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A 115 million payroll would give the Cubs roughly 35-40 million to spend this offseason. Even if five million were eaten up in Ramirez's extension, there's still plenty to improve the team. I am unsure that's good or bad news. Thinking back whent he Payroll was 85-90 the 100 mil mark was the golden ring. Looking at the team with lower payrolls that did better then the Cubs, which there are a lot of, I don't get that excited about this news. New expanding the payroll to bring in Sorano, Zito, Matasuka or Lee would excite me. A-Rod is pie-in-the-sky territory for any Cubs fans, at least it is for me. I'd like to chack out Miguel T. from Batlimore too. I still like that guy. A $115 in the weak NL would be a very good thing, of course you can easily screw it up to :D . The small market NL teams don't concern me too much.

What are we waiting for?! I think we're waiting on Bochy. My guess is that Bochy is Hendry's primary target and Girardi is the fallback option. I think he's waiting on the Yankees/Piniella situation as well as Bochy. Just like everything else, Hendry is reactive to every other team's moves. He never goes out and gets people, he waits for them to come to him. That's simply inaccurate. He certainly missed on Furcal and Beltran. But there are two players I can think of off the top of my head that he went out and got and they performed very well for the Cubs. How is that inaccurate? He waited for just about everybody to become available. Some might say he went hard after Barrett, but it took another GM to act as broker to actually get something done. He had guys like Ramirez and Lee fall in his lap after other teams were cutting costs. He's gone after a couple small time role players, like middle relievers. But those guys don't make teams win. He's had plenty of opportunity to actually go out and make this team different, but he's been timid, cautious and much to willing to accept mediocrity, and hand-me-downs. Wasn't Lee virtually an Indian though. I am forgetting what team it was. An Oriole, actually. Florida was going to non-tender him, but had a deal fall through with Baltimore. Hendry swoope din at the last moment. Thats right

What are we waiting for?! I think we're waiting on Bochy. My guess is that Bochy is Hendry's primary target and Girardi is the fallback option. I think he's waiting on the Yankees/Piniella situation as well as Bochy. Just like everything else, Hendry is reactive to every other team's moves. He never goes out and gets people, he waits for them to come to him. That's simply inaccurate. He certainly missed on Furcal and Beltran. But there are two players I can think of off the top of my head that he went out and got and they performed very well for the Cubs. How is that inaccurate? He waited for just about everybody to become available. Some might say he went hard after Barrett, but it took another GM to act as broker to actually get something done. He had guys like Ramirez and Lee fall in his lap after other teams were cutting costs. He's gone after a couple small time role players, like middle relievers. But those guys don't make teams win. He's had plenty of opportunity to actually go out and make this team different, but he's been timid, cautious and much to willing to accept mediocrity, and hand-me-downs. Wasn't Lee virtually an Indian though. I am forgetting what team it was.

How long does the posting period last for?

Haven't seen this anywhere posted but could have easily missed it.

I only like Dunn in the right lineup used in the right spot. If you get him and plug him in the #2 spot ahead for Lee and Aram I would be more inclinded to listen. My one concern is that I think Dunn is going to breakdown very quick and at a young age, or he would run straight into the brickwall in the 6th game of the season.

The FA class is very weak for 3b, and there are no obvious trade candidates. The yanks need pitching, but they should be able to get pitching AND a 3b for ARod. They don't need a good offensive 3B. Sheffield likely won't be back and, if you trade ARod, you still have these players under contract for 2007: CF Damon SS Jeter RF Abreu 1B Giambi LF Matsui C Posada 2B Cano So realistically, all they would need are #8 and #9 hitters one of which would be a DH meaning they can get anybody to hit there. The Yankees need pitching. That should be their primary and secondary focus this offseason. Sure, the yanks don't NEED any more players that can hit the ball, but thats besides the point. We are talking about one of the top 3 offensive players in the league here, they will be able to ask for and get a 3B and a pitcher for him unless the pitcher's name is C. Zambrano, Santana, Oswalt, Carpenter or the like. ARod is a reasonably priced perennial MVP candidate, if its just going to take pitching, its going to have to be a reasonably priced Cy Young candidate. Which isn't going to happen. Couldn't the Yankees get a couple solid pitchers in return instead of one Cy Young pitcher? Maybe in a three-way deal? What team can afford to trade their #2 and #3 starters? And remember, the Yankees pitching is subpar, but its not because of depth, its because of top end talent. Consider who will be getting bumped from the rotation and if the guy they would be acquiring would be significantly better than him. Heard the Astros could be one of the teams interested for Arod. Anyone think they might consider trading Oswalt to get Arod?

He told Loria to quiet down and let him handle the umpires. Good for him. If you could point to one signle shred of evidence to support he is a control freak you'd have a much stronger argument in that regard. Again, it won't upset me at all if he isn't hired, but he is a viable option. Didn't he institute the yankees hygeine rule on the Marlins? It doesnt get more control freak than that. With an entire team of kids, I don't really think being a control freak is that bad of an idea.

If OU wins here, that cheat job in Oregon is going to be huge! Don't think it matters anymore. Major Jr. is solid, but will have a hard time hold downJevan Snead, and John Brantley for 3 years. http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/1177dfbb-dbba-4c4f-8d58-b3b408ebb49c.jpg

You MUST be on the Ganja! What in the world do the Yankme's want Scott more for? Marlin's make out like made. If the Yankees get Cabrera and add Scott Moore to the Marlins, then I can see the Cubs getting Arod by giving up Murton, Pie, and Moore. Sure I could see that. Throw in one of the pitching prospects to give Florida more reason to do it. I'd love to have Arod, but the new regime seems to want to win while developing for the future. Giving up Pie, Murton, and Moore means many more years of looking for free agent positional players without developing your own. I don't think they have time for that with their contracts. Plus we have no one in our system that they can justify as not wanting to trade for Arod.

Stupid Aggies http://www.utexasclan.com/images/squeeze.gif

To be fair, I could not hit a 102 mph fastball that well either :-)

YANKEE BASEBALL blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

There is really not a single manager that I really want as of right now. But their are several manager as of right now that I really don't want; Lou, Bowa, and Showalter. Regardless of Florida I think Girardi has a lot of potential, and I think he could be a good fit as well. Is he the best guy, I have no idea, but I won't complain if he is or isn't signed. The manager is not going to matter too much with the current lineup we are sending out everyday.

I am sure he has a list, and he could still be waiting for permission to even talk to people on the list. He is not the type of guy who is going to say anything extra to the media than he has too.

Casey Clausen will also win 3 Heisman's, or at least Beno Cook will say so. I will never bet on ND over Michigan State. Pretty impossible considering Casey exhausted his college eligiblity six years ago. Although I'm not sure why Truffle is so positive either, to be fair, the Irish have won the last two in East Lansing. I meant Jimmy :lol:

Landon Donovan has so much talent, and he's wasting it in MLS, and hurting the USMNT in the process. ESPN the Mag had a more in depth article about Donovan prior to the World Cup. I can't say that I blame him if he is much happier playing here. Would you leave your friends and family for a better job overseas in a crummier place? It sucks that he won't be the player he can be because of it, but I can't begrudge him for placing his quality of life over the advancement of his career. Donovan has never seemed strong mentally to me. Maybe he left for Germany at too young of an age, I don't know. It doesn't help that I am sure MLS officials treat him like a god.

Did we need an article to tell us this :D? I know the Cubs would need an article, hopefully the USMNT isnt in that same position. I always liked Martin O'Neill, but don't hear him often associated with International Team jobs.

Casey Clausen will also win 3 Heisman's, or at least Beno Cook will say so. I will never bet on ND over Michigan State.

My bad, I was just excited about Hill's start. The kid is looking really good and his recent performances have me feeling much better about our potential rotation next year. If we could land a top of the rotation FA pitcher, I think the staff could be quite good. Z FA -- Zito, Schmidt, The kid from Japan Prior Hill Miller However, I'm not sure any of those acquisitions is realistic. Schmidt is probably headed to Seattle, Zito is going to cost a ton, and the kid from Japan has other more likely suitors. It may be worth it to pay for Zito and I would be in favor of keeping Miller at the back of the rotation to make it work since he would probably come cheap. I really hope we don't go into next season with both Prior and Miller planned in the rotation. One should be the #5 starter the other is the backup plan. If Prior or Miller could pitch 180 innings next season in the #5 slot the Cubs should be in good shape.

I would hate a manager like that. A manager should have to explain himself to the GM when asked, unless the GM is asking him about every little thing. If Joe can't handle a superior asking him why he did something it doesn't speak well for his ability to work within the hierarchy of an organization. Well this isn't in a vacuum goon. He hasn't had the most open and positive relationship from the beginning, and Loria is a douch to begin with. I think it also depends on what kind of questions are being asked. If the GM is telling him how to manage the game on a day to day basis that would piss me off too, and I am guessing most every other manager in baseball.

As much as I hate Manu, there is not a better name in sports than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. If he could have stayed healthy long enough I might have even been tempted to name my first son Ole Gunnar.

He is still going to win the Heisman Trophy 3 years in a row.

No one is winning the heisman this week. Texas chances have improved today with Lou Holtz picking Ohio State to win.

It doesn't matter. These rating are pretty much pointless for the next 8 weeks anyways.