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Backtobanks

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  1. Backtobanks
    I read that article and it appears like a way for Williams to say he improved this year and the future. He and Guillen have recently had another meeting discussing the state of the 2007 team, and they both agreed if the Sox are still in the race, especially if they have a good showing against the Twins this weekend. The Sox have long been out of the race, and I'm sensing Williams is too scared to admit it because he's afraid of losing the trades that are inevitable for his sinking club. The Sox are not only out of the race, but I think they are in very serious trouble for the next 3-4 years. The Indians and Twins are not only better, but much younger and the Tigers are certainly better for now. Kenny Williams needs to trade Buerhle et al. for as many good prospects as he can get to think about competing in 2009-2010. Don't forget that he has an owner that won't spend much on the free agent market.
  2. Backtobanks
    In my neverending attempt to find a way to improve the Cubs, how about trying to get Rauch from the Nationals. I know Bowden will start out asking for Zambrano, Pie, and Marmol, but eventually he might take some prospects. Rauch would be a nice fit instead of the daily shuffle of Cherry/Petrick/Gallagher.
  3. Backtobanks
    Trading for Dye or some of the other names mentioned (Abreu, Burrell, Andruw Jones, etc.) only makes sense if you believe you can "catch lightning in a bottle" for 2-3 months. They might be cheaper, but it would be nice to get someone you know you can count on.
  4. Backtobanks
    Paul LaDuca recently made some comments that upset some of his team mates. Since he's a free agent and the Mets are hurting for OFs, how about a deal like Jones plus a prospect for the half-year rental of LaDuca. Certainly would improve the black hole at C.
  5. Backtobanks
    Morris might be worth going after, but I think the competition for him will be brutal. No thanks to Andruw Jones unless the Braves will include either Saltalamacchia or Escobar in the deal.
  6. Backtobanks
    You have to go with Lou on this one. He's trying to compete with absolutely ZERO hits out of his catchers and CF (when Pie plays). I think Pie will be a star, but the Cubs can't afford to play him everyday with the black hole at the catcher position.
  7. Backtobanks
    I wouldn't mind trading Dempster or Howry to get someone who could really fill a need.
  8. Backtobanks
    This is a wonderful idea. Honestly with the trade market the way it is, there really arent many options that are discernably better than what either of these guys can produce. Give them a couple weeks (albeit small sample size) to prove whether or not they can acclimate to big league hitting this year. If so, you got your upgrade for free. If not, they can't hit any worse than the current production. I suggested this in another thread stating that I didn't really see any better options out there. Of course that idea changes if the Cubs are able to add salary. Using the hottest player until they cool off between Cedeno/Theriot, Floyd/Derosa, Soto/Bowen/Hill, and Pie/Pagan might work better than trading good young players for half-year rentals or over-the-hill vets.
  9. Backtobanks
    According to Benmaller.com: The fact he was not in the lineup is a measure of how marginalized Wily Mo Peña has become in the Red Sox scheme. The Catch-22 remains as true today as when he first came to the Sox. Peña needs to play in order to play better. The Sox can't afford to play him more because he's playing so poorly. Peña's performance, of course, is doing little for his trade value. The Sox like him because he gives them insurance. Would they move him if they could get value in return? With J.D. Drew signed for five years, it's hard to imagine why they wouldn't. But how do you get value when he's playing poorly, when he plays at all, -- Boston Globe He's young (25), makes $1.8 million, and shouldn't be too expensive in the way of players in trade. He's always had a ton of potential although never fully realized. He can play all 3 OF positions. Sounds good to me.
  10. Backtobanks
    Some of this talk about Murton struggling early is true, but I don't think he is the type of player who can come out of a slump by being benched. For all of us who despise Jones (including me), the Cubs turned a good prospect (Murton) and a fair platoon OF (Jones) into two disasters by not using them correctly.
  11. Backtobanks
    After looking at the rumored options and what they would cost in players and salary, are there any options much better than our internal options? I'm starting to think Derosa/Pagan/Floyd in RF, Pie/Pagan in CF, Cedeno/Theriot at SS, and Soto/Bowen/Hill at C might be worth trying. Hendry (or Selig) isn't going to add the salary of Dunn, Tejada, Griffey, Arod, Abreu, etc. Names like Visquel or whoever aren't going to make a difference, so maybe call up Cedeno and Soto and ride the hottest player until they cool off at each of the questionable positions.
  12. Backtobanks
    Cruz Crushes lefties(until this year). They would be taking Jones contract. The Cubs have a player blocking Murton for 8 years. I am as big of a Murton fan as any, but this is the kind of move that is going to have to be made to get rid of Jones. I do believe that Cruz has a very small contract as well. I'm a big Murton fan too, but unless they look at him as a "valuable" trading chip, he has no foreseeable future with the Cubs. Murton and Jones can play backup OFs and pinch hit for the Padres, while Cruz can platoon in RF and CF and pinch hit for the Cubs. I think Cruz is making $650,000 this year, so the bean counters should be happy.
  13. Backtobanks
    According to Benmaller.com: As part of the clubs' discussions last month, the Padres also inquired about Cubs corner outfielder Matt Murton, a right-handed hitter whose ability to work the count fits a Padres preference. But the Cubs firmly made it known that they highly value Murton, 25. -- San Diego Union-Tribune I was especially interested in the underlined part. If they value him so much, why did they send him down. In any case, how about a deal involving Jones & Murton for Cruz plus a prospect. Cruz can play some RF and CF.
  14. Backtobanks
    Hill had a K yesterday on what looked to be a change up of course, it could have been a rolling curve ball that effectively acted like a change up. I don't know who was batting, but the "rolling" curve balls I saw were being smacked all over the place. When his curve "rolls" it looks like I could hit him.
  15. Backtobanks
    Does anyone else long for the days when we had an offensive catcher like Henry Blanco in the lineup?
  16. Backtobanks
    Me. Talk about overrated. I would rather keep Murton who would out produce Dunn. HR is an overrated stat. You can score without a HR. You can't score that often when you have a Run Producer setting the all time record for season strikeouts. Amen! I've been against Dunn since the beginning. First, he's pitiful in LF and can't play RF which means you've got to mess with moving Soriano again. I'm all in favor of trading Hill or Marshall for an impact bat, but the problems Dunn would cause with his defense and moving Soriano would detract from what the team is doing now. Hill or Marshall probably could get us Salty from the Braves and give us a young, cheap player at a position that is woefully weak now.
  17. Backtobanks
    The bottom line is that Williams needs to trade Buerhle. Obviously, a sign and trade would be better. The White Sox have no hope of being better than a 3rd or 4th place team in the forseeable future and have a weak minor league system. It would be great to keep Buerhle, but he is their biggest trading chip. Nobody is going to give anything of value for Contreras, Dye, Iguachi, Vasquez (because of contract), or Konerko. Crede should have been traded last year and now has the same trade value of Wood and Prior. Finally, Reinsdorf won't spend the money in the free agent market to make any sudden impact in the direction they are headed. Trading Buerhle et al. would at least give some hope for 2009-2010.
  18. Backtobanks
    Fun fact: The Cubs were undefeated from October 2006 through March 2007. And yet they were only at .500.
  19. Backtobanks
    Which again begs the question, "How is that incurring more debt for the new owner when we have to pay him if we keep him?"
  20. Backtobanks
    The reason I included Murton and Marshall is that I don't see either one in the long term plans for the Cubs. As I stated before, Marshall is the third slow-pitch, curve-ball, lefty in the rotation and Murton doesn't appear to have much of a future with the Cubs, so the impact to the team this year and in the future is minimal compared to what Salty would add.
  21. Backtobanks
    Selig comes out of this smelling like a rose. First, he's protecting his close friend's money. Second, he's made the other owners happy by sticking it to the Cubs because of their spending spree during the off season. Finally, he's doing his best to guarantee "his" franchise wins the NL Central. Doesn't his daughter own stock in the Brewers?
  22. Backtobanks
    Atlanta would moving Salt. for Texiera, in essence. But i don't see this being remotely feasible with Texiera hurt. I can't see Atlanta doing that. We're talking about one of the very most valuable properties in the game in Saltalamacchia. Teixiera was put on the 15-day DL on June 9th and hasn't returned yet, but I would think he would be coming off sometime soon and certainly before the trading deadline. Salty is very valuable, but he is blocked by Mcann and his experiment at 1B has been a disaster. Atlanta needs a 1B badly and Andruw Jones will be leaving after the season for free agency freeing up a ton of money.
  23. Backtobanks
    Hopefully he will be off the DL soon and then we can make the trade. :lol:
  24. Backtobanks
    Since the Cubs aren't allowed to add salary thereby eliminating all of the big name players (Arod, Burrell, Dunn, Tejada, etc.), how about this 3-way trade proposal: Cubs trade Murton, Jones, and Marshall to Texas. Texas sends Texiara to Atlanta and Victor Diaz to Cubs. Atlanta sends Saltalamacchia to the Cubs. Cubs get a platoon RF and a starting C and save money. Texas gets a good young pitcher and OF and a platoon OF for the present and saves plenty of money. Braves add a slugging 1B and money can be made up when Andruw Jones leaves for free agency. What do you think?
  25. Backtobanks
    I disagree with the notion that Buerhle isn't a difference maker. I think Buerhle in the rotation rather than Marshall could net the Cubs 5-6 more wins in the second half. I repeat that I think Marshall is expendable after this season anyway because I can't see the Cubs continuing to pitch 3 similar lefties in the rotation next year. It doesn't solve the offensive problems, but I don't see any deal out there involving Marshall plus spare parts (Jones, Izturis, and Eyre) that would give us any help offensively either.
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