Cubzfan64

Hopefully our scouts and talent evaluators made a good move here - personally I would have liked to have seen him pitch more last year just to see if he could translate any of his minor league stats to the big club. Only thing we can do is hope we know what we're doing with moves like this one.

That's true about Nomar although I can't help remembering something Ryne Sandberg mentioned when he went into the HOF - I don't have the exact quote but it was something along the lines of ballplayers today spending too much time bulking up and weight training for muscles instead of flexibility training. It's flexibility that has alot to do with keeping away from pulls, tears and strains.

Unless the Red Sox have changed their mind, they haven't been very impressed with Adam Stern so far. It could be that he's just young, but I saw him play some in 2005 and he's very unrefined!! He has alot of speed, but he was an AWFUL baserunner last season making more than a handful of bonehead moves on the basepaths. If they don't re-sign Damon, they'll fill CF with someone other than Stern.

I for one think it's fun anticipating that Hendry and the Cubs have very obviously loaded up on an area where they were lacking last season and at least in my mind we're poised to make SOME kind of trade to fill the holes we have left to try to fill. Until I see the whole puzzle put together in front of me, I'm going to stand back and try to see what the different pieces look like but not guess at the final outcome or complain about pieces not fitting or looking right. Considering how depressing the regular seasons have been lately, this offseason is actually more enjoyable since I get to have that exhilerating feeling of anticipation for a few more months before reality has to set in. Here's hoping reality is actually better in 2006 than the anticipation for a change!

I apologize for not really answering your first question (and thank you by the way for not raking me over the coals for that as I've seen others do in other threads :-)). It's a really really tough choice which is probably why you asked the question - hehe. I would say if he were able to post those numbers, odds are he would have to have been healthy for almost the whole season. If that's the case and I see little or no sign of arm problems throughout the season, go ahead and pick up the option (unless as someone else suggested we were to pick up another quality starter or find some "gem" in our minor league system). The fact of the matter is (as all Cub fans know), when Kerry is healthy, he can be a #1 starter and as you mentioned, if he, Prior and Z are all healthy for a full season you really have 3 legitimate #1 starters for alot of teams. The odds of your suggestion happening are slim afaic, but yes - in your scenario I pick up his option.

Anyone else wonder if perhaps this Becket/Lowell for Ramirez/Sanchez/etc... may have something to do with why Theo is no longer in Boston?? It wouldn't surprise me if we found out that this trade had been discussed quite awhile back while Theo was still in Boston. I could see he and Luchino having widely differing viewpoints on whether part of the potential future should be moved for the present. It'll be at least a couple years before this trade can adequately be evaluated, but I really do wonder if Luchino and Theo had strong disagreements on moving youngsters like this.

If it's me, I put the word out that he's available via the right trade - burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me, burn me a number of times with injuries and don't change your mechanics thereby providing no reliability I should be smacked up side the head if I don't explore trade options when his value is high.

I didn't see anyone else ask this question... Considering how quickly this deal was made, does anyone think perhaps this may have something to do with Theo's departure as far as "differences in philosophy" with Luchino? I realize people say what they "have to" say, but Theo always seemed to be extremely high on Hanley and Anibal Sanchez - perhaps Larry wanted to bargain a little of the potential future for another chance at a WS!!?? I don't feel the Marlins got screwed in this deal as much as others here think, but as in all trades, this one will be measured accurately a few years from now. That said, Boston is really in the catbird seat right now - they have so many different directions they can go - do they resign Damon or free up money to spend elsewhere? Can they move Manny and his salary for more parts to their puzzle? Will they target a closer or hope Foulke comes back strong? My guess is they will give Lowell a season at 3B and both Mueller and Millar will be gone starting next season. Oh and last of all - as far as why Boston signed Renteria when they had their "can't miss" prospect Ramirez waiting in the wings - as Cub fans we should identify pretty closely with a GM who simply falls in love with a certain guy and Theo just thought the world of Renteria and wanted him signed at all costs.

The message as I see it is: As long as the fans keep filling the stadium every year, despite what we put on the field, we'll keep raising the prices - we're a business and we need to make as much money as we can.

These are some quotes I read in the Sun Times this morning that interested/concerned me a little: Eyre speaking: ''My wife and I wanted to play someplace closer to home,'' said Eyre, a Florida resident. ''I know Dusty and Gene Clines and Sonny Jackson, and I was told it's a fun clubhouse. Dusty runs the same type of clubhouse he ran in San Francisco. Baker's laid-back approach seemed to be a major factor in Eyre's decision. Eyre's agent, Tommy Tanzer, said Cubs general manager Jim Hendry and pitching coach Larry Rothschild met with Eyre and Tanzer this week at Eyre's home in Bradenton, Fla. ''[Rothschild's] not going to make us run 30 laps before we pitch,'' Eyre said. ''He said, 'If you're ready to pitch every day, you can do whatever you want.''' Hendry speaking: ''It's no secret we have a lot of interest in Furcal,'' Hendry said. ''We're also looking at other possibilities to help our club, maybe closer to the winter meetings as far as trades go. Certain free agents might be available as bench players.'' Is it just me, or do some of these comments make you sort of shake your head? I guess I'm glad to hear the Cubs have a fun clubhouse and that everyone likes Dusty's "laid back" attitude, but at what point does a "laid back" manager decide to start kicking some rear ends when the players are simply making too many mistakes out there? I hope the last comment from Rothschild was taken a little out of context too - I realize MLB players are supposed to be "big boys," but to tell them they can do whatever they want as long as they're ready to pitch when their time comes seems a bit simplistic from a pitching coach doesn't it??? Wouldn't it be good for them to have stretching sessions, some homework on the upcoming team/batters etc...? Makes me wonder if Farnsworth became what he became in Chicago because he was "allowed to do whatever he wanted" without consequence? Then we have Hendry (albeit hopefully posturing for Furcal) saying something about looking for free agents for our bench???? Our bench??? I'm sorry, but I think we have a number of holes to fill that would be more important than our bench. Oh well - I'm still hoping for some much better outcomes this offseason - I just hope at the end of 2006 we don't have a 5th place team that "had fun in the clubhouse."

It's just so hard to evaluate this trade on it's own merit. Yes it wouldn't have been my first priority to help the club for 2006, but then again, if it can be done early and provide some ability to make later moves that fill the more glaring holes, then I have no problem with it - that will remain to be seen. The only thing that concerns me so far with the Perez and Eyre signings are that once again the Cubs are in the position of "buying high" after a guy has a very good season and quite potentially "selling low" if they move Patterson after his value has plummetted. I absolutely dislike that method of trying to build a team that can contend for more than one year, unfortunately it appears to be the philosophy of the personnel who make the decisions on who is on the team and who isn't. I'm staying tuned for further moves before I pass judgement on this one...

Personally I have no problem with paying Furcal $9-11mil per season, the only thing I'm concerned about is the length of the contract. I don't like 5 years and truth be told I'm not sure I would even like 4. Problem with free agency is you'll almost always find SOME team out there willing to bid against you forcing you to overpay either in $/year or # of years. If I were Hendry and the ownership gave me the spending option, I would bid for Furcal based on $/year and offer him the most per season for the shortest time period I could convince him to take (wishful thinking being 3 years). Give the ballplayer (and unfortunately their agents) something to think about... "Do I want $11mil/season for 3 years with some incentives beyond that, or do I want $9mil/year for 4 years?"

Well said! Anyone who has ever coached anything - be it sports, music, sales, math etc.... knows that a coach can only do so much. Some coaches are better than others - those are the ones who find ways to convince their "students" to try new approaches and to practice and adjust to succeed. The biggest problem is that those kinds of coaches who can truly convince, motivate and mentor like that are few and far between and even when you find one, not every student becomes a success. In a nutshell, I think the Cub organization has seriously lacked that kind of quality in their coaches, teachers and mentors - primarily in their farm system. Let's face it too that by the time the vast majority of ballplayers reach the big leagues, odds are strong that habits (bad and good both) have become so ingrained into them that it's even that much harder to break. It has worried me for some time that we (as an organization) haven't had much success in growing home grown talent from our farm clubs - especially position players. I used to think it was poor talent evaluation and bad drafting, but I've come to believe an equal portion of blame must lie in the teaching ability in our minor league systems. Until that changes, we'll continually be at the mercy of getting into bidding wars, overpaying for free agents and hoping to make a lucky trade here and there to build a championship team. Personally I haven't been all that impressed with Rothschild since he's been here, but I have to say I take heart in his comments - at least he isn't using excuses and his words exemplify an attitude that I think is in the right direction.

Where? I am from Niles. Wow. I'm from Dowagiac. Grew up there until I was 14. Lived in a little town called Eau Claire - near Sodus and Berrien Springs - not far from Benton Harbor. Moved to Wisconsin at age 13 and have missed it every day from there on. Spent my childhood wandering the fields, woods, ponds, creeks, apple orchards and grape fields. Worked 2-3 summers at U-pick strawberry fields and spent many wonderful summer days at Warren Dunes swimming in Lake Michigan and climbing the sand dunes. Been to Dowagiac many times (one of my friends moms worked for Sunstrand which I think was there). We had a little cottage on a lake near there (Sister Lakes or Twin Lakes - can't recall exactly) where I learned to fish. Also been to Niles but not as often. My goal is to keep building up my 401K and IRA's so that when I retire I can afford a nice home as close as possible to the shores of Lake Michigan near Sawyer, Union Pier, Bridgeman etc... I can't imagine a more wonderful area of the U.S. to retire to!!! The beauty of a freshwater lake that looks like an ocean without the threat of hurricanes, great sandy beaches to rest and relax all summer and lots of beautiful snow in the winter (as long as I'm retired and don't have to worry about plowing out in order to get to work on time). And of course close enough to make road trips to Chicago for Cub games. Good to hear from you guys - I haven't been back but twice in the last 30 years or so and it's almost bittersweet because there's enough things to remember to make me "homesick" but so much change as well that it just isn't "the same" you know?

Grew up in SW Michigan and absolutely loved baseball starting around the age of 7 or so. WGN was one of the few stations we could get since cable wasn't around and I recall during the summer watching Bozo's Circus and then tuning into Cub games. I can remember sitting in the living room up close to the TV wearing my Cub hat, "lucky" Cub wristband and having a glove and ball that I would toss lightly in the air and catch during the games. Eventually I started writing the names of all the Cub players on my glove. I got so obsessed with being a Cub fan that it's a standing joke in my family that I "wasn't to be disturbed" when I was watching a game, and I would often throw raging fits when they made crappy plays or lost games. It just continued on from there - I used to get hall passes during HS to practice my clarinet in one of the private band practice rooms and I would sneak a small transistor radio and earplug in and sit in the oddest positions just to try to pick up a little play by play within all the static. I've mellowed as I've gotten older (either that or I'm just beaten down). I don't get as emotional when they lose (although I remember my eyes welling up in tears when they lost to San Diego in the playoffs in 84 - that was the year they tore my heart out!). I am a Cub fan, have always been a Cub fan and will always be a Cub fan. I think my life has just gotten to be too busy to be as into it as I used to be, but I'm guessing as I progress into retirement I'll find myself following them as closely as I did as a kid again.

I like Furcal, but I don't want him tied up for 5 years for that kind of money!!

Now THAT is the best synopsis I've seen yet on the predicament the Cubs are in with Wood!! Excellently put!!

If Sheffield had a "sit down" with Hendry and agreed to come to Chicago, then I'd say he'd be a welcome addition - I just have a feeling he wouldn't come here and I believe one of the things he said last year when his name was rumored to be in trade talks is that he'd retire before he played anywhere else. BTW - just out of curiousity, what would happen if Sheffield were traded to another team and then before spring training decided to retire?? I'm assuming the team who traded for him would be SOL correct?

The thing I'd love to know (but I'm sure we never will) is what all the reasons were behind this: Boston sources right now are saying it had nothing to do with $ or length of contract, but rather to do with personality issues between him and Luchino. Makes me wonder whether there were conflicts in how each wanted the future direction of the team and organization to go, or whether it was just a matter of "we don't want to work together anymore."

There's another thread going as well under Baseball Discussions - not sure where the news story should best be placed.

He's clearing out his office as we speak. WEEI is surmising that he may take a year off or he may even get out of baseball as he's a very bright young businessman who has made lots and lots of contacts while he's been in Boston. As someone else said - life just got VERY interesting for Red Sox fans!!

That was a smart decision by ownership - now it'll be very insteresting to see what Theo does with that team in the offseason. I still think something has to be done very soon with Manny (one way or the other) - He (actually his contract) is the key to all the rest of Boston's decisions and moves they will have to make. If I was a betting man, I truly believe Manny has long worn out his welcome in Boston (not amongst the fans who for the most part love him, but amongst the ownership and management).

I thought only Prior used Blanco last season, so that's 1/5. And I believe in the few innings that he threw to Barrett, he actually pitched better. Blanco's game calling skills didn't impress me at all and could have been the reason for Prior's struggles. Blanco called way to many fastballs and not enough breaking stuff when Prior was pitching. Maybe I'm incorrect, but I thought Maddux pitched primarily to Blanco as well. I'm definitely not saying that Barrett/Catcher is a huge prbolem with the team, I'm just saying there's something odd about 2 guys on the staff not pitching to him on a fairly regular basis and wondering why that would be? If I could get Hernandez and ship off Barrett in a package trade to improve one of the other positions we need help with, I would do it in a heartbeat - if that couldn't be done, I'd be happy having Barrett catching and I would hope he keeps improving on the non-offensive parts of his game. I'm not down on Barrett at all - I just feel like there's something missing in his game is all.

The thing that most concerns me about Barrett is probably something none of us know a thing about, but the fact that 2 of our starting pitchers obviously preferred pitching to a different catcher bothers me. I'd love to know if it was because they didn't trust him defensively or didn't have any faith in his pitch calling ability. Ultimately the pitcher is the one who decides what pitch he wants to throw in certain situations, but I would think having to shake a catcher off alot and/or not being "in sync" with a catcher would be tiresome for a pitcher. It just makes me wonder how good Barrett is as far as working together with pitchers to actually learn them and how good of a student of baseball he is in studying and identifying what the opposition hitters weaknesses are - enough so that the pitcher feels confident that their only job is to hit the locations because their catcher is calling the right pitch in the right spot. It just worries me that 2/5 of our starting staff last year had "some" reason for not wanting to pitch to him.

I'm really torn on the Dempster contract - I'm happy to have him on the team, but imho this is definitely a gamble financially. If he's truly over arm problems and his success last year as our closer wasn't a fluke it should turn out ok, but I really wonder if we overpaid a guy who should have had to prove himself a little more. All I know is it would be nice for a change if something like this signing works out for us.