Jazz

I think that the cubs really dont have many options for a premier Proven right field bat, so with that in mind, i think going after either a MLB Ready prospect that isnt too touted but could be productive, or a project like Milton Bradley is the only way to go, but for 1 year. I think Hendry really thinks the Corner outfield will consist of Pie, Murton, and a FA/Trade Acquisition in the next offseason. With that in mind, since we wont be allocating many dollars to RF for 06, i think acquiring an innings eating, consistent could be a nice luxury sign, since Wood will not be starting opening day apparently. I would love to sign Washburn or Millwood to a reasonable deal without too many years (3 for 20 mil). I dont know if i would have been satisfied with this team at the beginning of this offseason, but it leaves plenty of financial freedom to acquire someone at the deadline. Opening Day roster ------------------------- CF Pierre LF Murton 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Bradley 2B Walker SS Cedeno C Barrett SP1. Prior SP2. Zambrano SP3. Millwood/Washburn SP4. Maddux SP5. Williams RP Rusch RP Hill RP Wuertz/Ohman RP Eyre RP Howry CL Dempster Bench C Blanco IF Theroit IF Perez OF Mabry OF Hairston Jr.

Throw Milldege into that too probably. If we were going to get him from the Mets it be for Major League Ready Guys like Prior or Z. This is the kind of thinking I was talking about, it's just plain wrong. A high ceiling, but unproven yet, outfield prospect for a high ceiling, but unproven yet, pitching prospect. At some point, teams with a need for pitching and excess outfielders need to look at that kind of plan, and similarly, teams with excess pitching and a need for outfielders should consider it too. Let's take the case of Delmon Young as one example. He is an incredible prospect, everyone realizes this. The team that owns him has almost NO pitching to speak of, but they currently have FIVE outfielders, and Young would be the sixth. At what point, if you're a prudent GM of that team, do you not come to the conclusion that maybe you should deal from strength and trade that outfielder prospect for pitching help? The general thinking in Tampa is that Huff would play 1st, and Delmon would start in Right, having the outfield look like: Young Baldelli Crawford Hollins and Gomes + Huff for depth (since he can start at 3B, LF, RF, and 1B)

Let's hope Anaheim gets caught up in the Manny trade talks. CF Figgins 2B Kennedy RF Guerrero DH Ramirez LF Anderson 3B Mcphereson 1B Erstad SS Cabera/FA pickup (if traded to boston) C Molina Best lineup in the majors, offensively and defensively? I think so.

i really hope we can get Tejada without giving up Pie. He got the nomar deal done 2 yrs ago without giving up clement, I think he could work that magic again.

we will be depleted of pitching trading chips by the end of the hopeful Tejada deal, so i dont think we have the personnel to get Wilkerson. They have a young guy they are looking at for 2B named Ian Kinsler who i believe will hit very well in that ballpark, and be a mainstay in the lineup. A more viable option is helping the mets in acquiring Manny from the redsox and getting Cliff Floyd in Return.

Quite a few. Ramirez is at best average at third. Walker is below average at second. The IF would be strong at SS and 1B, but wouldn't rank at the top of all MLB IF's. Now, if Hendry trades Walker and we end up with Lee, Cedeno, Tejada & Ramirez, that would be pretty impressive defensively. and the answer is yes, offensively, and overall.

i still think Manny to the Mets will end up going through so he can go play with former teamate Pedro Martinez. And the above statements about his NTC reign true as well.

I think if we trade for Tejada, we might not have to ever see the Neifi Perez Show like we saw it last year. Hopefully Hendry realizes that Walker would best be kept, and starting at 2B. Cedeno could be apart of the Tejada deal, so walker would not be blocking anyone, and Perez would be specifically a bench player (which might not be that bad considering his hot start last year), backing up the middle infield. Best infield in the NL, both defensively, and offensively? ramirez, lee, tejada, and walker, i think that might do it.

-Bradley has never had a season of over 100 RBI's -Until Last Year Tejada had 5 straight seasons of 100 RBI's, he just missed it with 98. -Bradley has only 1 season where hes had over 450 AB's -Tejada has had at least 590 AB's for 7 straight years Also, tejada is in the top 7 of almost every important stat category for SS's in the MLB, and in the top 3 in RBI, HR's, and BA. While Bradley will be SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper, im betting tejada could pput his 2002 numbers hitting in wrigley (the year he won MVP), and be a huge asset at #5 in the order, behind lee and ramirez. That being sad, i think we can get both.

i heard the same report 20 min ago. Not sure if it has any relevance to wat the cubs could be offering.

well considering his career OBP is just under .500, but most likely yes, if thats what it took, id do it, even with the addition of say Cedeno oin the package.

Pie and Hill, cause thats what it would prbly take, idk if id do it.

OMG, Jim, PLEASE!!? Pierre Cedeno Lee Ramirez Tejada Bradley Murton Barrett !!!

hmm Cubs get: Abreu Nationals get: Williams, Hill, and Patterson/Michaels Phillies get: Hernandez, Wilkerson + Cash from Cubs sry couldnt help it :)

the only way hed pitch for the cubs is if hes making manny money

3rded

I think that it is somewhat unfair to critczise Pierre for his caught stealings subtracted from his OBP stat, as when you think about it, his primary goal will be to get to first base, as having Walker, Lee, Ramirez, and hopefully another big bat behind them coming up in the order, runs will follow. We suffered a great deal from seeing the Patterson/Perez/Macias/Lawton leading off debacle, now with a legitmate mainstay at the top of the order who can get on base at least at a .350 clip, we will see more RBI chances for the middle of the order thus leading to more runs. I think we wont see Pierre attempt to steal a base 80 times a season, with his deplorable stolen base ratio, it would be taking a step backward in terms of getting people on base, but we do have a big 1st to 3rd threat on hits from the players behind him.

I agree, but everything I have heard is that the Phillies want a front end SP, the Cubs aren't going to give them Prior or Z. I would trade Patterson to the Nats for Wilkerson, and throw Williams, Hill, Pinto and spare parts at the Reds for Dunn. This is where a three way deal with the A's comes in. Barry Zito I think would be roughly what the Phillies are looking for. What are the A's looking for? A first baseman/designated hitter type? Brandon Sing would be helpful, perhaps. I'm sure they wouldn't say no to some young pitching like Jerome Williams. Throw in maybe Pinto. What are we thinking? does: Cubs get: Abreu Phillies get: Zito A's get: Sing, Michaels, and Williams sound right?

Olney has a tidbit about the cubs in the discussion of zito: Where does Zito land? The Dodgers have good prospects to offer, and so does Texas; the Rangers want Zito, and Beane worries much less than other general managers about dealing within his division. The Yankees don't have the kind of prospects needed to get Zito right now; the Red Sox do. St. Louis could make a play. The Cubs have some talent to deal, if they wanted to make a play.

I think the Cobs could be that close, but Huff probably isn't one of those players. but we are, but those players arent huff and pierre theyre michaels and abreu ;)

[-X Well, South Carolinians should be jealous of their northern counterparts, since NC is the greatest state in the nation (yes, I've spent nearly all of my life in Asheville, North Carolina). All right.... let's not be stirring up any wars between the Carolinians, as I'm on my way to SC even as we speak !! i always love some NC bashing :)

oh plz no, bret boone would find his stroke again and have another 2001 like season.

I was not aware of that, try this on for size: Cubs get: Abreu (13M), Gonzalez(11.5M) + Cash from Dbacks & Phillies Phillies get: Tracy (400k) + Cubs Pitching Prospect Dbacks get: Hill (300k), and Williams (500k) Since the cubs would be taking 24.5 mil in salary, the dbacks & phillies would need to cough up about 5-10 mil combined to make this feasable, which would be possible by cubs trading more prospects. With these 2 bats, we could slide cedeno at SS, Walker at 2B (unless you can upgrade with Castillo), and sign/trade Bradley for CF (depending on the situation). Then Ship Murton to somewhere like Oakland for Zito, along with another pitching prospect. 2B Walker RF Abreu 1B Lee 3B Ramirez LF Gonzalez CF Bradley SS Cedeno C Barrett That lineup could score some runs. AZ wants to gut their team?? no but getting out of the 11.5 mil contract of gonzalez would help alot in signing some FA pitching, Tracy and Gonzalez currently block their 2 best prospects Quentin and Jackson.

I was not aware of that, try this on for size: Cubs get: Abreu (13M), Gonzalez(11.5M) + Cash from Dbacks & Phillies Phillies get: Tracy (400k) + Cubs Pitching Prospect Dbacks get: Hill (300k), and Williams (500k) Since the cubs would be taking 24.5 mil in salary, the dbacks & phillies would need to cough up about 5-10 mil combined to make this feasable, which would be possible by cubs trading more prospects. With these 2 bats, we could slide cedeno at SS, Walker at 2B (unless you can upgrade with Castillo), and sign/trade Bradley for CF (depending on the situation). Then Ship Murton to somewhere like Oakland for Zito, along with another pitching prospect. 2B Walker RF Abreu 1B Lee 3B Ramirez LF Gonzalez CF Bradley SS Cedeno C Barrett That lineup could score some runs.

Do you think the Delgado trade or Thome trade can give us any new insight as to what it might take to land Abreu in terms of players and money? Hoops, you have to ask yourself how the Phillies are going to 'look at' the 25M they sent to Chicago. What percentage of that counts towards the 06 payroll that they're budgeting for? Secondly, it's pretty obvious that either Abreu or Lofton will be traded, and that brings up the second question of timing. Assuming neither have signed by the beginning of the winter meetings in early December, do you forget Furcal and go all out for Abreu assuming he's made available? What would it take to acquire Abreu? Obviously not another outfielder, so Corey is out of that equation, which brings up question number 3 - Corey hasn't been rumored in the Marlins trade, and if he doesn't have a spot in Philly in a possible Abreu trade.......what are we going to do with him? I think the trades do give us insight as to what it is going to take to get Abreu. The question is whether or not the Cubs are willing to give that up. Of course, I don't see Philly eating any of Abreu's contract (they ate too much of Thome's and had an ample replacement in the wings), so I don't think it will take an established ML'er and 2 top prospects. I think we're looking close to the Delgado deal of 2 top 10 prospects and 1 midlevel prospect. Personally, I think it would take Pie, Hill, and probably a throw in arm they can put in the pen (Wellemeyer). But I still think the best deal for Philly and the Cubs would be to get a 3rd team involved. My proposed deal: Cubs get: Abreu Phillies get: Jerome Williams, Hank Blalock Texas gets: David Bell, Padilla, Pie (cash from Phillies) Hendry would never let this deal happen, as Texas would be getting away with murder here. Blalock's away averages at home: .243/.300/.407. Obviosly since he got alot of hype from the All Star Game, his stock would be high but Im not sure he constitutes that kind of return. Id look somewhere else for a 3rd wheel team, try this: Cubs get: Abreu, Michaels Phillies get: Mueller, Hill, and Williams Red Sox get: Patterson, Harvey, and Ohman/Novoa Michaels has no room with the addition of Rowand, so he wil prby be ousted somewhere, in this deal, you can switch Michaels going to the Red Sox as well and save trading Patterson and Harvey, but id take the cost to get him as well. The Phillies get one of the top 10 3B's in the MLB, a suitable option for this year, as well as 2 fillers for their rotation, and cut costs enough to go after FA pitching. The red sox makeout with a good haul just from Mueller, and all should work out financially in this deal with the cubs eating all of Abreu's contract.