Should we have offered Burny arb.?

[AllStarMe]

Though I can actually taste the vomit in the back of my my throat, I'm wondering if the Cubs made a mistake in not offering Burnitz arbitration. By all accounts the availability of a quality RF is doubt, and any one of Jones/Encarnacion/Wilson aren't likely to be appreciably better than JB, and with a platoon we'd be lucky to get the same production from RF that we got last year, not mention wasting two roster spots. If nothing else, Burnitz always gave his full effort and almost always had a smile on his face. It's just my preception, but he seemed to be a good clubhouse guy (not that it really mattered eventually). What are the chances JB would've accepted if the cubs had offered?

[BigbadB]

Though I can actually taste the vomit in the back of my my throat, I'm wondering if the Cubs made a mistake in not offering Burnitz arbitration. By all accounts the availability of a quality RF is doubt, and any one of Jones/Encarnacion/Wilson aren't likely to be appreciably better than JB, and with a platoon we'd be lucky to get the same production from RF that we got last year, not mention wasting two roster spots. If nothing else, Burnitz always gave his full effort and almost always had a smile on his face. It's just my preception, but he seemed to be a good clubhouse guy (not that it really mattered eventually). What are the chances JB would've accepted if the cubs had offered?

 

Not a chance, and he most definitely would have accepted. He received way too much money last year. I need more than a .435 SLG from a corner outfielder. Todd Walker's was .471.

 

Interestingly enough, when Milwaukee originally traded Burnitz, that trade now is quite the who's who of former Cubs.

 

Burnitz of course. Glendon Rusch, Todd Zeile, Lenny Harris and Ross Gload were all involved in that deal, but the Cubs themselves weren't. :P

[NCCubFan]

Interestingly enough, when Milwaukee originally traded Burnitz, that trade now is quite the who's who of former Cubs.

 

Burnitz of course. Glendon Rusch, Todd Zeile, Lenny Harris and Ross Gload were all involved in that deal, but the Cubs themselves weren't. :P

Do you know something I don't? :D

[10man]

Cubs would've been on the hook for way too much had they offered. Hendry made the right decision.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

No.

[Roast]

No.

[BigbadB]

Interestingly enough, when Milwaukee originally traded Burnitz, that trade now is quite the who's who of former Cubs.

 

Burnitz of course. Glendon Rusch, Todd Zeile, Lenny Harris and Ross Gload were all involved in that deal, but the Cubs themselves weren't. :P

Do you know something I don't? :D

 

Whoops. Current or Former is what I should have written.

[bannor10]

They should have offered him a 1yr contract for 3mil....

[JC]

Under no circumstances should they have offered arbitration.

[anemic offense]

No way. Can teams even offer arbitration though if an option is on the table?? And that was for what 6-7 million bucks?? 2-3 mil. may not be bad (considering the current situation) , but anything more is a misallocation of resources. Grudz got $4 mill and he's much better at what he does than Burny is (and at a comparable age too). Burny should only get less.

[JeffH]

Can teams even offer arbitration though if an option is on the table??

 

Yes.

[anemic offense]

Can teams even offer arbitration though if an option is on the table??

 

Yes.

 

Thanks.

[JeffH]

They should have offered him a 1yr contract for 3mil....

 

At the risk of being branded a "Hendry apologist", how do we know they didn't?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

They should have offered him a 1yr contract for 3mil....

 

At the risk of being branded a "Hendry apologist", how do we know they didn't?

 

Whatever, Hendry apologist. :D

 

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Hendry put a 2-3 mil bug in Jeromy's ear.

[BigbadB]

They should have offered him a 1yr contract for 3mil....

 

At the risk of being branded a "Hendry apologist", how do we know they didn't?

 

Whatever, Hendry apologist. :D

 

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Hendry put a 2-3 mil bug in Jeromy's ear.

 

I would be surprised. As much as Burnitz was the most effective outfielder we had last year (excluding Murton's short stint), he was still ineffective.

 

Would Hendry make an offer to come back as a 4th outfielder, knowing that Dusty would play him over Murton?

 

Burnitz would make for a decent 4th outfielder, but Dusty can't be trusted with him.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Would Hendry make an offer to come back as a 4th outfielder, knowing that Dusty would play him over Murton?

 

After signing Neifi for 2.5 mil, I absolutely do think Hendry would try to sign Burny to be the 4th outfielder. Dusty playing him over a superior player would be an afterthought.

[goonys evil twin]

They should have offered him a 1yr contract for 3mil....

 

At the risk of being branded a "Hendry apologist", how do we know they didn't?

 

I would think it's more supportive of Hendry to assume he didn't offer a contract to Burnitz.

[frostwyrm]

Burnie will want to start. Remember when he guaranteed 30 homers for 2005? His ego won't let him accept a bench job on a contender when there are crappy small market teams that will give him a last hurrah as a starter.

[BigbadB]

Remember when he guaranteed 30 homers for 2005?

 

Oh yeah. I forgot about that. It's amazing how Colorado can brainwash someone into believing they are still really good. :D

[Bote McBoteface]

I would also like to submit a no answer.

[badger1679666666]

 

Burnitz would make for a decent 4th outfielder, but Dusty can't be trusted with him.

 

I don't think I can understate how sad, and handicapping it is, to have to Dusty-proof a team. You literally cannot have a good veteran bench (probably the place veterans are most useful) if you have young regulars. You just can't. IT makes the formulation of a solid team so difficult.

[USSoccer]

 

Burnitz would make for a decent 4th outfielder, but Dusty can't be trusted with him.

 

I don't think I can understate how sad, and handicapping it is, to have to Dusty-proof a team. You literally cannot have a good veteran bench (probably the place veterans are most useful) if you have young regulars. You just can't. IT makes the formulation of a solid team so difficult.

 

Agreed. It just compounds nearly every decision Hendry can make since Baker can't be trusted with any veteran players who still have the possibility of playing everyday. Note John Mabry. He had to sign a guy that was maybe the 4th or 5th best option, possibly because he hasn't been an everyday player in 10 years and thus Dusty would have much less temptation to use him.