RynoRules

Wow - sarcasm leads to much unrest. And thanks for the personal attack, Mr. Wilk! Oh, and BTW, I am an attnyand live with my wife and son, so I guess I am a Yuppie GM, and not a Dorm GM. Way to generalize, though.

I think its safe to say that Levine duped us. Shmuck! :axe:

Have we heard from Levine yet? EDIT: Whoops - distracted by my toddler and missed the posts. My bust.

I don't think they have the payroll room to sign Weaver if they trade for Tejada. I am not sure if my earlier comments made it into this thread, but I think Walker becomes expendable if Tejada is acquired. Thus, JH will likely seek to spin him offto a team in need of 2B/DH in return for a vet SP. I asked for ideas earlier on who that might be. So far, I have only the Mets, but may be some one else can come up w/ a few others.

I wonder if this means that JH is actually Shrek?

I'm in the same boat as you. But I just got done reading over the last 5-10 pages. Basically Levine reported this morning that The cubs have given the O's a definative offer, and it is up to the O's to accept or reject. That deal being Tejada and Bedard for Prior, hill, and patterson. Now, I am busy getting my riot gear together. Like I said earlier: Haha, i read that. I really hope this doesnt go through. Prior + Leo...woooooow. Can we say Cy Young? I think your "location" might be an apt description as well.

I'm in the same boat as you. But I just got done reading over the last 5-10 pages. Basically Levine reported this morning that The cubs have given the O's a definative offer, and it is up to the O's to accept or reject. That deal being Tejada and Bedard for Prior, hill, and patterson. Now, I am busy getting my riot gear together. Like I said earlier:

The Cubs also sucked last year (and the year before that). We had five more wins than they did (with our much heralded pitching staff). Both teams finished 21! games out of first in their respective divisions. Our team needs shaking up just as much as thiers does. The Cubs won 89 games in 2004. They were disappointing, and failed to live up to expectations. And weren't as good as their payroll should have made them, but they didn't suck. They've been much better than Baltimore over the past 3 years, and are positioned to be better over the next 2-3. Baltimore has 8 straight seasons with a sub .500 record, and has gone from the top payroll in the league to a middle of the road payroll over that time. The Cubs payroll keeps growing and has been consistently top 5 for about 4 years now. Nobody would be shocked if the Cubs won 90 games next year and battled for the division. Baltimore is not going to do that. I think some of the membership herein would beg to differ. Some of us are ready to pack up the tents and swear alliegance to other teams.

Prior's walk year is three seasons away. It would seem premature to trade him now based on the suspicion he'd walk 3 years from now. As others have noted, Z's walk year is two season away and Boras is his agent. The likelihood that he will test free agency sooner seems higher. I still wouldn't trade either unless the return blew me out of the water and I was dead certain neither was interested in staying. I'd be more concerned with that issue about trading for Tejada, who -- if traded -- will be able to demand a trade after one season. Point well taken. May be one of them has to go and JH thinks he has a better shot w/ Z and Boras. I dunno - just speculating. When JH contemplates these moves, I find it most interesting to try and understand what his thinking is. In this case - as I noted above - I think it may be a last ditch effort by a desperate man.

Bruce Levine has essentially said that the Cubs have made the offer and are waiting for the O's to respond. In other news, Goony has been seen walking on N. Michigan Ave. near the Trib Tower, mumbling to himself. :protest:

That's not really how it works. Well, he doesn't physically sell them, they get homeless people to do that, but newspapers are a business. The more inflammatory and sensationalized, the more people are going to want to buy it. A very small fraction of a newspaper's income actually comes from newspaper sales. It's all about the advertising now -- something I sadly am forced to deal with every day (I'm a newspaper editor). While circulation certainly affects ad revenues, the Trib's funds won't be determined by whether Phil Rogers writes ludicrous trade proposals or not. With a few exceptions, the job of a writer is to report the news and, in some instances, comment on it. It's an insult to say that reporters are there to inflame and sensationalize every aspect of the news just to nab a few extra subscribers. I guess it's true of a one certain windbag in this city, but for the most part, it's an awfully harmful and dangerous misconception. newspapers with circulations of 5 copies don't routinely sell ads for $50,000 a page. the more newspapers you sell, the more your ads are worth. edited to remove sarcasm I'm aware of that, and that's what I said. Ads are affected by circulation. But Phil's editor doesn't say to him, "Hey, our numbers are slipping, why don't you cook up some absurd article today and get more subscribers!" no... he knows to do that himself. And if he forgets I am certain that he is reminded.

I was wondering that myself, especially the pitching part. If they get Tejada, I wouldn't mind seeing what Walker or Cedeno could get as far as a pitcher in that situation. They could also sign Weaver I guess too, though I don't think they can afford him after the Millwood contract. Yeah, I think JH is done with overpriced FAs this year. If it were to happen, it would ikely be through a trade.

Good question. Who does San Diego have playing 2B now that Loretta has been dealt? Walker for Chan Ho Park and plenty of cash? By the way, did anyone get non-tendered, who has any decent upside? I saw names like Fogg and Franklin, but they do nothing for me. I thought about SD also, but they just boarded the Horny Wagon (a/k/a, Mark Bellhorn), if memory serves. The Twins got Castillo. Could Walker DH and play some 1B? (probably not) The Mutts? Get "Trachs" back? Benson and a bunch of cash? Who else?

And another thing: with Miggy on bd., does Cedeno start at second and Walker become prime trade-bait to snag an established vet. pitcher? And who might that pitcher be? Who has a hole at 2B or DH?

Good question. Gotta figured New York and Boston will come a callin soon. Hopefully, Hendry keeps holding his cards for a while. If Prior can't handle being dangled as trade bait & his feelings are crushed, I don't want him anyway. He hasn't pitched well enough to be considered untouchable. Perhaps he's getting a little bit of a swollen head?? Who knows. Good catch on chemistry btw. Thanks. Also, I think its worth throwing around the notion that Prior has no intention of staying here once he hits his walk year. Could he be Giles-like in that he will be headed back to So Cal no matter what? Its possible, I guess, that JH knows this or strongly suspects it and therefore is trying to trade Prior before his bargaining position becomes weak or desperate (the opposite of what he did with Sammy). Or maybe Prior privately requested a trade too. Could be; may be he chose to handle it in a more professional manner than Tejada and scores of others have.

Good question. Gotta figured New York and Boston will come a callin soon. Hopefully, Hendry keeps holding his cards for a while. If Prior can't handle being dangled as trade bait & his feelings are crushed, I don't want him anyway. He hasn't pitched well enough to be considered untouchable. Perhaps he's getting a little bit of a swollen head?? Who knows. Good catch on chemistry btw. Thanks. Also, I think its worth throwing around the notion that Prior has no intention of staying here once he hits his walk year. Could he be Giles-like in that he will be headed back to So Cal no matter what? Its possible, I guess, that JH knows this or strongly suspects it and therefore is trying to trade Prior before his bargaining position becomes weak or desperate (the opposite of what he did with Sammy).

Don't the trade requests/demands of players like Manny, ARod and Miggy run contrary to the notion that players only eant money? Well, once you have the money you consider other things. In Prior's case, he doesn't have his big contract. Yeah, Prior is in more of a Lebron James sort of position, where he might be watching what management is doing to give him a supporting cast before deciding if he wants his first (and possibly only) big contract to be with the organization that drafted him.

You could be very well right. As a Trib shareholder, I was going more conservative. How many shares? Got a vote at the Bd meetings?

I guess I read this s being concerned about Prior's "feelings" after having his name thrown around in trade rumors, but nevermind. Lets get back... :ontopic:

Prior will win at LEAST 2 Cy's in Baltimore. At least. Leave it to Hendry to make the rotation a strength, then make it a glaring weakness at the expense of a 30 year old shortstop on the downturn. And then people wonder why he gets criticized. Maybe its pointless to point this out, but the trade hasn't actually been agreed to yet. This wouldn't be the first time Levine and the sports media have been very wrong about something. If this trade does happen, it will probably be by far the worst deal Hendry has made. But if I remember correctly, someone said Levine was still reporting it as a 50/50 chance that any kind of trade gets made. It doesn't matter if the trade hasn't gone through. Hendry has done stuff the past couple of years that have left him open to be criticized and IMO even offering Prior up for trade isn't a good thing either. What does that tell the player if the trade fell through? All of a sudden we have disgruntled players on this team. Then again he won't be the first to be disgruntled under Hendry's tenure. I am sorry, and I am not saying that you or anyone else currently involved in thsi convo was one of these guys, but a few months ago we had a protracted discussion re the relative importance (and existence) of "chemistry". Most asserted that it does not exist or that is does not matter. Many who took this position asserted that players should just perform and and be pros and not worry about their "feelings". I disagreed, arguing that this was an unrealistic approach. Does your bolded statement imply that Prior's feelings could effect his performance and the team's overall chemistry? Does anyone else think it might?

When it comes to baserunners allowed, I don't think there's a significant difference between leagues. Except that the picther does not hit in the AL, which changes teh face of a lineup and leads to fewer sacrifice bunts.

Its an interesting question: If Prior is indeed "out there", why haven't there been more phone calls about him? Or have there? Interesting. Also, I think its a little strong to "hate" Hendry. Dislike what he is doing or think its the mark of a man on the verge of a breakdown, sure. But "hate" is a bit much.

I think JH is counting on the rotation looking like this: Z Wood Maddux Williams Guzman I'd certainly rather it be that way than having Rusch in the rotation, so may be its wishful thinking on my part. Aside from Z the pitching rotation would be pathetic. Do you guys really expect Wood to be back and injury free? Maddux is likely going to regress again this year. Williams is a good #5 right now and Guzman is in the same category as Wood. TERRIBLE. I am not counting on Wood to be anything other than a FA after 06'. I think Williams is better than a No. 5, but his ceiling is likely as a No. 3. I can live with Maddux as a No. 4 or No. 5. I forgot about Bedrard (see above); I am hoping Guzman is really ready this time.

I think JH is counting on the rotation looking like this: Z Wood Maddux Williams Guzman I'd certainly rather it be that way than having Rusch in the rotation, so may be its wishful thinking on my part. I believe the Cubs would get Bedard. And I believe that I forgot... #-o Thanks for the save. I guess w/ Bedard on bd as well it builds depth in case Wood is not ready.

That's a good explanation too. From what I read Billy Beane is very high on Bedard too. Hendry wants a lefty in the rotation, whose name isn't Rusch. At least this shows that he hasn't completely lost his marbles. I still think the notion of this trade is Hendry's last stand; a make-or-break moment. It could save his job and make him a hero, or bury him for good. I think he senses (or has been outright notififed) that he has precious little leash left.