Today's Bruce Miles article: Jacque Jones

[WrigleyinEngland]

While i pay little attention to the so-called baseball experts a broad spectrum seem to be agreeing we have had a poor offseason check out msn.foxsports.com winners and losers article........

[Wheelimus]

Can only hope this is to get potential trades back on track (as in, it makes it look like we're going to fill our RF hole via free agency, making other teams stop bluffing and show their cards).

 

Else, ugh. I'd much rather bring in a couple of right field gambles (Hidalgo, hell, Sosa) and see what we come up with in spring training. Hell, i'd rather let Corey have another shot.

 

Hell, i'd rather just put a wood stick in RF than Jones...

[Guest]

We need Chuck to tell Hendry how medicore and overpaid Jones will become if the Cubs signed him. :)

Will become? I'm pretty sure he's there already. ;)

[JeffH]

Enjoy the holidays Jim, it'll be your last as GM of the Cubs.

 

Zero chance.

[Wheelimus]

Anybody feel like being even more depressed?

 

Jacque Jones' agent confirmed Monday that the Twins' salary arbitration offer will be rejected.

Agent Dan Lozano said Jones has two multiyear contract offers and expect to get three more soon. The known offer is from the Royals. It's presumed to be worth $15 million over three years, but Jones would prefer to play for contender. The Twins have told Lozano they were interested in only a one-year deal if Jones wanted to return. Dec. 13 - 3:20 am et

 

From rotoworld...no way a mediocre player like Jones isn't going to make all the cash he can in this contract (which could very well be his last big money contract). We want him, we'll have to beat the Royals. Hello Jacque freaking Jones, our rightfielder for the next 3 years...at $6 million per :evil:

[CUBZ99]

I think we can all rest assured that Hendry will not land Jones unless he comes to the Cubs at a discount. By reading his scouting profile, he looks to be the exact same player the Cubs have already in Corey Patterson.

[wade]

I will echo an earlier post and say I'd rather have Patterson in right and pray for a career turnaround. Then take the extra money and sign a free agent pitcher. At least some of them are good.

[SouthSideRyan]

Could we stop saying Mabry is going to be the starter. There are tons of legitamate gripes about this management, and instead you have to make things up like Mabry starting despite Dusty "open competition" Baker himself saying Mabry is not a starter.

[Blueheart05]

Anybody feel like being even more depressed?

 

Jacque Jones' agent confirmed Monday that the Twins' salary arbitration offer will be rejected.

Agent Dan Lozano said Jones has two multiyear contract offers and expect to get three more soon. The known offer is from the Royals. It's presumed to be worth $15 million over three years, but Jones would prefer to play for contender. The Twins have told Lozano they were interested in only a one-year deal if Jones wanted to return. Dec. 13 - 3:20 am et

 

From rotoworld...no way a mediocre player like Jones isn't going to make all the cash he can in this contract (which could very well be his last big money contract). We want him, we'll have to beat the Royals. Hello Jacque freaking Jones, our rightfielder for the next 3 years...at $6 million per :evil:

 

The Royals offer is a blessing in disguise (at least as far as the Cubs are concerned). Mike Kiley also writes about the Jones possibility in the Suntimes but doesn't think Hendry would go multiyear. Jones wouldn't pass up a three year deal to play a year (or two) for the Cubs. At least I hope not.

 

 

Hendry won't offer Jones a long contract because he doesn't want to get tied up with anyone too far into the future with outfield prospect Felix Pie possibly a year away -- or less -- from being inserted into the Cubs' lineup.

[CUBZ99]

If Jones comes to the Cubs, does that signal a Todd Walker return? Just don't see how Hendry can go into next season with arguably a worse offense than last year.

 

I think the lack of a trade so far, confirms what many believed, in that, beyond a few decent prospects, the Cubs system is just not very valuable.

[CUBZ99]

Could we stop saying Mabry is going to be the starter. There are tons of legitamate gripes about this management, and instead you have to make things up like Mabry starting despite Dusty "open competition" Baker himself saying Mabry is not a starter.

 

That is amazing. :D

 

Speaking of Baker, I'm sure that he can't wait to get out of Chicago. As much as I can't stand him, he has been stuck with some real duds as teams and has to have some frustration towards Hendry and the Cubs front office. He doesn't help himself by making dumb decisions, but Hendry has really let him down "bigtime".

[RynoRules]

Yea, I think we do not have to worry about Mabry getting starts. That said, if after all of this nonsense we wind up with Jacque Jones in RF, I will jump on the Fire Jim Hendry BandWGN. But I am willing to wait and see what shakes out.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Milton Bradley from the Los Angeles Dodgers seems a dim possibility now — so Hendry may turn to the free-agent market.

 

Bruce, if you stop by and see this, I was just wondering what the reason for this might be.

 

Is it that Baker came away from his meeting less than impressed with Bradley?

 

Are the Dodgers now considering keeping him?

 

Has the asking price by the Dodgers gotten to high?

 

Is Bradley not willing to play rigthfield?

 

I'm just curious as to what has now made Bradley a dim proposition to the point that we would begin to look at Jones.

[scs_paradise]

I would seriously rather extend an olive branch and a syringe to Sosa than have Jones. My two cents is that this is a ploy to get negotiations going.

[RynoRules]

This Jones thing harkens bac to Dusty's days with the Giants. He won with less than impressive players in SF, so he thinks he can do it again here. (of course, the big difference being that no one of Bonds' ilk bats in our lineup).

 

Take a look at these stats:

 

2002 Giants: http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/2002.shtml

 

And look at the OBPs on the 2000 version:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/2000.shtml

 

1997:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/1997.shtml

 

He's coaxing ridiculous seasons from the likes of Marvin Benard and on-his-last-legs Ellis Burks. Looks like Dusty has a high opinion of his ability to squeeze water from a stone. :pukel:

[Derwood]

Could we stop saying Mabry is going to be the starter. There are tons of legitamate gripes about this management, and instead you have to make things up like Mabry starting despite Dusty "open competition" Baker himself saying Mabry is not a starter.

 

Just like Dempster was the opening day closer and Hollandsworth was backing up Dubois last year?

[WrigleyinEngland]

I am amazed by comments from hendry at the winter meetings. He said that the main areas we had to improve was the bullpen and top of the order. How totally idiotic and short sighted is it to presume that 2 vets in the pen and an over rated CF will solve everything?. What about the depth at SP and the OF shambles? He could of led off with either murton or walker and put another bopper behind D lee and A ram. How many times did we see lee get on base teams pitch around aram and no one drive them in. If as it appears we are going to have a budget OF again why not throw some money at millwood?Next year we could be looking to add 2 starters , think ahead, as i have said many times hendry is a reactive not proactive GM.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't think Dusty has a high opinion of his ability to get water from rocks. He has a high opinion of the rocks.

 

Just like Dempster was the opening day closer and Hollandsworth was backing up Dubois last year?

 

Just like Dusty said Dempster and Hollandsworth weren't in the running last year? No wait.

 

Every quote from Dusty last year showed that Hollandsworth would be his starting LF and Dempster would be in the rotation. He paid lip service to an open competition. He has gone on record as saying Mabry is not a starter. Saying nothing about an open competition, nothing about a proven track record, nothing about showing what he's done throughout his career.

Edited December 13, 2005 by SouthSideRyan

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Bruce was just kidding. You were, weren't you???

[Lefty]

I'm hoping that this is a case of the Cubs trying to light a fire with some of the teams they have been talking to about a trade. I just can't see this team as being good.

 

Dusty lineup:

 

Pierre

Perez

Lee

Ramirez

Jones

Murton

Barrett

Cedeno

 

Was Walker traded? What did we get?

[YearofDaCubs]

The typical Cubs moves look to be coming to fruition. How typical would a JJones signing be by the Cubs.

[Balsa]

*Joins 'Would Rather see CPatt in RF Fan Club'*

[Connor McConnor]

I will echo an earlier post and say I'd rather have Patterson in right and pray for a career turnaround. Then take the extra money and sign a free agent pitcher. At least some of them are good.

 

Totally, thoroughly, agree. If Patterson happened to catch fire....Murton, Pierre, Patterson.....would be fun to watch.

 

I know thats a big IF.....but it would be better than watching Jones out there. Id rather give Corey a shot.

[Balsa]

I will echo an earlier post and say I'd rather have Patterson in right and pray for a career turnaround. Then take the extra money and sign a free agent pitcher. At least some of them are good.

 

Totally, thoroughly, agree. If Patterson happened to catch fire....Murton, Pierre, Patterson.....would be fun to watch.

 

I know thats a big IF.....but it would be better than watching Jones out there. Id rather give Corey a shot.

 

Corey is 4 years younger and makes half of much. Jockstrap would not be much of an improvement. Plus, we don't have to trade for him. I think the answer is pretty clear.

[JeffH]

I will echo an earlier post and say I'd rather have Patterson in right and pray for a career turnaround. Then take the extra money and sign a free agent pitcher. At least some of them are good.

 

Totally, thoroughly, agree. If Patterson happened to catch fire....Murton, Pierre, Patterson.....would be fun to watch.

 

I know thats a big IF.....but it would be better than watching Jones out there. Id rather give Corey a shot.

 

Corey is 4 years younger and makes half of much. Jockstrap would not be much of an improvement. Plus, we don't have to trade for him. I think the answer is pretty clear.

 

Why do we have to trade for Jones?