Little Slide Rooter

Now they're demanding Brandon Sing instead of Kelton.

And yet it's a big ol' happy coincidence that all those "playing the game the right way" players are white. In Chicago anyway, it seems that way. Remember, the media loved them some Bobby Scales and in his short stint here.

If Ramirez was the only example, sure. But that's the reason you keep trying to pick out individual players to argue about. Because you don't want to face the larger pattern. The lazy, selfish players: Ramirez, Zambrano, Castro, Soriano, Pie, Cedeno, Sosa, Soto The scrappy, gamer players: Theriot, Fontenot, Miles You have to dig hard to find the very rare exceptions, like references to Wells "losing focus," but the color-coding pattern is clear. I don't see a single reference to Cutler being lazy in any of those articles. If it was up to the media meatballs, major league baseball would be full of David Ecksteins and Reed Johnsons "playing the game right" and tumbling all over the field and running into walls for $75 K/year. I don't think racism enters into it, it's just the style they feel the game should be played.

How do you feel about Ron Santo? I'm not following. Santo was more of a loveable goof as an announcer. I've heard stories that he was disliked for various reasons as a player, but that was a time when it wasn't in fashion for the media to go after celebrities and politicians. If so, there wouldn't celebrity scandal rags to keep up with them. If they did try to make a name for themselves or expose someone of power, they were eithe given hush money or dealt with as many conspiracy theorisits think that the CIA did Marilyn Monroe, or course that would pertain more to politicians than general celebs.

I don't think anyone would be able to get away with most of Zs antics. Sure, if Lilly or Dempster or whoever had an isolated incident, it would be sloughed off, however, when there are just so many year after year, he becomes an easy target. Also, the Cubs have done an awful job with damage control, as they did with Bradley before him. When a player has meldows and outbursts on the field or caught on camera in the dugout, there's nothing you can do. However, the organization should be minimizing the press rather than fanning the flames. For example, noboody needed to know about Zs "retirement" or a big chink of the Lou/Bradley saga.

Remember how I said it was disconcerting that Gillick's hand-chosen successor wasn't very good? I have to think the Phillies believe their payroll is going to be at the Yankees level soon. Or maybe they think they are too far gone at this point for the future and so are just gearing up to try to win in 2012 and maybe 2013, because it's looking uglier and uglier for them after that. $114.1M already committed to 10 players for next year. And that's not including Cole Hamels (made 9.5M in 2011) and Hunter Pence (6.9M), both of whom are arbitration eligible. Also doesn't count the potential Madson deal. Hopefully they price themselves out of Cole Hamels and Epstein and Hoyer jump all over him.

Zambranos in aleague of his own. Whether he was white, black, Irish, or French Canadian, he'd be called out for his non sense. Meatball fans and media alike are going to come after big money players when they under perform or mess up no matter their race, and let's look at our recent big money guys : Soriano, Ramirez, Zambrano, Bradley, Sosa. Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee were also big money guys who were never trashed, but that was primarily because they were consistently good, aside from the last year or so for Lee, when I can't remember anyone really trashing him. Dempster was starting to hear it too early on when he was struggling, but that's probably just because he's Canadian. As for some of Castros brain farts, it has more to do with his age than anything, and I have to assume that anyone would have been called on for it. It doesn't help Kaplans case that he has made some poorly worded comments but as much of a doushe as he is and the fact that hes made some I'll advised comments, it's hard to see him as an all out racist. As for white guys getting the same treatment, Hundleys the only example that we have, but across town, Adam Dunn hasn't had it much better. Not since Milton Bradley have i seen a guy get that consistently booed every time he comes to bat in his own park. To elaborate, I thuink it has more to do with these media guys valuing the wrong things, IE Theriot and Reed Johnsons grittyness and playing the game right as opposed to Ramirez and Castro who play the game well but make some mental mistakes here and there.

Note to well-off baseball players: avoid Venezuala.

I'd go with Pujols or Fielder over Wilson. Not because hitting more important than hitting, because it isn't. However, with Fielder or Pujols, you get one of the elite hitters in the entire game, and fill a position we need to fill, whereas with Wilson, you'd get the best pitcher in this particular market and overpaying for him due to the market. I'd just as soon get one of the big bats, and get a lesser pitcher like Liriano or Maholm and then wait and see which of Cain, Lincecum, Hammels, Marcum, Greinke, and Danks make it to free agency next year.

why give up Cashner for Liriano when Cashner will probably have the better career moving forward? Liriano is just as likely to get hurt and Cashner will be cheap for a while. I don't know that I do this straight up let alone including Ha and Rusin. Liriano is one of the more iffy pitchers in the game, and is just as likely to come to camp weighing in at 275 as he is to look anything like a front end starter. Don't get me wrong, I'd be interested in him, but Cashner wouldn't enter the conversation. Maybe 2 of J Jackson, Rusin, Coleman, Barney, Colvin, Russell, Cabrera, DeWitt, Baker and throw in a low level guy. And a big pass on Loney. My 1B hierarchy is: 1. Pujols, 2. Fielder, 3. Morneau(if he became available), 4. LaHair, T5 Kotchman/Pena

In 4 years, they will be paying a 35 year old Madson and a 36 year old Ryan Howard a combined $36 million. That's worse than anything the Cubs have done besides maybe Milton Bradley. What a [expletive] joke. Hopefully they aren't rewarded with any titles between now and then to "justify" the stupidness. It's also really going to jack up the market for Heath Bell, K Rod, Lidge, and maybe even Nathan and Broxton. For a team in need of offense and limited available payroll, it really doesn't seem like money well spent.

Ryan Madson reportedly close to signing a 4/44 deal with a 13 mil option for a 5th. He's pretty bad ass, but that's one hell of a commitmant to a 31 year old reliever.

I'm fine with Clevenger, although I think that Castillo should be where he'll get regular at bats. Chris Robinson can back up Geo I guess. As for Beliveau, I'd really prefer not. If they want a lefty reliever Id prefer sell them on Gaub or Maine.

Given what happened, I'm not sure that's possible. I think we can forget about cash, or at least enough to make it worth our while. However, I think we could get either another bad contract or a former top prospect whose team is close to giving up on him. I recently read a Tweet that the Marlins don't want to move LoMo, but would for James Shields. Another guy whose team seems close to giving up on is Travis Snider who's still only 23. I'd be quite interested in working out a deal of some kind for him.

So, the previous deadline was last Tuesday...so the new deadline should be today, yes? Yup. So what's the next deadline?

I don't think it matters. Ricketts has probably told Theo and Jed to do whatever they need to do to make this team a contender. If it means eating 75% of a contract, they probably have the ability to do it. Furthermore, this probably means Soriano's days are very numbered. You're talking like they have to get rid of Zambrano and Soriano to contend. Meaning if Theo and Jed feel Z and Sori need to go, they can do what they need to do to make it happen. If you do trade them and don't get anything of value in return be it cash or players in return, explain how it makes the team better, and don't even think about the phrase "clubhouse cancer"

Well yeah, but that's not going to happen for 1 year of a mentally unstable middle of the rotation pitcher no matter how much we eat.

The Royals probably have the best system in baseball. I believe that they have 3-4 of the top 10 prospects depending on which list you refer to. I highly, highly doubt that we'd be getting any of those guys, but their system is deep, as would be expected from a team that has been so awful for so many years.

Are we talking -06-'08 DeRosa or the rest of his career?

They already picked it up. yup. that was his point.

Re-sign Koyie Hill at 3/25 and John Grabow at 4/37 and then rip off his mask to reveal that he was Jim Hendry all along. Or just sign Grady Sizemore to a 1/7.5 with incentives and an option.

This post makes very little sense. I merely said that he is apparently never going to fulfill expectations of a high first round draft choice. Seems to be the same thing you are admitting with the bold. I said at this point I didn't see a reason to expect to rely on Vitters in future plans. That could always change. My question was how much longer should he be given to show return on investment? The way I see it, the Cubs are not looking at playing "serviceable" players at key offensive positions moving forward. If the ceiling for Vitters is now "serviceable", then I see a #3 overall pick that was wasted, yes. That would mean he has become a disappointment, not necessarily a "bust". You just seem to be a bit too down on him. Not every top 10 pick is going to become a supserstar. If he can be a bit more diciplined at the plate, then he could very well end up a mid .800s OPS guy as the extra base power has been there all along, and these days that's pretty good for a 3B. Also, at age 22 it's far from out of the question to expect him to develope that home run power that was originally projected.

That's what it sounds like. If that is actually the case, Dave Martinez please Or it could mean that he's happy with his situation and the kids will be in school for 3 more years there.

Apparently, you missed that he played at age 21 this year. This is an example of how prospects who are drafted out of high school (and at only 17, in Vitters' case) tend to be underrated after awhile because people just don't get how long it takes. This is also an example of the short sighted all or nothing mindset of Cubs fans. Since he was drafted 3rd overall with a lot of hype surrounding him, if he doesn't become a superstar, he's a bust. Who cares that most of his peers are still facing college pitching.

Sorry, I just don't see him in the future plans. Castros already a part of them, probably Barney. I'm assuming that we'll have a full time 1B of some kind, and after that, we have LeMahieu, Flaherty, Vitters, and Lake, possible Watkins. All of these guys should be major league ready within the next 2-3 years and some already are. I fully understand why Baker is useful and wouldn't be at all upset if he stayed around, but on the other hand, I also understand why he could be viewed as expendable. There's a big difference between viewing a player as expendable and trying to unload him. If someone wants to offer the Cubs something of value for him, that's great. But no way should we be out actively trying to give him away. I think it depends largely on the plans for 2012. If they do go out and make the necessary moves to contend, then yes, you want the best 25 guys you can put together. On the other hand, if they view 2012 primarily as a year to build and the new front office to evaluate the organization, then I think that Baker, Byrd and DeWitt are guys who should be shopped agressively while we put Flaherty and LeMahieu on the big league roster while they evalaute what they can do and what the long term needs are going to be. As of now, I think that the only current position player that we have that's guaranteed a starting job next year is Starlin Castro, and probably Geo although theres an outside chance that he can be traded. Sorianos pretty likely as well, but who thought that the Blue Jays would be able to unload Wells as easily as they did. After that, there are plenty of options.