Would you be satisfied adding Lugo, Wilkerson and Huff?

[A New Era]

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

[CubinNY]

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

 

I agree with you. That team would be an upgrade over last year's team and I think the 04 team too. Probably not a 100 win team and a lot of things would have to break right, but with the pitching they would compete for the division and WC. Once a team gets in it is a crap shoot. But with Z and Prior at the front end I like the Cubs chances.

[jmajew]

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

 

Furcal is better but not much. When you add in the fact that Furcal makes about 8 million more than Lugo will, Lugo is the better player for the money. Enough said.

 

Lugo G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 TB 117 433 58 119 13 4 15 53 35 88 10 3 .275 .333 .427 .760

2004 TB 157 581 83 160 41 4 7 75 54 106 21 5 .275 .338 .396 .734

2005 TB 158 616 89 182 36 6 6 57 61 72 39 11 .295 .362 .403 .765

 

Furcal G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 Atl 156 664 130 194 35 10 15 61 60 76 25 2 .292 .352 .443 .795

2004 Atl 143 563 103 157 24 5 14 59 58 71 29 6 .279 .344 .414 .758

2005 Atl 154 616 100 175 31 11 12 58 62 78 46 10 .284 .348 .429 .777

[MPrior]

It sounds like you would be satisfied with another losing season....Give me a break people....

Don't some of you at least actually want to win...Not Just 83 games either...Actually win....

 

I'm Sorry but losing out on Furcal and being happy with Lugo. That sounds like a losing season to me....

 

Lets just all be happy by bringing in average playes after we lose out on real impact players.....

 

Just Sad...

 

Kearns or HUff or Wilkerson = Hope for Lightning in bottle =2007

 

 

That, more than anything else, is what makes your post ridiculous. The downgrade from Furcal to Lugo - at a significantly reduced price, I might add - is the furthest thing that would keep us from a winning season. You could argue the lack of another middle of the order bat, or the likelihood that Neifi will still play 2B and bat in the top of the order, or the fact that Baker will still manage to single-handedly systematically destroy our bullpen pitchers and overwork our starters, or Wood's slim chances of being healthy enough to contribute meaningfully to the team; all of those things are more important arguments than the Furcal/Lugo thing. Just because we lost out on Furcal doesn't mean we're not in it.

[badger1679666666]

I can't believe the number of people that reluctantly would accept these 3 players.

 

I swear some Cub fans just wont ever be happy.

 

Lugo - speed/obp/solid de

Wilkerson - speed/obp/solid de

Huff - a chance to bounce back (he's not happy in TB).

 

OVER

 

Perez - no speed/no OBP/great de

Pattterson- Speed/no OBP so he can't use his speed/solid de

Burnitz - old and bad

 

from last year is a HUGE upgrade. We'd have OBP at just about EVERY postiion.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm not a fan of Huff, but I would be satisfied with these guys.

 

I'd prefer to get Bradley instead of Huff. I'd try to work three separate trades and get Bradley, Wilkerson and Lugo instead.

[The Voice of Reason]

I can't believe the number of people that reluctantly would accept these 3 players.

 

I swear some Cub fans just wont ever be happy.

 

Lugo - speed/obp/solid de

Wilkerson - speed/obp/solid de

Huff - a chance to bounce back (he's not happy in TB).

 

OVER

 

Perez - no speed/no OBP/great de

Pattterson- Speed/no OBP so he can't use his speed/solid de

Burnitz - old and bad

 

from last year is a HUGE upgrade. We'd have OBP at just about EVERY postiion.

 

 

Agree. The only potential downside I see in getting Lugo and Huff (at a reasonable price) is I believe both are free agents in 2007. This of course, could work to the Cubs advantage if Cedeno and Pie prove in 2006 that are capable of playing full time. This would give you the option of not re-signing Lugo and Huff or re-signing them and trading Cedeno and Pie and getting much more in 2007 than you can now.

[bannor10]

Win, and I will be happy................Adding average players or below avergaes players will not put us over the top.....Obviously some of you will be satisfied coming in third....You are what people joke about when they talk about cub fans..... its ok to lose as long as I am paying 6 dollars for my beer....

 

I can't believe the number of people that reluctantly would accept these 3 players.

 

I swear some Cub fans just wont ever be happy.Lugo - speed/obp/solid de

Wilkerson - speed/obp/solid de

Huff - a chance to bounce back (he's not happy in TB).

 

OVER

 

Perez - no speed/no OBP/great de

Pattterson- Speed/no OBP so he can't use his speed/solid de

Burnitz - old and bad

 

from last year is a HUGE upgrade. We'd have OBP at just about EVERY postiion.

[badger1679666666]

Win, and I will be happy................Adding average players or below avergaes players will not put us over the top.....Obviously some of you will be satisfied coming in third....You are what people joke about when they talk about cub fans..... its ok to lose as long as I am paying 6 dollars for my beer....

 

 

Whatever you say joker. You don't know me or what I'm satisfied with. I happen to think those players would make the Cubs better and put a winning team on the bench. Don't presume to think you know what kind of fan I am.

 

If you do want to insult me, piss off.

[hawkeyecub]

Win, and I will be happy................Adding average players or below avergaes players will not put us over the top.....Obviously some of you will be satisfied coming in third....You are what people joke about when they talk about cub fans..... its ok to lose as long as I am paying 6 dollars for my beer....

 

I can't believe the number of people that reluctantly would accept these 3 players.

 

I swear some Cub fans just wont ever be happy.Lugo - speed/obp/solid de

Wilkerson - speed/obp/solid de

Huff - a chance to bounce back (he's not happy in TB).

 

OVER

 

Perez - no speed/no OBP/great de

Pattterson- Speed/no OBP so he can't use his speed/solid de

Burnitz - old and bad

 

from last year is a HUGE upgrade. We'd have OBP at just about EVERY postiion.

 

Ummm, what? First of all if you think Lugo is an average or below average SS and Wilkerson is in the same class in CF, you have absolutely no clue.

 

And how in the world is he saying it's okay to lose as long as he's paying 6 bucks for his beer? He's pointing out that those three would all be upgrades, and significant upgrades in CF and SS. Besides that, the ridiculousness of saying that people accept losing because they like to pay $6 for beer? Who likes to pay $6 for beer?

 

The more I think about this post, the more absurd it is.

[bannor10]

Do you work for the Tribune company?..... Listen, Lugo might be fine but at what cost in younger players? And he is still making a lot of money..Do they want EPAtt? Why are you worried about cost anyway...It has been mentioned that before FA started the Cubs had 30mil to spend...I don't see how they are going to be able to spend this money even after they overpayed for the relief pitchers....There were a couple of impact players availiable in free agency and the Cubs didn't get any of them....They dropped they ball on the secondbaseman from the marlins and now they are in sramble mode......Remember the only world series you can win is the one in 2006.........

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

 

Furcal is better but not much. When you add in the fact that Furcal makes about 8 million more than Lugo will, Lugo is the better player for the money. Enough said.

Lugo G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 TB 117 433 58 119 13 4 15 53 35 88 10 3 .275 .333 .427 .760

2004 TB 157 581 83 160 41 4 7 75 54 106 21 5 .275 .338 .396 .734

2005 TB 158 616 89 182 36 6 6 57 61 72 39 11 .295 .362 .403 .765

 

Furcal G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 Atl 156 664 130 194 35 10 15 61 60 76 25 2 .292 .352 .443 .795

2004 Atl 143 563 103 157 24 5 14 59 58 71 29 6 .279 .344 .414 .758

2005 Atl 154 616 100 175 31 11 12 58 62 78 46 10 .284 .348 .429 .777

[badger1679666666]

Do you work for the Tribune company?..... Listen, Lugo might be fine but at what cost in younger players? And he is still making a lot of money..Do they want EPAtt? Why are you worried about cost anyway...It has been mentioned that before FA started the Cubs had 30mil to spend...I don't see how they are going to be able to spend this money even after they overpayed for the relief pitchers....There were a couple of impact players availiable in free agency and the Cubs didn't get any of them....They dropped they ball on the secondbaseman from the marlins and now they are in sramble mode......Remember the only world series you can win is the one in 2006.........

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

 

Furcal is better but not much. When you add in the fact that Furcal makes about 8 million more than Lugo will, Lugo is the better player for the money. Enough said.

Lugo G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 TB 117 433 58 119 13 4 15 53 35 88 10 3 .275 .333 .427 .760

2004 TB 157 581 83 160 41 4 7 75 54 106 21 5 .275 .338 .396 .734

2005 TB 158 616 89 182 36 6 6 57 61 72 39 11 .295 .362 .403 .765

 

Furcal G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 Atl 156 664 130 194 35 10 15 61 60 76 25 2 .292 .352 .443 .795

2004 Atl 143 563 103 157 24 5 14 59 58 71 29 6 .279 .344 .414 .758

2005 Atl 154 616 100 175 31 11 12 58 62 78 46 10 .284 .348 .429 .777

 

You wanted to pay more than 13 million a year for Furcal? No thanks. I thought the 10 we were offering was too much for him coming off a career contract year.

 

Giles didn't want to leave SD - it was plain obvious, unless you gave him 15 million a year - no thanks once again.

 

Who else did we lose out on. Good of you to personally insult me and then not respond.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

There were a couple of impact players availiable in free agency and the Cubs didn't get any of them....

 

They didn't get either of them because 1) the Dodgers went nuts and 2) Giles didn't apparently want to leave SD.

[A New Era]

Do you work for the Tribune company?..... Listen, Lugo might be fine but at what cost in younger players? And he is still making a lot of money..Do they want EPAtt? Why are you worried about cost anyway...It has been mentioned that before FA started the Cubs had 30mil to spend...I don't see how they are going to be able to spend this money even after they overpayed for the relief pitchers....There were a couple of impact players availiable in free agency and the Cubs didn't get any of them....They dropped they ball on the secondbaseman from the marlins and now they are in sramble mode......Remember the only world series you can win is the one in 2006.........

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

 

Furcal is better but not much. When you add in the fact that Furcal makes about 8 million more than Lugo will, Lugo is the better player for the money. Enough said.

Lugo G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 TB 117 433 58 119 13 4 15 53 35 88 10 3 .275 .333 .427 .760

2004 TB 157 581 83 160 41 4 7 75 54 106 21 5 .275 .338 .396 .734

2005 TB 158 616 89 182 36 6 6 57 61 72 39 11 .295 .362 .403 .765

 

Furcal G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 Atl 156 664 130 194 35 10 15 61 60 76 25 2 .292 .352 .443 .795

2004 Atl 143 563 103 157 24 5 14 59 58 71 29 6 .279 .344 .414 .758

2005 Atl 154 616 100 175 31 11 12 58 62 78 46 10 .284 .348 .429 .777

 

Do you even know WHAT you want? First you say Lugo is good but what players will it cost us? Then you seem like you want to win NOW but don't want to give up young players? I'm not even sure you know what you want, or what you are thinking for that matter. You are proving no point with your babble.

[The Voice of Reason]

Win, and I will be happy................Adding average players or below avergaes players will not put us over the top.....Obviously some of you will be satisfied coming in third....You are what people joke about when they talk about cub fans..... its ok to lose as long as I am paying 6 dollars for my beer....

 

I can't believe the number of people that reluctantly would accept these 3 players.

 

I swear some Cub fans just wont ever be happy.Lugo - speed/obp/solid de

Wilkerson - speed/obp/solid de

Huff - a chance to bounce back (he's not happy in TB).

 

OVER

 

Perez - no speed/no OBP/great de

Pattterson- Speed/no OBP so he can't use his speed/solid de

Burnitz - old and bad

 

from last year is a HUGE upgrade. We'd have OBP at just about EVERY postiion.

 

 

So what are your recommendations?

 

$15 million a year for Furcal? Prior for Abreu? Zambrano for Dunn? Pie, Hill, Guzman and Cedeno for Zito?

 

Easy to criticize, harder to make valid proposals.

[bannor10]

Sorry if you were insulted...But why settle on players in the second tier every year.....Why not and overpay for Furcal and Giles in this case...Maybe then we could use the farm to fill in the gaps on the bench...Why pay Nefi 2.5 mil or a Hollandsworths type player 2.5 mil to be your backup players....I think they should spend the money on impact players and just use roster fills or AAAA guys as the 5th outfielder

 

Win, and I will be happy................Adding average players or below avergaes players will not put us over the top.....Obviously some of you will be satisfied coming in third....You are what people joke about when they talk about cub fans..... its ok to lose as long as I am paying 6 dollars for my beer....

 

 

Whatever you say joker. You don't know me or what I'm satisfied with. I happen to think those players would make the Cubs better and put a winning team on the bench. Don't presume to think you know what kind of fan I am.

 

If you do want to insult me, piss off.

[badger1679666666]

Sorry if you were insulted...But why settle on players in the second tier every year.....Why not and overpay for Furcal and Giles in this case...Maybe then we could use the farm to fill in the gaps on the bench...Why pay Nefi 2.5 mil or a Hollandsworths type player 2.5 mil to be your backup players....I think they should spend the money on impact players and just use roster fills or AAAA guys as the 5th outfielder

 

 

I was insulted because you called me a fan that is happy with paying 6 dollar beers and that I'm the type of fan that is mocked by everyone else. But I'm over it.

 

No one here is advocating for paying Neifi 2.5 million. That deal was ludicrous on all levels. No one here is advocating wasting 2.5 million on Rusch.

 

I don't want to overpay furcal because I don't feel he's worth 14 or 15 million a year. I would have liked Giles, but HE DIDNT WANT TO LEAVE SD.

 

If you believe Lugo or Wilkerson are AAAA players, you don't have a clue what you are talking about. Lugo's numbers are *slightly* worse than Furcals but not significantly. Wilkerson's numbers are above average for a CF (more pop, higher OPS than the average CF). How would we be settling for AAAA players

[bring stone back]

I would be very happy with Lugo, Wilkerson and Huff. Lugo is not as dynamic as Furcal, but a more solid all around player. Wilkerson would be nice in centerfield and in the 2 hole while huff would be okay in right and batting 6 or 7.

 

My only fear is the D Rays are going to be asking way too much for Lugo and Huff.

[jmajew]

Win, and I will be happy................Adding average players or below avergaes players will not put us over the top.....Obviously some of you will be satisfied coming in third....You are what people joke about when they talk about cub fans..... its ok to lose as long as I am paying 6 dollars for my beer....

 

I can't believe the number of people that reluctantly would accept these 3 players.

 

I swear some Cub fans just wont ever be happy.Lugo - speed/obp/solid de

Wilkerson - speed/obp/solid de

Huff - a chance to bounce back (he's not happy in TB).

 

OVER

 

Perez - no speed/no OBP/great de

Pattterson- Speed/no OBP so he can't use his speed/solid de

Burnitz - old and bad

 

from last year is a HUGE upgrade. We'd have OBP at just about EVERY postiion.

 

Patterson, Nefi, Burnitz = below average

Lugo, wilkerson, Huff = above average

 

By upgrading three positions you make your team better. You have no idea what you are talking about. WE won 79 games with those three last year. You have to assume by upgrading those three positions you would add about 7 wins then when you add in that the bullpen got better you would think we would win about 12 more games this year.

[jmajew]

Do you work for the Tribune company?..... Listen, Lugo might be fine but at what cost in younger players? And he is still making a lot of money..Do they want EPAtt? Why are you worried about cost anyway...It has been mentioned that before FA started the Cubs had 30mil to spend...I don't see how they are going to be able to spend this money even after they overpayed for the relief pitchers....There were a couple of impact players availiable in free agency and the Cubs didn't get any of them....They dropped they ball on the secondbaseman from the marlins and now they are in sramble mode......Remember the only world series you can win is the one in 2006.........

I'm not pessimistic like you are. How are those 3 players added to Lee and Aram a bad offense? Answer me that. And how is Furcal SO much better than Lugo?

 

Furcal is better but not much. When you add in the fact that Furcal makes about 8 million more than Lugo will, Lugo is the better player for the money. Enough said.

Lugo G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 TB 117 433 58 119 13 4 15 53 35 88 10 3 .275 .333 .427 .760

2004 TB 157 581 83 160 41 4 7 75 54 106 21 5 .275 .338 .396 .734

2005 TB 158 616 89 182 36 6 6 57 61 72 39 11 .295 .362 .403 .765

 

Furcal G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS

2003 Atl 156 664 130 194 35 10 15 61 60 76 25 2 .292 .352 .443 .795

2004 Atl 143 563 103 157 24 5 14 59 58 71 29 6 .279 .344 .414 .758

2005 Atl 154 616 100 175 31 11 12 58 62 78 46 10 .284 .348 .429 .777

 

From what I gather you are saying that Giles and Furcal were the only two players we could have gotten to help our team. If you save money by not signing Furcal and getting a SS close to the same caliber for 8 mil less you then have 8 mil more to spend on the rest of the team. This would then mean you can make your team even better.

[JGalt73]

Stark on ESPN.com:

 

"They've talked to Tampa Bay about Julio Lugo, but have minimal interest in Aubrey Huff to fill their right-field vacancy. They're believed to have made Juan Pierre their No. 1 target, but they hadn't even met with the Marlins as of early Tuesday afternoon. "

[bannor10]

Lugo Wilkerson and Huff would be nice additions, especially now after losing out on Giles and Furcal.....I just wanted the Cubs to be aggressive and drive the Market to get the "Top" players...

 

BTWWhat are Huffs numbers compared to Burnitz last year? Pretty close?

 

I was working in Jacksonville last summer and watched a lot of D-ray games over dinner.....Nobody impressed me on that team....

 

I would be very happy with Lugo, Wilkerson and Huff. Lugo is not as dynamic as Furcal, but a more solid all around player. Wilkerson would be nice in centerfield and in the 2 hole while huff would be okay in right and batting 6 or 7.

 

My only fear is the D Rays are going to be asking way too much for Lugo and Huff.

[RyCubsFan]

Stark on ESPN.com:

 

"They've talked to Tampa Bay about Julio Lugo, but have minimal interest in Aubrey Huff to fill their right-field vacancy. They're believed to have made Juan Pierre their No. 1 target, but they hadn't even met with the Marlins as of early Tuesday afternoon. "

 

Good news, good news, and more good news. Lugo is a solid player, but I don't believe that Huff is a good option for RF.

 

I don't want Pierre on the Cubs. He's not that good and Florida asks for WAY too much. If they'd take Mitre for Pierre, I'd do it. Otherewise, I'll pass.

 

Perhaps the Cubs feel they can get Bradley yet. Perhaps Hendry really is targetting him over Pierre (I really hope so).

[sethuel1]

Win shares, 2005 (from the Hardball Times):

 

Patterson 4 (all fielding, by the way)

Neifi 12

Burnitz 17

 

Huff 14

Lugo 24

Wilkerson 23

[RyCubsFan]

Win shares, 2005 (from the Hardball Times):

 

Patterson 4 (all fielding, by the way)

Neifi 12

Burnitz 17

 

Huff 14

Lugo 24

Wilkerson 23

 

Stay away from Huff! I would like Wilkerson and Lugo though...