Rusch signed through '07 (Cubs.com)

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

 

36 homers and a .500 slg from the 6 hole wouldn't look too bad.

 

dusty would try to make him into a leadoff hitter b/c he has speed. :oops:

[Outshined_One]

Yep, that's what I'm implying.

 

In terms of young & cheap players with good upsides, Williams and Hill would probably rank 2 and 3 respectively on any team's wish list in a trade with the Cubs (with Pie at #1, although you could make cases for Murton and Cedeno in that mix). I rank Williams and Hill higher because both have good upsides as pitchers, which a lot of teams covet.

 

What everyone seems to have forgotten with Williams this season was that he did not play this past season at full capacity. Remember, he was fighting weight issues along with a lot of grief on his shoulders (father's illness, mother dying, etc). In the offseason, he is going to have a chance to go on the Carlos Zambrano Broccoli & Cottage Cheese Diet™, get back into shape, get his mind in order, and come back ready to go. Also, he is still fairly young (24 next season) with four above average pitches.

 

Hill, on the other hand, was never given an opportunity to adjust to major league hitters and situations. There's a difference between pitching in Des Moines in front of 3,000 people and pitching in Wrigley in front of 32,000 people. We know a few things for certain with Hill: his curveballs are incredible and his fastball is at best decent and at worst below average. He's still developing that third pitch; whether or not it ever comes about is an important issue. However, with his curve ball, you figure he'll at worst become a quality LOOGY/setup man, which is an important cog to have on a team. The BBs and HRs are a problem, but he could cut down on those with time.

 

Williams could be a key part of any deal, Hill could be a big part of any deal with a team in a pitcher's park. I would not be surprised one bit if Hendry traded one or both of them in a deal (or deals) for offensive help.

[CP_414]

 

36 homers and a .500 slg from the 6 hole wouldn't look too bad.

 

dusty would try to make him into a leadoff hitter b/c he has speed. :oops:

 

Not if Furcal is signed.

[AAApittsburgh]

 

36 homers and a .500 slg from the 6 hole wouldn't look too bad.

 

dusty would try to make him into a leadoff hitter b/c he has speed. :oops:

 

Not if Furcal is signed.

No, he'd stick Soriano in the 2 hole instead. Also, get him out of Ameriquest and I don't think he comes that close to 36 HR.

[CP_414]

 

36 homers and a .500 slg from the 6 hole wouldn't look too bad.

 

dusty would try to make him into a leadoff hitter b/c he has speed. :oops:

 

Not if Furcal is signed.

No, he'd stick Soriano in the 2 hole instead. Also, get him out of Ameriquest and I don't think he comes that close to 36 HR.

 

I know his home/road split was awful this year, but this is a guy who hit 40 HR's as a Yankee. I am not saying the Cubs should trade for him, but I don't think it's fair to question his power. His defense, and inability to take a walk however is fair game.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Soriano away from Ameriquest this year: .224/.265/.374/.639

[CP_414]

Iknow his home/road split was awful this year, but this is a guy who hit 40 HR's as a Yankee. I am not saying the Cubs should trade for him, but I don't think it's fair to question his power. His defense, and inability to take a walk however is fair game.

 

CPatterson20 wrote:

Soriano away from Ameriquest this year: .224/.265/.374/.639

[AAApittsburgh]

 

36 homers and a .500 slg from the 6 hole wouldn't look too bad.

 

dusty would try to make him into a leadoff hitter b/c he has speed. :oops:

 

Not if Furcal is signed.

No, he'd stick Soriano in the 2 hole instead. Also, get him out of Ameriquest and I don't think he comes that close to 36 HR.

 

I know his home/road split was awful this year, but this is a guy who hit 40 HR's as a Yankee. I am not saying the Cubs should trade for him, but I don't think it's fair to question his power. His defense, and inability to take a walk however is fair game.

He hit 40 HR as a Yankee, but he has fallen off quite a bit since then. His SLG on the road in 04 was .444, and last season was .374. When a guy goes from hitting 40 HR to Neifi-like power numbers away from the best hitter's parks in the AL, you stay away.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Iknow his home/road split was awful this year, but this is a guy who hit 40 HR's as a Yankee. I am not saying the Cubs should trade for him, but I don't think it's fair to question his power. His defense, and inability to take a walk however is fair game.

 

CPatterson20 wrote:

Soriano away from Ameriquest this year: .224/.265/.374/.639

 

I wasn't specifically replying to you, just posting as an observation. Soriano is crazy overrated. Even with his ridiculous Ameriquest numbers, he had a .309 OBP(691 suck factor), that's just not good. Plus he's a poor defender, and he'll command a lot in cash and players. With Walker already on board, there's no reason to pursue him.

[CP_414]

 

I wasn't specifically replying to you, just posting as an observation. Soriano is crazy overrated. Even with his ridiculous Ameriquest numbers, he had a .309 OBP(691 suck factor), that's just not good. Plus he's a poor defender, and he'll command a lot in cash and players. With Walker already on board, there's no reason to pursue him.

 

I agree completly with everything you just said there. I'll take my chances with Walker, too (or Marcus Giles, or Luis Castillo).

[radarluv1]

signing/extending mediocre players further complicates the 40 man roster squeeze. when is the final 40 man set and the subsequent rule 5 draft??

[CubfaninCA]

 

36 homers and a .500 slg from the 6 hole wouldn't look too bad.

 

dusty would try to make him into a leadoff hitter b/c he has speed. :oops:

 

That's a concern, but I doubt Baker's going to waste 36 bombs and Sheffield like slugging % in the 1 or 2 spot.

[JeffH]

signing/extending mediocre players further complicates the 40 man roster squeeze. when is the final 40 man set and the subsequent rule 5 draft??

 

The roster freeze date is usually in mid-November.

 

The Rule 5 draft is usually at the winter meetings, which this year will be December 5-8, I believe.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Iknow his home/road split was awful this year, but this is a guy who hit 40 HR's as a Yankee. I am not saying the Cubs should trade for him, but I don't think it's fair to question his power. His defense, and inability to take a walk however is fair game.

 

CPatterson20 wrote:

Soriano away from Ameriquest this year: .224/.265/.374/.639

 

I wasn't specifically replying to you, just posting as an observation. Soriano is crazy overrated. Even with his ridiculous Ameriquest numbers, he had a .309 OBP(691 suck factor), that's just not good. Plus he's a poor defender, and he'll command a lot in cash and players. With Walker already on board, there's no reason to pursue him.

 

One hopes that Soriano's poor defense will keep him away from the Cubs, since Hendry supposedly is on an improve-defense kick.

[JC]

Key-riced, Hendry. Go back to Creighton.

[imb]

wow, wtf

 

what are the odds that glendon goes on a 4 year run of not being horrible? 1 in a trillion?

[otis89]

wow, wtf

 

what are the odds that glendon goes on a 4 year run of not being horrible? 1 in a trillion?

 

Where do you get 4 years? The reported offer is for 2.

[JC]

wow, wtf

 

what are the odds that glendon goes on a 4 year run of not being horrible? 1 in a trillion?

 

Cool it with the "trillion" talk. You don't want to give Hendry any ideas when he starts bidding against himself again.

[JC]

wow, wtf

 

what are the odds that glendon goes on a 4 year run of not being horrible? 1 in a trillion?

 

Where do you get 4 years? The reported offer is for 2.

 

I think he is including the previous two years, suggesting the Cubs have already been living on borrowed time with a pitcher who has mediocre periphrials.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

wow, wtf

 

what are the odds that glendon goes on a 4 year run of not being horrible? 1 in a trillion?

 

Where do you get 4 years? The reported offer is for 2.

 

He's been "not horrible" for 2 years with the Cubs, already.

[E.J.]

This signing makes me think that Hill and Williams are on the trading block this winter. Rusch better be the long-man/6th starter in the rotation. If Hendry did this with Rusch in mind as the 5th starter I'm not watching the Cubs in 2006.

[USSoccer]

wow, wtf

 

what are the odds that glendon goes on a 4 year run of not being horrible? 1 in a trillion?

 

Where do you get 4 years? The reported offer is for 2.

 

I think he is including the previous two years, suggesting the Cubs have already been living on borrowed time with a pitcher who has mediocre periphrials.

 

Yeah, it's like Hendry doesn't know when to walk away from the table. Let's hope it doesn't carry over to a certain SS who should never be a starter on a contending team...

[JC]

This signing makes me think that Hill and Williams are on the trading block this winter. Rusch better be the long-man/6th starter in the rotation. If Hendry did this with Rusch in mind as the 5th starter I'm not watching the Cubs in 2006.

 

I can't believe Rusch would agree to come back unless he was guaranteed a rotation spot. He started to make noise about that at the end of the year, IIRC.

[CUBZ99]

This signing makes me think that Hill and Williams are on the trading block this winter. Rusch better be the long-man/6th starter in the rotation. If Hendry did this with Rusch in mind as the 5th starter I'm not watching the Cubs in 2006.

 

Is it an official signing now? Title said that Hendry was going to offer him 2/$6M. I think Rusch would really have to want to stay with the Cubs to take an avg. of $3M a year for that short term of a deal. I'm not saying the guy is a great pitcher, but he does have value as a number 4 or 5 starter and would be an upgrade for a few pitching staffs in the league.

 

Does anyone know if Rusch was hurt after the all star break? His numbers pre-all star break were not bad.

[E.J.]

This signing makes me think that Hill and Williams are on the trading block this winter. Rusch better be the long-man/6th starter in the rotation. If Hendry did this with Rusch in mind as the 5th starter I'm not watching the Cubs in 2006.

 

I can't believe Rusch would agree to come back unless he was guaranteed a rotation spot. He started to make noise about that at the end of the year, IIRC.

 

I guess I won't be watching in 2006 then. :cry: