cubfan1955

It's not about having the balls. That's cheapshot nonsense. The system that makes it impossible for him to get a cap was in place long before he had any power. The only possible way they get a cap would involved a lockout/strike that lasts a year or two. I, for one, would prefer to avoid that scenario. If that is what needed to be done so be it. MLB would have won in the end and the players would have caved. The NFL bit the same bullet to get a cap in place, and it was the best thing ever for their sport. If you were a mlb player and you can see what the NFL's cap has done would you agree to it? And just as importantly for the NFL, they have revenue sharing. Equal amounts for all teams. The baseball owners can't even agree on that because the haves do not want to share with the have nots.

I don't think it needs to be explained to him. How long has he been on the trade block now? He's wanted out of Chicago for quite some time. MLB has spoken. If the best offer for Jones is a fringe prospect if the Cubs pick up his entire salary for the remainder of his contract, doesn't sound like anyone else values Jones as a starter, either. I think it does need to be explained to him. He still thinks he should be playing everyday. I have no idea why though. Maybe his agent calls him up everyday telling him he is good.

Not booing him as a person, but you can boo his performance. Booing has been shown to not improve player performance. See Patterson, Corey and Hawkins, LaTroy.

Probably. My 2 cents: No, we were not getting the best end of this deal. But at this point, I think thats what we're going to have to do to get rid of jones. And, if it's true that Zell called off this trade because he was pissed about like 6 million dollars then that really really makes me mad. Zell (aside from having interests with the sox) has no business (technically, i suppose he does, but whatever) sticking his nose in this business. If he wont let us deal with sums of money around 6 million dollars then we are really screwed if we expect to make any sort of semi-large deal around the deadline. If indeed Zell had any part in nixing this deal it could be that he saved us from another bone-headed move by Hendry. As far as adding a player at the deadline, I doubt if it would be a problem to add a player to the payroll that is going to play for us. The problem is paying a player to play for another team.

So $6.6 million wasn't enough for the Marlins? Sheesh...$6.6 million was way too much to begin with Jim. Glad you finally woke up before Larry really stuck it to you. $6.6 mil would be quite a bit to pay a player no longer with the team, but if the deal included Graham Taylor (which Kaplan seems to think it did), it might have been worth it. This kid sounds really good. Also, as far as whether Zell was involved or not, Hendry may have said what he did not wanting to go public that Zell nixed it. The GM never wants to look powerless, which Hendry is if Zell will nix any deal where we're not dumping salary. That's true. Hendry could be covering for Zell. We'll probably never know for sure. I'm not 100% convinced someone above Hendry didn't pull the rug out from under him...though I doubt if it got as far Zell. I think the money problem may be that any cash being paid out after the 2007 season could affect the sale price of the Cubs. Plus this was just a mind boggling stupid trade unless the Cubs were getting a top notch prospect which I still highly doubt. Someone needs to sit JJ down and explain to him that he is not, even at his best, an everyday player and with Floyd on the roster he is not even a plattoon candidate. It doesn't matter what Hendry told him when he signed him. Things change and JJ needs to be made aware of his role on this team. Yeah, he needs to be traded but not at this price. I think Hendry should be able to do much better at the deadline. (It is Hendry though so there is no guarantee he won't deal him for next years Izturis (Bad player with bad contract))

Jones trade talks fizzle Doesn't sound like Zell had anything to do with it. So $6.6 million wasn't enough for the Marlins? Sheesh...$6.6 million was way too much to begin with Jim. Glad you finally woke up before Larry really stuck it to you.

Plus a game winning two run single. But I thought he couldn't hit with runners on base?

I don't think so. Pie was running towards 3rd, and he has not touched 3rd base when the interference occured. When it occured, the ball immediately becomes dead, and the runner stays at whichever base they are near by, I believe. By the time the interference occured, IIRC, Pie haven't touched 3rd yet. Of course, I could be wrong, but that's what I'd be guessing on how it was played out. I always understood it as obstruction awards you the base you are heading to. As the obstruction by Uribe happened after Pagan touched 2nd, he should be awarded 3rd, since he's awarded 3rd, Pie has to go home. Pie had not yet made it to 3rd so they cannot send him home. Since they can't send him home they can't send Pagan to 3rd. The umps got it right. Still stupid baserunning by the Cubs and then Pagan tops it off by making another baserunning blunder running into an out at 3rd on the sac fly. We're pathetic on the bases no matter how you analyze it.

Sorry...still don't miss him.

The only protest I remember being upheld was the George Brett pine tar game. They played it over from where the incident occurred. Today, the umps got it right so the Sox can protest all they want. They aren't going to win it.

Not unless he can steal 2nd, 3rd, and home.

A sure thing is not overconfidence.

Ward, that was ball four you swung at. Twice!

Babe Ruth's great, great, great, great nephews brothers wifes sisters dogs mothers owners cousin. Homeruns are in his blood lines.

Ball goes over the fence? Is that good when a team does that?

If this team played to it's potential, it would be way ahead of Milwaukee right now. I demand a scapegoat! Bowen! He led off with the walk that clogged the bases.

Texas will score 8 runs on one hit this inning.

That's my boys. I knew they were up to the task. :evil:

It'll be tough to not score here but I think the Cubs are up to it.

Get rid of Bowen...the bum. Taking a walk. How wussie... :D

Way to bounce back Cubs....

Faints...

Jones would have been thrown out trying to make 3rd.

Ha Ha Ha....good one. :lol:

Geeze....Maddux might homer here.