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Backtobanks

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Everything posted by Backtobanks

  1. Backtobanks
    A new manager in Florida would have to be compared to Girardi's season (over-achieved and in contention for the wild card). A new manager in Chicago would be hailed as a savior to reach .500 and have some sort of direction for the 2008 team. I totally agree with you that the Cubs' job is by far a better situation. The Marlins might be good for a new under-the-radar manager to give him a chance to get some experience.
  2. Backtobanks
    Gillette is the same no-talent hack that thought he'd be cute and refer to the Cubs as Flubs in a previous chat. What's funny, if one reads through his chats, it's pretty clear he has no more inside info than you are I do. He just speculates...maybe tries to listen in on a few of Kurkijan's phone calls, but he's not a good writer and I've found he's rarely had anything insightful to write. What I have found over the years is that very few of these "experts" have any more inside info than most of us do. I think a bunch of them go strictly on speculation (i.e. the Cubs need power, so the Cubs are interested in Soriano. The Cubs need power and a CF, they might try Soriano in CF or trade for Andruw Jones) I have seen more "tips" and on NSBB than what you get from the "experts". To tell the truth I think many of their ideas come from sites like NSBB.
  3. Backtobanks
    What kind of question? He's going to be worthless regardless of health. Agreed. The question would be whether he's well enough to play or be traded or whether his health will cause him to retire.
  4. Backtobanks
    Why is that a more attractive job? Because you'll get to watch expensive players leave after they hit arbitration while managing a team in an empty stadium and having Loria in your ear at all times? The Cubs have to be one of the most attractive jobs around. A guaranteed 2 years with low expectations, a full stadium, a big budget, and all the perks that go with a big city (commercials, etc.)
  5. Backtobanks
    That's what I have been saying all along. Have Prior as a #4 and Miller/Marshall/Mateo as a #5. In the bullpen, have Wood (Howry) as your closer with Wuertz (Howry/Wood) and Eyre as setup men. Trade bait for an impact bat: Cedeno (Izturis), Guzman, Dempster, Novoa, Gallagher. O'Malley, Marmol, Pagan, and Theriot would probably have no trade value. Obviously, Rusch is a question mark because of his health.
  6. Backtobanks
    I disagree. Teams settle for defense only catchers because they have no other choice. Many teams would love to get a player that provide what Barrett does offensively. AL teams in particular that could keep his bat in the lineup would be very eager. Already it looks like we're stuck with a defense-only SS in the lineup daily, so I don't think I want a defense-only catcher too. That would put a lot of pressure on the other six hitters to produce.
  7. Backtobanks
    That might be what you or I might do, but most of these guys would take a job right away, especially if it's a desirable situation.
  8. Backtobanks
    It's actually quite a different situation. He signed Lee early in the season, when he had incentive to sign early (avoiding the risk that injury would hurt his negotiations). With Aramis the season is over. There's no incentive to sign early. Hendry is up the proverbial creek with Aramis. He's got to sign him and Aramis's agent knows it. Hendry would look like a complete fool if RAM bolts. Not only would he look like a fool, but he would probably be an unemployed fool next fall. There would be too many holes to fill if ARam leaves.
  9. Backtobanks
    The #1 priority for Hendry has to be signing ARam to an extension. If the Cubs lose ARam, Hendry might as well kiss his job goodbye because there is no way he could fill all of the holes during the offseason.
  10. Backtobanks
    What would that put the payroll at? I don't know what the payroll would be, but stories I have read hint that the Red Sox might have to eat half of Manny's salary for the next 2 years in order to trade him.
  11. Backtobanks
    The Angels have expressed interest in A-Rod. The asking price is assumed to be Ervin Santana, Scot Shields, Chone Figgins and a top prospect. What can the Cubs offer that would closely resemble the talent the Angels would need to give up for A-Rod? The conversation would probably have to include Zambrano, which would immediately kill the deal for me. I could handle a package of Hill, Howry, Moore (or better yet, Izturis), and Pie for ARod, but I don't think that would be as enticing as the Angels package. On the other hand, I doubt the Angels would make that deal, so I don't know if we'd be competing against such a strong package. And why would the Yankees trade a franchise player for 3 relative unknowns and an old reliever? The Angels package looks much better. pure speculation, but I don't think tha Halos do that deal, so I don't think that is a package we have to compete with. We view ARod as a franchise player, but they sure don't act as if he is in NY. As far as the part about the aging reliever, since when has age ever scared the Yanks? They did want Howry last year... Let's hope the Angels do make that deal because that would reduce the number of suitors for ARam.
  12. Backtobanks
    Careful or you will hear from the stats junkies who will find some statistic to downplay his offense. No, you won't. What you will find is some solid evidence suggesting it'd be foolish to expect him to achieve those feats again. There's no reason to be optimistic that he's capable of repeating this years success. It's a fluke and it's out of line with his last few years. But even if he doesn't achieve those feats again, his career averages would be a huge upgrade at 2B or CF for the 2007 Cubs. True, but if he does regress to his career averages, would he be worth the huge contract we'd have to give him? I've stated before that I don't think Hendry will win a bidding war for Soriano and I don't think he's worth the money he's going to get. Personally, I have trouble believing about 80% of the players are worth what they get.
  13. Backtobanks
    The Tribune's story on the White Sox pointed out that the Cubs and the Sox have the same record since the All-Star break. As all of us life-long Cub fans know, the secret to the Cubs being successful is for all of the other teams to regress. It's so much easier than trying to improve your own team.
  14. Backtobanks
    Careful or you will hear from the stats junkies who will find some statistic to downplay his offense. No, you won't. What you will find is some solid evidence suggesting it'd be foolish to expect him to achieve those feats again. There's no reason to be optimistic that he's capable of repeating this years success. It's a fluke and it's out of line with his last few years. But even if he doesn't achieve those feats again, his career averages would be a huge upgrade at 2B or CF for the 2007 Cubs.
  15. Backtobanks
    well, his offensive game isn't perfect. up until this year, his obp was not great. for his pricetag, there should be some worries. I am not sure why you think that players are all good or all bad - most have their strengths and weaknesses and both should be considered in making a player evaluation. what is the problem with that? you are offended by people considering a player's weaknesses as well as strengths? I don't get it. I don't think anyone was saying his offensive game is perfect, but adding the first player in history with 40/40/40 at 2B or CF would be an unbelievable upgrade. My original point is that as soon as a name is mentioned, somebody starts digging up stats to argue a point. The point is Soriano, imperfect as he may be, would look great somewhere in the Cubs' lineup. Personally, I still don't think Hendry is going to outbid other teams for Soriano.
  16. Backtobanks
    Vernon Wells or Andruw Jones in center would like mighty nice with Soranio and Schmidt in the fold. Shouldn't the title of this thread have a question mark at the end of it.
  17. Backtobanks
    Careful or you will hear from the stats junkies who will find some statistic to downplay his offense.
  18. Backtobanks
    There may be doubts about him playing CF, but there aren't any doubts about his ability to play 2B.....he's terrible. Considering the fact that he did okay in LF, I might think his defense in CF can't be much worse than his defense at 2B.
  19. Backtobanks
    Hendry was right. It will only take about 5 moves to bring the team back to contention. 1. sign Schmidt 2. Sign Craig Wilson 3. Sign Ray Durham 4. Pull off a trade for an impact bat (i.e. Tejada or Andruw Jones for a package of Cedeno plus young pitching plus ????) 5. re-sign Wood & Aram (I'm counting this as one move)
  20. Backtobanks
    He is currently 30, and will be 31 this coming January. His next contract probably takes him from 31-35. That is his real age, right? Thanks gooney. I think the Ramirez situation is going to hurt the Cubs big tiem this free agent season unless they have already agreed to a deal. If Ramirez takes his time over the 15 days after the WS it could hamper the moves the Cubs would take and put them behind the 8 ball and we all know they don't exactly great plans to begin with. I think Hendry will wrap him up quickly for the reason you mentioned above. Both sides seem satisfied with ARam in Chicago, so I think ARam will get an extension rather quickly.
  21. Backtobanks
    I think Hendry will make Pierre an offer, but I think he will get better offers elsewhere. Whether Pierre takes the Cubs lower offer will be up to him, but I wouldn't be surprized if Hendry is thinking of CF as a place to get some power (Soriano or Andruw Jones) to make up for the lower power numbers in LF, SS, and 2B.
  22. Backtobanks
    Why should everyone expect other teams to stand still. That's like saying if the Cards, Reds, Astros, Brewers, and Pirates stink up the joint, the Cubs might make the playoffs. The Sox had a chance to make a deal at midseason and chose not to.
  23. Backtobanks
    It's pretty hard to compare something like runs scored when Posednik plays for a team with an outstanding offense (with a DH) and Pierre plays for a team with a pitiful offense. Put Konerko, Thome, and Dye in the Cubs' lineup and Pierre would have more runs scored. Also, there has been talk of going after Soriano for CF.
  24. Backtobanks
    This is one of those cases where it shows that statistics shouldn't overrule common sense.
  25. Backtobanks
    A lot of the talk about Soriano is that the Cubs want him for CF. I have trouble believing that he could ever be a disappointment offensively in CF. Now defensively is another story.
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