jersey cubs fan

I strongly doubt the Cubs have another 1 yr 10 million dollar card to play this winter. You say that, yet they are talking to Webb's agent and listening in on Mike Young and getting the team name printed up in just about every other players news reports. Maybe Hendry is just forcing teams to up their offers. Weird. Or maybe they are dumping Fukudome.

What an inexplicable comparison. http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2010/12/rex_ryan_buries_patriots_game.html That was a dumb comparison, but it serves his purpose. He's not an NFL analyst, he's in charge of one team. And I can't help but like his style.

But then you'd be trading numerous prospects which are on a whole more valuable.

It's not like Wells is a first year player. This is his last cheap season. His salary is going to rise just as fast. And once it does, most of his value disappears.

No one's saying Wells is great. However, considering how much he makes, how much Garza makes, and their respective levels of production, some feel that it just doesn't make much sense to trade him for Garza, who might be a slight upgrade for about 10x the price. I'd rather spend a little money than what limited talent the Cubs have in the system. Sometime very soon the Cubs are going to have to get an impact player, somewhere. It won't be through the system. And it probably won't be via free agency So trade bait should be stockpiled for that purpose, not spent for second and third tier players.

Not true at all. There really isn't much of a point to trade for him, mostly because this team doesn't need a starter. But if you are going to upgrade one, that's about the only reason to do it. And Wells is what, the 3rd best starter on the team at the moment? And Garza should be a better version of him. Hence the upgrade.

Good because I'd rather not trade any prospects for such a player, given the Cubs current stock on pitchers in house.

Not true at all. There really isn't much of a point to trade for him, mostly because this team doesn't need a starter. But if you are going to upgrade one, that's about the only reason to do it.

It's pretty much the storyline that most are going with. The Tribune called the penalty the turning point of the game. Humor sites like deadspin and KSK are casually referring to the refs screwing over the Lions again. I think the penalty was pretty much a must call as it happened in real time. If you have the benefit of replay you can decide not to. But you can't do what he did and expect not to get called. I think people (sportswriters) are just in disbelief in general over the Bears. Everyone wants to make Cutler to be the cry-baby (the whole McDaniels/Jeff George bit), the Bears use retreads for coaches, and the like. I laugh at the whole "McDaniels is the next Belichek" spiel I read lately. Yea, Denver just wasn't ready for change. ok. The fact of the matter is Belichek failed mightily in Cleveland and persevered though it, as the franchise was going through extremely turbulent waters. Meanwhile, McDaniels has pissing all over his players and eventually sent the ones he truly needed packing. Matt Cassell has done fine, but for cripes sake TIM TEBOW? I guess McDaniels could rebound, but I dont know. I still don't get why Cutler gets most of the blame for his falling out in Denver. A new hotshot offensive coach showed up and the first order of business was to try and replace the franchise QB who had already been to a pro bowl. What QB would not be upset with that? What QB would trust a guy like that?`

It's really used to free up cap space -- it's not like IR in the NFL, which means you are done for the season. It's much more like the DL in baseball. But the DL in baseball requires specific amount of time missed. Is that the case here?

Wasn't this argument also "used" during the Orton vs. Grossman days? (Orton just wins, he should be starting!) Heck, I don't know. I'm not a Bears fan yo. What I do know is that Mark Sanchez led the league last year in Rookie Quarterback Poise. It was the second highest RQP rating since Peyton Manning in 1998. He out poised Manning's rookie year. But Big Ben poised them all. Then raped them.

Did he suffer from this when he was a 21 year old first coming up into the big leagues? I'm not sure I buy the notion that he wouldn't be able to do what he's done in a bigger city. Starting pitchers don't have to talk to the media every day. KC may be small, but it's not like it is not a big league team with cameras and crowds and games played in NY and Boston and Chicago and LA. I'm not saying I would be concerned, but handling the pressure of being a big league pitcher is somewhat universal. It's not like every day is game 7 of the world series in Yankee Stadium. And isn't it likely that he has been able to manage his issues? It's kind of insulting to just assume he couldn't adjust to a different city. Dealing with the Kansas City media on a team so bad that all the media don't care by May is orders of magnitude different than the media in Chicago or Boston or New York. He's a really weird dude, and he has that mental instability as part of who he is. You can't just say that "most everyone else adjusts just fine" with his past, especially considering the player and financial cost he would command. I'm not sure what most everyone else adjusts just fine is supposed to refer to. He's adjusted to being a big league pitcher and obviously has done very well. I really think it's insulting to suggest he couldn't do the same thing in Chicago. Unless you are Zambrano and going out of your way to say and do stupid things, the media doesn't talk much with pitchers. The everyday guys are the ones taking the everyday talk. And there is no reason why the team can't make an effort to protect him. But he's pitched in opening games, in big stadiums and big matchups. I really don't know why anybody would assume he couldn't do it as a Cub.

is this serious? i hope not. that was one game. wow. I will take the liberty of assuring you, on Treeman's behalf, that this was sarcasm. thank you, i've seen more bizzare posts here. Especially in the trans thread. :? People (not necessarily in this case) decide that they dont like the idea of adding a player and try to convince everyone else that they're opinion is correct. As though that opinion matters... You think that is bizarre, you should see the posts in the trannies thread.

$1 a day through Jan. 30th. Jim totally beat Boras on that one.

Depends on how well convention tickets sell.

It's pretty much the storyline that most are going with. The Tribune called the penalty the turning point of the game. Humor sites like deadspin and KSK are casually referring to the refs screwing over the Lions again. I think the penalty was pretty much a must call as it happened in real time. If you have the benefit of replay you can decide not to. But you can't do what he did and expect not to get called.

If anything, his issues may keep the biggest bidders, NYY, NYM and BOS out of the race and make his cost a little more reasonable for the Cubs. And since they aren't doing much offensively and can really only get better pitching by upgrading to an ace somewhere, I see no reason why the Cubs shouldn't be involved.

Did he suffer from this when he was a 21 year old first coming up into the big leagues? I'm not sure I buy the notion that he wouldn't be able to do what he's done in a bigger city. Starting pitchers don't have to talk to the media every day. KC may be small, but it's not like it is not a big league team with cameras and crowds and games played in NY and Boston and Chicago and LA. I'm not saying I wouldn't be concerned, but handling the pressure of being a big league pitcher is somewhat universal. It's not like every day is game 7 of the world series in Yankee Stadium. And isn't it likely that he has been able to manage his issues? It's kind of insulting to just assume he couldn't adjust to a different city.

Neither do I. He didn't have this magic touch. The Cubs invested heavily in young pitching starting in the mid-90's and it paid off in the Rothschild era. He played a role, but he didn't turn a bunch of nobodies into stars.

And for a guy who might not be better than other players on the roster.

Hello Denver.

For only the last two years, while one guy was pitching in the AL East and the other guy was in the NL Central.

He turns 29 next summer. He is who he is and I really don't see much hope for a rebound. And what reason do we have to believe that Garza will be much better than Wells from here on out? He hasn't been to this point. Because he's younger and has already accomplished more, plus has better stuff.

Which also means we have a much less clear idea of exactly how good Wells will be. He's already been a lot better than many people thought he would be, while Garza hasn't turned the corner yet despite better stuff than Wells. I don't see any reason to pay Garza $5+ million when we have Wells for significantly cheaper. Garza hasn't been significantly better than Wells. Garza has a significantly better resume and is 15 months younger.

The idea of prospects has been thrown around - such as Carpenter, McNutt, Vitters, etc. I wasn't responding just to your Wells/Garza deal, but to deals that include young talent in general. And Wells has been very similar statistically to Garza, if not slightly better plus he's a whole lot cheaper. They have similar peripherals and Wells has a better career xFIP. I don't see what gives Garza a clear, statistical advantage. Your whole post was about Wells and Garza so I'm not sure why I would think you were referring to other young talent.