CubinNY

Leverage? If I'm Furcal I laugh at that. I think Hendry is intent on filling a team with 14 middle infielders and 11 starting pitchers.

Why waste a year stunting his development in a platoon? Beat me to it. He'll only be 22 for all of 2007, easing him into his role like that is the way I would do it, as long as the platoon partner is competent. Remember as a lefty he'll get the majority of the AB's in a platoon. Like Choi? Doh! Dusty will have to go.

Isn't Murray a 60 year veteran? :P

Ok, but what does that leave us for RF this year? Another 1 year rental? I think the idea of having options next year makes sense, but why go get Pierre if you aren't planning on winning in 2006? Just let Corey have another go at it if you aren't upgrading RF as well. So, what one year options are there in RF? Don't know. That is why I would go with Lofton for a year CF or as I wrote in another post, give Patterson another shot. Hell, he has to be better than last year.

It's always nice when you chime in craig. Great post. I guess with Pie's speed and percived lack of power *until this year* I figured Pie would be in CF. It does make sense though if Hendry is thinking Pie for a RFer. I would think he would have to show more pop next year. Lee and Aramis cannot be the only run producers in the line up.

Couple things 1) Most agree that Pie is not ready for the Majors yet. 2) your argument assumes the Cubs are making call ups in Sept to evalute young talent which is ridiculous. (Yes, it is possible they could make the playoffs). Should the Cubs hold off on trying to win just to accomodate players in the minor leagues? Seems like you may be getting a little too carried away with what might happen to young players and not concerned enough about winning now. If Pierre comes to the Cubs he can block Pie for 3 years if he's putting up a .370 OBP and the Cubs win the World Series. Who cares if Pie's development is stunted in that situation? Step away from the Kool-aid. Pierre has had two seasons of .370 OBP and if one wants to factor in all the CS it gets worse. Again, Pierre is not going to be the missing peice that gets the Cubs to the WS. No one is saying the Cubs should not try to win. But as I worte earlier. What is the this organization's philosophy? Hendry was quoted by Gammons and others as saying Pie would be called up last year if he hadn't gotten hurt. So, what up Jim? That is not to say I think Pie is ready for I do not. But appearently someone in the Cubs organization does. Or is it did? Hendry prides himself on giving a good deal. I hope in this case it isn't true.

Isn't Pie 19 or 20? Besides I'm at a point that I don't care about the prospects anymore I just want to win a damn WS no matter what cost. Couple of things Pierre will not "put the Cubs over the top", he is not that kind of a player It is ridiculus to give up a "keeper" if you think Pierre does not fit into your longterm plans. If you get Slappy for CF you damn well better get a bopper for RF. If the Cubs get him, I hope somone shows him how to wear a hat.

Pierre is a FA after this year. If Hendry wants Pie to play in 2007 he can just let Pierre leave. Beaten by less than a minute. :evil: you don't say? Good. Now, if Hendry gave up something for a 1 year rental I will be real upset.

If this trade is for spare parts (i.e., Ru, Soto, Greenburg, Patterson) OK, but if it is for others not ok. What does this say about Pie? Pierre is young enough to block Pie for a couple of years. I really don't understand Hendry's organizational philosophy at all.

I'm talking about what I think the Cubs should do. They should sign Giles, first and foremost. If they can fit in Furcal after that, fine. But Giles is the first priority. If Furcal goes back to Atlanta, the Braves suddenly have to cut elsewhere, then take Marcus off their hands, and you have a perfect situation to introduce Cedeno to the lineup. I like it.

Oh, it can be much worse than that. I could invision a scenario where Neifi is the starting SS and Cedeno is the 2nd baseman. In that scenario we have Piere in CF and Preston Wilson in RF. I wake up in a cold sweat when I think about it, but it could very well happen.

It is rivalry week? Who is ND playing? Oh, Cuse. I don't think it is rivalry week then. ND and their fans determines who are rivals. Of course, if they determine that Cuse is a rival then, rivalry week is back on. Holy bitter. My hate for all things Golden Domeish knows no bounds.

Awesome huh? If FSU wins the ACC some team is going to get really screwed out of a spot they deserve. Didn't FSU go to a BCS game a few years ago with a 7-4 record? Question: Does every team have the same requirements as ND? The reason I ask is because if scUM beats O$U, they could very well be in the BCS top twelve with 8 wins, not the 9 required for ND. That's why ND should be in a conference. But ND is too "special" to be in a conference. Wha! everybody picks on ND. Wha! it's not fair. Poor old golden domers. always getting screwed out of everything.

I don't know. Walker's the cheapest player on the Cubs offense. He's productive and gives the Cubs what they need (OBP/LH bat). The Cubs have a lot of arms comparable to Heilman, who just turned 27 (this weekend actually). and heilman wants to start and sucks. This is just the type of trade Hendry would make. If he really needs to stockpile SP then he has some really big problems on his hands 1. the farmhands suck????? 2. The starting pitchers cannot stay healthy

at the end of the bench behind Macias and Perez making up really kool nicknames for the bench players.

It is rivalry week? Who is ND playing? Oh, Cuse. I don't think it is rivalry week then. ND and their fans determines who are rivals. Of course, if they determine that Cuse is a rival then, rivalry week is back on.

My plate patience comment was in terms of the playoffs, but I can see how you thought I meant the regular season. Specifically, the big inning of Game 3 where they made Roy Oswalt throw ~50 pitches in one inning. But in the playoffs as a whole, the Sox's lineup 1-9 were more patient than in the regular season. Guys like Juan Uribe, who rarely walked in the regular season, were drawing a handful of walks in 12 games. The Sox fouled off lots of pitches too, always working the opposing starting pitcher. That's small ball. Plate patience isn't simply defined by walks. Take Tadahito Iguchi, for example. All through the regular and post season, he was patient enough to take pitches--often strikes--early in the count to allow Scott Podsednik the opportunity to steal a base. Stats don't account for that. That's small ball. Statistics also don't account for the unofficial sacrifices batter's make. There is no statistic showing a sacrifice where a batter intentionally grounds to the right side of the infield to advance a baserunner. Again, Tadahito Iguchi has performed this sacrifice dozens of times throughout the 2004 season. According to the statistics, it is recorded as an out, and his batting average is lowered. The stats do not note the ground out benefitting the team. That's small ball. The numbers you and others use show the total team's statistics, but two men, Podsednik and Iguchi, greatly change the makeup of the team in a manner that at this point, is impossible to calculate on a stat sheet. I think this is where the confusion lies: Only two of the nine men in the lineup play much small ball, so one cannot qualify the entire lineup as a small ball team. That's where the season-long statistics of the entire lineup skew your perception of the team. The Sox are really an all-ball team, meaning they beat teams playing for one run or playing for the big inning. But one cannot say that they don't play small ball or that small ball wasn't an important reason for winning the AL Central and the World Series. I agree with you. But then again I was once abducted by Saskwatch.

No kiding. Dusty for Bradley, let's get the ball rolling. I heard from a LA Dodger cleaning lady's nephew's sister's next door neighbor who heard from a waitress at a Fish Taco resteraunt that Tommy Lasorda eats at, that they are interested in bringing John B. back home to LA.

I've seen that written several times. Does anyone know if this is true? Or is it urban legend?

The rumor could be true, I hope it is not; howerver I don't think we'll see much happen at least until the Winter meetings next meonth. I think GMs use this meeting to start the ball rolling. But we should keep this in mind, Hendry spent a lot of time in the Marlin organization as a scout and whatnot. He has traded with Florida in the past, Alf/Clement for Sybil/Willis and the Chio for Lee trade. He usually gives a good deal. For this reason I have to believe that at least one good young arm will go if the Cubs get Piere, and probably more. To me that cost is too high.

As I stated earlier in a different thread, Furcal will be overpaid. Now it looks like he will be REALLY overpaid. I cannot imagine that given the differrence in salary Furcal would outproduce Cedeno, for cost. I hope Hendry gets sticker shock and walks away. Remember, SS is not a position of need for the Cubs.

I'm late to the discussion, but here is what I'd do (or what I want Hendry to do) Assess if Pie is the "real" thing. If so let him develop for another year. If not trade him while his value is high If Pie is "real"- I sign Lofton or keep Patterson and hope he rebounds. Actually Patterson has to rebound b/c it is next to impossible to have as bad a season as he had last year. If I trade Pie I trade him for a difference maker, and that guy is NOT juan "slappy" Piere. I would try to get Abreu or figure some way to get another corner outfield. I would love Dunn, but I think he is a pipe dream for us. But that is not to say I wouldn't try and get Slappy. I think he has value but the Cubs must upgrade power elswhere. I don't think my suggestion is that innovative, but I do think it is prudent.

Angel Guzman? I think they would want some talent to go with Guzman considering his injury risk. Guzman and Hill might get it done, though. I'd give the Reds Guzman and Hill for Dunn and not think twice about it. I'd give them Guzman, Hill, and Pie. But before I'd do that I'd make sure I could lock Dunn up at least until 2010.

This is a great poll. My wife just asked why I was laughing so hard.

Sing and Coats with pretty bad AFL numbers. :pukel: