CubinNY

If somebody gives him a five year contract they will have a pretty highly paid 35 year-old playing for them. With his frame, I don't think he's going to be too goood at that age. If I were interested in him I'd give him a high-dollar, front-loaded three-year contract with a team option for a fourth, but nothing more. Something like 14 12 10 15 For a guy that turned down $70m, $36m is an extremely low guarantee. If you wanted to front load a deal you'd be better off going: $16m $16m $14m $16m option with $4m buyout At least that guarantees him $50m, and gives him a chance to sign a new deal at 33 (well, he'd sign at 33, but play at 34). I still doubt he settles for under 4 guaranteed though. That's a good point. I'm terrible at this sort of thing. But I think the only way I'd want him is if it were for a shorter deal than five years.

If somebody gives him a five year contract they will have a pretty highly paid 35 year-old playing for them. With his frame, I don't think he's going to be too goood at that age. If I were interested in him I'd give him a high-dollar, front-loaded three-year contract with a team option for a fourth, but nothing more. Something like 14 12 10 15

I agree with the general thought that sometimes you simply must overpay to get the talent, but Alfonso is not that talent. His 2006 is the classic contract year. The time to overpay was two years ago when Beltran was a FA (yeah I know, Sammy's contract yada yada). Prediction: Cardinals sign Soriano for 5/80 or thereabouts. [obliglatory comment] I am still pissed about not getting Beltran.[/obliglatory comment]

I don't. Especially Caberrea. Both would fetch a lot of talent in return and both are going to get big raises soon. I guess it depends how far away Marlins management thinks they are from contention. If they think they can contend for a playoff spot, why deal them? Becuase Jeff Loria is all about the Benjimans. He is doing his level best to get them moved out of S. Florida.

Honestly, I'm not ducking the question, but I'm having a real hard time getting a true handle on any of them. Bochy isn't a candidate _ yet _ but he might intrigue me. I could live with any of the others. I know that's hardly a ringing endorsement, but this group has been tough to get a feel for. I could live with any of these options as well, provided Hendry seriously upgrades the talent on this team. Especially the offense, which has been pretty offensive to me for the past couple of years.

I don't. Especially Caberrea. Both would fetch a lot of talent in return and both are going to get big raises soon.

If we get Lou, and then the Sox get ARod, my interest in baseball will severely deteriorate. :( Didn't A-Rod make Kenny Williams swear off Scott Boras clients? I swear I could remember Boras using the White Sox as leverage in getting A-Rod his ridiculous contract, despite making it seem like A-Rod was willing to sign there. Kenny Williams was really, really angry because of that. I don't know if were A-Rod or not, but I remember Williams or Riensdorf saying something about not dealing with Boras ever again. Whatever the case, I think it is pretty foolish to simply rule out a lot of talent b/c you don't like the guy who is representing them. But the WS work in mysterious ways.

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/cubs.asp Say it ain't say so Bruce, say it ain't so.

Bruce Miles says in today's column that Piniella is Hendry's top choice, if you think anti-Hendry sentiment was high then, well you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Bruce's new column says the Cubs are hot after Lou Piniella. I just lost my breakfast. Of all the stupid things to do Hendry finds the stupidest (I know).

They've scrambled some fighters but so far nothing is suspisious. NYPD says one confirmed fatality. I am assuming this was the pilot. NORAD says there is nothing to suspect that this was a terrorist attack at this point.

What are we waiting for?! I think we're waiting on Bochy. My guess is that Bochy is Hendry's primary target and Girardi is the fallback option. I think he's waiting on the Yankees/Piniella situation as well as Bochy. Just like everything else, Hendry is reactive to every other team's moves. He never goes out and gets people, he waits for them to come to him. That's simply inaccurate. He certainly missed on Furcal and Beltran. But there are two players I can think of off the top of my head that he went out and got and they performed very well for the Cubs. How is that inaccurate? He waited for just about everybody to become available. Some might say he went hard after Barrett, but it took another GM to act as broker to actually get something done. He had guys like Ramirez and Lee fall in his lap after other teams were cutting costs. He's gone after a couple small time role players, like middle relievers. But those guys don't make teams win. He's had plenty of opportunity to actually go out and make this team different, but he's been timid, cautious and much to willing to accept mediocrity, and hand-me-downs. Wasn't Lee virtually an Indian though. I am forgetting what team it was. I think it was Baltimore. Regardless, the deal fell through and Hendry got him for Choi. Even though Choi was highly thought of at the time, the trade was completely loppsided due to the fact that Flordia, once again, was cutting payroll.

General consensus is that he's the best pitching prospect to ever come out of Japan. Take that as you will. Personally, I'd throw money at him like there's no tomorrow. Hideki Irabu came with the same description and accolades. I think its a risky proposition. When Irabu came to America he was almost 29 years old. He also had no where near the success as this kid, who is 26. I think the posting fee is huge, but signing this guy would be like getting a top of the line starter just entering his prime.

I think the poll is interesting from scientific perspective. There are all sorts of corelational data that could be gathered comaparing objective data vs. subjective opinion. It's valuable in investigating the opinon of fans. However, I think the data could easily be skewed pretty easily.

Hendry was enamored with simply save totals when he went after Alf. Dempster has 57 saves the past two years with a terrible team that didn't give him many opportunities. His ERA is in the 3's, his OPS against is sub 700, his k/9 is about 8.5. He's not a worthless reliever. You can dig up peripherals and make a case that he has value as a middle reliever, but unfortunately he makes closer money, and I very much doubt he could be sold as an elite middle reliever. Non-elite middle relievers aren't worth much. As a closer he's a very hard sell because people who want a proven closer don't want to hear about peripherals. They want save percentage. Go look at save % of the league and tell me he wouldn't be a welcomed addition to a lot of teams.. I like Dempster and I don't look and don't put too much stock in this season's numbers

I like that idea! They could also have flames shoot out too. That would be awesome

He's on the roster but he might pitch one or two games toward the end of the season as ST approaches. No need to worry. Big stars come and go as they please in these leagues. The need to worry is based on the idea that Zambrano would probably want to pitch/participate more than most stars. I think that is an irrational fear. But that's just me.

I would say Pierre is adequate at getting to the ball, due to his speed. As you know his arm is terrible, but he does seem to hit the cut off-man most of the time. I was most disapointed with Cedeno. he gets to balls well but his arm is strong and not accurate. I thought Aramis was above average defensively, but he did have some foot work issues from time to time. Michael Barrett is arguably the worst defensive catcher in the big leagues. He sets up way too late, he lunges for balls instead of blocking them and his release point on throws to second is erratic. He is bad. JJ, well, he made some great diving plays this year. He seems to get to balls well but his throws are nothing short of comical. If he isn't air mailing the ball, he's throwing it into the ground. Murton was a little below average I think. He missed some balls he should have caught this year. However, like Pierre he hit the cut-off man most of the time. Overall I'd say the defense was average.

Do you think the Yankees would send him another AL team? The Rangers did. I think the inter-division, inter-league trade prohibition is a baseball myth. I think teams look for the best possible deal they can get.

He's on the roster but he might pitch one or two games toward the end of the season as ST approaches. No need to worry. Big stars come and go as they please in these leagues.

Does it matter? Unless Hendry brings in some more talent this club will be pathetic again next year. There is another thread in Transactions that discusses Bochy. Of the potential candidates for the job, I like him best. I can do without arcane rules about facial har, bunting early in the ball game, and the value of "leadership". I can also do without four-year old temper tantrums. But in reality, I don't really care if the Cubs don't have the players.

there may be hope yet . . . I just read that Piniella already said he won't take the Nats job because they are rebuilding. So why in the world would he take the Cubs job? The Cubs were worse thant the Nationals last year.

I had the field over the Yankees from the get-go. Oh yea? I picked the A's in the pre-season :shock:

That's good news. Who would the Cubs have to give up if he were to come to Chicago? Of all the prospective candidates I like Bochy the best. If Hendry gives up any player of value in a deal for a manager he's a bigger idiot than I thought. This team needs the right players, the manager is a secondary thought. Managers don't win. I agree, that's what kind of worries me. Maybe they'd take Cedeno and put him a 2nd?

That's good news. Who would the Cubs have to give up if he were to come to Chicago? Of all the prospective candidates I like Bochy the best.