepients of misfortunate with our injuries: namely, Wood (2 years), Prior (2 years), Ramirez (last year), Garciaparra, and now D. Lee (whose absence I believe is compounded by the fact that the absence of his presence negatively effects our lineup in a synergistic way).  These two facts cannot be argued, nor underestimated.

Hey, I love Sarge.  He's one of my favorite Cubs, and was always clutch as a pinch hitter--but he, and D. Pole, and G. Clines, and even Larry Rothschild--who arrived with so much hype and so many accolades-- haven't shown a damn thing in my opinion.

I can't hide my belief in Baker.  Nor can I try and convince anyone else out there that he's a track-proven manager, who's poured his heart and soul into The Cubs, and his desire to provide this cursed, drought-ridden team a championship.

But I will say this--Before you jump on the tired Fire Dusty BandWagon consider three things.

1.)  In his first season with The Cubs, he managed a team to within several outs of a World Series appearance.

2.)  He's been short-handed each succesive season, the team having been decimated by significant injuries

and, most impotantly--

3.) Who will you replace him with that's available and proven?

That said, I don't believe in the coaching staff, and I think that if Baker has one weakness, it's the fact that he doesn't surround himself with the best coaching options to compliment his managerial style.

This seems to me to be the next-best-thing that the Cubs can do to progress out of this mire in the next three years.

Big Win Tonight.  Go Cubs--

When your so far down, there's always reason to believe

Watching the game on ESPN, I just heard Peter Gammons report that he spoke with Derek Lee before the game, and that he and The Cubs are very close to a 4 year 12-13 million per year contract with a one year option.  Gammons suggested that something would be announced on Monday or Tuesday.

Best of all, Gammons asked Lee why he wouldn't wait until the end of the year to play out his free agency and fish for a 6 year big-money contract from Boston or New York, when he could really cash in at top dollar.  Lee's response:  "I don't want to make a lot of money--I want to play in Chicago."

I mean--come on.  How fortunate are we?!

Good news indeed.

--Just heard a post-game interview with Michael Barrett on XM, where he said that the addition of Pierre to this team has not just changed the "lead-off" spot, but that it's infused the club-house with a level of confidence going into the games that they haven't had the past two years.  He said that Pierre's addition has brought a level of excitement and positivity that has this team believing they can win--beyond swinging for the long-ball.

This supports my belief that there are more factors than just the numbers when analyzing change in personnel-- and that this team has a totally different attitude and outlook going into this year.  You can see the camaraderie and confidence on their faces.

Seeing as the Cubs won today, I thought I'd focus on the positive-and avoid the knee-jerk tendency of some to start bashing on players as soon as we beat our red-rivals from the south.

Great come-from-behind victory.  Great PH with Barrett, Great make-up homer and diving stop at first in the 9th by Lee, and Great pitching from Z (though he had the excessive walks).....Really it was all about overcoming the adversity of the errors--and getting into that bullpen, b/c Carpenter was tough.....