CubinNY

This is what I cannot stand. I can just imagine the self-righteous indignation that will be spilling out of the word processors of the likes of Mike Lupica, Bill Conlin, and their ilk over this. In two weeks, no one will care.

I agree with Ping/UK. It was a fair deal IMO, but that's about the most fair they've been to Prior in quite some time.

All of this is incorrect. All of it. Hendry even came out once in 2004 or 2005 and ripped Prior for coming out of a game when "nothing was wrong with him". They waited until 2007 (!) to have his shoulder properly examined and operated on. No, sorry, you're imagining a sentiment that didn't exist. I'm aware you wouldn't be convinced otherwise, especially since Prior is headed out, and I'm not sure what the point would be in debating arbitrary perceptions of a third-party's feelings - however, in all my dealings and with people I've talked to, I've never thought "the front office is sure treating Prior like garbage!" This is just the way some fans interpret the business. In all your dealings? Please share your dealings with the front office of the Cubs in relation Prior. All you have to do is dig up a Paul Sullivan article crica. 2005-2006 regarding Prior. Where would Sullivan and half the radio morons get the "Prior is soft" stuff from if not from Hendry and crew, saying "we can't find anything 'physically' wrong with Mark"?

Old Style Cub fans (pun intended) are much worse about heckling players, that's one reason why they got the name "bleacher bums". If anything, new style Cub fans are criticized for being uninvolved.

I love getting dome! ... :-k Did you study today? Good pick-up :crosses fingers:

I wouldn't mind that at all. Either he'll not be worth the money or he'll be in the AL, so who cares. The WS are just another team not playing in the NL.

ST is about the worst time to evaluate a player. The problem is that the Cubs cannot really afford either one to stink once the season begins. I'd take my chances with Cedeno.

Pretty much every forum that has this info lists the payroll of the team's opening day roster. For instance, you won't see the $16m the Cubs paid Baltimore to take Sammy Sosa, or the $3+ million they paid Rusch not to pitch. They will not account for midseason acquisitions like Nomar Garciaparra, Aramis Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, or Steve Trachsel. They won't include the money the Cubs will pay Detroit to take Jones. They fail to take into account a lot of things, and when you do take this into account, it's clear the Cubs have had financial resources to spend than their divisional competition. That is certainly a factor in to why those numbers would be off. At the same time, over the years the Cardinals have added plenty of money at the deadline themselves (probably more than the Cubs have because the Cubs have rarely been good enough to add payroll during the season), and both have had years where they have cut money at the deadline. As for paying money as part of a trade, iirc the Cardinals have done that a lot less than the Cubs have. At the same time, the Cardianls have been much more active during the season of cutting struggling players, eating the dead money, and signing new players for small contracts that still add up. Those reasons do throw the reported figures off, but that still doesn't push the Cubs significantly above the Cardinals. How much is significant? I'd say $1 dollar more than it takes to get a player they want. The fact is that the Cubs have spent more to get less than almost any other team in baseball. They have an advantage over every team in this division, including the Cardinals. And it isn't even close. In the Hendry era they've spent plenty and have nothing to show for it but a couple of mediocre seasons and a few terrible ones.

Study!

It's got its own solar system.

I went with Krivsky. The Reds underachieve every year and he just hired Dusty.

If the Cubs get Fukudome and Roberts, I will be pretty happy with this off-season. I will be expecting at least 90 wins too.

Just the same, I wouldn't get too worked up over any rumor posted on a message board, we are usually among the unwashed masses who get to know when everyone else does. I imagine Bruce Miles will know something before bigbird.

If he has a good DC and recruits well his style of offense would really play well in the Pac 10.

The design of the stadium fits the design of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge very well. It should be quite beautiful.

Take off some weight, add some speed and various injuries, and put him in RF and he sounds like Ryan Harvey to me.

Cuban bashing at its most absurd

I read all 7 pages, nothing occurs in a vacuum, everything is relative. The entire thread is comparing him to Izturis. Would I rather have Theriot than Izturis? yes. But that's like saying I'd rather have avian flu than testicular cancer.

coughMattMurtoncough

If Sean gets traded will you still be a Cubs fan?

Leave it to the guy with the caveman avatar to talk about speediness and lineup balance. Interesting first post. Yeah, it wasn't that great. Second post isn't much better. I thought it was very à propos. Well done and welcome.

The funniest quote: Yea, Roberts isn't coming to Chicago.

Dave Dombrowski is a really good GM.

Welcome to the forum. Discrepancy in defense? Speed- ok, but marginal upgrade at best, I guess Lineup balance- The year that lineup balance becomes important will be the first year it's been important. Marginal upgrade yes, but any upgrade is good. The question is the cost. Fukudome fills a position of need. Roberts, not so much. I'm not necessarily against it though.

What the hell, are all the GMs going out to the bars or something? Will Fukudome's agent be fielding drunk dials? There are about 5 bars inside the Oppry Land Hotel and about 20 or 30 places to eat. The place is like a city.