Bruce on the offseason

[CubfaninCA]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast. I hope I'm wrong, but things look pretty tough w/ not only SD in the competition, but probably Anaheim and LA, as well. Even though LA isn't spending a whole lot nowadays, I can see DePodesta throwing quite a bit of money @ Giles. If the media has any affect, LA will start spending more. They're getting absolutely pounded for being too cheap. Also, Gagne really ripped the team a few days ago...

 

Upgrade 1-5 and the Cubs can add another 40-50 runs even w/ a slight fall off from Lee. Neifi, Patterson and Burnitz were pretty dang bad choices for the top of the order. Patterson was just bad anywhere. Burnitz and Neifi would have been alright batting 7 and 8. Furcal, Lofton, Lee, Kent, ARam, J. Jones, Murton and Barrett would be solid. Everything depends on Prior and Wood though, especially Prior. If Prior has another so so season, the season's probably over even w/ a real good offense.

[erik316wttn]

By the way Bruce, it's Friday, can't you just make something up about the Cubs to write an article on today?

 

What is going on with those meetings?

 

Right now they are discussing a multi year contract for the multi purposed Macias.

 

What worries me is who Hendry confides in....Hughes. This and Baker may make any good move difficult. These guys still live in the 70's.

 

Please tell me your'e kidding, Cuse.

 

I just heard the same thing on ESPN Radio...

 

 

 

 

 

:)

 

If they re-up Macias Hendry should be fired on the spot.

 

There is no need for Macias to even be on a Major League roster. He's one of Dusty's boys, and if he's re-signed then it's obvious that Baker, and not Hendry, is calling the shots.

 

*sighs and points to sig*

[goonys evil twin]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast.

 

I would not be upset if Giles stayed on the west coast. I'd be pissed if he ended up anywhere else.

 

Giles is not the end all be all. He's just the best option right now. It doesn't matter how he does it, the bottom line is Hendry has to make enormous improvements to the OF.

[CuseCubFan69]

By the way Bruce, it's Friday, can't you just make something up about the Cubs to write an article on today?

 

What is going on with those meetings?

 

Right now they are discussing a multi year contract for the multi purposed Macias.

 

What worries me is who Hendry confides in....Hughes. This and Baker may make any good move difficult. These guys still live in the 70's.

 

:lol:

 

I just pictured Hendry hanging out in the regal beagle with Larry, trying to pick up chicks while discussing the Cubs future.

 

:D Hughes with an Italian Horn chain around his neck and a really cool lime green leisure suit while Hendry bangs on a table and hoots like Kramer tying to break Joe D's concentration at the ladies.

[CuseCubFan69]

By the way Bruce, it's Friday, can't you just make something up about the Cubs to write an article on today?

 

What is going on with those meetings?

 

Right now they are discussing a multi year contract for the multi purposed Macias.

 

What worries me is who Hendry confides in....Hughes. This and Baker may make any good move difficult. These guys still live in the 70's.

 

Please tell me your'e kidding, Cuse.

 

I just heard the same thing on ESPN Radio...

 

 

 

 

:)

 

Tell me that wouldn't light up this board?

 

And yes Erik...I'm kidding.

[goonys evil twin]

*sighs and points to sig*

 

3) Do exactly the opposite

 

 

Chicken salad, on rye, untoasted ... and a cup of tea.

 

 

"Why did it all turn out like this for me? I had so much promise. I was personable. I was bright. Oh, maybe not academically speaking, but I was perceptive. I always know when someone's uncomfortable at a party. It all became very clear to me sitting out there today, that every decision I've ever made in my entire life has been wrong. My life is the complete opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have in every aspect of life, be it something to wear, something to eat... It's often wrong."

- George, in "The Opposite"

[CubfaninCA]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast.

 

I would not be upset if Giles stayed on the west coast. I'd be pissed if he ended up anywhere else.

 

Giles is not the end all be all. He's just the best option right now. It doesn't matter how he does it, the bottom line is Hendry has to make enormous improvements to the OF.

 

Yeah, I'd be pretty ticked if Giles ends up in St. Louis or Houston. BBB would probably know this for sure, but I'm guessing Giles family still resides near San Diego. Am guessing it will be pretty tough to pull him out of Southern Ca.

 

Who's your other OF choices after Giles?? Abreu obviously. Burrell and Floyd right??

[CuseCubFan69]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast.

 

I would not be upset if Giles stayed on the west coast. I'd be pissed if he ended up anywhere else.

 

Giles is not the end all be all. He's just the best option right now. It doesn't matter how he does it, the bottom line is Hendry has to make enormous improvements to the OF.

 

I agree and hopefully he can get a solid 1-8 lineup and bench......and pen.

 

Man, he has his work cut out for him.

[CuseCubFan69]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast.

 

I would not be upset if Giles stayed on the west coast. I'd be pissed if he ended up anywhere else.

 

Giles is not the end all be all. He's just the best option right now. It doesn't matter how he does it, the bottom line is Hendry has to make enormous improvements to the OF.

 

Yeah, I'd be pretty ticked if Giles ends up in St. Louis or Houston. BBB would probably know this for sure, but I'm guessing Giles family still resides near San Diego. Am guessing it will be pretty tough to pull him out of Southern Ca.

 

Who's your other OF choices after Giles?? Abreu obviously. Burrell and Floyd right??

 

I wonder if the Padres would move Loretta to the Braves for Giles? The brothers would then both be home.

[CubfaninCA]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast.

 

I would not be upset if Giles stayed on the west coast. I'd be pissed if he ended up anywhere else.

 

Giles is not the end all be all. He's just the best option right now. It doesn't matter how he does it, the bottom line is Hendry has to make enormous improvements to the OF.

 

I agree and hopefully he can get a solid 1-8 lineup and bench......and pen.

 

Man, he has his work cut out for him.

 

If he Hendry gets Giles, give him GM of the Year already.

[CubfaninCA]

Boy I think some are going to be real depressed when Giles stays on the west coast.

 

I would not be upset if Giles stayed on the west coast. I'd be pissed if he ended up anywhere else.

 

Giles is not the end all be all. He's just the best option right now. It doesn't matter how he does it, the bottom line is Hendry has to make enormous improvements to the OF.

 

Yeah, I'd be pretty ticked if Giles ends up in St. Louis or Houston. BBB would probably know this for sure, but I'm guessing Giles family still resides near San Diego. Am guessing it will be pretty tough to pull him out of Southern Ca.

 

Who's your other OF choices after Giles?? Abreu obviously. Burrell and Floyd right??

 

I wonder if the Padres would move Loretta to the Braves for Giles? The brothers would then both be home.

 

Maybe. Seems their big concern is adding another starter, while keeping costs stable. Jmo but I think they'd love to get Maddux to go w/ their young rotation. Moving Klesko would be something they'd love to do as well. Seems Klesko has the arm and speed for RF, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him put up a .850 ops. Yes, he's in the last year of a contract, but he probably doesn't want to ride the SD pine all of next year.

[BigbadB]

Giles' family does still reside in San Diego. It was one of the reasons he wanted to come to San Diego. But, he also wanted Kendall here too, and San Diego wouldn't make it happen. Kendall is also originally a San Diegan and best friends with Giles when they were together in Pitt.

 

Giles did alright in Jack Murphy (Qualcomm), but his numbers take a real dive in Petco. He's been very vocal about his warning track outs.

 

The Padres have let David Wells walk without giving him a fair offer. Wells was a local boy as well. The Padres haven't done a lot of stuff that makes much sense to me. Letting Wells walk was just plain stupid. His contract last year was 3.5m plus incentives if I recall. He only gave them a 12-8 record with nearly 200 innings and a sub 4.00 ERA.

 

Actually, as I look at his salary for 2004 on baseball reference, it says 1.25m. Maybe all he was asking for was 3.5m for 2005 and didn't get it. Actually, that sounds right. He got a hair over 4m to sign with Boston when San Diego attempted to play games with him.

 

The Padres could have signed Finley to play centerfield. Instead, they overpaid for Dave Roberts. Yes, they made the playoffs, but they were just barely above .500. If any other team in that division had things go right, San Diego would have been sitting at home because they went cheap in CF and cheap in the rotation.

 

Petco is right near the top in attendance. They are cheap, cheap, cheap and if Brian Giles is dumb enough to accept much less to stay and play in a park that hurts his production, so be it.

[CubfaninCA]

Giles' family does still reside in San Diego. It was one of the reasons he wanted to come to San Diego. But, he also wanted Kendall here too, and San Diego wouldn't make it happen. Kendall is also originally a San Diegan and best friends with Giles when they were together in Pitt.

 

Giles did alright in Jack Murphy (Qualcomm), but his numbers take a real dive in Petco. He's been very vocal about his warning track outs.

 

The Padres have let David Wells walk without giving him a fair offer. Wells was a local boy as well. The Padres haven't done a lot of stuff that makes much sense to me. Letting Wells walk was just plain stupid. His contract last year was 3.5m plus incentives if I recall. He only gave them a 12-8 record with nearly 200 innings and a sub 4.00 ERA.

 

Actually, as I look at his salary for 2004 on baseball reference, it says 1.25m. Maybe all he was asking for was 3.5m for 2005 and didn't get it. Actually, that sounds right. He got a hair over 4m to sign with Boston when San Diego attempted to play games with him.

 

The Padres could have signed Finley to play centerfield. Instead, they overpaid for Dave Roberts. Yes, they made the playoffs, but they were just barely above .500. If any other team in that division had things go right, San Diego would have been sitting at home because they went cheap in CF and cheap in the rotation.

 

Petco is right near the top in attendance. They are cheap, cheap, cheap and if Brian Giles is dumb enough to accept much less to stay and play in a park that hurts his production, so be it.

 

Yeah, SD is cheap. Anaheim and LA aren't too long of drives though. Just have to leave around 10 a.m. and get off the freeway before 2 p.m. :)

[dalgreen]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

[YearofDaCubs]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

That would be great but can he play the OF? Would he want to? Does he have the arm to? Not everybody can play every position.

[goonys evil twin]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

That would be great but can he play the OF? Would he want to? Does he have the arm to? Not everybody can play every position.

 

Wasn't he a punter? Punters can do anything they put their mind to.

[dalgreen]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

That would be great but can he play the OF? Would he want to? Does he have the arm to? Not everybody can play every position.

 

I understand your point, but the Cubs have had several bad leftfielders over the past 25 years that I've been watching them. I think Helton can play left; I think he's a very good athlete, and not because he was a Division I QB.

[dalgreen]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

That would be great but can he play the OF? Would he want to? Does he have the arm to? Not everybody can play every position.

 

Wasn't he a punter? Punters can do anything they put their mind to.

 

He was a QB at Tennessee.

[CuseCubFan69]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

That would be great but can he play the OF? Would he want to? Does he have the arm to? Not everybody can play every position.

 

Wasn't he a punter? Punters can do anything they put their mind to.

 

He was a QB at Tennessee.

 

 

At his age I really doubt he would accept something like this. I think it would help the Cubs bigtime but I really doubt he would agree to do it.

[goonys evil twin]

Let me at this time reiterate my plan to trade for Todd Helton and put him in left field. And, yes, without hesitation, I would give up one or two top prospects in return.

That would be great but can he play the OF? Would he want to? Does he have the arm to? Not everybody can play every position.

 

Wasn't he a punter? Punters can do anything they put their mind to.

 

He was a QB at Tennessee.

 

At his age I really doubt he would accept something like this. I think it would help the Cubs bigtime but I really doubt he would agree to do it.

 

I thought Dunn was the college QB. Who was the former punter?

 

I doubt it as well, but it's worth exploring. This had to be the worst seasons in Todd's career. He's got to be itching for a ring. Unless he thinks Colorado is ready to put it together, I bet he'd accept a trade.

 

Of course, he could always go to Boston or NY and still play 1st.

[series65cubsfan]

wasn't Erstad a kicker on a #1 ranked team?

[USSoccer]

wasn't Erstad a kicker on a #1 ranked team?

 

Nebraska

[dalgreen]

I thought Dunn was the college QB. Who was the former punter?

 

.

 

Did Dunn ever play at Texas or was he offered a scholarship and chose baseball over football? I don't remember. But Helton did play at Tennessee.

[series65cubsfan]

wasn't Erstad a kicker on a #1 ranked team?

 

Nebraska

 

Thanks, it's good to know that my gray matter is still functional. :)

[CubfaninCA]

How about moving Lee to the OF or is his arm too poor?? He definitely has the speed for it. Of course judging line drives may be a problem. See Todd Hundly for more...