Little Slide Rooter

Well that doesn't make me optimistic about the near future. If we do trade Aram, we better get at least one of somebodies top 10.

Kind of brings a tear to the eye thinking back to all the hype surrounding Kosuke when we won the bidding for him and signed for him and all the hope we had for this team at the time. :bye:

I do remember reading a few days ago on MLBTR that there were 4 teams interested in Fukudome. I dont see why they jumped on this deal so quickly. We really had nothing to lose if we waited until Sunday or even the waiver deadline.

While I don't like Abreu, I tend to think he was the key to the deal and Carlton Smith was the throw-in. I would've preferred the Cubs mine their lower levels for an arm as well. We should have thrown him back. Have you seen the guys career minor league numbers? Blech. Give me the crab juice.

Hopefully hes the next Dan Kolb or Derrick Turnbow.

Thank god it isn't Smilk. Its Malk, choc full of Vitamin R.

Considering the money they ate, I think they could have gotten a younger, lower level guy instead of the 25 year old reliever. Im not saying a top prospect, but someone more promising than a guy who may or may not be any better than Justin Berg.

So is John Axford really that good, or do the Cubs just make him look that way?

Yeah, the wheels have been long gone for quite some time now.

This team needs to be treated like a dying animal thats in too much misery to go on.

Thats what the article says.

Wells was probably rushed back. That's not his fault. Wells line looked like a pretty standard line from a pretty standard back of the rotation pitcher.

All I know is while firing Quade at this point in time would be pointless and serve no purpose other than appease the "meatballs", if they do indeed plan on going all in next year, Quade has no business at the helm. Would anyone disagree with that statement?

How entertaining would the WWF have been in the 1990's had Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart simply ignored each other?

Calling these 2 mediocre is quite generous.

Use that money on an overslot guy from the draft. Yep, throw whatever saved directly into the draft budget hopefully. The way I see it, if were a few hundred grand away from someone like Maples and/or Vogelbach, theres our answer.

Its a win now and a win in the future. Again, if we do chase Fielder and Wilson, other teams are going to as well. There the best thing on the market, aside from Pujols who will likely end up staying put. As long as Fielder is willing to DH, there will be a loooong line of AL teams in the mix. Same goes for Wilson. I know its always easy to say we have money so just spend it, but other teams with money and similar needs are going to be thinking the same way. The Yankees and Red Sox would both love Fielder and Wilson, and as high as their payrolls are, they always seem to find a way to spend more, and they are very difficult teams to outbid, and once those guys are gone, the 1B market is highlighted by Carlos Pena, Lance Berkman, Michael Cuddyer, and Casey Cotchman. The next best 3Bs after Aram are, well, lets just say Jeff Baker would be next in line. The bst outfielders out there are Cuddyer, David DeJesus, Carlos Guillen, Ryan Ludwick, Kosuke, and perenial Hendry target Raul Ibanez. If were looking for starting pitching beyond Wilson, were looking at Edwon jackson, Hiroki Kuroda, and then on down to Jeff Francis and Joel Pinearo. None of those names are going to make us much better, so unless they come up with a mega trade or 2 out of nowhere, were pretty much counting on landing 3 of the most sought after free agents on the market. If we dont, the available free agents simply arent good enough to fix this team, and wed be pulling another throw as much money as possible at the best guy left. Wilson and Fielder/Pujols are just the path of least resistance, not the only options worthwhile. The Cubs(like many big market teams) acquired many of their best players through trades from teams that didn't want to pay a quality player's rising salary(Lee, Ramirez, Garza, Harden and Barrett to a lesser extent). Miguel Cabrera might fall out of favor in Detroit. Seattle may blow it up and move Felix. People are focusing on the Wilson/Fielder/Pujols trio because they are surefire bets to be available. If the Cubs aren't able to get two of them, it's far from a failure to go big or go home. They can find someone else worthwhile to use the money on, they just might have more of a player cost than a financial cost. I should probably clarify that Im not in the Cubs arent going to compete for the next 5+ years crowd. What I am saying is that without that afore mentioned trio, or perhaps some kind of trade or trades for significat upgrades, I cant see this team competing in 2012. If things go that way, Byrd and Dempster probably would have more value through trade than they would in another lost season, which would be the last under contract for each. Obviously, we need an upgrade, but I really dont think that something like Michael Cuddyer and Edwin Jackson is going to cut it.

YAY! more cat poop for the farm! The only way we come out OK is is if any money saved goes toward overslots.

With Kosuke, gone, Im all for giving Colvin RF the rest of the season to see how it works out rather than Montanez or Campana.

Actually, with Plaquenil, a tem with lupus could compete, as long as they get yearly eye exams.

How bad is that? How much time should that cost him?

Looks like the status has been changed to Indians very close to aquiring Kosuke. Let the fun begin. I really thought he was closer to an .800ish OPS.

Im thinking we could get a package like we got for Lee for Kosuke. Not sure what the Indians have to offer, but going to go out on a limb and assume that Kipnis and Pommeranz arent on the table.

Its a win now and a win in the future. Again, if we do chase Fielder and Wilson, other teams are going to as well. There the best thing on the market, aside from Pujols who will likely end up staying put. As long as Fielder is willing to DH, there will be a loooong line of AL teams in the mix. Same goes for Wilson. I know its always easy to say we have money so just spend it, but other teams with money and similar needs are going to be thinking the same way. The Yankees and Red Sox would both love Fielder and Wilson, and as high as their payrolls are, they always seem to find a way to spend more, and they are very difficult teams to outbid, and once those guys are gone, the 1B market is highlighted by Carlos Pena, Lance Berkman, Michael Cuddyer, and Casey Cotchman. The next best 3Bs after Aram are, well, lets just say Jeff Baker would be next in line. The bst outfielders out there are Cuddyer, David DeJesus, Carlos Guillen, Ryan Ludwick, Kosuke, and perenial Hendry target Raul Ibanez. If were looking for starting pitching beyond Wilson, were looking at Edwon jackson, Hiroki Kuroda, and then on down to Jeff Francis and Joel Pinearo. None of those names are going to make us much better, so unless they come up with a mega trade or 2 out of nowhere, were pretty much counting on landing 3 of the most sought after free agents on the market. If we dont, the available free agents simply arent good enough to fix this team, and wed be pulling another throw as much money as possible at the best guy left.

Sweep away Brewers. Like pretty much every team in baseball, too bad you can't play the Cubs everyday.