At least Nomar isnt a weiner

from chicagosports.com

The pressure on the Cubs to end their streak has magnified, leaving a once-forgiving fan base with a win-or-else mentality. Booing at Wrigley Field has become commonplace. Garciaparra knows this fact won't change until the Cubs finally win.

"I've been around it, so that's all part of it," he said. "At the same time, the way I look at it is that [the fans] care. They care so much, and you appreciate that. They fill the stands every day. You'd feel more [upset] if they weren't coming, if they were like, 'All right, I'm tired of that. Forget them. I'm giving up.'

He's hit the ball well since he's been back. He's seemingly grown to love Chicago. Yet...I think we'd be fools to bring him back.

Will the Cubs make the right choice (in my opinion) or the popular choice?

Neifi wants to start in '06

from the Daily Herald...

Perez is batting .282 with an on-base percentage of .306. He will be a free agent, and the Cubs would like to have him as a backup again.

“My body tells me I can play every day,” Perez said. “I might be looking for a starting job for somebody. I feel happy here to play for a manager like Dusty Baker. I want to come back. I don’t only play shortstop. I can play second base.”

(Insert punch line here)

Another Article by Mariotti

Read it here.

He mentions possible contract extensions For Dusty (NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!) and Hendry (meh).

I'd like to comment on his 9 player decisions though...

1. Cut Nomar loose-- Despite Nomar's recent production, I agree with this. He's no good to us on the bench, and he's not going to sign for THAT cheap of a contract.

2. Sign Furcal for SS, let Cedeno and Neifi platoon at 2B-- I agree with signing Furcal and letting him lead off. But I dont want to see Neifi back with this team. There's no way in hell Dusty will platoon him with Cedeno. Dusty's definition of platooning means playing Cedeno once for every five games he plays Neifi. NO THANK YOU.

3. Give Derrek Lee $100 million and don't risk losing him after the '06 season-- Mariotti sure likes to spend money that isn't his. But I'll join in. I'd give Lee $75 million over 5 years. He's had an amazing season, but after the Sosa debacle, I can't justify giving any player that much cash, especially based on one season.

4 & 5. Have Murton in left, Pie in center (if ready) and Brian Giles in right-- Sadly I think this may be the best we can do for '06 given the slim pickens in the free agent market. Johnny Damon will be too expensive for how old he is, so forget that idea. I'm still not sold on Murton being a corner outfielder, but Hendry may have little choice. And I badly want to see Pie play.

6. Dont expect much from Kerry Wood-- Amen to that. I just get the feeling that Wood, no matter how many times he has his arm worked on, will never live up to the hype we've been swimming in since his historic 20K performance in 1998. Mariotti also suggests taking a look at AJ Burnett....as if we dont have enough injury-prone starters as it is?

7. Buy an effective closer-- Mariotti suggests chasing Billy Wagner or BJ Ryan. If you can get Wagner for 2 years, by all means do it. BJ Ryan...if the price is right.

8. Dump Rothschild-- It will be a DAMN SHAME if Larry Rothschild gets dumped and Dusty doesn't. A DAMN SHAME. Dusty is the problem, not Rothschild.

And Mariotti ends like this...

Decision No. 9, we'll leave to the fans. Why do you keep clinging to this cause when there's no redeeming value in the end and contracts are being extended to unworthy recipients? To the long list of philosophical toxins that have plagued Chicago National League Ball Club Inc., add a distasteful entry:

Cronyism.

You think I've been unhappy this season? Try talking to me if Dusty Baker gets a contract extension.

Shut up, Todd Walker

From the Chicago Tribune...

ST. LOUIS -- Cubs second baseman Todd Walker was upset Monday over analysis by the St. Louis Cardinals' broadcasters, suggesting their TV announcers were trying to make Tony La Russa look like a "genius" at Dusty Baker's expense.

At issue was Ronny Cedeno's eighth-inning bunt, which came when he missed a sign but wound up allowing La Russa to intentionally walk Derrek Lee. That contrasted with La Russa's decision to let his No. 2 hitter, Abraham Nunez, swing away before Albert Pujols' decisive three-run homer.

"At this time, you're going to pick on every little thing," Walker said. "I heard the announcers saying in the eighth inning that we chose to bunt our No. 2 guy, and then they get to walk D-Lee. So then they make a genius out of La Russa, saying he didn't bunt [Nunez] and he gets a base hit.

"The reality of it is it didn't work for us and it worked out for [La Russa]. But every little thing is under a microscope now, and you just deal with it."

Walker also disagreed with the perception that missing signs was another example the Cubs are fundamentally unsound.

"It's the perception that if it's a team like the Cardinals that have won 80-something games, that they're perfect," Walker said. "That's not the case. When you're losing, people look for things. In baseball, nobody is perfect.

"But there's the perception that if you're 20 or 30 games over .500, that you are, and if you're a few games under like we are, then they make the assumption you [lack fundamentals]. That probably is a fair analysis, but that's kind of the case with every team. It gets overlooked when you're winning games like the Cardinals."

I normally like Todd Walker's shoot-straight attitude, but once again we have a Cubs player paying attention to broadcasters. Only this time it's the broadcasters for the opposing team.

Todd, they're the Cardinals announcers. You're seriously surprised that they're saying good things about Tony LaRussa? Joe Buck may be a homer, but he's broadcasting the games for Cardinals fans. Of course he's going to make LaRussa sound good. And WHY are you focused on this anyway? WHO CARES WHAT THE CARDINALS ANNOUNCERS ARE TALKING ABOUT??

This is so idiotic. And another example of the crap that Dusty has allowed to happen over the past 2 seasons.

I'd give my left nut to have Tony LaRussa managing the Cubs instead of Dusty Baker.

And Todd Walker, stop trying to start shit with the team that has pounded your ass the past two seasons.