katway

Hendry is likely thinking beyond the PTBNL to opening another spot on the roster, which may give the team some flexibility to bring aboard another player, etc. He's clearly not finished tinkering.

It's unlikely Patterson will pitch in the majors any time soon. The Nats observed that his velocity and command had actually declined from last year when he went 1-5 with a 7.47 ERA. His fastball was in the low 80s and even he wasn't suprised about the move during a Friday interview on the local DC radio station. Even he admitted that the Nats gave him every opportunity they could and that he just didn't have his stuff. At this point, Patterson doesn't have much upside. Given the low upside to Patterson, the Cubs organization is better served developing the youngsters in the minors and focusing its resources, innings, etc. on them rather than John Patterson.

Simple call for the Cubs. Prior wanted to be paid for 2008 without giving the Cubs an club option for 2009. Seems pretty simple that if the guy has little chance of pitching in 2008, the club shouldn't sign him without assurances that they will have the first option for his services in the following year. Otherwise, the club is just paying for his rehab and doesn't lock in his services when (and if) he's healthy.

Yep. Also no curses to blame for this one. We were flat out beat.

Another swing at a pitcher's pitch in a hitter's count.

Rather he strike out and grab some pine that do that. Absolutely horrible at bat.

Hitter's counts and we still swing at a pitcher's pitch.

After 3 balls, Ramirez just expecting a walk, so he parked his bat on his shoulder.

Second verse same as the first...

Should have made this move in the 2nd inning... clearly didn't have his stuff and was rattled (unable to bunt, unable to field, etc.)

Lee held onto it this time.

Make it stop. Lilly has been as bad as one can be this game -- poor pitching, bunt for an out, can't field....

I think you may be right, but I'm still not sure why added salary effects the sale much?!?! Seriously, if Hendry signed Z long-term and added a big bat like Griffey, or Burrell.................... do you really think the sale price would drop at all. I really doubt it. I could be wrong, though, who knows! The organizational thinking may be that the Cubs are an asset sale. The Cubs as an asset have a given value somewhat independent of the players on the current roster. Future liabilities, such as player salaries, are likely to be used by any acquirer as leverage to lower the sales price. Players like Griffey with significant deferred salary for past services are even worse because if the Cubs assume the deferred salary payments, those future payments may not be deductible by the acquirer of the Cubs as they do not relate to services performed for the acquirer. On the other hand, if the Cubs go further in the playoffs (a big IF) and thereby increase merchandise/ticket sales, etc. it may increase their value.

Since you're in the eye of the storm, what about him is controversial or confrontational, etc. What makes him the proverbial cancer in the clubhouse. Asking because I have no clue about the guy. I don't have any inside knowledge of the Nationals clubhouse and hope never to pretend to, nevertheless beat-writers and bloggers in the DC area have tended to be fairly polarized in their thoughts on Church. His apologists chalked up his surly behavior and poor attitude to being managed by Frank Robinson. I'm not sure what this year's excuse will be. Last year Church reacted poorly to not making the major league roster. That happens. The previous year he was rumored to have been the source of quite a bit of acrimony in the clubhouse. This year he proclaimed that he would turn it all around. Here are his exact words: "I can't wait," Church said yesterday by phone. "This is the year I prove everybody wrong." And he has done just that, or at least he's proved Manny Acta wrong: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/24/AR2007072402197.html When Ryan first came up, the fans here, such as they are, really took to him. That enthusiasm has waned and is now, for most, tepid at best. Last year, the question was Ryan Church or Marlon Byrd (or some other similar fill-in) and everyone answered Church. This year, I'm not sure that would be true. This has been a disappointing year for Nats fans, even though expectations were already low. Zimmerman, Kearns, and Lopez have also disappointed, but each one of them, at least, has validated people's optimism about them at the major league level. I have come to really dislike Church -- the game he cost Cordero against the Phillies is what I've come to expect from him, so I am certainly not objective about this. The Cubs would be better off without him. In a way, Church has been the Nats version of Corey Patterson light. Sometimes he looks like an all-star. But, most of the time, he looks lost out there. I wouldn't mind picking him up because if he can get his head strait, he may be an excellent outfielder. But, that's a huge IF and the Cubs certainly shouldn't over pay for him. A lot has been brought up about him being able to play center. However, from the Nats games I've been to and observed, he's a notch below average as a center fielder.

Living in DC, I've followed Ryan Church's performance over the past 3 years. He's extremely streaky. When he's on, he can be a excellent hitter (Will Clark type swing), lots of gap doubles, power, etc. When he's off, he can be one of the worst hitters at the plate, just looks totally lost at times. He plays ok defense in the corners, but is a below average center fielder. I wouldn't pay too much for him -- way too inconsistent but he's got a good ceiling (however, just as likely to out of the league in 2 years as he is to be an all-star) and a change of scenery may help him get his head strait.