Predictions?

[MPrior]

First off, I apologize if this is an exact replica of an earlier thread (I know people have been getting a bit tired of that recently), but, with the deadline looming, I'd just like to know what people's last-minute predictions are - no holds barred, it doesn't just have to be what people are talking about, it doesn't even have to make sense or have any evidence behind it - I just want to know what people are thinking. So give me your predictions.

 

My reasonable prediction is that Hendry does nothing, or at least nothing of terrible significance. It seems like the whole trade market this season is very thin, with very few sellers, and they're asking for way too much for their players.

 

My entirely unreasonable and nearly impossible prediction is that Hendry gets us Brian Giles. I know he's a FA at the end of the season, but being in Chicago for a bit would help his chances of re-signing, and the guy has a CAREER .413 OBP, and is usually good for .900+ OPS.

 

My slightly more reasonable prediction is that we get Matt Lawton, maybe for a couple minor league pitchers (Mitre and someone else, maybe) - and I wouldn't complain about it.

[Butterscup1679666578]

If Hendry makes a move, he'll add Lawton, while teams land Dunn, Manny, and Floyd around us.

 

 

Most likely, Hendry does nothing.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

I have a gut feeling we'll work out a 3-5 team trade with the big parts involving Soriano, ManRam, Corey, lots of prospects and lots of cash.

 

I haven't worked out any particular, it's just a feeling at this point.

[cubsfolyfe1]

He'll get something done, he hasn't let us down yet. And he never really let's anything leak so there's nothing really to go on.

[texascub]

If Hendry makes a move, he'll add Lawton, while teams land Dunn, Manny, and Floyd around us.

 

 

Most likely, Hendry does nothing.

 

Hendry is a smart man, I don't think he'll go after Lawton. Lawton has a reputation for falling flat on his face in the 2nd half of the year.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

I am one of the few people who believe Hendry whould stand pat & not make any moves. Nomar & Williamson coming back on Friday is as good of a trading deadline move that could be made. If Hendry went after anyone from TB or Cinn he is likely going to overpay & have to give up someone like Hill or Pie. Don't do it Jim! During the offseason the price for Dunn,Kearns,Huff & Beaz will surely go down.

[Fro]

I really feel this team is going to get buried if we don't get a bat. It's going to take a couple weeks in the bigs for Nomar to get back to normal and Wood is a huge question mark out of the pen. I think Williamson is the only sure thing, but getting a good setup man for Dempster isn't going to help if we can't start scoring more runs.

 

We've got to do something soon as the window on this team is going to start closing when Lee and A-Ram become free agents (talk about a big bump in pay if they play at their current levels), and completely close once Prior and Z are free agents.

[neely crenshaw]

this team has dug a hole that they have little time to come out of. the margin for error is very slight. we need help or we will continue to drop well pitched games because of offense. we are 12-6 in our last 18 but should have won 4-5 of those losses! we have talked about what the record needs to be in the 2nd half to get to 90 wins and waiting for nomar's bat to click might be to late!

[Electron Blue]

this team has dug a hole that they have little time to come out of. the margin for error is very slight. we need help or we will continue to drop well pitched games because of offense. we are 12-6 in our last 18 but should have won 4-5 of those losses! we have talked about what the record needs to be in the 2nd half to get to 90 wins and waiting for nomar's bat to click might be to late!

 

You also might say we should have lost 6 (or whatever) of those wins :). I agree 12-6 isn't as optimistic knowing how hard it has been to score the last week. Late comebacks are great, but to sustain that kind of success you need a solid bullpen and a consistant lineup, both of which are weakness on the team right now. *Fingers crossed for the next seven hours!*

[AcesHigh]

I think that Jim will do nothing. The asking prices for some of these guys are ridiculous. I think we will stand pat and pray that Nomar, Wood and Williamson. Jim will try his best to get something done, but I don't see it happening.

[CubfaninCA]

My guess is Cliff Floyd, with Soriano going to the Mets.

[Roast]

I have a feeling that one of Dunn/Ramirez will be a cub by 3:30 today. Hendry, obviously, is being extreemly quiet this year. He was this way last year, too, for the most part. If I have learned anything about hendry (from the past few years, and chats with bruce miles) it is that he does NOT sit still. Literally or figuratively. You can bet your bottom dollar he is on his Cell phone talkign to somebody's GM right now.

 

Truthfully, I wouldnt be at all surprised if we walked away from today with both Adamn Dunn AND Austin Kearns. Sounds utterly ridiculous I know, but, I really have a big hunch we are gonna get dunn/manny (My gut feeling is dunn) by the end of the day. I just hope I'm right.

[USSoccer]

I think we do nothing.

[gflore34]

I think we do nothing.

 

Seconded

[neely crenshaw]

my feeling is that we won't make the playoffs. we would be far better off making a deal with next year in mind rather than helping this year.we should stick with hill and williams in the rotation and have a half year try out. we would then have a very good idea about them for next season. same for murton and even hairston. i think we would know exactly what we needed to have for next season if we just play/pitch them. we hsould have done that last year with dubois when sosa was out instead iof having macias play everyday. we certainly would have had a better idea on dubois for this season...then we might have signed someone to play left. right now it seems to be a sellers market and the players available simply aren't good enough to empty the farm system over.

soriano would be nice but is he really an answer in the outfield? if not he then takes over 2nd from walker which would be an upgrade but at one of your stronger positions, that doesn't make sense on a team with so many holes.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

I dont think the Cubs make a move and they will be better for it. This team is a .500 team and all our wishes and prayers wont change it.

 

Let the kids play an extended period and lets see what they have. We have nothing to lose and alot to gain.

[SpanishFortCub]

The problem, Dirt Dog, is the kids aren't any good. Cedeno does nothing for me. Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO. Hill is good but he's never going to be great and all those curveballs will have him visiting Dr. Andrews one of these days. Pie has a chance at greatness but his command of the strike zone will be severely tested in the major leagues. That's it. There are no other prospects close to the bigs. There are no kids to play.

[Roast]

The problem, Dirt Dog, is the kids aren't any good. Cedeno does nothing for me. Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO. Hill is good but he's never going to be great and all those curveballs will have him visiting Dr. Andrews one of these days. Pie has a chance at greatness but his commnd of the astrike zone will be severely tested in the major leagues. That's it. There are no other prospects close to the bigs. There are no kids to play.

 

:mamoru:

[davecubsfan]

The problem, Dirt Dog, is the kids aren't any good. Cedeno does nothing for me. Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO. Hill is good but he's never going to be great and all those curveballs will have him visiting Dr. Andrews one of these days. Pie has a chance at greatness but his command of the strike zone will be severely tested in the major leagues. That's it. There are no other prospects close to the bigs. There are no kids to play.

 

I couldn't disagree more. Cedeno hasn't had the chance to prove whether he's good or not, and Murton's cheap infield hits are still hits. Murton doesn't have the power stroke that a LF'er should have, but he's getting on base in his starts and has looked decent in the field. As far as Hill having TJS down the road, well he's a Cubs pitcher isn't he :)

[cubsfolyfe1]

Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO.quote]

 

He's spreads the gaps and hits the ball to all fields, sort of a slap hitter. As we saw yesterday his "excellent grasp of the strikezone" goes to hell under pressure. I like the kid and wish he'd play more than Hollandsworth or Gerut, but an upgrade is needed there desperately. Matt Murton is a 160 hit, 5 homerun, 60 rbi player with full playing time at best. Imagine sticking Mark Grace at the end of his career in left field; that's essentially what Matt Murton is.

[BigbadB]

Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO.quote]

 

He's spreads the gaps and hits the ball to all fields, sort of a slap hitter. As we saw yesterday his "excellent grasp of the strikezone" goes to hell under pressure. I like the kid and wish he'd play more than Hollandsworth or Gerut, but an upgrade is needed there desperately. Matt Murton is a 160 hit, 5 homerun, 60 rbi player with full playing time at best. Imagine sticking Mark Grace at the end of his career in left field; that's essentially what Matt Murton is.

 

Did you see where the shadows were when he lost his "excellent grasp of the strike zone"? They were directly in front of him. If you've watched enough baseball games at Wrigley, you know that when the shadows cross home plate, it gets very tough on ANY hitter.

 

I don't think it's very fair to say he loses it under pressure, considering the circumstances.

[SpanishFortCub]

I'd trade any or damn near all of the above for Dunn. I'm sure Murton's a nice guy and all but he's not a good corner outfielder on a team that plays in the NL Central with all of the small ballparks. He doesn't hit home runs. He doesn't steal bases. He doesn't possess a gun in LF. Notice that not one team has asked for Murton in a deal. He's not good. Colorado wanted Cedeno, but the Cubs didn't want Wilson's contract and weren't sure they were in the race at the time. My source on that is a Rockies beat writer who's a friends.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

The problem, Dirt Dog, is the kids aren't any good. Cedeno does nothing for me. Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO. Hill is good but he's never going to be great and all those curveballs will have him visiting Dr. Andrews one of these days. Pie has a chance at greatness but his command of the strike zone will be severely tested in the major leagues. That's it. There are no other prospects close to the bigs. There are no kids to play.

 

Cedeno does do something for me, I think he can play a little bit. No drop off over Perez and I am very happy with the job Perez has done. I see Cedeno developing, (that and prospects are both dirty words), into a better Ricky Gutterez IMO.

 

Murton reminds me in ways, and this is so unfair to Murton, of a young Sandberg. Murton is young and hasnt really started to fill out his frame yet. He has an idea of a game plan at the plate and has outplayed Hollandsworth so far. Let him fill out somemore and learn which balls he can pull for power and which he cant and I believe we have a 25 homer LF year in and year out who can hit in the 2 hole. As far as no power argument, the same was said of Palmerio.

 

I didn't say throw Prior money at Hill but even if he is headed to Dr. Andrews lets ride him till his arm drops off. After all isnt that we are doing to Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Williams, Mitre, etal? For me he is nibbling the strike zone a bit to much giving teh bottom end of the lineups to much credit.

 

Pie is not a player I want to see until he gets an idea that there is something out there called a strike zone.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

Goat, would you please tell me what mamoru means? Seen it a couple of times and I really dont have a clue.

[CubsHawks25]

This isn't exactly a prediction, but something I just really started thinking about (been discussed before, but now really making me wonder) - other than his power that he can bring to the table offensively... why does the Cubs really want Soriano?? We've already got Walker/Hairston at 2B and Murton/Holly/Gerut in LF.

 

I think that IF Soriano is brought on board, he's just a big piece in another trade (MANNY PLEASE!!). I just don't understand the [supposed] Cub mania about Soriano.