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Sweet Swinging Billy

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Everything posted by Sweet Swinging Billy

  1. Sweet Swinging Billy
    C'mon, help a brother out. Has anyone heard of anything in the works? It looks like there's no new developments on B. Roberts or anyone else for that matter. This is driving me crazy. I can't wait till Spring Training.
  2. Sweet Swinging Billy
    XZero77 wrote: "It sure wasn't accidental when Jim was boozing himself up. I don't have one iota of sympathy for anyone who drinks and drives, not one. They don't deserve it. If you voluntarily impair yourself and then drive, you are 100% culpable. If you drink and get behind the wheel, you deserve whatever bad happens to you. It's the people you hurt and/or kill that deserve 100% of the sympathy". ---- Zero, it's "accidental" in that Leyritz didn't intentionally plan on killing this person. Yes, it was a stupid decision on his part, in getting behind the wheel when he was drunk (not when he was "boozing it up") and driving home. Unfortunately for the woman that was killed, Leyritz's decision turned out to be disastrous for everyone involved.
  3. Sweet Swinging Billy
    jersey cubs fan wrote: "The guy is 44 years old, not some dumb kid who made a mistake. I don't see how anybody could see anything about Leyritz that would suggest he seems like a pretty good guy". And abuck added: "i actually have a little more sympathy for the person he killed. though the saddened yankee fans are also in my prayers. oh, and i also feel terrible for leyritz, who was just out having fun and someone had to die and ruin it all. buzzkill, right? ---- Man y'all are ruthless. I was just reacting to the story. I was shocked when I heard what had happened...maybe I didn't take the necessary time to think of all of the ramifications before submitting my post. So what, give me a break. I feel like I was just attacked. First and foremost I feel sorry for the person that was killed and for the surviving family of the deceased but you also have to feel somewhat sorry for Leyritz, this is something he has to live with the rest of his life. Yeah it was stupid, he aint no kid after all but it was ALSO accidental. I assume that Leyritz is married and also has a family--- so you gotta have sympathy for them. It's just an all around bad situation. Everywhere you look, lives ruined forever.
  4. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Can't say that I really know Jim Leyritz. Like many, I witnessed his heroics with the Yankees...I probably have heard him a few times as an announcer and he seems like a pretty good guy. When I was in College (late 70's/ early 80's), I got stopped for DUI ---thanks be to God, I didn't kill anybody...(Never again!) so, I can really sympasize with the guy. Man, your just out having fun-- and then someone ends up dying because of your carelessness. Sad. Very sad. I would imagine that Yankee fans everywhere are feeling pretty rotten right now.
  5. Sweet Swinging Billy
    TruffleShuffle wrote:"he chose the cubs over the white sox and more money, not the cubs over the padres and more money". --- My sources tell me that both the White Sox and the Pads offered an overall better deal to Fukudome, than the Cubs. Certainly 48 million (or whatever it was) would appeal to any player but as he stated in the article, he chose the North Siders for other reasons...which I don't plan on mentioning--- you can read the article. Why would one think that Kosuke lied about his decision in choosing the Cubs? Do you have evidence that he has lied in the past?
  6. Sweet Swinging Billy
    vance_the_cubs_fan wrote: "San Diego is home for Prior. I think the original post fails to take that into account. If someone is going to need to spend a bulk of his time for the first few months rehabbing under the supervision of some team's doctors, it's not hard to see why he would want to do it at home..." ---Yeah Vance, I'm aware of that. I didn't need to mention that because I quoted the section of the article, that dwelt with the fact that Prior had been offered better deals (maybe the Cubs were one of them, who knows)... but the bottom line is he wanted to go home. And no I can't fault him for that (Cliff Floyd, although it was just for one year wanted to come home to Chi Town). And Banedon, yes I know that Prior has a history with the Cubs, whatever that might be. I tried not to repeat what I said in earlier posts with regards to Prior still being a member of the Cubs. The bottom line is: I'm disappointed. Almost angry that Mark Prior is no longer a Chicago Cub. I know he's not Kerry Wood but I just wish he had shown a little loyalty. Mark did just sign a one year contract --- who knows maybe after just pitching a month or two and showing some promise, maybe the Cubs will offer him an incentive-filled contract.
  7. Sweet Swinging Billy
    "Prior signed a one-year deal with the Padres on Wednesday for $1 million with another $4.5 million in incentives as he attempts to rebuild his credentials as a Major League pitcher and tries to repair his oft-injured image... Prior and his San Diego-based agent, John Boggs, rebuffed multiyear offers and even offers for larger base pay to accept a one-year deal to play for his hometown team". In the article, Prior and the Padres think he'll be back by mid-May. yeah right! There's no way that will happen. Maybe September if he's lucky. http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071226&content_id=2336601&vkey=hotstove2007&fext=.jsp ---- I still belive that the Cubs did all they could do, to keep Prior in Chicago. The article makes it clear that Prior all along intended to wind up in San Diego.
  8. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Obviously Prior thought so...but Fukudome didn't. The Padres appparently offered more (in the case of Prior-- they offered less) money but Kosuke said that money wasn't a factor. He signed with the Cubs because of Chicago, Wrigley Field, and because the Cubs wanted him as a right fielder. He thought it would be better for his family. And I understand that there's a Japanese community in Chicago, as well. So, we may have lost Prior but that's okay, I would much rather have Fukudome. Take that Padres.
  9. Sweet Swinging Billy
    People can believe whatever they want to think but I think it's pretty clear that it didn't matter what the Cubs did, Prior wanted out of Chicago. A million dollar contract with incentives pushing it up over 3 mil? Are you kidding me? I KNOW the Cubs offered much more than that. Just think Mark, when the Cubs win the World Series (and they will), you wont be part of the team. Kerry Wood will ---but you wont. Heck, Prior wont even pitch in 2008...maybe Sept. if he's lucky.
  10. Sweet Swinging Billy
    This was in fact brought up in another thread but I guess what is suprising is, that the Cubs would STILL be interested in Nathan. Hopefully Jimbo will wait to pursue Nathan, after he becomes a free agent...but not before.
  11. Sweet Swinging Billy
    MLB Trade rumors reports that the Cubs are definitely interested in trading for closer Joe Nathan if he's available. It also has been reported that George Ofman of WSCR radio 670/Chicago says the Twins would indeed want (at the very least) Marmol in any deal for Nathan. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/cubs-like-joe-n.html I don't know who else the Cubs might have to give up. I would give up Marmol as part of a package for Santana but not for Nathan. For Bedard or even Roberts...I don't know.
  12. Sweet Swinging Billy
    RammyFanny wrote: "Orioles radio had an interview with MacPhail tonight. In the thread, a poster said: Later in the show, Jim Hunter said a friend of his who is a beat reporter in Chicago called him and told him that the Cubs are "dead set on getting BOTH Bedard and Roberts in a deal. Personally not getting my hopes up". ---link? or source? I'm not sure if I believe this.
  13. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Tim wrote: "I'd still be negotiating with him, personally. Just because we non-tendered him doesn't mean we can't re-sign him'. -- I wouldn't be the least suprised that Hendry is doing that exact same thing. Jimbo has already said on more than one occasion that he wouldn't hesitate in bringing Prior back to the Cubs. The Cubs have appeared to leave the door open to that possibility. It is quite possible that Prior will not receive the kind of money that he is hoping for, become somewhat disgruntled and will eventually (after testing the waters and guaging interest) be willing to come back to the Northside with his contract restructured. I'm not going to hold my breath but it is possible.
  14. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Just got in from being out all day. Man, what a shock. Boy, I wish we had gotten him. Hendry just has to engineer a trade for a front line pitcher. We need someone who is lights out. When it comes to Santana or maybe even Bedard, I would pretty much consider everyone expendable.
  15. Sweet Swinging Billy
    I thought it was interesting that although Roberts was mentioned in the Mitchell Report, all the sports writers on Chicago Tribune (Comcast Sports Net) agreed that Hendry should continue to pursue Roberts in a trade.
  16. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Yanksfan1523 wrote: "An Ex-Cardinal? Isn't that Blasphemy?" --- Yes, but God hates the sin, not the sinner. Besides God wills that all men be SAVED. Even ex-Cardinals. We can CONVERT him to be a Cub! What do you think?
  17. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Hmm. They mention Brendan Harris in the article. Nice.
  18. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Sorry if this has already been posted but Hendry was interviewed on Comcast Sports Net and he said (besides indicating that he and the Prior camp left on good terms) that he talked to Prior's agent and that the Cubs wouldn't be opposed to bringing Mark back in the near future or at a later date. Hendry's certainly open to that. One other thing I wanted to mention and I think it's already been expressed by others (besides that the Cubs did the right thing), is that it really would have been in the best interests of Prior to stay with the Cubs, rehab, hopfully pitch well and THEN file for free agency. He should fire his agent over such bad advice OR could it be that Mark could care less what the Cubs offered him--- he just wanted to get the "H" out of Chicago and sign with someone else.
  19. Sweet Swinging Billy
    I definitely like the fact that Clemens was implicated and Maddux is the onlt true Hall of Famer between the two... but what I really liked to see that Tejada and Gagne were mentioned--- way to go Astros, that was a great tradethat you made (LOL)... and Brewers, man you really strengthened your bullpen (yeah, right!). Needless to say I am SO glad that Hendry didn't trade for Tejada.
  20. Sweet Swinging Billy
    don_kessinger_was_good wrote: "I can't believe all the hand-wringing over non-tendering Prior. Ridiculous". --- I agree with your assesment in why it is best that the Cubs didn't tender Prior a contract but without question I wish things would have been different. Man, he had the potential to be one of the best! Oh well. At least we're talking about Prior and not Kerry Wood. Can you IMAGINE what it would have been like last year if the Cubs had parted ways with Woody? Man, if that had happened I might have had to gotten violent!
  21. Sweet Swinging Billy
    First of all I was suprised that the Cubs didn't tender him. I was really disappointed because I hate it as much as anyone that Prior will no longer be a Cub...but wait! I know it's unlikely but possible that Prior wont be happy with the offers he receives, so the Cubs can resign him to lesser value... But wait! I forgot that Prior had no intention of staying in Chicago. He wanted to be a free agent all along. Even after the excitement that the Fukudome caused, I thought that Mark might settle for a one year incentive laden contract. But I guess I was wrong. This hurts me that he's leaving the Cubs but I honestly think that he really doesn't want to be here. Even after winning the Central and making a playoff run, I didn't see any effort on his part to make it work. Goodbye Mark. I hope we go out and acquire Santana, Bedard or Haren.
  22. Sweet Swinging Billy
    At least I think so. Yesterday, the Cubs reach a deal with Fukudome and ESPN doesn't treat it as "Breaking News" ---in fact they treated it like a second or third story under the heading of MLB news. Now that Prior becomes a free agent, all of a sudden this becomes a bigger story...yeah, right. I wont get into it but for a long time , I have had issues with espn.
  23. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Kaplin made some really good points. He kept pointing to the difference in attitude between Wood and Prior. How Wood (on Sports Central last week) said he wanted to be a Cub his entire career. Prior has never expressed that he was happy being a Cub. Kap said he wasn't a good teammate that he was not liked in the Clubhouse. That when he was rehabbing, he NEVER came by to be with the team. Wood was just the opposite. Prior apparently never got involved in the community, unlike Wood who has his celebrity bowling tournament. Kaplin wished him well but he says he can't blame the Cubs for what they did. I was always a really big fan of Mark but if he doesn't want to show any loyalty and stay here...then maybe it is better that he leave. I guess if anything, it shows the Cubs mean business
  24. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Just heard on Sports Central
  25. Sweet Swinging Billy
    Great interview. (Especially with the signing of Fukudome) The Riot is really stoked for the season to begin. Kap just said before the end of the show, they might have a report on Prior...
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