erik316wttn

Ok, NOW they decide to not call the neighborhood play?

I would shut him down till at least 2012. You can't be too careful with an injury like that.

That's awesome if true. Go get him, Jim. I wonder if Lou is a catalyst behind this, or if this is all Jimbo.

I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!! I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW!!

So then what's your brilliant plan, Mr. Beane? I didn't bother to do trade research, and I'm pretty bad at putting trades together, anyway. I was just going off of the FA market. The fact is, we're handcuffed with a lot of contracts that will be hard to move. The only place we can really improve this offense with an impact player is up the middle. So unless we get someone via trade, Tejada looks like the best option, with moving Theriot to 2B. I'm not really that thrilled about it, either. But the thread is REALISTIC proposals. And knowing Jim Hendry, this is realistic. Yes, we could do better than Tejada as our #1 offensive FA accquistion, but you can blame Hendry for giving out no-trade clauses like they're candy (preventing us from moving Lee), giving a horrible contract to Soriano, overpaying for Fukudome, and sucking what little value was left out of Bradley by publicly announcing his intentions to trade him this offseason, so we'll probably have to eat a ton on that contract. Ramirez and Soto aren't going anywhere, so that leaves SS and 2B to improve the offense, and the pickings are slim.

Um, because he's one full season removed from a career year, and wrist injuries heal? Yes, he'll be 35 next year, but he's better than Fontenot, and the middle infield FA market isn't that deep. He's not the cure-all, but he falls under the category of "better than what we have now, and affordable."

Madlock was in the wrong place at the wrong time. While he had good years, attendance was down. Sure he could hit, but was he putting people in the seats? Murcer was a throwback. He was Mantle's replacement and while he never lived up to the exploits on the field, he was everything the reporters and fans wanted in the locker room. Hell, he brought his own rocking chair to spin yarns with the reporters while he dressed. He was the epitome of the 50's and 60's idolized ballplayer. The theory was that he was the type of player that could put people in their seats. Year Attendance Record 1970 1,642,705 84-78 1971 1,653,007 83-79 1972 1,299,163 85-70 1973 1,351,705 77-84 1974 1,015,378 66-96 Madlock 1975 1,034,819 75-87 Madlock 1976 1,026,217 75-87 Madlock 1977 1,439,834 81-81 Murcer 1978 1,525,311 79-83 Murcer 1979 1,648,587 80-82 Certainly, the Cubs hot start in 1977 put the jump into the attendance as much as anything else. And Dave Kingman in 1978 didn't hurt matters when he came on board. But, we all know Madlock would have only made those teams that much stronger. Had his contract issues came up at the end of 1977 instead of 1976, he would have been in a much stronger position and perhaps would have won out and become an icon on the North side for years to come. Welcome aboard! Always nice to have insightful people here.

Unfortunately, we have big contracts regarding our 3 starting outfielders that will be quite difficult to move. The only place I can see us upgrading offensively is either 2B or SS. Sign DeRosa, see if you can sign Tejada, and if you CAN trade Bradley, put Fox in RF to start the season. But for the brief time Lou batted Fukudome and Bradley 1-2, I was very pleased with the results. I would LOVE to see Fukudome RFCF Bradley CF/RF Lee 1B Ramirez 3B Tejada SS Soriano LF Soto C DeRosa 2B Pitcher Now that's a lineup that, when healthy, can score a boatload of runs. If you trade Bradley, then it should be Fukudome DeRosa Lee Ramirez Tejada Soriano Fox Soto

I have plenty. I even posted some in this thread. Selective reading is fun Anyway: -The 2001 Rockies game -The clinching DH against Pittsburgh in 2003 -Hollandsworth's faceplant catch in Anaheim in 2004 -The final game of the 4-game sweep at Milwaukee in July 2008. My brother and I were at that game, and from about the bottom of the 7th inning on it was 95% Cubs fans in there. That was probably the most fun I've ever had at a baseball game -The Nomar trade. God was I pumped at the time. I really thought that was going to put us over the top -The Harden trade -The comeback at Wrigley against the Rockies in 2008 -2008's 9-game winning streak (in which I started those game threads). The Cubs played out of their minds. It was like they were never going to lose again. -Z's no-hitter. Need any more? the cubs didn't win the world series in any of those years, so they all suck Witty AND clever. And also wrong. Again. The Cubs did in fact win the world series in one, or all, of those years? No, they did not. Where Tree was wrong was where he implied that I meant all of those seasons sucked. That is not the case. when I said "same old same old" i meant the end result was the same: No championship. But that doesn't mean I didn't have fun during the season. Hell, the Summer of 1998 was probably the most fun I've ever had, not just as a baseball fan, but ever. That season was magical. MLB Network replayed the 20-strikeout game in February and I still have it on my DVR. I plan on watching it again this weekend. Just because I'm tired of the futility and I'm tired of waiting doesn't mean I don't love the Cubs or have fun watching them. I wouldn't have 7 Cubs shirts hanging in my closet if I didn't. I woudn't have a Cubs "W" flag in my den if I didn't. I wouldn't have the Sports Illustrated from last summer with Aramis on the cover framed and also hanging my den if I didn't love the Cubs. I wouldn't fantasize about the day my son is finally old enough for me to take him to Wrigley Field for a game. That day will be one of the best of my life, win or lose. (And before one of you incredibly witty or clever people point this out, yes, I do realize there are people here whose displays of Cubs fandom put mine and everyone else's to shame.) I have high expectations. Lots of people do. I'm just simply not satisfied with yet another season of disappointment. That doesn't mean I'm not a fan or that I don't love the Cubs. They're like a member of your family that keeps screwing up: You still love them no matter what, but you've long since stopped expecting they'll do anything worthwhile, but if they ever do nobody's going to be happier than you.

Yes. You've got a lot to make up for. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I had to make anything up to you.

I have plenty. I even posted some in this thread. Selective reading is fun Anyway: -The 2001 Rockies game -The clinching DH against Pittsburgh in 2003 -Hollandsworth's faceplant catch in Anaheim in 2004 -The final game of the 4-game sweep at Milwaukee in July 2008. My brother and I were at that game, and from about the bottom of the 7th inning on it was 95% Cubs fans in there. That was probably the most fun I've ever had at a baseball game -The Nomar trade. God was I pumped at the time. I really thought that was going to put us over the top -The Harden trade -The comeback at Wrigley against the Rockies in 2008 -2008's 9-game winning streak (in which I started those game threads). The Cubs played out of their minds. It was like they were never going to lose again. -Z's no-hitter. Need any more? the cubs didn't win the world series in any of those years, so they all suck Witty AND clever. And also wrong. Again.

I don't want the Yankees to get in, so that eliminates both Yankees matchups. I don't want to hear the endless hype of the "Hollywood Series" if the Angels and Dodgers make it. So that leaves Angels/Phillies for me. Although, if I think with my head, it'll be Yankees/Dodgers.

WAR? Huh. What is it good for? Absolutely nothin!

I have plenty. I even posted some in this thread. Selective reading is fun Anyway: -The 2001 Rockies game -The clinching DH against Pittsburgh in 2003 -Hollandsworth's faceplant catch in Anaheim in 2004 -The final game of the 4-game sweep at Milwaukee in July 2008. My brother and I were at that game, and from about the bottom of the 7th inning on it was 95% Cubs fans in there. That was probably the most fun I've ever had at a baseball game -The Nomar trade. God was I pumped at the time. I really thought that was going to put us over the top -The Harden trade -The comeback at Wrigley against the Rockies in 2008 -2008's 9-game winning streak (in which I started those game threads). The Cubs played out of their minds. It was like they were never going to lose again. -Z's no-hitter. Need any more?

Wilson got racky-tacked! /Steve Stone

I was a poor college student at the time. That was all I had. I would have really been hurting if I'd lost that money at that time.

I don't know if I'd trade away Lilly if Harden isn't back. i'd give Marmol one more season before I think about moving him. After what he did in 2008, I can't just give up on him that quickly. Lee I'd trade as an impact 1B bat wouldn't be that hard to find or acquire. Also with your OF trade targets, I assume you move Bradley or Fukudome to make room for one of them?

Before I even sign a single player, I hire the best scouts and talent development people on the market. I give them a timetable of five years to turn our system into one of the best at developing both pitching and hitting. I shop Bradley around, but hold on to him if there's no offer that helps the team. I insist Lou bat Fukudome/Bradley 1-2 to start the season if Bradley isn't traded I go after a middle INF via trade, as the FA market is kind of weak there. The only viable option would be Tejada, but I wouldn't go more than 2 years on him, and then I'd move Theriot to 2nd. I WOULD OFFER HARDEN ARBITRATION!!!! This team needs an ace, and Harden is the best we can do right now. Yes, I know about his injury history, but when he's on and healthy, he's among the top 10 starting pitchers in all of baseball. If you let Harden walk, then you HAVE to sign another impact pitcher on the market. Maybe go after Cliff Lee, or take a flier on Ben Sheets. I would also do my best to improve the bench.

Yeah, we weren't coming back after Game 6. My brother, still the eternal optimist, thought that there was still NO WAY the Cubs could lose Game 7. I got my wallet before the game, laid out all the money in it at the time (about $65) and told him it was his if the Cubs won, and he wasn't on the hook for a single penny if the Cubs lost. I think I spent that money on my phone bill.

http://www.mrn8.com/pics/albums/userpics/thumb_Chicago-Cubs-Logo-2.gif Win

Charles Gipson, who had come in to pinch run for Posada. That whole Yankees series was a hell of a lot of fun. Except that whole Choi injury. It was like a playoff series in June.

Was that the game against the Brewers? I'm almost positive he had something like 16 or 17 K's in a game against the Brewers but ended up with the lost.

It's kind of nice to have an offseason (so far) free of bitching from butthurt fans of teams with HFA that lost in the first round.

Does your wife roll her eyes as hard as I do when you go on a diatribe? Thank your for your insightful input on this topic that enhances discussion in the thread, and therefore NSBB in general. Seeing as you did not point out anything specifically wrong with my post, I'll assume you agree.

What's your World Series matchup prediction?