waffle

on the radio just now Manny DENIED he said he's staying and reiterated that he would welcome a trade... GADS

truthfully, I would trade prior. Would I trade him for Tajeda? Probably not. There are too many "concerns" (age/medications of choice) for me. I could just see him having a down year next year. Now, if we could somehow end up with Manny in all this I'd be more interested. "You liked Sammy? You'll LOVE MANNY"

phils need starting pitching. They have a pretty good offense and defense. Truthfully, they could use 2 starting arms. I would HAVE to think any deal involving Abreu would get them at least one solid starter in return. I would think they would love williams. Young, good upside. Of course, we would have to throw in more, but I would think Williams would be a good cornerstone piece of that deal. IMHO of course.

I misused a term, when I said Sammy had a better eye at the plate, I truly meant that he has a better HITTER's eye. Burrel gets fooled all the time on out pitches. Sammy (in his prime) used to kill mistakes, he was not simply a fast ball hitter. Burrell looks lost up there alot. He reminds me some of Corey in that regard. He gets fooled alot and looks bad doing it. I think he walks a fair amount because he is 1) pretty patient 2) is very selective about what he swings at (he avoids everything that bends) and 3) gets pitched around (he is not a threat to steal). Trust me, if you got to watch pat the Bat play everyday in Wrigley, you'd start getting very aggrevated very quickly. He is not good defensively, he looks lost up at the plate and he goes through cold streaks that can last months. He also has no fire or personality.

I've had it with patient, I'm switching to bitter and sarcastic with the possibility of homicidal if the season breaks JUST right.

I watch burrell alot as I live in Philly. He has great power, is a bit of a duffer in the OF and goes LONG periods of time between hot streaks. He reminds me somewhat of Sammy, but sammy had a much better eye as a hitter and was obviously much stronger. If Burrell played average, ie as he has over the last few years, cubs fans would NOT like him. Watching him bat and field can be pretty painful. (Not that this should matter) but he also has the personality of a piece of soggy toast. I DO think, however, that the phils need to move someone in the OF, either Burrell, Abreau or micheals. I'd love the cubs to be the recipient. Oh yes, Micheals is not all that, I am confused by the enthusiasm many people show for him.

how about mickey rivers talent?

I'm fine with this trade. It fills so many needs. We didn't have a well balanced offense last year and Pierre fits in nicely. We got a true leadoff hitter and a decent center fielder for scraps. I HATED playing against Pierre. Every time he came up you got worried. He seemed to have a knack for getting on base when it was needed and then causing havoc once there. Now if we can land a big bat in the OF I think we now start to look like an actual baseball team, as opposed to a random collection of mismatched pieces managed by a poor situational manager. This is a good trade, if we overpayed, it was only marginally.

No, they don't NEED to trade him, but they WANT to trade him. Even with Thome gone they still have a big payroll and they now have a logjam in the OF. Abreu is an obvious trade commodity on a team with few others (that they would consider parting ways with). Abreu will be gone, but I doubt to the cubbies. I still like the idea of taking the money set aside for Furcal and going after MANNY. New cubs motto: "you liked Sammy? You'll LOVE Manny"

I like Furcal and everything, and agree that he would improve the team, but I also do not like feeling that we are painted into a corner without options. I think we made him a fair offer. Do I think he is a top 20 player in baseball? No, I don't, and I am uncomfortable with paying him like one. Sure do wish LA had kept out of it, though. Yet another reason to hate all things LA (I mean geez, they don't even have a football team...)

Sox need a CF'r...... And some starting pitching.... Manny manny manny manny

but do we actually want him? I prefer the suggestion in the trib this am (I think it was the trib) take the money we were going to pay for Furcal and instead go get Manny. Sure, he's a head case, but entertaining and just about the best pure RBI machine out there.

At least the Phils are ADMITING that they are interested in trading Abreu, instead of lamely insisting that he is not available... sure.... No way the cubbies give up Prior unless they are getting alot extra in return, and I mean lots (another outfielder and a starting pitcher in return). My guess is that Abreu, and his big contract, can and will be had for quite a bit less. I still think we would be a really good destination for him. Despite his age, he is better fit for the cubbies than for many other teams. I would LOVE to see him hit in Wrigley, too.

nope, but to me he'd be a great fit. he's just the kind of hitter who would thrive in Wrigley. And yes, he does go to sleep sometimes out in the OF in a way that reminds one SCARILY of a certain Mr. Sosa, but he's better than people (philly fans) at least give him credit for. there is a better than 50/50 that Bobby A is moved. And I think you might be surprised at how reasonable the price might be.

Living in Philly I can state that they will kill management no matter what they do. Apparently Micheals is not going to get traded. They now have too many bodies in the outfield, especially with the trade for Rowland. Believe it or not, philly fans HATE Abreu. They think he is lazy. Never mind that he is a 30/30 guy with a wicked OBA. bobby A. could be had, trust me, for less than you might think. Phils also have a big payroll, a little smaller now that they have lost 1/2 of Thome.

Living in Philly I can state that they will kill management no matter what they do. Apparently Micheals is not going to get traded. They now have too many bodies in the outfield, especially with the trade for Rowland. Believe it or not, philly fans HATE Abreu. They think he is lazy. Never mind that he is a 30/30 guy with a wicked OBA. bobby A. could be had, trust me, for less than you might think. Phils also have a big payroll, a little smaller now that they have lost 1/2 of Thome.

good for farnsy if he gets it. Other teams are intrigued by the same crud that kept him percolating but not boiling for the cubbies for oh those many years. He's just not worth it. I was very happy with both bullpen signings so far, length, $$$ and the players themselves. I appear to be in the minority on that.

I don't see how anyone can say the yanks/sox rivalry is overblown. I have family on both sides, going back generations, and they sure don't consider it overblown. It's real to them. That rivalry goes back generations and is very intense. They really do hate one another, the teams and the towns.

I get to watch Abreu alot (I live in Philly). Do you realize he is a 30/30 guy? Has a very good arm? Gets on base like a leadoff man? He's a bit of an adventure out in the OF, but I think he deserves a little more love then he gets in Philly. He'd fit in very well in Chitown I think...

it's something like 26 million I think (to bring them to 100, the agreed upon target)

in today's trib. 2 years. Just thought I would ruin everyone's day.

It'll just make it sweeter when we (finally) put it together. Maybe this will light a competitive fire under Hendry? Other than being beat up (gads) I allow the sox fans to gloat as much as they want. Hey, that's sports. I lived out in Ca. when the bulls finally beat the Fakers for their first title. I was tough to be around... oh yeah... That was some pretty good baseball in my opinion. I like watching well played baseball.

Isn't there something to hate about EVERY team that isn't YOUR team? Isn't it just a matter of degrees? Why is this so much worse? Cuz that is your perspective TODAY. If it were the Yanks and the 'stros, you'd find something to complain about there as well. I mean, come on! The STROS! They are AT LEAST 99% as bad as anything having to do with the Sox, and they are from TEXAS!!!!! The Sox play good baseball. They won 99 games this year, many in very exciting fashion. They have pitchers that attack the batter, unlike a certain northside team. They play solid D, unlike that same said team. They are here because they WON. How the fans act, how I feel about the owner, what any of you say about the team is irrelevent to the guys out there playing the game. I am a chicagoan, so I root for a Chicago team against ANYONE else. Again, its about sports. It's about who wins. Looks like it will be the sox and NOT the 'Stros, and for that I am happy.

That's called bad sportsmanship, and should be taught as something to avoid at the little league/pee wee/AYSO and Park District levels. Win with class. There's no reason to be a obnoxious jerk if your team wins. Maybe it's a uniquly american construct; "trash talking" after a win. Certainly the Boo-Ya Network doesn't help kids grow up to be good sports-it teaches them how to come up with a creative dance or soundbyte. Was the smuggness of the Red Sox nation bad sportsmanship? Just because they seem classier? What is so attractive about having lovable losers as fans? Wow! Look at the IVY! It's PRETTY. I am not saying I condone their behavior, but how they behave is not relevent. It is about WHO WINS. Whether you get grief in the office the next day, the next week or for the REST OF YOUR LIFE are simply details. it doesn't change the binary nature of sports. Winner/Loser. I now live in Philly, reportedly the worst fans in sports. Wrong, they just CARE more. I wish Cubs fans cared more, in fact this last year is one of the first where I actually felt a level of irritation. THAT IMHO is a good thing.... Smugness and buffoonery are two different things. You can be smug without going out of your way to rub someone esle's nose in it. And if fan behavior is not relevant, and it's only about who wins and loses, then technically fans have no right to feel either way. "They" didn't win a thing. And I think the majority of Cub fans care. It's dangerous to think all Cub fans care about is ivy and beer. Don't confuse people who go to the park with fans. We have fans all over the world, many of whom have never been to Wrigley, and could care less if they replaced the ivy with cotton balls if it meant a champion. Also, I would take Cub fans over obnoxious, rude for the sake of reputation Philly fans, who may be loyal but show little class. *no offense Truffle* Why does "class" matter? How does that cheapen the Sox win? Sounds elitist to me. I will never act like a philly fan, but boy do they CARE. I respect them for that. Now Atl fans, or Houston fans who even when their team is winning don't show any passion, or LA Lakers fans who leave early to beat traffic, those fans I cannot deal with...

That's called bad sportsmanship, and should be taught as something to avoid at the little league/pee wee/AYSO and Park District levels. Win with class. There's no reason to be a obnoxious jerk if your team wins. Maybe it's a uniquly american construct; "trash talking" after a win. Certainly the Boo-Ya Network doesn't help kids grow up to be good sports-it teaches them how to come up with a creative dance or soundbyte. Was the smuggness of the Red Sox nation bad sportsmanship? Just because they seem classier? What is so attractive about having lovable losers as fans? Wow! Look at the IVY! It's PRETTY. I am not saying I condone their behavior, but how they behave is not relevent. It is about WHO WINS. Whether you get grief in the office the next day, the next week or for the REST OF YOUR LIFE are simply details. it doesn't change the binary nature of sports. Winner/Loser. I now live in Philly, reportedly the worst fans in sports. Wrong, they just CARE more. I wish Cubs fans cared more, in fact this last year is one of the first where I actually felt a level of irritation. THAT IMHO is a good thing....