real simple...give me your best Cubs lineup and pitching rotation. Heck, you can even rank their bullpen. Use only the current players the Cubs have...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Soriano LF
Theriot SS
D. Lee 1B
Aramis 3B
Bradley RF
Soto C
Fukudome CF
Miles 2B
Zambrano P

Rotation: Zambrano, Dempster, Lily, Harden, Marshall

Gregg Setup
Marmol Closer

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

you need to include a backup for harden

Theriot SS
Fukudome CF
Ramirex 3B
Bradley RF
Soriano LF
Soto C
Lee 1B
Fontenot 2B

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Seeing this post made my day, and it's only 8:50 AM. Baseball is back!

I'm not sure about the starting lineup just yet, but I'm not inclined to bat Soriano first again. Thoughts?

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Seriously?

Opening Day Lineup

SS OC
2B Soriano
3B ARam
LF ManRam
C Soto
RF Bradley
1B Lee
CF Fukudome
P Peavy

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

If I were the manager I would probably bat Soriano down in the order, but I just don't see Lou doing that, at least not on opening day.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I think it's time for Lou to take control of that situation. I'd bat him fifth and move Bradley up.

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Seriously?

soriano
miles/fontenot
lee
ramirez
bradley
soto
fukudome
theriot
pitcher

zambrano
lilly
harden
dempster
marshall

you forgot brian roberts - i heard the cubs were interested in him somewhere along the line.

He's on the team, just on the bench. Lou is playing the percentages and doesn't want to go Lefty vs. Lefty on Opening Day.

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Theriot
Fonty/Miles
Aram
Bradley
Lee
Soriano
Fuku/Johnson
Soto
P

Z
Dempster
Harden
Lilly
Marshall

Fontenot/Miles choice either works for me, but how can any lineup take Fukudome over Johnson? Hell at the end of last year I would have put Pie in over him.
Theriot
Miles
Lee (unless DP bug hits again, then drop him down)
Ramirez
Bradley
Soriano
Soto
Johnson

BigZ, Harden, Dempster, Lilly, Samarzdjia

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1.Miles 2B
2.Theriot SS
3.Bradley
4.Ramirez
5.Lee
6.Soriano
7.Soto
8.Fuku/Johnson depending if it is a right or lefty on the bump
9.Pitcher

1.Zambrano
2.Lilly
3.Harden
4.Dumpster
5.Heilman/Marshall

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I know 2 things about the opening day lineup.


If Derrick Lee is in the 3 spot and Soriano is in the 1 spot Lou Pinella needs to be fired.

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1. OF Soriano
2. 2B Fontenot
3. LF Bradley
4. 3b Ramirez
5. C Soto
6. 1b Lee
7. SS Theriot
8. RF Fukodome
9. Dempster, Zambrano, Lilly, Harden, Marshall


I wouldn't mind them brining in OC, but they wont do it if it costs them a 1st round draft pick. If there was a way for the sox to resign him and then trade him for some of that crap they picked up from oakland then do it. I would also really really like to see will ohman return even though its not going to happen.

As far as soriano, i dont really want to move him out of that spot because he is going to see better pitches if he bats down in the lineup i fear. He will not see nearly as many fastballs and that is not good.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I like this one.

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Seriously?

I'd move Soto to 7th and the CF to 8th, but otherwise I like this. While the hot topic is the leadoff spot, I strongly believe there's no way Derrek Lee should be hitting third. Ramirez should be hitting 3rd instead.

Theriot
Lee
Aram
Bradley
Soriano
Soto
Fuku
Fontenot/Miles
P

They need to have a plan as how to rest Harden. There should be lots of opportunity to rest with the days off in April, then skip one start a month and throw Samardjia, Heilman, or Marshall in for a spot start. Lee batting second should see better pitches with Aram behind him.

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Nothing to fear but fear itself, and me.

Why does no one include a back up for Harden...its a legitimate spot that will need to be filled

Harden should be the 4th starter. With the off days/rainouts early in the year, you may be able to skip him here and there, and you then split up the 2 lefties.

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Right but my point is this.

Its not that im saying he'll get hurt(though he will)
But he is always such a risk to go 4 or fewer...Lou has to save a long guy for every start he makes

Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster, Marshall, Harden. Heilman can start for Harden when he needs to be skipped.

Soriano
Theriot
Ramirez
Bradley
Lee
Soto
Fontenot
Johnson

I think its assumed that whoever loses out between the Heilman/Marshall derby will work as a caddy for Harden if/when he gets hurt. Also there is a decent chance that Smardzija will start the season in AAA stretching his arm out so that he will be able to start some games in the middle of the season going forward. Lastly I believe that if this ownership situation gets settled by the trading deadline the cubs might be in the market for another starter if Harden is on the DL at that time.

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Anyone think that Fukudome won't remain on this team? From July on he looked absolutely ridiculous at bat. Confused, scared, nervous, and bad. What makes anyone think this guy's going to make it at this point? I think he's going to spend a few months with the club but if he's not batting in the 270's by June I think he's either traded, demoted.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

i think fuk will be around all year. yeah, he looked like shit down the stretch, but i think the lineup is solid enough that they can bat him 7th or 8th and let him do his thing. he still is able to get on base, he can take a walk. i actually like the idea of him batting down there - he has a little pop, and could do a little damage much like derosa and soto did batting down there last year. and when you have guys who can get on at the bottom of the lineup, it takes the some of the sting out of having soriano bat leadoff. soriano got a lot of rbi for a leadoff man thanks to some good hitting down there at the bottom of the lineup last year.

Sounds like the Swisher Defense of Fuku. I think the Cubs other options are better than Fuk unless we see a Renaissance in this guy. For now, he looks like a bust.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Well I will say this about Fuk instead of swisher at least Fuk can be a competant defender and has some speed on the bases. Both things that Swisher was lacking. Would I be shocked to see him moved? No but I am pretty sure the Cubs would rather have him get his head out of his ass and hit a little bit and I think they will give him plenty of opportunities to do so. Plus who wants to take on a 10m a year contract for a guy who is struggling?

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im not saying you have to be married to the guy forever, i just mean that the lineup is solid enough around him that he can be allowed to start and try to get back on track, and it wont kill the team. yeah, if he shits his pants for the first 2 months of the season you do something else. i just dont happen to believe he is as bad as that slump indicated last year, and his defense and baserunning are solid. and which of those options they have is that much better than fuk? reed johnson is a nice player and all that, and i am glad the cubs have him, but is he an every day center fielder? we may find out. i wouldnt be ready to unload fukudome yet.