AAApittsburgh

Exactly how foolish would it be? The guy has excelled at every level he has played at and his teams are consistently winners. I would much rather the Cubs consider bringing up Pie than getting another stop gap like Burnitz or Hollandsworth, or worse yet letting Patterson come back. His plate discipline in AA is worse than Patterson's was in AA.

This is also written by Sullivan, so who knows. So maybe the Cubs might be in the hunt for Burnett. Not thrilled with Morris, and something tells me he might pull a "Steve Kline", so I would stay away from Crybaby Morris. I'm probably in the minority, but I want nothing to do with AJ Burnett. And it has nothing to do with his critical comments of Marlin management. I look at it simply from performance: from Aug. 24 to Sept. 25, he lost all 6 decisions he had, which included a 4 game stretch where he gave up 18 earned runs in 18 innings. I don't want Hendry shelling out big money to a non-big money pitcher. I'd be all over Millwood. In his last 6 starts, he's given up 8 earned runs in his last 40 innings. That's getting it done. A rotation of Zambrano, Prior, Maddux, Wood and Millwood would be amazing with either Jerome Williams or Rich Hill there in case of injury to Wood. I agree 100% on Burnett. I disagree on Millwood. He was lousy the last two years in Philadelphia and has had arm problems in the past. He's likely to be as overpaid as Burnett. IMO Cubs should look to acquire a starter in a trade who's underperformed in a bad situation and is too expensive for a team. Someone like Jason Jennings. Even away from Coors, Jennings has never been good. Cubs have a ton of options in their own farm system who can do just as well or better. Not sure I want Millwood either, but I'd take him over any other FA starter. Looking at his stats shows an interesting trend. He seems to have 1 good season, then 2 bad/mediocre seasons, then 1 good season again. I'd say his ERA next year will be well over 4.00.

I seem to remember reading (some New York rag) that Minaya was so pleased with Floyd's performance during their run at the wild card that he wouldn't think of trading him this off-season. So it may take a LOT to grab him from the Mets. If they're after Manny, can see Floyd being dealt and the Cubs getting in there as a 3rd team. Mets will go after Delgado before Manny IMO. Or perhaps a multi-team trade like Red Sox get Delgado, Marlins get prospects from RedSox/Mets/Cubs, Mets get Manny, Cubs get Floyd.

Huff, Crawford, Baldelli, or Gathright would be traded long before Gomes.

wind

The Tribune company has always had lots of money to spend. They care about making a profit, and would rather not pay $20M/year to one player. Yeah, if the trib owned the bulls they would have refused to go over $10 million a year on jordan The amount one player makes is completely irrelevant to the trib. they care about income and expenses. If paying $65 million a year for one player would definitely make the cubs a better team, it would happen. Well, they didn't refuse to spend $17 mil/year on Sosa.

Lowell to LF maybe. Delgado in LF. :shock:

And they were all putting up great numbers in the minors with the exception of maybe Furcal. I believe Murton and Cedeno are ready though. EPatt definitely isn't ready, and Pie is at least a year away. You also have to consider who is managing the team. If Cox was managing the Cubs and the Cubs had as good a success rate at developing productive position players as the Braves, maybe it wouldn't be as big a deal.

I didn't even realize Michaels was that good.

Lets get the entire Brewers coaching staff.

Based on what? I haven't heard anyone within the organization say that they prefer Furcal over Nomar and don't want Walker back.

ESPN power rankings says it's spelled Derrick, and they're never wrong. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/powerranking

I know I'm late responding, but that has to be one of the worst ideas I've read in a long time. We end up giving Walker, Hill, Dopirak, and cash for Crain and Pierre ??!?! No way. Walker is more valuable than any of those mentioned. Pierre is overrated. Just sign Kenny Lofton. His OBP is better than Pierre and he's cheaper. If you're trading those players, you better end up with more than Pierre and Crain. Wow...just reading that has left me nearly speechless. Then be speechless. Juan Pierre had an off year this year. So did Pat Burrell and Morgan Ensberg last year, would you want them in 2005 here? The two years prior to this, Pierre posted OBPs of 361 and 374. He had over 200 hits both years, stole 65 and 45 bases, and struck out a mere 35 times each season. Oh yeah, and he just turned 28 years old. Naw, Cubs couldn't use someone like that. :roll: Meanwhile, Walker is a bad attitude big mouth with lousy defense and no speed. He makes only $2.75MM, whoop-dee-do. He can take his disgusted bat flip to his sixth big league team and we won't miss a beat. The Cubs need to improve their team defense, speed, OBP and hitting for contact. I think if (for example) you give the 2B job to Cedeno, you gain speed and defense, likely give up little in OBP (based on an admittedly low sample size), and only sacrifice IsoP in exchange. And save nearly $2.5MM. I do that. Meanwhile, Pierre solves a need, and you'd buying him cheap based on his off-year. My my, what a concept, buy low instead of buy high for once. I'm not saying I'd be unhappy with Lofton, I just don't think he's going to be available. I like the idea of Pierre and Furcal hitting 1-2 at the top of my lineup, it would completely change the character of this team. Walker OTOH, is more of the same. Dump him. To be more like what? The White Sox? :? I think you overrate Cedeno. I can see him putting up Neifi-like numbers next year if given a starting job.

He doesn't. Usually, he tries to bunt the first 2 pitches, but fails. He ends up down 0-2 and swings at the next pitch which he usually pops up. It looks awful, but Dusty loves it.

Actually, this team could thrive with Walker at leadoff. Depending on who they get in the OF, they could also live with Hairston in that role. The only true need they have is one good bat in the OF. After that they have lots of options to mix and match. I never understood why Walker wasn't leading off more. He can walk, he can hit for average. He won't steal 30 bases, but the steal is a lost art anyway. But he can get on base. Murton should be batting 2nd. And Walkers D IS NOT THAT BAD!!! (from a few posts upthread) People talk about him like he's the absolute worst defensive 2Bman the game has ever known. Get over it, people. He's adequate enough to hold it down. He's not going to be the 2nd coming of Sandberg out there. Get that straight. Walker's merely adequate defense (the descriptor 'adequate' being arguable at best and downright false in some people's opinion) would be acceptable if we didn't have complete defensive liabilities at SS and 3B an infield of walker nomar and ramirez didn't and wont work. either SS or 2b need to be upgraded defensively. This means getting rid of either Nomar or Walker...or moving one to the outfield (not an attractive option to me) If i had to choose between the bats of Nomar and Walker, i take nomar. Nomar will come at a discount next year, and if we retain Cedeno and Neifi we are somewhat protected against an injury to Nomar... As i see it this would leave two holes in the outfield, assuming murton stays on and continues a good level of play. (perhaps an unfair assumption) I know. We can go after Grudz and KGonz for next year's middle infield. Think of how awesome the defense would be.

If you can put up your softball numbers, you've got the job.

how about murton, damon or lofton (if they would sign a 1 yr deal) & wilkerson? wilkerson has 35-40 hr power in wrigley so i wouldnt mind seeing him sandwiched between lee & aram and having damon or lofton leading off. Somehow, I doubt that.

I don't think Hendry is dumb enough to go after Lofton. His inevitable decline will happen when he's wearing a Cubs uni. Mike Cameron plz.

Prior is not having a great year. I blame Blanco.

Huh? He played 145 games last year. For GM, I'm surprised Gerry Hunsaker hasn't been mentioned. I thought he did a nice job putting together HOU's club during the 90's. It was also his first full season. Giving a guy who is that injury prone that many years is a mistake.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say he'll put up Chad Tracy type numbers next season if given regular playing time.

Why would the Yankees let Matsui go? Do they think they can get Giles?

My guess is that Manny ends up w/ the Mets. Perhaps the Cubs can help facilitate a deal between NY and Boston and get either Floyd or Cameron though. Recently read that NY and Boston may swap Beltran for Manny. Altogether, the Trib probably doesn't have the guts to make a deal for Manny. They'd rather put their money into injury prone players. How about both Floyd and Cameron? Is that possible? walker murton lee aram floyd nomar cameron barrett

Well, he did last year. Didn't have much choice.

Auggie? :P Walker's defense is 837, while league average is 974. He's clearly below average. Also, my friend is a limo driver and Walker didn't tip him one time. Why would we want a terrible person like that at 2B? :wink: