Boston Looking for a Left-Handed Hitting OF

[HoopsCubs]

Trot Nixon is on the DL, and his injury looks a bit serious, which may keep him on the DL longer than the 15 days.

 

Boston Globe indicates that the Red Sox are looking at: Jose Cruz Jr., Larry Bigbie, Jacque Jones, Matt Lawton and Aubrey Huff.

 

Jim Hendry should monitor this. It's improbable that Boston won't get at least one of those guys (after all, Cruz was DFAd), but it's not impossible. If everything were to fall through for Epstein, Hendry should offer him Todd Hollandsworth at the eleventh hour for nothing more than a marginal prospect. This would be a great addition by subtraction move for the Cubs. Does it guarantee Murton would play everyday. Of course not, with Gerut there. But the probability increases, right?

 

You may ask: why doesn't Hendry just DFA Hollandsworth? My perception is that is not Hendry's style. I think Borowski was the exception. In general, he always wants some value back for any move.

 

Let's see what happens.

 

Hoops

[JeffH]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

[HoopsCubs]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

"Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.

[ZZ Thorn]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

Or you could just pick up the phone and talk to him. Or go downstairs. It's not like these guys don't talk to each other regularly.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

"Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.

 

Hollandsworth is the best pinch hitter on the roster. It's not his fault Baker's an idiot.

[hawkeyecub]

I think they might have more interest in Gerut than Hollandsworth though.

[CuseCubFan69]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

"Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.

 

I'll be honest with you Hoops, I think the Cubs are missing a wonderful opportunity and should be sellers. Again, not to the point where they get rid of quality like Lee and ARam but sell the Perez, Holla, Raush, Remmy and maybe Burnitz and CPatt if the offers are right. Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry.

[nolanwood]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

"Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.

 

I'll be honest with you Hoops, I think the Cubs are missing a wonderful opportunity and should be sellers. Again, not to the point where they get rid of quality like Lee and ARam but sell the Perez, Holla, Raush, Remmy and maybe Burnitz and CPatt if the offers are right. Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry.

 

 

I think selling Burnitz would be a BIG mistake. Also, why would be sellers when we are very much contending for the Wild Card, and the trib hs sunk a ton of $ in this team? They're trying to win - not give people away.

 

However, I do see where you are going with the Perez, Holla, Remmy thing - they're all replaceable within our system.

[HoopsCubs]

I'll be honest with you Hoops, I think the Cubs are missing a wonderful opportunity and should be sellers. Again, not to the point where they get rid of quality like Lee and ARam but sell the Perez, Holla, Raush, Remmy and maybe Burnitz and CPatt if the offers are right. Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry.

 

I just don't like that word selling. You're 3 down in the loss column and you're 12-5 in the last 17 games. You're in the race. I think you can make a composite of moves to balance the now and the future. I don't think any fan would have an issue trading Holly, Rusch or Remmy, and I think Hendry should do it. I don't see any advantage trading Burnitz or Perez unless you are giving up. No comment on Cpatt.

[CuseCubFan69]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

"Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.

 

I'll be honest with you Hoops, I think the Cubs are missing a wonderful opportunity and should be sellers. Again, not to the point where they get rid of quality like Lee and ARam but sell the Perez, Holla, Raush, Remmy and maybe Burnitz and CPatt if the offers are right. Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry.

 

 

I think selling Burnitz would be a BIG mistake. Also, why would be sellers when we are very much contending for the Wild Card, and the trib hs sunk a ton of $ in this team? They're trying to win - not give people away.

 

However, I do see where you are going with the Perez, Holla, Remmy thing - they're all replaceable within our system.

 

I say Burnitz because his stock is high right now. Perhaps sellers the wrong word....let me say improving the team. I think that the Cubs could get a lot for Burnitz if they were to move him. I like the guy but he is 36 years old and if a team like Boston were to overpay for him I'd jump at the move. I'm not giving players away I'm just saying that it's a sellers market and IMO it would be a good way to improve the Cubs team if Hendry would move some decent players for some way above average young talent.

 

Of course having Baker around would make this whole theory moot.

[JeffH]

Teams are willing to overpay

 

Evidence, please.

[Roast]

Teams are willing to overpay

 

Evidence, please.

 

He said IF teams are willing to overpay. Dont take things out of context, please.

[CuseCubFan69]

Teams are willing to overpay

 

Evidence, please.

 

He said IF teams are willing to overpay. Dont take things out of context, please.

 

Thanks Roast.

 

Jeff, do you think it's a sellers or buyers market? I believe it to be a sellers market and the closer to the deadline the more a team may offer for a player like Burnitz, especially Boston since they just lost Nixon.

[hawkeyecub]

Teams are willing to overpay

 

Evidence, please.

 

He said IF teams are willing to overpay. Dont take things out of context, please.

 

He didn't take things out of context, he quoted him word for word.

 

Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry

[The Voice of Reason]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

"Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.

 

I'll be honest with you Hoops, I think the Cubs are missing a wonderful opportunity and should be sellers. Again, not to the point where they get rid of quality like Lee and ARam but sell the Perez, Holla, Raush, Remmy and maybe Burnitz and CPatt if the offers are right. Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry.

 

I don't see a "If" in the above post.

[XZero771679666304]

Why would we DFA a valuable player just to increase the likelihood that Dusty will play the guy we want him to?

 

Either fire Dusty or exercise your rights under the org chart and force him to play who you want. Don't unnecessarily reduce the talent on the ballclub.

 

Or you could just pick up the phone and talk to him. Or go downstairs. It's not like these guys don't talk to each other regularly.

 

That would work, but I believe Dusty is probably a "Let me run the team the way I see fit, or fire me" type of guy. He's a very obstinate man.

[Roast]

 

I say Burnitz because his stock is high right now. Perhaps sellers the wrong word....let me say improving the team. I think that the Cubs could get a lot for Burnitz if they were to move him. I like the guy but he is 36 years old and if a team like Boston were to overpay for him I'd jump at the move. I'm not giving players away I'm just saying that it's a sellers market and IMO it would be a good way to improve the Cubs team if Hendry would move some decent players for some way above average young talent.

 

Of course having Baker around would make this whole theory moot.

[hawkeyecub]

Good Lord Roast, read Cuse's previous post in this thread (the one Jeff was replying to). He simply quoted Cuse.

 

Teams are willing to overpay and I'd take advantage of that if I were Hendry

 

He didn't take anything out of context and there was no reason to correct him for it.

Edited July 28, 2005 by hawkeyecub

[JeffH]

Jeff, do you think it's a sellers or buyers market?

 

I think it's a seller's market, but that doesn't necessarily mean that every buyer is just going to bend over and take it. I would say that the likelihood of teams overpaying is rather low, actually.

 

I'm not in favor of "selling" (trading "expendable" veterans) because (1) I believe we're still in it and (2) I don't believe we have anything to sell that's going to bring us any kind of valuable long-term piece.

 

What do we need after all? A young, left handed hitting middle of the order hitter that plays corner outfield. Try getting that for what we've got to sell. Why trade Burnitz for someone else's Todd Wellemeyer? We've got plenty of those.

[JeffH]

I should say that I do agree that we should trade Burnitz if, as an example, the Red Sox want to give us Hanley Ramirez for him.

 

It just seems like the "sell, sell!" crowd is in a "dump-these-guys-for-whatever-we-can-get" mode, like the Duke brothers at the end of "Trading Places".

 

What's the point?

Edited July 28, 2005 by JeffH

[ThePenguin11]

Personally, I love seeing Hollandsworth split bats and ground out to second base. It's quite comical at this point. Also, very predictable. It's fun to watch a game with a casual fan and say "I bet this guy breaks his bat and dribbles one to second base", it makes me look smart.

[CuseCubFan69]

I should say that I do agree that we should trade Burnitz if, as an example, the Red Sox want to give us Hanley Ramirez for him.

 

It just seems like the "sell, sell!" crowd are in a "dump-these-guys-for-whatever-we-can-get" mode, like the Duke brothers at the end of "Trading Places".

 

What's the point?

 

I don't understand the extreme between sell and buy? Why does it have to be for whatever the Cubs can get? I see a team like the White Sox and they need a SS. Perez is available for the right price. If Hendry were to recieve what he thinks would make the Cubs a better team why wouldn't he do it? Who knows what the Red Sox would give for Burnitz but again if Hendry can find a way to make the Cubs better by dealing him why not do it? Would a package of Burnitz, Mitre, Raush, Holla and a prospect be worth Manny Ramirez, Millar and cash? I mean, work it anyway it would work for both teams and see how it could improve both. Didn't the Cubs and Red Sox make an impact deal last year that made the Cubs better while the Red Sox still went on to win the World Series? It can be done, to be a "seller" and yet improve the team if your spare parts match up with another teams. Look at the SD and Baltimore deal with Nevin....they are both in it and were looking to make their teams better. Again, seller is the wrong term IMO and I'll just stick with "Making the team better" from now on.

 

Also, when I mentioned that teams would overpay look at what the Sox were offering for certain players. You just never know the panic mode some GM's might go into at the deadline and I'd take a shot at them if I were Hendry.

[JeffH]

Again, seller is the wrong term IMO and I'll just stick with "Making the team better" from now on.

 

That's a perfectly acceptable term. My point is that I believe it is extremely unlikely that trading Burnitz, et al is going to make the team better. Have discussions, make inquiries, field offers? Sure.

[CuseCubFan69]

Again, seller is the wrong term IMO and I'll just stick with "Making the team better" from now on.

 

That's a perfectly acceptable term. My point is that I believe it is extremely unlikely that trading Burnitz, et al is going to make the team better. Have discussions, make inquiries, field offers? Sure.

 

Making the team better IMO is something that can last for more than one year. Burnitz has this year and maybe next year to excell and IMO he's a Gietti (sp) waiting to happen. I think if the Cubs get a solid offer (very good 22-25 year old player) or in a package for a Manny Ramirez type hitter it would make them a better team now AND in the future.

[TruffleShuffle]

Again, seller is the wrong term IMO and I'll just stick with "Making the team better" from now on.

 

That's a perfectly acceptable term. My point is that I believe it is extremely unlikely that trading Burnitz, et al is going to make the team better. Have discussions, make inquiries, field offers? Sure.

 

Making the team better IMO is something that can last for more than one year. Burnitz has this year and maybe next year to excell and IMO he's a Gietti (sp) waiting to happen. I think if the Cubs get a solid offer (very good 22-25 year old player) or in a package for a Manny Ramirez type hitter it would make them a better team now AND in the future.

 

I can't imagine Theo Epstein doing a deal to get rid of ManRam and replacing him with Burnitz unless the Cubs threw in other stuff to make the Red Sox better this year, including Walker, possibly Williams, and Dempster. The Sox want to win now, and going from Ramirez to Burnitz is not the way to do that.