Hendry Doesn't Have a Plan

[CubfaninCA]

This is what really bothers me about the Jones signing:

 

Felix Pie, a highly regarded CF prospect by the Cubs resides in our farm system, and by most accounts he will be ready for the majors within one season.

 

You trade pitching prospects for Juan Pierre, a CF with one year remaining before he is eligible for FA - fine. But then you announce you want to sign Pierre to a contract extension. Wait, doesn't that block the path for Pie?

 

You then, after finding no other options for RF, sign Jacque Jones to a 3-yr deal. You lock yourselves in for three years to a player who is already 30 and will definitely in his physical decline at the end of the contract. A player who, by most accounts, is living off of one quality season 4 years ago.

 

In addition, by signing Jones, you give up your first round draft pick (as well as lose other early round picks in other FA signings), which, as evidenced by your farm system's alarming inability to produce position players, you might kind of need. And I am assuming there won't be a trade market hungry for Jacque Jones in the near future.

 

The bottom line is that Jim Hendry, for his strength as someone to be able to make a deal for players that other teams don't want, has a glaring weakness: an inability to provide a medium to long-range plan for a club and execute that plan. All of a sudden, we learned Hendry "likes guys who can catch the ball." Since when, watching the Astros/White Sox WS? GMs and organizations that try to ride the coattails of what worked last year will always find themselves doing that, trying to copy what worked for other clubs - as it will never work for them.

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

the pitching prospects given up were mediocre at best. You have to give up something to get a player, I like Pierre. Everyone gripes about a leadoff hitter, now we have one. Everyone hated Mitre and neither of the others are great prospects. I'd rather have a leadoff hitter than a bunch of middle relievers.

 

They were #2 and #3 in ERA in an absolutely loaded league(Both made BA's top 20 for the Southern League as well, IIRC). Pinto and Nolasco are good prospects. You may think that they are worth Pierre, but let's not devalue them by calling them 'mediocre at best' or 'middle relievers'.

Feel free to call them whatever you want. I wish to call them middle relief prospects.

 

Why?

Because neither has a "plus" pitch and nothing exceptional, good minor league pitchers but nothing special.

 

Pinto's change is a plus pitch, his FB and slider are above-average or plus, depending on which scout you talk to. Nolasco's FB, curve and change are all above-average.

 

EDIT: Raw wins.

 

Pinto has absolutely no control and got hammered against good competition and Nolasco is nothing special i.e. middle relievers

 

Pitchers can improve their control. Especially when they're still only 23 years old.

 

And why do you think Nolasco will only be a middle reliever when he has great control and 3 above-average to plus-pitches?

[DougDascenzo]

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

Aubrey Huff?

Cliff Floyd?

Wilkerson?

Nixon?

Bradley?

[CubfaninCA]

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

Aubrey Huff?

Cliff Floyd?

Wilkerson?

Nixon?

Bradley?

 

So you were ready to give up Hill for Huff?

Floyd may not even be available.

As for Wilkerson, apparently, the Washington GM really values Soriano. Who could the Cubs have matched with?

Nixon (See Floyd)

As for Bradley, it sounds like Coletti didn't want to deal w/ the Cubs and the Cubs would have had to give up a real good prospect for him.

 

I wanted either Vlad, Sheffield or Ichiro, but just cause the Cubs want someone doesn't mean another team will throw them in the Cubs lap.

[XZero771679666304]

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

Aubrey Huff?

Cliff Floyd?

Wilkerson?

Nixon?

Bradley?

 

So you were ready to give up Hill for Huff?

Floyd may not even be available.

As for Wilkerson, apparently, the Washington GM really values Soriano. Who could the Cubs have matched with?

Nixon (See Floyd)

As for Bradley, it sounds like Coletti didn't want to deal w/ the Cubs and the Cubs would have had to give up a real good prospect for him.

 

I wanted either Vlad, Sheffield or Ichiro, but just cause the Cubs want someone doesn't mean another team will throw them in the Cubs lap.

 

From what I heard, the Mets told the Cubs that Floyd was not available. You are right, the Red Sox have an OF shortage and likely wouldn't have dealt Nixon even before Damon left. Bowden wanted Cedeno for Wilkerson, and you summed up the Bradley problem.

[CubfaninCA]

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

Aubrey Huff?

Cliff Floyd?

Wilkerson?

Nixon?

Bradley?

 

So you were ready to give up Hill for Huff?

Floyd may not even be available.

As for Wilkerson, apparently, the Washington GM really values Soriano. Who could the Cubs have matched with?

Nixon (See Floyd)

As for Bradley, it sounds like Coletti didn't want to deal w/ the Cubs and the Cubs would have had to give up a real good prospect for him.

 

I wanted either Vlad, Sheffield or Ichiro, but just cause the Cubs want someone doesn't mean another team will throw them in the Cubs lap.

 

From what I heard, the Mets told the Cubs that Floyd was not available. You are right, the Red Sox have an OF shortage and likely wouldn't have dealt Nixon even before Damon left. Bowden wanted Cedeno for Wilkerson, and you summed up the Bradley problem.

 

I had my hopes up for Floyd...

 

I'll grind my axe some if Hendry can't get Tejada. Sounds like the Cubs might have the right package of players for Tejada. Hendry's been real good @ picking up second and third tier players (Lee, ARam, Nomar, Barret, Lawton & Lofton), but has never picked up a star. Of course, Lee & ARam became stars later on tho.

[USSoccer]

I think Wilson or Encarnacion at one or two years would have been a better short and long term move than Jones at 3.

[wastra]

I'm done with Hendry. He's clueless and needs to go. anyone who looks at our roster and can convince us that it's worthy of a $95m+ payroll should be working in bookkeeping for Enron.

[Magnetic Curses]

This is what really bothers me about the Jones signing:

 

Felix Pie, a highly regarded CF prospect by the Cubs resides in our farm system, and by most accounts he will be ready for the majors within one season.

 

You trade pitching prospects for Juan Pierre, a CF with one year remaining before he is eligible for FA - fine. But then you announce you want to sign Pierre to a contract extension. Wait, doesn't that block the path for Pie?

 

You then, after finding no other options for RF, sign Jacque Jones to a 3-yr deal. You lock yourselves in for three years to a player who is already 30 and will definitely in his physical decline at the end of the contract. A player who, by most accounts, is living off of one quality season 4 years ago.

 

In addition, by signing Jones, you give up your first round draft pick (as well as lose other early round picks in other FA signings), which, as evidenced by your farm system's alarming inability to produce position players, you might kind of need. And I am assuming there won't be a trade market hungry for Jacque Jones in the near future.

 

The bottom line is that Jim Hendry, for his strength as someone to be able to make a deal for players that other teams don't want, has a glaring weakness: an inability to provide a medium to long-range plan for a club and execute that plan. All of a sudden, we learned Hendry "likes guys who can catch the ball." Since when, watching the Astros/White Sox WS? GMs and organizations that try to ride the coattails of what worked last year will always find themselves doing that, trying to copy what worked for other clubs - as it will never work for them.

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

let's stop pretending that giles was unrealistic. you keep saying this but you fail every time to produce any sort of reasoning behind your logic other than "his family lives in san diego".

[CubfaninCA]

This is what really bothers me about the Jones signing:

 

Felix Pie, a highly regarded CF prospect by the Cubs resides in our farm system, and by most accounts he will be ready for the majors within one season.

 

You trade pitching prospects for Juan Pierre, a CF with one year remaining before he is eligible for FA - fine. But then you announce you want to sign Pierre to a contract extension. Wait, doesn't that block the path for Pie?

 

You then, after finding no other options for RF, sign Jacque Jones to a 3-yr deal. You lock yourselves in for three years to a player who is already 30 and will definitely in his physical decline at the end of the contract. A player who, by most accounts, is living off of one quality season 4 years ago.

 

In addition, by signing Jones, you give up your first round draft pick (as well as lose other early round picks in other FA signings), which, as evidenced by your farm system's alarming inability to produce position players, you might kind of need. And I am assuming there won't be a trade market hungry for Jacque Jones in the near future.

 

The bottom line is that Jim Hendry, for his strength as someone to be able to make a deal for players that other teams don't want, has a glaring weakness: an inability to provide a medium to long-range plan for a club and execute that plan. All of a sudden, we learned Hendry "likes guys who can catch the ball." Since when, watching the Astros/White Sox WS? GMs and organizations that try to ride the coattails of what worked last year will always find themselves doing that, trying to copy what worked for other clubs - as it will never work for them.

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

let's stop pretending that giles was unrealistic. you keep saying this but you fail every time to produce any sort of reasoning behind your logic other than "his family lives in san diego".

 

The fact that he resigned w/ SD early in the FA process for an amount that was less than NY's initial offer is pretty convincing. Discussing the merits of Giles signing w /the Cubs on a daily basis was just a waste of time. Wasn't happening and it didn't.

[brinoch]

This is what really bothers me about the Jones signing:

 

Felix Pie, a highly regarded CF prospect by the Cubs resides in our farm system, and by most accounts he will be ready for the majors within one season.

 

You trade pitching prospects for Juan Pierre, a CF with one year remaining before he is eligible for FA - fine. But then you announce you want to sign Pierre to a contract extension. Wait, doesn't that block the path for Pie?

 

You then, after finding no other options for RF, sign Jacque Jones to a 3-yr deal. You lock yourselves in for three years to a player who is already 30 and will definitely in his physical decline at the end of the contract. A player who, by most accounts, is living off of one quality season 4 years ago.

 

In addition, by signing Jones, you give up your first round draft pick (as well as lose other early round picks in other FA signings), which, as evidenced by your farm system's alarming inability to produce position players, you might kind of need. And I am assuming there won't be a trade market hungry for Jacque Jones in the near future.

 

The bottom line is that Jim Hendry, for his strength as someone to be able to make a deal for players that other teams don't want, has a glaring weakness: an inability to provide a medium to long-range plan for a club and execute that plan. All of a sudden, we learned Hendry "likes guys who can catch the ball." Since when, watching the Astros/White Sox WS? GMs and organizations that try to ride the coattails of what worked last year will always find themselves doing that, trying to copy what worked for other clubs - as it will never work for them.

 

What did you want in CF and RF instead? Lets be realistic too and not throw out sign Giles for 3 years or get Abreu for a few prospects and Williams.

 

let's stop pretending that giles was unrealistic. you keep saying this but you fail every time to produce any sort of reasoning behind your logic other than "his family lives in san diego".

 

The fact that he resigned w/ SD early in the FA process for an amount that was less than NY's initial offer is pretty convincing. Discussing the merits of Giles signing w /the Cubs on a daily basis was just a waste of time. Wasn't happening and it didn't.

 

Give me a break. Sure, he signed before December, but it wasn't early. It wasn't like Giles didn't hit the market or he signed during the Padres' window of exclusivity. The day that he hit the market, I'd have offered him a $39M, 3-year deal. Would Giles have been interested? I don't know. But I'd have given it a damn sight more effort than Hendry appeared to.

[CubfaninCA]

Giles hit the market for a while cause he didn't want to settle 3 & 21 (SD's initial offer iirc). With the way money's being thrown around this offseason, 3 & 30 is a bargain. I think it's safe to say that he could have got a lot more, but the guy just really loves San Diego & gave them a hometown discount.

[BigbadB]

The fact that he resigned w/ SD early in the FA process for an amount that was less than NY's initial offer is pretty convincing. Discussing the merits of Giles signing w /the Cubs on a daily basis was just a waste of time. Wasn't happening and it didn't.

 

What was New York's offer? I don't recall them actually making one.

 

Their offer also would have been to play CF. More than likely, he would have been DHing rather than playing the field when they saw how bad defensively an outfield of Sheffield, Giles and Matsui would have been.

 

I don't recall any offers that were far superior to what the Padres caved in and offered. It is my belief that because there were no superior offers, Giles signed with the Padres so that he wouldn't be put in a position where he couldn't return to the Padres until May 1 at the earliest if he decided no offers were worth leaving for.

 

You are welcome to believe that Giles had no interest in leaving San Diego. Hendry's mad love for Furcal (as well as his belief that no team could or would match his offer) leads me to believe he honestly had no desire for Giles. He only wanted Furcal.

 

Until I hear differently, that will stay my belief. Call it assinine if you want, but it's no more assinine than believing that Giles called up Hendry prior to the bidding process and said "Jim, I want nothing to do with Chicago, so don't bother bidding". It wouldn't have behooved Giles in the slightest to so something like that.

 

Whether he wanted to leave San Diego or not, why on Earth would a player decrease his value to return by telling teams not to bid on his services? Because he doesn't want to play there? Ridiculous.

 

Do you think Toronto would have been a more favorable place than Chicago? Opposite league than the one he has spent his entire career. Lesser chance than the Cubs to win the division or make playoffs. A different country. Etc....

 

Was it foolish of Toronto to make an offer for Giles? Nope. Why not take a chance he'll like your deal better? Would it have been foolish for the Cubs to make an offer? Okay, you say "how do you know the Cubs didn't?" Based on how offseason's go, you basically hear about nearly every rumor that gets bandied about. NO ONE heard a thing about the Cubs having any interest whatsoever in Brian Giles. NO ONE!

 

What we did hear is that Hendry claimed "I don't want to get into a bidding war for Giles". That's what we do know.

 

He didn't want to get into a bidding war for the most obvious choice to fill the RF vacancy, the left handed power bat in the heart of the order that was available on the market.

 

Yet, he didn't mind getting into a bidding war for Furcal and Jacque Jones. He didn't mind overpaying for Pierre. He basically overpaid every single player that has been added to this team this offseason, but he didn't want to overpay for the guy who could have helped this team more than any other player on the market?

 

Nice!

 

I hope this question gets asked at convention and the caravan. I really want to know the truth about whether Giles was even given an afterthought. I will be all ears for that question.

 

From Brian Giles point of view: Why would he want to pack up and move his entire family to another city if no one is willing to cough up more money than the team he's currently playing for is willing to offer?

 

If you answer nothing else, please provide the New York Yankee offer and prove that they did indeed offer much more than the Padres did.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I could've sworn I already made this post, not enough sleep I guess.

 

To me, it was pretty clear that Giles wanted to stay in SD, and some could go as far to say that Giles' perceived interest in other teams was just to drive SD's offer up. However, given the dearth of RF opportunities available to Hendry, and given how good a RF Giles is, I'm pretty unhappy with his lack of any interest at all.

[anemic offense]

A really disturbing thing I've noticed about Hendry and some of his deals is the apparent lack of forsight to "see" into the future. While it definately shouldn't be the determining factor, you should always be aware of other teams players/contract statuses (plural??), especially on the years where yours will run out. Over the last several seasons, many of the teams needs haven't been able to have been met due to weak markets and/or little to no payroll flexibility. This year we've got the money and no players. Last year we didn't have the money to go after the marquee (guys). Its really become annoying, as well as one of many reasons why Hendry's *ss is firmly on the hot seat. You just can't leave your team (one that HAS money) out to dry like this. It's bleepin terible.

[BigbadB]

I could've sworn I already made this post, not enough sleep I guess.

 

To me, it was pretty clear that Giles wanted to stay in SD, and some could go as far to say that Giles' perceived interest in other teams was just to drive SD's offer up. However, given the dearth of RF opportunities available to Hendry, and given how good a RF Giles is, I'm pretty unhappy with his lack of any interest at all.

 

It's fair enough to believe that Giles wanted to stay in SD. Maybe Giles' perceived interest in other teams was just to drive up SD's offer. It is very possible. I won't deny that. But, Chicago had more money to spend this offseason than just about every other team.

 

Would Giles REALLY tell Hendry "don't bother" if his main interest is to drive up his price?

 

Who offered Giles 3/45m? No one.

 

Seeing how Hendry has signed someone who is almost an exact opposite of Giles in Jacque Jones, has traded for a speed guy (does Hendry even know what OBP is?) in Pierre, and has allowed Dusty to give Neifi the starting nod over Walker at 2nd base before Spring Training even starts tells me that Hendry and Dusty have completely differing philosophies on how to build a team, and Giles doesn't fit their mold of what would make this team better. That's a more telling feature than "Giles just wasn't interested in leaving San Diego".

 

When Neifi or Jones bats 2nd, we will honestly know for sure that Hendry and Dusty value speed above everything else, including OBP. Well, Neifi isn't speedy. But, we do already know that Dusty would bat him 2nd.

 

I'll just be done arguing about this. Nothing will change the fact that Jacque Jones is in RF instead of Giles. It's wishful thinking that has no chance of coming to fruition. The damage is done.

 

I couldn't be anymore disappointed in this offseason. Maybe it's better that way. I really do spend way too much time obsessing over the Cubs.

[CubfaninCA]

The fact that he resigned w/ SD early in the FA process for an amount that was less than NY's initial offer is pretty convincing. Discussing the merits of Giles signing w /the Cubs on a daily basis was just a waste of time. Wasn't happening and it didn't.

 

What was New York's offer? I don't recall them actually making one.

 

Their offer also would have been to play CF. More than likely, he would have been DHing rather than playing the field when they saw how bad defensively an outfield of Sheffield, Giles and Matsui would have been.

 

I don't recall any offers that were far superior to what the Padres caved in and offered. It is my belief that because there were no superior offers, Giles signed with the Padres so that he wouldn't be put in a position where he couldn't return to the Padres until May 1 at the earliest if he decided no offers were worth leaving for.

 

You are welcome to believe that Giles had no interest in leaving San Diego. Hendry's mad love for Furcal (as well as his belief that no team could or would match his offer) leads me to believe he honestly had no desire for Giles. He only wanted Furcal.

 

Until I hear differently, that will stay my belief. Call it assinine if you want, but it's no more assinine than believing that Giles called up Hendry prior to the bidding process and said "Jim, I want nothing to do with Chicago, so don't bother bidding". It wouldn't have behooved Giles in the slightest to so something like that.

 

Whether he wanted to leave San Diego or not, why on Earth would a player decrease his value to return by telling teams not to bid on his services? Because he doesn't want to play there? Ridiculous.

 

Do you think Toronto would have been a more favorable place than Chicago? Opposite league than the one he has spent his entire career. Lesser chance than the Cubs to win the division or make playoffs. A different country. Etc....

 

Was it foolish of Toronto to make an offer for Giles? Nope. Why not take a chance he'll like your deal better? Would it have been foolish for the Cubs to make an offer? Okay, you say "how do you know the Cubs didn't?" Based on how offseason's go, you basically hear about nearly every rumor that gets bandied about. NO ONE heard a thing about the Cubs having any interest whatsoever in Brian Giles. NO ONE!

 

What we did hear is that Hendry claimed "I don't want to get into a bidding war for Giles". That's what we do know.

 

He didn't want to get into a bidding war for the most obvious choice to fill the RF vacancy, the left handed power bat in the heart of the order that was available on the market.

 

Yet, he didn't mind getting into a bidding war for Furcal and Jacque Jones. He didn't mind overpaying for Pierre. He basically overpaid every single player that has been added to this team this offseason, but he didn't want to overpay for the guy who could have helped this team more than any other player on the market?

 

Nice!

 

I hope this question gets asked at convention and the caravan. I really want to know the truth about whether Giles was even given an afterthought. I will be all ears for that question.

 

From Brian Giles point of view: Why would he want to pack up and move his entire family to another city if no one is willing to cough up more money than the team he's currently playing for is willing to offer?

 

If you answer nothing else, please provide the New York Yankee offer and prove that they did indeed offer much more than the Padres did.

 

Didn't NY offer 3 & 33?? Also, he was in talks w/ LA, but I'm not sure what they offered, but given their recent opening of the pocketbooks he probably could have got a nice payday.

 

Surely, he could have held out for more given the nutty market. It's jmo that 3 & 30 was a reasonable middle-road for him and he ended the process. The Cubs were in a race w/ lots of horses, most of them bigger horses, and they bowed out early. I don't like their standard lack of courage, but I think they made the right call in this instance.

[CubfaninCA]

I could've sworn I already made this post, not enough sleep I guess.

 

To me, it was pretty clear that Giles wanted to stay in SD, and some could go as far to say that Giles' perceived interest in other teams was just to drive SD's offer up. However, given the dearth of RF opportunities available to Hendry, and given how good a RF Giles is, I'm pretty unhappy with his lack of any interest at all.

 

It's fair enough to believe that Giles wanted to stay in SD. Maybe Giles' perceived interest in other teams was just to drive up SD's offer. It is very possible. I won't deny that. But, Chicago had more money to spend this offseason than just about every other team.

 

Would Giles REALLY tell Hendry "don't bother" if his main interest is to drive up his price?

 

Who offered Giles 3/45m? No one.

 

Seeing how Hendry has signed someone who is almost an exact opposite of Giles in Jacque Jones, has traded for a speed guy (does Hendry even know what OBP is?) in Pierre, and has allowed Dusty to give Neifi the starting nod over Walker at 2nd base before Spring Training even starts tells me that Hendry and Dusty have completely differing philosophies on how to build a team, and Giles doesn't fit their mold of what would make this team better. That's a more telling feature than "Giles just wasn't interested in leaving San Diego".

 

When Neifi or Jones bats 2nd, we will honestly know for sure that Hendry and Dusty value speed above everything else, including OBP. Well, Neifi isn't speedy. But, we do already know that Dusty would bat him 2nd.

 

I'll just be done arguing about this. Nothing will change the fact that Jacque Jones is in RF instead of Giles. It's wishful thinking that has no chance of coming to fruition. The damage is done.

 

I couldn't be anymore disappointed in this offseason. Maybe it's better that way. I really do spend way too much time obsessing over the Cubs.

 

Given how the Trib allegedly drew a line on Furcal where do you think the line would have been drawn on Giles? Given the Trib & Hendry's lack of guts I can't see 3 & 45. Maybe 3 & 35. Big maybe tho.

[BigbadB]

Sosa in 2003 on a tight budget:

 

16m=.279/.358/.553/.911

 

Giles at 15m with a plenty of budget space and using his 2005 numbers:

 

.301/.423/.483/.906

[CubfaninCA]

Sosa in 2003 on a tight budget:

 

16m=.279/.358/.553/.911

 

Giles at 15m with a plenty of budget space and using his 2005 numbers:

 

.301/.423/.483/.906

 

What did Sosa do the year they signed him to all that money?? 1.100 ops??? 60some homers??

[Bull]

the pitching prospects given up were mediocre at best. You have to give up something to get a player, I like Pierre. Everyone gripes about a leadoff hitter, now we have one. Everyone hated Mitre and neither of the others are great prospects. I'd rather have a leadoff hitter than a bunch of middle relievers.

 

They were #2 and #3 in ERA in an absolutely loaded league(Both made BA's top 20 for the Southern League as well, IIRC). Pinto and Nolasco are good prospects. You may think that they are worth Pierre, but let's not devalue them by calling them 'mediocre at best' or 'middle relievers'.

Feel free to call them whatever you want. I wish to call them middle relief prospects.

 

Why?

 

because they were. The better one was the fifth best pitching prospect in the system. Assuming Wood Prior and Zambrano are staples, that puts 4 prospects ahead of Nolasco for the last two spots in the 2009? rotation. In this system Nolasco and Pinto were destined for trade or middle relief.

[BigbadB]

Sosa in 2003 on a tight budget:

 

16m=.279/.358/.553/.911

 

Giles at 15m with a plenty of budget space and using his 2005 numbers:

 

.301/.423/.483/.906

 

What did Sosa do the year they signed him to all that money?? 1.100 ops??? 60some homers??

 

The year the Cubs signed Sosa to that deal, they weren't in the playoffs. In 2003, they were.

 

Giles at 15m would not have wiped out the entire budget. They would have had plenty of money and prospects to spare to upgrade any other positions.

 

Also wasn't asking Hendry to give Giles a long term deal. How about a 15m signing bonus and 3/30m?

 

I just want someone to ask Hendry in an open forum why he gave no evidence of showing any interest in Giles. I need to know the answer to that question.

[Mizzou]

Giles at 15 million? No thanks. Is he really three times better than Jones? I don't think he is. And not only that, but by giving Giles a 15 million dollar contract, that all but gaurantees that Aramis opts out after 2006. It's moot at this point, but I never would have even considered paying him 15 million a year.

[CubfaninCA]

Sosa in 2003 on a tight budget:

 

16m=.279/.358/.553/.911

 

Giles at 15m with a plenty of budget space and using his 2005 numbers:

 

.301/.423/.483/.906

 

What did Sosa do the year they signed him to all that money?? 1.100 ops??? 60some homers??

 

The year the Cubs signed Sosa to that deal, they weren't in the playoffs. In 2003, they were.

 

Giles at 15m would not have wiped out the entire budget. They would have had plenty of money and prospects to spare to upgrade any other positions.

 

Also wasn't asking Hendry to give Giles a long term deal. How about a 15m signing bonus and 3/30m?

 

I just want someone to ask Hendry in an open forum why he gave no evidence of showing any interest in Giles. I need to know the answer to that question.

 

I'd like to hear the answer too, but bet it will be something like "Giles wanted to stay in SD pretty bad, blah, blah..."

 

I highly doubt the Trib would give such a signing bonus or give him close to Sosa money. Sosa was also a major marketing draw, which Giles isn't. The walk doesn't sell much merchandise. :)