C.C.

They haven't traded anybody of value yet. Listening to offers is different than trading. True, but I was just comparing in my mind the new front office compared to Jim Hendry. I know they haven't traded anybody of value yet. But I have confidence they are going to beable to build the Cubs much better than Hendry ever did. I'm not saying you trade value as soon as you get it. I'm just happy they realize that never parting with anybody, trading prospects while they still have value, not just doing a yearly overpaid veteran bandaide free agency splurge. These are the types of things I feel Theo and Hoyer will do much better than Jim Hendry. They've already done much better in just their short time. They got 2 extra draft picks by offering arb to guys the knew probably wouldn't be back. I don't think I can remember Hendry ever offering anyone arbitration. Good lord I hope you have the confidence they'll do better then Hendry.

Yes It actually did somewhat cross my mind but If the Brewers can get Fielder back it will be at their price, and if Braun misses time it will be 50 games which will have a substantial impact on their 2011 season but not so much the life of the contract. If anything it could push them to sign or trade for a cheap outfielder who upon Brauns return could be either traded or be a solid bench bat. A Marlon Byrd type perhaps. Which is why it'll never happen.

Yes

This. Let's not sign Fielder, and we'll just stand pat and wait for the perfect situation which may never come. If Fielder's not worth a couple of possibly mediocre years at the end of a seven year deal, who is? He's 27 years old and entering his prime. We are likely to get at least 4-5 years of elite production out of him. I've seen a lot of bellyaching about how we shouldn't sign him because 1-2 mediocre years at the end of a contract are going to somehow cripple the Cubs in the future, but no alternate suggestions. If not Prince, who is going to pop up in the next few years as the long term solution at first base? I also find it interesting how the general attitude on this board toward getting Prince changed as soon as Theo took over. it changed because people thought theo was going to draft a million elite players and we wouldn't need to sign free agents. it goes back to the meatball idea of "building a team the right way", which is closely related to "playing the game the right way". sure, any team that's in contention year after year is going to have some home-grown starters, but if you are a big market team, you have the luxury of signing elite talent for elite money. Why would people think that? That's not what he did in Boston. He did in the end. When he first became GM, it was his 1st GM job so he couldn't just jump in and spend, spend, spend. 9 years later, he's one of the most respected execs in baseball and has a much longer leash than he did back then. If Ricketts didn't have full faith in Epstein, the negotiations probably would have ended as soon as Boston started with the ridiculous compensation requests. Boston was a better team when Theo took over back then. He had impact players like Manny. We have none.

I hope you are guessing wrong because that would be a stupid way to think. "We don't have to get that good because the division is weaker now"

Okay then, what's true?

This. Let's not sign Fielder, and we'll just stand pat and wait for the perfect situation which may never come. If Fielder's not worth a couple of possibly mediocre years at the end of a seven year deal, who is? He's 27 years old and entering his prime. We are likely to get at least 4-5 years of elite production out of him. I've seen a lot of bellyaching about how we shouldn't sign him because 1-2 mediocre years at the end of a contract are going to somehow cripple the Cubs in the future, but no alternate suggestions. If not Prince, who is going to pop up in the next few years as the long term solution at first base? I also find it interesting how the general attitude on this board toward getting Prince changed as soon as Theo took over. it changed because people thought theo was going to draft a million elite players and we wouldn't need to sign free agents. it goes back to the meatball idea of "building a team the right way", which is closely related to "playing the game the right way". sure, any team that's in contention year after year is going to have some home-grown starters, but if you are a big market team, you have the luxury of signing elite talent for elite money. Why would people think that? That's not what he did in Boston.

This. Let's not sign Fielder, and we'll just stand pat and wait for the perfect situation which may never come. If Fielder's not worth a couple of possibly mediocre years at the end of a seven year deal, who is? He's 27 years old and entering his prime. We are likely to get at least 4-5 years of elite production out of him. I've seen a lot of bellyaching about how we shouldn't sign him because 1-2 mediocre years at the end of a contract are going to somehow cripple the Cubs in the future, but no alternate suggestions. If not Prince, who is going to pop up in the next few years as the long term solution at first base? I also find it interesting how the general attitude on this board toward getting Prince changed as soon as Theo took over. It's not that people wanted Fielder any less, it's that a lot felt that it didn't fit in with Theos plans so were more accepting the fact than not wanting him. To be honest, I'd offer a mid loaded 7 year deal where he gets the most money between years 3-5 so that it's less money the next 2 years when we're still paying Soriano, Z, and Demp and can still sign some starters when Z and Demp are gone but less money the last 2 years to make him more tradeable to an AL team where he can play out the twilight of the deal as a DH. The fact is, that if you're going to build a team from within you better have a damn good farm system, and I don't mean the handfull of high ceiling 17-19 years olds who may be the future of this franchise but may also never make it past AA. So his plan does not include an elite power hitter?

Damn! Sig worthy.

Huh? If later in his contract he can't play first base trade him to the AL then.

Jersey is owning this thread now. He's right on.

Damn, they got bank.

I'll be pissed if the Cards sign Fielder.

Not impressed.

I wouldn't change the name. I know in the tech world there's tons of similar sites with similar names, nobody gets confused.

That's just plain stupid!

Give him whatever he wants after he retires.

thanking the home improvement guys is the kicker? Glad we didn't hire the guy.

Sounds like a guy that is having second thoughts and it's too late.

I love my strange.

Yeah, If you didn't forget your raincoats you're golden then.

Nonsense. Nobody is debating the importance of his appearance today vs. what he actually does as manager. It, nevertheless, takes a pretty weird person to "forget" (or never have it even occur to him) that he would need a suit for this. Obviously it mattered to somebody since he ended up out there in a sport coat. Jesus, how can someone even begin to conclude that I'm attempting to criticize the hire or put into question how he'd be as a manager by pointing out how weird that is. You are giving this way too much thought and importance. No, the people arguing about it are. All I did was point out that it's weird. Weird would be if he forgot his pants or something.

Nonsense. Nobody is debating the importance of his appearance today vs. what he actually does as manager. It, nevertheless, takes a pretty weird person to "forget" (or never have it even occur to him) that he would need a suit for this. Obviously it mattered to somebody since he ended up out there in a sport coat. Jesus, how can someone even begin to conclude that I'm attempting to criticize the hire or put into question how he'd be as a manager by pointing out how weird that is. You are giving this way too much thought and importance.

It's neither funny or sad. It's definitely sad that a guy wouldn't have thought to bring a suit or at least a sport coat for his introductory press conference as manager of a major league baseball team. What's sad about it? Maybe he forgot it at the hotel or something.

It's neither funny or sad. Then what is it? A guy bought a sports coat before a press conference?