BigbadB

So, the Cubs will get 3 of the top 6 or 7 free agents available and trade with a team within their own division for a top replacement for Ramirez? It's definitely wishful thinking, but 29 other teams are not going to be happy with their offseasons when the Cubs clean up. Unfortunately, my optimism that the Cubs could pull off a haul like that just isn't there.

Why would the Yankees be interested in Jacque Jones? Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are 3 outfielders they already have that are better than Jones. If they can't move Sheffield, that makes 4.

With 29 other teams out there, Hendry won't come close to bringing in that kind of talent. If Aramis leaves, there is zero interest for a guy like Jason Schmidt to want to climb on board a sinking ship. It would be worth it for him to take less money to play for a contender. I could see Padilla and Lowell types being added, only because they will likely be paid handsomely and they aren't the guys that every team will be drooling over. Get Aramis locked up right away, and Hendry "might" be able to lure a top free agent here. I use the term "might" very loosely. A last place team that hasn't won anything in nearly 100 years that just lost one of their best players, the pitching staff is currently a shambles and a GM that hasn't improved the team at all is not exactly a great resume' to draw free agents.

Nah. We're not worried. If Aramis is too expensive, Hendry will have just that much more money to throw at Juan Pierre. :roll:

Aramis very quietly put up an awesome season. If he had a couple of "decent" OBP guys leading off, nevermind a couple of "excellent" OBP guys, Aramis would have had some staggering RBI numbers this year. I guess we can thank Dusty for batting Pierre and Neifi 1/2 most of the year to hide just how good Aramis really was this year. Can we even imagine how good Aramis' numbers might have looked with a couple of really good OBP guys batting 1/2 AND a healthy Derrek Lee hitting in front of him? Actually, I'm not worried if we lose Aramis. We can always bring back Vance Law, Luis Salazar, Gary Scott, Kevin Orie, Keith Moreland, etc....

So, because you say I can't use that against Hendry, I can't? Okay. How foolish of me to think that the GM of a major league baseball team can't lock down the necessary players to keep the team competitive for years to come. How foolish of me not to realize EVERY other single player in MLB has an opt out clause. That contract was signed quite some time ago. Hendry has had plenty of time to work out a new arrangement to avoid having Aramis opt out of this deal when he did. Aramis is no longer the property of the Chicago Cubs. He's free to sign wherever he wants. He's free to sign for however much he wants. Hendry basically just put himself in a position to pay top dollar for a free agent that he had under his own control. I can understand paying top dollar to lure a free agent away from another team, like Vlady or Beltran a few years back. It's totally different being one of 30 teams making an offer in comparison to working out an arrangement before the 29 other teams have a chance to outbid you. I'll be absolutely shocked if Aramis is wearing a Cub uniform in 2007. The ball is definitely in Aramis' court now. But, no one can sit there and tell me that the ball was never in Hendry's court and have me believe it.

The fact the contract had an opt out clause is motivation enough to lynch Hendry. How exactly does Hendry plan on improving this team if Aramis is not a part of the team? Seriously, if Aramis walks, what free agent will want to join the ranks of a last place team that just lost their top position player? Where is Aramis' desire to remain on a team that is moving backwards as an organization? Maybe some of us are starting to sound like a tabloid, but what has this organization done lately to make us feel all giddy inside? Does Zambrano have a long term contract?

Do you know the answer to my 2nd question? When do rosters have to be trimmed?

I have no faith that Aramis will be back. And Hendry better lose his job if Aramis signs elsewhere. Losing Aramis would be the icing on the cake to what I would call one of the absolute worst hatchet jobs a GM could ever pull off in such short order.

Marmol- I agree that he is probably not eligible as a minor leaguer. Shelton- I agree that he is probably not eligible. Hansen- I agree that he is probably not eligible. League- has never been promoted on my roster. Jackson- was promoted, but still classifies as a minor leaguer and was demoted. Floyd- was demoted, but I did have him on my major league roster at one point. "One other note - you may place a player no longer meeting eligibility requirements in the minors while he is in the minors. ie if a player is sent down, you may move him to the minors until he is recalled." The above is a quote from the listed rules on NSBB. Floyd and Jackson both got demoted and I'm not aware of their recall.

I have questions. I'm confused as to the status of: Brandon League Gavin Floyd Craig Hansen Carlos Marmol Chris Shelton Zach Jackson When do we need to clean up our rosters to 10 keepers and meet the salary cap?

I'd take Soriano and his strike outs all day long over Pierre and his contact. Soriano's increased walk/K rates have turned him into a more complete player. The .074 increase in his OBP over his AVG is what makes him valuable. That gives the Cubs 3 guys with the capability of 90+ XBH's, assuming Aramis is back. All they need after that is some roster filler with guys with respectable to above average OBP and they should be in pretty good shape offensively.

I thought that Miller was a Hendry priority this offseason as well? I'd love to see Schmidt and Soriano. Lugo or Durham (preferably Lugo to play SS). Lofton and Pagan sharing CF until Pie is ready.

There are plenty of differing theories out there as to what would constitute the best plan of action to build a World Series Champion, and 30 some odd teams are all attempting to execute their plan. It's a crapshoot as to what will win it each year. The best team in baseball does not always win the World Series. The best team does usually end up with the best record in baseball, however. And building the best team in baseball is probably the best plan of action I can think of. Building the best team in baseball does not place focus on pitching only or hitting only or defense only. It takes focus on all 3. If Kerry Wood and Mark Prior were completely healthy in 2006 and pitching like they did in 2003, this Cubs team most likely still would not have made the playoffs. The offense was horrible. Much more emphasis must be put on the value of a walk. The Cubs were far and away dead last in drawing walks (395). They had an embarrassing low number of drawn walks this year. I had to dig back to 1998 to find a team with less walks in the regular season in the NL than the Cubs had in 2006. Coincidentally, the Pittsburgh Pirates and their 393 finished in 2nd the last in runs scored. Every team in the 1995 strike shortened season (144 games) outwalked the 2006 Cubs by a significant margin. Drawing walks puts runners on base to be driven in. On the pitching side, giving up walks needs to be addressed as well. The Cubs gave up 687 walks, far and away the most walks allowed on the season. The last team to give up that many walks in a season? The Rockies in 1999. They gave up over 1000 runs that year. It's not a coincidence that if you walk a lot of players, a lot of runs will score. Target the best players available to fill the needs of the team. The teams with the lesser holes as a whole will be the team that has the best chance of finishing higher in the standings at the end of the season.

=D> And Hendry

I can see it now. Aramis signs with the Dodgers. Hendry's other prime free agent target also signs with the Dodgers. He lost his main target last year to the Dodgers while ignoring another guy that he could have easily retained. The guy he ignored also then signed with the Dodgers.

I think he's pretty content to coach the team (SD State) and at the school that named their stadium after him.

Why would you ever replace Dick Trickle with anyone? Dick Pole and Dick Trickle on the same team? :cheers:

I think I'll schedule a root canal.

The perceived value was only there because Hendry was dumb enough to fall for it. If Cincy wanted him, why wouldn't they have made a move for him last year while they were in the thick of a playoff hunt? The Dodgers were trying to dump Izturis all of last year. They had zero need for him. None whatsoever. No one came a calling. Except Hendry. If all the Dodgers had to offer was another run of the mill, light hitting, all fielding utility infielder, he should have just let Maddux finish out the year as a Cub. The list is getting pretty extensive lately. Damian Jackson, Rey Ordonez, Neifi Perez, Freddy Bynum, Ronny Cedeno, Tony Womack, Alex Gonzalez, Ramon Martinez, Jose Hernandez, Augie Ojeda, Jose Macias, Jerry Hairston Jr., Enrique Wilson and now Cesar Izturis. 14 craptacular utility infielders just since 2003. Hit us all in the head with a hammer again, Hendry. We enjoy it immensely.

There's no way it happens. What will likely happen if they went out and got Alou is Murton would sit the pines.

Dubois versus LHP>>>Jacque Jones vs. LHP. But, I'm all for getting rid of Jones for someone who can hit major league pitching, no matter which arm is doing the throwing.

somehow im surprised that this comment didnt come from BBB Why, I would never say such a thing. :shock: But, the Wrigley Field custodians are still trying to figure out a way to get rid of the urine smell in the Cubs clubhouse ever since Peehands left.

We already received compensation for the Type 4-3 FA. A swift kick in the crotch.

I like the new rules for Rule V. Guys like Hagerty, Dubois, Sisco, etc. get an extra year to show whether they are major league material and need protecting.