nolanwood

I'd take Bradley in a heartbeat..... and I'd have to agree that if a Walker/Bradley trade exists, then Furcal is obviously coming to Chicago as well. There's no way we start the year with a Cedeno/Perez middle infield. I think we could get more in return for Walker, however, I'd love to have Bradley in 06. :)

You don't pay a guy for the job he's done thus far, you pay him for what he's likely to do under the new contract. Ryan's peripherals suggest he'll have no trouble maintaining dominance over the next few years. He was not paid too much money. If you want to argue years, go ahead. I would have gone 3/30 on either Wagner or Ryan. Their numbers are great, and blow away Dempster. I don't recall ever mentioning the sucess of Wagner, or arguing the terms of his contract, so that is ultimately irrelevant. Wagner has shown dominance as a closer over YEARS. Yes, I've examined both Ryan's and Dempster's #'s as a closer, and I've still yet to determine how Ryan "blows away" Dempster in the closer category. Yes, I agree you pay somebody based upon the #'s they are likely to produce, I just think that another year under Ryan's belt as a closer would further signify that he's worthy of throwing up those numbers for years to come.

Ryan was much better than Dempster. While you might think it's been shown time and time again that no matter how well you pitch in the 7th and 8th, the 9th is different, I will contend the exact opposite and say that most pitchers who are able to dominate with great peripherals in the 7th and 8th can adjust to do the same in the 9th. BJ has done just that, with far superior numbers to Dempster. If a great pitcher comes in in the 9th and shuts down the heart of the opposition's lineup 1, 2, 3, it would be worthless if a second rate pitcher already gave up the lead in the 8th. Games can be won and lost in any inning. Ryan has been a great pitcher for 3 years, far superior to Dempster and there is no indication that he can't handle the supposed pressures of the closer's role. Would you mind comparing Dempster's #'s as a closer in '05 to Ryan's..... I could be misunderstood..... I agree as well that games can be lost just as easily in the 7th and 8th innings as well, which is why I was very pleased with the signings of Eyre and Howry. However, I can probably name just as many successful set-up relievers that didnt have the stuff to handle the pressure in the 9th as you can name guys that made the transistion successfully. There is no denying that the pressure situation in the 9th is a whole different realm. Again, I'm not claiming that Ryan doesnt have the makeup to get the job done for years to come (or for that matter that he wasnt successful), just that he was paid WAY to much money for the job he's done thus far.

He's been putting up great numbers for 3 years in a row actually. The save is the most overrated aspect of his game. He's a great reliever, whether it's in the 7th, 8th or 9th. He went from set-up man to closer flawlessly, so you can't question his ability to handle the job. He's far more reliable than Dempster, and much more dominant. $10m a year for him is not at all surprising, and he got a bit less. The years are odd, but hardly a certain bust. Giles at 5/55 is too much. I agree with you in regards to Ryan - he's ahd quality #'s the last 3 years. However, it has been shown time and time again that regardless of the success a pitcher has had in the 7th and 8th innings, the transition to closer can be a whole different realm. Granted, Ryan definitely had success this year as a closer, but no moreso than Dempster did. AND, at this point in the game, both Dempster and Ryan have only been closing games for one season - compare their #'s. And one year as a closer shouldn't bring that kinda money. I also don't think the save is the most overrated aspect of the game either. If that 9th inning pitcher can't come in and hold the lead at the biggest pressure point in the game, those previous 8 innings are worthless. I think the only overrated aspect in regards to a closer is the amount of $ they bring.

I definitely wouldn't be disappointed with an infield of Cedeno/Walker/Perez if we picked up a big impact bat for the OF, and also addressed the other OF spot as well, with somebody other than a Preson Wilson or comparable player..... Plus, without spending the $ on Furcal and by picking up a big impact bat via trade, we should have plenty of $ to snag another quality pitcher.

PLEASE, no Preston Wilson. That doesn't help us out at all!

I still don't understand why Ryan received the contract he did.....He was only a closer for ONE season- that just doesn't make him reliable material. It'd be a different story if he was coming off his 3rd or more year of putting up those numbers, but closer's come and go all the time. Just makes me more pleased we've got Dempster and didn't have to enter that ridiculous bidding war for Ryan or Wagner....

I wouldn't mind having Green, but I think his inconsitent bat would drive me nuts! He's either super hot for a couple weeks, or really cold for a month.

I'd pass on Gibbons. I think we need more of an impact in the OF, then going with Michaels/Murton/Bradley or the likes. I wouldn't mind the addition of Michaels or Bradley to the team.....I think Michaels probably has too high of an .obp for Hendry to show interest, though. I'd like to see the addition of Cliff Floyd, but not sure if that'd be possible either.

Preston Wilson = bad. Please no. I'd take Wilson if Hendry get Arebu or Giles for right. What's more likely is what some had hypothesized all along: That a Wilson signing would be coupled with a Peirre trade and they'd call it an offseason. YIKES!!

my thoughts exactly.....send Wilson and Jones somewhere else. If Hendry wants another Burnitz, why doesn't he just give Burny that $?

I agree from what I've heard and read. Who do you think is the most reliable writer in Chicago when it comes to trades? Bruce Miles, although he sacrifices breaking the big story for reliability. I appreciate that after all the Bruce Levine disasters. Agreed. Miles' credibility almost makes it as if a story does "break" when he confirms it. It never bothers me when Miles is scooped, as I genereally won't believe it until confirmed by Miles. I think some people are too hard on Levine, though. Even if Hendry were reporting rumors himself, he's have several ones that never pan out. Sometimes deals fall apart at the last minute, and the guys that break these rumors are left with eggs on their faces despite having reported accurately that "a deal is near..." Now, when they are reporting that "something is done," when it in fact isn't (ala the Pudge episode a couple of years ago), that's a different story. Levine, for the most part, is a pretty decent beat reporter. I agree with you on Bruce Levine. He is far superior to George Ofman who seems to read the papers for his "scoops". I'll go with Bruce Miles and Bruce Levine as the two best in Chicago. Levine at least admits when he is wrong, unlike many of the others. Did Levine ever admit he was wrong after he mentioned there was big news involving the Cubs getting Dunn - or similiar - and mentioned more updates would follow later in the day.....then the day passed and nothing was mentioned about it.....then another day...and so on. I could be mistaken, but I've held a sore spot against Levine ever since that occurred.

He only played 7 games at short, only started 5 of them. He now has 3.136 years of ML service time, meaning he is eligible for arbi for the first time. Yeah...I wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been up to the big leagues......and regardless of how many games he had at short, a statement of "he ended up playing both 2B and SS for the A's this past season" is an accurate one. However "he was signed on as the backup for Crosby on the 05 season" is not. He was signed on as the starting second baseman (to split time with Keith Ginter), Marcus Scutaro was the backup shortstop from day 1. Thanks for the correction.....please continue to serve your fellow NSBB members and continue to look for menial statements to correct them on. I guess that makes you feel "bigger". It's one thing if a stat is posted incorrectly.....but let's attempt letting the not-so-trivial tidbits slide by? OKAY? Thanks!! He was just setting the record straight, don't take things so personally. I understand where he was coming from - not setting the record straight......the same thing goes on with almost every member on here.....attempting to start a feud and patting themselves on the back after they think they "won". My point is....WHO CARES? If I posted Mark Ellis had an .obp of .390 last year, then correct THAT. Splitting time with another player at 2B DOES contstitute a role as a backup middle infielder.

He only played 7 games at short, only started 5 of them. He now has 3.136 years of ML service time, meaning he is eligible for arbi for the first time. Yeah...I wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been up to the big leagues......and regardless of how many games he had at short, a statement of "he ended up playing both 2B and SS for the A's this past season" is an accurate one. However "he was signed on as the backup for Crosby on the 05 season" is not. He was signed on as the starting second baseman (to split time with Keith Ginter), Marcus Scutaro was the backup shortstop from day 1. Thanks for the correction.....please continue to serve your fellow NSBB members and continue to look for menial statements to correct them on. I guess that makes you feel "bigger". It's one thing if a stat is posted incorrectly.....but let's attempt letting the not-so-trivial tidbits slide by? OKAY? Thanks!! And, for the record, he was signed on to split time with Ginter @ 2B....which would also constitute a role as a backup MI as well.

He only played 7 games at short, only started 5 of them. He now has 3.136 years of ML service time, meaning he is eligible for arbi for the first time. Yeah...I wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been up to the big leagues......and regardless of how many games he had at short, a statement of "he ended up playing both 2B and SS for the A's this past season" is an accurate one.

Ellis missed the entire 04 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder that he received in a collision in spring training. I thought his 05 contract was for one year - he was signed on as the backup for Crosby in the 05 season....he ended up playing both 2B and SS for the A's this past season.

Wow....I'd definitely take Ibanez :) Raul Ibanez = Jacque Jones, Jr hmmmm.....Jones is just like Ibanez.....minus .036 in obp......minus 18 runs.....minus 16 rbi's.....minus .031 BA......oh yeah....and minus the fact that Ibanez is also a backup corner infielder. :roll: Lets see....Ibanez is 33 (best years likely behind him, decline on the horizon), Ibanez career obp is only .014 points higher than jones, ba .004, slugging .004 difference. A career difference in OPS of .018 isn't anything to write home about. As for runs and RBIs, those are more team dependant. Ibanez is also a backup corner IFer...we don't need another backup corner IFer, so for our purposes, that's pretty moot. So, like I said...Ibanez is Jacque Jones, Jr. Well, since he's actually older, maybe I should have said Jacque Jones, Sr. edit: I was a point off on the slugging difference, it's .005, not .004. So the OPS diff is .019. yeah....cause we didn't use have a corner infielder go down last year at the end of the season with injuries, did we? I think their numbers last year pretty much sums it up, imo.....

I find it very ridiculous that a website that charges $80 for a membership would post such garbage as a front page article. Who gets off on that, anyways? Just making stuff up....

Wow....I'd definitely take Ibanez :) Raul Ibanez = Jacque Jones, Jr hmmmm.....Jones is just like Ibanez.....minus .036 in obp......minus 18 runs.....minus 16 rbi's.....minus .031 BA......oh yeah....and minus the fact that Ibanez is also a backup corner infielder. :roll:

Wow....I'd definitely take Ibanez :)

wow - as much as I could say I would be happy if that article were true.....there is absolutely no way it is!

Let me point something out, having a high post count doesn't allow you the luxury of personal attacks. That is not a personal attack. I clearly laid out how Neifi's presence in the linup hurt the team. Then the other guy tried to tell me how wrong I was for blaming Neifi. I didn't blame Neifi, I blamed his presence in the lineup. Neifi performed as expected. Unfortunately, Neifi as expected is an awful option for a starter, especially atop the lineup. The fact that he felt the need to point out how wrong I was put the responsibility on him to actually criticize what I really wrote, and the fact that he so blatantly misrepresented what I wrote is completely his fault. Gooney's Evil Twin Sucks!! And, according to the logic set forth by a plethora of other members in this post, Gooney's Evil Twin is the reason this messageboard sucks. I comprehended your statement of "Neifi Sucks" just fine.....

Neifi did suck. His inability to hit wouldn't hurt a team that used him properly. But the Cubs inability to use him properly hurt them. I've been saying what I said in that post for a while. I did not take any of your thoughts and simply turn the words around. Oh, come one....this is alot more simple to figure out than what you're making it. The misuse of Neifi DID suck. That doesn't mean Neifi sucks, right? It's that simple, Captain Comprehension.

Let me then point out what is not so great about your reading comprehension skills. I repeatedly said that Neifi's presence in the lineup was the issue, not Neifi himself. I'm not blaming Neifi. I'm blaming the fact that he got 600 PA, over half of which were in the 1 or 2 hole. Can you please take the time to think about that? Neifi is fine on the bench. I said that, and I repeated it to make it very clear that I am not saying Neifi is completely worthless. If you signed Neifi to a 1 year $500,000 - $750,000 contract to be a backup middle infielder, and did whatever you could to not start him very often or let him leadoff or hit 2nd, you would be making a good decision. Perhaps a small market team would be better served finding another all glove no bat shortstop for half that price, but the Cubs can handle it. Take for instance the Dempster issue. Dempster in the rotation was a bad thing. It took a good bullpen arm out of the bullpen (putting excess pressure on lesser bullpen arms) and put a mediocre starter into the roation (when there were several similar starters who could have done the same job). Dempster starting? Bad. Dempster relieving? Good. That doesn't mean Dempster is sometimes a bad guy and sometimes a good guy. He's an unreliable mediocre starter (or worse) and a pretty good reliever. If you have him starting, and he just "does his job" your worse off than if you had him relieving, and he just "does his job". By your logic, you can't blame Burnitz for sucking in RF. He just did his job. If you look at his numbers the past couple years when he was not playing in Coors, it was pretty easy to predict what he would do in RF for the Cubs, and he did just about that. However, JB in RF and in the middle of the order did indeed severely hurt the Cubs. The Cubs got next to no production out of RF and had poor production from his spot in the order. Now, put that same guy on the bench, pay him half of what you paid him, and all of a sudden you got yourself a pretty good 4th OF. Field yourself a decent lineup with a real 3, 4, 5 and solid production out of your corner OF spots, and JB is suddenly an excellent role player. He's still the same guy. But it's the usage that matters. JB starting in RF and hitting 4th/5th? Bad. JB on the bench, occasionally starting and hitting 6th/7th? Good. Neifi's regular presence in the Cubs starting lineup, and his spot at the top of the order played a significant role in the team's failure in 2005. There is no avoiding that simple fact. Let's examine your stellar reading comprehensive skills - rewording everything I said and throwing it in your reasoning? I believe I read correctly when you stated "Neifi sucked". And that's where I'm coming from. My comprehension is just fine, thank you :wink: Can you comprehend that?

What am I to say to this? Neifi sucked. The fact that he had to play so often hurt this team. The fact that he hit atop the order hurt this team. There were other reasons as well. SS and the OF (the entire OF) were useless, the bench was worthless, the manager was stubbornly anti-objective. Starting pitchers failed to live up to hopes and parts of the bullpen stunk. But there is no possible way to gloss over the fact that Neifi at SS was a bad thing last year. Cedeno was no guarantee to be good, but given his 2004 season and the start to his 2005 in AAA, he was an infinitely better option than Neifi. Neifi is fine for the bench at minimal cost (not necessarily the minimum, as it's hard to get any veteran to play for what the kids cost - $500k-$750k is about what he's worth). There is nothing wrong with having somebody like him on your roster, at the end of the bench. But there is something terribly wrong with giving him 600 plate appearances and letting him hit at the top of the lineup in more than half of those at bats. Neifi's presence on the roster didn't lose games, Neifi's over abundant presence in the lineup did. Great post. Let me define what is NOT great with that post, aside from all the parts you repeated from my previous post as issues and failed to notice. You CANT blame Neifi!!! He served his role!!! It's that simple, and if you can't grasp it, I'm glad you're not the GM of this team either!! Blame Hendry for all the reasons I stated before! Blame the health concerns of the starting pitching staff! Blame Crusty for his mis-use of Neifi! Blame the handling of the bullpen!! Blame Nomar for going down!! NEIFI JUST DID HIS JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: So did Burnitz, and he also sucked. Neifi did nothing to help this team make it to the playoffs last year. Who cares if he did his job if he sucked at doing so. Actually, Neifi wasnt hired last year as a stud RFer with power. He was hired as a bench player and backup for the middle infield. Well, he served that role more than adequately. I suppose you would've preferred to see Macias there? Cedeno WOULD have been a nice option, but at that moment in time, he was NOT the option. NEIFI DID THE JOB HE WAS HIRED TO DO.