ThePenguin11

In case anyone was wondering Hidalgo's career numbers at Wrigley: 125 AB's (38 Games) 12HR 25RBI 26Runs 7 BB / 36 K .320/.366/.704/1.070 - BA/OBP/SLG/OPS

Does anyone even have a link to this supposed story? I went to ITI and didn't even see anything about Hidalgo. I'm not sure why this made it to a second page without any substantiation.

According to WMVP and mlbtraderumors.com This is always good news. Maybe the best thing to happen to the Cubs this whole offseason.

Correct. Because of what it would cost to get Lugo it's definitely right. I like Lugo, but I'll take Walker at 2B and Cedeno at SS any day if it means we keep our young trading chips for bigger trade acquisitions.

Holy cow, you have either a lot of time on your hands or you're Darren Baker. I would have an easier time reading your posts without all of the unneccessary exclamation points. I can't tell if you're yelling or laughing or confused. I'm just surprised anyone would go to the lengths you have in order to defend a ding bat like Johnny B. Baker. I really don't hate him as a person, but as the manager of my baseball team, I think he's lost his touch.

They spent over $5m on Jones, and will spend a good chunk of Pierre. They could also use some of that money on extensions for guys like Zambrano, Prior or Lee. Even though they said they would have gone for Pierre and Furcal, we really don't know that for sure. And you can't really talk about Furcal money and the need to spend it elsewhere. At the end of the day we should just expect them to spend a little more on players this year than they did last year, when it was about $100m. That's pretty much what I figured. Definitely how they would explain it anyway. We all know they could afford to absorb Manny's contract if Boston would take the right deal. Of course Tribune would have to change their philosophy to one that focused on winning a world series...

I haven't seen it mentioned, but don't the Cubs have an obligation to spend or trade for approximately $10,000,000 since the Furcal signing was a bust? That was budgeted for wasn't it?

I actually stood up and cheered when I read this article this morning. Well, not literally. This is by far Bruce at his best. I think I can say for many Cubs fans that we thank you for not sugar-coating it like many spineless writers in this town have been for years. Aside from some of the guys who write as columnists like Rozner and Mariotti, nobody on the Cubs beat has had the guts to ask the tough questions (even if it's just hypothetical, as it is in this article) like Bruce Miles. I just hope that someone takes Dusty and Jim to task with these questions and more at the Cubs convention. It's high time these guys become accountable - especially Dusty. I'm sick and tired of the cupcake-softball questions these guys get from Trib-Trumpeters and guys like Kiley. I'm not going to attend the Cubs Convention, purely because I would only go for the Q&A session and let everyone else share the Cubs Kool-ade alotted for me. It took a long time, but I'm close to stepping away from the Cubs bandwagon because of the management and mishandling of this team. Not only will I not be attending the Convention, but I'll be watching the games from the friendly confines of my couch. The Cubs have seen the last dollar from my wallet until they decide to make a concerted effort at winning a world series. Thank you Bruce. Thanks for showing the Chicago media how it's done. Now its on everyone to take these guys to task. I hope to hear reports on Monday that the Q&A session was a 'bloodbath' with no question left unanswered.

I'd quote ATCFootball but this post would be way too long for that. Can I just say that your optimistic view of the Cubs and their manager (is not healthy). I feel like I've been robbed of my normal dose of cynicism for today, and it might be your fault. I'm sorry if your blind support for Dusty Baker doesn't allow you to rationally evaluate his success, or lack thereof. I'm sorry if I've been harsh, I've just had it with this team. Dusty's had the opportunity of a lifetime and has coached some of the best rosters in Chicago Cubs history - only to misuse them. He lets the inmates run the asylum so his players seem to have less accountability than him. When he learns how to manage a pitching staff, fill out a lineup card (with an understanding of platoons and splits), can verbally define OBP and OPS, and stops using you as a human sheild - then, and only then - would I ever say that Dusty deserves an extension to his contract. A declining winning percentage every year for three years doesn't help either. Once again, I'm sorry if I've been harsh, - , but this is a hot-button issue for me. I can't imagine one more season of failure. (I'm glad you've voiced your opinion). And you're absolutely entitled to it. I don't agree with it, but that's okay, life goes on. EDIT: Paraphrased my comments out of courtesy to others.

Will there ever be a day when people stop pretending like Giles was available to us? You may be right, but doesn't everyone have a price? 3/$30 probably could have been beaten. Hindsight being 20/20 and all.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-kiley12.html I can't believe this article. Baker should just get a free pass because of 2003? He's done nothing to merit an extension. He's gotten progressively worse and should be forced to earn his extension this year. Should the Cubs be afraid that some team is going to snatch him up if we don't 'lock him up' right now? Don't be ridiculous. The Devil Rays aren't that foolish. Mike Kiley is officially the new Cubs trumpeter. I'd love to have seen Bruce's reaction to this. Guys like Bruce, Rozner and Mariotti are the only people to see through Baker. Or at least they're not afraid to say he's been a failure. EDIT: I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not. He seems to be laying out this gameplan for the Cubs to get away with resigning Baker and Hendry even though they haven't done anything in the last year to deserve it. The tone seems to change from the beginning to the end of this article. However Kiley doesn't question the motive behind resigning either, only to say that Cubs fans would probably contend that they have underachieved. The question is: Could they be in better hands with someone else who could manage a pitching staff, correctly configure a lineup card and manage egos without letting the inmates run the asylum????????

If I was the GM I would have: - Told Macias to take a hike the day after the WS ended. - Exercised Walker's option. - Signed Howry & Eyre - Not resigned Perez to that ridiculous contract. - Traded for Pierre. - Worked on a Dunn or Griffey trade with the Reds before they traded Casey. - Upped the ante for Furcal - Kept my final offer to Jones at 2 years. EDIT: All in all, not that much different from Jim's approach. Unfortunately, the moves he hasn't made so far have been the big ones.

Definitely. If there's anyone more overrated than Lugo, it might be Rich Hill. However, if we're not trading Hill, Pie, Guzman and company this offseason, does anyone else agree with me that we need to start working these guys in as regulars from the start of 2006?

I think it should be stated, and I do agree with it, that Lugo is overrated. However, it doesn't mean he's average or below average. He's an above average SS who's value on the trade market has been inflated over his true value due to the weak market of available SS's and the teams that would be bidding (BOS,CHI,etc.) and their propensity to everplay for such talent.

You don't think Cedeno could match Lugo's production? If we have to trade Walker, I'd put Cedeno at 2B. That would be a pretty nifty defensive middle infield. I think Cedeno could, but I'm not willing to assume he will. There are many problems with trading Cedeno for Lugo though. Lugo isn't that good, and Perez is awful. Cedeno for Lugo means Neifi will more than likely start everyday. That might end up the case regardless, but at least if you keep Cedeno you have a chance of Neifi not hurting this lineup again. Lugo is a 30 year old MI with modest career stats coming off a peak season and approaching free agency. Unless he completely bombs this year, he will get a big money contract next offseason, something approaching the 4/32 range. And that would be a terrible deal for whoever signs him. He might repeated his 2005 numbers this season, and if he does it in the right market, with the right hype, he could get a 4/40 or more. And by the middle of that contract his new team will be regretting the move. He'll be a 32-33 year old middle infielder who has lost a step or two on defense, who has reverted back to his pre 2005 unimpressive offensive numbers. Looking at his numbers on baseballreference.com you notice the list of similar batters. Five current SS on that list, with the already overpaid Furcal at the top. All younger. Similar through age 29, and the 2nd name of the list is Neifi. Very close is Blauser, who failed with the Cubs and was done by 33. So, you trade Cedeno for him and this year's MI is Lugo/Perez. Just having Neifi in the same lineup with this poor OF is bad enough. Then you have to make the decision on whether to overpay him next year, likely regretting it within a year or two, or letting him go, in which case you traded Cedeno, and his chance to duplicate Lugo's (and so many other very similar SS in today's game) modest career, all while getting paid minimal salary for the next few seasons, and pre free agency dollars for several years after. I don't see the value in the Cubs trading Cedeno for Lugo, not without follow-up moves that drastically improved this year's chances. To be fair the Lugo comparison was to a 29 year-old Neifi Perez. I'm pretty sure he was an all star caliber player at that time. He was surely overrated, but much better than he is now - probably since he was playing in Colorado for the majority of his career at that point. But - Lugo's comparison would hold more water at with that in mind.

I think this comment negates the first part. Does anyone else remember when Clyde Drexler played a playoff game the same week as he had arthroscopic surgery? It was only days later and he was playing a sport where you run around the whole game.

It's January, so recovery time for a knee "scope" doesn't matter. It should have had no bearing on contract negotiations and will not affect his ability to get on the field on time.

They can have all of those guys if we get to throw in Jones and take Huff and Gathright back in the deal.

Knee scopes are a ruitine and exploratory surgery. There's no risk for anything but swelling for a week or so. Some guys have only missed as little as a few days from arthroscopic surgery. EDIT: Of course if they found something major in there that would be a different story, but usually arthroscopic surgery is used to clean up the knee.

Using BA/OBP/OPS Eckstein is better, but aren't we splitting hairs here?

The way this offseason has gone so far, I'm starting to think we have to start acting like the Twins and A's have in the past. I realize that the Cubs are a major market team - so the comparison is weak. But unless the Cubs make a big splash for an impact hitter or starting pitcher, I'd rather have guys like Guzman, Hill, Pie, Cedeno and Murton play a major role on this year's team. There have teams that have been successful by playing with their top prospects and though there aren't many, I think that's where we have to go. And if Hendry and Baker aren't willing to do that, a handful ofthese guys need to be traded ASAP. I don't want Pie to be the next Patterson. I'd rather flip him and Hill for someone that Dusty can't screw up. Does this make sense?

If it's a foregone conclusion that Walker is leaving, then I think the only real option we have that keeps Cedeno at SS is to get Soriano. Lugo/Cedeno up the middle would be nice, but I think Soriano can be had for less.

That face licking thing would make for some pretty good TV, any way they could go on WGN? You can actually watch the show through the windows on Michigan Avenue at their studio.

Did anyone else listen to Baseball 365 this morning one ESPN1000? Joey Cora was commenting on Ronny Cedeno's performance at the Ven. Winter League. He said that he's a very special player who the Cubs are going to be very happy with. He commented that he's a very tough out even with breaking balls. Very good defensively and had said something to the effect that he thought Cedeno was going to be the NL Rookie of the Year. That's a pretty damn good endorsement in my opinion. He couldn't say enough about the kid, and JH can't find a replacement fast enough. This leads me to ask myself, 'Is Neifi even better than Ronny defensively?'. I'm pretty sure he's a better, more patient hitter. So wouldn't it be a no-brainer to go with Ronny? I was the last guy to jump on Cedeno's bandwagon, but seriously, has Hendry lost his mind? Are we so hamstrung by Baker's stubborness that Hendry's head is not functioning correctly anymore? We have money to spend and the more I think about it I think it will be wasted by spending it on Tejada. I'd rather get more pitching or go all out on an big bat for the outfield. Sorry for the stream of consciousness, but Hendry has officially lost me, and it's driving me crazy.

Hendry was mocked for saying the hill/dunn thing, he could still exercise his right to hyperbole and say it again. of course he isn'trading hill for dunn, the reds wouldn't do the deal! :) After reading this again, I went over to metsblog/hotstovereport to numb my brain - and alas - I found this: I just think it's hilarious that Jose Contreras, Mark Prior and Brandon Backe can be named in the same sentence regarding trade talks. Absolutely HILARIOUS. I know that he wasn't making a comparison, but Prior's value far exeeds the other two and would have to involve a completely different type of deal. The trio of Abreu, Tejada and Prior all makes sense, but Contreras and Backe??? Gimme a break. This is the same Contrares that's expecting to get a 3/$33Mill. contract. Then he'll be over-rated. over-paid and over-the-hill. (The last part's funny because he's really like 58 years old.)