A-Cal

Hendry is striking out on everyone so far this offseason. Maybe they didn't like what they saw? I think it is funny that Hendry gets crap no matter what. Signs folks early, FU Jim! Possibly waiting to see things materialize, FU Jim!

Oh please. Everybody can harp back on some report they heard to defend anything. Yeah, reports were dozens of teams were interested in Bradley this year as well. Dempster was a 31 year old with 1 good year under his belt as a starter. Are of those guys were much better free agent targets and were always going to get much more money. There is no comparison. I think sometimes you argue just because you can. Reports? I would be willing to bet my left nut that dozens of teams ARE interested in Bradley. Remember, being interested and actually committing are two very different things. As for the pitching issue, are you really going to sit here and argue that Dempster is all alone in his own category relative to the pitchers CCP listed? I don't see how you can. He had 2 good years under his belt as a starter. Plus, his career position trajectory is quite different from either Burnett or Lowe. However, relative to the market of available pitchers, those 3 are easily your most similar FA choices.

He has shoulder issues that haven't been resolved. Sadly, I think it will come back to bite the Rangers in the butt.

Ben Sheets!!!!!!!!!! Oh please oh please oh please oh please!!! Sheets would definitely be a nice pick up, i'd rather have sheets than Harden. Both are injury prone and can go on the DL at any given moment but at least when healthy, sheets isn't a 5 inning pitcher. Exactly! Plus, Sheets has had the surgery. Harden has not had the surgery. Sheets Zambrano Lilly Dempster Warm Body There is a lot of promise there. I need to calm down though. There is no point in getting excited for next season just yet.

I am starting to see a pattern here.

Ben Sheets!!!!!!!!!! Oh please oh please oh please oh please!!!

mmmmmmmmmmmm....winning

Where is Lowell going to play on the Rangers? DH? They moved Young to 3B last year to make room for Andrus, maybe Lowell could switch to 1B? I would think DH and possibly 1st...he can do all 3, including 3rd, in a pinch though... the rangers are ready to shock the world this season, except for 1st base. I am not sold on Davis, and I don't think Smoak is ready. Some Ranger fans were wanting Cantu over Lowell, and I can understand why, but I don't think Lowell is a bad piece if used correctly.

ooooh...it would be wicked awesome if the mariners got Adrian Gonzalez might force the rangers to get ole Ben Sheets...they do have money issues though

i like the lowell trade for the rangers, even though i didn't think it was official yet i also like the Boof!!! signing by the Red Sox lets see here Theo - 2 (Hermida, Boof!!!) Hendry - 0 (Nil) tight budget hendry? nevermind

You never know. After the full-page Bradley ad, we could all follow it up the next day with a full-page "FIRE JIM HENDRY" ad and see what happens. This could totally work. screw the former...lets just go with the latter

We could covertly spray paint him white before every game, give him the name Brad Mattel, and hope it works.

No doubt this team has issues, but if the big 3 (Lee, Ramirez and Soriano) can perform anywhere near their expected levels, this team can compete in the NL Central especially if the Cardinals don't re-sign Holliday. I think Zambrano and Dempster will bounce back. I'm a little worried about Lilly and like everyone else I wonder if Wells can be a viable starter all year. Exactly. This team can compete in the NL Central. Problem is they become fresh and wet dog food when they play other teams that have, well, real teams. The Cubs are a few pieces away from such a team. Harden wasn't going to put us over the edge, which is one reason I am not pissed about that whole situation. The sad part of this situation is we could probably take about 85 to 90 percent of the minds on this board, put them in Bradley's body and rock the baseball world. Hendry messed up last offseason. God damn did he mess up. Okay, I am going to go into a corner and bash my head bloody!

But Hendry IS the one who signed him, so obviously Jim valued Milton. Of course he probably valued him wrong to begin with (left handed power hitter, run producer or whatever Lou told Hendry to get). Damn it, it is time to eat some crow Jim and meet with Milton to smooth things out or just take whatever you can get. Spending endless hours trying to trade him seems really silly. In reality, the Ricketts family needs to step up and tell Hendry, you are keeping Bradley or screw it take whatever you can get since we would have to pay him anyway. long way to go till opening day Yes it is, but do you really think there is going to be a market for Bradley? There more time spent floundering around with this the worse the Cubs organization looks. I would think the new owners would want to appear as if they had a plan when they bought the team other than cleaning up bathrooms, putting up wooden billboards and getting different food for the concession stand. Yes there is a market for Bradley. The market isn't substantial, but you can rest assured that it is there. The organization isn't looking any worse than they were when the SHTF with Bradley last season. This team has issues. If you resign yourself to those issues, this whole ordeal is less bothersome. The Cubs may not be very good next season, but there will be baseball.

But Hendry IS the one who signed him, so obviously Jim valued Milton. Of course he probably valued him wrong to begin with (left handed power hitter, run producer or whatever Lou told Hendry to get). Damn it, it is time to eat some crow Jim and meet with Milton to smooth things out or just take whatever you can get. Spending endless hours trying to trade him seems really silly. In reality, the Ricketts family needs to step up and tell Hendry, you are keeping Bradley or screw it take whatever you can get since we would have to pay him anyway. long way to go till opening day

c-patt to the mariners AWESOME

too bad the cubs aren't getting in on the halladay sweepstakes reliability - check greatness - check domination - check what's not to love?

be good at baseball? why are you acting like the cubs just let lincecum walk? Because Harden is a phenomenal pitcher across his career: right, factor in a decline last season and a very questionable health issue...which in the situation the cubs are in right now...makes it very easy to understand not wanting to be on the hook for this one pitcher alone

be good at baseball? why are you acting like the cubs just let lincecum walk?

jesus, what did harden ever really do for us? i remember his first game in a cubs uniform...pretty [expletive] nasty playoffs!? buehler??!? let it go folks

Im guessing this takes them out of the Ben Sheets sweepstakes. They couldnt possibly want to potential aces whose arm could fall off at any moment, could they? It makes sense, as they just shipped Milwood to Baltimore. i would love it if they still went after sheets unless of course, the cubs want him first :grin:

the rangers interesting move...i am a rangers fan, so i hope this works out not much of a harden fan though rangers new additions Rich Harden Chris Ray hopefully it makes a difference

Probably because they don't HAVE to trade him, especially for someone that will make the team worse? but they WANT to trade him he is as good as gone the only rumor that made me smile was the meche rumor...which would kick some serious serious serious ass but i am sure we won't get that lucky

right, he is a good baseball player with significant issues and injury issues i don't know how you guys can be surprised that the bradley deal coming soon, whatever it may be, is probably going to turn out to be ugly how?

Yeah, except he's a [expletive] awful baseball player. true, but you have to work with what you got...and we got bradley...