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HoopsCubs

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  1. If he's willing to play OF, you could bat him 6th. But it sure sounds like everytime someone asks him about moving to CF, he pouts. That kind of negative energy, I think we can do without. Now, if the Rangers are willing to trade Dellucci and Soriano, I'd gladly give them pitching and Todd Walker.
  2. "Talent" and "valuable" are definitely not 2 words I would personally use to describe the Todd Hollandsworth that I have been watching the last 4 weeks.
  3. You folks read the papers just like I do. It sure sounds like Texas is going to trade Alfonso Soriano before the weekend is done. I still think Jim Hendry can insert himself in the middle here, and try to get a relief pitcher or corner outfielder. Texas needs starting pitching (under-statement). And despite Wood's injury, I still think the Cubs have excess starting pitching that could be used as trade chips (Rusch, Mitre for example). The Mets, Yankees, Twins and Red Sox have shown interest. Soriano to one of those teams. Rusch and/or Mitre to Texas. What do we get? J.C. Romero? Tom Gordon? Just thinking out loud. Hoops
  4. Trot Nixon is on the DL, and his injury looks a bit serious, which may keep him on the DL longer than the 15 days. Boston Globe indicates that the Red Sox are looking at: Jose Cruz Jr., Larry Bigbie, Jacque Jones, Matt Lawton and Aubrey Huff. Jim Hendry should monitor this. It's improbable that Boston won't get at least one of those guys (after all, Cruz was DFAd), but it's not impossible. If everything were to fall through for Epstein, Hendry should offer him Todd Hollandsworth at the eleventh hour for nothing more than a marginal prospect. This would be a great addition by subtraction move for the Cubs. Does it guarantee Murton would play everyday. Of course not, with Gerut there. But the probability increases, right? You may ask: why doesn't Hendry just DFA Hollandsworth? My perception is that is not Hendry's style. I think Borowski was the exception. In general, he always wants some value back for any move. Let's see what happens. Hoops
  5. My prediction is that Jeremy Affeldt will become a Cub by Sunday.
  6. I don't think any deal is imminent yet, but several sources (including the Tampa Tribune and the Daily Southtown) have said that the two teams have talked about moving Huff to the southside. It is believed that Tampa wants Damaso Marte and Brandon McCarthy in return. I bring this up only because Huff's name has been very popular in this forum. It sounds like Hendry would need his equivalent of McCarthy and Marte to have a discussion with the Rays about bringing Huff to the northside. Feedback on who those 2 players might be from our team/system? Hoops
  7. It's fun re-visiting old threads. Tim and Mushi had an excellent discussion about Jenkins when he signed his extension. Given our OPS shortcomings in LF, I wonder if Hendry has Jenkins on his radar this week. I haven't heard anything about Milwaukee openly shopping him, but since he is still owed $15.5M in 2006 and 2007, perhaps he might be tacitly available. Would he be an improvement? He has been swinging the bat very well lately. Hoops
  8. Not much new information, unfortunately. The Mike MacDougal trail went pretty cold as KC was asking for a boatload of prospects, and the Kearns talk was pretty much, just talk - nothing was close as of Saturday. I still think Hendry will address the bullpen if the Cubs have a good week between today through Sunday. Me definition of good week: 5-2 at minimum (2 of 3 from SF, and 3 of 4 from AZ). Like you and almost everybody here, I feel Hendry must address the OF situation for 2006. If Jeromy Burnitz is brought back, I want him to be the 3rd best OF in the line-up (OPS wise). If he's #1 again, then we should consider the offseason a failure. I have faith that it will be addressed. Hoops, Given the Cubs long list of Rule 5 eligibles I can't help thinking that a deal will come sooner rather than during the offseason. Particularly since Hill and Greenberg have already been added it will be a crowded 40 man roster once the injury exemptions come back. I'm with you. I get the sense that a deal is going to happen very soon.
  9. Bump. I wonder if Kerry Wood being out indefinitely will force Jim Hendry to go after a starter now - Millwood, Johnson, Chacon, etc...
  10. I would love Giles on this club for a couple of years. 2 year deal would be ideal, but I can't imagine he would go for it since I suspect a few other teams (Braves) might be happy to give him 4 years. I still don't understand why SD has not signed him to an extension unless Giles has secretly made it clear to Towers that he doesn't want to play for the Padres in 2006, or there is something about SDs' 2006 payroll that I'm not understanding. Personally, I think there is money to do it. Maybe they're seeing if there is any cash relief in the Ponson for Nevin deal, if Phil accepts it. Maybe they are still making their minds up on whether or not to bring back Trevor Hoffman, Ramon Hernandez and Woody Williams in 2006.
  11. Not much new information, unfortunately. The Mike MacDougal trail went pretty cold as KC was asking for a boatload of prospects, and the Kearns talk was pretty much, just talk - nothing was close as of Saturday. I still think Hendry will address the bullpen if the Cubs have a good week between today through Sunday. Me definition of good week: 5-2 at minimum (2 of 3 from SF, and 3 of 4 from AZ). Like you and almost everybody here, I feel Hendry must address the OF situation for 2006. If Jeromy Burnitz is brought back, I want him to be the 3rd best OF in the line-up (OPS wise). If he's #1 again, then we should consider the offseason a failure. I have faith that it will be addressed.
  12. http://www.sportingnews.com/exclusives/20050725/634761.html Pretty fresh article talking about deal-making and needs. Here's what he says about our team: "Cubs. The returns of shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and reliever Scott Williamson will help. Williamson, coming off elbow ligament transplant surgery, is in terrific shape, having lost about 25 pounds. G.M. Jim Hendry still wants to acquire more bullpen help and an outfield bat, preferably a righthanded one." I had always believed that Hendry would be more partial to acquiring a left-handed bat (Dunn, Huff, Floyd, etc...), but since guys like Kearns and Preston Wilson have been in the news lately, I guess Hendry is looking at any bat that he feels is an improvement over Hollandsworth in LF. Who will that bat be, if anybody? Hoops
  13. I think it all depends on what your definition of selling happens to be. In my mind, a big market franchise with a solid farm system should always be buying regardless of record. In the Cubs case, they appear to be poised to repeat their September '03 and '04 (minus the last week) perfomance and make a solid run for gaining a postseason berth. The Cardinals series showed me how tough these Cubs are. A little execution by either Todd Walker or Jeromy Burnitz over the weekend would have given the Cubs a sweep. The obvious holes are in the OF and another bullpen guy - it would be nice to get two bats (a slugger and an OBP guy), and an 8th inning guy. With the big drop off in free agent talent after Giles and Damon, Hendry absolutely must make a deal for an OF either now or in the Winter. That's just a no brainer - he has the need, he will have freed up dollars. Keep in mind that it is entirely possible that all three positions will have new faces Opening Day 2006 compared to Opening Day 2005 - Hollandsworth, Patterson and Burnitz. Getting an 8th inning guy means you're serious about making a run - it will have to cost us. I also wouldn't mind seeing an upgrade to the bench (i.e get rid of JM). Hoops
  14. The Cubs do not have a favorable schedule the rest of the way. IIRC, 60% of the games they have left are against teams with over a .500 w/l record including 14 more games against St. Louis and several more against Houston. I think the Cubs will be fine against St. Louis and Houston. I really liked what I saw this weekend from our boys. What concerns me more are those 12 games we play against the NL East teams (6 on the road against the Phillies and Mets and 6 at home against the Braves and Marlins). To me, our performance in those 12 games will tell us more about the fate of our season. Just to note: we're currently 8-14 against that division. Need to turn that around in august especially since those 12 games are head-to-head against 4 teams ahead of us in the wild card. Hoops
  15. Two years later, I'm still shaking my head, and asking, "Dave Littlefield, what were you thinking?"
  16. 100% Unequivocal Unadulterated Posturing. I don't blame him, mind you - it's his walk year and all, and he should say anything to raise the stakes especially when he's in a large media market that has a team with high payroll. Hey, the Red Sox are playing in Anaheim in 3 weeks. Any doubt we'll get to hear about how great the Dodger fans are, and how thrilling it would be to play in Chavez Ravine and what an honor it would be to wear Dodger Blue? Another team with a lot of money to spend and an offense that could use some spark.
  17. Hosak, I don't see a fit for us directly in a 2-way deal. But here's a thought: despite getting Graffanino, I wonder if Boston and Texas would be open for a 3 way deal where Soriano goes to the Red Sox, Trot Nixon comes to the Cubs, and we send the Rangers 2 pitchers? Or maybe do the same deal with the Yankees and Rangers, and Hideki Matsui comes to Wrigley.
  18. Jerry Hairston's last 20 starts range from June 15 through July 21. In those starts: 85 plate appearances, 25 times on base, .294 OBP Juan Pierre's last 20 starts range from June 28 through July 20. In those starts: 96 plate appearances, 38 times on base, .396 OBP That's a 100 point advantage in favor of Pierre. I'm warming up to the notion that trading for Pierre would actually be a good thing. Hairston has been awful. Add those numbers to the fact that Baker and Hendry don't think he's all that smart, it kind of looks like he should be moved. Hairston and a pitching prospect for Pierre? Hoops
  19. Lowell is too expensive given his production, and of course, where do you put him? Pierre is over-rated in my book. But as far as being a middle-man, I wonder if Florida, Boston and us could work a deal where Burnett and Hollandsworth go to Boston, Trot Nixon comes to the Cubs, and Mitre and Wellemeyer head to Florida.
  20. I am taking it as it is. A rumor from an unreliable source. Doesnt mean its wrong. Doesnt mean its right. Just a rumor from an unreliable source. Too early to tell really if the source is "unreliable" or not. I would say more like the source is "unproven." I am skeptical of the deal presented. I don't think Jim Hendry would trade Rich Hill or Corey Patterson to Cincinnati. I think Hendry will hold onto Hill, and would only trade Patterson to the AL. And despite what everyone is saying, I don't think Cincinnati trades Dunn to HOU, STL or us, if there is a trade at all. I think they'll shop Griffey, Casey, Pena and Kearns ahead of Dunn. The Dodgers are the most likely NL destination in my humble opinion if there is a dela to be made - they can offer the most (if they want to) and play in the NL West, so the Reds would only see Dunn 6 or 7 times a season as opposed to 17-19 times. Also, according to a published report today in Minneapolis, the Orioles asked about getting Dunn, and were told by the Reds that the starting point is Erik Bedard and 2-3 other good players/prospects. Baltimore turned it down. I think Kearns is the guy Hendry wants.
  21. Yeah, but how many lefty starters would he face every 10 games in the NL? One or two? Fine. Let Murton start those games.
  22. Not to quibble with you, but just a reminder: in the last 8 games (3 against FLA, 4 against PIT and last night against CINCY), Jerry Hairston has had 40 plate apperances with just 10 hits and 2 walks. If you do the math, that's .300 OBP. I'm not satisfied with that. The Cubs may be 7-1 in those 8 games, but we can thank the starting pitching and Walker, Lee and Ramirez. Hairston has been pretty lousy lately.
  23. Boston is supposedly looking for a starter, a reliever and a 2B. We think the Cubs are looking for a middle of the order slugger to play LF. Does this work for both teams: Rusch or Mitre plus Remlinger and Hairston for Trot Nixon? If the trade was made: Millar could play RF and Olerud could play 1B. Boston could keep Kevin Youkilis at 3B, instead of moving him to 2B, and trade Bill Mueller to Minnesota (as rumoured). The Cubs would play Nixon in LF and Gerut in CF - Nixon is under contract in 2006. Just some random thoughts. Hoops
  24. I don't see the upside in Pena at all. Career OBP of .305, and it's only .314 this season. I'd pass.
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