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If they get him and make no other deals, although it will never happen I'd go with this: DeRosa Fukudome Lee Ramirez Soriano Murton Soto Cedeno Get Pie some more AB's in Iowa with the thought of bringing him up ASB or end of the year. Plan on him starting in CF next year. If Pie is in CF with Murton as 4th OF, leave the top 5 alone, move Soto and Cendeno up a spot and put Felix in the 8-spot.

Bruce loves the limelight. Or is it that he loves the night life and that he likes to boogie? I keep forgetting. Actually, "Limelight" is one of my favorite songs from my favorite band, Rush. But enough about me. OMG my new favorite writer, as I listen to Counterparts. I either gain friends or lose 'em because of Rush (and maybe even the Cubs). The new Rush album is a good one. That makes appreciate you even more, Bruce, although Snakes is a good album, I like Vapor Trails better. Back to baseball, Bruce have you heard where( or why) this Royals spending spree is coming from? Have they just been holding back til now and are deciding to spend some of the cash they've evidently been hording the last few years? First Guillen, now they're going after Fukudome? How high are they planning on taking their payroll? I normally wouldn't care, but the bidding on F-dome could affect the Cubs.

Bruce loves the limelight. Or is it that he loves the night life and that he likes to boogie? I keep forgetting. Actually, "Limelight" is one of my favorite songs from my favorite band, Rush. But enough about me. OMG my new favorite writer, as I listen to Counterparts. I either gain friends or lose 'em because of Rush (and maybe even the Cubs). The new Rush album is a good one. That makes appreciate you even more, Bruce, although Snakes is a good album, I like Vapor Trails better. Back to baseball, Bruce have you heard where( or why) this Royals spending spree is coming from? Have they just been holding back til now and are deciding to spend some of the cash they've evidently been hording the last few years? First Guillen, now they're going after Fukudome? How high are they planning on taking their payroll? I normally wouldn't care, but the bidding on F-dome could affect the Cubs.

How many times have we seen this before with Hendry? Trade player A for Player B( plus other crap) then turn around and trade player B for Player C, who is even worse than B+the crap thrown in. I can think of at least a couple of times in the last 2-3 years. If Hendry can use the cash to get an Impact player, I think it would be a solid move. I hope so, but, I'll still look at it as a big IF until he actually makes a quality trade or signing. If that happens, then I agree, it's a good move. I'll regain some semblance of trust in Hendry if he already has a couple things worked out( ie Fukudome) and just needed to clear some salary to finalize them.

How many times have we seen this before with Hendry? Trade player A for Player B( plus other crap) then turn around and trade player B for Player C, who is even worse than B+the crap thrown in. I can think of at least a couple of times in the last 2-3 years.

Just start Marshall, Gallagher, or Hart. Jim, please get some goodhitters. Thanks. Fixed it for ya.

Cubs.com And nothing like officially announcing to the world what their strategy for the off-season is. Not that anyone couldn't tell in the first place, but still. :roll:

So this now means he will be signed or let go. Those of you that want Prior back, hope that one of the Chicago writers says he will be let go. Can someone help me out here. I saw something about Prior not being a FA until after 2009, since he didn't accrue any ML service time this year? Is that right? With all the talk about having the option year added after next year, it can't be right, can it? I wouldn't think an option year would be necessary, since he'd still be under Cubs control. I'll see if I can get a link to where I saw that. At the beginning of the year, when he was sent to minor league camp, it looked as though he wouldn't accrue the service time in 2007 to become a free agent after 2008. However, with the disclosure of the injury and the subsequent surgery, he was eventually placed on the major league roster and then the DL, which was enough to push him over the threshold as soon as next offseason. If they decline to offer him arbitration this year, he will essentially be a free agent in two weeks. Thanks Jersey, I thought it had to do with the injury, but I wasn't sure about the reason.

So this now means he will be signed or let go. Those of you that want Prior back, hope that one of the Chicago writers says he will be let go. Can someone help me out here. I saw something about Prior not being a FA until after 2009, since he didn't accrue any ML service time this year? Is that right? With all the talk about having the option year added after next year, it can't be right, can it? I wouldn't think an option year would be necessary, since he'd still be under Cubs control. I'll see if I can get a link to where I saw that. Edit: Just found it at MLB Trade Rumors, they had a correction saying they were wrong. I thought it didn't sound right.

I don't think the Brewers felt too good in '07, to say nothing of 3 years from now. Certainly it wasn't all Linebrink's fault, but his arrival really did nothing for them. They still blew lead after lead down the stretch. I just realized that two of the guys that were part of that bullpen have both signed ridiculous contracts in the last few days, 4/46 for Cordero and 4/19 for Linebrink. For two guys getting that much money, they sure didn't help the Brewers much when they needed it most. And yes, like USS, I don't think it was all their fault, but still, wow.

I believe that all players with at least 10 years of MLB service time make it onto the HOF ballot. They also have to get a certain percentage ( 15-20% ?) of the vote to stay on the ballot after this year, unless they've changed those rules. A lot of those guys will drop off next year because of that.

Which is why it's so depressing.

As if Citizen's Bank is Griffith Stadium or something? That place is more of a bandbox than Coors these days. Coors was 10th in baseball in home runs this year. Thank you. I was scrolling down trying to find out if someone would post this, otherwise I was going to. The effect of Coors on Holliday's totals has been wildly overestimated when you consider that Rollins plays in a similarly hitter friendly park. Even more ridiculous is the fact that he wasn't even the best shortstop in his league, and this shortstop happened to play in Pro Player :shock: Wonder what Rollins' number would look like in Pro Player... :-& rollins at citizens bank: 300/336/556 rollins at dolphins stadium: 341/404/659 Not trying to start an arguement, but how many games did Rollins play in PP, and who did he hit against. It's like saying Player X had a career line of .315/.408/.495 at Wrigley before being signed by the Cubs, problem is he played 8 games there and hit against Cubs pitching. With the Cubs he put up .265/.335/.406 at Wrigley. Now, that's a made up player, but I've heard things like that mentioned on enough Cubs broadcasts in my life to make me cringe. If I remember correctly, Pierre had really good stats at Wrigley before 06. He wouldn't be the first guy to put up good numbers at Wrigley for someone else and suck there with the Cubs.

If it has anything to do with getting Fukudome, or betters the chances of getting Fukudome - Kaz Matsui is not going to hurt this team. but what if fukudome sucks? Exactly. From what I've heard it will cost 3-4 years and at least 10-12 per to get Fukudome, I don't want to figure in an extra 4 mil per for Matsui. If that's what they're thinking, using Matsui to pull in Fukudome, just give Fukudome an extra 2 mil per and don't sign Matsui. 3/40 for Fukudome>>>>3/30 for Fukudome and 3/12 for Matsui. Sure you're spending more for Fukudome, but the chances of him sucking is less than Matsui sucking and creating a hole that isn't already there.

As if Citizen's Bank is Griffith Stadium or something? That place is more of a bandbox than Coors these days. Coors was 10th in baseball in home runs this year. Thank you. I was scrolling down trying to find out if someone would post this, otherwise I was going to. The effect of Coors on Holliday's totals has been wildly overestimated when you consider that Rollins plays in a similarly hitter friendly park. Even more ridiculous is the fact that he wasn't even the best shortstop in his league, and this shortstop happened to play in Pro Player :shock: Wonder what Rollins' number would look like in Pro Player... :-& rollins at citizens bank: 300/336/556 rollins at dolphins stadium: 341/404/659 Not trying to start an arguement, but how many games did Rollins play in PP, and who did he hit against. It's like saying Player X had a career line of .315/.408/.495 at Wrigley before being signed by the Cubs, problem is he played 8 games there and hit against Cubs pitching. With the Cubs he put up .265/.335/.406 at Wrigley. Now, that's a made up player, but I've heard things like that mentioned on enough Cubs broadcasts in my life to make me cringe.

I picked up a few minutes right at the tail end of that, or at least they mentioned it during the segment I heard. At the end of what I heard, they started talking about what changes a new owner might bring, the last thing I heard Jim say was he hoped the new owner doesn't have a son that wants to be GM. Does Cuban have a son? We couldn't be that lucky Jim.

If this happens, we should all go to Chicago and kick Hendry in the nuts. Tim McClellen and Eric Cooper have a one hour show, once a week, on a local sports radio network( in Des Moines). Last night they had Hendry on. I didn't get to hear the whole interview, I heard maybe 5 of the 15 or so minutes he was on. The gist of what he said was they are happy with their current SS, though an upgrade might be possible, but that they really need to upgrade RF and they desperately need some LH hitting, particularly a power bat. He didn't even mention Matsui, though if they are working on a deal that shouldn't be a surprise. I realize this isn't completely on topic, but I don't have a link( couldn't find a podcast on the stations site) so I didn't think it deserved it own thread. He just reitterated some of the things already mentioned in this thread. It just blows my mind that he can't see where their needs really are and aren't.

Umm, what about Jeff Blauser?! He absolutely destroyed the Cubs. He did alright before he got to Chicago too. :wink:

Better take that 15 and double it. I think the writer was refering to the $15 mil increase, adding it to the 15 mil saved from Jones, Floyd and Monroe and saying that's for ARod.

If this ends up being the deal, I'm driving my car to Chicago and kicking someone's ass. I'll volunteer to hold them down.

Ick.

Meph, not saying it would happen, but how would this lineup perform: Crawford CF Murton RF Lee 1B Ramirez 3B Soriano LF DeRo 2B Soto C Infante SS Pitcher Just a ballpark estimate is good. I can't run the numbers the way you can. I really don't think they'd go this route, particularly having Murton in everyday, but it looks to be at least a minor upgrade from last year.

I don't think he's holding his cards close to his chest in this scenario...that's wishful thinking, guys. The organization simply will not take on the AROD contract after committing so much to Soriano. I don't think he is here either, simply too much money. It was a more a commentary on that he was bashed in this instance for saying he wasn't interested, while at the same time he would have been bashed for expressing interest in Arod. If you're referring to my head banging, it was for the reason he gave, which was "we don't need a third baseman". If he had come out and said " we can't afford him" I wouldn't like it, because of why we can't afford him, but I could accept that answer. I just say his comment as him not even considering the possibility that Arod might be able to move back to SS.

Hey Jimbo, how about moving him back to shortstop? You don't have an all-star there. ](*,) :evil: :shock: :cry: :-& I didn't see any other faces that were appropriate, maybe someone could come up with one that's strangling something.

Just add ARod and we'll call this good. :D