No offense but that is such a dumbass thing to say.
Firstly, Either the Cubs are good enough to win a division or they're not, it shouldn't have anything to do with a single player on another team.
Secondly, this line up is a fuckin mess. Still missing a MLB 2nd baseman, a corner outfielder (or centerfielder) a leadoff hitter and some power from the left. There's no way of knowing if RBI and hit guy Ramirez is going to remain healthy. Soriano is a bloody riddle. Soto is basically an unknown quantity.
This Cubs team is a bigass question mark.

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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 agree with all of that, not to mention teh unsettled rotation, Zambrano and Dempster as your 1-2 isn't that great, Lilly won't be there for a while, who knows who is 4-5 at this point. Looks like about an 85 win team at the moment.

Cardinal, even without Holliday (they only had him for like 50 games last year) and unknown quantities at third base, still have the 2 best starters in the division, and enough around Pujols to win again. If Carpenter and Wainwright aren't as effective (which is by no means unlikely), and Holliday goes elsewhere, Card is still an 85 win team even without Holliday.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

How many more backloaded deals can you offer? Would Ricketts accept that from a GM who will be out on his ass in 2011, and won't face the consequences? I agree that signing Byrd for longer than 2 years was a typical Hendry mistake.

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I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. -Susan B. Anthony

I think the Cubs will be in the thick of things in the NL Central regardless of what the Cardinals do. They aren't a perfect team, they have holes, but who doesn't in that division? I don't know if they will win it, but I think they have a solid opportunity.

So that's where my Cardinal shaded glasses went...

You really think he hasn't hit his peak already? Sure, he can still improve when it comes to defense (althought he's made strides in that regard in the last few years) but I don't know how he can get any better as a hitter...he hits for power and contact and has one of the best eyes in the game...

I don't think you can ever assume Pujols to have an off or down year, until he has proven to do so. They pitch around this guy as much as they did Bonds, and he still puts up ridiculous numbers.

In fact he may be entering his prime right now.

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The Cardinals chances rest in the health of Wain and Carp, if they are healthy, they will be a force.

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

This right here...Pujols has been a constant over the last decade...what hasn't been is the pitching, both starting and relief...if those two have another season like they just did, the Cards are winning this division and they are doing so by a comfortable margin.

Pineiro will go elsewhere, and blow, without the tutelage of Dunc.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

O ye of little faith has a little faith this year??

If I were a Cardinal fan, the health of those 2 would scare me. The odds of them having another year like last year is pretty slim.

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

Still, the odds of them winning more games than any 3 starters on the Cub is.... at least even money.

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Last year we were looking at Carpenter and wondering if he was going to be able to put together a full season...and while he did miss some games, he ended up with one of the best pitching performances of the year...

It also helps to have seen Wainwright put together another good season...

However, I left this part out...it's also on this guy...



if he doesn't perform well again this year, we're screwed...

by cracky...

Carpenter's health will always scare me...that's just the way it is when you've missed as much time as he has...however, nothing I've seen from Adam would cause me to be any more concerned about his health than any other major league pitcher...

I will say this...I agree that the odds that Wainwright has another year like that is slim, but if Carp stays healthy, I see no reason why he won't have a simliar performance next year.

Depends if the quality of pharmaceuticals progresses quickly enough to keep up with his age.

... don't even attempt to argue any notion that he's not taking "Flinstones" ...

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Wasn't there some tension between Duncan and the Cardinals for getting rid of his son? Is all that patched up?

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

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I don't think he's juicing but I can't fault anyone who thinks he has/is...

Yeah...for a while there, I thought for sure the LaRussa/Duncan days in St. Louis were over...it was speculated that LaRussa getting McGwire on his staff was to make up for the way they treated Duncan's kid...

This is only because you have become numb to seeing guys with physiques similar to his or even bigger. He's juicing.........they all are.

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It's irrelevant. Based on on-the field performance, C Duncan was not getting the job done. He gone.

Dave Duncan is a pitching coach, and he's got a lifetime job with TLR. The Card is happy to have him.

Let's face it, evidence suggests that the rosters in the NL Central are all mediocre... Cub can outspend everyone, but until the management on the field exceeds the LaRussa/ Duncan regime, the Cub/Brew/ whoever can't be expected to overtake the Card...

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Hold up there Apologi, it is not like they are world beaters that just dominate the division. The Cubs have beat them out for the division 2 of the last 3 years. If the chips fall right, they can do it again.

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

I expect the whole division to be shit. Every year. Whoever emerges, so be it. For the record, minus Holliday, I said both teams are 85 win calibre, i.e; mediocre.

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the cubs window slammed shut last year when they had a whole fucking PILE of left-handed hitters to choose from and picked milton fucking bradley. holliday is a good hitter, a good ballplayer, but he is not worth close to the dough he is asking for and he doesnt fill the NEED. they need a productive middle of the lineup left handed hitter. this team is going into the season with one or maybe two lefties in the lineup right now (fukudome, fontenot), and if you signed holliday it would be one or ZERO lefties! fucking crazy.

So wait, none of you believe the Byrd signing will propel us to 100 wins?

So wait, none of you believe the Byrd signing will propel us to 100 wins?

I'm a Sox fan but, isnt the goal a World Series title? Why is the division what everyone gets so excited about? The 2 of the last 3 years they won the division and then......?

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The Cubs signing Holliday would also be a psychological wound to the Cards, I think. The Cards expect him to go to some team out west or out east if he doesn't re up in STL. Him going to Chicago would crush them... though as professionals, I suppose they'd get over it by the time opening day starts.

As much of a burrito statement as this will be, I do think the subtraction of Bradley does a lot more than people will think.

except fill glaring needs.

I never said it was not the goal. But to win the World Series you have to first get in the playoffs and a great way to do that is to win the division.

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

As long as LaRussa is still the manager, the Cards are the favorite.

And Stone says the Cubs will make the playoffs every year.