nilodnayr

I'm genuinely curious about this: how many players have been part time players at age 30 and got a starting gig and were difference makers? I really have no idea the answer to this question. I'm not totally opposed to Michaels, I'm just trying to think outside the box on why he hasn't gotten an opportunity. If he puts up a great season, which is very possible given his past, then all the better for him (and if he's here, for us). I'm interested to see the final cost of Michaels, also. How many part time players put up 822 OPS in their first 4 years in the MLB?

Wow, I want to see something done but we shouldn't need three highly rated prospects for a one-year rental from a team selling their team for spare parts. Mitre is not a highly rated prospect by any means and will most likely be waived should we not find a trading partner for him before the season, so its not like he has a ton of value, even though I think hes a decent pitcher.

Corey has sucked big time in his 360 career ABs in the 2 hole (like I mean low 600 OPS sucking). Management "letting him do his thing" means swinging for the fences at pitches from his toes to his eyes. So in summation, no, I do not want him getting the second largest number of ABs on the team, leaving the bases empty infront of Lee/ARAM (and not by knocking in runs, by striking out).

Ugh.., Although in the article it says he made two proposals to two SEPARATE teams (I'm assuming the other is LA). Although Van Dyck goes on to say it also was a proposal involving several cubs for ome player and then talked about acquiring lugo and Huff (um, my math says thats two players).

Even if he reverts back to his non-coors career norms, hes an inferior option to bradley, wilk, and michaels and will likely cost just as much if not more than them.

Bob, wouldn't Michaels essentially be a one year rental? I'm going off the assumption that Pie would be ready in 2007. Michaels doesn't appear to project enough from a slugging standpoint to be a productive enough corner outfielder. Plus, he's not exactly a spring chicken, either, age wise. He's arby eligible, Pie performs well and it gives the Cubs more options as far as trading him. Michaels performs like I expect and the Cubs want to tarde him to make room for Pie and they'd more in return than losing Pierre for a draft pick. Do you think in the Phillies' mind that Nolasco/Pinto would equate to Wang? I believe that's what you were saying the offer was for Michaels. How high should the Cubs go to obtain Michaels? And I wish he had a full season under his belt to judge him by. I love his OBP, but something just doesn't rub me the right way about a guy who is supposedly that good that can't get 600 PA's. Yes, I know, Marlon Byrd, but the difference in production is staggering between the two. We all know baseball people aren't the smartest, or have we forgotten that Dusty Baker is considered an elite manager? Why fault a guy because hes been crapped on?

Supply and demand...the marlins dont have a monopoly on high OBP CFs who are available. Wilk, Bradley, and Michaels are all better options. If its just the yanks, cubs and bosox competing for only pierre its one thing, but there are multiple better options.

I think Bradley should be below Pierre in terms of priorities/desirability. He should be the player we'd give spare parts to. Injury history, only a season and a half of good production, clubhouse issues + Baker the Enabler...I'd rather overpay to get Pierre than overpay for Bradley. I assume you mean Bradley's 2003 and 2005 as has one and a half good season. So you aren't counting Bradley's 2004 as a good season (362 OBP, 424 Slugging), but you are advocating Pierre, whos best season is 378/415 (which was in 2001, while he was playing in Coors)? I'm really confused.

But you never know with the LA system. I'd do Zito for Bradley, Billingsley and LaRoche so fast your head would spin. Heck, I'd do Zito for Bradley, Billingsley/LaRoche. IIRC, the rumor was Bradley, Joel Guzman, and Edwin Jackson. Could've been garbage from the getgo though. Not a horrible deal considering its only for one year of Zito, although I would have to think the A's wouldn't settle for only Jackson after his value has plummeted the last few years. Plus they have Crosby blocking Guzman so Guzman would have to move to second base depleting his value. Beane could definitely improve the team dealing with LA (especially after the Sori for Broxton trade). Jackson and Guzman vs Billingsley and LaRoche is a decent place to stat negotiations.

But you never know with the LA system. I'd do Zito for Bradley, Billingsley and LaRoche so fast your head would spin. Heck, I'd do Zito for Bradley, Billingsley/LaRoche.

While the day of the trade reaction was that it was quite a fleecing, no one could predict exactly how huge Grudz and Karros would be for us. Many would have been happy if they would have never taken an AB for us, but for both to be contributors to the 2003 run after each player having two very bad years was just luck (think every crap player the cards play that end up being amazing). And actually the cubs ended up paying an extra .5M in that deal (Karros 8M + 1M buy out, Grudz 5.5M +.5M buy out), while the Dodgers sent 2M our way and paid the rest of Hundley's 12.5M in 2003 and 2004 (which they probably made a decent amount back on in insurance). Plus at the time Karros and Grudz were known for causing clubhouse problems. At the time both players were thought to be fall back options should Choi and Bobby Hill fail. The dodgers spread out their liability over two years allowing them to sign Jeff Kent, while staying under the luxury tax point.

But then agian, Marquis is a year removed from a 15-win, 3.71 ERA season. I don't really like him, but I do think he does have more value. Last year with the cubs Williams posted a 3.91 ERA. Marquis is one year away from FA and will make ~5M next year. Williams is 4 years way from FA and will make 450K next year. How exactly does Marquis have more value?

[-X Looks like this thread has taken a left turn... Eh, I gave it 4 minutes. Don't blame me, blame Anna.

Way better than what to expect from Hairston? The same Hairston that had an OBP of 353 in 2003, 378 in 2004, and 361 in the first half of 2005?

God only knows... an infield of Kent, Furcal, Soriano, Walker is a possibility. Or Soriano could be moved to the OF.

Nomar I'm not sure how big of a name FA he was and its not like dusty attracted him here, he was already here at the end of 04. Fixed. Ugh, Im so old

Last I heard its a no go, the deal broke down in negotiations (Im not kidding). Interesting -- I read it on the ticker on ESPNEWS. Even though it's aint worth a nuthin. Perhaps he meant the Playboy spread? Yes, I meant the spread.

Nomar I'm not sure how big of a name FA he was and its not like dusty attracted him here, he was already here at the end of 03.

Kent can play first or third.

This year BA rated him the 14th best prospect in the Southern league (which was INSANELY stacked with prospects). Notice 12, 13, and 15. Plus I hear 17 and 18 aren't too shabby either. BA's Rankings TOP 20 PROSPECTS 1. Delmon Young, of, Montgomery 2. Jeremy Hermida, of, Carolina 3. Jeff Francoeur, of, Mississippi 4. Chris Young, of, Birmingham 5. Chad Billingsley, rhp, Jacksonville 6. Joel Guzman, ss, Jacksonville 7. Andy LaRoche, 3b, Jacksonville 8. Felix Pie, of, West Tenn 9. Brian McCann, c, Mississippi 10. Russell Martin, c, Jacksonville 11. Scott Olsen, lhp, Carolina 12. Matt Murton, of, West Tenn 13. Bobby Jenks, rhp, Birmingham 14. Jonathan Broxton, rhp, Jacksonville 15. Rich Hill, lhp, West Tenn 16. Dustin Nippert, rhp, Tennessee 17. Ricky Nolasco, rhp, West Tenn 18. Renyel Pinto, lhp, West Tenn 19. Chuck James, lhp, Mississippi 20. Elijah Dukes, of, Montgomery

Last I heard its a no go, the deal broke down in negotiations (Im not kidding).

I sure hope they what they have with their new GM. I personally though going after Furcal was ?able considering they have Izturis. Izturis will be lucky to be back by the ASB and may never have the arm to play short again. Plus Izturis, at his best can put up 700 OPS, while fine for a ss, has no place as a second baseman for a contender. However, it will be interesting to see how much more that 700 OPS Soriano can put up, playing half his games in Chavez Ravine and a significant amount at Petco, Chase, and SBC. My guess is 255/295/425

Great deal for the Rangers

And as of this moment a group of royals are pooling their money to buy a hooker to sleep with Kris benson :D

There's no doubt there would be huge improvement offensively with the likes of Lugo, Bradley, and Wilkerson. The difficulty arises when it becomes 3 separate trades to accomplish that. But... Lugo Walker Lee Ramirez Bradley Wilkerson Murton Barrett Looks pretty darn good. Lugo is a sign. upgrade over last year, Murton for a full year would be as well in LF, Wilkerson would be a huge upgrade, and Bradley as well. I do question how the Cubs could pull that off, though. It'd be difficult to do it without getting rid of Walker, which seems like what Hendry wants to do anyway. This is what I would do Walker and Patterson and Mitre to LA for Lowe and Bradley Williams and mid level prospect for Wilkerson Angel Guzman for Lugo (wayyyy overpaying but reasonably sane compared to some of the brave names that have been floated about that are too crazy to be true, but indicate that whoever wants him is going to have to overpay) Welly for Bigbie (how could hendry not have accepted this yet?) Sign a Hidalgo-esque RH OF I would start off the season: Lugo Wilkerson Lee ARAM Bradley Murton Barrett Cedeno But we would have lots of options, Wilk and Bradley can be flipped, if lugo falters, bradley or possibly murton could be moved to the top of the order. A rotation of Z, Prior, Wood, Lowe, Maddux would be extremely solid A pen of Dempster, Howry, Eyre, Wuertz, Ohman, Rusch, Novoa will hopefully not suck A bench of Hairston, Bigbie, Hidalgo, Mabry, and Blanco should provide some decent power. Back up ss is cedeno, playing second base.