Hosak8

In a long list of "wastes of talent". Brien Taylor, T. Van Poppell, Toe Nash, Josh Hamilton, etc, etc. While Van Poppel may not have lived up to the hype, it's not fair to lump him in with those other three. He pitched in the majors for 11 seasons, and while his career numbers aren't impressive, he did manage a couple of decent seasons with the Cubs. The other three haven't even come close to what he accomplished. Agreed. I'd group Van Poppel in with someone like Paul Wilson instead. Wilson was once the top prospect in the game, but never lived up to it because of injuries. He did at least turn out to be a serviceable punching bag for Kyle Farnsworth. Fixed.

Cubs already have a simliar player in Ryan Theriot. Please tell me you were joking? Please?

I'll pitch in if I need to.

They might argue over which toolsy gold glover hits the best with RISP, but the end result is the same. They keep making the same mistakes. Yeah, mistakes like acquiring DLee, Ramirez, Murton, Barrett, and Howry. Mistakes like developing Zambrano, Hill, Wuertz, Ohman, Wood, and Prior. These guys are so incompetent. Why do they even have jobs? I could do better with my elementary knowledge of statistics! hahahha are you a fake account or something? Off topic, but I just threw up on my monitor, thanks to your signature.

When I met with Doug Kirchhofer, he mentioned this possibility, and said that it had more to do with Tom having a bright future in TV broadcasting. Said that his potential for moving onto bigger and better things in television was huge. Doug spoke very highly of Tom. Tom was great, and I wish him well. And I certainly hope that the Smokies will be able to fill the booth. Chip is great, and I hope he stays. Hey, maybe it could be me? After all, I have ZERO experience with radio broadcasting...

Dear Lord, just give Rich Hill #21 and watch how many outraged voices fall silent...

Not necessarily my own view, fwiw. Who wrote that? I would also like to know. Aren't 3 of the best closers in history Eckersley, Lee Smith, and Eric Gagne? 3 Americans? Gagne is Canadian. And, Joe Morgan wrote that. It says so at the top.

I come bearing not so bad news... This from CBS Sportsline: If we're talking Marshall for Church straight up, we'd better jump all over that. I'm sure other names have circulated, but it's worth it to me.

Okay, if you could make it Hill and Marshall or Guzman, would you? Or, if you could then spin Blanton and Jones off for Peavy (in addition to the TB deal) would you do that? Sure, you'd have to have Soriano in RF, and Pie playing CF and hitting 7th, but would it be worth it to have Crawford in the lineup with Sopriano, Lee and ARam and a rotation of Zambrano, peavy, Lilly, Marquis, Miller/Prior?

Murton is much more a Beane type player, and would net more in return.

I've heard a silly internet rumor (that makes a little sense) concerning the A's having interest in Matt Murton. I wonder if the A's would part with Blanton to get him? Then we could turn and deal Hill (who might be without a roster spot anyway) and, say Pie for Carl Crawford. Rotation in 2007 would be: Zambrano, Blanton, Lilly, Marquis, Prior/Miller And a lineup of: 1. Soriano LF 2 Crawford CF 3. Lee 1B 4. ARam 3B 5. Barrett C 6. Jones RF 7. Derosa 2B 8. Izturis SS Would that be enough to compete for a pennant? Would that be enough to get those deals done? Whaddya think?

So, the Dodgers give up Tomko, Penny, Ethier and Betemit, and only get back Wells and Eyre? Sorry, don't see that.

According to ESPN, former Giants SS Jose Uribe was killed in a car accident yesterday. Condolences to his family.

I would love to have Lieber back, but not sure he fills our void of a #2 starter.

While I agree with what you're saying, it most certainly won't be a Murton/Baldelli deal. Lots of pitching, no doubt. Oh, I agree. I was just saying that if I had my druthers, I'd take Baldelli over Murton any day.

I'd give up Murton for Baldelli right now, no question. In 2006, Baldelli's OPS was considerably better than Murton's, and there is no question that Baldelli brings more speed, and plays a position of need. Baldelli is also a better defender. His 2006 splits show that he hits righties and lefties equally well, and that he performed best during the day and on grass. Hmmm.... where could he find a team that plays alot of day games on grass? I'd do it without blinking. If Baldelli has truly learned a little more plate discipline, he'd the better player.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say an average outfielder in his early 30s and a few not-so-great pitching prospects are not going to fetch a 25 year old guy who is at least a #2, and maybe a #1 if he puts it all together like he did in 2004. Oh, I doubt they take that deal, but it's a starting point. The bolded looked to be a large if, at times, last season. If he's rumored to be available- why not at least make the call? Jones, Veal, Patterson/Pie and a lower-level pitching prospect probably would be enough. Is it worth that? Maybe. He's darn good. Prior and Jones would, and I would do that in a heartbeat. Z, Peavy, Lilly, Miller, Hill... yeah, I could live with that.

1 year, but I didn't see any figures. Colletti keeps on adding pieces. The Dodgers look good in the NL West right now. If they pull off a Penny for Manny deal (or even a Penny for Jones deal), they are the odds on favorite to win the west.

I was about to say "cue the Penny for Jones" threads. I still say that Manny ends up in LA, with Penny and a couple of others in Boston.

I think that's out of line. Everyone here realizes what the market situation is. Regardless of what the market situation is, 9/36 is overpaying. Plain and simple. Look up Julio Lugo's stats and tell me he's worth 9m a year, because he's not. I wanted Lugo. I like his abilities. But, for 9m, no thanks. Take that extra money and offer it to Schmidt. Trade for Ryan Church to play CF and let Boston deal with Lugo for the next 4 years. But, save the high and mighty talk. It doesn't become you. I knocked over the SunSphere. Ummm... I, uh, shot JR? Did wigs really come puring out of the sunsphere when you knocked it over?

The only one is Jack Wilson, and they still think he's the face of the franchise (which tells you a lot about the body). Bay is the face of that franchise. And, no, Jones for Duke won't happen. If the Reds are offering a power hitting OF, it makes you wonder just it might be. This could be interesting...

I think that's out of line. Everyone here realizes what the market situation is. Regardless of what the market situation is, 9/36 is overpaying. Plain and simple. Look up Julio Lugo's stats and tell me he's worth 9m a year, because he's not. I wanted Lugo. I like his abilities. But, for 9m, no thanks. Take that extra money and offer it to Schmidt. Trade for Ryan Church to play CF and let Boston deal with Lugo for the next 4 years. But, save the high and mighty talk. It doesn't become you. Ahh, if only free agents and their contracts existed in a vacuum... then you'd have a solid point. Based solely on the numbers that Lugo has put up and is capable of putting up, there's no way that you could justify that much coin. However, relative to the hole we have at SS (or CF) and what other players are making, an offer of $8 million per season is not overpaying (keep in mind that I was never pointing out that 36 million over 4 years was not too much- my initial point is that I was ridiculed for suggesting we pay him less $ over fewer years...) I guess we can agree to disagree. Whether or not you and I agree is really irrelevant, anyway. We still have huge gaping holes on the roster of our favorite team, and the difference makers that we'd like to have all seem to be ending up in other uniforms. That matter a whole lot more to me than you and I agreeing to what constitutes overpaying.

Funny... a few weeks ago, I suggested 3/24 and got laughed at for "overpaying." It is definitely overpaying, whether you suggested it or Boston offered it. ...or perhaps there are some on this message board who don't have a firm grasp on the current market situation?

Funny... a few weeks ago, I suggested 3/24 and got laughed at for "overpaying."

Yeah, I'm not liking this deal the more I think about it. I'd rather have Jacque in CF than Jennings in the rotation. Rearrange some of those names and give me Maholm + Hawpe for Jones + Marmol. Think that'd work? Sure... in your wettest dreams.