SpanishFortCub

If it's true that the Cubs could get him by adding $3 M over five years and they didn't, they're stupid. If it was just $5 M over five years, they should have done it.

And that's why the Cubs have always been and will likely always be losers.

Some of you are going to go ballistic, but you should know that many baseball insiders don't believe Murton will be one of the Cubs' top three outfielders.

Jacque Jones in RF. 5th place in NL Central. Multiple firings at end of season. There, three predictions.

If Furcal goes elsewhere (and if he does, let's hope it's to Tampa so the Cubs can get involved on these Lugo talks), I'd be tempted to throw the 5/50 contract at Burnett and see if he's interested. But that's just me. Maddux is gone after this season and Wood very well could be.

If he blows out a knee or rips a groin off the bone or tears up that shoulder again in 2007 or 2008, he might regret passing up the 10 million. By the way, for the agent, that's $400,000 left on the table. How much do you think Kinzer's Atlanta home costs? I'll guess $600,000. Hmmm. I'm not trying to be a smartass. I'm just saying leaving $10 million on the table is a gamble.

If he takes 3/40, he's leaving 10 million on the table. Like any player, you have to approach the contract with the mindset that it could be your last.

As a journalist myself, I have no problem with LoDuca's column today. It was an opinion piece; that was clear. Some of you need to relax. He didn't make himself the story; he wrote a column predicting where 10 guys would end up. Not one of his predictions, by the way, is all that off-base.

It's still very early. Many baseball people think it could be the winter meetings next month before anything significant gets done.

No offense, but some of you guys don't know crap. Nomar can't play SS at the major league level and stay healthy. Walker is a defensive liability. I mean, damn.

Maybe they should just stick an unproven guy like Cedeno at SS and stick an unproven guy like Murton in the leadoff slot. Or not.

I'd give them Murton and Walker for Crisp. This love affair with Murton is weird.

You have no idea what would have happened if Nomar hadn't gotten hurt in April. Until then, Neifi was a backup. That's clearly the plan this year as well. Good grief, people.

I have several sources close to the Braves and every last one of them says Furcal is gone. The Braves have Andy Marte ready to go at 3B and they'll move Betemit to SS. The only way they keep Furcal, I'm told, is if they find a taker for Chipper Jones. that would allow them to move Marte to LF.

If Marcus Giles is available, I'd pursue him with vigor. However, the Cubs' problem is they don't have much to deal. What do the Cubs have that the Braves would possibly want?

I'd: 1. Bid adieu to Walker, Garciaparra, Burnitz via letting them go and Patterson via a trade. 2. I'd move Ronny Cedeno to 2B and let him play there next month on an every-day basis. 3. Sign Rafael Furcal to a free agent deal. 4. Pray Pie can handle CF at the major-league level. 5. Sign Brian Giles to a free agent deal and make him my RF and No. 3 hitter in front of Lee and Ramirez. . 6. Begrudgingly make Matt Murton my LF and hope he develops some power and a better throwing arm. I'd hit him second behind Furcal. Unless, that is, Austin Kearns can be acquired in a deal for Patterson, Hill, Mitre, etc. 7. That would make my everyday lineup: Furcal, Murton (Kearns -- please, God), Giles, Lee, Ramirez, Barrett, Pie, Cedeno, Pitcher. Not great, but not horrible. 8. Given the reality that the Cubs won't be able to afford Burnett (though I'd go after him hard if Giles is unattainable and they're forced to play Corey Patterson), I'd move Wood back into the rotation after getting his shoulder cleaned up and pursue B.J. Ryan. Not sure what I'd do with Dempster, and if Wagner were willing to come for a reasonable deal, I'd make that happen too. I haven't studied the dollars, but if Sosa, Burnitz, Corey, Hollandsworth, Macias, Perez, Garciaparra, Walker are all off the books, there is some serious available money.

Please don't use Dubois as an example in this argument. It ruins the argument. As for Murton, he's got to develop some power. Period. His lack of pop really hurts him since he can't play CF.

Why is there such a love affair with Matt Murton here? I don't get it.

Hill is very average. Nice curve, average FB, everything up in the zone, etc. He's not going to help a winning team. Neither is Murton. The truth is that the Cubs' organization just isn't very good right now.

He's the kind of guy Hendry is going to have to acquire.

You guys gotta let this Murton stuff go. No. 1, he's not very good. No. 2, Baker isn't gonna play the kids. No. 3, Lawton isn't a CF. No. 4, Murton's not very good. No. 5, Did I mention that Murton is a one-tool player?

If Rich Hill is one of the Cubs' top two prospects, the Cubs are screwed, because he's average at best.

I'd trade any or damn near all of the above for Dunn. I'm sure Murton's a nice guy and all but he's not a good corner outfielder on a team that plays in the NL Central with all of the small ballparks. He doesn't hit home runs. He doesn't steal bases. He doesn't possess a gun in LF. Notice that not one team has asked for Murton in a deal. He's not good. Colorado wanted Cedeno, but the Cubs didn't want Wilson's contract and weren't sure they were in the race at the time. My source on that is a Rockies beat writer who's a friends.

I wasn't doubting you, DirtDog. I was just curious. If the Dayton paper (Hal McCoy) reported it, it's fact.

The problem, Dirt Dog, is the kids aren't any good. Cedeno does nothing for me. Murton's numbers are inflated by cheap infield hits. He has no power. None. He's just not a good player, IMHO. Hill is good but he's never going to be great and all those curveballs will have him visiting Dr. Andrews one of these days. Pie has a chance at greatness but his command of the strike zone will be severely tested in the major leagues. That's it. There are no other prospects close to the bigs. There are no kids to play.