jersey cubs fan

I was basically going to say the same thing. Soriano may be lazy, and he may be a show-boater, but he's always said he'll do whatever it takes for the team to win. Maybe Lou for constantly saying that's where Soriano is most comfortable, and for experimenting with changing then going right back to putting him at leadoff because he's uncomfortable elsewhere. And it doesn't help that he balked at moving to LF while with Washington and actually refused to take the field. He had the reputation of a guy who would fight a manager's decision to move him around.

Will the Brewers want/be able to keep Fielder long term? He's making around $10 million right now, that price is going to go up quite a bit the next time he signs a new deal (which will be 2011). Gamel will be cheap for much longer. If the prospects are good enough, then the trade gives the Brewers a very good starter this year and next and two good, young, cheap prospects for the future - plus it gives Gamel a place to play where his defense won't hurt. Well, if they are top notch prospects, sure but the way you presented the deal it seemed more like those would be throw ins than impactful. They could have Fielder for this year and next or Vasquez. Worry about losing Fielder in 2011, trading for Vasquez now doesn't solve the problem.

Actually that wasn't a terrible move. Keeping Wells in forced Cox to play his hand with the pinch hitter, essentially burning Gregor Blanco without him batting. Lou then put in Marshall with a run of lefties coming up and Marshall go the job done. If you're going to complain about that move, complain because of Lou's love of using Marshall as a LOOGY rather than him pulling Wells. Why? Marshall, for his career, isn't so bad against RH hitters that he can't get a righty out. I'd much rather let a good hitter hit for Wells than worry about who Marshall was going to face to start the 7th. Wells came up with two outs and nobody on. It wasn't exactly a great run-scoring situation. At that point with the lead, making them both burn an extra pinch-hitter and saving the pinch-hitters for your team is more helpful than sending a pinch-hitter to the plate to try to start a 2 out rally. It at least is a close decision. Wait, I'm confused. Is having Gregor Blanco "burned" a good thing for the Cubs or a bad thing? I'd rather have Gregor Blanco hit against anyone than Francoeur hit against a LHP. In addition, the Cubs have at least 2 guys on the bench that can put a run on the board with one swing pretty easily. It's not going to happen frequently, but I like the chances of Fox or Hoff getting a hit, or maybe even a double and getting driven in by Fukudome or Theriot more than letting Wells hit and get pulled to start the next inning. Even if Lou had left Wells in just to face Blanco that would have made more sense to me. But there were only 2, 3 if necessary, more innings the Cubs were going to come to the plate, we have 6 hitters on the bench, and who else were we really going to PH for in the lineup: Fukudome, if they bring in a LHP (hello, Reed Johnson), Fontenot if we got to the 8th spot? There just wasn't a need to save the 6 bench guys and give up an out that late in a 2-run game. I think saving your bench guys for better situations than 2 out nobody on and forcing Cox to burn 2 of his bench guys is at least arguably as good as just going ahead and pinch hitting there.

All the other NFL players that are so faithful to their wives are really going to look down on him now. If you are a pro athlete in your late 30's and sleeping around, why not go for a 20 year old? Just go after one that actually hot. Yeah, well that's important too.

and strikeouts are fascist

All the other NFL players that are so faithful to their wives are really going to look down on him now. If you are a pro athlete in your late 30's and sleeping around, why not go for a 20 year old?

A prospect or two doesn't really make up the difference between a 25 year old stud hitter and a 33 year old non-stud pitcher.

Bummer that you can't afford Halladay because of two OF hitting like those two.

We know how they handled it, the NHLPA filed a grievance. An arbitrator will decide. The fact that they paid Barker more than he should have gotten if he was still really just a RFA leads me to believe the Blackhawks think Versteeg has a great case and will likely become an UFA. As an UFA, I don't think the Blackhawks would be due any compensation if Versteeg signed elsewhere. That would be a huge loss.

Do you really solve that issue by trading him for an inconsistent 30-something pitcher due to make $11.5m next year and then become a free agent? If the Cubs were to trade a 25 year old stud hitter who is signed through next season for a soon to be 33 year old pitcher who never really built on his early career success and has been unimpressive in 4 of the past 6 seasons, I'd be pissed.

So unrestricted free agents net compensation when signed?

The ump that started the Bradley injury incident was reprimanded and he was hardly baseball's poster boy.

I just have no idea what it is supposed to mean.

Bankruptcy courts are notorious for giving huge amounts of leeway to debtors in Chapter 11. Unless there is something incredibly fishy about the deal or the creditors are raising a stink about it, the court's not going to do anything to block the sale. Neither is MLB or the owners. In an environment when sellings large assets is really difficult, these guys would be idiots to pull that off. If there really is an agreement in place, Ricketts effectively has control, and if he wants, can instruct Hendry to make moves. But I'd bet he doesn't really want to do that. His first big splash will be this fall, and the 2010 season will be the first "signature season" under his ownership.

In what way? Milton Bradley had like 2 good years under his belt DHing as a 30-something player who got injured all the freaking time. Cutler is a rising star at QB. Their situations are not at all similar. Bradley is a player who never really put together what his abilities suggested he could do. He has never in his career player a full year. Cutler was a highly touted QB who started paying dividends almost immediately, and has continued to get better. Cutler would have been approached with franchise QB dollars by the majority of teams if he was available as a free agent. Bradley was available and he only got a 3 year deal averaging well below super star dollars. Cutler is more like Mark Teixeira.

I thought so too, but I bet that was a Nike thing and not Federer's idea. I'd almost guarantee it was a Nike thing. He doesn't seem like the type of guy who would suggest doing something like that. IIRC, the TV person had to point it out during the on-court interview after he got his trophy and he just kind of said "Oh yeah" and not much else when she asked him about the jacket and if there was a 15 on the back of it. I think if it was his idea, he would not only have pointed it out but have said more about it than he did. He still wore the damn thing. Who cares where the idea originated? He doesn't have to dress like a jackass.

I like Versteeg, but he is not a $4 million dollar player right now. He's more of a $1.5-$2 mill player. If some team wants to offer $4 mill for him, then....bye-bye Kris. It would suck, but I don't think it's the end of the world if we lose Versteeg. Good young player, but if that's the worst we suffer, we should still be a very good hockey team. The fact that it's not the end of the world is meaningless. If they are going to lose him it's going to be strictly based on managerial incompotence, not because "thems the breaks and another team wanted to pay more." This would be a huge blow. Losing good young talent for absolutely nothing isn't something you just shrug off.

Why? To that contract? Way overpriced. This starts to negate the positives of how favorable Hossa's deal is. Freaking morons. Knowing how tight the cap situation was going to become, how the heck do you put yourself in this position?

I heard that as well, but I agree with what Lou did putting him in the 5. Bradley has had a nice little home stand so far. Hopefully he can keep that up and letting Ramy bat in the 5 might ease his transition back into the line up. I don't get what "easing" him into the lineup accomplishes. What is the difference between batting 4th or 5th? Is he really going to take it more easy on his shoulder if he's not at cleanup?

My opinion, absolutely. But I can see the point in not making that call immediately. It wouldn't hurt to let this season play out, say you are evaluating things and then hire a new GM, or maybe a president who can then hire a GM, in October.

Armageddon must be at hand. I was wrong about them starting with only one backup MI and finally going to 11 pitchers. The first one didn't last long though, wonder how long this one will. Taking into consideration how often the Cubs actually used Patton, it's as if they've been going with 11 pitchers all year. Now, at least, they can play with a full 25-man roster. Yeah, that's what people like Bruce Miles have been saying all season. But there's a difference between going to an 11 man bullpen for the last week before the ASB and heading into the dog days of summer with a plan to only have 11 pitchers.

Proven wrong? not really, but your point is a valid one. jackson will draw walks, probably twice as many as colvin. patience really isn't a weakness of his... he strikes out too much though. I thought it was a well-settled point that guys who walk also strike out quite often since they go deep into counts? Or are you not really making some sort of conclusory judgment of Jackson like I'm making it out to be? FWIW, my concern about Jackson is lack of power, but I've read some opinions that he has the potential to develop power with some swing adjustments as his frame seems suited to power already... From my understanding, he swings and misses quite frequently so it's not just deep counts. Yeah, he's not striking out because he's as patient as Adam Dunn up there. Walking more often than Colvin isn't exactly a tough thing to do. Everybody said his biggest problem is trouble making contact with the baseball, which can lead to issues when you are a baseball player who does not pitch.

Armageddon must be at hand. I was wrong about them starting with only one backup MI and finally going to 11 pitchers. The first one didn't last long though, wonder how long this one will.

So they are going with 11 pitchers for now?

DLee still can't be traded in the offseason unless he approves it. That doesn't appear likely. I still want to see more from Fox before I anoint him as Lee's successor, but I do like what I've seen to this point. Doh. Details smetails. Alright 2011 it is! The Cubs should be able to get a deal or 2 down without Fox. I wouldn't be pushing for a Fox trade, but I also wouldn't make him untouchable or anything. I think I'd actually like to push for a Fox trade. I wonder if a Fox/Hoffpauier combo would do anything for the Mets.