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ESPN 1000 - Cubs are going after Schmidt next

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Rob Knoxville Smokies

Rob

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ESPN News said they'll have Peter Gammons coming on soon to talk about the Cubs' offer.

 

Care to relate the convo as it comes on?

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TruffleShuffle Cooperstown

TruffleShuffle

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not to mention that our crops of pitchers that were supposedly spectacular in the part of this decade yielded exactly one good, reliable starter - unless you count someone like Willis, who wasn't that highly regarded at the time of his trade. Every pitching prospect the Cubs have who is close to being major-league ready has serious questions, in terms of ability and/or health.

 

And these signings aren't taking away any of our current crop of prospects either. Theoretically, if any of these guys work out, it will make the big contracts all that much easier to handle in future years. If they start trading their best pitching prospects for relievers and bench players, then the future is in jeopardy. But, if they hold onto those guys, or only use them in trades for really good regular contributors, then we're fine.

 

Yeah, that's why I like what the Cubs are doing this offseason. If you can trade for a real superstar - A-Rod, Miguel Cabrera - hey, go for it. But don't mortgage the farm for a stopgap or even a pretty good player. The Cubs are going after free agents and are keeping what little there is in the farm system intact.

 

Down the road, I can see Patterson taking over at 2B and DeRosa shifting to the utility role. If Schmidt sucks or is hurt in his 4th year, maybe someone like Veal, Gallagher or Pawelek will have arrived and will be pitching well, for really cheap. One of the things that this insane free agent period will show is how critical it is to at least develop some minor league talent that contributes at a major league level.

 

Think of how big it is for the Phillies to have a masher like Howard making less than $1M, or the same for the Twins to have Morneau and Mauer. Even guys like Hill and Murton, who had an ERA+/OPS+ over 100 last year, can be give good production for really cheap. You can't plug 8-figure players like Soriano, Lee and ARam into every spot in the lineup, so you've got to manufacture some regulars of your own.

badgercub First Round Pick

badgercub

Verified Member
Posted
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This has been mentioned, but just wanted to say that ESPN's rumor mill picked up the 3/44 rumor:

 

Cubs shelling out for Schmidt?

Nov 28 - According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the Cubs have offered free-agent starter Jason Schmidt a three-year deal worth $44 million.

 

Source: http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/features/rumors

 

Hendry will bid 4/60 soon. Would rather have written off 2007 and given our stable of 4A pitchers a chance to earn a rotation spot, then evaluate and address needs in the offseason. Sadly that ship has sailed(sigh).

 

Was there even a ship to begin with? Outside of Hill, our current crop of youngsters ain't too pretty. I'm thinking some of them will improve, but do you really think any of them until Veal and Gallagher would improve THAT much?

 

I don't know, but it would have been nice to find out. Not having humongous bubble-year contracts on the books for the next half decade would have been cool too.

 

I think things have changed and these big contracts shouldn't necessarily hamstring a big market club like the Cubs. Not that the Trib did not provide adequate resources before, but with an increase in payroll of what looks like to be 35 million over last year the Cubs are going to have to spend and overpay to recover from the mess that was 2006. As someone else stated at least they haven't traded anything of value regarding prospects, and if they are able to build somewhat from within they will be able to withstand the contracts Hendry is handing out. Right now only Soriano's contract is one that could be of concern.

goonys evil twin South Bend Cubs

goonys evil twin

Old-Timey Member
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You can't plug 8-figure players like Soriano, Lee and ARam into every spot in the lineup, so you've got to manufacture some regulars of your own.

 

Likewise, you can't develop all 25 players on your own, and you have to plug in guys like Soriano, Lee and ARam when you can.

Post Count Padder Chicago Cubs

Post Count Padder

Old-Timey Member
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ESPN News said they'll have Peter Gammons coming on soon to talk about the Cubs' offer.

 

Care to relate the convo as it comes on?

I would, but I have to go to class. Hopefully someone else can turn it on and relay it.

Soul MVP

Soul

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
This has been mentioned, but just wanted to say that ESPN's rumor mill picked up the 3/44 rumor:

 

Cubs shelling out for Schmidt?

Nov 28 - According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the Cubs have offered free-agent starter Jason Schmidt a three-year deal worth $44 million.

 

Source: http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/features/rumors

 

Hendry will bid 4/60 soon. Would rather have written off 2007 and given our stable of 4A pitchers a chance to earn a rotation spot, then evaluate and address needs in the offseason. Sadly that ship has sailed(sigh).

 

Was there even a ship to begin with? Outside of Hill, our current crop of youngsters ain't too pretty. I'm thinking some of them will improve, but do you really think any of them until Veal and Gallagher would improve THAT much?

 

I don't know, but it would have been nice to find out. Not having humongous bubble-year contracts on the books for the next half decade would have been cool too.

 

Hopefully you weren't one of the people saying "please I don't care what you have to do, just win a World Series" during last season. Look the fans want to win now, and that is what the management is trying to do. I know its completely short sighted and we'll regret it, but within reason, I'll worry about the future in the future.

 

In terms of our 'crops' of pitchers, I saw enough of that last year.

 

Yeah, really Marshall is the guy who impressed me most, and only marginally. I don't think guys like Marmol and Mateo can be counted on for much. Gooz either. It's a stable of very shaky back-of-the rotation guys, and if we roll the dice on 'em again in '07 it's quite likely to come up snake eyes.

goonys evil twin South Bend Cubs

goonys evil twin

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
ESPN News said they'll have Peter Gammons coming on soon to talk about the Cubs' offer.

 

Care to relate the convo as it comes on?

I would, but I have to go to class. Hopefully someone else can turn it on and relay it.

 

 

blahblahblah, hall of fame, blahblahblah

 

why do people care about this crap? Talk about the players who matter today, not what writers like to debate with each other.

CubColtPacer South Bend Cubs

CubColtPacer

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
All we can do is offer the money. If Schmidt choses comfort and familiarity over money, there's really nothing more we can do..

 

You can do more than that. You have to sell a lot more than just the contract. Epstein convinced Schilling to go to Boston after he had said he'd never go. Hendry has to do more than just layout a contract and say, "it's up to you." He should convince Schmidt that he's building a legit contender that will win big in the next few years. The contract itself is the most important thing, but you can't just stop there.

 

I'm not positive about this now, but I seem to remember hearing a report from an unnamed agent saying something to the effect of the presentation Hendry made to Soriano to convince him to come out here was the best he had ever seen.

 

I can confirm that I heard the exact same thing about the great presentation.

TruffleShuffle Cooperstown

TruffleShuffle

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
You can't plug 8-figure players like Soriano, Lee and ARam into every spot in the lineup, so you've got to manufacture some regulars of your own.

 

Likewise, you can't develop all 25 players on your own, and you have to plug in guys like Soriano, Lee and ARam when you can.

 

yup, that's the right formula - unfortunately, the Cubs just haven't produced the talent to use this method. Really need to develop some position prospects - Cubs have been so woeful at doing that the past 20 years.

Rob Knoxville Smokies

Rob

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
You can't plug 8-figure players like Soriano, Lee and ARam into every spot in the lineup, so you've got to manufacture some regulars of your own.

 

Likewise, you can't develop all 25 players on your own, and you have to plug in guys like Soriano, Lee and ARam when you can.

 

yup, that's the right formula - unfortunately, the Cubs just haven't produced the talent to use this method. Really need to develop some position prospects - Cubs have been so woeful at doing that the past 20 years.

 

Eric Hinske is a super-stud.

TruffleShuffle Cooperstown

TruffleShuffle

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
Gammons doesn't think the White Sox will get involved for Manny. Doesn't think the Giants have enough to get him, even though they do want him, and he doesn't think that the Dodgers' scouting director will be willing to give up three good prospects.
TruffleShuffle Cooperstown

TruffleShuffle

Old-Timey Member
Posted
Posted
You can't plug 8-figure players like Soriano, Lee and ARam into every spot in the lineup, so you've got to manufacture some regulars of your own.

 

Likewise, you can't develop all 25 players on your own, and you have to plug in guys like Soriano, Lee and ARam when you can.

 

yup, that's the right formula - unfortunately, the Cubs just haven't produced the talent to use this method. Really need to develop some position prospects - Cubs have been so woeful at doing that the past 20 years.

 

Eric Hinske is a super-stud.

 

gary scott, baby!

vance_the_cubs_fan Cooperstown

vance_the_cubs_fan

Community Moderator
Posted
Posted
Bruce have you heard anything on the Schmidt front?

 

I wouldn't put too much stock in those reports.

 

Not reall what I wanted to read, but thanks Bruce.

 

So, it's your opinion the Cubs aren't pursuing Schmidt that heavily?

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