CubsWin

4/18? Wow. This market is crazy. He's 33. Certainly makes Eyre and others all the more attractive as trade bait.

Its been talked about out here in LA on the radio. That seems to be the plan.

Damn, I wanted to Cubs to sign every free agent out there. Oh well...

So now that Soriano is in the fold, pending the physical, here are the main questions floating around in my mind... 1. Did Ramirez count as a type A free agent signing? 2. Is Soriano really going to play RF? 3. If so, does that mean that Jones is playing CF or is he traded? 4. What is the payroll limit? Can the Cubs legitimately still be in the hunt for either Zito or Schmidt? Feel free to add more questions or post your answers...

The contract is - I just wish DeRosa was :( But they are inextricably combined. A 3 year, 14 million dollar contract in a vacuum is meaningless. It is only when you know who the player is that you can evaluate the value of the contract. Since both Gonzalez and DeRosa got basically the same contract, then the question is who would you rather have on your team? For me, thats an easy one. DeRosa. Therefore, Hendry's decision to sign him at the terms he did is looking better and better. And as far as him not being better than the other players available, if you sign Durham, you might not be able to afford the other players you need. And I'm not convinced that other 2B would be demonstrably better. There are arguments for and against and both are pretty strong. I'll be curious to see what Mark Loretta ends up getting - with A Gonzalez gone, the Red Sox may keep him and play a rookie (Pedroia) at SS, but if they have to get Lugo for offensive reasons, I bet they let Loretta go - I would like to have seen him starting at 2B for us in 2007 Oh yeah, Lugo, I forgot about him. How could I have forgotten about Lugo? He was on my wish list. Maybe its because I wanted him for SS. Anyway, I bet Lugo gets paid a whole bunch more than 3/14. We'll have to wait and see.

The contract is - I just wish DeRosa was :( But they are inextricably combined. A 3 year, 14 million dollar contract in a vacuum is meaningless. It is only when you know who the player is that you can evaluate the value of the contract. Since both Gonzalez and DeRosa got basically the same contract, then the question is who would you rather have on your team? For me, thats an easy one. DeRosa. Therefore, Hendry's decision to sign him at the terms he did is looking better and better. I guess it's all relative to me. Forgetting about any contract, I'd take DeRosa over A Gonzalez for the 2007 Cubs anyways - we need offense badly thought, and to tell you the truth I'm not particularily excited about seeing DeRosa be our starting 2B Exciting he is not. But, Eric Patterson might be. DeRosa will only be the starter if he is the best secondbaseman on the roster. He might be that this year, but in '08, he might not. His ability to play other positions will allow him to be useful even if he is not the starting 2B. He also gives the Cubs the ability to platoon Jones and play 3B if Ramirez is injured. Ronnie Belliard and DeRosa are both 31 and are very similar numbers wise except that Belliard doesn't have the experience at the other positions. Adam Kennedy is a year younger but has been battling injuries that last couple of years and his power numbers have suffered greatly because of it. Graffanino is 34 and doesn't have a lot of pop. Loretta and Aurilia are all on the wrong side of 35 and are likely looking for multi-year contracts. Are some of those guys more proven than DeRosa? Yes. But over the next three seasons will they outproduce him? That's debatable.

The contract is - I just wish DeRosa was :( But they are inextricably combined. A 3 year, 14 million dollar contract in a vacuum is meaningless. It is only when you know who the player is that you can evaluate the value of the contract. Since both Gonzalez and DeRosa got basically the same contract, then the question is who would you rather have on your team? For me, thats an easy one. DeRosa. Therefore, Hendry's decision to sign him at the terms he did is looking better and better. And as far as him not being better than the other players available, if you sign Durham, you might not be able to afford the other players you need. And I'm not convinced that other 2B would be demonstrably better. There are arguments for and against and both are pretty strong.

Wow. Couple this contract with the one Durham is seeking (2/18 or 1/10) and Hendry's contract with DeRosa is looking better and better.

So much we don't know, though. Maybe Drew's agent has told Hendry that JD prefers the NL and if Hendry matches any offer from Boston that he'll win in the end. Hard to get too upset until something actually happens. I couldn't agree more.

Dempster is moderately priced in KC terms? He is set to be paid 5 mil this season.

Benji Molina and Lieberthal are both free agents. Granted they would be steps down offensively, if Barrett could net the Cubs a good enough pitcher, it would be worth it.

Hopefully, Neal Cotts last season isn't what impressed him. I think it's more of a case of him biting on a player's best season, not necessarily last. He referred to Jones as a .300 hitter. He thinks of Izturis at his best. He's a glass half full kind of guy. I think it's the scout in him. He's sees the upside, but doesn't pay much regard to the likelihood of reaching the upside. He things of players at their best, and doesn't seem to factor in the notion that career years don't define a player. We can't know for certain without asking him, of course, but I think that is a likely analysis. It also may have to do with believing in his coaches. He trusts Rothschild to be able to get Cotts back on track. He felt that Jones could be turned around and he may have been right, we'll have to see if it continues. Apparently, he thinks the same about Marquis, as well. Can't say that Jim never buys low anymore. I doubt Aardsma and Vasquez get Cotts last off season.

NEVER! Blanco's defense would save what 2 runs in 2 two months tops? I think that's generous. so, maybe one win? that's very generous. Getting Drew would be good. :lol: :lol: :lol: And, yes, getting Drew would be good.

I think its best to let the Blanco sidebar go so this Drew thread can get back on track. If you want to continue this discussion, PM me.

So a good bench isn't important? Besides a super-sub, the back-up catcher will start more games than any other bench player without injury coming into to play. And yes, if Barrett goes down in a pennant race, having Blanco fill his shoes over a rookie may well save the Cubs playoff hopes. there is nothing super about blanco. What? To what are you responding? you said blanco is a super-sub - he isn't. he's below league average. No I didn't. Read it again. so why do you want a bad player like blanco filling that role then? Because his defensive abilities, ability to throw out the would be base-stealer and game calling abilities are above average if not elite among back-ups. In other words, he's not a bad player. Of course, if all you look at is OPS, then, yes, he sucks.

I call BS. Blanco is a .657 career OPSer. He's not a high standard to live up to. And when evaluating a back-up catcher, OPS is the most important stat how? If that is what you are using to judge what Blanco brings to the table then you are missing the big picture. I guarantee you the loss of offense from barrett to blanco would cost the cubs far more than the loss of defense from blanco to soto - if there was one. I agree. But that wasn't my point. My point is Soto might be close to what Blanco is, he might not. Why take the chance if you can financially afford not to?

So a good bench isn't important? Besides a super-sub, the back-up catcher will start more games than any other bench player without injury coming into to play. And yes, if Barrett goes down in a pennant race, having Blanco fill his shoes over a rookie may well save the Cubs playoff hopes. there is nothing super about blanco. What? To what are you responding? you said blanco is a super-sub - he isn't. he's below league average. No I didn't. Read it again.

So a good bench isn't important? Besides a super-sub, the back-up catcher will start more games than any other bench player without injury coming into to play. And yes, if Barrett goes down in a pennant race, having Blanco fill his shoes over a rookie may well save the Cubs playoff hopes. there is nothing super about blanco. What? To what are you responding?

I call BS. Blanco is a .657 career OPSer. He's not a high standard to live up to. And when evaluating a back-up catcher, OPS is the most important stat how? If that is what you are using to judge what Blanco brings to the table then you are missing the big picture. I hope Hendry signs Drew. That makes two of us. Thanks for getting the thread back on track. :oops:

Nope. You're persuasive, you... Haha, you are too. Thanks, yes I am. Blanco's defensive and game calling abilities are well documented as is the importance of both at the catcher position. I think that is rather persuasive, don't you?

Nope. You're persuasive, you...

I call BS. Blanco is a .657 career OPSer. He's not a high standard to live up to. And when evaluating a back-up catcher, OPS is the most important stat how? If that is what you are using to judge what Blanco brings to the table then you are missing the big picture.

I agree completely if his signing does affect the Cubs ability to sign the big FA, but as of now, we have no evidence that it does. In fact, we have circumstantial evidence that shows that it doesn't. The Cubs are in hot pursuit of Soriano and his demands are the biggest of any FA out there. So given that there is enough money left to sign who the Cubs need to sign, how can you say what you said in the bolded part above without Soto's bat having been tested at the major league level. What about his ability to throw out base runners or call a game? What about his ability to perform at his highest level possible as a rookie? Keeping in mind the importance defense plays at the catcher's position, is Blanco one of, if not the best back-up catcher in the league or not? Come on, guys, what more do you want?

So a good bench isn't important? Besides a super-sub, the back-up catcher will start more games than any other bench player without injury coming into to play. And yes, if Barrett goes down in a pennant race, having Blanco fill his shoes over a rookie may well save the Cubs playoff hopes.

Are you talking offensively, defensively or both? value to the team. If you are referring to their salaries in relation to what they can provide to the team, then you must know what the Cubs payroll limits are. Without knowing how much Hendry can spend, it is impossible to say with any level of certainty whether Blanco's 2.5 mill is going to impact his ability to sign anyone else. If you look at performance alone and you factor in that the Cubs are trying to win now, resigning Blanco over playing Soto is a no-brainer. Soto's bat is untested at the major league level. His glove and arm and game-calling ability can't be any better than Blanco's, so how would he be an improvement? He wouldn't. He's only cheaper. I like Soto, I think he's got a chance at being a really good back-up catcher in the majors, but I don't want to find out in the next two seasons while the Cubs are trying to win it all. I want to be able to count on a proven commodity for the bench player who under normal circumstances will start more games than any other bench player, my back-up catcher. If Barrett goes down to another injury, do you want a rookie in your line-up during a pennant chase? If the Cubs are out of it, who cares, right? But at least Hendry is planning on being in it. And until someone can show that spending 2.5 mill on Blanco is affecting Hendry's ability to sign a big name FA, then the least we can do is be glad the Cubs have one of the best back-up catchers in the business in the fold.