RynoRules

Typicall, isn't it? We are struggling to score any runs, and the Sox, who have done just about everything well, will strike first and make themselves any better while we wait for July 30 at 11:59:59, at which point the Cards will be 15 games up.

Cpatt is having one of the worst seasons for a Cubs regular (and by regular I mean a guy who lays every day - not Tom Goodwin or Jose Macias) in the last 25 years. The man has a 275 OBP and 80-plus Ks as oppossed to just a dozedn or so walks. Please, CPatt supporters, pleaserealize that he either stinks or is desperately in need of a change in scenery. Either way I don't want him on the team anymomre. Please Mr. Baker, start JH Jr. in CF today and lead him off - I am attending the game w/ my fam and would like to enjoy it.

Well, let's tinker with the deal a little bit. Mitre, Dubois, & Welly for Mench & a prospect. I've stated in numerous threads that the Rangers aren't interested in moving Mench unless they get a can't miss stud pitcher. Volume will not overwhelm them. If we asked for Mench, they'd ask for Zambrano and the discussions end right there. The Rangers are quite obviously off their rockers then. As good as Mench is (and he's good enough for my fantasy team, 3 HR, woo!), he's not that good. He's also already 27. I didn't say the Rangers expect to get Zambrano for Mench. But they would want a young starter that has seen success at the major league level if they were to trade Mench. (They have no intentions of trading him.) The Cubs just don't match up there. Mitre hasn't seen enough success. Williams will have to prove he's found it again. Those players don't have the ceiling that the Rangers would want. Our farm hands aren't high enough ceiling or don't have enough experience. The Rangers would seek to look elsewhere. The plan the Rangers have were to be contenders in 2006 with the young core of Mench, Nix, Tex, Young, and Blaylock. They prefer to keep all five of those. They will look to develop pitchers from their system or sign others or trade without giving up one of those five. To trade one of those five you're going to have to blow them away with quality not quanity. Yeah - more and more on this bd. I see trade props. that are basically an all-you-can-eat buffet of former prospecs who we have soured on or who have been underwhelming as of late, for example, Mitre, Dubois, Welly, etc. [/b]

Forget Damon for the same reason you can forget Andruw.

Andruw Jones has that team on his back right now - we ain't getting him. No one is.

Huff could be Aramis-like at this point. Has shown great promise but is underachieving on a poor team. If JH could swing a deal that is Aramis/Lofton-like for him, I wouldn't be opposed. How about Mitre and Kelton for Huff? (I agree with Tim that Baez is undesireable).

Lawton fades down the stretch like no one's business. Murton is a perfect trading chip. Great numbers and performance, but doesn't project for power in a power spot. Dopirak has had 1 great year, and is still far away. 1B aren't tough to find, really, and this makes Dope a great trading chip. Mitre is our most tradable P, since he's had ML success, is a sinkerballer, and blocked by Williams and Rusch. I think Rincon and Kotsay are worth that trade. It's a fair deal for both teams. I didn't know that about Lawton, but I see you are right. but how about this, assume Erstad were still playing center. would you trade Mitre, Murton, and Dope for a deal for him and Scott Sauerbeck? of course you wouldn't, but current and career performance tells you that the the players are amazingly comparable. something about being a Beane boy makes people want to over pay. Touche, but Kotsay has been generally more consistent. Erstad had the one monster OBP year, but otherwise not great. Kotsay has been more steady the last 5 years. Your comparison, however, is a little too accurate for my comfort. Erstad hasn't had an 800 OPS since 2000. Kotsay has done it 3 times since then. Kotsay is a far superior defensive player, and has outperformed Erstad for several years. Their numbers are similar this year, but historically Kotsay is better after the ASB, while Erstad performs worse. Also, Erstad is also hitting about 40 points higher than his expected BABIP, while Kotsay is about 60 points below his expected BABIP. Its an interesting com[parison, but I think Kotsay has more value in the context of a trade with us b/c he has more of what we need than Erstad does, to wit, a leadoff hitter who is a good OFer.

Not really. It's pretty logical that the best announcers in the business are probably going to work for the largest markets. And I apologize if you can't see an improvement from Len to Chip. Keep on preachin, Brother. And I think Brenly has steadily imporved over the course of the year, including giving Cory the business for that idiot baserunning move last week. Though I do miss Stoney....

I already gave up and got scalped for the Ryno game on 8/28. My Dad and I just had to be there.

I just took a look at their remaining schedule: With the Circus Trip out of the way, its not that tough, sans a couple in a row w/ the likes of Miami and Det., and a trip west to the Clip-joint and Seattle. In the horrendous East, we have a great shot at the 7 or 8 seed. Who'd of thunk it!