Well Mr. Miles...what's the Cubs next move?

[YearofDaCubs]

The Cubs didn't give Jones $16 million to platoon him.

This is where I disagree a little. As the LH half of a platoon, and facing all RH starting pitchers, Jones would get the lion's share of the playing time, since LH starting pitching is scarce. I absolutely agree no team would give a player $5.33 million per year to face only LH pitching, but it is not unthinkable for RH pitching, and Jones really does need a platoon partner, as he is certifiably horrible vs. LHP's.

Ideally platooning Jones would make RF more successfull but lets be realistic. I doubt I see Hendry pulling a move to sign a guy just to platoon with Jones. It's not his MO.

[abuck1220]

Not necessarily. If they wind up with Tejada or another shortstop, they'd be fine with Cedeno at second with Neifi as the backup. I believe Hendry knows you can't play Neifi every day and thus expose him. And you must never, ever bat him 1 or 2. I have a feeling Hendry is working on things nobody has even talked about. The Derrek Lee trade came literally out of nowhere. The did a good job keeping the Blanco signing quiet _ everybody assumed they'd re-sign Bako. The Cubs also would be comfortable with Hairston getting a good number of starts at second, too. He seems to be the forgotten guy here.

 

Anything you can share regarding Brian Giles? Was there no interest in him? Did Giles not want to play in Chicago? Did Hendry assume or have some sort of first hand knowledge Giles had no desire to leave San Diego?

 

Any help on this would be appreciated.

 

Giles would have been my first choice, but the Cubs felt all along that he'd stay in San Diego or get an unbelievable offer from the Yankees.

 

i think it just woud have made me, and probably others, feel better if they would have at least made an effort to go after him, instead of just assuming he was staying in SD. i mean, that's just kind of lazy. at least then i would have felt like the cubs didn't think jacque jones was better than giles.

 

"Lazy" probably isn't a fair assessment. That's one thing Hendry isn't. But all organizatons target certain players and concentrate on them. This off-season, the Cubs felt they would spend money on Furcal and also try to land Pierre. I'm sure Giles' age worked against him coming to Wrigley, too, but that's just my speculation.

 

yeah, i guess it wouldn't be fair to say that he was lazy in pursuing giles since he had apparently had no interest whatsoever in him. of course, i could think of a few words to describe hendry's decision that giles wasn't a good fit for the team. it's strange that giles' age was a concern for the cubs when alou's wasn't when they signed him.

 

you'd think that one of these times when hendry arbitrarily picks a direction for the team (clubhouse chemistry! speed! defense!) he would accidentally stumble upon on base percentage or scoring a bunch of runs.

[jtownie]

Perhaps I am way off-base here but the Jones signing still seems a little unexpected. We didn't hear much about the Cubs interest all off-season except for a tidbit here or there that never really indicated they were after him. It just seems like they just decided to sign him and give up trying to trade for a RF. Something in my instincts tells me that maybe something bigger is at work...perhaps that is just the fear of knowing that this could be our OF.

 

Is it possible they kept fielding offers for other players and kept getting asked for Murton and instead of resisting decided that he is expendable and then went after the FA OF they felt was best suited for the team?

 

Maybe I am just getting way too close to the edge of the ledge.

[Ram1380]

Mr. Miles, I just wanted to thank you for taking time for us Cubs fans. Even though you don't have to, you still do. Getting to talk to you on NSBB is almost as exciting as a big trade. Thanks again.

 

Thanks. And maybe we can still get that big trade.

 

Put a slug in someone's ear on behalf of all of us!

 

 

:shock:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I kid.

 

 

:twisted:

[Deeg]

Bruce, maybe this is a dumb question, but how in the world can the Cubs not see Jones as a platoon player? I know OPS seems to be off their radar, but surely they can see that his struggles - and we're talking really, really bad here - against lefties are not a one-year thing. He's pretty much been awful against them his whole career.

 

Also - if indeed Jones is an everyday player in their view, where do you see this leaving Pie and Murton medium-term? It seems like a certainty that Pierre will be extended, as Hendry absolutely loves him. Jones will presumably be close to untradeable at that salary. Are Pie and Murton destined to be platooned, or will one of them be dealt? Pie isn't ready now, but we're locked into Jones for three years.

[UK1679666180]

it's strange that giles' age was a concern for the cubs when alou's wasn't when they signed him.

 

Alou fell into their lap in a way. There were two bidders, IIRC, Cubs and Yankees, the Yankees couldn't match the Cubs' offer and went after White instead.

 

Plus, Alou wasn't a Hendry acquisition.

 

That signing was much later in the off-season process as well.

Edited December 21, 2005 by UK

[abuck1220]

Bruce,

 

Any chance Eric Byrnes is on Hendry's radar?

 

Possibly. He'd fill the bill of a right-handed hitter who could come off the bench and start now and then.

 

speed + defense + hustle + good attitude. what's not for hendry to like?

[YearofDaCubs]

Perhaps I am way off-base here but the Jones signing still seems a little unexpected. We didn't hear much about the Cubs interest all off-season except for a tidbit here or there that never really indicated they were after him. It just seems like they just decided to sign him and give up trying to trade for a RF. Something in my instincts tells me that maybe something bigger is at work...perhaps that is just the fear of knowing that this could be our OF.

 

Is it possible they kept fielding offers for other players and kept getting asked for Murton and instead of resisting decided that he is expendable and then went after the FA OF they felt was best suited for the team?

 

Maybe I am just getting way too close to the edge of the ledge.

No offense to you but I hear that all the time on the board how somebody has a gut feeling something big is about to happen yet it never does. I'm not as optimistic about getting Tejada and others.

[brfahey]

Not to extend this discussion, but what do you call it when a team has the option to keep and chooses not to do so? Whether it's for a good or bad reasson, they've passed on the guy or cut their ties with the guy, or gotten rid of the guy. Why so sensitive about phrasing.

 

When teams trade a guy, it's not cutting. Boston didn't just cut Damon, they decided they didn't want to pay what he wanted. Are you telling me they decided to cut ties with him and were just looking for somebody else to take him? No, Walker isn't as good as Damon, but Walker was in a similar situation. Boston was tight in the salary dept that year. They were going to go hard after Schilling and find financial room for Pedro, Foulke and raises for others. They had Bellhorn making nothing in the wings, and Walker was asking for 3/15. That's not cutting a guy.

 

Neifi Perez is a guy who was cut. Sidney Ponson was cut.

 

But the vast majority of player movement is based on teams going in another direction, stressing one area over another, weighing cost benefits, not cutting people.

 

Boston cut their ties with Damon. I know they didn't release him. Not that Damon has anything to do with this disucssion. I know (at least I think I do) that walker has never been released. I knew that at the beginning of this discussion. To me, if a team makes a decision not to keep a guy they could if they wanted to keep, they have cut their ties to him or moved on etc. You are very sensitive about the semantics of a player leaving a team and that is your right. I am not. And I know the difference between releasing and trading and non-tendering and chooisng not to resign.

[goonys evil twin]

If we're going to be honest please don't call the Twins cheap. They are a small market team and they couldn't afford to give him what he would have earned through arbitration. Ortiz understood the move.

 

They could afford it. He made 1.2m in 2003 with Boston, 4.5 in 2004 and 5.2 in 2005. He was just hitting his prime when they let him go, and instead they decided to spend that money on lesser players. 13 guys on the Twins made more than him the year after he left.

[abuck1220]

it's strange that giles' age was a concern for the cubs when alou's wasn't when they signed him.

 

Alou fell into laps in a way. There were two bidders, IIRC, Cubs and Yankees, the Yankees couldn't match the Cubs' offer and went after White instead.

 

Plus, Alou wasn't a Hendry acquisition.

 

oops...forgot about that.

[jtownie]

If we're going to be honest please don't call the Twins cheap. They are a small market team and they couldn't afford to give him what he would have earned through arbitration. Ortiz understood the move.

 

They could afford it. He made 1.2m in 2003 with Boston, 4.5 in 2004 and 5.2 in 2005. He was just hitting his prime when they let him go, and instead they decided to spend that money on lesser players. 13 guys on the Twins made more than him the year after he left.

 

 

Wasn't the concern with Ortiz that he couldn't stay healthy or wasn't hitting for enough power at the time?

[Bruce Miles]

Perhaps I am way off-base here but the Jones signing still seems a little unexpected. We didn't hear much about the Cubs interest all off-season except for a tidbit here or there that never really indicated they were after him. It just seems like they just decided to sign him and give up trying to trade for a RF. Something in my instincts tells me that maybe something bigger is at work...perhaps that is just the fear of knowing that this could be our OF.

 

Is it possible they kept fielding offers for other players and kept getting asked for Murton and instead of resisting decided that he is expendable and then went after the FA OF they felt was best suited for the team?

 

Maybe I am just getting way too close to the edge of the ledge.

 

The Cubs have been looking at Jones for about a year. I began writing about it early in the winter meetings when it became apparent they were hitting a roadblock in trading for a right fielder. If something bigger is at work, it'll be for an infielder or a starting pitcher.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Boston cut their ties with Damon. I know they didn't release him.

 

I believe it would be more accurate to say that Damon cut his ties with Boston. They, like the Cubs with Furcal, offered a rather fair amount of money, and another team swooped in and offered a near insane amount over that.

[jtownie]

Perhaps I am way off-base here but the Jones signing still seems a little unexpected. We didn't hear much about the Cubs interest all off-season except for a tidbit here or there that never really indicated they were after him. It just seems like they just decided to sign him and give up trying to trade for a RF. Something in my instincts tells me that maybe something bigger is at work...perhaps that is just the fear of knowing that this could be our OF.

 

Is it possible they kept fielding offers for other players and kept getting asked for Murton and instead of resisting decided that he is expendable and then went after the FA OF they felt was best suited for the team?

 

Maybe I am just getting way too close to the edge of the ledge.

 

The Cubs have been looking at Jones for about a year. I began writing about it early in the winter meetings when it became apparent they were hitting a roadblock in trading for a right fielder. If something bigger is at work, it'll be for an infielder or a starting pitcher.

 

 

I recall that now. I guess I was just hoping that I didn't have to take Jones as a legitimate answer. But I do recall it being written that Sarge was quoted as saying he really hoped the Cubs got Jones because he could really catch the ball...

 

Here's to Tejada! May he bring happiness to our holiday/New Year's celebration!

 

Thanks again Bruce!! Your articles are bookmarked and always the first read!

[Bruce Miles]

Bruce, maybe this is a dumb question, but how in the world can the Cubs not see Jones as a platoon player? I know OPS seems to be off their radar, but surely they can see that his struggles - and we're talking really, really bad here - against lefties are not a one-year thing. He's pretty much been awful against them his whole career.

 

Also - if indeed Jones is an everyday player in their view, where do you see this leaving Pie and Murton medium-term? It seems like a certainty that Pierre will be extended, as Hendry absolutely loves him. Jones will presumably be close to untradeable at that salary. Are Pie and Murton destined to be platooned, or will one of them be dealt? Pie isn't ready now, but we're locked into Jones for three years.

 

The feeling is that Pie won't be ready to break camp with the

Cubs anyway, especially in light of his injury last year. I was told by somebody, "When Pie tells us he's ready, we'll find a place for him." For now, your outfield is Murton-Pierre-Jones until further notice. Performance and injury will dictate the way things go. It could end up being a nice problem to have.

[UK1679666180]

Bruce, to get back to old news with Furcal...

 

In your opinion, when Furcal and his agent rec'd the generous offer from the Dodgers and they went to the Braves and the Cubs to match or exceed that offer, did Hendry have permission to exceed their current offer to get him? If he did have permission, was it his decision to not compete with the offer from LA or was it a decision from higher up?

[Bruce Miles]

Bruce, to get back to old news with Furcal...

 

In your opinion, when Furcal and his agent rec'd the generous offer from the Dodgers and they went to the Braves and the Cubs to match or exceed that offer, did Hendry have permission to exceed their current offer to get him? If he did have permission, was it his decision to not compete with the offer from LA or was it a decision from higher up?

 

Hendry had absolute autonomy on this point. The Cubs were willing to go as high as six years and $57.5 million. Furcal saw the big bucks on a per-year basis in addition to the opportunity to test free agency again in a relatively short period. I can't fault the Cubs on the way they handled this.

[UK1679666180]

That's good news, I'm glad that Hendry had absolute power and was unwilling to match.

[CubfaninCA]

Nice thread. Lots of issues tackled.

 

Any rumor of Rondell White or is he staying in the AL?

[Bruce Miles]

That's good news, I'm glad that Hendry had absolute power and was unwilling to match.

 

You get to a point in any negotiation where you say, "Enough, we've given it our best shot."

[goonys evil twin]

That's good news, I'm glad that Hendry had absolute power and was unwilling to match.

 

You get to a point in any negotiation where you say, "Enough, we've given it our best shot."

 

I wonder how high they would have gone with Jacque.

[Bruce Miles]

Nice thread. Lots of issues tackled.

 

Any rumor of Rondell White or is he staying in the AL?

 

I haven't heard anything regarding the Cubs and White. FWIW, you can put Rondell in the all-time nice-guy category. Few players actually come up to reporters to say hello first. Rondell did this every day, and when he was on opposing teams, he'd come by for a visit.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

That's good news, I'm glad that Hendry had absolute power and was unwilling to match.

 

You get to a point in any negotiation where you say, "Enough, we've given it our best shot."

 

I wonder how high they would have gone with Jacque.

 

I believe they were high with Jones. http://forums.gigantour.com/images/smilies/hbd.gif

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Regarding the desirability of platooning Jones: we all know how high the Cubs are on Pie. I think he needs a full season at AAA, but....breaking him into the big leagues via a soft platoon with Jones would exactly the follow the Cubs MO. And for once, I think it would be the right plan.

 

Maybe Pie by June?

 

If Bruce is still here, I saw the blurb early this week that the Cubs are interested in Eduardo Perez. I sure hope so, he would be an excellent addition to the Cubs bench. He plays corner IF and corner OF, and absolutely MASHES LHP. Perfect complement to Jones. Any info on the Cubs pursuit of Perez?