Here We Go Again

Ivy Chat endeavors to take a forward look at our favorite baseball team. If you want to know about yesterday's game, well, there are still newspapers for that. With the start of 2006, here are a few of the things to watch that will tell you how the season will progress.

The playing time given to Ronny Cedeno: You just know Dusty Baker wants Neifi Perez to play shortstop. How much leash will Dusty give to Cedeno?

The playing time given to Todd Walker: You also know that Dusty just hates Jerry Hairston, and for decent reason. Jerry may be one of the dumbest players in the game short of Michael Barrett. That said, a team trying to win with defense isn’t going to do that with Todd Walker. Hairston was better last year and was better this spring. Will Dusty and Hendry allow Todd and his shot put throws to start double plays over Hairston?

The pitching of Sean Marshall: If this guy can pitch well, he opens up a world of possibilities for the team in terms of starters, bullpen composition, and trades.

Contract negotiations: With Derrek Lee likely to get between $55 million and $70 million over four or five years, when do the Aramis Ramirez negotiations start? What about Juan Pierre? And how does Felix Pie’s performance in Des Moines affect Pierre?

The bat of Matt Murton: I still think he’s most likely traded sooner rather than later, especially if Pie does well in Iowa. The better Big Red does, the more the Cubs can get in trade.

The utility of Freddy Bynum: Wow. A utility player who actually has utility. A guy with speed who can play shortstop, second base, third base and all three outfield spots. Where’s a guy like this been the last four years?

The rehab or Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Wade Miller: Remember, it’s about 3 weeks from the time these guys first get on a mound to pitching in the majors. That means we can hope to see Wood and Miller in early May and Prior in 2011.

The demise of an ex-Cub: There is exciting news that Corey Patterson has been benched in Baltimore in favor of Luis Matos.

Yeah, I had to get one last dig in at Korey. Good riddance.

In closing, may Steve Goodman's line from "A Dying Cub’s Fans Last Request" be made incorrect in 2006:

"You know the law of averages says:
Anything will happen that can"
That's what it says
"But the last time the Cubs won a National League pennant
Was the year we dropped the bomb on Japan."