More Fuel to the Mark Cuban Fire

[badgercub]

The Cubs are a very small cog in the Tribune Empire and are not a main revenue source and are not even remotely related to the business of selling newspapers. The Trib is not going to go bankrupt, but could definitely use the cash from the sale of the Cubs to prop up their stock price while they find new ways to adapt their core business to the digital age.

[K-Town]

One thing Cuban would do is attempt to pursue impact free agents. He'd be willing to pay for the media attention and splash an impact free agent would bring. He's not always able to do that in the NBA because of the salary cap, but he tries.

 

While I don't think Cuban would overspend dramatically, I also don't think he'd let a few millions over budget keep the Cubs from acquiring whoever was deemed was the free agent that could put this team over the top.

 

For example, had Cuban been the Cubs owner last season, I can see him allowing Hendry to bid for Beltran competitively with the Mets regardless of the unresolved Sosa situation.

 

I think had Cuban been owner of the Cubs, we would have pursued Tejada, even if that made Gonzalez a very expensive bench player.

 

In the Cubs' case, I don't think it's a matter of them not spending enough money. They need people in positions to spend it wisely. The Cubs had higher payrolls than 3 of the 4 teams playing in the LCS's in 2005.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

One thing Cuban would do is attempt to pursue impact free agents. He'd be willing to pay for the media attention and splash an impact free agent would bring. He's not always able to do that in the NBA because of the salary cap, but he tries.

 

While I don't think Cuban would overspend dramatically, I also don't think he'd let a few millions over budget keep the Cubs from acquiring whoever was deemed was the free agent that could put this team over the top.

 

For example, had Cuban been the Cubs owner last season, I can see him allowing Hendry to bid for Beltran competitively with the Mets regardless of the unresolved Sosa situation.

 

I think had Cuban been owner of the Cubs, we would have pursued Tejada, even if that made Gonzalez a very expensive bench player.

 

In the Cubs' case, I don't think it's a matter of them not spending enough money. They need people in positions to spend it wisely. The Cubs had higher payrolls than 3 of the 4 teams playing in the LCS's in 2005.

 

I agree that in a general sense, it's not a matter of spending enough money. On the other hand, I don't believe that Cuban would allow 2-5 million over budget to prevent him from acquiring the FA he wants.

[YearofDaCubs]

Would he try to get the league to let him move the team to Dallas?

Could that even happen? I just can't see the Cubs moving anywhere.

[YearofDaCubs]

One thing Cuban would do is attempt to pursue impact free agents. He'd be willing to pay for the media attention and splash an impact free agent would bring. He's not always able to do that in the NBA because of the salary cap, but he tries.

 

While I don't think Cuban would overspend dramatically, I also don't think he'd let a few millions over budget keep the Cubs from acquiring whoever was deemed was the free agent that could put this team over the top.

 

For example, had Cuban been the Cubs owner last season, I can see him allowing Hendry to bid for Beltran competitively with the Mets regardless of the unresolved Sosa situation.

 

I think had Cuban been owner of the Cubs, we would have pursued Tejada, even if that made Gonzalez a very expensive bench player.

That's the kind of thinking I want to see. That is the kind of thinking that will get us back into the playoffs but instead we ended up with Burnitz.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Would he try to get the league to let him move the team to Dallas?

Could that even happen? I just can't see the Cubs moving anywhere.

 

With the Rangers already in that market, I don't think that's a possibility. Also, why spend the money to purchase the Cubs if you want to move them? That's not a likely scenario at all. If he wanted a baseball team in Dallas, I'm sure he could eventually get Hicks to sell him the Rangers.

[K-Town]

One thing Cuban would do is attempt to pursue impact free agents. He'd be willing to pay for the media attention and splash an impact free agent would bring. He's not always able to do that in the NBA because of the salary cap, but he tries.

 

While I don't think Cuban would overspend dramatically, I also don't think he'd let a few millions over budget keep the Cubs from acquiring whoever was deemed was the free agent that could put this team over the top.

 

For example, had Cuban been the Cubs owner last season, I can see him allowing Hendry to bid for Beltran competitively with the Mets regardless of the unresolved Sosa situation.

 

I think had Cuban been owner of the Cubs, we would have pursued Tejada, even if that made Gonzalez a very expensive bench player.

 

In the Cubs' case, I don't think it's a matter of them not spending enough money. They need people in positions to spend it wisely. The Cubs had higher payrolls than 3 of the 4 teams playing in the LCS's in 2005.

 

I agree that in a general sense, it's not a matter of spending enough money. On the other hand, I don't believe that Cuban would allow 2-5 million over budget to prevent him from acquiring the FA he wants.

 

You think that the Cubs were only $2-$5 mil away from competing, though?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

One thing Cuban would do is attempt to pursue impact free agents. He'd be willing to pay for the media attention and splash an impact free agent would bring. He's not always able to do that in the NBA because of the salary cap, but he tries.

 

While I don't think Cuban would overspend dramatically, I also don't think he'd let a few millions over budget keep the Cubs from acquiring whoever was deemed was the free agent that could put this team over the top.

 

For example, had Cuban been the Cubs owner last season, I can see him allowing Hendry to bid for Beltran competitively with the Mets regardless of the unresolved Sosa situation.

 

I think had Cuban been owner of the Cubs, we would have pursued Tejada, even if that made Gonzalez a very expensive bench player.

 

In the Cubs' case, I don't think it's a matter of them not spending enough money. They need people in positions to spend it wisely. The Cubs had higher payrolls than 3 of the 4 teams playing in the LCS's in 2005.

 

I agree that in a general sense, it's not a matter of spending enough money. On the other hand, I don't believe that Cuban would allow 2-5 million over budget to prevent him from acquiring the FA he wants.

 

You think that the Cubs were only $2-$5 mil away from competing, though?

 

In the case of Tejada, they didn't pursue because of Alex Gonzalez's 5 million. That wouldn't have gotten in Cuban's way. He would have likely signed Tejada and then traded Gonzalez eating whatever $$ were necessary.

 

In the case of Beltran, he wouldn't have allowed the unresolved Sosa issue to get in the way of things. And I think it was about 5 million that got in the way. That was what we couldn't fit into last year's budget.

[K-Town]

One thing Cuban would do is attempt to pursue impact free agents. He'd be willing to pay for the media attention and splash an impact free agent would bring. He's not always able to do that in the NBA because of the salary cap, but he tries.

 

While I don't think Cuban would overspend dramatically, I also don't think he'd let a few millions over budget keep the Cubs from acquiring whoever was deemed was the free agent that could put this team over the top.

 

For example, had Cuban been the Cubs owner last season, I can see him allowing Hendry to bid for Beltran competitively with the Mets regardless of the unresolved Sosa situation.

 

I think had Cuban been owner of the Cubs, we would have pursued Tejada, even if that made Gonzalez a very expensive bench player.

 

In the Cubs' case, I don't think it's a matter of them not spending enough money. They need people in positions to spend it wisely. The Cubs had higher payrolls than 3 of the 4 teams playing in the LCS's in 2005.

 

I agree that in a general sense, it's not a matter of spending enough money. On the other hand, I don't believe that Cuban would allow 2-5 million over budget to prevent him from acquiring the FA he wants.

 

You think that the Cubs were only $2-$5 mil away from competing, though?

 

In the case of Tejada, they didn't pursue because of Alex Gonzalez's 5 million. That wouldn't have gotten in Cuban's way. He would have likely signed Tejada and then traded Gonzalez eating whatever $$ were necessary.

 

In the case of Beltran, he wouldn't have allowed the unresolved Sosa issue to get in the way of things. And I think it was about 5 million that got in the way. That was what we couldn't fit into last year's budget.

 

 

 

Signing Beltran would have been huge mistake, in my opinion........ I don't care how rich you are. Beltran has a career OPS of .829, and put up a .744 OPS in 2005. He would have made the Cubs much poorer, but they still wouldn't have been competing.

 

Tejada wouldn't have been the difference-maker, either. $13 mil per year for 6 years, for a guy with a career .815 OPS isn't smart money management, in my opinion.

 

The Cubs weren't "one player away" on 2004 or 2005, in my opinion. They don't need more money.......... they just need to be more wise with the money that they have. Signing Tejada and Beltran aren't the type of moves that are going to get them over the top, if they don't spend wisely on bullpen and bench help.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Replace the abysmal production the Cubs got in CF with even a sub-par Beltran and there may have been a difference in 2005.

 

The Cubs barely missed the playoffs in 2004 and that was with a horrible group playing SS (Gonzalez, Martinez, Rey Rnez) until July 31. Tejada would have likely made up the difference that year.

[CubinNY]

 

 

 

The Cubs weren't "one player away" on 2004 or 2005, in my opinion. They don't need more money.......... they just need to be more wise with the money that they have. Signing Tejada and Beltran aren't the type of moves that are going to get them over the top, if they don't spend wisely on bullpen and bench help.

 

Spoken like a true Cardinal fan.

 

Give me (a healthy) Beltran and Tejada and the Cubs wipe the floor with the NL.

[K-Town]

 

 

 

The Cubs weren't "one player away" on 2004 or 2005, in my opinion. They don't need more money.......... they just need to be more wise with the money that they have. Signing Tejada and Beltran aren't the type of moves that are going to get them over the top, if they don't spend wisely on bullpen and bench help.

 

Spoken like a true Cardinal fan.

 

Give me (a healthy) Beltran and Tejada and the Cubs wipe the floor with the NL.

 

Try to keep things in context. Nobody said anything about Beltran and Tejada. It was an either/or discussion. Somebody made a point that Cuban would break the budget by a few million ($3-5 mil) in order to sign a guy like Beltran or Tejada. Nobody said anything about spending $26 mil to land BOTH of them.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

 

 

The Cubs weren't "one player away" on 2004 or 2005, in my opinion. They don't need more money.......... they just need to be more wise with the money that they have. Signing Tejada and Beltran aren't the type of moves that are going to get them over the top, if they don't spend wisely on bullpen and bench help.

 

Spoken like a true Cardinal fan.

 

Give me (a healthy) Beltran and Tejada and the Cubs wipe the floor with the NL.

 

Try to keep things in context. Nobody said anything about Beltran and Tejada. It was an either/or discussion. Somebody made a point that Cuban would break the budget by a few million ($3-5 mil) in order to sign a guy like Beltran or Tejada. Nobody said anything about spending $26 mil to land BOTH of them.

 

Cubs have Beltran OR Tejada in '04 and they're in the playoffs. I'd take that '04 team against any other team in the playoffs that year with a Tejada or Beltran in the lineup.

[treebird]

 

 

 

The Cubs weren't "one player away" on 2004 or 2005, in my opinion. They don't need more money.......... they just need to be more wise with the money that they have. Signing Tejada and Beltran aren't the type of moves that are going to get them over the top, if they don't spend wisely on bullpen and bench help.

 

Spoken like a true Cardinal fan.

 

Give me (a healthy) Beltran and Tejada and the Cubs wipe the floor with the NL.

 

Try to keep things in context. Nobody said anything about Beltran and Tejada. It was an either/or discussion. Somebody made a point that Cuban would break the budget by a few million ($3-5 mil) in order to sign a guy like Beltran or Tejada. Nobody said anything about spending $26 mil to land BOTH of them.

 

Cubs have Beltran OR Tejada in '04 and they're in the playoffs. I'd take that '04 team against any other team in the playoffs that year with a Tejada or Beltran in the lineup.

 

plus the cubs cubs mightve beaten the astros a time or two in september since beltran wouldnt have with houston to hit .867 againt us.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

I thought the Cubs did a pretty good job going in to 04 - sometimes things just don't work out.

[XZero771679666304]

I thought the Cubs did a pretty good job going in to 04 - sometimes things just don't work out.

 

Going into the 2004 season, the Cubs had the strongest roster in the league, IMO. Most predicted the Cubs would win the central, and with good cause. What happened in 2004 was a firestorm of managerial ineptitude and injuries.

 

In 2005 the personnel just wan't there.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

I thought the Cubs did a pretty good job going in to 04 - sometimes things just don't work out.

 

Going into the 2004 season, the Cubs had the strongest roster in the league, IMO. Most predicted the Cubs would win the central, and with good cause. What happened in 2004 was a firestorm of managerial ineptitude and injuries.

 

In 2005 the personnel just wan't there.

 

I completely agree with everything you said. Going in to 04 being a Cards fan in Chicago wasn't fun. :?

[MPrior]

I thought the Cubs did a pretty good job going in to 04 - sometimes things just don't work out.

 

Going into the 2004 season, the Cubs had the strongest roster in the league, IMO. Most predicted the Cubs would win the central, and with good cause. What happened in 2004 was a firestorm of managerial ineptitude and injuries.

 

In 2005 the personnel just wan't there.

 

I completely agree with everything you said. Going in to 04 being a Cards fan in Chicago wasn't fun. :?

 

I feel really sorry for you. I know 2004 wasn't fun for Cards fans.

 

As a disclaimer, I'm just kidding around. And, for what it's worth, I really enjoy having you on the board, Cardsfan - I tend to agree with you on just about everything, and you're very respectful of the fact that you're a fan of the Cards on a Cubs board.

 

Secondly, I agree about 2004. That team was STACKED going into the season. Dusty, injuries, and Sosa's decline really killed us.