ottawacubbie

Now, lets say from here on out he NEVER goes on the DL again. However, he also isn't the pitcher he could have been . . . lets say slightly less than that of a Jamie Moyer. Win percentage of .522 and a career ERA of 4.22. Do you think he could ever wear a Cubs Jersey again? Maybe next time he is on FA market?

Jays non-tendered Josh Towers. Not too much there, but if you took his record and minused the Yankees and Red Sox games he would have been 5-7 with a 4.22 ERA and he pitched the second half out of the bullpen which didn't help him. I can't find a scouting report to see if he is a flyball pitcher or not though. May be worth taking a flier on to protect against a Demster, Marquis, Marshall flame out.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-071212prior,1,410674.story?coll=cs-home-headlines More

My favorite so far is in regards to the White Sox Garland Deal. Keith Law says ... … The Angels get a durable control artist for the back end of their rotation, one who'll benefit from their big ballpark. … The White Sox's aim in this deal is less apparent. … More Also a close second Keith Law says ... … By signing Jose Guillen, the Royals made their second big free-agent splash in as many winters, acquiring one of the best hitters left on the market while reminding the world that they're not all that excited about Chris Lubanski. Oh found at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove07/news/story?id=3099680 BTW

I've heard they are considering moving Bay :lol:

I know this isn't the place to do this, but I figure I'd get the best response. I am in a fantasy keeper league. I have the Cubs and my current line-up (you only re-draft your bench) is below. I got offered Fukudome for Bay. My question is who is more valuble, do you think Bay is moving to San Diego and should I be worried about having an all Cubs OF and CIF? [tr] [td]Catcher[/td] [td] Joe MAUER [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]First Basema[/td] [td] Derrek LEE [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Second Baseman[/td] [/td] [td] Luis Castillo [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Third Baseman[/td] [td] Aramis RAMERIZ [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Shortstop[/td] [/td] [td] Yunel ESCOBAR [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Outfielder[/td] [td] Alfonso SORIANO [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Outfielder 2[/td] [td] Jason BAY [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Outfielder 3[/td] [td] Felix PIE [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] Starting Rotation [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Staff Ace[/td] [td] Carlos ZAMBRANO [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]#2 Starter[/td] [td] Tim HUDSON [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]#3 Starter[/td] [td] Dontrelle WILLIS [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]#3 Starter[/td] [td] Barry ZITO [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]#5 Pitcher[/td] [td] John Maine [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] Bullpen [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Staff Closer[/td] [td] Chad CORDERO [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]#2 Reliever[/td] [td] Jose Valverde [/td] [/tr] Bench [/table]

Interesting, because I would rather have Hill than Bedard, but then again last year I took Ted Lilly's stats and took away the NYY and BOS starts and predicted a 14-6 year with a 3.91 ERA to a friend. I may try that with Bedard.

I love cheering for a team who has a mid-rotation pitcher go 6-5, 3.67 ERA and a .231 batting-average against before the All Star break and 6-4, 5.73, .284 after. Nice to see the ERA go up more than 2 rund and a the BAA go up 53 points and he comes out with the same number of wins and one fewer loss.

That is a good point, and I think that I recall him getting a curtain call last year, but I could be wrong. That said maybe it is because of my feelings towards booing your own team. I always felt is was just a step above verbally abusing your wife. You shouldn't hurt the ones you love, even the most vile aspects of their being it never makes a situation better. You should take metnal notes and bring it up during couples counselling or for sports fans radio talk shows LOL!

I'll preface this by saying I really like the Fukudome signing. Couldn't be happier to fill the need and not overpay as much as we could have. Also I didn't like the Jones signing at the time. However, Cubs fans booed Jones for his first season hitting: .285/.334/.499 27 HR That said Fukudome has been projected to hit .289/.401/.504 15 HR and everyone is thrilled. I would rather half a Fukudome than a Jacque Jones and a half. However, you have to admit the booing during Jones' first season was a little bit unwarrented. I don't think Fuku will get booed and I am glad to see Jones in a different uniform, but I think Cubs fans were pretty disrespectful to him even with the baserunning and throwing gaffes.

With that link you can also use profanity. Weird. Ussually blocks it. I tried spelling it phonetically and it let me.

That is true, but it seems they have grown a little more impatient since 2003. I guess it is the Old Style fans with the "New Stlye", "Gen-Y" I want it now, and don't care about the ramifications of my actions type attitude that concerns me. I just don't think booing is ever productive. I would rather you phone into radio shows or boycott tickets (although the latter doesn't work in Chicago). I am not the only one thinking about this http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_whatsgoinon/2007/12/will-cubs-fans.html : The man he essentially replaces, Jacque Jones, got a three-year, $16 million deal in 2006 that Cubs fans hated and voiced their displeasure at every opportunity, first with Jim Hendry -- by booing Jones -- then with Jones' slow start -- by booing Jones. Then they booed him some more. Jones rallied to hit .285 with 27 homers and 81 RBI that first year, which was better than what Cubs fans should have expected based on his numbers with the Twins the previous two seasons. But he never won them over. Fukudome brings a .305 lifetime average in Japan and the reputation as a patient hitter to the Cubs outfield, which easily will improve defensively. He also comes with a lot of hype, a nice, new four-year, $48-50 million contract and an elbow injury. Fukudome averaged 29 home runs between 2003-06, but hit .294 with 13 homers last year in a season cut short by the injury. Cubs manager Lou Piniella says to give him a year to adjust to day games. But will the fans wait that long? Will they even wait a month?

You can put Wrigleyville sports in that boat too! http://www.wrigleyvillesport.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=61125!Maj&csurl=%2FiStar%2Easp%3Fa%3D29%26search%3DChicago%2520%252bCubs%2520%252bClearance%2520%252bMerchandise%26

and http://www.wrigleyvillesport.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=53859!Maj&csurl=%2FiStar%2Easp%3Fa%3D29%26 Actually all http://www.wrigleyvillesport.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=53859!Maj&csurl=%2FiStar%2Easp%3Fa%3D29%26

What time is the deadline for tendering him a contact? Midnight? Just curious.

That is true, but it seems they have grown a little more impatient since 2003. I guess it is the Old Style fans with the "New Stlye", "Gen-Y" I want it now, and don't care about the ramifications of my actions type attitude that concerns me. I just don't think booing is ever productive. I would rather you phone into radio shows or boycott tickets (although the latter doesn't work in Chicago).

This clip showcases his swing really well. It reminds me of someone's but I am not sure who? Also at 1:53 I love him gunning out runners at 1st from RF.

I watch about, 60-80 Jays games a year, he won't ever be healthy. Therefore; I want Burnett about as much as I want Gonorrhea.

It has Dusty's name in Japanese - yameroo

I believe they are asked to mail me a cheque for $50. Seriously I found this, http://www.baywell.ne.jp/users/drlatham/baseball/nihongo/diction.htm ganbare: good luck, do your best. Fans often scream, "ganbare," to their favorite players. I hope we see this often enough this gattsu pozu: guts pose; hot-dogging Japanese-style. After hitting a home run, a batter may punch the air with his fist, thereby striking the gattsu pozu. Japanese sports photographers love to catch this scene on film. Recently, local players have begun emulating major league sluggers who watch the ball sail over the fence before turning toward first base. but I hope THIS DOES NOT CATCH ON rakii sebun: lucky seven; the Japanese version of the seventh-inning stretch in which fans release thousands of condom-shaped balloons

That brings me to something else. I really hope that if he struggles next year that the "New-style" Cubs Fans don't boo him too much. It would just be a shame. I can see if he is mailing it in and not trying, but if he is working hard and being diciplined and is just struggling to adjust right away I hope they don't take it out on him. It is embarassing to have fans boo their own team when it is unwarrented.

What are you thinking it would take? SF Matt Cain Randy Winn CHC Murton Pie Hill Cedeno Veal Or is that even enough . . .

I agree and as a Patriots fan I am very interested to see how the Pats passing game is affected by snow and wind at home this year during the playoffs combined with the COMPLETE lack of a running game. Matt

I would be fine with any of these options. I don't believe that Theriot is the second coming, but I am just unsure of the better options at this time and how much we can afford to give to upgrade and still compete. I like Cedeno too. I am not crazy about him, but if he goes off in ST then give him the job. We have nothing to lose there. I would love his speed/power and D he just needs to play at the level that everyone wants . . . ie be better than Theriot and any other option at PiniHendry's fingertips.

Yeah, that's about what it is. It's filled with mostly guys who couldn't hack it above AA-AAA and decided to play in independent ball. That is about what I am expecting. However, I will be glad to watch baseball where guys are playing the game, not trying to improve random fundamentals at in opportune times at the dictation of the MLB club. Not that it happened that much, but it could be a little annoying.