wastra

Very good news. I'm glad that he's been practicing this whole time. We (UK, but I'll be a student there next fall, so :P) desparately needs someone who can at least defend inside and catch the ball. It's great news for all of us Cat fans and Alumni! Ironically, the thing that convinced the panel to shorten the suspension was the now-infamous fax he sent to Tubby Smith t start this whole fiasco.

Murton-Pierre-Patterson in the outfield would likely once again be the worst offensive outfield in the league. As a matter of fact, if the Cubs open the season with this outfield, Hendry should be fired before the break, IMO. I don't buy this "There's no one available" crap either. If we're in a tight spot in the outfield, it's Hendry's fault for failing to plan for this fiasco 3 years ago.

With Neifi inevitably getting 200+ plate appearances in the 2 hole, I don't think Pierre will get to 90, let alone 100.

I really don't seen anyone in that list making a real difference either. The two biggest impact bats are likely Floyd (who isn't available, and is too oft-injured) and Bradley (who is a serious headcase.) Wilkerson is no sure thing offensively, nor is Huff. Green is considerably older than most of hte others and past his prime as well. I have very little doubts that our outfield in 2006 will actually be WORSE than our outfield in 2005. And I think the smart money is on Mabry starting 100 games at either Left or Right this year. He's got time to redeem himself, but as of now, I'm fully on the "Fire Hendry" bandwagon, as he's done nothing to show that he's even competent in this role. He did a great job for a while building a farm system, but his bungling of the major league team for going on 3 years is indefensible.

Matt "Why is Mabry starting in left field again?" Murton. :shock: :wink:

Assuming Hendry pulled the big "I hate Todd Walker" stick out of his *** and did htis deal as well, would there be a better offensive infield in baseball than Lee, Ramirez, Tejada, Walker (and Barrett?)

87 players had an ISOD over .100 (with at least 200 PAs) in 05. That's a pretty decent sized group. 167 players were at (or above) Walker's career average of .081. 207 people with over 200 PAs had a higher BB/PA than Walker. I like Walker as much as anyone and want him on this team badly next year, but he's not the great leadoff hitter we all think he is. Especially, when he's as like to post a .330's OBP as he is one in the .350's. I'd be interested to see these stats adjusted for when he hits 1st or 2nd. I know he's said many times that when hitting in the top two spots, he takes a different approach at the plate. I'd like to see if that plays out in the numbers.

First off, I'm not upse that we apparently won't be getting Furcal. What I'm upset about is the Cubs' offseason mindset again. It is starting to feel more and more like LAST offseason, where Hendry doesn't have a comprehensive plan so much as he has one all-or-nothing target. Rebuilding the pen is a good idea, but his focus on guys like Furcal is the problem, not the fact that he didn't get him. This team has a very short window, to be honest. Wood, Prior, Zambrano. This will be, what, year 4 of failing to put together a legitimate roster around them intended to dominate the league? It seems Hendry is looking for that one guy who fits his "tools" profile who was on a winning team instead of recognizing that except for about 6 players, we're just not a very talented team, and on top of that, we're CERTAINLY not a roster of a big-market team that intends to compete. Neifi Perez, two years of Macias, going with Hoolandsworth, Dubois, Burnitz at the cornsers last year- these are not moves that a team like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals make. THESE are the teams we need to be emulating. Those GMs would be crucified by local media and fans if they entered a season with a roster as putrid as ours last year, and with what is looking to be a very similar roster again this year. Again, I recognize that it's early in the offseason, so this is jsut surmising at this point, but nothing I've heard or seen from the Cubs camp this winter leads me to beleive they even RECOGNIZE the mistakes they keep making. We need more guys on base? LEt's re-sign Neifi, one of the prime culprits of bad hitting approaches. We need a leadoff hitter who gets on base? Let's target Furcal ,who doesn't even post a high OBP. These moves don't inspire confidence.

I don't think Indy would be that high on the list, to be honest. I really can't think of a better place than San Antonio or somewhere in Texas. It's really one of the better baseball-loving states. They might look international again...Mexico City or Puerto Rico. In a sort of morbid suggestion...Castro hasn't been well of late, if he passes away first and the embargo is lifted...I doubt you'd find a place where the citizenry was more motivated behind their team than Havana. Yeah, it's a long shot, not only due to politics, but due to differences in wealth level between Cuba and the US.

Except when he traded Hundley! :wink:

Aren't we just one year removed from Hendry's unequivocable assertion that Chemistry wins pennants?

Impacrity. Seriously, if Furcal is our biggest offensive upgrade, we're in for a longer 2006 than 2005. Furcal is a decent player, but he's not an offensive difference maker in the least. He doesn't have a paritcularly high OBP (for leadoff), OPS (for any spot in the order), or even average. The only thing he does real well offensively is steal bases. It was painfully obvious at the end of last season that Furcal was this year's "Hendry Hard-on"- that guy Jim seemed to really have a craving for and we'd go balls-out to acquire over the winter all else be damned.

You can never lose that war, especially if you're the target. I would argue we "lost" that bidding war with ourselves over Alfonseca a few years back. Anyway, this is frustrating if true. Giles should have been the one guy we set our sights on this year first, not Furcal. Priority #1 among position acquisitions should have been an impact bat. We won't get that with Furcal, but we'll pay almost just as much.

I'm not real concerned with stolen bases at all. But I would like more team speed. Speed allows guys (Morton, for instance) to run out infield hits. It allows guys to take an extra base on gappers, or score from first on singles and doubles who might otherwise wind up languishing on second for the final out of the inning. Given the choice, I'd prefer EVERYONE on the team be fast, but I really care very little whether or not anyone steals 40 or 50 bases. I care more about the fact that JP, for example, is coming off an awful season. So if we do get him (and I'm not saying we shouldn't), we simply better pay a fiar price, and not overpay for him. And, this move should not be made in lieu of better moves. this should not PRECLUDE us from shoring up RF, and going after guys we've already targetted in the rotation, pen, and infield. If it does that, it's a terrible move. I don't mind Hendry going out and making trades and acquisitions. That's all fine and dandy- even if it's a position we don't necesarilly NEED a trade or aciquisition at, or one that should not be priority #1. But trading for Pierre doesn't we CANNOT still get Giles, Furcal, Burnett, or anyone else. If it DOES, then it's a HUGE mistake.

Well, like any move, this had BETTER not be the centerpiece move of hte outfield this season. But whether or not I like this move depends almost entirely on A.) what we give up, and B.) what other moves we make around this. This seems much like the Lee deal... one that may have just sort of fallen into Hendry's lap and made sense to him. I don't hate Pierre, although I recognize he's not a difference maker in and of himself. But we have many needs, and if we can fill one of them REASONABLY with Juan Pierre, then so be it, assuming we still go hard after a better Right Fielder, and address our bullpen and starting needs AND so long as Neifi isn't the starting SS. But so help me God, if we have an opening day lineup with Pierre, Patterson, and Neifi, I'm never watching another Cubs game.

That's it. Hendry pulls this trade and I'm on the "Fire Jim" bandwagon. Three good trades does not negate 3 straight years without any semblence of a plan. If we blow our chance with these 3 young starters and have only one playoff appearance to show for it before we lose one or more, Jim should be banned for life from the city of Chicago.

This pretty much seals it for me. I have lost completely all faith and confidence in Jim Hendry's baseball acumen and his abilities as a GM. This is as disturbing- no worse, actually- as the Burnitz signing was last year. I wrote the Tribune online with my feelings on that and it was posted on their site. I'll echo the gist of it today: Neifi Perez is simply not the type of signing a team intent on winning the division makes. On a team concerned with improving a poor offense and maintaining some degree of team chemistry, signing a guy who already said he would insist on signing someplace where he would start who can't hit his own weight is idiocy. Utter Idiocy. If this is the type of offseason we can expect, 2006 is going to be far worse than 2005, and it's laid squarely at the feet of Jim Hendry. There was no "Sammy Sosa" situation hampering this offseason. there was no last minute, last-dicthc effort to fill shortstop (or Middle Infield backup) as there was right field last year. There are no excuses, and frankly, my patience is near its end with this GM.

I disagree. What the Cardinals do this offseason has no effect on our success next season. As long as we improve in the areas that need improving we'll be fine. My ideal offseason would be trade for Huff, sign Furcal, and improve the bullpen. I'm fine with the rotation the way it is. Williams is a good 5th starter imo. Furcal Walker Lee Aramis Huff Murton Barret Corey With an improved bullpen, we can make the playoffs with that team. Regardless of what the Cards do. IMO, that offense doesn't even mildly compare to St. Louis'. Furcal is highly overrated. he's simply not a great offensive player, and I think many of our fans are placing far too much hope in how much he would "improve" the offense. He steals a lot of bases, but he's not particularly good at getting on base for a leadoff hitter. Huff is coming off a terrible year, so that's a gamble at best. Corey was darn near the worst player in baseball last year. BArret's fine, Lee is very good, but we have to question whether he'll be 2005 DLee or somehwere between '05 (batting champ, slugging the snot out of the ball) and the rest of his career (very good, but not one of the top 3 hitters in baseball.) Don't get me wrong, I want him to be a Cub for a looong time now, but I don't know that we should expect him to repeat his '05 numbers every year. Ramirez is great, and I really hope Walker is back. But to be honest, as a whole, I don't like that lineup. I don't see it as a significant upgrade to what we already have, and it's far and away short of a Cardinals offense with Giles. I really think the Cubs need to be the big players this off-season in adding top-notch talent. they must add one impact bat (at least) and at least one or two above average bats in addition to a bullpen arm or two. Furcal and Huff don't cut it, IMO.

At some point, the Cubs just HAVE to throw caution to the wind and trot a youngster out there full-time. I understand the organization (rightly, apparently) had doubts about Dubois, but I think there's little doubting Murton's skills. the guy has been projected to do almost exactly what he did for us last year- hit for a good average, get on base, playing average or slightly better D, run well, and spray some doubles around the field as well (he actually had a tad more pop than they expected in his short stint). this is the one case- gun shy on young players as we may be- who has basically done exactly as promised by scouts. At this point, there's nothing left for us to do but see if he can do it over an extended period. Get good players at CF and RF, get everyone else healthy, and let the kid have LF. If he somehow tanks, we should still have flexibility to find help elsewhere mid-season.

why? Because he will be lousy or hurt and the Cubs will be stuck with the contract (see Remlinger, Mike). remlinger was lousy for the cubs due to injuries & baker not being able to understand that even though remmy throws lefty, he is much more effective against right handed hitters. everyone else in baseball (and most fans too) except baker seemed to be aware of that fact. Well, given the cost of any OTHER closer, it might be a decent deal. I can't seen him regressing into a HORRID reliever, and $5MM per is a bargain for a closer. So I think this will wind up being the steal of hte off-season, or he'll get hurt and we'll b!tch about it for a decade.

I can't say what my priorities would be in terms of names, but I can show a priority list: 1. Re-sign nomar to a low deal with incentives for SS. $4-5MM+ 2. Pick up Walker's option, bring back cedeno for backup MIF $2.5MM 3. Right Fielder (Giles) $12MM 4. Find starting CF/leadoff hitter. $4MM 5. starter $8-10MM 6. Righty setup (lock-down) $4MM 7. Lefty relief. $2.5MM That doesn't include re-signing guys like Zambrano. That's $40MM about what we're already committed to. What did we say we have left, a total of $45-55MM about what's already signed? that's about $10-12 to sign Zamrbano and shore up the bench a tad.

This is not good for much short of being interesting. I'd rather get a low VORP/M but still get a high VORP at each position than get, say, Jerome Williams results across the board.

It's not just your money. I vowed in Spetember of 2004 that I would not pay for another Cubs-branded item until baker was fired. Now, granted, I don't live in chicago, so my usualy 5-6 games per year is not the same as a corporate advertising contract or even someone who regularlly attends 20+ games, but it's my little part. I even emailed the cubs about it with a long list of reasons. Despite 7 trips to Chicago this year (6 times when the cubs were in town), I painfully kept to my vow and have still not purchased a single Cubs-branded item or ticket. (Yes, they get money from me for the MLB Extra Innings package, so i pay them a little indirectly).

$3 Million is a bullpen setup arm, or most of a very good one, btw.

Honestly, I think the cubs could do fine if they return our infield intact (Ramirez, Nomar, Walker, Lee with Cedeno backing up) and re-vamp the outfield with Murton and two additions (CF, RF) and have a solid 4th guy. Offensively, that's a pretty good lineup if they find the right two outfielders- ESPECIALLY if our pitching returns mildly healthy. Would it be beyond the realm of reason to think that the Cubs could afford and possibly land both Giles and Damon? Granted, the Cubs will be hesitant to block Pie...but I think Damon would be easily tradeable in 2 years when Pie was ready. I'm more worried about finding one more setup guy in the pen and a 5th starter than I am tweaking 2B.