Sever82

Percentage wise, no way the city of chicago has the most racist no way. I would imagine that city would be in the south. Chicago is a very diverse city, I mean there is segregation but i dont think its more divided than any other city. I dont know how this argument went from cubs to chicago because thats just ridiculous. I hate to admit it but i feel White Sox fans are a more diverse group than cub fans. I'm Latino and live in Wrigleyville and i have to admit that i see a larger percentage of white people at cubs game than at Sox games. Just my opinion.

Its pretty ignorant to act as if racism doesn't exist at the park. I heard Mully and Hanley talk about this in the morning and both are morons. Both of them made the argument that it was in the past and that somehow because cubs ticket prices went up, the racism was gone. They were basically saying the bleachers are full of a different demographic (one that has money) so that demographic isn't racist. Then they had like 4 or 5 callers saying they hadn't heard any racist rants and because they hadn't had a caller who said there were racist rants, they assumed the story was bull. I mean give me a break, i've been to so many cubs games and i'll say in about 30-40% of them i've heard some racist comment being said to a player. I'll agree that maybe jacque exagerrated about the incidents but i bet they did occur. I'm a die hard cubs fans but i acknowledge that there are a lot of racists that are cubs fans and i've definitely seen quite a number of them. I wouldn't be surprised if Soriano has heard some racist comments in that outfield since he's been a cub. Bottom line is there are racist cubs fans that sit in the bleachers and other parts of the stadium but its sad to say, it just part of this city. Its something that wont change overnight but will change overtime. A Clear example of how racism is alive is to check Cubs boards, maybe not this board but i've posted in other cubs boards and heard some racist stuff. One perfect example of how alive and well Racism is in Wrigleyville is to he how Fukudome was treated last year. From the Tshirts, to the comments, cubs fans were just ignorant in how they portrayed this guy. I mean that one Racist TShirt and yes it was racist, the one that said Horry Cow or something like that. I remember wacthing a segment on the news about the shirt being sold about Fukudome and some Cubs fans had the nerve to say that the shirts weren't racist but instead were praising fukudome's culture and were honorin him.

To me, Gregg is like howry but with a breaking ball. They both throw weak fastballs and both are not deceptive with their delivery. Lous excuse of getting gregg up and that gregg can't pitch more than one inning is complete bull. If Gregg continues to be shaky and Lou doesn't make Marmol the closer, then he is a complete idiot.

I think the padres could've gotten the best value for peavy in the offseason. Now that all the teams in the MLB know that they're losing money and they can't hide it, they lose a lot of leverage. I mean what are they going to do, hold on to peavy and lose millions? It would be a different story if he didnt have his no trade clause but knowing that he does, their options are very limited. I would imagine a package of Marshall, Vitters, Stevens and Guzman might be enough this time.

According to ChicagoCubsonline.com: The Jake Peavy rumors that dominated the winter appear to be making the rounds again. Lee Hamilton reported on his XM Radio show last weekend he heard the Jake Peavy to the Cubs talk was heating back up. Since last weekend not one, not two but three separate reports from the mainstream media mentioned Jake Peavy and the Cubs in the same sentence. When the Cubs are official sold and the Ricketts family is put in place, i expect rumors to start flying

I highly doubt that. If we had Wieters, we probably would've traded Soto or Wieters by now.

the padres are really trying to be hush hush about trading peavy. Put to me its as close as 100% that he'll be trading some time this season. Projected ticket sales for the padres have been down for a while now. They know they have to trade peavy and yes, they have to but they're going to continue to say they might not or they dont know yet because if they come up front and say they are, they lose leverage. It would be a different story if peavy didnt have a no trade clause but since he does, they really have to play it smart and not show their cards since they know they can't have a bidding war for peavy's services since only a few or handful of teams can actually offer packages, some of which might not want to add peavy's contract or might not want to add peavy period because they already have enough pitching.

Not trying to jinx it but Guzman is driving his stock up. He really has looked filthy his first couple of outings, that slider/breakingball is a nasty pitch. I honestly do feel they kept guzman because they figure the padres liked the kid and would want him in a package.

No doubt he has something left but this guy is like the TO of baseball.

Yeah thats pretty weird they'd release him so close to such a milestone but then again unlike lets say Thome, Sheffield isn't as well liked in Detroit as Thome is in Chicago. My guess is he ends up as a DH somewhere.

Gary Sheffield was released by the Tigers today. http://www.detnews.com/article/20090331/SPORTS0104/903310403/1004/sports

I dont dude, i dont know if buy into the notion that the Cubs turned down the offer because there was a report on yahoo sports that it was actually the padres who backed off. I dont think we'll know whats going down until the cubs sale is finalized since the padres sale is pretty much set. I still think the cubs trade DeRo because of peavy, i dont buy the notion that trade marquis and dero for just bradley. I think it was more they planned on making a peavy trade but then ran into a snag because of the ownership situations.

According to MLBTR: The sale of the Padres to a group led by Jeff Moorad may take several years to complete, but Moorad is now running the team according to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Moorad's group owns 35% of the team currently. Moorad plans to invest in the draft, but he wouldn't commit to anything regarding the team's payroll. Tom Krasovic of the Union-Tribune sums up the contracts Moorad will inherit in the front office: GM Kevin Towers, whose salary is well within the Top 10 among GMs, is under contract through 2010. Executive vice president Paul DePodesta, who had reported to Sandy Alderson, is guaranteed an average well above $500,000 per year through 2011. Director of player development and scouting Grady Fuson, who was hired by Towers in early 2005, is under contract through 2010. As for manager Bud Black, he is in the final year of his contract. What about Jake Peavy? Moorad told Center: "It would be premature for me to say what is going to happen. The goal is to build this for the long term. I don't know how that impacts the Peavy situation. But we're going to do whatever we can to improve the team." Mike Ferrin of XM Radio snagged more Moorad comments on Peavy: "Peavy has been a terrific performer for the club at the same time I don't think any player is untouchable. I think at some point I am sure Kevin Towers and I will visit about the issue and Kevin will have a point of view and frankly I'll defer to it. I certainly want to be kept informed but I think Kevin will have a perspective on the Peavy situation and I really looking forward hearing it."[/i] So it looks like even though Moorad is in place, he makes it sound like he's not closing the book on trading Peavy even if he's the owner. Makes it sound more like Peavy will be traded.

It sucks cause in today's age power pitchers like this kid always end up on the surgery table. When it comes to sport medicine, i think sports has regressed. I mean Bob Gibson probably hit 95+ consistently back in the day and yet never had surgery and pitched about 470 games. Nowadays you'll be lucky if a power pitcher gets you 150 games in his career. I mean either today's pitchers are such girls when it comes to injuries or modern sports medicine has messed with genetics to the point where we're more fragile. I mean before Tommy John, how many pitchers actually had surgery, were forced to retired because of injury, switched to reliever because of arm trouble, or experience DL time because of shoulder or elbow soreness.

Dont know if anybody started a thread on this kid but has anyone heard of this guy? I was listening to ESPN 1000 over the weekend and I forgot which ESPN reporter was saying this but supposedly scouts say he's the best pitching prospect to ever come out of college. One scout supposedly said Mark Prior doesn't come close to this kid. His fastball supposedly tops out at about 103mph, slider at about 96. There is some youtube clips of this kid. In today's age, I can't help but envision this kid as a Kerry Wood, lots of potential but will eventually need surgery.

Yeah i mean even if there was a trade or wanted to trade peavy, he wouldn't have said that in the chat. The only interesting tid bit was about the train leaving the station comment. Can someone clarify that comment for me, was it made in the context of saying a deal with the cubs was dead?

I doubt Towers answers any questions concerning Peavy.

" After San Diego Padres president Sandy Alderson announced on Thursday that Jake Peavy is expected to be with the team in Spring Training, most observers believe a possible deal between the Cubs and Padres is finished. According to league sources, the Cubs and Padres will try to revisit a Peavy deal sometime during Spring Training when Cubs officials have a new owner (most likely the Ricketts family of Omaha, Nebraska) to ask for extra payroll money for 2009. The Cubs' payroll is locked in right now at $140 million, which includes all players on the 40-man roster. In order to take on a contract like Peavy's, Cubs brass must have a long protracted conversation with the new owner in order to find out if he is willing to take on an additional $63 million, which doesn't include Peavy's $22 million option for 2013. The Cubs are still looking for a right-handed hitting infielder/1B-3B backup. Names that have come up for the Cubs are Kevin Millar and Rich Aurilia. The team had shown early interest in Nomar Garciaparra, but were told that he was looking for more of a full-time position. The team also inquired about the availability of former White Sox SS Juan Uribe before he signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants. " Per Bruce Levine's Blog. Looks like if a Peavy Deal ever gets done it would have to be done until the sale is officially finalized. Its interested to note the kevin millar consideration. I would love the cubs to sign him over any other backup 1b, even over hoff. The reason isn't his production, although he's a solid backup, its his club house presence. He was well liked in boston and baltimore, to me, someone like him would be able to replace Mark Derosa's presence.

Did anyone catch the Score this morning? Supposedly they said that the reason the Peavy Talks are not going to happen is because Ricketts doesn't want to take on Peavy's salary. I mean i know its the score and those guys are idiots (They reported that Kobe was a Bull), but i can really believe that this is true. The thing is after giving it a lot of though, you can't really be mad at Ricketts, i mean the cubs do have a large payroll as is and with money he's investing to buy the cubs you can't expect him to increase payroll without developing a new way to bring in revenue to the team. I think the cubs have really hurt themselves with all the bad contract they have. Whether its the Soriano, Fukudome, Marquis, Bradley, etc i feel they have overpaid but not as bad as the yankees.

I really dont like Lou for that reason alone. He has such a short leash on young player its ridiculous, the only exception is theriot, who Lou probably wouldn't replace even if he had just trade for Ramirez at short. He'd probably still make it an open competition because of how much man love he has for theriot. His Leash on Pie was way too short and also for Hill. I very highly doubt Samardizja, Marshall, or Gaudin become the 5th starter. I'm pretty sure Heilman will because according to Lou " He's a proven veteran."

I dont know how you come to the conclusion that Olson will be better than Heilman. Heilman has better stuff than olson. But anyways i guess the one positive you can take of this is that Levine was right weeks ago about Cedeno moving for Heilman. The only way i see this being related to peavy is if the cubs acquired heilman to set themselves up when they include Marshall in a trade for Peavy. Marshall in my opinion has more value than olson.

Peavy trade is dead folks, the cubs traded olson and cedeno for Heilman. The key name is Olson, Olson is what the padres wanted and now we traded him to the Mariners. Wow Hendry has done a horrible job this offseason. Its on ESPN.com by the way.

Wow, that is a horrible trade, I'm sorry but i've defended Hendry this offseason but he has really pulled some BS trades. I mean Ceda and now Olson? Give me a break.

11:41 [Comment From Mike] Do the padres still need to shed payroll? Is it possible that the padres have a deal done with the cubs but can't be finanlized because of the ownership situation with the cubs and peavy's salary? I just find it odd the cubs would trade away all those players and only get pitching in return which is what the padres want. Not to mention they got olsen which is someone the padres wanted. 11:43 Bill Center: I don't think there is a deal finalized with the Cubs, but I believe there is still interest on both sides. I do believe the Padres still have to shed salary to meet their target. Right now, they would have to pay below the major league minimum of $400,000 to the remaining unsigned players to hit their target -- and that can't happen. 11:11 [Comment From Mike] Hi Bill, do you still see the padres shopping Peavy? Is there anyword of whether peavy is mad about the treament he received? The Cubs seemed to be making moves that smell like a trade is in the works but that ownership situation needs to be resolved first. 11:12 Bill Center: I think Peavy can be had by any team willing to meet the Padres price and get Peavy's approval for a trade. And given the Padres situation, I suspect Peavy would listen to opportunities beyond the club's on his original okay list. I don't think the Peavy question is over. 11:13 [Comment From Matt] Do you think the Padres and Cubs will revisit the trade talks for Peavy? I would imagine that if it happens, it has to happen pretty soon. Doesn't something have to give given the 40 mil budget? 11:14 Bill Center: We don't know if they're not talking now. The way the last round ended, I don't think either side was happy to have it aired in the public the way it was. Certainly the Cubs have opened up some salary space on their roster and have acquired at least one more pitcher the Padres like NOthing too special this is Bill Center from the SanDiego Union Tribune today on a chat

Wow, some of you either have a short memory or can't read. I posted this earlier today, go to Chicagocubsonline.com, the report is posted on there. Lee Hamilton basically emplies that his sources say vitters isn't involved and its all pitching going to SD. Man apparently it worthless posting links cause someone either reposts it or someone reads it and then forgets they read it.