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Backtobanks

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Everything posted by Backtobanks

  1. Backtobanks
    The New York Post is reporting that Ichiro may want to be traded because he doesn't see a winning team in the near future in Seattle. Ichiro would certainly look good playing CF and batting at the top of the order for the Cubs.
  2. Backtobanks
    I questioned that after the Perez signing. With all of these middle infielders (Walker, Perez, Cedeno, Hairston, and rumors of going after Furcal), I would think 2 are leaving. Assuming Walker is leaving and Hairston's ability to back up CF, that leaves Cedeno or Perez to go someplace.
  3. Backtobanks
    Where are the rumors that they're shopping Z. I thought this was thrown out there by one of us.
  4. Backtobanks
    I root against the White Sox and have for 50 years, but when you look at results Ozzie deserved it and Kenny Williams should have won Exec. of the Year. They were in 1st place all year and ended up with 99 wins with a team that wasn't favored to win the Division.
  5. Backtobanks
    No rumblings. Just throwing it out there if we can't get Giles. There are more good pitchers available in free agency than good bats. If trading Zambrano meant getting Abreu, and then the Cubs turned around and signed Burnett, I think that would be okay. I'm worried about Zambrano's health. Zambrano is 2 years away from free agency - if he signs 1-year deals (Boras is his agent) the Cubs will pay him $5-6M in 2006 and $8-10M in 2007. For that same amount, you can probably get Burnett signed for the first 2 years of a 4-year deal. The Cubs had a chance to trade Lieber and a prospect for Rolen during Spring Training a few years ago. They didn't do the deal. 4 months later, Lieber is having TJ surgery, and Rolen went to St. Louis. If the Phillies offered Abreu and some cash for Zambrano, I'd do it. I'll reiterate - Brian Giles is my first focus. No way I trade Zambrano for Abreu. With Wood & Burnett as your #2 and #3 pitchers you had better keep 7 starters.
  6. Backtobanks
    That combo won't happen unless there are injuries involved. If Furcal isn't signed, there will be a trade for a SS or 2B. Players such as Lugo, M. Giles, Castillo, Soriano, etc. are available.
  7. Backtobanks
    It is nice to read a rational post without ranting about what an idiot JH is. I am a big supporter of JH and I do think he has a plan in place, but the signing of Perez is a little hard to understand. I do think Floyd would be a good pickup for RF. I think there is a big deal or two out there because of all of the spare parts he seems to be accumulating. With those spare parts, Rule 5 players, tons of money, and prospects, he ought to build a team that can contend.
  8. Backtobanks
    I predict Ronnie Cedeno will be the starting SS for the Cubs ..............in 2017, when he signs a $40 million dollar/4 year contract as a 37 year old. The Cubs will be willing to spend the money because of his 7 All-Star appearances and 8 Gold Gloves.
  9. Backtobanks
    You think the Cubs can make those two deals and not have Walker be part of them? Especially now that we have more middle IF than pitchers.
  10. Backtobanks
    Let's take a look at the situations here: Sign Furcal, keep Walker Neifi is redundant with Cedeno already around, bad move. Sign Nomar, keep Walker Same thing, you don't need two players for the same job, and you don't need to be signing one to a two year deal when the other is much younger, cheaper, and in all likelihood better. Sign Furcal/Nomar, trade Walker Now we have Cedeno and Neifi both vying for 2B. Uh-oh. Bad move. Sign no one, keep Walker Same thing, except at SS. Can't have those tailing throws messing things up. Sign Furcal/Nomar, keep Walker, trade Cedeno This is the only situation where Neifi isn't excessive, or at high-risk to be the everyday starter. How likely is this situation, and what are the odds keeping Neifi and trading Cedeno improves the team? This is a terrible, terrible move. I'm just wondering whether Cedeno is going to be used in a trade. With Cedeno, Walker, Perez, Hairston, and Furcal (?) as middle infielders, I would think that 2 of them have to go. Obviously, Walker is gone. I would think Hairston's ability to back up CF would keep him on the team. So, I was wondering about Cedeno as part of a package for Castillo. I still think Cedeno is going to be a good IF for a lot of years, but you have to wonder about the signing of Perez. As some people suggested (hoped), maybe some team wants Perez and wanted a 2-year contract.
  11. Backtobanks
    If we can get him cheap, go for it. If he acts like a jerk, as of now we still have Patterson and Hairston to play CF. Sign Furcal and get an impact player for RF (Giles ??) you have a very good lineup with depth and plenty of players as trade bait (Walker, Patterson, Rusch/Williams, any Rule 5 players left, prospects).
  12. Backtobanks
    I agree that if we can get Mench cheap (for Rule 5 players), then I would go for it. Not only does he give you another option in the OF and a pinch hitter with power, but adds to the depth of our trade bait. You put him in with Walker, Patterson, Rusch/Williams, and prospects or Rule 5 players and you ought to fill in one or two holes that could be left after the free agents sign.
  13. Backtobanks
    They really run the gamut on the OFs mentioned. Young, old, high OBP, low OBP, over the hill, lots of potential, etc.
  14. Backtobanks
    I've said that every time I read one of these posts. The Cubs have enough holes without making a new hole to plug one of them. The Cubs have a ton of money to spend and lots of spare parts (Walker, Patterson, Rusch, Williams, Mitre, Welly, etc.) to fill the holes without trading Zambrano, Prior, Lee, Ramirez, or Pie.
  15. Backtobanks
    Did I miss something in this deal or are the Cubs getting Abreu and giving up only $2 million? I'll go for that deal any day.
  16. Backtobanks
    I like the 3rd deal listed above. It would solve CF, RF, aand leadoff if we don't get Furcal. Also, it solve the problem of "what to do about Patterson?"
  17. Backtobanks
    Ben Maller (http://www.benmaller.com) speculates where the elite free agents will end up: Konerko- White Sox 5 yrs. $65 million Giles - Cards 3 years $27 million (We can offer more than that) Furcal - Cubs 4 years $36 million Damon - Red Sox 4 years $42.5 million (They can have him at that price) Burnett - Blue Jays 4 years $50 million ( See Damon) Wagner - Phils 3 years $30 million Ryan - Yanks 4 years $30 million Additional comment: He says that the Yanks could sign Eyre, Sauerbeck, Dotel, & Howry for less than Ryan.
  18. Backtobanks
    Which goes to show that at this time of the year, everything is in the rumor stage. Any team that needs a SS is a possible Furcal suitor, any team that needs pitching is a Burnett suitor, etc. I look forward to the winter meetings in December to get a better feel for what's going on with whom.
  19. Backtobanks
    What I meant was that we have 7 pages of discussion on whether Murton should be our starting LF next year and, with his stats, many other team's fans would consider it a given that he would be starting.
  20. Backtobanks
    Obviously not, since we are so far into the offseason and so many teams have made moves and Hendry is just screwing up left and right. :roll: Seems to me that are always going to be some people hoping for a bad offseason because they seem to get more enjoyment from ripping mistakes (real or perceived) by Hendry, Baker, etc. than they get when the team is succesful. First, let's wait to see if re-signing Perez actually happens before we use it as an arguement against Hendry. As for all of the moves that Hendry has screwed up, I agree with re-signing Rusch and Walker. I think that we need to wait until Hendry puts together the whole team before we can judge whether he had a successful offseason. For example, people will jump all over him if he doesn't sign Giles, but a month later trades for Abreau or Dunn and becomes a hero. Let's give him a chance to work on plan A, or plan B if plan A doesn't work out before we criticize him.
  21. Backtobanks
    Which SP would you think they would give up? Contreras would seem to be the most likely candidate. I can't see them trading the first 3 and I'm sure the Phils don't want Hernandez. Also, I'm sure the Sox won't trade McCarthy. If I was Kenny Williams, I'd look into Delgado from the Marlins.
  22. Backtobanks
    The only problem with your idea of getting Furcal and Giles and keeping Patterson (with Hairston as a sub) is can we get Giles and Furcal. We can afford them, but you never know about personal quirks (playng on West Coast, etc.). There will be a ton of offers for both of them and you have to worry about the length of some of the contract offers (5 years?).
  23. Backtobanks
    The most he would get would be a 4 year contract, but maybe a 5th year team option. Somebody would have to be pretty desparate to offer an injury-plagued pitcher 5 years.
  24. Backtobanks
    What worries me is Hendry wants to overpay average to below average players. Furcal, Preston Wilson, Encarnacion, Jacque Jones, Pierre, Rusch... Where did you see that Hendry wants to overpay for Preston Wilson, Encarnacion or Jacque Jones?? Also, why do you think that Rusch is not worth $3M a year? Hendry has a very bad habit of overpaying fringe talent. Neifi, Macias and to a lesser extend Blanco and Burnitz are excellent examples of this. He's pound wise, penny foolish. In regards to Rusch, the issue is that we have multiple internal options for the role Rusch will pay, and all of them are much, much cheaper. Plus, if Rusch isn't starting he's absolutely terrible. Name all of those "multiple internal options" for Rusch' role that are cheaper. Hill and Koronka stunk, Mitre and Welly stunk and are RH, and Williams shows promise, but he is our 5th RH pitcher. I think Rusch at $3 million is a good deal, he gives us a LH starter, a veteran swingman, and enough depth to use him or our younger pitchers as trade bait.
  25. Backtobanks
    No on this trade and probably any rumored trade with Zambrano in it. The Cubs need to use their money, spare parts (Walker, Rusch, Williams, Patterson, Mitre, Welly, etc.), and prospects to fill their holes. All of these rumored trades mentioning our "untouchables" (Lee, Prior, Zambrano, Ramirez, Pie, etc.) just fills one hole by opening a new hole. I'm confident that Hendry can fill the holes without breaking up the foundation of the team.
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