Illini Iceman

Thomas Diamond, come on down!! (or up I guess)

You are assuming they were going to take the chance and offer him arbitration when there was talk he might accept it. So the Cubs would have had Lilly on a one year deal at market price. Things could be worse. Except they didn't want to pay him.

You are assuming they were going to take the chance and offer him arbitration when there was talk he might accept it.

Or you could say the Cubs saved 2 million

screw that, he is underwhelming and uninspiring

So you are saying you are currently underwhelmed based on the fact you have no idea who the Cubs are getting back in the trade? I'm underwhelmed until I see the prospects we get in return. I am saying right now I am underwhelmed with the Cubs 2011 draft until I see what players they pick. Just to go on record. Works for me. I am also underwhelmed by your next post before I see it but feel pretty safe I will be right about that.

So you are saying you are currently underwhelmed based on the fact you have no idea who the Cubs are getting back in the trade? I'm underwhelmed until I see the prospects we get in return. I am saying right now I am underwhelmed with the Cubs 2011 draft until I see what players they pick. Just to go on record.

So you are saying you are currently underwhelmed based on the fact you have no idea who the Cubs are getting back in the trade?

He's a better option at 2B than Fontenot, Theriot, or Baker. I'd happily take him in exchange for Theriot/Russell. I don't know that I'd want him over DeWitt, though. Is Dewitt a lot better defensively or something? The main upside I can see is more years of team control but nothing really sticks out to me to indicate Dewitt is the better player, although he is quite a bit younger. From the Cubs perspective he may be more attactive as an acquisition because he is a lot cheaper. Not sure what their plans are for 2B in the offseason but they could bring Dewitt back as a utility guy and not be out too much in salary. With what Johnson makes he pretty much has to be a starter to justify what he will get paid.

So does this mean that the Kelly Johnson deal isnt happening? If we get either DeWitt or Johnson, we almost have to dangle Fontenot and get anything we can, because theres no point having both. Unless Theriot is the key to getting a good prospect from them, I was really liking the idea of Theriot for Johnson. It is the key to getting Dewitt.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/catalyst http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Non+Sequitur

If reports are right it seems that Hendry is trying to package Theriot in the Lilly deal with the Dodgers in order to get Dewitt back as part of the package. The Johnson thing probably is the back up plan if he can't get the Dodgers deal to work out. Either way I think he is motivated to deal Theriot since otherwise he would probably non tender him in the offseason and would then get nothing back for him except a lot of negative press about letting such a "gamer" go.

So by blow this team up you mean get rid of Marshall and Cashner, right? Because they are the ones that pretty much gave up all the damage with a little help from Schlitter. If that is the plan I am sure Hendry can find plenty of takers.

Theriot was double switched out at a point in the game where it seemed like a logical move so I wouldn't read anything into it. If it really was due to a trade the timing worked out very conveniently since Theriot made the last out (looking very bad doing so by the way) the previous inning and Dempster loaded the bases with no one out forcing Lou to make a pitching change.

. I agree with the first part. I think the logic is just the opposite of the second part however... If Ricketts is planning to remove Hendry he wants to keep that close to the vest. Not many quality managers would want to come into a situation where the GM is unsettled. It makes sense to present continuity even when change is in the plans. Im basing the second part on all the reports saying Hendry is coming back next season. It seems pretty much a done deal that Hendrys back and thats the presumption Im working under. So again what manager wants to come into that situation? Honestly, I think that's a fine situation for most if not all managers. No one who would consider taking the job will think "hmmmm, Hendry may be fired if we don't start out well..." That's not how managers think. It's more likely that the next manager will be happy that some structure is in place to "win." That's not to say I'm for Hendry staying or that I believe he will stay. I believe that it makes no sense for Ricketts to present the "company' as a place that's totally in transistion (manager, GM, and potential farm system changes/openings could scare off a veteran manager and potential free agents). I guess Im not getting what you are saying, when you say thats a fine situation for most if not all managers. You really think most managers like they idea of coming into a situation where the GM is presumably on the hot seat? Meh. I can't think of one candidate that would turn down this job because Hendry's job might be in jeopardy. It is a big league managing job in a major market for a high profile team. Plus I think what he is trying to say is that most confident managers would figure they can get the team to win so they aren't going to be stressing out about Hendry losing his job if the team tanks. They are going to probably more likely to assume they will save his job by managing the team to a winning season.

I'm pretty sure that's all GWB did. That and lie about WMD's. This golfing and basketball thing is catching up to Obummer too. That and dig our country into an abyss of obscene debt levels all while promising transparency yet allowing back room deals w/ politicians and lobbyists for healthcare reform. Talk about a lie. But lets get back to the topic please...thanks. Guess, let's please get back on topic after I go on a loopy rant using every pundit talking point in the book, thanks. I love when people talk politics in baseball discussion threads, because we are all just sitting here dying to find out your opinion about these things. I know that's why I came here.

Meh. This isn't third grade. Teams will do what is in their best interest.

I thought it couldn't be official until July 8th. That would mean to me that the Bulls can pull out of it if they find something better (like the Deng deal). Considering this deal is essentially a "handshake" deal, I don't see GarPax backing out of it. First of all we don't know how firm the agreement is, probably not at all until they make the pick for the Wizards. Secondly, if they get a chance to make the team better I think it would be worth ruffling some feathers. Not like the Wizards would be any worse off than they were before the supposed agreement.

I thought it couldn't be official until July 8th. That would mean to me that the Bulls can pull out of it if they find something better (like the Deng deal).

Link? just kidding - who is going down?

Why did Cabrera range that far over to make that play? It seems to me if he just stays in position and covers first base it is a routine grounder to the second baseman and the runner is out by a couple steps.

It doesn't seem like it really taxed the bullpen much other than Russell who seems like he only pitches once a week anyway.

First, I'm assuming you mean Freddy Sanchez, and not Freddie Garcia. The only one on that list who could be worthy of bringing a front line starter was Jason Bay. Bryan Morris was supposed to be that guy. He wasn't (Although he's off to a good start this year). Who's giving up young, #1 or #2 major league pitchers at the trade deadline for a non potential hall of famer ?) Nady brought three back of the rotation guys. Ohlendorf could be a #3. This is in addition to Tabata, who's raking @ AAA right now. (Yeah, it's only a month.) Plus, the minors have been stocked with a lot of pitching. Enough that a low percentage success rate will still yield a decent staff. Hey, as long as you are happy with it good luck to you. Trying to justify the front office moves that resulted in that crap pitching staff they have put together is pretty funny. I still can't figure out what they were trying to accomplish in the Gorzellany / Grabow trade.

that's my guess. if he's going to replace him with Hill in the 7th or 8th inning on a frequent basis, you can't have him hitting 5th or 6th. Of course, it's just as likely (roughly) that he comes up in the 9th inning while hitting 8th. exactly. i didn't say it made a lot of sense. Right. I actually meant in the lineup on a day-to-day basis rather than the late-inning replacement thing, which is also dumb. If he keeps hitting he may force himself up the the order. Lou did give him 144 PAs in the 5th spot and 189 PAs in the 6th in 2008. Or rather, maybe I should say if Ramirez keeps struggling Geo will move up. Byrd, Soriano and Fontenot all seem to be doing fine at 5,6,7 so I don't see what people would suggest he do. He isn't going to start batting Ramirez 8th just because he has had a bad month.

Sounds to me like he never signed a deal. If he had, the 49ers would have been able to just hang onto him and make him sit. At any rate, I think the agent is more to blame here than anyone for not doing his due diligence to find the best place for his client. I really don't think Blount was the guy fielding phone calls and going over contract details. That very well may be true. His agent is probably more to blame. I seriously doubt the 49ers would have forced him to honor the contract though. They probably would have just let him out of it. He isn't going to make either team anyway and will be playing in the Arena League before long.