CubinNY

see But isn't that true about most people? If one can do something he or she likes and get paid for it, it doesn't necessarily make one a whore. Or does it? I mean, I'd love to get a job at Harvard but if they don't pay me what I could get at Oklahoma I'm going to be a Sooner.

I imagine the press conference will be tomorro. He's supposed to be taking a physical today. I hope his blood pressure is in acceptable ranges after potentially making his children's children rich.

Imagine that lineup. I would be impressed too but I don't see that happening. We still have to spend money on pitching. If Hendry can sign Shmidt, I will be impressed. If Shmidt stays healthy I will be more impressed. I think if Hendry gets a top of the rotation starter out of this offseason he will have had a smashing success... at least on paper.

This is my position as well. It's not that Soriano is a bad signing. As I've said before, the Cubs will still have a hard time scoring runs on a consistent basis unless Soriano has stopped his free swinging ways. But what I'd really like to see is Soriano dropped in the order to take advantage of his SLG. He's not really a guy that brings a ton of OBP with him. But he can drive in runs. ? Murton Lee Soriano Aramis or ? Murton Lee Aramis Soriano

Blurb about Lee in the ESPN Rumor Central. Does this guy really consider Lee to be a superior hitter to JD Drew and Barry Bonds? Wow. It's not an indefensible position to say that Lee is a better hitter than Drew. Drew has the better OBP, but Lee has the better power. The why does Drew have a higher career slugging average? The only way that Lee is better than Drew is that he is more a sure thing to play 150 games. When Drew is on the field he is superior to Lee in almost every single way. Maybe Lee has intangibles? Will never know becuase they are intagible, but it could be true.

Vance, Are you still drunk from last night?

What a terrible argument. Last I checked the BoSox won a WS in 2004. The Yankees have won a few in the past 10 years as well. The Mets could easily win it next season. No Big Spending does not equal championships, but it usually keeps you in contention year in and year out. Right now, as a Cubs fan, I'll certainlty take that. Why is it a terrible arguement. those three team have one championship between them in the last six years. the yankees went on their championship run before they started the massive spending the have today. the mets have been spending big for years and haven't come close to a championship. how many championships did baltimore win in the 90's when they were grossly out-spending everyone? it's relevant. Spending money doesn't keep you from winning. That's completely absurd. It will increase your chances of going to the playoffs and get you better players in the long run. Just because other teams who spend money haven't won the World Series in the last few years doesn't mean it's impossible to do so. But the key is spending wisely. The Mets of the Mo Vaughn era where terrible and spent and spent. Baltimore has spent big time too. I think that is what gets lost sometimes when looking at Minnesota and Oakland. They spend money. They're not the Tampa Bay's and Pittsburghs of the world. What they do differently is that they spend money wisely and use the assets they have to make themselves better. On the face of it, I would say getting Soriano for the price and years was not wise but it beats not getting him, I guess. The Cubs will still have a hard time scoring runs this year unless Soriano has left his free swinging days behind him.

I think I read somewhere that the Cubs will not be raising ticket prices.

Are you serious? Personally, I think what you just said is completely, utterly absurd. Soriano, regardless of what team he's on, has a position to play. Just MO. Let's just have fun with this, shall we? If what people are saying is true, i.e., the Cubs are penciling him in for RF, then I worry about it. If he's replacing Murton in LF, then I hope the Cubs can get a RFer. If he's in CF, then I worry. We know he is terrible at 2nd, but the Cubs have signed DeRosa. Even with the poor defense at 2nd, that's where I'd play him. I know it is self-evident, but the point is making a good team, not signing a collection of good players and moving them around.

does anyone realize that would trash Pie's development completely? did anyone contemplate that maybe this strong push for Soriano was due to Drew's demands shooting up considerably the past few days? I think Pie is talented enough that he could handle any position in the outfield.

Hendry got plenty of praise when he resigned Aramis, he got praise when he resigned Lee last year. He got praise for signing Wood to a good deal. If and when he locks up Z he will get praise. I think he is getting praise by many on this board for the Soriano signing. It is not fair to this community for a few people to make such generalizations. Hendry has long ago worn out whatever good will I had for him. But I praised Hendry after the signing of Aramis and Lee. I think Soriano is a good player, but right now he doesn't have a position to play. I'll reserve judgment on that until I see him in the field. I am happy they got another run producer, but the cost is prohibitivie, IMO. I hope the Cubs can still get Drew for CF and trade JJ. If Hendry can do that I will sign his praises until the next time he acquires a player. Then I will evaluate that trade on its own merit.

I agree Cuse, but on it's face it is a bad contract. If Hendry can trade Jones and put Soriano in RF, and then land Drew to play CF, I will be quite pleased.

And apparently never will either... Who is going to play CF and what happened to Murton and Jones?

I don't like the signing. 1. Soriano has never played CF 2. Soriano is a good, not great, player and now he will be paid like a great player, hampering the Cubs ability to acquire a great young player somewhere in the next five years. 3. Soriano has a career OBP of .325. He's only been above that average three out of his six years in the majors and before this past season he posted craptacular .324 and .309 numbers in the last two seasons. 4. Soriano is on the wrong side of 30 and he just posted career highs in almost every category.

At the very BOTTOM on the article. So, we got one out of town source saying the Cubs have "matched" an offer for JD Drew, and then we have a LOCAL writer saying that Drew isn't even on the "front burner yet? Do we as fans, even have a clue what is ACTUALLY going on? I think it's been clear for awhile Fonzie is on the front burner , If Drew is cooking on the side burner too that fine by me . Please let us get both. I turn the Fonzie burner off and stop cooking. Fonzie doesn't taste that good and is over priced, kind of like cavierior. Then I'd heat up the Drew burner. Drew is like pot roast.

Both. Two cocker spaniels Marley and Grace

Send Barrett to NY with Hill and get A-Rod. I don't think he's going to agree to be traded though. They're questioning his manhood in NY. He has to show he's not a loser.

I am telling you they are crazy in Columbus. Crazy as an outhouse rat. If they win, they will destroy Columbus. If they lose, they will destroy Columbus worse. They are not fans, they are anti-fans. In Tressell's first year they played Michigan at home. A bunch of boozed up idiots brought buckeyes (the poisionous nut) to the football game and would throw them at anyone wearing yellow. They don't root for OSU to win, they root for the other team to lose. The worst fans in college sports. you sound like a white sox fan complaining about cubs fans No, I sound like a kid from Michigan that went to school at Ohio State and had his car vandalized simply because he happend to be born in Michigan.

I am telling you they are crazy in Columbus. Crazy as an outhouse rat. If they win, they will destroy Columbus. If they lose, they will destroy Columbus worse. They are not fans, they are anti-fans. In Tressell's first year they played Michigan at home. A bunch of boozed up idiots brought buckeyes (the poisionous nut) to the football game and would throw them at anyone wearing yellow. They don't root for OSU to win, they root for the other team to lose. The worst fans in college sports.

A poorman's Delino Deshields is pretty poor. Can footwork be taught? If so, I'd rather they keep him at second and drill the footwork. He has much less value as an OFer.

Heroin. Needle. Forehead. Hendry's doorstep. On the bright side, at least now you don't have to do that whole heroin thing on Hendry's doorstep! :D Honestly, I'm seriously hoping (expecting) to be figuring out what's wrong with his next move before lunch tomorrow. It would be funny if there were actually a site called "Hendry's Doorstep" where people could post what they'll do if he doesn't get the player they want.

Imagine if at the end of the free agent period still sitting out there for the Cubs to grab is Drew. Now imagine if Hendry signs Ted Lilly, or Vicente Padilla to some high dollar contract to go along with Blanco and DeRossa and some other fillers. Drew is looking for 15 mill/year for four years and Hendry has already spent enough that he only has 10 million left. Maybe he didn't overpay for DeRosa or Blanco, but what if signing them costs the Cubs the opportunity to sign Drew. If Hendry covets Drew or Soriano he has to set aside money for them. Niether is likely to be signed right away. I guess it is sort of a catch 22 in some ways. But I'd rather he fills the holes he has first. The Cubs have to get a CF and probably need another run producer to boot. Getting Drew and putting him in CF fills almost holes. I don't like the idea of Sorano playing CF and I don't like the idea of giving him a six or seven year contract.

Really, this is a tired argument. Lee and Aramis where pure salary dumps that fell into Hendry's lap. Lee was actually traded to Baltimore, but a long term deal couldn't be worked out. Aramis was getting too expensive for the Pirates. I have to ask you, who wouldn't have made those trade? That is the question. he sure did a hell of a job getting rid of hundley. to be honest if you hate hendry you use the slary dump argument, if you like him you say it is a good move. my opinion is that even if it was a salary dump hendry sure as hell stepped up and got them didnt he? i am sure every team in baseball would take lee or aramis so please don't play the " he only got them because of money" game, point is he got them so be happy and for once give the man some credit. i dont agree with all his moves but i think his positives out weigh the negatives. okay i feel better now, feel free to tear into me! He got rid of Hundley for roughly the same amount of salary and got a part time player and a back up 2nd baseman who was pushed into service because Bobby Hill didn't pan out. I don't know how anyone can say that Hendry's positives outwiegh his negatives after watching the Cubs on the brink of the WS in 2003 and the seasons, of 04, 05, and 06. The O4 team was one game better than the 03 team and 05 and 06 where complete disasters in every sense of the word.

Maybe JD Drew doesn't want to play for the Cubs? Maybe he thinks the organization is a freaking joke. He's rich beyond most of our wildest dreams. I suppose hendy's a bum because he hasn't cured cancer either? I know I'll catch nine kinds of hell from some of you, but it's cool. I'm just saying that as long as Hendry is making an honest run at these guys, that is all we can ask. He can't force anyone to sign on the dotted line. All of that is true. However, aside from a one sentence blurb by the notoriously uninformed Phil Rogers, what evidence is there that the Cubs are seriously in pursuit of Drew? We'll all have to wait and see. But even if Drew does sign that deal with Boston, it doesn't mean that Hendry was "asleep". We won't know.

Really, this is a tired argument. Lee and Aramis where pure salary dumps that fell into Hendry's lap. Lee was actually traded to Baltimore, but a long term deal couldn't be worked out. Aramis was getting too expensive for the Pirates. I have to ask you, who wouldn't have made those trade? That is the question.