Re: New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[illiniguy]

We'd gladly take him. Who out there needs a 1st basemen besides us and the Cards? And have the money to get it done?

 

You're asking who out there needs Albert Pujols.

Did you miss the money part?

[glavine93]

i finally gave in and joined twitter because it seems easier than refreshing nsbb 10,000 times per day at work. i keep waiting for the IT guys to come yell at me.

 

 

Yeah, the search is the key to twitter. Is your company that lacked down that you can't use twitter?

 

no, nothing is blocked. i meant that they will yell at me about the refreshing. the twitter feed seems much less objectionable.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I don't think it was Murton. There was something in the trade that one of the GMs didn't realize he was agreeing to, and Hendry had to send him something later to make up for him not vetoing it at the deadline.

[dew1679666265]

Not sure about Boston. Unless they can dump some salary. Aren't they pretty tapped out. Yankees are always a factor, but yeah, I didn't think of the Nats.

 

It's going to be a fun off season with Pujols and Fielder. I still think Pujols is going to stay with the Cards.

 

I may be erring in assuming the Red Sox can bump payroll up as necessary if they choose to, much like the Yankees but not to the same degree. In all honesty, I think NL teams will have the inside track on Pujols anyway. I'm pretty sure he prefers playing first rather than DHing and while I think he'll entertain offers from AL teams and use them to boost the overall value of the deal, I think he'll end up in the NL.

 

Fielder's more likely to be in the AL, I think. Something like the Cubs getting Pujols for (throwing out a random amount) 10/280 and then the Angels/Red Sox/Yankees fighting over Fielder at a little less in money and years than Pujols got.

 

I just don't see the Cards being a factor. It'd take nearly everything they have just to bring Pujols back and they may not even be able to afford him alone without boosting payroll. If he were going to go back to St. Louis at a major discount, I think he would have done it before the year.

[PrimeTime]

Found a pic at Red Sox headquarters this morning in Theo's office during compensation talks

 

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/Jeffrey_ake_hostage_al_jazeera.jpg

[EpsteinCubs]

Where's our page count and topic goals for today?

[Sammy Sofa]

We'd gladly take him. Who out there needs a 1st basemen besides us and the Cards? And have the money to get it done?

 

You're asking who out there needs Albert Pujols.

Did you miss the money part?

 

Nope. Again, Albert Pujols. That's obviously not saying every team can afford him, but a player of that level is going to bring some relatively unexpected suitors out of the woodwork. Acting like the field is as narrow as C.C. is seemingly suggesting is silly.

[illiniguy]

We'd gladly take him. Who out there needs a 1st basemen besides us and the Cards? And have the money to get it done?

 

You're asking who out there needs Albert Pujols.

Did you miss the money part?

 

Nope. Again, Albert Pujols. That's obviously not saying every team can afford him, but a player of that level is going to bring some relatively unexpected suitors out of the woodwork. Acting like the field is as narrow as C.C. is seemingly suggesting is silly.

I'm not so sure. I'm betting there is less than 7 to 8 real suitors, should he get to FA.

[Sammy Sofa]

I agree. 7 to 8 is a hell of a lot more than what C.C. was suggesting.

[dew1679666265]

I'm not so sure. I'm betting there is less than 7 to 8 real suitors, should he get to FA.

 

I think the bidding will start out with quite a few suitors while it hovers in the $18-22 million range or so, but once it starts getting into the mid-high 20s, I think 2-4 real suitors will remain and everyone else will fall off. There will probably be more than 7-8 making token offers in that initial range, though, I think.

[shnsajax]

This could go into multiple threads.

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view/20111021albert_pujols_makes_sense_for_theo_epsteins_cubs/srvc=home&position=recent

[treebird]

Rogers apparently has made his way out to Boston (actually, Brookline) to write a big piece on Epstein

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1021-epstein-theo-rogers-cubs-chicago--20111021,0,7461247.story

 

much more at link

 

 

Pouring through scouting reports and crunching numbers, Epstein became fascinated with undersized infielder David Eckstein. He urged Towers to put in a claim when Eckstein hit waivers in 2000, calling him "an on-base machine.'' Towers passed, then watched as Eckstein helped lead the Angels to a World Series championship two years later.

 

we've made a huge mistake.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't think it was Murton. There was something in the trade that one of the GMs didn't realize he was agreeing to, and Hendry had to send him something later to make up for him not vetoing it at the deadline.

 

It was something with the Twins where I think they thought they were getting another player (Really? [expletive] you you got Justin Jones for Mienkietwicz) The Cubs signed Henry Blanco before the arb deadline so Minnesota could get a comp pick the next year.

[SouthSideRyan]

Rogers apparently has made his way out to Boston (actually, Brookline) to write a big piece on Epstein

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1021-epstein-theo-rogers-cubs-chicago--20111021,0,7461247.story

 

much more at link

 

 

Pouring through scouting reports and crunching numbers, Epstein became fascinated with undersized infielder David Eckstein. He urged Towers to put in a claim when Eckstein hit waivers in 2000, calling him "an on-base machine.'' Towers passed, then watched as Eckstein helped lead the Angels to a World Series championship two years later.

 

we've made a huge mistake.

 

That's like 100 pages old.

[bukie]

Rogers apparently has made his way out to Boston (actually, Brookline) to write a big piece on Epstein

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1021-epstein-theo-rogers-cubs-chicago--20111021,0,7461247.story

 

much more at link

 

 

Pouring through scouting reports and crunching numbers, Epstein became fascinated with undersized infielder David Eckstein. He urged Towers to put in a claim when Eckstein hit waivers in 2000, calling him "an on-base machine.'' Towers passed, then watched as Eckstein helped lead the Angels to a World Series championship two years later.

 

we've made a huge mistake.

I think I've said it before, but that was a time that Eckstein was actually really underrated.

[Sammy Sofa]

Rogers apparently has made his way out to Boston (actually, Brookline) to write a big piece on Epstein

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1021-epstein-theo-rogers-cubs-chicago--20111021,0,7461247.story

 

much more at link

 

 

Pouring through scouting reports and crunching numbers, Epstein became fascinated with undersized infielder David Eckstein. He urged Towers to put in a claim when Eckstein hit waivers in 2000, calling him "an on-base machine.'' Towers passed, then watched as Eckstein helped lead the Angels to a World Series championship two years later.

 

we've made a huge mistake.

 

We talked about this earlier in the thread. Theo was right at the time. Epstein had a sexy OPS those first two season with the Angels and was a 9 WAR guy.

[mul21]

Not sure about Boston. Unless they can dump some salary. Aren't they pretty tapped out. Yankees are always a factor, but yeah, I didn't think of the Nats.

 

It's going to be a fun off season with Pujols and Fielder. I still think Pujols is going to stay with the Cards.

 

I may be erring in assuming the Red Sox can bump payroll up as necessary if they choose to, much like the Yankees but not to the same degree. In all honesty, I think NL teams will have the inside track on Pujols anyway. I'm pretty sure he prefers playing first rather than DHing and while I think he'll entertain offers from AL teams and use them to boost the overall value of the deal, I think he'll end up in the NL.

 

Fielder's more likely to be in the AL, I think. Something like the Cubs getting Pujols for (throwing out a random amount) 10/280 and then the Angels/Red Sox/Yankees fighting over Fielder at a little less in money and years than Pujols got.

 

I just don't see the Cards being a factor. It'd take nearly everything they have just to bring Pujols back and they may not even be able to afford him alone without boosting payroll. If he were going to go back to St. Louis at a major discount, I think he would have done it before the year.

 

Something that most people tend to forget about when trying to figure out payroll for the Cards is their stadium payments. They're paying off a significantly higher portion of principle on their loan than they're required to every year. I'm thinking I remember it being in the $10 million range that they're paying on top of what they're required. So, regardless of what they're payroll currently is, I think they can easily bump it by $10 million for at least a couple years (especially with the WS run this year) and be okay. I think Pujols ends up back in a Cards uniform.

[scarey]

We'd gladly take him. Who out there needs a 1st basemen besides us and the Cards? And have the money to get it done?

 

Angels need a 1st baseman, Blue Jays might, Orioles do, Yankees and Red Sox could use a DH (though Pujols strongly prefers to play 1st I think). Nationals might be a factor as well.

 

Obviously the likelihood of some of those teams being a factor varies, but those are the teams that might jump into it, off the top of my head.

 

I've been hearing the Rangers will have some money to spend this off season too. Whether they use that to lock up Hamilton/Napoli, bring in pitching (or retain Wilson), or grab one of Pujols/Fielder is anyone's guess though.

[Sammy Sofa]

Something that most people tend to forget about when trying to figure out payroll for the Cards is their stadium payments. They're paying off a significantly higher portion of principle on their loan than they're required to every year. I'm thinking I remember it being in the $10 million range that they're paying on top of what they're required. So, regardless of what they're payroll currently is, I think they can easily bump it by $10 million for at least a couple years (especially with the WS run this year) and be okay. I think Pujols ends up back in a Cards uniform.

 

Actually, it's the opposite of forgetting about it; this is one of the primary reasons think he won't be back. They've shown zero interest in freeing up that money and could have chosen to offer such a plan when Albert was looking to talk his contract over with them before the season. Everything seems to indicate they want the expansion money off of their backs as soon as possible.

[Guest]

It is a bit of an odd situation. Pujols will price himself out of at least half the league's ability to pay him, for starters. Then, look at the large market teams. The Cubs have an obvious hole and means to pay him, so they'll be after him. The Yankees and Red Sox both have elite 1B that play good defense at 1B, so they don't look to be huge players. They've done creative things to add talent like that in the past, but when we're already at the bottom of the defensive spectrum it gets a bit tricky. The Dodgers and Mets don't look to be in on him because of ownership/debt issues. That leaves the Cards, Cubs, and a group that could include Baltimore, Washington, Toronto, Texas, LA Angels, or San Francisco. Plus, one of those teams has to end up with Fielder because the Brewers can't afford to keep him at his old salary. It's not a tight enough market that it'll suppress his eventual contract, but it's not an expansive list of suitors.

[Banedon]

i finally gave in and joined twitter because it seems easier than refreshing nsbb 10,000 times per day at work. i keep waiting for the IT guys to come yell at me.

 

 

Yeah, the search is the key to twitter. Is your company that lacked down that you can't use twitter?

 

Mine is. No twitter, youtube or facebook here.

[dew1679666265]

we've made a huge mistake.

 

It actually would have been a shrewd move then. Epstein's minor league OBP (he was still a minor leaguer at the time) was .414 and his first two years in the majors he was at .355 and .363. Being super cheap at the time, it was a good idea to go after him. He wasn't a great player by any stretch, but he was useful and cheap and was an OBP machine at the time.

[bukie]

Basically, it boils down to this: Because it's Pujols, everyone will want him. However, nobody is in a better position to sign him than the Cubs, who have both the funds and the need at the position.

[toonsterwu]

I don't think it was Murton. There was something in the trade that one of the GMs didn't realize he was agreeing to, and Hendry had to send him something later to make up for him not vetoing it at the deadline.

 

It was something with the Twins where I think they thought they were getting another player (Really? [expletive] you you got Justin Jones for Mienkietwicz) The Cubs signed Henry Blanco before the arb deadline so Minnesota could get a comp pick the next year.

 

There was a Twins incident, I think, with another organization where they traded for the wrong guy. Basically, two guys had similar names, and their scouts or someone gave the GM the wrong name.

[treebird]

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT THING JEEZ GET OFF MY BACK