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Backtobanks

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Everything posted by Backtobanks

  1. Backtobanks
    I'm available even if the price isn't right. I'm retired and have been a Cub fan over 50 years, so a little extra spending cash, decent seats for the games, and knowing I would have some input in improving the team would do the trick for me.
  2. Backtobanks
    I can't believe Pie will be starting in CF just because of the "Win in 2007" attitude expressed by the new regime. Trying to win this year would put a lot of pressure on Pie in CF.
  3. Backtobanks
    Some trade proposals are ridiculous, but then again many are trades that could be considered on both sides. If one team is "down" on a player, he might be acquired for a "lesser" package of players. There are all kinds of variables (attitude, contract status, team needs, scouting reports, etc.) that might figure into a trade. Many of "us" have been accused of overvaluing our prospects, yet I see other teams doing the same thing. I think many of the proposed deals for Church seem to make sense to me, but I'm not the one making the decisions. As much as I would like to have Church as our CF, he's never really been more than a "journeyman" OF. The Nationals seem to overvalue him when it comes to trade talks.
  4. Backtobanks
    Power challenged? If the Cubs keep Jones, they will have above average power at at least 5 positions. Here are my personal HR predictions: Soriano - 40 DeRosa - 10-15 Lee - 35-40 Ramirez - 35-40 Jones - 25 Barrett - 15-20 Murton - 20 Izturis - 2 That's 182-202 home runs from the starting lineup alone. I actually believe Lee and Sori will hit over 40. And the bench: Ward - 7-10 Pagan - 5-7 Blanco - 3-5 Theriot - 2-3 Cedeno - 1-2 That's 220-229. Figure at least 5-6 from the pitching staff, and you have around 225-235 homers, either number squarely in the top 5 of all MLB teams. Add Floyd and that number will only go up. OBP challenged maybe, but not power challenged, barring injury. Zambrano and Marquis might get 10 between them.
  5. Backtobanks
    I was one of them. And I'd still rather have Cedeno than Furcal. But I'd rather have Furcal than Cesear, so now I wish they'd got the contract done. It would also mean they wouldn't have signed Soriano and maybe have gone after Drew. It's the freaking butterfly effect. :spin: Furcal had a horrible start (after a surgery, fwiw) but ended up being worth his contract last year. With Furcal, the Cubs may or may not have signed Pierre, certainly wouldn't have traded for Cesar, and might have traded Ronny when his value was at its peak. Oh well. :twisted: People are saying the Dodgers are the favorites in the West and they signed Furcal and Pierre.
  6. Backtobanks
    i imagine a room full of GMs sitting around listening to theo declare that he's interested in acquiring a closer and is open to possible trade scenarios. hendry puts his hand up, theo ignores him. hendry begins waving his hands like a madman, theo continues ignoring him. hendry finally stands up. "jim, sit down." Today, BenMaller.com is reporting: The Red Sox are still looking to bolster their bullpen and rotation depth, which could lead to offers for free agents such as Chris Reitsma and Runelvys Hernandez. So, even though the players I mentioned aren't closers, they certainly would bolster the Red Sox' bullpen and Dempster might be able to step into the closer's role in an emergency.
  7. Backtobanks
    Well, this is the quiet (and boring) time of the year. I stated in another post that I think all of Hendry's transactions this offseason has spoiled us into thinking that he needs to do something every 2 days. I think Hendry will find a trade partner for Jones, but he has to have a replacement lined up in case Pie isn't ready. Also, I have trouble believing that there won't be some kind of deal involving Marshall/Marmol/Guzman/Mateo/Ryu. Hopefully Zambrano's extension will come soon and then he will have most of the starters locked in for quite a few years, so I don't think he is going to let the young pitchers I mentioned rot at Iowa for the next 4-5 years. Also, it wouldn't surprize me to see Cedeno packaged with others in a deal. Something will happen, but it may not be until spring training.
  8. Backtobanks
    And then we would have had about 100 pages on what a jerk Hendry is for letting someone outbid him on Soriano. I'm not happy about the contract, but Hendry (and Piniella) decided he was the man that they needed and he went out and got him. It certainly doesn't look like the money has hindered him from signing other players.
  9. Backtobanks
    Mats didn't get 51 of that. The fact that Mats didn't get all the money doesn't negate the fact that Boston must think he's worth the whole $103 million, since that's how much he cost them. I would think that at least $20-30 million was spent keeping him away from the Yankees.
  10. Backtobanks
    Jones is too young to play in SF. You need an AARP card to be a Giant.
  11. Backtobanks
    BenMaller.com is reporting: Possible Red Sox trade targets include Chad Cordero of the Nationals, Akinori Otsuka of the Rangers, and Mike Gonzalez of the Pirates. I would think Crisp or Pena would be available with Dempster, Eyre, or Ohman as trade bait. Neither Crisp or Pena is exactly what all of us want, but either one would continue to fill some of the holes left on the roster.
  12. Backtobanks
    The Cubs could offer Marshal plus another pitcher which would tip the scale to the Cubs.
  13. Backtobanks
    Bingo! We have a winner. I don't think there is any way Pagan will be the starting CF for the Cubs in 2007 and from most accounts Pie isn't quite ready. With the non-talk about Jones and the group of young pitchers (Marshall, Mateo, Guzman, Marmol, Ryu), I would think he's looking for a CF. That seems to be the only hole left on the team since Hendry doesn't consider SS as a hole.
  14. Backtobanks
    I wouldn't say a lot better. Actually they're pretty comparable. Wilkerson coming off of a serious injury, but he's non-tendered and he would be cheaper to acquire.
  15. Backtobanks
    Does anyone else think that Hendry mentioned Pagan so he doesn't tip his hand at a CF that he's trying to get in a trade?
  16. Backtobanks
    And we could end up parting with some good talent just to have Boras pull the same crap with us. No thanks. Not that I wouldn't love to have him in the rotation, but not for the price the Red Sox had to pay. Asuming we wouldn't have to pay the posting fee, we could probably sign him for a few million more per year than we're paying the likes of Lilly and Marquis. It's all hypothetical anyhow, but he would look great with Zambrano and Hill.
  17. Backtobanks
    Let's not forget that this is the Cubs. We need to have a depth chart of at least 3 deep at each position because of injuries. Seriously, I agree....sign Giles and use Derosa as a platoon with Jones and supersub/pinch hitter.
  18. Backtobanks
    Benmaller.com is reporting: Coco Crisp is still part of the Red Sox's plans, so Florida is looking in another direction. At the Winter Meetings, the Rays' Rocco Baldelli's name was circulated around, but if there was any steam to make a move for him, it quickly fizzled out before the general managers left Orlando on Thursday. Keep an eye on a couple of other Tampa Bay products -- B.J. Upton and possibly Elijah Dukes -- as possible candidates I certainly would like to see Baldelli, Upton, or Dukes in the Cubs' future.
  19. Backtobanks
    Well, we wouldn't have to worry about a long-term contract.
  20. Backtobanks
    Crisp in CF until Pie is ready to take over completely and Crisp becomes the 4th OF. Sounds good to me.
  21. Backtobanks
    That's a whole lotta money for a guy coming back after 2 years of injuries.
  22. Backtobanks
    It's really a shame that the Cubs can't trade for the right to sign him.
  23. Backtobanks
    I absolutely do not want the Cubs wasting precious resources on a "closer." The cash and talent spent to acquire somebody to do that job wouldn't be near as much of an upgrade (if at all) in the bullpen than it would be if it were spent on SS or CF. Wood Howry Eyre Dempster Ohman Wuertz That's a freaking stacked bullpen. (relievers not listed in order of talent, but in the likely hierarchy Lou sees them in... Wuertz for closer, w00t!) how is that a stacked bullpen? besides wood, it's the same pen they had last year, and it wasn't anything special. There are enough people better than Novoa that he becomes relegated to towel boy? Most of the criticisms of our pen as a whole last year came about because of guys like Rusch, Ryu, Guzman, etc... coming in in long relief and giving up a good deal of runs. The core of the pen is very solid, and if we're smart enough to keep Wuertz up all year that's just icing on the cake. When you are starting AA pitchers in 60-70% of the games, your bullpen is not going to be as efficient as it should be. The bullpen is solid as long as they don't have to pitch 5-6 innings every game. If the starters can consistently get through 6 innings or more, the Cubs will have a tremendous bullpen.
  24. Backtobanks
    Sorry, we need a lefty.
  25. Backtobanks
    Rowand isn't an FA. Fine, trade for him then. He's on the block according to a lot of reports. Rowand's career numbers against LHers is .289/.351/.494/.845. Its not a bad back-up idea to getting Church. I don't think it would impact the decision to get Floyd in that Rowand is a righty and Hendry feels he needs a lefty bat with power who can give the Cubs some added punch on days against those tough right-handed pitchers. Floyd would make a much better DH than either Ward or Rowand. So, if you got Rowand, Floyd would still be an almost necessary upgrade. But acquiring Ryan Church kills all those birds with one stone. I'd love to get Rowand, but he's going to cost you a lot in players.
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