MarkPrior

I'm registered, Bring Back the Tank! formerly Windy City D!

I'd be in if it wasn't anymore than $30 or so.

I was in a Yahoo league last year (CubFanNotBudMan was the commissioner), and I do remember a Windy City D! from that league, so that's probably the league you're thinking of. Right on I remember your name too, Are we not having that league again?

you left me out...I'm in again, Windy City D! misread that, the manager names sound familiar but it must have been from the Yahoo league. But I'm in if you have a spot

I noticed that when I saw him early this season. Unbelievable, the resemblance. What many people don't realize is that many teams, Cubs included, passed on Reyes and let him go to the 13th based on the assumption he was injury prone. I haven't done any research on his college career, which was at USC the same time as Prior I believe, so not sure where the injury worries stemmed from. But how about that for irony. :? He had a great fresh. year then had elbow injuries for the next 3 years while at USC. Well, I guess that would raise the red flags

I noticed that when I saw him early this season. Unbelievable, the resemblance. What many people don't realize is that many teams, Cubs included, passed on Reyes and let him go to the 13th based on the assumption he was injury prone. I haven't done any research on his college career, which was at USC the same time as Prior I believe, so not sure where the injury worries stemmed from. But how about that for irony. :? edit: honestly, Oliver Perez is the perfect example of a pitcher who woke up in 2005 and forgot how to pitch.

My team Lo Duca A Huff Dmitri Young To Walker ARam C Guillen Burrell Wells J Jones J Payton Cr. Wilson J Barfield J Vidro (DL) Carpenter E Santana Zito Rich Hill B Kim Nolasco S Olsen Benson (DL) Broxton Looper McDougal Coffey Feiliciano S Proctor I put Carpenter on the trading block, thinking I need a legit closer to make a late run, while also keeping next season in mind. Both of these trades were offered by teams ahead of me in the standings. I'm 5 of 17. Trade offer 1: I was offered R Johnson and Wickman for Carpenter...I don't think so (But this guy also has H Street and Isringhausen. I don't want the latter but should I make a Carpenter for Street offer?) Trade offer 2: I was offered Hoffman and M DeRosa for Carpenter...this doesn't seem like too bad of a deal for me. Should I give up Carpenter in offer 2 or propose my variation of offer #1, or just hold onto him? thanks

So you would trade Linebrink straight up for Hamels or Blanton with Santana for Dye (and keep in mind it's Ervin, not Johan) Who would you prefer between Hamels and Blanton? I haven't seen Hamels much.

The guy offered E Santana (whom I've been after) for Dye. It's a keeper league. He also wants Linebrink, and said he would throw in Hamels, though I'm thinking of asking for Chuck James or Joe Blanton instead. We are going to have 5-7 keepers, it hasn't been decided yet. He wouldn't accept Linebrink for S Olsen. Should I do the trade?I'm after mainly pitchers my team.. Lo Duca Huff Vidro A Ramirez C Guillen Burrell V Wells Dye J Jones Cr Wilson A Kennedy J Payton Todd Walker DL-C Blake Carpenter Zito Benson Nolasco M Batista Jaret Wright Wood Linebrink Valverde Looper Coffey DL-MacDougal His pitchers... E Santana S Olsen Bonderman Carmona Papelbon J Rauch L Kensing C Hansen J Lester C James C Hamels Blanton Marmol DL-Gagne

Neifi's throw was absolutely horrible on that play. Even if Ramirez was in position, he wouldn't have been able to field that throw. I think you're wrong. Ramirez should have been on the other side of the bag and closer to it. Neifi gets no sympathy from me. Trying to turn a double play while backpedaling. What a clown! I just defend the play that just happened and not what already happened before that! :D Yea. I think we all know the Cubs are miles away from being a big league team. As someone mentioned, they do not do the little things and made note the Cardinals do. As much as we hate that team, we have to admit, they are a very well rounded team. The Cubs just make me sick now.

Neifi's throw was absolutely horrible on that play. Even if Ramirez was in position, he wouldn't have been able to field that throw. I think you're wrong. Ramirez should have been on the other side of the bag and closer to it. Neifi gets no sympathy from me. Trying to turn a double play while backpedaling. What a clown!

This is simply pathetic. This team, the 2006 Cubs are a grown version of the Bad News Bears. It's disgusting.

The larger point here is that if you were to trade Pierre and Jones and pick up a Crawford and Cabrera, you'd save roughly 8 million in salary. Couple that with the 22 coming off the books for Maddux and Wood, and the team would have 30 million in salary. That's THREE $10 million per year pitchers, if need be. The team could pick up Zito and still have probably 18-20 million in salary to spend. Or pick up Zito and Smoltz and still have 8 million just to equal this year's payroll. Your starting rotation for 07 Z Prior Marshall Marmol Miller Barring any major trades. Why does everyone keep insisting that Wade Miller will ever be good again? Seriously, think to yourselves...have we learned anything from these reconstruction projects...Prior and Wood, especially the latter. Though Dempster has remained healthy and done a decent job, he is the only exception. Look at Williamson.... Don't get me wrong, I love Wood just as much as a lot of Cub fans, hell he's my favorite Cub ever even surpassing Grace, but I've finally come around to the point where I don't expect him back again. We must have the same attitude with Miller, of course not as nilihistic, but we shouldn't expect great things from him, even in 2007.

I get confused rather easily over some of the past trades the Cubs have made. They go from pulling off a brilliant, and well-timed trade to acquire Aramis, though more of that can be attributed to Pittsburgh unloading players, as well as the Nomar trade to giving all these prospects up for Juan Pierre. I was in shock the moment they made the trade simply because Pierre's production had been down the previous year in Florida, quite drastically if I remember correctly. But understandably, in a sense, Hendry felt the pressure to get a leadoff hitter and saw it necessary to part with some young prospects. edit: Pierre's '05 numbers didn't decreased too sharp, just somewhat of a dip in his OBP and AVG (a .374 OBP in '04 to a .326 OBP in '05)

While I agree, though not scored as errors, there were 2 plays in the field made by the Cubs in the field that hurt Kerry, Murton/Pierre flyball and Walker's groundball(s) (the backhand attempt), but Kerry overcame and I was very impressed. However, he was throwing 94-95 and topped out at 96 I believe the first 2 innings and reduced to it to about 88-90 the rest of the game. I don't expect anything more than that. So if you're wishing his velocity, the reference you made to being short a few mph, be at 98, 99 think again. He won't throw that hard again. He can still be an effective pitcher even when not throwing mid-90s. Again, I was pretty impressed with him today. His curve looked good, and his fastball seemed to have adequate movement. And even though you could attribute my optimism to just his start today, regardless, I am praying he will be a Cub in 2007, and takes a paycut or deferrment or something.