Jump to content
Can the Cubs push their win streak to 11? Come join our game thread! ×
North Side Baseball

Backtobanks

Old-Timey Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    7,298

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

 Content Type 

Profiles

Joomla Posts 1

Chicago Cubs Videos

Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

2026 Chicago Cubs Top Prospects Ranking

News

2023 Chicago Cubs Draft Picks

Guides & Resources

2024 Chicago Cubs Draft Picks

The Chicago Cubs Players Project

2025 Chicago Cubs Draft Pick Tracker

Blogs

Events

Forums

Store

Gallery

Everything posted by Backtobanks

  1. Backtobanks
    2. The difference between losing 84 and 94 games lies in the entertainment value. I'd like my favorite team to have a chance to win games sometimes. . No offense, but that's such a meatballish way of looking at things. If this team has no chance of making the playoffs, all else being equal, give me the benefits of losing more games. Furthermore, I was actually pretty entertained last season. - At the beginning, we had some new faces to watch to see how they'd do. We also had Starlin Castro, of course. - We then had a stretch of like 25 games where we had the best record in MLB. - We had Rizzo come up. - The trade deadline that made for an interesting time. - We had Jackson and Vitters called up to watch. Obviously you must be easy to entertain. Most of the 2nd half of the season was unwatchable, especially when it became apparent that Jackson and Vitters were totally overmatched at the ML level.
  2. Backtobanks
    Well, it is what it is. Unless Theo had Harry’s magic wand, how were the Cubs gonna win in 2012? & I guess it depends on what your definition of winning is. Do you want to spend your assets on a team that has to eek into the playoffs & hope to luck out, or do you want a team built to be a perennial contender? That’s an easy question for me… Nevertheless, I don’t think much will make you happy. You’re gonna be bellyaching about most things anyway. And the Cubs are going to suck in 2013 (and possibly 2014). Is there a guarantee that in 2015 and beyond we will be perennial contenders? Much of this discussion is based on most (or all) of the Cubs' top prospects becoming solid ML players by 2015 so that we can plug them into the lineup or trade them for superstars (Price, Felix, Upton, etc.). The offseason isn't over yet, but the FO needs to find young players to start filling holes for 2015 now. My opinion on Theo is that he was brought in to get us to (or win) the WS and not to be a perennial contender in a weak division with a large market team. And yes, I know the playoffs are a crapshoot.
  3. Backtobanks
    Good point but I'd rather have them looking spend the money on who they really want instead of hendry spending money on whoever is there. It's also another reason that we have to build up our entire system. We have to have prospects to build, and prospects to deal for guys others that are not yet free agents. If we go back to just trying to buy a team and spend like a drunken sailor, we can compete pretty quickly but for how long and a what cost. This is the most proven front office we have had since dallas green, they won't sign everyone the set out for but we have to believe they will put their best effort out there. right now if you look at sanchez, Cubs or tigers..really? chance to win a lot vs being 2-3 years away. I agree, but again our best prospects are under 21 and in the low minors. Hopefully (but not likely) they all reach the potential we see in them. As for "spending money on whoever is there", that's what GMs do if they don't get the FA they wanted. So if Theo loses 1-2 of the players he really wants to some other team in 2014 or 2015, he will be forced to buy whoever is there. He has a good plan, but it all goes down the tubes pretty quickly if some of these prospects don't make it.
  4. Backtobanks
    My biggest concern is that when it comes time to spend and make big trades, we may be disappointed again. When the discussion about hiring Theo happened, I posted that many posters were acting like all of the other teams were going roll over and let Theo sign or trade for whoever he wanted. With all of the TV money floating around, there's going to be a lot of teams overspending in 2014-2015 on FAs. Also, names like Stanton, Price, Felix, etc. as trade bit are going to have a lot of GMs lined up to acquire them.
  5. Backtobanks
    It would clear out the minors in quality if not quantity. Price or Felix are going to cost you 2-3 top prospects plus 1-2 mid-level prospects. Upton would cost at least 1 top and 2 mid-level, while Stanton would probably be the same as Price or Felix.
  6. Backtobanks
    It's definitely better. But I was hoping when we hired Epstein that we'd be aiming for slightly higher than "well, it's not as bad as the Tribune/MacPhail/Hendry era." I think it's 1,000,000x better. But I guess if you have tunnel vision and are only looking at how many losses they had last year, I could see how you wouldn't be a fan of what they're doing. I guess you're entitled to your opinion about being 1,000,000x better, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about the future. There are still a lot of question marks on the 2013 team and all of our top prospects are still very young and in the low minors. Also, the minors are severly lacking in pitching prospects for 2014 and beyond.
  7. Backtobanks
    I just hope we're not reading this same tweet for 2-3 more years.
  8. Backtobanks
    Not really. BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox made a two-year, $25 million offer to free agent right-hander Ryan Dempster but were turned down by the pitcher and his agent, Craig Landis, according to a source. Dempster is believed to be seeking a three-year deal and reportedly is being wooed by the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. From MLBTR: The Brewers, Red Sox and Royals are the "three main teams" looking at Ryan Dempster, reports Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). This would seem to eliminate the Cubs, who we recently heard weren't negotiating with Dempster Don't you just love conflicting rumors.
  9. Backtobanks
    Okay 2/$16 and a home in Wrigleyville.
  10. Backtobanks
    Yeah, 2/$16 for McCarthy, 2/$16 for Melky Cabrera, and 3/$12 for Keppinger and we might have really had a shot at the playoffs.
  11. Backtobanks
    My original post was to acquire Viciedo as a LF, thinking that sometime soon we can unload Soriano. I'm aware of the fact that he's a defensive liability, but so was Soriano up until this year. As for the Vogelbach/Viciedo discussion - one point that wasn't brought up is the fact that Viciedo is doing it at the ML level while we're hoping Vogelbach can hit at the ML level.
  12. Backtobanks
    Today's Tribune speculates on some White Sox rumors. They seem to be looking for a LH hitter (with some power I would think) and bullpen help. I don't see how we match up unless there was a way to include another team, but Viciedo's numbers and age would look good on the Cubs.
  13. Backtobanks
    All of them. I'm not projecting injuries. I guess it would be hard to project injuries (maybe impossible), but injuries obviously would affect the WAR projections. Anyone could be injured, but I think it's overly optimistic to think that Garza, Soriano, Baker, Feldman, and Marmol will be injury-free all year and not miss some playing time.
  14. Backtobanks
    only two walks surrendered in the past two years! Of course he only pitched 10 innings in those 2 years.
  15. Backtobanks
    I would think the Cubs would have to pay more than $8 million to get somebody like Delgado back.
  16. Backtobanks
    You would think the AL teams would be interested because of the DH option as a rest for his aging knees.
  17. Backtobanks
    I guess some of you will find all kinds of hidden messages in a simple sentence. It wasn't a knock on the FO, and I'm totally aware of the fact that we have Rizzo and Castro. It was a wish to add another young talented player to the core players.
  18. Backtobanks
    I wish we could find a talented 25 year old to put on the field. ... and you wonder why people get tired of this kind of post. I guess you read something in this post that certainly wasn't there.
  19. Backtobanks
    I wish we could find a talented 25 year old to put on the field.
  20. Backtobanks
    Tim, I really don't see much difference between these two posts. Also, please note in my post I used "we" and not directly attacking any posters.
  21. Backtobanks
    Can you imagine the reaction we could get if you ever made a post worth reading? Please be nice. It's possible to respond to this without a direct attack. Or, you know, ignore it. Tim, you know that some of your posters only make direct attacks instead of posting on the topic.
  22. Backtobanks
    Exactly my sentiments. Of course you didn't get accused of trolling by the haters.
  23. Backtobanks
    8 pages and counting on Scott Feldman. Can you imagine what we could do if the FO signed someone who has real value. :lol:
  24. Backtobanks
    I mentioned Keppinger as an option on Saturday. As others have posted the Valbuena/Stewart/Vitters/Lake combo doesn't exactly make you feel that 3B is a set position for 2013. He should be reasonably priced and fill a needed role. Also, he's an option to be trade bait t the deadline, so I don't see any downside to signing him.
  25. Backtobanks
    And what might those opinions be? Nice reporting, Mooney :good: Just the person we need to help Jackson and Vitters cut down their strikeouts.
×
×
  • Create New...