Wow Carlos Silva you suck you fat piece of shit. 6 runs allowed already in 2 innings, lol. But this is good because hopefully this will show Lou this tub of shit has no business being in the rotation.

Actually check that, not just no business in the rotation let's change that to the roster. Cut this scrub.

something about Guzman tearing a ligament and wont be available opening day.

Yeah Guzman gets hurt all the time, fuck him.

His injury is career threatening, don't think he'd be able to play this year with an injury that severe. We got a lot of rooks and young guys that are going to have to step it up, after Grabow and Marmol there isn't a lot of experience there. With Silva sucking hard core, looks like Marshall may be in the rotation until Teddy Ball Game gets back, but he'd be more valuable in the bull-pen given Guzman's injury.

if the Cubs flounder early is there any chance of a firesale or do you think that they will wait it out another year. Think about how many teams need guys like Aramis Ramirez or Zambrano.

Also Lilly won't be able to pitch until May 1st. So in the meantime two rotation spots are open (until Lilly gets back) and Lou said there are 4 guys competing for those 2 spots: Marshall, Shark, Silva and Gorzelanny. Silva needs to be eliminated from that competition ASAP. To me Marshall and Gorzelanny should be able to handle it. Shark still doesn't impress me.

I'm not sure about that simply because I think Hendry is probably under the microscope with new ownership in place. I'd like to think his job is on the line if the Cubs struggle. That being the case I'm not sure he would be willing to wave the white flag unless things got really, really bad.

On the other hand, maybe I'm wrong and Ricketts likes the fat ass.

If it were up to me, if the Cubs do fall out of contention then yes I'd be willing to deal guys like Z, Lee and Aramis for prospects. I really feel like our window of opportunity with these guys closed when the Dodgers swept us in the 2008 playoffs.

Another question is even if the Cubs do decent, will Aramis and Lee be back? Lee is in the final year of his contract. Aramis has a player option to opt out. I'd probably rather Aramis stay just because I think he still has some production left. They might let Lee walk though. I know he bounced back pretty strong last season but still at his age you never know when it will be gone.

Fact is the Cubs should be in contention in the Central just because the division still kind of sucks. Houston and Milwaukee really did nothing impressive in the off season. The Reds are still the Reds. The Cardinals always find a way to contend but they are not scary. If the Cubs can stay healthy overall (BIG IF) then they should be in the race.

I agree, he looked like shit last year.

Well apparently Shark has worked on his off speed pitches and it is alleged he could be much improved this season. I'll believe it when I see it.

So do you guys think Castro will see any PT on the big league club this season? He is the latest and greatest hyped prospect of the moment. I'll say this, it would be cool to have a slick fielding SS with range who could force Theriot back to 2B where he belongs.

It would be cool, his defense will help, but will his batting average be an improvement over Fontenot and Baker? Wait, did I just ask that question?

Lou wants to take it slow with him. Which is right, see how he does and the Baker/Fontenot platoon goes at 2B. Even if he's good enough in the minors and gets promoted to the squad, I couldn't imagine Lou putting him as a starter unless our 2nd situation was god awful.

Baker/Fontenot, ugh. I know Baker hit pretty good after being traded to the Cubs last season but I think it was a fluke. Maybe I will be wrong. Fontenot has to hit better.

But yeah I don't want to rush Castro and harm his development. It isn't like this season is make or break. The Central is mediocre as usual so the Cubs have a shot at the playoffs if the rotation holds up.

I agree, Baker was a fluke. Though maybe Fontenot's production will go back up as a platoon player for a whole season. He's a decent hitter, had deceptive power, he just can't keep it up as a starter.

Oh, and Bradley keeps proving that he's a cancer:

chicagotribune.com
Piniella called out by Bradley — again
Attitude in clubhouse makes for loose ballclub as it prepares for long season

By Paul Sullivan, Tribune reporter

12:16 AM CST, March 10, 2010

MESA, Ariz. -- In his latest salvo aimed at the Cubs, Milton Bradley claims he wanted manager Lou Piniella to apologize to him in front of his teammates after Piniella called him a "piece of (expletive)" during a confrontation last June.

Piniella declined, according to Bradley.

"The next day, he called me into his office and wanted to apologize," Bradley told ESPN. "I felt you put me on blast, called me out in front of everybody, you're going to apologize in front of everybody.

"He didn't choose to go that route, but I accepted his apology nonetheless, because as a Christian that's what you do. I don't have time to hold grudges against people."

The day after the incident, Piniella apologized to Bradley personally and also made a public apology to him through the media for the harsh words. At the time, Bradley said he accepted it.

Now, after being traded to the Mariners, Bradley is on the offensive. He repeated to ESPN the stories of receiving hate mail and that his 3-year-old son was called a "derogatory" name.

Bradley also repeated the story of alleged racist remarks by Chicago waiters, which he told Cubs beat writers last August.

In the ESPN variation, Bradley added Alfonso Soriano's name.

Bradley insisted to ESPN that Chicago is still one of his favorite cities.

"When people ask me what city you like to go to as a visitor, Chicago is always No. 1," he said. "I just really had a bad experience. I don't think the entire city of Chicago is racist or anything like that."

Extra inning: The game-time temperature of 43 was six degrees colder than in Chicago. … Piniella called Mike Fontenot's play at shortstop Monday "one of the highlights" of the victory over the A's. "It gives us different options if we choose," he said, referring to the Cubs' bench.

lol says he doesnt hold grudges...obviously.

chicagotribune.com
Castro making decision tough on Cubs
Promising shortstop looking so good club may have hard time sending him to Triple A

By Paul Sullivan, Tribune reporter

10:40 PM CST, March 11, 2010

PEORIA, Ariz. — The Cubs insist Starlin Castro needs to start the season at Triple-A Iowa to get the experience necessary to become an everyday player.

But Castro's bat is saying otherwise.

The 19-year-old rookie, who will celebrate his 20th birthday March 24, went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs Thursday in an 8-7 victory over the Padres.

Castro is hitting .571 for the spring and looking like he's determined to make the decision-making process difficult for the Cubs.

Manager Lou Piniella continues to insist Ryan Theriot is his shortstop and he's not interested in moving him to second to make room for Castro at short.

Prospects headed to the minors typically get sent to minor league camp midway through Cactus League games. Will the Cubs give Castro a longer look?

"That's going to be up to (general manager) Jim Hendry and (assistant GM Randy Bush)," Piniella said. "Unless the kid is going to start here, their preference in the past has been to send these kids out to get them familiar with where they are going to play."

But few Cubs prospects have performed as well as Castro has early in the games. When he smacked a first-pitch home run to left in the fifth inning, Piniella looked at bench coach Alan Trammell with a wild-eyed grin on his face.

Silva watch: Carlos Silva turned in three scoreless innings, allowing four hits with one walk. Sam Fuld's leaping catch in center in the third helped Silva's cause. Still, he looked noticeably different from his Cubs debut, when he served up a pair of bombs to White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin.

Silva credited pitching coach Larry Rothschild for changing his delivery. He now lands more to the right, trying to throw across his body. It changes his angle and allows him to finish his pitches and keep the ball down.

"I told Larry, and I was telling my wife, too, that I haven't seen that sinker for a long time," he said. "The one I was throwing in the bullpen. I saw the action and location and I was very excited to pitch today. I came with a different mentality. I find myself a little more comfortable doing that."

Silva said he feels like a new man.

"What makes me feel so comfortable is the coaching staff," he said. "Since I went to (the Cubs Convention), I've felt like they were behind me, especially Larry and Lou, the way they talk to me and push me and want me to do good. It's important to me that somebody cares that I get better."

Extra innings: Xavier Nady said he is determined to play regularly before the June 1 target date. … Cubs President Crane Kenney said the team is close to making a decision on adding advertising in the left-field bleachers. It appears as though it will happen in 2010.

Great news but lol at Lou. Under the radar gun........hahaha.

Theriot wins Cubs' leadoff battle vs. Fukudome
March 15, 2010 2:54 PM | No Comments
theriot-leadoff.jpg

By Paul Sullivan

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Ryan Theriot officially has won the battle with Kosuke Fukudome to be the leadoff man, and Mike Fontenot likely will be the regular second baseman.

That was the word from manager Lou Piniella on Monday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field before the Cubs' exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies.

"I would say it would be Theriot," Piniella said. "I like Fukudome in the No. 2 hole, and we'll go from there. And right now, as we speak, I think that Fontenot has probably jumped ahead a little in the second base slot. It hasn't been finalized, but that's the way I view it right now."

Photo: Ryan Theriot will bat leadoff against both right-handers and lefties, manager Lou Piniella said. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)

Piniella said he wants to have a set lineup in place by the final week of Cactus league games. He will have only two left-handed hitters, Fukudome and Fontenot, batting in the Nos. 2 and 7 holes.

"That's OK as long as the two lefties in the 2 and 7 hole hit," he said. "That's the important thing. Because we could have two righties in the 2 and 7 holes."

Theriot will bat leadoff against both left-handers and right-handers, while Fukudome will sit against lefties and someone else will move into the No. 2 hole.

Piniella said his lineup probably will be Theriot, Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Marlon Byrd, Alfonso Soriano, Fontenot, Geovany Soto and the pitcher.

Piniella also said he would play Kevin Millar in left field some time later in the Cactus League games. Baker will also play some outfield this spring.

Also, Ted Lilly will throw batting practice when he returns Thursday after the birth of his first child, Theodore Roosevelt Lilly IV.
____________

Ted Lilly's full name is Theodore Roosevelt Lilly the third. Fucking awesome.

So I have a question for Cubs fans.

I understand the Cubbie love. I do. Being a Bear fan I understand some of the Chicago media/fan Homerism. The cubs thing is kind of crazy though to me.

I am a Brewer fan. I honestly do not understand how the Crew are not rated ahead of the Cubs. The Crew seems to be using the Twins method to build a team. Find a couple key players in the field. Get some good arms and you have a good team. The Hebrew Hammer and the really Fat Veggie guy automatically make them a good team. (actually it looks like prince slimmed down a bit this off season. With the addition of Randy Wolf makes the rotation a hell of a lot better. The team has just gotten better. At a few spots too. The Cubs have not. Maybe thats homeristic of me to feel the Crew has less holes then the Cubs. That’s my feeling yet the Cubs are the talk of the NL.

Then add to it. The Cubs get all the love when the White Sox are a pretty damn good team. (all of this is on paper by the way). That staff could throw an amazing ERA. The top four together could carry a team to the world series. They may not be a home run team this year but if they have an average offense they could win the whole damn thing. Yet all the talk is of the Cubs.

I guess what I am saying is I just don't get the fascination with everyone. Even non-Cubs fans fascination. I just don’t get it.