CubinNY

Is there any way we can wait on the signing of Giles, wherever it may be, before we begin thumping the Cubs for their ineptitude? No. If you want to do that fine, refrain from posting. But why ask other to do it? If this is how you feel I'd suggest you avoid the whole transactions topic all together. That way you will not have to needlessly make such posts. EDIT: I don't know that anybody has ever said that Sullivan doesn't have information correct. What people have complianed about is his gossip mongering, and foolish ideas. But I think he is the mouth piece of the Chicago Cubs. Nothing like supressing speech and the free trade of ideas, which is wha tthis bd. is all about. I couldn't agree more which exactly what his post was about. Now on to Sullivan. Who broke the Sammygate story? Who broke the Farnsworth bad apple stuff? Who broke the Hariston is not playing b/c he missed signs stuff? Who broke the players confronting Stone and Chip? I'd say he is pretty much glued into what is going on at Addison and Clark. Now, I'll turn it arount to you. When has Sullivan reported something that later came out to be false? Look, the guy is a hack, but he does nothing but spout the company line with an occasional gossipy tid bit. I think he has as much credibility as any beat writer include Brue Miles. IMO, Sullivan has swung-and-missed a lot more han he's connected, and his columns tend to contradict each other from day-to-day, if you look closely. I still don't see any evidence that he is Hendry's mouthpiece, though. If Hendry is leaking that info to Sullivan, than Sullivan should cite to "highly placed anonymous sources". BTW, I hope somone else notes that you are equating him to the revered Mr. Miles. I didn't say he was as good as Miles, I said he has as much credibility. I don't like Sullivan. I've been critical of him b/c I think he likes to trade in usless gossip but I cannot think of an instance where he wrote somthing like, "Cubs are not interested in getting into a bidding war" and it turned out to be false. I think Beltran last year is a good case in point. He said Hendry would offer him X amount of dollars and X amount of years. And from all indications that is what happened.

Is there any way we can wait on the signing of Giles, wherever it may be, before we begin thumping the Cubs for their ineptitude? No. If you want to do that fine, refrain from posting. But why ask other to do it? If this is how you feel I'd suggest you avoid the whole transactions topic all together. That way you will not have to needlessly make such posts. EDIT: I don't know that anybody has ever said that Sullivan doesn't have information correct. What people have complianed about is his gossip mongering, and foolish ideas. But I think he is the mouth piece of the Chicago Cubs. Nothing like supressing speech and the free trade of ideas, which is wha tthis bd. is all about. I couldn't agree more which exactly what his post was about. Now on to Sullivan. Who broke the Sammygate story? Who broke the Farnsworth bad apple stuff? Who broke the Hariston is not playing b/c he missed signs stuff? Who broke the players confronting Stone and Chip? I'd say he is pretty much glued into what is going on at Addison and Clark. Now, I'll turn it arount to you. When has Sullivan reported something that later came out to be false? Look, the guy is a hack, but he does nothing but spout the company line with an occasional gossipy tid bit. I think he has as much credibility as any beat writer include Brue Miles.

Nice. The above nicely sums up in three well written paragraph every post I've made in transactions in the past three weeks. Well done. May I suggest then, NY, that you're extremely inefficient? Yes. And you would be correct. :sunny:

you are assuming quite a lot. and your entire argument is based on the predication that the Cubs will be able to acquire players like Marcus Giles and Castillo who may not even be available. This team will not compete for the divison if Giles is playing RF for the Cardinals and the Cubs fail in every thing or even some of the things you mentioned. It would seem to me that it is much easier to acquire a FA than to find a trading partner for a good young player when all you have are "B" level trading chips.

The whole thread is about a report in the paper that Cubs are not going to pursue Giles. Should we not talk about it? Or should we not talk about it and hope it is wrong?

Who and for whom? I don't know that any of the targets you mention are available. I would think Floyd is not after the Cameron trade. Abreu might be but who do you give up to get him. Wilkerson I don't know about, but he is hardly an impact bat. Giles only costs money and only for three years. Maddux comes off the books after this year. And perhaps Wood comes off after next year. The Cubs can easily afford Giles even at 12 million per.

Is there any way we can wait on the signing of Giles, wherever it may be, before we begin thumping the Cubs for their ineptitude? No. If you want to do that fine, refrain from posting. But why ask other to do it? If this is how you feel I'd suggest you avoid the whole transactions topic all together. That way you will not have to needlessly make such posts. EDIT: I don't know that anybody has ever said that Sullivan doesn't have information correct. What people have complianed about is his gossip mongering, and foolish ideas. But I think he is the mouth piece of the Chicago Cubs.

I grew up on the shores of Lake Micigan. I spent 23 years there in cold and snow. Then I lived in the tropics. I'll take the tropics

It is amazing how much Jared looks like Jeff.

Every time I read the thread title I read Ronny with Shannon/ Hanging out...

I agree to an extent. But from the sounds of Sullivan's piece Hendry will not be bidding at all. On the other hand, I'd say three years is a liberal estimate to the Cubs window of opportunity with the current crop of pitchers. IMO he has to make a big play now. Another 89 win team will not get the job done.

Read em and weep folks http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-051116cubs,1,1236145.story?coll=cs-home-headlines Hello Kevin Mench.

So, do we totally dismiss a player's minor league stats? Or what the club's scouts think of a player? It would certainly be a gamble letting Cedeno start at short in 2006. But if that gamble meant 10 million dollars toward upgrading serious deficiencies somewhere else, it makes sense. A lot of people advocating Cedeno over Furcal are wanting Giles over what they fear will be an average or maybe even below average player in right field. Some are suggesting the club spend the extra dough on a top of the rotation pitcher. Either way, it's not like people that want Cedeno are saying he's better than Furcal, they're just saying he's not 9.6 million dollars worse. Now, your last sentance I agree with just because I fear Neifi will be starting at either SS or 2B due to the coach and the contract he just signed. Nice. The above nicely sums up in three well written paragraph every post I've made in transactions in the past three weeks. Well done.

Yes, NY, Hendry was helped along in those trades, but that doesn't change the fact that these guys helped us land our best offensive players. He also traded Willis for Alf or Clement. You can take your pick of which.

Such as? And how many ABs did they get in Chicago? The Cubs haven't had any recent call ups that deserved a shot. At least Hendry and Hughes seem to be able to evaluate minor league talent. Too bad they can't evaluate the talent before they draft. if they're so good at evaluating talent, we'd have productive young position players in Wrigley more than once every blue moon. It is not like they are wasting draft picks or not making use of the minor league system. If you look at the roster the top two offensive players are a direct result of the farm system. Choi -- Lee, and Hill and Bruback -- Ramirez. Also, you have 4/5 of your starting rotation all products of the farm system. Not too shabby. I always love how people like to point to Lee and Aramis as instances where Hendry used the farm hands to make a smart trade. Nothing could be furthrer from the truth. Aramis was a hurt palyer comming off a terrible year with a very poor attitude when he came to Chicago in a salary dump move. Lee fell to Hendry b/c Baltimore couldn't work out a long term contract for Lee and Florida was desperate to move his salary. The only instance I can think of where Hendry made a smart trade was with Nomar and he had his hand held by Theo.

Such as? And how many ABs did they get in Chicago? The Cubs haven't had any recent call ups that deserved a shot. At least Hendry and Hughes seem to be able to evaluate minor league talent. Too bad they can't evaluate the talent before they draft.

Whomever signs him will likely have to wait at least until January.

I'm wrong? You think he put together a great team in 2004 and I'm the one who is wrong? Wow. Need I remind you that team won 89 games, the same as Texas, fewer than 10 other teams. That team was so far from great it's almost laughable that you tried to paint it that way. The Cubs have been nowhere near great in the MacPhail tenure. I don't deny that Hendry has tried to make them better, but it's pretty clear this administration has no interest in doing whatever they can to be the best. They settle for mediocritry, and overpay for it, whenever possible. It's not about contending. Half the teams in the league can call themselves contenders in a season. Contending is settling. It's about winning it all, and being the best. There is no reason why the Cubs couldn't have been a 95+ win team at some point in the past 3 years. They started the 21st century with by all accounts a top 3 farm system in place, and they went from a 12th ranked payroll to a top 5 quickly, at a time when nearly everybody else was cutting costs. Need I remind you that Prior and Wood missed significant time that year. Also Ramirez missed a month, Borowski got hurt and Latroy didn't come through. Despite all that, they were leading the wild card with a week or so to go. That team was good. This team sucked when everyone was healthy. Besides, no team is healthy all the time. Great teams overcome injuries. Excuses are for losers.

At least it shows Neifi starting is not plan 'B'. AGon II is hardly a big improvement over Neifi. That is b/c Neifi is plan A for second base. Cedeno hasn't played one inning at second this winter.

How in the wide wide world of sports could Gonzalez ever be used as leverge? If I am Furcal I say go right ahead. Have a good time finishing 5th.

If all the rumors are even remotly true, IMO Hendry is negotiating himself right out of a job. Neifi gets too much for too long. Meanwhile Hendry is persuing his clone in Florida. Can anyone imagine a starting infiled that include Gonzalez and Perez? I shudder at the thought.

Enjoy yourself. And talk to Beinfest about Caberera instead of Pierre. Thanks.

except that the Yankees were rumored to have gone after Giles should the Matsui dealhave fallen through The new rumor is they'll still go after Giles even with Matsui in the fold. Oh the Yankees will go after Giles. He fits their profile. Aging vet who stil puts up good numbers. If I were an odds maker I'd have them at: 50:50 he signs with St. Louis 3:2 he stays in SD 3:1 Yankees 10:1 Red Sox 50:1 Cubs

It's a good thing the Cubs don't care about the K.

Please, oh please be yes. Baker for Joel Guzman. Two problems solved.