In  a post yesterday I joked that the last position player from our minor league system to play for the cubs for five years was Mark Grace.  If that seems ridiculous to you, it should.  This problem is its virtually true.  The only players to come out of our farm system since 1980, and played five seasons for the cubs is Grace, and Dunston.  I looked at the other teams in our division to see how many they have had and the numbers dwarf the cubs. 

1.) Astros- biggio, Berkman, Caminiti, Glen Davis, Bill Doran, Ensberg, Luis Gonzalez, Terry Puhl, Richard Hidalgo, Hunter Pence.

2.) Brewers-Surhoff, John Jaha, Prince Fielder, Jim Ganter, Ricky Weeks, J.J. Hardy, Jeff Cirillo, Goeff Jenkins, Robin Yount, Paul Molitar.  They will soon add Hart, and Braun to that list.

3.)Pirates- Kendall, Tony Pena,Kevin Young, Bonilla, Bonds, Carlos Carcia, Jose Lind, Omar Moreno, Dave Parker

4.)Cardinals-Y. Molina, Pujols, Keith Hernandez, Tommy Herr, Todd Zeile, Terry Pendleton, Vince Coleman, Ray Lankford.

5.)Reds- Jason Larue, Aaron Boone, Barry Larkin, Adam Dunn, Eric Davis, Reggie Sanders, Dave Conception, Chris Sabo, Dan Driessin, Ron Oester.

     Why can't our management seem to find one diamond in the ruff(is that right).  Are we unlucky,  do we need better management, more scouts, new scouts, do we favor veterans,  do we bring young players up to soon?  I don't have the answers but it seems something has to change in the minor league system for the cubs.  Its a young mans game, and the cubs are getting older.  It seems by choice!

      I'm bored and have a day off work, and would like to discuss something other than Soriano's swing, and who we might trade for.  So I would like to know who people think the top players are who have ever played.

20.) Alberta Pujols- probably should not be on this list yet, but will clearly be in the top 10 by the time he retires.

19.) Mike Schmidt- The greatest third baseman of all time.  He might be on this list just  because I watched him cream the cubs game after game.

18.) Rogers Hornsby- A .400 hitter out of your second baseman!

17.) Roger Clemons- I hate Clemons, But he was a 350 game winner with a incredibly low era in one of the best hitting eras in baseball.  He edged Maddux in my opinion by a very slim margin.

16.) Joe Morgan- I think he is an idiot too, but he was a stud on the field.

15.) Tom Seaver- If he didn't play his career with the hapless Mets he might have one 400 games.  Argueably the greatest pitcher of all time

14.) Henry Aaron-  One of only 4 players to have 3000 hits and 500 homeruns. Seems underrated in my opinion, and I am probably putting him to low on this list.

13.) Tris Speaker-  The Red Sox traded away Smokey Joe Wood, Ruth, and Speaker in a three year period!

12.) A-rod- 100% bullshit as a person but unbelievable on the field.  I really hate putting him on this list.

11.) Stan Musial- 100% Baseball 0% bullshit.  1,815 hits on the road 1815 hits at home.  Model of consistency?

10.) Walter Johnson-   Faster than Nolan Ryan?

9.) Lefty Grove- Yes I put him ahead of Johnson.  I think Johnson was a product of his time.  He did not throw anything but a fastball in an era of mostly junk ball pitchers.  I believe If Johnson played in any later generation his mystique would not be as magnificent.

8.) Joe Dimaggio- Great definsely, and Offensively.  His stats were destroyed by three years in the war during his prime. 

7.) Mickey Mantle- If he was sober and did not have osteomytosis he might have been the greatest hitter of all time.

6.) Ted Williams- The most screwed player in baseball history.  4.5 years in the war, and clearly dicked out of M.V.P

awards.

5.)Ty Cobb- When we think of Cobb we think of his basehits and racism.  He was the best baserunner in his era, a remarkable center fielder, and had almost as many r.b.i. as Ruth.

4.) Honus Wagner- I always wonder what He would look like in a modern day uniform running bull legged around the bases.

3.) Willie Mays- Remember he played through the 60's the hardest era in modern baseball to be a hitter.

2.) Babe Ruth- Nuf Ced

1.) Barry Bonds- It is clear Steroids is not an issue in this post, or bonds would not be number one.  He was a better fielder than Ruth, and a faster player on the basepaths.  Ruth though was much better than people think.  Bonds has more Home runs, walks and runs scored.  He was also clearly on a much worse team

P.S.  Sorry no cubs on this list.  I also want to add that I am aware there is no Negro League players on this list.  The stats are to skewed to give them an honest assesment.  Gibson, Paige, and Charleston would be on this list.

      After watching the all-star game it seems the steroid era hitting age has slowly declined and the pitching age is approaching.  With that said is small ball baseball becoming a better offensive approach.  It seemed rather embarrising that a group of allstars were unable to move runners over, or sacrifice bunt. 

     Homeruns have dropped significantly over the past five years do to the end of the steroid age, and the increase in great young pitching.  To me the cubs are a better team this year because of the little things.  Moving runners over, sac flies, walks, and great pitching.  Not Homeruns!  The old time baseball players all say that players were better in the old days because they all could to the little things that win games and the players today do not.  Should things like bunting, and hit and running be more of a focus in the minor leagues? What does the bcb family think about the emergence of pitching and "smart" hitting as the key to the cubs and other teams success,now and in the future.  

 I am from out of state and dont get to see many cubs games on t.v.  (has there been a serious decline in WGN broadcasts over the years?)  So to watch cubs games I have to search the streets for cub friendly places or sports bars to watch the games.  I am sure people from cities other than chicago have the same problem.  Can people tell me some great cubbies bars or other places from around the U.S. to hang out? For examle;  In Portland there is Waynes Chicago Red Hots, and a little bar owned by a crazy old lady who is a die-hard cubs fan(the only place in town to get an old-style.)  There is also the Rose + Raindrop.  Everyone who works there is from the north side of Chicago, pretty awesome place.

P.S.  Same goes for anyone from Japan who knows any places there.

I live in Portland oregon,  and have very little chance to see cubs games.  So I went to the Beavers,cubs game.  I went to three games and saw three victories.  Which was nice.  In those three games I witnessed a real star in the making.  Micah Hoffpauir.  He is a left handed power hitter who seems to be an r.b.i. machine.  My question here is why edmonds when we have this guy?  I do realize we would probably have to move fuke to center to fit him in to right field.  He is also a great back-up for d-lee in  the rare occasion he sits the bench.  What do people think about this.  Did I mention he is a left handed power hitter!