USSoccer

KC, and thanks to Dusty's wonderful skills, he only had to pay $1m more than the Royals offered. So have we officially overpaid everyone we've signed? Exactly what good is Dusty Baker at this point? Because anyone could fill out a lineup card and rattle off cliches. Haha. We had to outbid the freakin Royals. How sad is that? I hate this organization. According to WGN radio, the Cardinals were also offering 3 years. Then Hendry should have let the Cardinals downgrade their OF. It would have been a net upgrade for us.

KC, and thanks to Dusty's wonderful skills, he only had to pay $1m more than the Royals offered. So have we officially overpaid everyone we've signed? Exactly what good is Dusty Baker at this point? Because anyone could fill out a lineup card and rattle off cliches.

Start a campaign similar to the one in Detroit about Millen. :) Personally, I want to organize a day where we get as many people as possible to not buy tickets to one game as a protest...anyone interested in joining me? I can print out flyers at Kinkos for free Start a thread on the front of baseball discussions, I'll do my part. I'm already bankrolling Tree's guerrilla hijacking of a Caravan Q&A. You know I'm in.

I don't think it is. Now Hendry has several options: 1. He can trade Pie as part of a deal for Tejada and have all three OF positions set. 2. He can platoon Jones and Murton if Pie is playing for the Cubs in 2007. 3. He can platoon Jones and Hairston or another rightie this year. Please tell me you're joking? A platoon of Jones and Hairston? Yeah, that will produce some massive offensive numbers... :roll: Not ideal, admittedly, but against LHP Murton is much more of a power bat, and Hairston could bat 2nd against LHP. Jones has some very good numbers when facing RHP, which some on this board overlook. You don't sign platoon corner OF's to 3 year, $16m contracts. You don't give Baker any extra reason to sit Murton. If that's the best shot of optimism that's out there, then this offseason is pretty much shot.

So we're 10 pages in, and it still sucks. Seriously, this Cubs Covention is going to look like a Scott McLellan press briefing at this rate. I wouldn't be shocked if they can the Q&A.

If he was feeling pressure to win, and he still signed Jones to this deal, then he's a terrible pressure decision maker.

I don't think it is. Now Hendry has several options: 1. He can trade Pie as part of a deal for Tejada and have all three OF positions set. 2. He can platoon Jones and Murton if Pie is playing for the Cubs in 2007. 3. He can platoon Jones and Hairston or another rightie this year. Your options one locks us into one of the worst OF's in MLB for at least 3 years Your option 2 is foolish, as Murton could bat left handed and probably outperform Jones. Your option 3 makes me want to throw something. In no universe is Harston/Jones an acceptable platoon, unless the Jones is Chipper.

No way Goony. Not everything has to be done by Dec 20th. It's still early. /crap

Come on now. Have *some* tact and wait until we're 33 pages into the vent before dropping this when it's fresh.

So just wait until Jones is placed 4th in the lineup between Aramis and Derrek. Just wait. The only plus is that barring absolutely miraculous performances Baker will be fired.

I can honestly say I would have been less angry had he exercised Burnitz's option, if I knew this were the result.. At least it was only for one year.

It's like he panicked and decided instead of signing one of the Bad 3 to a one year plus an option deal, to go long term with a player that you can make a case for Corey being as patient as. What an idiotic deal. Idiotic. I'm still waiting for someone to come and justify this move somehow.

Yeah, he had a lot of glowing comments... I liked his comment about Jones being "a guy who can score from 1st base on a double." Awesome. Just what we needed. :wall: How is he going to get to first base? Is he going to pinch run for someone better?

Tree, if you somehow include a vicious critique of this signing in with the Wood surgery question at the Peoria stop, it's now up to $75. make it 90 (tickets are 15 dollars) and you're on seriously, you can write what you want me to say and everything. if i have to submit a question, ill just write something about how much i love pierre, and then read my own thing when i get up there. let's do this. It's on. Its so on.

Yeah, he had a lot of glowing comments... Levine is a bloody fool. He has the analytical skills of an area rug.

Or that it's just some sick joke. Maybe he'll fail his physical. I dare someone, anyone to show me any stat that suggests that Jones won't completely suck for us through 2008. If someone shows me that one stat, I'll mail them a dollar.

Strike 3, 'Cuse?

Tree, if you somehow include a vicious critique of this signing in with the Wood surgery question at the Peoria stop, it's now up to $75.

Might as well, since we're going to suck if we just tread water.

Honestly, the thinking behind this one is going to be hilarious. I cannot, cannot wait until Hendry trots out some stupid reason for signing him. And even if you feel he's the best, fine. Give him 1 year with an option. Don't guarantee 3 years!! :x

Three years. That's damned irresponsible. Just because he's the best option standing in your mind, Jim, doesn't mean you give him 3 YEARS!! Idiotic. Absolutely idiotic. Even if they do bring in Tejada, on it's on it's still idiotic. We're stuck with Jones for 3 years. We just married a terrible baseball player for 3 years.

Who here is excercising sensorship? You've been here just has long as I have so I would think you are respected poster. I really don't understand the hang up you have about post counts? The free exchange of ideas means people may disagree. What is the problem? this has all been about this in other words, you are not allowed to disagree with certain criticisms. my obesession with post counts has to do with how many times I have been chastised, and seen others chastised, for saying something to a "long-time respected" poster. I've been around a long time, but have always tried to be an independant thinker. one doesn't become a long-time respected, or have the long-time respecteds come to one's rescue, without subscribing to the same train of thought as said long-time respecteds. in fact, one might say that the long-time respecteds respect noone other than themselves, and they tend to be venomous to those who don't subscribe to their way of thinking. not censorship, but there is certainly a chilling affect. I'm sure many agree, just wish a few more had the guts. Okay, I wrote that, and your translation of what I wrote is completely wrong. That statement was partly rhetorical and partly directed as people who, no matter the subjectm defend the Cubs Management, even when there is overwhelming evidence that they are wrong. It's not a matter of me thinking or stating that all must agree with me, or whatever. It has nothing to do with "long time respecteds". You've been here a long time, and I respect you. I respect just about everyone here, but some of the battles and arguments people make baffle the heck out of me, and this one is one of them. Obviously everyone has a right to dissent here, and disagree, because otherwise it would be a boring place. If you thnk that I don't believe that, I don't know what to tell you. Just because I have no idea where the impetus to defend, defend, defend the cub braintrust to the death doesn't mean I think they're idiots, or think they shouldn't be allowed to discuss. Heck, look no further to me and CubbieRich. :P He and I butt heads on Kerry Wood all the time, and I've stopped arguing with him about it because it's not a productive use of Tim's bandwidth, but I didn't and won't ignore him, and think that he is well within his rights to have his opinion. I disagree with it 1000%, but it's his opinion.

and when it does, the mods are sure to chastise me publicly on the board, unlike others. that's the thing about the long time respecteds. they don't like to argue. THE POINT was that nobody thought the Astros were going anywhere in 2004 either. year after year there are teams far less talented than the 2005 Chicago Cubs that come out of nowhere. BUT I GUESS I CAN'T MAKE THAT POINT BECAUSE I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO ARGUE WITH THE LONG TIME RESPECTEDS. my entire point in this thread is that dialogue shouldn't be restricted because the consensus disagrees. what's your guys reaction? more attempts to restrict dialogue. pathetic. I won't pretend to speak for anyone but myself, but my point was that one could argue the point, but you'd be arguing something with pretty much no defense. A setup man was not going to make the Cubs into a contender, and they knew his arm needed at the least, rest and rehab, and probably suspected a 'scope was needed.

I really think Weaver is undervalued and gets a reasonable deal. What's so special about Weaver? I'm much less than impressed with him, and I find him to have always been greatly overpaid. He has decent peripherals, but the long ball kills him. I think he's really similar to Clement in terms of where he is in his career, and if we got him for 1 yr at 7-9m, I'd take him over Rusch and, quite frankly, Maddux. Plus, if he signs a more reasonable 3 yr deal, it would free up Hendry to use Hill AND Williams in a trade, and then maybe we don't have to settle for Jones in RF. Z Prior Wood Weaver Maddux

I really think Weaver is undervalued and gets a reasonable deal. One word: Boras I read he'll accept arb if he doesn't get a good deal. Boras had Millwood sign a 1 yr deal last offseason. Weaver has a less than stellar rep in baseball, and one good year could set him up for a huge payday next offseason.