The General Managers' Meetings Thread

[CubColtPacer]

 

No. He was phenomenal at it before all the injuries. When you couple that with a degenerative knee condition he will not ever be anywhere near phenomenal again... Perhaps he gets back to solidly above average, but he's not even shown us that he's that good right now.

 

He's a drain on this team offensively, and his glove doesn't even begin to make up for his shortcomings. He needs to go.

 

Does Izturis have a degenerative knee condition? I had heard that his elbow problems were degenerative, but I hadn't heard about his knee. Egads.

 

I think the elbow is degenerative, and not the knee. The only thing I've heard with his leg is his hamstring issues (a little bit in 2005, and of course it flared up with the Cubs). I don't think he actually has an actual condition in his legs though.

 

Yeah, you're right.

 

I had a minor brain fart. I knew he had a degenerative condition, and all I could remember were the leg injuries from the last 2 years. But yeah, it's his elbow.

 

Either way, it adversely affects his fielding, so my point stands.

 

From the small amount we got to see, that elbow was fine with the Cubs-he was showing great range and a strong arm from deep in the hole. If he is healthy, his defense will be fine-it will be the offense that is the huge question mark at best.

[JonnyRed]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Yeah, it would suck to add another 30 HR 100 RBI hitter in our lineup...

[Wheelimus]

How about Soriano instead, who will not cost much more, and could conceivably play Center and not mess with Murton. Or even shift Jacque to center if need be.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Lee would not be a bad acquisition as he brings power to a line-up that is in dire need of it.

 

However, Soriano or Drew would be better than Lee because they can play CF which is a position that we have a need to fill and would not supplant a young, cheap productive player.

 

If we can upgrade the line-up without replacing Murton, that is the better course of action.

[killthegoat06]

Is there any word on what actually happened at the meetings?

[Rob]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Yeah, it would suck to add another 30 HR 100 RBI hitter in our lineup...

 

There are actual holes to fill on this team. LF isn't one of them... especially when for a marginal cost of near 15 million bucks for a hitter that isn't much better than a 70% bet to outproduce Murton.

[JonnyRed]

I find it hard to beleive that some people don't understand, when you have about 4-5 holes. You want to keep your above average LF who is making less than $400k. The difference in Carlos Lee's projected offense and Murton's is not worth the projected $15 million dollar difference in payroll. We do not have a vacancy in LF because we have an above average LF. How hard is that to understand?

 

We THINK we have an above average LF. Hey, I love Murt as much as the next guy, but C Lee approached 3X the HR and 2X the RBI of Murton this past season. If we add a big bat in Soriano or JD then I agree to leave Murton in LF, but until then I upgrade my power numbers wherever I can get them. What about platooning Murt and JJ in RF?

[baseball7897]

Cubs NEED to add SP. You cannot go into next season with three question marks in the rotation. Possibly even four counting Hill.

[Warpticon]

My guess is that the Braves would want Marshall or Marmol and a prospect like Patterson.

 

Then they are highly overating Giles. No thanks.

 

That's funny, coming from you. :lol:

[Warpticon]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Ummm...

 

SS is probably our biggest hole of all. I have much more faith in Pie, Pagan, and Theriot to hit like league average CF, RF, and 2B men... respectively, than I have in Izturis to hit like a league average SS.

 

Izturis isn't on this team to hit. He's there to prevent runs, which he is phenomenal at.

 

Both offensively and defensively.

[Warpticon]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Wow. That's pretty ridiculous. Matt Murton<<<<

 

And Carlos pojects as a DH. Murton is NOT a 4th OF. He can hit WELL enough, and get on WELL ENOUGH to warrant being a LF. Besides...Murton is a bargain at his current contract, whereas Carlos Lee is more likely going to be a burden on some team salary.

 

No question....Murton IS BETTER then Lee.

 

On a high power team, he might be a good starter, but he reminds me of Jason Michaels and that is not special.

 

...Jason Michaels? What? Wait, HUH?

[snoodmonger]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Ummm...

 

SS is probably our biggest hole of all. I have much more faith in Pie, Pagan, and Theriot to hit like league average CF, RF, and 2B men... respectively, than I have in Izturis to hit like a league average SS.

 

Izturis isn't on this team to hit. He's there to prevent runs, which he is phenomenal at.

 

Both offensively and defensively.

 

:lol:

[Neuby]

I'm not a huge fan of Carlos Lee unless he is coming with another bat like Soranio or Drew. We heard a report early this offseason that Jones might ask for a trade now that Dusty is gone. Lee in left field wouldn't be a bad thing if Murton was in right and Drew in center. I think Carlos Lee might be talked into returning to Chicago at a steep discount if all the rumors are true. Anyone else think Lee might want to return to Chicago and hit between Lee,Ramirez, and Soranio?

[A New Era]

I find it hard to beleive that some people don't understand, when you have about 4-5 holes. You want to keep your above average LF who is making less than $400k. The difference in Carlos Lee's projected offense and Murton's is not worth the projected $15 million dollar difference in payroll. We do not have a vacancy in LF because we have an above average LF. How hard is that to understand?

 

We THINK we have an above average LF. Hey, I love Murt as much as the next guy, but C Lee approached 3X the HR and 2X the RBI of Murton this past season. If we add a big bat in Soriano or JD then I agree to leave Murton in LF, but until then I upgrade my power numbers wherever I can get them. What about platooning Murt and JJ in RF?

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7597

 

See the LF comparisons box. We have an above average LF. And we have CF empty, and a RF who can't hit lefties. No 2B and a risk at SS, and 2 SP vacancies.

 

CF

RF

2B

SS

P

P

 

Those are the positions we need to improve or replace. I love the idea of Carlos Lee. But he just doesn't fit with what we need right now. .

[RichHillIsABeast]

Is there any word on what actually happened at the meetings?

 

It was just a meet and greet day. I think they went bowling.

 

Tomorrow they'll start looking at rule changes and whatnot (humidors, instant replay on HRs, etc). After that they might get down to trade talks, or at least laying the groundwork for some later on.

[A New Era]

My guess is that the Braves would want Marshall or Marmol and a prospect like Patterson.

 

Then they are highly overating Giles. No thanks.

 

That's funny, coming from you. :lol:

 

As you can tell. I wanted Giles AND Giles last year. But not this year. There are good options on the FA front in Durham/Lugo, ect. Where we wouldn't have to give up a Marshall or a Patterson (two of whom I'd expect just a L-i-ttle better than Giles in return). .

[UK1679666180]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Wow. That's pretty ridiculous. Matt Murton<<<<

 

And Carlos pojects as a DH. Murton is NOT a 4th OF. He can hit WELL enough, and get on WELL ENOUGH to warrant being a LF. Besides...Murton is a bargain at his current contract, whereas Carlos Lee is more likely going to be a burden on some team salary.

 

No question....Murton IS BETTER then Lee.

 

On a high power team, he might be a good starter, but he reminds me of Jason Michaels and that is not special.

 

...Jason Michaels? What? Wait, HUH?

 

I like Jason Michaels, I think if the Cubs did get someone like Spriano and put Michaels in CF, it would be an upgrade.

 

With that said, the only thing they have in common has nothing to do with baseball abilities.

[VanceJergins]

If we get Carlos Lee for LF, I will slit my wrists. LF isn't a hole. CF, 1/2 of RF, 2B, and our pitching staff all need major work on them before we even thing about replacing Murton with a FA.

 

Ummm...

 

SS is probably our biggest hole of all. I have much more faith in Pie, Pagan, and Theriot to hit like league average CF, RF, and 2B men... respectively, than I have in Izturis to hit like a league average SS.

 

Izturis isn't on this team to hit. He's there to prevent runs, which he is phenomenal at.

 

Both offensively and defensively.

 

=D>

[Shilzzz]

from rotoworld:

 

Because of the shortage of closer candidates, there's likely to be legitimate interest in Dempster and Benitez. Dempster looks like a better bet to go after the Cubs were able to re-sign Wood. There have already been rumors of a Benitez-for-Pat Burrell swap.

 

holy carp. burrell for benitez? what could we get for dempster if that's true?

[rocket]

I gotta wonder...where did all those people go that was violently opposed to picking up Soriano at the trading deadline in 2005? What changed besides a contract year outburst?

 

 

I was just about to ask that. I remember a bunch of people saying his defensive negatives outweigh potential offensive positives.

 

i agree there were people against trading for soriano, but i assure you that wasn't a reason.

[rocket]

from rotoworld:

 

Because of the shortage of closer candidates, there's likely to be legitimate interest in Dempster and Benitez. Dempster looks like a better bet to go after the Cubs were able to re-sign Wood. There have already been rumors of a Benitez-for-Pat Burrell swap.

 

holy carp. burrell for benitez? what could we get for dempster if that's true?

 

DEMPSTER + JONES FOR BURRELL PLEASE.

[jjgman21]

I gotta wonder...where did all those people go that was violently opposed to picking up Soriano at the trading deadline in 2005? What changed besides a contract year outburst?

 

 

I was just about to ask that. I remember a bunch of people saying his defensive negatives outweigh potential offensive positives.

 

i agree there were people against trading for soriano, but i assure you that wasn't a reason.

 

not that it wasn't a little garnishment next to that big ol helpin of OBP.

[Shilzzz]

from rotoworld:

 

Because of the shortage of closer candidates, there's likely to be legitimate interest in Dempster and Benitez. Dempster looks like a better bet to go after the Cubs were able to re-sign Wood. There have already been rumors of a Benitez-for-Pat Burrell swap.

 

holy carp. burrell for benitez? what could we get for dempster if that's true?

 

DEMPSTER + JONES FOR BURRELL PLEASE.

 

would you rather do demp+jones for hudson or burrell?

 

 

also, from cubs.com(Muskat):

Drew did drive in 100 runs this past season. When he's on the field, he's productive, and Drew has a career on-base percentage of .393. What concerns me is he's been on the disabled list seven times in his career. I can hear the cynics now -- that makes him a perfect fit for the Cubs.

 

I'm sure both Lee and Drew were talked about last week during the Cubs' organizational meetings, and general manager Jim Hendry will talk about both this week at the general manager meetings in Naples, Fla. Another name he'll be seriously considering is free agent Alfonso Soriano.

 

i know i know, it's Muskat. but the interesting thing is that soriano was not mentioned at all in any of the questions, she just threw the blurb in there. what inside info may she have? probably none, but there seems to have been a lot people saying that hendry is going to aggressively persue alfonso.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

You know the Cubs should really looking into Ryan Church or Austin Kearns.

 

Both will give good production for far less than the three main OFers.

 

Don't forget the heavily underrated Elijah Dukes in the D-Rays orginization. He'd make a fantastic young CFer for us, and he's far more polished than Pie. People hate him for his attitude, otherwise he would probably rank up there with Delmon Young.

 

Just a few ideas for the Cubs. Trade oppurtunities are everywhere, I'd like us to see the Cubs target and acquire get some good, young players.

[danonwaveland]

A couple people have described Matt Murton as an "above average left fielder." Offensively, yes. But, defensively, he leaves a lot to be desired. I'm tired of seeing him gaze at balls go over his head and wind up as doubles when they should be singles or fly outs. Love his bat, but not his glove.