bluepinstripes

Check this Site out!!

2007-07-21T13:58:17Z

New Site

2007-03-20T09:59:08Z

I have created a new site and will be making a move. Most everything is moved over already but I plan to create an archive also.
Go to http://www.bluepinstripes.com

Prior headed to the minor leagues

2007-03-12T19:28:38Z

Mark Prior has had some issues getting his stuff back and will be headed to the minor leagues to straighten things out. He has not return to his normal form. This could end up as downward spiral for him. The attempt is to give him less stress while he pitches. This hopefully gives him a good mid season return but I would imagine it will be doubtful. It looks like there will be a possibility of Angel Guzman, Carlos Mumol and Jeff Samardzija to make the starting role. That doesn’t leave out any others to bid for the spot either. The one thing that you got to like about Lou is he has a reason for every thing he is doing. If he thinks that someone doesn’t fit what he is looking for in a pitcher than they will need to spend time making the adjustment. Prior has not looked like himself since 2003 and 2004. When he tried to come back last year it was like watching a pitcher get mule kicked at the same time he was pitching. He had absolutely no mechanics in his throwing ability and it wasn’t as smooth as it once was.

Prior has a lot of rework to do and hopefully he will be able to find that star form he once had. We also can’t forget the consistency of Sean Marshall last year. Even though he didn’t finish the year out he has really came through when the Cubs needed him.

The Strike Zone

2007-03-09T20:36:23Z

Here are the starting Pitcher’s previews. MLB’s Fantasy Preview.

Year W L SV IP H BB K ERA WHP

Carlos 2006 16 7 0 214 162 115 210 3.41 1.29

Zambrano Proj. 15 6 0 200 156 87 185 3.14 1.22

This will be Carlos’s seventh year as a Cub. For the last three years is numbers have climbed. His ability to put his attitude on the baseball has been great. Watching Z pitch is amazing these days. When pours every thing he has into a game you know that he is not going to let you down. The only thing is, Z has some bad days too. Those seven loses were examples of that. I can see Zambrano having less bad days this year. The Cubs new coaching staff will have a lot to do with how consistent Z will be. His consistency has improved over the year and I think that he will be up for a Cy Young when this year over with.

Year W L SV IP H BB K ERA WHP

Rich Hill 2006 6 7 0 99.1 83 39 90 4.17 1.23

Proj. 12 8 0 175 154 60 175 3.89 1.22

Rich Hill has yet to really prove himself in the major leagues. The number projected I think are accurate. He has completed a rough rookie year and he can wash away any of the jitters that he had. He knows that this year is the year to get down to business. No more screwing around. I think that Rich Hill has the makings of what Mark Prior once was and 2007 will be good to him.

Year W L SV IP H BB K ERA WHP

Mark Prior 2006 1 6 0 43.2 46 28 38 7.21 1.69

Proj. 7 6 0 125 114 51 139 4.27 1.33

Mark has spent most of the last two seasons trying to come back from an injury. Ever since he was hit by that line drive it has seemed like a Cubs night mare. Prior is the Cubs most prize possession. The preview gives him a decent year but not what we have seen in the past. As much as I want to say that the projection is probably accurate, I think that he will be back in the double digit winning catagory. If he stays healthy.

Year W L SV IP H BB K ERA WHP

Ted Lilly 2006 15 13 0 181.2 179 81 160 4.31 1.43

Proj. 13 12 0 175 168 79 147 4.52 1.41

This is an interesting projection. Why is everyone so pessimistic about Ted Lilly. I think that his numbers bring back the Greg Maddux foundation that the Cubs once had. The Cubs would love to have Greg back as a Cub but they know that it is not geographically possible. So Lilly fits the grade that the Cubs are looking for. I would have to say that he will probably be pretty close in numbers but I think his wins will out weigh his losses by more than one game.

Year W L SV IP H BB K ERA WHP

Wade Miller 2006 0 2 0 21.7 19 18 N/A 4.57 1.70

Proj. N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

For some reason Wade Miller is not pitching this year but Carlos Murmol and Angel Guzman are. The two rookies will probably see some time in the minors or time in the bullpen. The way spring training has gone I would say that Miller will most likely be back to form. He may not pitch like his 2001 16 – 8 season but he sure to be making a come back this year.

Outfielders

2007-03-02T15:50:05Z

Here are the Outfield previews. MLB’s Fantasy Preview.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Alphonso 2006 647 .277 119 46 95 41 .351 .560 .911

Soriano Proj. 625 .275 98 36 92 29 .322 .519 .841

For some reason the projected numbers don’t think Alphonso can repeat is numbers from last year. I would have to say that he is even more motivated than last year because he is willing to do anything he can to help the Cubs cause. This is a team that Alphonso wants to be with plus he has had some good numbers come from Wrigley Field. I think that second place ranking for outfielders has a lot to do with his pay. The only thing that worries me is that he strikes out a lot.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Matt Murton 2006 455 .297 70 13 62 5 .365 .444 .809

Proj. 475 .303 71 16 71 6 .367 .462 .830

Matt is what I would call the Cubs project. He plays good enough to be in the Major Leagues and his numbers prove it too. He hasn’t reached his prime yet but when he does the Cubs will be cashing in. He is a fast base runner and he hits with a lot of patience. His fielding has been great but left field is usually a pretty easy position. I think Matt Murton has made a mark in the MLB that will allow him to become one of the top outfielders one day.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Jacque Jones 2006 533 .285 73 27 81 9 .334 .499 .833

Proj. 525 .258 70 24 76 11 .316 .454 .770

Jacque has topped some career highs last year. Looking at his numbers, he really looks like a person that you want on your team. The only thing is that he has built a reputation for him self as the person that screws up all the time. I think that if he can focus more on the game and stick to the fundamentals he will have the Cub fans on his side. He had to take a tough position when replacing Sammy Sosa. Expectations were very high. They still are high and I think he will come through, maybe.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Cliff Floyd 2006 332 .244 45 11 44 6 .324 .407 .731

Proj. 250 .271 31 10 33 0 .340 .450 .790

Cliff’s numbers are down for a reason. Mainly because of an injury he has been dealing with. Look for Cliff to make a strong come back. He is home now and he is where he wants to be. If Matt or Jacque struggles Cliff will be the go to guy to get it done. Having him is a blessing in disguise for the Cubs. He will eventually become healthy and these numbers will be more like Derrek Lee numbers.

Check my links out

2007-03-01T01:24:58Z

I just added a new link to my list.

MLBos.com Baseball News Blog

This is a really good looking site with a lot of baseball information.

Infield Fantasy Preview

2007-02-28T14:19:08Z

I know the season is still a ways off and Spring Training is just about to begin. I just thought it would be interesting to take a look at the fantasy projections for the 2007 season. I got the information from the MLB’s Fantasy Preview.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Michael Barrett 2006 375 .307 54 16 53 0 .368 .517 .885

Proj. 425 .289 62 18 71 0 .345 .494 .839

Michael is fifth amongst the fantasy catchers. Joe Mauer is first, Brian McCann is second, Victor Martinez is third and Mike Piazza is fourth. I found that A.J. Pierzynski is fourteenth. I guess A.J. is getting past his prime and they project him to decline in numbers. I have to say that I am surprised that he is not in the top ten. My thought on Barrett is that he will have another good year and may even prove to some of the top catchers that he belongs in the same league. I think that Michael will be able to go beyond these projected numbers and I think he could even steal a base or two. (Especially with Lou’s aggressiveness)

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Derrek Lee 2006 175 .286 30 8 30 8 .368 .474 .842

Proj. 550 .303 96 34 94 14 .383 .568 .952

Derrek has one thing going for him this year and that is for him to rebound from an absent season. Derrek is a competitor and he would like nothing else than to get back up to the plate and make is normal swings. Derrek has perfected a swing that is so natural that he struggled to even find it at the end of the year last year. I am very confident that Derek will have an opportunity to play the entire season and he will most likely have better numbers than even 2005. He is ranked seventh in the fantasy previews but everyone knows in the back of their minds that Derrek is definitely Albert Pujols material.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Mark DeRosa 2006 520 .296 78 13 74 4 .357 .456 .812

Proj. 500 .266 70 12 64 3 .323 .406 .730

Mark is much like Todd Walker with consistency that is probably why he is only ranked at 30^th. His numbers last year were unusually good but he still has a lot to prove to major league baseball. If he can make his new consistency like last year he is well on his way. He will have plenty of coaching help with Gerald Perry as a hitting coach. I think that Mark won’t fall as low as what they project. I think he will be a solid second baseman that more teams will want to look for in a veteran infielder.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Ryan Theriot 2006 134 .328 34 3 16 13 .412 .522 .934

Proj. 250 .284 38 3 35 10 .333 .354 .687

Ryan has something that Cub fans haven’t seen since 1984 in Ryne Sandberg. I think that this off season was filled with plenty of practice. I actually would project him to do better than these numbers. Watching Theriot hit the ball was like art work last year. Sure he didn’t hit many home runs but he got the hits when runners were on. I think Theriot should be ranked higher than 55^th but he is only a rookie. I think that he will provide good competition at second base and even in the outfield. The big thing will be is if his bat will hold up for a complete season. Again, I think this is where Gerald Perry will come in handy.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Ronny Cedeno 2006 534 .245 51 6 41 8 .271 .339 .610

Proj. 200 .252 21 2 15 3 .278 .344 .622

These numbers don’t lie! Ronny has struggled in his first full season and he has not found a groove yet. He may have to revisit the minors to get back to what he is capable of. Ronny can be a very spunky short stop or second baseman and he is probably one of the best in fielding those positions. When he is in the field it is really difficult to hit up the middle on him. His bat is too silent to have in the lineup right now but I think that can be fixed to make him a good guy to put in, in the 8^th or 9^th inning for close games. Ronny has a lot to learn about batting but I think he will come around with time.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Cesar Izturis 2006 192 .245 14 1 18 1 .295 .318 .612

Proj. 550 .280 74 3 47 15 .322 .360 .682

Cesar is ranked 31^stand provided Cesar is healthy the whole season he has the potential to come up with some good batting numbers and stolen bases. He is a gold-glover and that will allow him to work the field good. He is also an All Star so he has definite potential to make a re-visit to the All Star game. Unless something breaks down I think Cesar has something to prove this year. It will all depend on that ham string but Nomar is kind of in the same boat and he is ranked 19^th with the first basemen. I think if Cesar gets injured Ronny will get plenty of practice to over come his frustration.

Year AB AVG R HR RBI SB OBP SLG OPS

Aramis Ramirez 2006 594 .291 93 38 119 2 .352 .561 .912

Proj. 525 .304 93 42 110 1 .357 .569 .926

Aramis will most likely be more aggressive this year in his running. Don’t expect too much from him as far being a base runner. He is a pull hitter and he relies on his hits to get him where he needs to go on the base paths. If you ask me I would much rather see him jog the bases more this year. (That would mean more home runs and less injuries) Aramis will have less pressure on him this year because when Lee went down last year all the weight was put on him. This year if Lee were to go down then there is the likes of Daryl Ward and Cliff Floyd that will ease the pressure for him at the plate. That will make him a much better hitter. I look for Aramis to excel even more than he did last year because he will be more relaxed at the plate and will drive more balls out of the park. He is ranked fourth for third basemen.

Live Hitters

2007-02-26T19:54:44Z

Some of the pitchers have started throwing pitches to "Live Hitters" this week. Now I am probably not the most knowledgeable baseball fan and I am sure that those words have been said before. I was just kind of curious as to when they were going to pitch to "Dead Hitters"
I know, I know! Booo Hooo
Since the point is put out there. It looks like things are looking up for Cubs pitching this year. It is almost March and no pain is being felt in any arms. No Pain is going to be the key words to this year. At the end of the 2006 season the Cubs looked like they went to Iraq and played baseball. They were so broken and strained that even Barrett fell out at the end of the year. Even Sean Marshall fell to injury during the year and this is his first year.
Well, all that is in the past now. I am sure Cub fans are looking forward to a fun filled sunny season with plenty of long balls and runs scoring. This Cubs team may be built on 300 + million dollars but they will need to have something extra to go along with the talent and fundamentals. They will need to have the chemistry that makes a team one solid unit. So far things are beginning to gel in spring training and it is almost like a master piece being put together right in front of your eyes.
If this is the year it will be a historical one that will be worth capturing every moment.
I look forward to the beginning of the season as everyone does and it will be interesting to see how the Cubs will play.

Lou's thoughts

2007-02-22T14:48:38Z

I was reading some articles this morning and thought that this statement by Lou really explains why he is the manager for the Cubs this year.
Click here to get more of Lou's thoughts.

Tampa Bay was a different situation, but are there parallels between the Cubs and when you managed in Seattle?

"I've never managed a team with a $100 million payroll," he said. "When I went to Seattle, it was different. I remember the first year I was there, myself and a couple coaches were having breakfast and a guy said, 'Hey, you're the manager of the Mariners.' I said, 'Yes, I sure am.' He said, 'When does your season start?' and I said, 'Heck, we played 14 games already.' That changed. It changed into a baseball town. How do you do that? By winning. With the Cubs, it's not the case because the fans come out. Now we have to reward the fans for their patience and their loyalty. This is a different situation."

Spring is in the air

2007-02-21T14:26:24Z

Spring Training has begun and all players have reported to get started on the 2007 season. The Cubs avoided arbitration by giving Z $12.4 million. Cubs haven't gone to arbitration since Mark Grace in 1993.
Here are some pics to get you in the baseball fever.

Click Here

Rule Changes

2007-02-19T18:07:54Z

There have been some changes made to the Major Leagues Rule Book for 2007. The last time rule changes were made was in 1996. Here is the link to get you up to speed on the changes http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070216&content_id=1804407&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

The rules seem legitimate but it ought to be interesting to see how many batters forget to leave that one foot in the batters box. No disrespect but I bet Jacque Jones is the first one to screw it up.