JeffH

Wellemeyer for Quintanilla. Quintanilla, Williams, Novoa, and Marmol/Ryu for Huff and Lugo.

But if Hendry is heckbent on trading Walker Vidro would be a decent choice if: -Vidro is healthy -The Nats picked up some cash Will MLB ownership do that? I doubt it.

Well, sure, but Texas might consider that not quite equitable. That's why the Patterson-for-Nix exchange might even it up.

Wilkerson and Nix for Patterson and Williams?

Vidro: 2006: $7 2007: $7.5 2008: $8.5 End of discussion.

I wonder if he might be if they manage to sign Carl Everett.

There's a chance Wellemeyer could be a good fit for Coors Field, assuming that any pitcher could. He really doesn't rely on his breaking ball much at all. Fastball-change. Could work OK in the light air. Worth a flyer. It'd be no dumber than your typical Rockie acquisition.

No. Cubs declined to offer arb to Burnitz, Garciaparra, and Fox.

On Lugo: It would probably make things easier for the Devil Rays to trade Lugo if they could get a shortstop back in return. Upton isn't really a viable SS. The Cubs aren't trading Cedeno for him, though - nor should they. The Rockies are after Todd Wellemeyer. They have Omar Quintanilla that they got from the A's last summer. They have no room for him, because Barmes and Gonzalez are going to play for them in the middle infield. Wellemeyer for Quintanilla, then Williams, Quintanilla, Novoa, and Marmol/Ryu for Lugo and Huff?

I think you can work out a way to get all three OF (Murton, Floyd, Bradley) their fair share of PA. I'm not saying that Murton hasn't "earned" a starting chance, but why leave him as the only option. He's a risk too. At least if you have Floyd, Bradley and Murton, you have some insurance if someone gets injured, "goes off the deep end" or whatever. You might be able maximize both Floyd's and Murton's potential with a platoon. I'm certainly not against Murton being the full time LF, but why not add in Floyd if you can? Let's say you start with Murton in LF and Mabry is your 4th OF. What do you think is going to happen if Murton has a bad April and/or just has an overall slight sophmore slump? Hello John Mabry in LF. :pukel: Thank you. Depth. It's a good thing.

LF - Murton or new guy CF - Pierre RF - New guy 3B - Ramirez SS - Cedeno 2B - Walker, Perez, Hairston, or new guy 1B - Lee C - Barrett OF - New guy or Murton OF - New guy or Patterson IF - Perez or Hairston UT - Mabry C - Blanco SP - Maddux SP - Zambrano SP - Prior SP - Rusch SP - Williams or new guy RP - Ohman RP - Eyre RP - Novoa RP - Wuertz RP - Williamson RP - Howry RP - Dempster DL - Wood

You're funny.

So, you're only going off of the circumstantial evidence. That's fine, just so we know.

If that did happen, expect Murton to be the 4th OF. Perfectly fine.

The concept of "not blocking Murton" is one I want to avoid. If you put Murton out there and he flops, you're looking at 400+ John Mabry plate appearances. Can we please be a deep team? Maybe just try it once?

Wilkerson, Huff, and Lugo, please.

How do you know that?

The 20% rule doesn't apply.

What makes you think Jeff Weaver will sign a contract like that? Did Scott Boras just get hit by a bus? He signed a contract like that for Millwood last offseason. Because Millwood needed to reestablish his value. Exactly the same case with Weaver this year. Completely different situations. The word on Millwood last offseason was that he was damaged goods. Weaver is a workhorse.

What makes you think Jeff Weaver will sign a contract like that? Did Scott Boras just get hit by a bus?

$136.5 for the upcoming season.

Last 5 seasons ERA: 4.81 7.06 6.27 5.90 4.61 Why would you offer him 2 years? Why would you offer him $3.5m? Why would you want him at all? Give him a minor league invite if you insist. He's been awful since his breakthrough with Houston in the 90's. His K/9 fell from over 8 to under 6, consistently under 6. He gives up a ton of longballs and a big OPS against. If I'm going to bitch about Rusch's contract (and I am) then I'd have to bitch about this guy, who is just as bad, if not worse. Well, I called it. why don't you state your rationale for acquiring him and that hypothetical contract. i seriously don't see why you want him, but maybe you could shed some light on the guy. I don't like him much. I was just guessing at the contract. He's reportedly interested in a two-year deal. The rationale is that someone has to pitch in the rotation until Wood is ready. I assume Williams will be traded. Maybe he won't - he is a Dusty pet, after all. Don't misunderstand - I suppose I'd just as soon go with Hill or Wellemeyer, but I'm a big prospect guy. There is a risk of those guys going out there and throwing up a 6.5 ERA. That probably wouldn't happen with Elarton. In terms of NL-equivalent ERA, he's been just over 4 the last two years. I don't know how The Jake profiles - pro-hitter or pro-pitcher. The money is going to be spent one way or another. Unless we go with Neifi and Hairston at 2B and Murton full-time in LF, there's probably not going to be the money available for the Weavers and Millwoods of the world (who I don't want anyway). Like I said, he could be a good trade option in mid-season. He'd probably look much better to a team with a big starting pitching need in July than he does now.

Last 5 seasons ERA: 4.81 7.06 6.27 5.90 4.61 Why would you offer him 2 years? Why would you offer him $3.5m? Why would you want him at all? Give him a minor league invite if you insist. He's been awful since his breakthrough with Houston in the 90's. His K/9 fell from over 8 to under 6, consistently under 6. He gives up a ton of longballs and a big OPS against. If I'm going to bitch about Rusch's contract (and I am) then I'd have to bitch about this guy, who is just as bad, if not worse. Well, I called it.

I know that, in general, this board hates the idea of acquiring anyone who isn't a superstar, but here goes. Several weeks ago, after the Eyre signing, but before the Howry signing, Bruce Levine came on the radio and said that the Cubs were looking for a righthanded setup man and mentioned the name "Scott Elarton". I remember this vividly because the report struck me as odd, considering Elarton hasn't relieved much in his career - not at all as of late. He's a homerun machine, but he was decent last season. Would anyone have interest in offering him a $7/2 contract? Too much? Too little? If Williams is traded, someone is going to have to be in the rotation until Wood is ready. With a contract like that, one would think he'd be very tradeable and quite attractive at the deadline. At $3.5-ish, he'd fit just perfect, budget-wise, with Huff-Bradley-Lugo-Bench Guy TBD.

Kevin Millwood is grossly overrated and his agent is Scott Boras. Stay far, far away.