Recently, Lou Pinella said he had to start the players who were swinging the bats the best. So he promptly started Xavier Nady's glistening .222 batting average (though he has been getting better lately).
However, just looking at overall season performance, here's the best possible offensive lineup for the Cubs.Begin Slideshow
As the Cubs struggle, there have been some bright young players bringing serious support to the Cubs roster. Starlin Castro, James Russell, Tyler Colvin and now Andrew Cashner have shown the recent trend in the Cubs organization.
I will break down the Cubs minor league teams by hitters and pitchers, based on who I feel, based on 2010 performance, could help the team, be it by their arrival in Chicago or as trade components. Starting it off in no particular order are my personal top five position players for the 2010 AAA Iowa Cubs.Begin Slideshow
When Tyler Colvin tore the cap off the ball in spring training, many people though it to be a fluke. It's now June, and Colvin's batting average is still over .300, proving he's got what it takes to contribute at the major league level.
However, there's a big problem: Colvin can't find playing time. He's stuck as the fourth outfielder amongst three performing veterans in Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd, and Kosuke Fukudome. And, although Lou Pinella promised Colvin playing time, those three have been performing too well to bench them a few times a week.
There is a position it would ...
Despite a mediocre at best record that currently sits a couple games below .500, the Chicago Cubs have quite a few reasons to keep their heads up for the 2010 season.Begin Slideshow
Despite their early-season struggles, the Chicago Cubs have plenty of reasons not to be afraid just yet. From the revamped minor league system, to a smarter Jim Hendry, to the twenty-fifth man on the roster (and the fortieth in September), the Cubs organization and their ever-loyal fans have no reason to worry about the 2010 season.Begin Slideshow
Since pitchers and catchers reported to Mesa in February of 2004, every year has had hype of that being the year the Cubs break the curse. The year, they finally get all the stars aligned just right, get a huge amount of help from Lady Luck, and hoist the World Series trophy.
In the previous years, the Cubs have managed to win a total of one playoff game while watching the Red Sox break their curse in 2004 (and again in 2007 for good measure), the cross-town rival White Sox win their rings in 2005, the rival Cardinals win their ring ...
Amongst the minor league free agents the Cubs have signed, two names stand out: Kevin Millar and Chad Tracy.
Millar helped the Boston Red Sox break their World Series Championship curse, and Tracy was once considered one of the elite young corner infielders in the game, but both these things were half a decade ago.
Since then, both players have gone from stardom to obscurity. Millar's batting average has begun to falter to the hands of time, hitting .272, .254, .234, and .223 over the past four years, respectively. He's gone from full time first baseman/DH to a backup at those ...
With spring training on the horizon, the Cubs have a need for a solid starter until Ted Lilly can return, and for a veteran right handed setup man for Carlos Marmol. John Smoltz could fill both needs, while adding a solid veteran presence to the clubhouse.
As a starter, Smoltz has had success in limited appearances in the National League the past two years, going 3-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 68 innings of work. If you discount his work in the AL East, he's been more than solid if handled properly. With Lilly out of the picture until after ...
The obvious way to start this has to be with a couple of calls Cub fans around the world would've loved to have heard Pat Hughes make on WGN Radio:
"Ground ball to Gonzalez, he flips it to Grudzielanek, on to Karros, and the Cubs are just three outs away from the National League Pennant and a trip to the World Series!"
And then, of course, roughly 10 minutes later, "The crowd is going wild! Here's Borowski's 1-1 pitch. A pop fly, shallow center, Lofton charging at full speed, he dives... AND MAKES THE CATCH! THE CUBS WIN THE PENNANT! THE CUBS ...
Not since the days of Corey Patterson have the Cubs had a clear cut center fielder. This search is finally over, with the Cubs singing 32-year-old Marlon Byrd to a 3-year, $15 million deal.
Byrd was arguably the top center field option on the free agent market this year, and at a cost of only $15 million over three years, could wind up being a great bargain. Yes, he's coming off a career year, however, he'll be working with the same hitting coach, as the Cubs signed Rudy Jaramillio earlier this winter. Byrd finished eighth in the AL in doubles in 2009, with ...
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