Baker and Hendry...back for more?

[TheDude]

I consider Michaels to bea better option than Pierre, he's better defensively, has a higher OBP, cheaper, and is further away from FA.

 

There's one upgrade that has been mentioned as being avail. this off-season as far as trades.

 

If the Cubs were dead set on trading Walker, they should've inquired about Castillo. I don't mind them keeping Walker, I would've liked to have a seen a better defensive player there, but a Perez/Hairston platoon or either of them starting on their own, I doubt they'd match Walker.

 

RF-Sanders is a better option than Jones, he's older, but he's been more productive and during the next two year will likely cont. to be more productive than Jones.

 

I don't mind Perez on the roster, he's an ideal utility player/defensive replacement/pinch runner, but his role will be greater than his production merits.

 

Those are reasonable suggestions. Michaels isn't a proven everyday player solution, nor is he a lead-off hitter. He might have been a good answer if the lead-off solution had come at 2B or SS. So I'd say Michaels wasn't a good fit once Furcal went dough-y eyed.

 

The reports out of Florida were that Castillo had a significantly higher pricetage for an NL team than an AL team. Not sure how reliable the sources were, or why that would be the case when they traded within the division numerous times, but that was reports nonetheless. Top prospect or bust, and Pie wasn't going for Castillo.

 

I too would have loved Castillo.

 

I presume Hendry passed on Sanders for age and health concerns. Sanders doesn't seem like a better option than Jones, except perhaps that he could have been fewer years.

[UK1679666180]

Those are reasonable suggestions. Michaels isn't a proven everyday player solution, nor is he a lead-off hitter. He might have been a good answer if the lead-off solution had come at 2B or SS. So I'd say Michaels wasn't a good fit once Furcal went dough-y eyed.

 

The reports out of Florida were that Castillo had a significantly higher pricetage for an NL team than an AL team. Not sure how reliable the sources were, or why that would be the case when they traded within the division numerous times, but that was reports nonetheless. Top prospect or bust, and Pie wasn't going for Castillo.

 

I too would have loved Castillo.

 

I presume Hendry passed on Sanders for age and health concerns. Sanders doesn't seem like a better option than Jones, except perhaps that he could have been fewer years.

 

What skills han't he shown to be an effective leadoff hitter? This is one of the main fallacies, there are certain skills and qualities to look for in a leadoff hitter. You're not born into a leadoff hitter, there are qualities to look for and qualities not to look for.

 

I believe Michaels has those abilities, he's aggressive at the plate and at the same time he's patient, getting on base is the 1st time I look for with a leadoff hitter as well as the ability to work the count, speed becomes the luxury not the requirement.

 

Also, I don't feel him not playing everday indicates whether or not he can't do it or that a team pass him up b/c of that. He's stuck between one of the best tandem corner OF'ers in baseball, been stuck behind their failed uber prospect, and platooned with one of the best CF combos in MLB last year.

 

He's not nearly as gifted as Giles, but when Giles was traded from Cleveland tp Pitt. for Rincon, he was not out there everyday b/c he couldn't handle it, but Clev. had the best OF in baseball at the time and he was caught in a numbers game as Michaels has been in Philly.

 

If you're the Cubs and the possibility exists of trading Walker, which we can agree on that is a legit possibility, are you content with the possibility of a Hairston/Perez platoon or either one starting at 2B? I'm not, I think Hairston would provide more than Perez, but not to the point where I feel he becomes an asset or more importantly an improvement.

 

Jones was injured for much of last year, part of his poor numbers in '05 are due to being injured. For me, the increased production Sanders will bring over Jones is worth more than the increased chance of injury (although Sanders' injury last year was a fluke injury) and decline.

 

Ftr, I would've gone with a Mark Sweeney/Eli Marrero platoon in RF over Jones or Sanders, I think it would be more productive and more importantly less years and dollars spent.

Edited January 12, 2006 by UK

[BigbadB]

Giles never publically stated he wanted to stay in SD, to my knowledge. Perhaps BBB can enlighten us all.

 

Actually, he did say publicly that he always wanted to stay in San Diego. AFTER HE SIGNED HIS NEW CONTRACT!!

 

What a shocker that is, huh? I thought for sure he would say "I hate San Diego so much, I would have played anywhere else, but no one offered me more than San Diego was willing to up their offer to, so I stayed".

 

Giles said the typical feel good stuff every player says when they sign a contract. He was being honest, however. He did always want to stay in San Diego, but he would have signed elsewhere:

 

1) If someone really wowed him with a contract.

2) If San Diego didn't up their offer.

 

Those of us that hang on to a hopeless battle of whether Giles would sign with the Cubs haven't been given any sort of news that the Cubs even attempted to try to sign him. Until that happens, I'm not buying into it.

 

The things we do know are:

 

Mr. Miles claimed that Hendry never really was all that interested in Giles due to age, the amount it would cost to sign him, and the fact he isn't the lead off hitter type that Hendry seemed to be targeting.

 

We have a quote in print that circulated all over the country that said "I'm not going to get into a bidding war for Brian Giles", which is a Hendry quote.

 

There were several teams talking to Giles, not just one or two. Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals just off the top of my head. The Yankees wanted him to play CF, which wasn't wise for either the Yankees or Giles. The other teams didn't commit any more money (or of no signficance) than the Padres finally caved in and offered. We know all about St. Louis' money issues this offseason. Instead of Giles, look who they got.

 

If the Cubs would have offered Giles 15m a year for the next 3 years, I'm not so sure he wouldn't have taken it. Until there is written proof prior to Giles signing that states he had no interest in playing for the Cubs, I'm not buying it. Sorry if that upsets anyone. Call me stubborn.

 

I will say that Brian Giles would have been one of the most foolish baseball players in the history of the game if he told the Cubs before the bidding process began that he had zero interest in playing for them. Because whether he had any interest in them whatsoever, it would have been foolish to send what most likely would have been one of the best bidding teams in baseball this offseason packing if his true intent for being on the market in the first place was to get San Diego to up their offer. The Cubs had over 40m to spend when this offseason began.

 

Did Brian Giles tell Jim "I have 40m to spend" Hendry not to bother, or did Jim just accidentally not call him? I think Jim was too busy chasing Rafael Furcal to notice one way or the other.

 

What I really don't understand is what is up with the insults of those people who don't believe the Cubs ever had interest in Giles? Everyone is free to believe what they want to believe? Why attack us for believing something different than you? We are fighting a lost cause. He isn't coming here. We know he isn't coming here. Some of us just aren't satisfied with a "I never wanted to leave San Diego" quote AFTER he signed. Name one single player that would say the opposite after a signing. Just one. Please.

[DesMoinesCub]

Sorry if you took my comments as insulting BBB. I didn't mean them to be.

 

My point was what if Hendry called and said I will offer this much and the Giles camp responded by saying that it will cost this amount of money because other teams offered more. Hendry then makes a comment about not getting into a bidding war and then Mr. Miles (who I enjoy reading on this board) writes about the lack of interest that Hendry has. The lack of interest could be from age, money, etc. Hendry had to know what the market was for Giles and many here would agree Giles to be the one player to overpay, but for whatever reason Hendry didn't. Had Hendry overpaid could he have had Giles, maybe.

 

I believe that Hendry had a price and years that he would not go over. Similar to the Furcal situation. Hendry may have realized that his price was not going to match early in the process and then focused his attention to Furcal.

 

I am assuming Hendry was in contact early with the Giles camp and realized that he had no chance because he wasn't going to pay the amount they were going to get. Many hear, including myself, would have loved Giles, and would have paid a lot more then what he got in SD but it wasn't in Hendry's plan. I don't bye the "West Coast" thing either, but also think if money was equal he would have stayed in SD.

 

Again, didn't mean to attack anyone or insult anyone, but I think my belief is a mix of the two. Again, doesn't matter because Giles is in SD, and I will cheer Jones to be everything Giles could have been in a Cubs uniform

[badger1679666666]

Ahhh, the Giles debate. One would think he was Pujols from the number of conversations that have taken place regarding this player.

[BigbadB]

Sorry if you took my comments as insulting BBB. I didn't mean them to be.

 

My point was what if Hendry called and said I will offer this much and the Giles camp responded by saying that it will cost this amount of money because other teams offered more. Hendry then makes a comment about not getting into a bidding war and then Mr. Miles (who I enjoy reading on this board) writes about the lack of interest that Hendry has. The lack of interest could be from age, money, etc. Hendry had to know what the market was for Giles and many here would agree Giles to be the one player to overpay, but for whatever reason Hendry didn't. Had Hendry overpaid could he have had Giles, maybe.

 

I believe that Hendry had a price and years that he would not go over. Similar to the Furcal situation. Hendry may have realized that his price was not going to match early in the process and then focused his attention to Furcal.

 

I am assuming Hendry was in contact early with the Giles camp and realized that he had no chance because he wasn't going to pay the amount they were going to get. Many hear, including myself, would have loved Giles, and would have paid a lot more then what he got in SD but it wasn't in Hendry's plan. I don't bye the "West Coast" thing either, but also think if money was equal he would have stayed in SD.

 

Again, didn't mean to attack anyone or insult anyone, but I think my belief is a mix of the two. Again, doesn't matter because Giles is in SD, and I will cheer Jones to be everything Giles could have been in a Cubs uniform

 

It's cool. I didn't take offense with your post. Your speculation is as good as any. Mine is just speculation also. For all any of us know, Hendry was on his knees with Giles' agent to get him to come to Chicago. However, I believe it was actually Furcal's agent.

 

I think Bruce Miles is probably pretty accurate that Hendry felt Giles was "too old" and "too costly" and didn't fit the biggest need of this team. I beg to differ, but what I say doesn't matter anyway. Hendry wanted top of the order guys. Table setters. I think Hendry really wanted Pierre AND Furcal and felt that with those two, he could go cheap in RF and call it good. With all the "cheap" options that didn't end up being so cheap (Bradley, Wilson, Jones, Encarnacion, etc...), Hendry felt he could make the big splash with Furcal and balance out RF however. I think Hendry believed that if he was going to spend 10m on a player, he would want someone on the right side of 30, can hit at the top of the order, plays good defense and has good speed. One Rafael Furcal fit perfectly with what he wanted.

 

Maybe I'm way off base. But, that's the way I see it. I don't think my opinion is too far fetched.

[BigbadB]

Of course, I also said from the start we should have brought back Nomar. That might have cooled Furcal from coming seeing that the position was partially blocked. But, now we have neither. Nomar could have played RF this year if he got Furcal, and I probably wouldn't be all cranky about not entertaining Giles. The fact they through away a high card in hopes of landing an ace may end up biting them very hard.