ESPN 1000 - Cubs are going after Schmidt next

[Guest]

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=325&p=2&c=596799

 

 

According to multiple executives, Schmidt currently has an offer on the table from a west coast team – believed to be Seattle – worth approximately $44 million over four years.

 

“You can take it to the bank that if the Cubs sign Jason, they will eliminate themselves from the race for Lilly.”

 

would be nice to kill two birds with one stone.

[killthegoat06]

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=325&p=2&c=596799

 

 

According to multiple executives, Schmidt currently has an offer on the table from a west coast team – believed to be Seattle – worth approximately $44 million over four years.

 

“You can take it to the bank that if the Cubs sign Jason, they will eliminate themselves from the race for Lilly.”

 

would be nice to kill two birds with one stone.

 

It also says that the cubs probably won't sign Schmidt because of their offer to Lilly.

[oldcubsfan]

I think they have multiple offers out to several pitchers, whoever comes back to finalize will be the one they sign. This is pretty standard in baseball. heck they Cubs offered Randy Wolf a 3 year deal, but he wanted to pitch on the west coast, near his mom.

[killthegoat06]

I think they have multiple offers out to several pitchers, whoever comes back to finalize will be the one they sign. This is pretty standard in baseball. heck they Cubs offered Randy Wolf a 3 year deal, but he wanted to pitch on the west coast, near his mom.

 

Schmidt will probably draw things out ... ugh

[Soul]

I think they have multiple offers out to several pitchers, whoever comes back to finalize will be the one they sign. This is pretty standard in baseball. heck they Cubs offered Randy Wolf a 3 year deal, but he wanted to pitch on the west coast, near his mom.

 

Schmidt will probably draw things out ... ugh

 

He's a top tier SP FA this year, so that gives him alot of bargaining power.

 

It's pretty clear he's going to try and play the Cubs' offer against the teams he really wants to play for. Try to get more money from them. I wouldn't be suprised if the Cubs have absolutely no shot----Schmidt's agent just trying to get an overpriced offer from us to drive up the $$$$ from those West Coast teams.

[CuseCubFan69]

I think they have multiple offers out to several pitchers, whoever comes back to finalize will be the one they sign. This is pretty standard in baseball. heck they Cubs offered Randy Wolf a 3 year deal, but he wanted to pitch on the west coast, near his mom.

 

Schmidt will probably draw things out ... ugh

 

He's a top tier SP FA this year, so that gives him alot of bargaining power.

 

It's pretty clear he's going to try and play the Cubs' offer against the teams he really wants to play for. Try to get more money from them. I wouldn't be suprised if the Cubs have absolutely no shot----Schmidt's agent just trying to get an overpriced offer from us to drive up the $$$$ from those West Coast teams.

 

Well if that drives up an NL teams budget so they can't afford to get anyone else at least it may have some kind of benefit.

[Soul]

I think they have multiple offers out to several pitchers, whoever comes back to finalize will be the one they sign. This is pretty standard in baseball. heck they Cubs offered Randy Wolf a 3 year deal, but he wanted to pitch on the west coast, near his mom.

 

Schmidt will probably draw things out ... ugh

 

He's a top tier SP FA this year, so that gives him alot of bargaining power.

 

It's pretty clear he's going to try and play the Cubs' offer against the teams he really wants to play for. Try to get more money from them. I wouldn't be suprised if the Cubs have absolutely no shot----Schmidt's agent just trying to get an overpriced offer from us to drive up the $$$$ from those West Coast teams.

 

Well if that drives up an NL teams budget so they can't afford to get anyone else at least it may have some kind of benefit.

 

That's true. Maybe there's a method to Hendry's madness. You either land Schmidt, or at the very least fix it so no one in the NL will be able to sign him without paying a huge price.

 

All the while you keep solid offers on the table for guys like Lilly, and trade offers simmering for journeymen like Jennings.

 

Hendry might be willing to be used in this case.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I think they have multiple offers out to several pitchers, whoever comes back to finalize will be the one they sign. This is pretty standard in baseball. heck they Cubs offered Randy Wolf a 3 year deal, but he wanted to pitch on the west coast, near his mom.

 

Schmidt will probably draw things out ... ugh

 

He's a top tier SP FA this year, so that gives him alot of bargaining power.

 

It's pretty clear he's going to try and play the Cubs' offer against the teams he really wants to play for. Try to get more money from them. I wouldn't be suprised if the Cubs have absolutely no shot----Schmidt's agent just trying to get an overpriced offer from us to drive up the $$$$ from those West Coast teams.

 

If that is true, then the Cubs need to eliminate themselves from the race by go ahead and acquiring the two starters, they are seeking. Sign Lilly early next week, and trade for Westbrook/Jennings/Blanton or sign Padilla shortly after that. Just because the Cubs threw a buttload of money at Soriano, doesn't mean they can be a pawn to another team. If Schmidt isn't legitimately interested in the Cubs, then the Cubs should publicly pull themselves from the "Schmidt derby."

[killthegoat06]

If Schmidt is even considering moving away from the West Coast the Cubs cannot "pull from" the derby. I think the only other non-West Coast team interested in him are the Cards. If the Cards get him and we don't ...

 

 

Unrelated to my above point, this is from Roger's tribune article:

 

the Cubs are as serious about Jason Schmidt as some think, they could get him. He's a Washington native but now lives in Arizona, where one of his neighbors is Kerry Wood.

[Tedward]

This is from Bill Madden who covers baseball for the NY Daily News. In today's column he says that the Dodgers continue to be the front runners for Schmidt and continues on with the following info.

 

Rather, the Cubs are concentrating on upgrading their rotation with Gil Meche, who pitched for Lou Piniella in Seattle; Jason Marquis, who's said to have corrected some mechanics flaws that resulted in his disastrous season with the Cardinals and bitter falling out with Tony La Russa; and Miguel Batista, coming off his first 200-inning season.

 

As much as they need pitching, the Cubs can't possibly believe the money they spent on Soriano and Ramirez made them immeasurably better. Not with that up-the-middle lineup of defensively challenged Michael Barrett behind the plate, career semi-regular Mark DeRosa at second, weak-armed, light-hitting Cesar Izturis at short and a black hole in center field. For the latter, they're talking about signing Kenny Lofton (ugh!) as a stopgap until top prospect Felix Pie (who regressed at Triple-A in '06) is deemed ready.

 

That's why the Cubs almost have to be big players for Julio Lugo, who was Piniella's shortstop in Tampa Bay. With Soriano and Carlos Lee off the board, Lugo, also being pursued by the Mets and Red Sox, becomes the top free agent position player at the Disney World market.

[Vinestal]

If Schmidt is even considering moving away from the West Coast the Cubs cannot "pull from" the derby. I think the only other non-West Coast team interested in him are the Cards. If the Cards get him and we don't ...

 

 

Unrelated to my above point, this is from Roger's tribune article:

 

the Cubs are as serious about Jason Schmidt as some think, they could get him. He's a Washington native but now lives in Arizona, where one of his neighbors is Kerry Wood.

 

LOL... wait I thought Prior was his neighbor? WTH he has Wood living on one side of him and Prior on the other? That has to give us an advantage.

I think we are going to wind up with Lilly and Marquis though *puke*.