davearm2

Yeah, being paid millions of dollars to be a major league player would suck rocks if you were a DH. He's being paid millions of dollars in any event. Being a DH would suck a lot more than not being a DH.

YES! You want this to happen. If Dunn is traded to the Sox, there's no way that he'll re-sign with them because he doesn't want to DH and most indications are that the Sox will re-sign Konerko. Thus Dunn will become a free agent and available to fill the void of DLee. Not wanting to be a DH is a noble thought for a 20-something position player looking to establish himself in the league. However, when you're in your 30's, everybody knows everything about your game and somebody is offering a contract, I think that stance can be adjusted. If Team A was offering 50% more money than Team B, on the condition that Dunn DH, then his stance probably would be adjusted. But if the money is roughly equal, I can completely understand why Dunn would insist on playing the field, and it has nothing to do with establishing himself. Being a fulltime DH would be incredibly boring IMO.

Haha didn't realize Lilly has ZERO hits this year. Well now he has an RBI.

But then you run the risk of having to pay him again when nobody offers a contract better than he could get in arbitration. They base it on three year numbers, don't they? It can be beneficial to old guys nearing the end to accept arbitration and probably get a raise even if they sucked in the previous year. I thought it was based on two-years, not three. The Elias rankings are based on two years IIRC. I was referring to the criteria the arbiter uses when making his decision, not how they rank a player. I don't think there's any specific timeframe on that. I believe each side can argue their position using whatever data they wish, and the arbiter can consider whatever he finds pertinent. I could be wrong though.

But then you run the risk of having to pay him again when nobody offers a contract better than he could get in arbitration. They base it on three year numbers, don't they? It can be beneficial to old guys nearing the end to accept arbitration and probably get a raise even if they sucked in the previous year. I thought it was based on two-years, not three. The Elias rankings are based on two years IIRC.

I'd say there's no chance the Cubs offer Lee arbitration. Kerry Wood was younger, cheaper, and more productive than Lee, and he didn't get offered.

That's a legit argument and I don't necessarily disagree. My main contention, I guess, was you appearing to disregard the Upton/Lilly swap because we had Byrd and Jackson waiting in the wings. I wouldn't turn down that trade because of any current OFs on our ML roster because there are ways to make it work. 5 starting OFs for 3 spots is untenable. Even if you want to argue that Colvin isn't a "starting" OF, 4 guys/3 spots is still an issue. And that's without considering Jackson. Thus making one trade makes it imperative to make another. That's not a dealbreaker, mind you, just problematic, whereas trading for a similar young/talented 1B or 2B would be ideal.

Why not, after an Upton for Lilly swap, trade Kosuke and then platoon Byrd and Colvin in right? Or just give Byrd right field full time? He's played 109 games there and, while UZR gets pretty inaccurate in smaller sample sizes, is a 13.2 UZR/150 defender there. It's not ideal, but his .845 OPS would be 5th in the NL among right fielders with at least 150 PAs. Let him play in right next year and then work on dealing him either at the deadline or in the 2011 offseason. Well the main reason would be because I presume you could get more trading Byrd than Fukudome... probably a lot more, considering their contracts. Meanwhile, their production as RFs next year would be about a wash. So may as well trade the more valuable asset and keep the less valuable one, if there's no production dropoff in doing so.

In a vaccuum getting Upton for Lilly sounds pretty good, although frankly I like the Cubs' CF situation better as it is: Byrd now, Jackson later. Now trading Lilly for Upton, then Byrd for something useful might be the best of all worlds.

Yes the problem here is that most MLB front offices are less informed than your average messageboard poster.

So what exactly is your position here: a) there should be no rules, or b) there should be rules, just no enforcement/consequences?

Z killed Z's trade value, both with his production and with his behavior. All the Cubs have done is (re)establish that acting like an arse is unacceptable. That "life lesson" may be lost on Z, but it needed to be reaffirmed to everyone else in the organization. Otherwise you've soon got the inmates running the asylum. just look how much things have turned around since they put the hammer down Turning things around wasn't the objective. so we taught the organization an important life lesson that in no way improved play on the field. hurray? Doing nothing could have made things worse, on and off the field. I thought that was implied with the "inmates running the asylum" comment.

Z killed Z's trade value, both with his production and with his behavior. All the Cubs have done is (re)establish that acting like an arse is unacceptable. That "life lesson" may be lost on Z, but it needed to be reaffirmed to everyone else in the organization. Otherwise you've soon got the inmates running the asylum. just look how much things have turned around since they put the hammer down Turning things around wasn't the objective.

Obvious based on all of the trades they've made this year? This is still all writers making assumptions and educated guesses.

Z killed Z's trade value, both with his production and with his behavior. All the Cubs have done is (re)establish that acting like an arse is unacceptable. That "life lesson" may be lost on Z, but it needed to be reaffirmed to everyone else in the organization. Otherwise you've soon got the inmates running the asylum.

I know he had no intentions of keeping Hamilton, but that is a horrible decision he made. He didn't really make that decision, though. For the gazillionth time on this board, he agreed to trade the pick to the Reds BEFORE he even knew who the Reds wanted. He would never have stuck with the Cubs as a Rule 5 pick because the Cubs didn't have room on the major league roster for another outfielder. And Hendry didn't have to do the Reds a favor and making that pick, either. I'd love to get $50K for doing a favor.

So if I'm reading that correctly, Szczur can pocket $100K to play a few weeks of minor league baseball this summer, then go play in the NFL if he chooses? Not bad.

I don't know how you can say probably not. If he's a sub .300 OBP corner OF there most definitely is something wrong with him as a starter. The more he's played, the worse he's been. The ability for the Cubs to have Tyler Colvin starting everyday, and not suffering as a result, is very much in doubt. Colvin will never be confused with Youkilis, but he's yet to have an OBP below .300 either.

To me Marmol looks like a TJS waiting to happen, with all the max-effort sliders he throws. Dang the guy's filthy but it'd be nice to unload him before he goes on the shelf for a year and has his career put in jeopardy.

Lou's not to blame for Lee and Ramirez hitting like crap all year, or Zambrano having another meltdown, but Jim Hendry is? For a guy that chastises others for looking for a scapegoat of some sort, you sure seem to be looking for a scapegoat of some sort. So you dont think the bloated contracts and no trade clauses ala Jim Hendry have more to do with the failure of this years Cubs than the fact Hill is getting a few extra starts a month ? I'd rank the reasons for the failure of this year's Cubs as follows: 1) the under-performance of the players on the roster (Lee Ramirez Zambrano Grabow etc.) 2) the way the roster has been managed (Lou -- lineups, bullpen management, etc.) 3) the way the roster has been assembled (Hendry -- contracts, NTCs etc.) So it's nonsensical for you to absolve Lou because it's not his fault that the players aren't producing, but then turn around and blame Hendry. Hendry has even less to do with that. Your mini-rant about finding a scapegoat just made it even more amusingly hypocritical. LOL. I was done with this thread, but this post is really just too ridiculous to let pass. I am guessing you did not bother to re-read what you wrote. 1 " Under-performance of the players on the roster" and 3 " The way the roster has been assembled" I won't even insult the other readers by pointing out just how foolish this is. Good day. Thanks for a much needed laugh. Hahaha you can't discern the difference between an underperforming team and a poorly-constructed team? Being done with this thread is a very good idea for you.

Cool, sounds like a good compromise for both sides. Wonder what the language is as far as what happens if Szczur decides to try the NFL. IIRC Samardzija has to repay most of his signing bonus if he does.

Lou's not to blame for Lee and Ramirez hitting like crap all year, or Zambrano having another meltdown, but Jim Hendry is? For a guy that chastises others for looking for a scapegoat of some sort, you sure seem to be looking for a scapegoat of some sort. So you dont think the bloated contracts and no trade clauses ala Jim Hendry have more to do with the failure of this years Cubs than the fact Hill is getting a few extra starts a month ? I'd rank the reasons for the failure of this year's Cubs as follows: 1) the under-performance of the players on the roster (Lee Ramirez Zambrano Grabow etc.) 2) the way the roster has been managed (Lou -- lineups, bullpen management, etc.) 3) the way the roster has been assembled (Hendry -- contracts, NTCs etc.) So it's nonsensical for you to absolve Lou because it's not his fault that the players aren't producing, but then turn around and blame Hendry. Hendry has even less to do with that. Your mini-rant about finding a scapegoat just made it even more amusingly hypocritical.

Lou's not to blame for Lee and Ramirez hitting like crap all year, or Zambrano having another meltdown, but Jim Hendry is? For a guy that chastises others for looking for a scapegoat of some sort, you sure seem to be looking for a scapegoat of some sort.

Once upon a time, sure. Now, not so much. Last year one pitcher got a multiyear contract @ $12M per year (John Lackey).

Not sure Lilly would decline arb. As a FA he could surely get multiple years, but probably not @ $12M per.