Hypothetical scenario:

[Jehrico]

You don't think the Cubs can win next year? The bad players can and will be easily cut loose (Perez, Macias, Patterson, Burnitz). The injury risks are well worth waiting for (Wood, Prior). I think adding a big OBP in the lineup would be a good way to get this team back into contention. Giles' .420 OBP would replace Burnitz' .330 or whatever. Anything would be an improvement over what the Cubs had in CF, LF, and SS for most of the season this year.

 

Don't take me for a Neifi fan, but Neifi actually had a pretty solid year for a SS, with all things considered. There's not too many guys that would be solid upgrades over him. My biggest problem with Neifi this year was Baker hitting him at the top of the order, and benching Cedeno for him. But he did play excellent D, and hit what, .280? He didn't cost us much either. That's really all I would really expect from a SS not named ARod, Tejada, or someone in that league.

 

That doesn't mean I want Neifi back, just that I wouldn't go so far as to say we could replace him with "anything" and it'd be an upgrade.

[stitchface]

You don't think the Cubs can win next year? The bad players can and will be easily cut loose (Perez, Macias, Patterson, Burnitz). The injury risks are well worth waiting for (Wood, Prior). I think adding a big OBP in the lineup would be a good way to get this team back into contention. Giles' .420 OBP would replace Burnitz' .330 or whatever. Anything would be an improvement over what the Cubs had in CF, LF, and SS for most of the season this year.

 

Don't take me for a Neifi fan, but Neifi actually had a pretty solid year for a SS, with all things considered. There's not too many guys that would be solid upgrades over him. My biggest problem with Neifi this year was Baker hitting him at the top of the order, and benching Cedeno for him. But he did play excellent D, and hit what, .280? He didn't cost us much either. That's really all I would really expect from a SS not named ARod, Tejada, or someone in that league.

 

That doesn't mean I want Neifi back, just that I wouldn't go so far as to say we could replace him with "anything" and it'd be an upgrade.

 

If the Cubs got production from the OF, neifi might work out ok. heck, the angels won the AL West with Erstad at 1b and Finley in CF. Still snowing down there?

[UK1679666180]

If you surround Neifi with 7 other productive spots in the lineup, he's more adequate. But, when you see Blanco, Patterson, Neifi, and the pitcher, you're into suffication by bad offensive players.

 

I can't put enough faith into Hendry to obtain 7 quality offensive players to surround Perez or Dusty to utilize them properly.