CubsHawks25

DISCLAIMER - I'm not normally big on all the batting order talk.. but someone with as horrible patience as Corey in the 8th spot could really spell disaster. They'll try to pitch around him to get to the pitcher, and could likely end up getting the K (or him making an out on a bad pitch), leading to us leading off the next inning with the pitcher. I'd rather have a patient guy in the 8th spot. In that situation, it's more likely we'll get the lineup turned around, at least. Well then, just switch Corey and Barrett around then. Until his bat comes around, no matter where he's at, Corey's not gonna be much help offensively... unless the rare times he reaches base, he can steal a base or two or use his speed to create runs.

Just stick Corey in the 7 or 8-hole, where he can't hurt us as much offfensively. If he somehow gets hot and raises his AVG and OBP, its just an added bonus that will only help out in the stretch run. We know his defense/speed in CF is second to none as far as CFs go on the current 25-man roster. I see Dusty going like this, (even HE can't be so stupid as to not recognize Corey's offensive woes as of the current time); LF Lawton 2B Walker 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz SS Nomar/C Barrett C Barrett/SS Nomar CF Patterson pitcher maybe switch Patterson and Barrett (but not Nomar if puts Nomar in 7-hole) depending on opposing pitcher

Another question; Do ALL players have to go through waivers at some point? I ask because we as Cubs fans see DLee, Aramis, Prior, and Z as being "untradeables". I know that players can be pulled back and what not if claimed, but why risk it at all if they don't have to?

I don't suppose there's any websites out there that us casual fans can keep track of that sort of thing, eh? Just unless someone is claimed and kept? Or goes through unclaimed and then traded?

Put Griffey in the cleanup spot. Griffy > Burnitz. Bat Burnitz 6th. Do you mean put him in the 5-hole? Griffey is good (when healthy), but I like Ramirez' power+average more - more protection for Lee.

While I was watching the recording of the BBTN 2-hour "Deadline Special" yesterday evening, I believe I heard Steve Phillips explain something about all teams would start placing 7 guys at a time on the waiver wire, until they run through them all. And this would start today through whenever.

Here you guys go getting me interested in possible player acquisitions again... we currently have Hairston to play CF, and both Burnitz and Lawton could play it occasionally, if not more, plus Patterson in AAA (he could be used just for his defense and bat him 8th). Would taking a chance on a "does seem to be" finally healthy Griffey help solidify the OF, defensively AND offensively, and possibly help push us "over the top" for the final 2-month stretch run at the WC? Would acquiring him make sense if we had to assume the majority of his salary? Also, what's his contract status? I'd hate to think that acquiring a guy like Griffey, at his cost, would be basically nothing more than a ~2 month rental. What kind of lineup would we see if he were acquired? LF Lawton 2B Walker/Nomar 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz CF Griffey SS Nomar/Walker C Barrett/Blanco pitcher (switch Nomar and Griffey around when facing a LHP)

Here's my lineup ideas vs what Dusty will most likely do, both B.N.R and A.N.R (Before Nomar Returns & After Nomar Returns) - I know its only scheduled to be 3 games B.N.R, but still, it is something that must be accounted for; MY Lineup, B.N.R vs RHP CF Lawton LF Murton 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz 2B Walker SS Cedeno C Barrett/Blanco pitcher Dusty's Lineup, B.N.R vs RHP LF Lawton 2B Walker 1B Lee RF Burnitz 3B Ramirez SS Perez CF Hairston C Barrett/Blanco pitcher MY Lineup, B.N.R vs LHP CF Lawton 2B Walker 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz LF Murton C Barrett/Blanco SS Cedeno pitcher Dusty's Lineup, B.N.R vs LHP CF Hairston 2B Walker 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz LF Lawton/Murton? (if Dusty played MM instead of ML, MM would bat 8th) SS Perez C Barrett/Blanco pitcher MY Lineup, A.N.R vs RHP CF Lawton 2B Walker 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz LF Murton SS Nomar C Barrett/Blanco pitcher (Nomar's going to have to prove himself to move up the order later, but for now, he can "protect" MM) Dusty's Lineup, A.N.R vs RHP LF Lawton 2B Walker 1B Lee RF Burnitz 3B Ramirez SS Perez CF Hairston C Barrett/Blanco pitcher MY Lineup, A.N.R vs LHP CF Lawton 2B Walker 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz LF Murton SS Nomar C Barrett/Blanco pitcher Dusty's Lineup, A.N.R vs LHP CF Hairston 2B Walker 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz C Barrett/Blanco (Nomar 6th, MM 7th, and Blanco 8th in Hank White plays) SS Nomar LF Murton pitcher IF and when Nomar proves he comes back and is hitting the ball well, then I would move him up to the 2-hole; CF Lawton SS Nomar 1B Lee 3B Ramirez RF Burnitz LF Murton 2B Walker C Barrett/Blanco pitcher (maybe switch Murton and Walker around depending on if its a L or RHP that day)

I gotta go to work. :x GIT-R-DONE, JIMBO!!!

... I don't know yet, won't be able to answer that question until I get home from work tonight in 7-8+ hours (and if the Cubd didn't make a trade before the deadline). But if I find out we didn't make any deals and then find out later we could have made decent deals, but didn't, to get a bigtime player... I'm gonna beyond pi$$ed!

Its 2:30 hours to the deadline and I'm predicting that I'm going nuts, not hearing any real solid rumors yet! 8-[

If I heard the BBTN guy right, just before they went off the air, he quoted Manny as saying "'I want to stay here. I want to win a World Series.' Take that FWIW." If he did say that, it must have been said in the last 12-14 hours.

This BBTN has told me nothing. What a waste of 20 minutes so far.

This isn't exactly a prediction, but something I just really started thinking about (been discussed before, but now really making me wonder) - other than his power that he can bring to the table offensively... why does the Cubs really want Soriano?? We've already got Walker/Hairston at 2B and Murton/Holly/Gerut in LF. I think that IF Soriano is brought on board, he's just a big piece in another trade (MANNY PLEASE!!). I just don't understand the [supposed] Cub mania about Soriano.

There's a good chance 2 out 3 of those guys might be starting. They're not. The lineup listed above is today's starting lineup (I think?).

If a reasonable deal can't be made for either of Manny, Dunn or Soriano, then I hope we just sit tight. We'd have to give up comparably "next to nothing" to get Kearns for to me feel "good" about any deal for him. Which is kinda funny... I was kinda excited about the possibility of getting him 5-7 days ago.

Well, seeing as how no major news isn't likely to break for at least another 7-8 hours, I'm gonna go get some sleep. I know you're the best GM in baseball, Jim Hendry, but just for kicks... prove it to me again - get Manny Ramirez! (hate to be greedy, but if you could keep both Hill and Pie while getting both, get Alfonso Soriano too! [if you have to give up one of the 2 prospects, make sure its for Manny and not Soriano!])

I hear ya. I gotta leave for work at ~1:45 EST tomorrow. I hope to hear about something (preferrably something BIG) before I head off. Won't find out possibly about anything until 7-8 hours later. UGH! Luckily, I have the day off so I'll be able to check for any kind of trade until the deadline. Still though, I'll be pretty dissapointed if we don't deal for LF'er. Please JH Don't rub it in! and I hate you :wink: I'm gonna be a wreck at work tomorrow. I just know I'm gonna be thinking about it all day/evening until I get somewhere to check things out (probly here at home tomorrow night).

PHEW! I was actually starting to worry just a little that we might end up with Kearns instead of a Ramirez, Dunn, or Soriano. (yes, I would take Soriano before Kearns, even after my little rant about not giving up Hill [or Pie] for him)

I hear ya. I gotta leave for work at ~1:45 EST tomorrow. I hope to hear about something (preferrably something BIG) before I head off. Won't find out possibly about anything until 7-8 hours later. UGH! But then again, if I do hear of something, I'm gonna be thinking and worrying about it all day... oh noes! :cry:

Hmmmmmm... isn't LF both Huff and Lawton's natural positions? Hmmmmmmmmmm.......

I hear ya. I gotta leave for work at ~1:45 EST tomorrow. I hope to hear about something (preferrably something BIG) before I head off. Won't find out possibly about anything until 7-8 hours later. UGH!

No. But being a guy who wants to see every possibility exhausted to get Manny to the Cubs, I'd sure love to think that way! Even if ARam is part of the package sent back to Boston like Steve Stone was saying? I'd love to have Manny here as well (provided Boston picks up a large chunk of his salary) but not if it is going to cost us someone like ARam who we couldn't replace easily. Ok, I DEFINITELY wouldn't do that. What I meant to say was, we should exhast every possibility THAT MAKES SENSE to get Manny to the Cubs. Trading either of ARam, DLee, Prior, Z, Barrett, or Murton would not make too much sense. MM maybe as he's a LF too, but that dude's got a huge upside it would appear, would like to hold on to him for a bit longer.

Any package that includes Hill for Soriano isn't a good one, IMO - not when we already have Walker at 2B and Murton in LF. Hill's currently in OUR rotation for cripes sakes! I guess we could move either Mitre or Rusch into the 5th spot, if either are still here after all the dealing is done, but I still don't want to give up Hill for a positional player that we already have an adequate one for. Now if Hill were required to make a trade for Manny go through....... that would take some thinking.

I think it was just before and right at the deadline that the rumors that the Cubs were working on the deal to get him/had gotten him really started running like crazy. And it was the next hour or two when it became officially official. Would love it if the same excitement happnened this year with Manny (even though I won't be home for it, will be working :( ).