Your NL Central Update

[DowntownDawg]

Cards 4 - Reds 1
Rockies 9 - Cubbies 1

Barring an 8 run 9th, 3 game lead for the birds.

 

[DowntownDawg]

Cards 4 - Reds 1
Rockies 9 - Cubbies 1

Barring an 8 run 9th, 3 game lead for the birds.

 

[Coach34]

Carpenter and Wainright when they pitch...i may have to continue it the rest of the season...that offense is going to score runs

 

[MissStFan87]

August could decide it all. The Cardinals could find themselves out to a huge lead at the month's end if they just continue to hit.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

The Cardinals can almost reset their rotation every week. Very few times does a 5th starter have to pitch.

 

[beachbumdawg]

teaseku</p>

 

[Todd4State]

The Cardinals can almost reset their rotation every week. Very few times does a 5th starter have to pitch.

That they were only going to have to use a fifth starter only two or three more times all year. I don't think that's necessarily by design. I think it's because Wellenmeyer sucks.

As it is, they basically have a four man rotation.

Edit to say I just found out that Wellenmeyer is going to the DL.

 

[Notch Johnson dawg]

Please sweep the Phillies. You can do it. We are pulling for you.

Sincerely,

America's Team, the Atlanta Braves</p>

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I don't think its by design either but their schedule helps make the decision easier.

 

[PineGroveBully]

He is basically a 5 inning pitcher but the Cards are something like 10-1 in games he starts going back to last year and when you have Carp and Waino eating up 8+ innings a start then the bullpen should be rested enough to handle the few extra innings anyway.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

August could decide it all. The Cardinals could find themselves out to a huge lead at the month's end if they just continue to hit.

Yep, a few of us Cub fans said that August might stick a fork in the Cub's hopes. I don't think they will be able to stay healthy enough to keep up with the Cards.

Maybe this off season they will do something strange and actually make some good roster decisions. I wouldn't bet on it though.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

That's going to be darn near impossible since they already have $120 million in contract obligations for next year.

See how these 2010 numbers make your stomach turn:
Soriano - $19.0 mil
Zambrano - $18.875 mil
Aramis - $16.75 mil
Fukodome - $14 mil
Dempster - $13.5 mil
D Lee - $13 mil
Lilly - $13 mil
Bradley - $10.33 mil

Lee and Lilly are free agents after 2010. Fukodome and Bradley after 2011. It will be 2012 before the Cubs can make any significant moves unless someone is stupid enough to take on one or more of these contracts, or if the Cubs are willing to pay some of these guys to play somewhere else. They are paying a small portion of Jason Marquis' contract this year, and he has outpitched every Cubs starter this year.

 

[Todd4State]

I remember when he was pitching for the University of Georgia. I like guys that are grinders like that.

 

[RebelBruiser]

A few things stick out to me.

First, Fukudome is overpaid, as is Lilly and Bradley. You could argue that Soriano is overpaid, but when he's on he's a big catalyst for their offense, so I have no problem with him being a big salary guy. Dempster as well has earned his salary the last two years. Z, Soriano, Lee, and Ramirez all earn their pay in my opinion.

And you're right, they need to let some of that go, mainly Fukudome and Bradley after 2011 and Lilly after 2010, though I may give Fukudome a shot if he shows major improvement.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

A few things stick out to me.

First, Fukudome is overpaid, as is Lilly and Bradley. You could argue that Soriano is overpaid, but when he's on he's a big catalyst for their offense, so I have no problem with him being a big salary guy. Dempster as well has earned his salary the last two years. Z, Soriano, Lee, and Ramirez all earn their pay in my opinion.

And you're right, they need to let some of that go, mainly Fukudome and Bradley after 2011 and Lilly after 2010, though I may give Fukudome a shot if he shows major improvement.

Fukdome - you are right. Horrible investment. Outside of Ichiro and Hideki Matsui, the Japanese players have been vastly overrated. Hideki Irabu anyone?

Lilly is fine. He's in the third year of a 4 year/$40 million dollar deal that was back heavy. Look at his performance the last two years. He's done well.

Bradley was a bad signing. He's making 6 mil this year, then 10, then 13. So the decision to sign was bad and the contract gets worse every year.

Soriano's is by far the worst. When he signed it, it was 8 years 136 million. No one else was going to pay him that much. He was already 31 when he signed it (unless his Dominican birth certificate is wrong). He had already worn out his welcome in New York and Texas and was pretty much auditioning for a contract the year he spent in Washington going 40/40. As a Cub he hasn't driven in runs, stolen bases, played good defense nor stayed healthy. And for that, they get to pay !9 million a year for 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

I am too tired to go into the rest of them.

 

[Coach34]

thats just awful...and it would be nice if a Cubs top prospect would be worth a **** from time to time, but I guess thats asking too much

 

[DawgatAuburn]

It's just more futility on that list. Here are all the Cub draft picks in the last eight years to make it to the show. I don't how this compares across baseball, but my guess is this is somewhat Croomian in its ranking.

2008
None

2007
None

2006
5 - Jeff Samardzija (up and down from AAA this year and last)

2005
none

2004
8 - Eric Patterson (traded to Oakland in Harden deal)
10 - Sam Fuld (up and down from AAA this year)
12 - Sean Gallagher (traded to Oakland in Harden deal)
17 - Jerry Blevins (traded to Oakland in Jason Kendall deal)
19 - Micah Owings (didn't sign with Cubs)

2003
3 - Jake Fox (up and down, bench guy now, terrible glove)
6 - Sean Marshall (terrible starter, dependable bullpen arm)
10 - Casy McGehee (waived, picked up by Brewers this year)

2002
3 - Billy Petrick (8 career games - out of baseball)
4 - Rich Hill (forgot how to throw a strike so he now pitches for Baltimore, because they don't care)
9 - Adam Greenberg (beaned in the head on the first pitch he saw in MLB - has not played since)
13 - Micah Hoffpauir (up and down this year and last)
14 - Rocky Cherry (12 career games - out of baseball)
38 - Randy Wells (don't give the Cubs any credit here; he was drafted as a catcher but couldn't hit so he turned into a pitcher)

2001 (AKA a Gold Mine in comparison to others)
1 - Prior (OK until Dusty killed him and he had to stop using PEDs)
2 - Andrew Sisco (7 career games - out of baseball)
3 - Theriot (decent middle infielder)
4 - Ricky Nolasco (traded to Florida in Juan Pierre deal - Marlins #2 starter)
5 - Brendan Harris (traded to Montreal in the Nomar trade - playing SS for the Twins now)
7 - Sergio Mitre (traded to Florida in Juan Pierre deal - journeyman now with the NYY)
11 - Soto
14 - Khalil Greene (did not sign with Cubs)

It doesn't get much better from there on back....

 

[EmoryBellard]

Cubs are very likely to have back-to-back NL Rookie of the Years. It's not a great farm system, but it's not awful either.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Soto won the ROY at 25 and has done nothing this year to suggest his is any better than Rick Wrona, Damon Berrhill, Joe Girardi, Jody Davis, Hector Villanueva, Michael Barrett or any of the other terrible backstops the Cubs have had over the years.

Wells is a 26 year old rookie with average stuff. He's won 8 games in his life. I am not comfortable extrapolating that out into a successful career and a statement of victory for the Cub farm system.

 

[EmoryBellard]

If you want to say the Cubs farm could be better, fine. But having a ROY last year + a very likely one this year = more than "worth a ****".

Also, Joe Girardi and terrible, together? Shut your filthy mouth!

 

[Coach34]

just stop right there...I cant take anymore

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Also, Joe Girardi and terrible, together? Shut your filthy mouth!

OK, how about this.....when Joe Girardi is the best catcher you have had in the last 25 years or more, you have no had many good catchers.

And I forgot Rick Wilkins. When I scanned the rosters from days gone past, I was ashamed to have forgotten him. I also forgot Scott Servais, but I didn't care.

 

[EmoryBellard]

nm