Proven Veteran

He moves back there when Pierre leaves as a FA. Where will Pie play?

If the cubs get wilkerson, I want him in CF.

I think a little context is relevent. From everything I have read, it is the years on the contract (and thus bottom line total value), and not the per year value of the contract that scares Hendry. At Giles age of 35, I think Hendry is very comfortable paying Giles top dollar for a 2-3 year contract (total value 30 million or so). I think he is very uncomfortable adding a 4th year or beyond (total value high 30s or low 40s). I believe someone had posted the idea of a front-loaded contract for Giles, which, if Giles is open to it, is not a bad idea. If you're planning on paying him $10 million a year, and you're comfortable giving him only three years at this time, how about something like this: 2006: $11.5 million 2007: $10 million 2008: $8.5 million 2009: Team OR Mutual option for $9 million If Giles is interested in playing for a winner, you can sell the idea to him like this: The Cubs know how much they have to spend in 2006. They don't know how much they'll have available in 2008. This keeps them in a position to have a little extra money available then in case they need to add another piece to the puzzle to help maintain a winning team. The option for 2009 should be a team or mutual option. If Giles is still somewhat productive and the market on outfielders is thin after 2008, then the Cubs can pick up that option. It's less than the annual average of the contract, but more than the final year of the deal. It's also more than he made this season. If he wants more money, throw in some bonus incentives for 2007 and 2008. There's no need to front-load the cash in the contract. What the Cubs need to do is front-load the expensing of the contract. Professional sports must be the only business left in America that operates on cash accounting. If we are stuck with cash accounting, then pay Giles $8.5 in year one, but also put $3 in a bank account and charge $11.5 to the 2006 budget. Then in 2008, take the money out of the bank, add it to $8.5 from the 2008 budget, and pay him his $11.5 in 2008. As long as the whole contract is guaranteed, you can expense the money over the course of the contract any way you like. Adding in interest costs and time value of money complicates the calculations slightly, but that's how it works. In the real world you don't set up a bank account, it's just part of your capital budget, but nobody measures the profitability of their business on a cash basis. If the Cubs had expensed more of Maddux's contract in years 1 and 2 so that he only hit the budget this year for $5 million, nobody would be complaining about his contract. We have no idea how the cubs do their budget, do we?

1. Neifi wants to start. 2. Neifi wants Furcal. 3. Furcal would start at SS. 4. Neifi thinks he will start at 2b.

How else are you going to get rid of those basecloggers?

So, that spanish language report of the $1 million signing bonus was incorrect?

There would be more RBIs with Giles in front of him.

Yeah. I could just see some of the questions now: How the hell did you give Neifi a 2-year contract worth $5 mill dollars? ARe you on crack or something? :lol: I would just ask him to justify thinking that Brian Giles will be overpriced, when he's overpaid 2 players that are completely redundant by a factor of 5. I'd also ask him if he's on crack. :P He probably overpays for the crack too. :lol: :(

Hey, I already made a brilliant photoshop. :(

So lifelike. I know, how did the photographer get into the perez compound to take the picture?

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4333/neifi2te.jpg :shock:

Giles is going to look good in a Cards uniform. :(

1.Furcal doesn't need a defensive replacement. 2.Neifi doesn't have enough offense for 2B. 3.His defense is less valuable at 2B. 4.The cubs have big strikeout pitching staff, they aren't as dependent on IF defense as others. 5.Neifi is probably a worse hitter than several of our pitchers, who is he going to pinch hit for? Good thing the A's are only 2 BART stops away.

I'd like Russell Branyan backing up ARam.

.886 OPS would have looked very good on the Cubs last year. :(

Let's just get our pitchforks and torches ready now.

If the cubs ever win, I won't be coming here, I'll be waaaay too busy partying.

Yes, he should start in LF, unless the cubs get Dunn.

I liked this comment in the Sheehan chat: "Glenn (NJ): Will Jose Reyes ever justify 600 PAs in the leadoff spot? Joe Sheehan: I doubt it. Drop him to sixth and let him get on with his career before you Patterson him. His steals would have more value from that spot, too. "

I'd gladly take him for the Cubs.

I'd like Giles, not really interested in the others.

Gary Hughes would burn the data, banish Fred, and destroy every computer in the office rather than open his mind up to something other than subjective observation. Gary Hughes doesn't allow computers in the office. I don't think Mr. Hughes knows what a computer is. He knows something about computers though, that damn Moneyball was written on one of those daggum machines. So he uses the book and computer as paperweights? As I said in the Japanese players thread I just don't understand not using every resource available. Being stubburn or ignorant just gets you where you've been, not where you're going. That's the Cubs' history, they are always behind the curve in management philosophies. I just wish we could get someone ahead of the curve just once.

I'm sure the sox will trade some issues down the road for a WS title this year.

The only reason I place Fredi above Davey Johnson is I believe Fredi Gonzalez is youn enough to be with the Cubs for a long time. I think Gonzalez could be a long term solution at manager. Davey Johnson is a great manager. He wins and has the right philosophy. But you gotta know what you're going to get with Johnson, and that means understanding that he's not likely to still be there after four or five years. He's also quite abrasive as well. To me, he's much like the Larry Brown of baseball managers. I agree, but this team has a shot to win it now, while we still have cheap pitching. I wouldn't be against Fredi, if he can be the same kind of manager as Davey.

I'm reading "Bats", written by Davey Johnson in 1985, he starts out talking about having to play young players, without regard for your own job safety, and he mentions OBP. He is a big stats guy as well, I really would like him to manage the Cubs. http://67.18.37.15/html/emoticons/wub.gif