Abe Frohman

The Florida Marlins are also working on Baldelli.

If Crawford could learn how to take a walk, he would be twice the player. Just what the Cubs need.

sorry, but building a 90+ loss team with a $95 mil payroll means you're not a good gm, bad luck or not. and neifi perez is not a great guy to have on a team. unless your team is a junior college team. Well, I'll be more than happy to argue. I guarantee that if Prior, Wood, and DLee were healthy last season, this team would have been in contention and probably would have won at least 80-85 games. Hendry had little to do with that. He also had little to do with Juan Pierre & Jacque Jones swinging rubber bats during the first half. In addition, if used properly, Neifi Perez could have been a huge help to this team in late inning close games with his glove. As a starter, we all knew what to expect.

I still think Hendry is a good GM. Last year there wasn't much of a FA buffet, much like this year. After losing out on Beltran and Furcal, he made sure he got Soriano. Yeah, it was a ridiculous contract - but the Cubs have money to spend and he stepped up to the plate after MacPhail left. Neifi Perez is a great guy to have on a team for his glove and occasional clutch hits, but he was GREATLY misused by Dusty Baker. You can't blame Hendry entirely for mismanagement of the team. The Cubs have had some HORRIBLE luck (Wood, Prior, and Lee injuries), but if you look at what Hendry has done, we really do have a good GM. That being said (and it is just my opinion), I think Kenny Williams rolled the dice with Thome and other players, and it worked out great for the Sox. Even though they didn't make the playoffs, they had a playoff team two years in a row - and you can't ask for much more than that. Concerning AROD, I would be willing to bet that KW IS going after him. Not many baseball players will up your attendance like ARod would for the Sox. It would really be a brilliant move for the South Siders. Kudos to the Sox and the way they work, but screw em too.

How fitting that the "Sausage King of Chicago" knows all about cardiac procedures... "It's ok, he's just having a little heart attack." - Superfan (Chris Farley)

I'm willing to bet that he has some heart arrythmia (sp?). Probably had a low oxygen level in his blood, and the Docs ran a few tests on him and found reason to check for blockages. Probably failed a stress test which prompted the reported angioplasty. With HIPAA regulations, we'll probably never know, but Jim is probably working himself to death. He should relax a little and improve the diet. All speculation, of course.

In the next 8 years, Soriano will make 136 million dollars. In his entire career, Ken Griffey JR has made a bit over 130 million dollars. Craziness.

Well, he probably isn't going to get it. $5 mil is pushing it. I wouldn't mind a base of 4 and incentives that would total 5 or 6, as long as his hammys can make it through the season. I love Lofton, and wish they never got rid of him after 2003. Even when we didn't know Patterson was going to bust.

I'm probably going to get crucified for this, but Schmidt isn't worth $10 million. See me after the 2007 season.

Oh snap!!! Wrong Soriano.

I hope we can ink Lofton. However, we need a BIG bat in the OF with Murton and Soriano in order to make playing Izturis at SS make sense. I am warming to the idea of Soriano leading off, but with the offense as it is - I think the Cubs would be better served with Soriano in the middle of the order. Still don't have a legit #5 hitter if Soriano is batting leadoff. Pie needs AT LEAST another season to grasp plate discipline, from what I know. With a guy like Lofton in CF, he is going to need some help, and it doesn't make sense to cut into Pie's developement to bring him up to split time or back up anyone.

Brandon will be starting for the White Sox in 2007.

Amen, gooney. Jacque Jones should have just played ball - because he did that well. If he and Pierre are going to hold a grudge against the fans for the way that we got tired of Dusty's [expletive] lineups and finger pointing at the front office not supplying him "horses," than they should expect the wrath of the fans - who coincidently pay their inflated salaries. If you can't enjoy playing baseball in Chicago on the North Side, something prolly ain't right.

I wouldn't be surprised if Baldelli is on the block. I have a buddy pitching in the Marlins system who mentioned that he is being discussed for a trade with TB for a CFer.

No kidding! I am with you there.

Action shots really bring it home.

Efficient? It takes him sooo many pitches per plate appearance just to get his thing done. Now Juan Pierre, that guy was efficient! You see the way he grounded out to second on the first pitch? Phenomenal! If I had any sort of photoshop skills, I would have stuck a "43" on the back of Pierre's jersey a long time ago. Perhaps "effective" would have been a better description? That's just crazy talk. It's not really that much of a stretch if Murton can start putting up his post ASB numbers on a consistent basis. He was every bit as good as Dunn offensively in the 2nd half, provides much better defense, and costs a whole lot less. I think Murton did a LOT of adjusting last season, without too much help from the staff (intermittant platooning, obvious lack of coaching). I think when he finds himself this year there will be a lot less grounding out/into DPs, as he seemed to do every AB when he was in the horrible slump. I have faith in Murton. I think he is going to develope into a .310/.380 hitter with 20+HR, 80-90 RBI capabilities. Possible All-Star.

Jeez, no kidding. He is the most underrated player in baseball. You have a PM, Tim.

No Cub had an OBP higher than Dunn's last year, and last year was a bad year for Dunn. Who cares about his batting average? I do. OBP is great and all, but a high OBP doesn't excuse a piss poor batting average. I love guys who can get on base in general, but I also love guys who can hit their way on. A walk is nowhere near as valuable as a hit can be. Agreed. And if Dunn could figure it that there is more to baseball then the LONG homeruns (coughssingles/doubles), his batting average would go up, and OBP would literally reach the level that Bonds was at for the last few yrs. THAT is why Dunn is a pretty solid #5 or 6 hitter, not higher than that. Actually, he'd be an awesome #2 hitter. A lot of people advocate Murton for #2, for example, but Murton hits into double plays at nearly twice the rate of Dunn. I'm convinced that the Dunn-haters don't like him for aesthetic reasons. I know Dunn has hit #2 before (I think I remember him leading off before). He wouldn't be terrible, but I would think that Dunn is FAR from the prototypical #2 hitter, who is difficult to strike out and has exceptional bat control (hit & run, inside out pitches, can bunt). Just think of all the Strike Out/Throw Out he and Pierre would have handed the Cubs should he have been acquired last year, and stuck in the 2 hole (we all know that would have never happened with Neifi/Bynum/Izturis). I think Murton or Theriot would be great #2 hitters. Murton is going to walk, and not K too much. He has great gap power, and seems to have good bat control. Then again, I thought Grace would have been a great 2-hitter, but the one year he hit there he had a career low batting average (.273). We'll see how it shakes out.

No Cub had an OBP higher than Dunn's last year, and last year was a bad year for Dunn. Who cares about his batting average? I do. OBP is great and all, but a high OBP doesn't excuse a piss poor batting average. I love guys who can get on base in general, but I also love guys who can hit their way on. A walk is nowhere near as valuable as a hit can be. Agreed. And if Dunn could figure it that there is more to baseball then the LONG homeruns (coughssingles/doubles), his batting average would go up, and OBP would literally reach the level that Bonds was at for the last few yrs. THAT is why Dunn is a pretty solid #5 or 6 hitter, not higher than that.

No Cub had an OBP higher than Dunn's last year, and last year was a bad year for Dunn. Who cares about his batting average? I do. OBP is great and all, but a high OBP doesn't excuse a piss poor batting average. I love guys who can get on base in general, but I also love guys who can hit their way on. A walk is nowhere near as valuable as a hit can be. A high OB% is going to equal more runs. Dunn averages about 100 runs/100 RBI the past three years. Who cares if he has a low batting average. Donkey will produce. Still, the Cubs and Dunn don't really fit defensively, but it would be a hell of an acquisition.

The Big Donkey is going to play 160 games, score 100 times, hit 40 HR, and drive in at least 100. He will also walk 100 times, and strike out at least 150. That, my friends, is production. Ugly, but efficient.

I think Murton would make a pretty solid #2 hitter. We know that Soriano is slated for the Leadoff spot in the order, but look at these two lineups and which would you think looks more solid should the Cubs get Kenny Lofton (and assuming J. Jones is dealt for pitching): CF Lofton LF Murton 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Soriano 2B DeRosa CA Barrett SS Izturis OR RF Soriano CF Lofton 1B Lee 3B Ramirez 2B DeRosa LF Murton CA Barrett SS Izturis

link Doesn't mean Murton is untouchable. I'm sure he could be had for the right price. That endorsement by Hendry certainly improves his trade value, no? And a pretty cool/worthless note: Todd Walker's kid dances at my wife's studio.

Personally, I would like to see Maddux back with the Cubs.