Rogers: Cubs, Red Sox showing most interest in Drew

[soapy]

What will be refreshing is if they actually sign an impact player or 2 or 3..... All the rumors and talk mean nothing to me if they don't get the deals done.

 

Agreed. I refuse to get my hopes up at this point.

[soapy]

LoL, you guys and your freakin love for not only Matt Murton...But then J.D Drew...You guys just salviate from your mouths just thinknig of these guys...

and I find it weird that almost all of NSBB does it for these two.. but better players like A-Rod,Soriano,V. Wells ,M, Rameriz, you guys are so critical of them and always put them down one way or another...It seems like half the site is into good but injured gimps like Drew and Red-haired outfielders who hit 13 HR's...cmon guys seriousuly...

 

hahaha...wow. you're just making stuff up.

 

First of all, Drew > Soriano and Drew > Wells. Secondly, who the hell is critical of Arod (besides stupid journalists)?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Better yet, the Boston Globe describes the Cubs as "seriously" interested in Drew.

 

Link.

 

There was a buzz in the lobby yesterday of the Naples Grande Resort, site of the general managers meetings, that free agent Alfonso Soriano's price could reach almost $20 million annually and that J.D. Drew's price tag is four years, $56 million.

 

"That's the money we're hearing," said one National League general manager concerning Drew, a Scott Boras client. "It's getting a little crazy. I don't know if people will pay it, but he's a guy a few teams are eyeing and in the end, they'll probably come close to that."

 

Will the Red Sox pony up that kind of money for Drew? He is two years younger than Johnny Damon, for whom the team would only go as high as four years, $40 million. There's no question the Red Sox and Boras have had multiple discussions on the soon-to-be 31-year-old right fielder, but Boras has shopped Drew and the Chicago Cubs are seriously interested.

[Sabermetrician]

Better yet, the Boston Globe describes the Cubs as "seriously" interested in Drew.

 

Link.

 

There was a buzz in the lobby yesterday of the Naples Grande Resort, site of the general managers meetings, that free agent Alfonso Soriano's price could reach almost $20 million annually and that J.D. Drew's price tag is four years, $56 million.

 

"That's the money we're hearing," said one National League general manager concerning Drew, a Scott Boras client. "It's getting a little crazy. I don't know if people will pay it, but he's a guy a few teams are eyeing and in the end, they'll probably come close to that."

 

Will the Red Sox pony up that kind of money for Drew? He is two years younger than Johnny Damon, for whom the team would only go as high as four years, $40 million. There's no question the Red Sox and Boras have had multiple discussions on the soon-to-be 31-year-old right fielder, but Boras has shopped Drew and the Chicago Cubs are seriously interested.

 

I would maybe get creative with a Dombrowski-esque contract and get injury opt-out clauses in there. I know Boras would go for it since he's done it for both Pudge and Maggs.

 

1st Year: $12M

2nd Year: $12M

 

Injury Clause based on cumulative plate appearances over the first two years, gives us a team option $16M or $4M buyout. If he stays healthy then the remaining 2 years are guarenteed.

 

3rd Year: $13M

4th Year: $13M

 

5th Year: Team Option, $16M or $2M buyout

 

Totals: Either 2 years, $28M ($12+12+$4 buyout), 4 years, $56M ($12+$12+$13+$13+$2), or 5 years, $72M

 

Either way he averages the $14M per that Boras is looking for, seems to me from past contracts he has negotiated he is more concerned with getting the money he wants each year, as long as the potential is there for the number of years he wants...

[Yeti]

The thing is, during the season, Murton could be in a 0-48 slump

maybe im the only one who finds this unlikely

[BigbadB]

Wow. I had a breakdown last night for nothing. Drew is now being discussed.

 

Thanks for reading my posts, Jim Hendry. You obviously got the message. :D

[samhainn77]

The thing is, during the season, Murton could be in a 0-48 slump

maybe im the only one who finds this unlikely

 

No, but I was overwhelmed with wrongness and I froze up.

[erik316wttn]

JD Drew in CF gives me a boner. Can I say boner?

 

Hell it gives me one too. Go ahead and say it! I'm bonerized about Drew. :lol:

 

He's bonerriffic!

[erik316wttn]

Wow. I had a breakdown last night for nothing. Drew is now being discussed.

 

Thanks for reading my posts, Jim Hendry. You obviously got the message. :D

 

I could forgive Blanco and DeRosa if he signs Drew and Soriano.

 

Although then you'd have to trade for pitching.

[BigbadB]

LoL, you guys and your freakin love for not only Matt Murton...But then J.D Drew...You guys just salviate from your mouths just thinknig of these guys...

and I find it weird that almost all of NSBB does it for these two.. but better players like A-Rod,Soriano,V. Wells ,M, Rameriz, you guys are so critical of them and always put them down one way or another...It seems like half the site is into good but injured gimps like Drew and Red-haired outfielders who hit 13 HR's...cmon guys seriousuly...

 

Drew- only costs money

A-Rod- will cost Z or something similar

Soriano- is second on my wish list directly behind Drew (both would be a tremendous score)

Wells- Will cost a lot in talent and is a free agent next year.

Manny- Not sure what it would take to land him or if he's even available.

 

Now, some of these guys will take more than just talent and money to get them here. But, that doesn't mean we don't want them. Why trade the entire farm system and pay just as much as it would cost for Drew for Wells when you could just sign Drew?

 

Other pluses of Drew-Sports a higher OBP than some of the other names you mention. Can play any outfield position and probably a pretty decent 1b if Lee had some down time. Hits left handed in what is already a very RH line up. Can be secured for several years rather than just one like Vernon Wells or Andruw Jones.

 

Would I rather have A-Rod or Drew? Probably A-Rod. But, if I have to trade Zambrano to get A-Rod and all I have to do is throw money at Drew, I'd rather have Drew AND Zambrano.

 

As far as Murton goes, even the Yankees find room in their line up for a cheap, productive player (Robinson Cano).

 

Murton- .365 OBP

Pierre- .330 OBP

J. Jones- .334 OBP

 

Murton is an on base machine, much like JD Drew. That is exactly what this Cubs team needs. The horrible OBP is why they finished dead last in the league in OBP and runs scored.

 

Pierre will cost 10m to be a horrible lead off guy for some team. I'm happy to see it won't be with the Cubs. Murton would be a much more valuable lead off guy than Pierre would. The main job of a lead off hitter is to get on base. Murton does that. Sure, Murton slumped. But, even with his slump he was a much better player than Pierre. I also tend to believe that Murton will eventually (if not this year) be able to provide equal power to Jacque Jones. Jones has become a part time player. Murton can hit righties or lefties. Jones is a worse option at the plate than Carlos Zambrano when a lefty is on the mound.

 

You should be embracing Murton as well. It's not very often that Cubs fans can get excited about a position player who makes it to the big leagues, let alone provides quality production.

[BigbadB]

Wow. I had a breakdown last night for nothing. Drew is now being discussed.

 

Thanks for reading my posts, Jim Hendry. You obviously got the message. :D

 

I could forgive Blanco and DeRosa if he signs Drew and Soriano.

 

Although then you'd have to trade for pitching.

 

That was always more likely anyway. Zito, Schmidt and Mats is not a tremendous wealth of talent to choose from. :D

 

I do like the trade rumors, and there is still Igawa, who I believe would not count as an A/B signing. The trade rumors I like are Jason Jennings and Jake Westbrook.

 

They could still sign Randy Wolf, also. He's probably not an A/B signing. Pardon me if I am incorrect on this one.

 

I could actually live with Izturis (though I would hope they wouldn't hesitate to go to Theriot when it's proven Izturis can't hit his way out of a wet paper sack) if they got Drew and Soriano.

[David]

I really hope this is true. But isn't it possible Boras is doing what he seems to do every year? Mentioning the Cubs as a serious suitor (and the Cubs going along with it) for one of his top free agents to drive up the price for the other teams?

 

We seemed to see it with Pudge, Beltran...

[BigbadB]

I really hope this is true. But isn't it possible Boras is doing what he seems to do every year? Mentioning the Cubs as a serious suitor (and the Cubs going along with it) for one of his top free agents to drive up the price for the other teams?

 

We seemed to see it with Pudge, Beltran...

 

I'm much cheerier this morning. The Drew news definitely helped :D

[David]

I really hope this is true. But isn't it possible Boras is doing what he seems to do every year? Mentioning the Cubs as a serious suitor (and the Cubs going along with it) for one of his top free agents to drive up the price for the other teams?

 

We seemed to see it with Pudge, Beltran...

 

I'm much cheerier this morning. The Drew news definitely helped :D

 

Lots of good news this morning. :)

[erik316wttn]

I really hope this is true. But isn't it possible Boras is doing what he seems to do every year? Mentioning the Cubs as a serious suitor (and the Cubs going along with it) for one of his top free agents to drive up the price for the other teams?

 

We seemed to see it with Pudge, Beltran...

 

I'm much cheerier this morning. The Drew news definitely helped :D

 

B, you've been a fan long enough that you should know not to get your hopes up.

 

Get happy when it actually happens. Not until.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Of course if we sign Drew and Soriano and deal Jones, I'm not sure how much pitching we'd need.

 

CF Soriano

2b DeRosa

1b Lee

RF Drew

3b Ramirez

LF Murton

C Barrett

SS Izturis

 

That line-up would be nice.

[BigbadB]

I really hope this is true. But isn't it possible Boras is doing what he seems to do every year? Mentioning the Cubs as a serious suitor (and the Cubs going along with it) for one of his top free agents to drive up the price for the other teams?

 

We seemed to see it with Pudge, Beltran...

 

I'm much cheerier this morning. The Drew news definitely helped :D

 

B, you've been a fan long enough that you should know not to get your hopes up.

 

Get happy when it actually happens. Not until.

 

You had to read my posts last night to know just how grumpy I was. I'm not getting my hopes up, but I am happy to hear the Cubs being, at least a little bit, associated with JD Drew.

 

I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm just hoping. :D

[Lefty]

4/56 for Drew> 7/105 for Alph.

 

<7/119 for Beltran. Live & learn.

[BigbadB]

4/56 for Drew> 7/105 for Alph.

 

<7/119 for Beltran. Live & learn.

 

Yep, could have had him.

[TheDude]

Of course if we sign Drew and Soriano and deal Jones, I'm not sure how much pitching we'd need.

 

CF Soriano

2b DeRosa

1b Lee

RF Drew

3b Ramirez

LF Murton

C Barrett

SS Izturis

 

That line-up would be nice.

 

Isn't that about a 78 million dollar lineup? Holy smokes.

 

I don't see Soriano and Drew in the mix together. Drew in CF and Jones in RF is far more likely I think.

[C.C.]

I really hope this is true. But isn't it possible Boras is doing what he seems to do every year? Mentioning the Cubs as a serious suitor (and the Cubs going along with it) for one of his top free agents to drive up the price for the other teams?

 

We seemed to see it with Pudge, Beltran...

 

I'm much cheerier this morning. The Drew news definitely helped :D

 

B, you've been a fan long enough that you should know not to get your hopes up.

 

Get happy when it actually happens. Not until.

 

You had to read my posts last night to know just how grumpy I was. I'm not getting my hopes up, but I am happy to hear the Cubs being, at least a little bit, associated with JD Drew.

 

I'm not getting my hopes up. I'm just hoping. :D

 

We "associate" with just about every big FA every year, and tend to always come up a bit short.

[Backtobanks]

Some of you are getting downright greedy talking about Drew and Soriano. I think we'll be lucky to get one of them. With the rumored numbers, I think I would go for Drew and save $30 million. You know $30 million here and $30 million there and pretty soon you have a lot of money.

[YearofDaCubs]

Of course if we sign Drew and Soriano and deal Jones, I'm not sure how much pitching we'd need.

 

CF Soriano

2b DeRosa

1b Lee

RF Drew

3b Ramirez

LF Murton

C Barrett

SS Izturis

 

That line-up would be nice.

That's a stacked lineup and for the first time in years I would be happy going into the season.

[WrigleyField 22]

I understand what you mean..But who cares about money right now..We have tons of it..Its not mine or yours..Its the Trib's...Spend whatever the hell it takes for us to win the world series...If your a pitcher, who would you rather face, Soriano or Murton? wihtout a doubt, its Murton..You wanna have those batters that scare the crap out of pitchers...Fpr example DLee and Ramirez..I know Murton had the Great OBP and is patient..But wouldnt you rather have someone like Soriano with 40+ HR potential up in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs and runners on to save the game?? If we can kepe Murton and get Soriano..thats fine.. Im just talking about the man love for Murton that he gets, even when he blows...

 

Most games are going to be won in the first 8 innings of the game. Put a lot of good players out there and you will win a lot of those games before the ninth.

[USSoccer]

Some of you are getting downright greedy talking about Drew and Soriano. I think we'll be lucky to get one of them. With the rumored numbers, I think I would go for Drew and save $30 million. You know $30 million here and $30 million there and pretty soon you have a lot of money.

 

If we ended up with one of them I'll be pretty happy.