CubinNY

Anyone who buys the Cubs will be A) A Cubs fan B) Someone who wants the Cubs because they are profitable No prospective owner will care whether Soriano's OBP slips. If anything, he is a benefit because he is one of the most marketable, popular players in the league and will most likely remain so for the next few years. Soriano's popularity will disappear very quickly if he can't hack it in CF and puts up an OPS slightly above .800, as he did in TX for the 2 years before 2006. Then he'll be a barely above average corner OF who's owed another $126 mil. That's not something a buyer would consider attractive. Let's get real. A bad year from Soriano isn't going to deter people from buying the Cubs. No, but it drove Trib stock price down for a day or two. :D

the jean shorts are fantastic. Gotta love how his shirt appears to be tied through a loop on his jean shorts. And is that a bag of candy in his back right pocket? That picture is just perfect. Look at all the people in the background. That color of red does not look good on anyone.

It would but Kentucky and West Virginia suck too much.

what? era+ from '03-'05 123 227 (227???!!!!) 181 That's a pretty poor stat to judge a reliever. Even so, he had three good years as a "closer" but what does that mean?

Too many pitches per inning and too many two inning saves on multiple days and he wasn't that good to begin with. How do you figure? I figure that becuase most releif pitchers are failed starters, as is Lidge.

I just finished watching the game on DVR. Harang pitched a damn good ball game. He pitched ahead all game. There were only a few real bad ABs (Murton's K, and some of Izturis's, but that is to be expected). Overall, not a bad start to the season. I'm disapointed but I saw some bright spots too.

Too many pitches per inning and too many two inning saves on multiple days and he wasn't that good to begin with.

UGH I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that. You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look? I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter. I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z. There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record. If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z. The sunk cost had absolutely nothing to do with it. The ownership froze spending because the assests are in the process of being sold-the payroll could have been 90 million instead of 110 million and they still would have done the same thing. If the ownership had said no more spending because of too high of a payroll, they would have done so well before now. Which is why waiting until the last minute to get things done is not a good way to do business. Hendry and McDonough had to know something like this would happen and also had to have some knowledge of the process and how long it would take. There is no way Hendry doesn't get the blame for this if Z doesn't get signed, sorry.

UGH I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that. You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look? I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter. I've never been a big supporter of JH, but I don't think he can take all the blame here. He's had a history of getting guys signed right before the season or shortly thereafter, and it usually works in the Cubs' favor. If he had gotten Z signed for $80m/5 years, almost everyone on this board would have been thrilled. So the fact that the Trib gets sold and that puts spending on hold shouldn't mean Hendry wasn't doing the right thing by waiting to sign Z. There is/was no reason to wait until the end of ST to get the deal worked out. I don't give two hoots about Hendry's track record. If the owners look at the current payroll and say "no more spending" the sunk costs of Lilly, Marquis, and DeRossa look bad when they could add up to or help with the costs of signing Z.

Really? I thought his love for the Cardinals was clearly shining through, right down to the "oh no! oh no..." when the Cards grounded into a DP. I thought it was some of both. Joe was giving a lot of love to players of both squads last night-everything was the best or most exciting on both squads-it's your typical national announcer. Joe only gives love to one person, himself. The rest is just nonsensical talk. At one point when talking about the Mets he said something like: "They'll beat the bad clubs becuase they can hit. But when they play the good clubs they'll have to pitch." What the hell does that mean? Not that I agree with it, but he means that against most of the league the Mets lineup can beat up on any average or less starter. However, a good club, especially in the playoffs will have a couple good to great pitchers that can shut them down, and the Mets weakness at starting pitcher will kill them then. That's based on the assumption that a great pitcher can shut down great hitters on a consistent basis, which I'm not sure I agree with. I really don't want to get into this but it is pure nonsense, just like almost everything else that comes out of his mouth. Lousy pitching is lousy pitching, it doesn't matter.

Really? I thought his love for the Cardinals was clearly shining through, right down to the "oh no! oh no..." when the Cards grounded into a DP. I thought it was some of both. Joe was giving a lot of love to players of both squads last night-everything was the best or most exciting on both squads-it's your typical national announcer. Joe only gives love to one person, himself. The rest is just nonsensical talk. At one point when talking about the Mets he said something like: "They'll beat the bad clubs becuase they can hit. But when they play the good clubs they'll have to pitch." What the hell does that mean?

He's played a little bit Yeah I know. That is why I said earlier in the thread that it is crazy to expect this guy to stick with a major league club after playing only 15 minor league games the past 3 years. And Hamilton made the roster. :-#

UGH I'll predict that Lou isn't going to like the sound of that. You said it. Now, how do the Lilly, Marquis, and Derosa contracts look? I don't like that Hendry waits until the last minute to get this stuff done. He's had all winter.

Colangelo would have to be considered the front runner. He has the connections and has allies with current owners. Cuban would be my best choice. George Will called TLR a genius which is enough for me not to want him. Will would have to be the front man, like Bush was when "owned" the Rangers. I don't think he has enough dough.

As long as the new owners don't charge WGN a high fees I belive the Cubs will stay on for at least as much as they are on now. The question will be how much will new owners charge the WGN. When the Cubs were owned by the Wrigley family the cable industry was just getting started. Things are a lot different now. I do think Cub fans around the country should be prepared to have to pay to watch them when they are not on ESPN.

NL East Brave Mets Phillies Marlins Nationals NL Central Cardinals Brewers Cubs Houston Reds Pirates NL West Diamondbacks Padres Dodgers Giants Rockies NL Wildcard: Mets AL East Red Sox Yankees Blue Jays Devil Rays Orioles AL Central Cleveland Minnesota Detroit White Sox Royals AL West Angles A's Rangers Mariners AL Wildcard: Yankees NL Champ: Mets AL Champ: Red Sox WS Champ: Red Sox

This will be a big year for Samardzija. He's not exactly a young guy. I can't say I'm a believer. I want to see how he does.

Aaron Harrang is the ugliest player in baseball. Go Cub!

What's the price comparison? They were charging MLB prices last night. I forgot to put in the first post that I saw Lou Brock, Dave Winfield (the man is huge), and Spike Lee (the man is tiny). No Bud Selig though, what a loser. The man can't even show up to the Civil Rights game. Anyway, my wife and I had a good time. My wife too good and she's paying for it now.

Nothing brings out a mullet like a Cardinal baseball game. Albert Pujols hits the ball hard. Single in the first hit harder than the HR in the third (that landed somewhere in Kentucky). This just in, Al is good. Travis Hafner is a terrible defensive 1st baseman. Beer tastes just as good at AAA park as it does at MLB park.

Improved but not enough. I picked 3rd, I think they'll be around .500.

I don't think anyone is criticizing the Cubs for sending down Prior. I think people are trying to introduce a little sanity into the discussion. Prior is a wuss and Prior lost his confidence are pretty weak arguments. Prior lost mph on his fast ball and Prior hasn't located his pitches are much better arguments IMO. I'm glad the Cubs didn't give Prior a spot if he's not ready. I think here's the quote that Soul is referring to That definitely is criticism for sending down Prior. Also-yes, Prior lost mph on his fast ball and an inability to locate his pitches are the direct reasons why he hasn't pitched well. The thing is-what are the causes of those two things? Is it just because of the loss of arm strength due to the injuries? Is it the time off? Is it due to a lack of confidence that is causing him not to air his arm all the way out for fear of getting hurt again? I think it's a combination of all 3, and I understand why that is-I have a knee injury, and the hardest thing in coming back from it is trusting that my knee was healthy and allowing myself to go at full speed without risk of injury. With all the setbacks that Prior has had over the last year, it is likely that a similar thing is happening to him, and that is at least part of the cause for his lack of speed and command is this mental fear (the other part being that he is still rehabbing from his injuries physically as well and building arm strength). For about the 1 millionth time Confidence is result NEVER a cause. I think it's better for the ameture psychologists to keep their diagnosis to themselves. The diagnoses are completely full of nonsense, as is most of this thread.

I don't think anyone is criticizing the Cubs for sending down Prior. I think people are trying to introduce a little sanity into the discussion. Prior is a wuss and Prior lost his confidence are pretty weak arguments. Prior lost mph on his fast ball and Prior hasn't located his pitches are much better arguments IMO. I'm glad the Cubs didn't give Prior a spot if he's not ready.

I don't think this is very important news, but... Wild Rick was starting in CF for the Memphis Redbirds last night. Didn't know where to put this, move if necessary.

Because over the last 30 years we've been conditioned to believe that we are all just lucky to have a job and that unions are evil monsters who steal money and protect the incompetent. Hail Reagan! It's the same way with the draft in football. The draft protects the teams not the players. It is the draft that rewards incompetent owners. All my friends were pissed at Eli Manning for not wanting to go to the Saints. While, I was of the opinion of, more powere to him. What are you talking about? The chargers drafting Manning. Chargers not Saints, sorry.