Nobody youd want to know

For a guy as ugly as Johnson, $70K a year for 18 years isn't too much to pay to get some woman in the sack... Seriously, tho, I think it's clear the mother is seeing that 18-year window starting to close, and wants to cash in while she still can...

That's exactly what Mike Marshall was saying on the Score Saturday morning. Throw all year, and get the muscles involved able to withstand overuse. It also seemed like he was against weight training for pitchers, but I came in on the middle of that conversation.

Did Bonds testify before Congress during the hearings? According to SI, the book also accuses him of tax evasion. He is in a world of hurt right now, and I couldn't be happier.

23.) We'll still be able to watch Corey and Macias play every day... for the Gary SouthShore RailCats.

Restovich goes 6'4", 250. Maybe he's the new enforcer. Haven't had one since Farnsy left.

According to SI's "Truth & Rumors," the D'backs have an offer in to Kenny Lofton. Would seem to make Corey a much less desireable trading chip.

Jenkins will turn 32 next July--but if he can come anywhere near his career averages of 281/349/508, I'd take him in a heartbeat. How's his fielding? And would Milwaukee do Jenkins for Williams straight up?

I'm still shorting.

Todd Walker with men on base, 2005: 311/350/451 While not Manny Ramirezian, that's pretty timely.

Unfortunately, AZ's going to be looking to deal one of their OLD, HIGHLY-PAID OFs, not a young, cheap one. Tho I think Shawn Green would look good in blue pinstripes next year. They can't trade Luis Gonzalez without his OK and they can trade Shawn Green to only three teams without his OK. I'm willing to bet the proper incentive$ would get Green or Gozalez to give their OKs...

Unfortunately, AZ's going to be looking to deal one of their OLD, HIGHLY-PAID OFs, not a young, cheap one. Tho I think Shawn Green would look good in blue pinstripes next year.

I like Mark Kotsay a lot, but that 280/325/421 line from last year ain't gonna do it in RF.

I'm with Lefty. Realistically speaking, I'll bet the opening lineup looks like this: CF Pierre 2B Perez 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Wilson C Barrett LF Murton SS Cedeno At which point I will cease being a Cubs fan. Go Mariners! Especially considering it could EASILY have been this: 2B: Castillo CF: Wilkerson 1B: Lee RF: Green 3B: Ramirez LF: Murton C: Barrett SS: Cedeno That's a run-scoring machine

1. Green 2. Wilkerson 3. Jonny Gomes . . . 697. Huff 698. Bradley

Do they see something in Ryan Theriot that I'm not? Something that makes him more valuable than, say, Brandon Sing?

Not to beat a dead horse--bad horse! bad horse!--but while I know there are studies out there on basestealing effectiveness, do they take into consideration the effect on the next batter? For example, say Pierre's on first and the pitcher is concerned. Does he throw a lot of fastballs to the next hitter, not willing to risk throwing a curveball in the dirt? If you look at Luis Castillo's stats from last year--he had 370+ PAs batting second, all or almost all batting behind Pierre. He hit 307/389/381 in that spot. And he hit 365/427/432 with a runner--again, presumably Pierre--on first. That compares pretty well with his overall line of 301/391/374. So yeah, maybe hitting while a basestealer is on first DOES get you better pitches...

My all-alliteration team pitchers had better throw a lot of shutouts, because they ain't going to score a lot of runs... Lineup: David DeJesus, CF Jacque Jones, RF Barry Bonds, LF Ben Broussard, 1B Coco Crisp, DH Edwin Encarnacion, 3B Placido Polanco, 2B Mike Matheny, C Mike Morse, SS Bench: David Dellucci, OF, 1B Carl Crawford, OF Luis Lopez, INF Geronimo Gil, C Craig Counsell, INF SP: Chris Carpenter Mark Mulder Mike Mussina Matt Morris Woody Williams RP: Ugueth Urbina Antonio Alfonseca Jorge Julio Mike MacDougal Ricardo Rincon Scott Schoeneweis Closer: Chad Cordero And two throw-ins, just because I like their names: Terry Tiffee, 3B Boof Bonser, RP

I think the OF Arizona would be willing to trade would be Shawn Green, who at $8.5 mil and $9 mil for 2006 & 2007, respectively, isn't as overpriced as he seemed when he signed that massive contract with the Dodgers back in 1999. His numbers have been slipping of late, tho, and he'll turn 34 during next year's offseason. He plays a mean RF, tho. I'd be OK with him in an OF of Murton/Wilkerson/Green.

So what's the over/under on HRs hit by the league leader next year? 35?

8 positions? Pshaw. Dusty's gonna have him working out of the pen next season...

Outstanding post. The only thing I would add is that Perez's, Macias' and Patterson's OBP numbers weren't one-year outliers; there is ample evidence in their career lines that those numbers were to be expected. I would argue that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results not only defines insanity, it defines ineptitude as well.

Actually, other than Lofton, who's a FA after this season, the Phils have Jason Michael, who I covet (see the $50 million thread), and Shane Victorino, who, as RotoWorld notes: I can see the Phils re-upping Lofton for another year and easing Victorino in, which makes Michael tradeable. Would they take Patterson and an arm or two? Probably would have to be a halfway decent one. Jerome Williams?

I'd love that bench. Guys who can get on base at all spots. Only thing is Fontenot can't play SS. I'm not a fan of any of the CF options you mentioned, and I don't think there's anyway the Cubs get possibly the top 2 FAs this offseason (Burnett, Giles). Hmmm... who do you get to back up SS? Where's Augie Ojeda when you need him? As has been pointed out above, my source on FA CFers was a little mistaken (tho Dave Roberts still arb-eligible? The guy's like 50 years old). In which case you steal Jason Michaels from the Phils and start him. Why do they not trust him, anyway? Stat-wise, he's a stud. I also realized in my haste to post I left a few current Cubs pitchers off the roster. Which must mean they're expendable. Jerome Williams goes to Oakland as part of the Barry Zito trade, as does Novoa. Rusch gets traded in the Patterson deal after he picks up his option. I'd keep Rich Hill in Iowa, ready to make the jump if Chris Hammonds falls off his rocking chair and hurts himself.

Lordy, the entire forum screams about the Cubs not developing positional talent, and once we finally do, you want to ship him out? (I'm speaking of Sing, not Patterson.) If I'm Hendry Sing is an untouchable. He's had an excellent season in a pitchers' league. He's my starting RF in Wrigley come 2007. (Imagine that, three home-grown OFs)

We hardly need to spend all that money on hitters; as I've stated ad nauseum, the Cubs right now are a top-5 offense. What they need is a little more OBP, and pitching, pitching and more pitching. That having been said, I love Brian Giles, and I think you open up the bank for him. 3 years/$38 million sounds like an offer he can't refuse. Book him, Danno. Bat him in front of DLee, who's come up to bat 331 times this season with the bases empty (25 solo HRs), compared to 248 PAs with runner(s) on. With a .400 OBP ahead of him, that's a lot fewer solo shots. (If you can't get Giles, nab Juan Encarnacion, whose .360 OBP would look good in the 2 spot. And his 2005 salary is $4.4 mil, so you'd save a bit of money.) I'm done with Corey. Trade him for whatever you can get, and sign a stopgap guy until Pie's ready. I'd go for Jay Payton, who only makes $3.5 this year but will probably cost you a bit more after the splash he made after being traded to the A's. Other FA possibilities: Dave Roberts (who's older, cheaper, has better speed but has NO power) or Jose Cruz Jr. (if he gets over his horrendous fielding slump, and is willing to accept much less than this year's $4 mil) For a backup OF, rather than Jeff Conine, let's grab Mark Sweeney, who's old but cheap, and has a career .359 OBP (.425 this year). And I'd love to steal Jason Michaels away from Philly as a backup CFer. His 2005 OBP: .407. Go cheap on the rest of the offense. Then you buy a couple of starters, Burnett and Millwood would be my preference. If you can trade for Zito, you go all-out. Lineup: Walker, 2B Murton, LF Giles, RF Lee, 1B Ramirez, 3B Barrett, C CF (choose from FAs Dave Roberts, Jose Cruz Jr. or Jay Payton--preferably Payton) Cedeno, SS That's a better offense than this year's, and will score quite a few more runs. SP: Z Prior Burnett Millwood Maddux (Swap Zito for Millwood if you can trade for him, and move Zito to 3rd). RP: Ohman Wuertz Williamson (setup) VanBuren Chris Hammond (FA; 1.02 WHIP in 2005) Closer: Wood Bench: Mark Sweeney (OF & PH) Scott McClain (3B & 1B) Mike Fontenot (2B, SS, 3B) Ben Grieve (OF & PH) Hank White © Jason Michaels (OF)