LeftCoastCubFan

Placing the shortstop situation so high is the polar opposite of “Neifi saved us” :D Though it is too early to give up on Cedeno, it is extremely unlikely to have improved enough to be a major impact this year. Even if he improves it the offensive area, he showed himself to be a horrendous defender. Healthy, Izturis is still is an above average defender. I’m surprised you are so down on Izturis. As 22 year old starter he had a .253 OBP. At 23 .282, at 24 .330, and at 25 a .322 the first half of the season. Though hardly stellar, it shows great improvement for a young player. Then he didn’t hit a wall, but the wall hit him. Tommy john and back problems, then the hammy problems. He was hurting late in 2005 and 2006 with only about 250 ab in 1 ½ seasons since. If he has a health season, and with good coaching, I don’t think it would be a stretch to say he could continue his earlier progress and end up in the .350 or so obp range. Obviously, even if he hangs out with Barry Bonds, he will never hit for power. If this was All-Star break 2005, would you have considered Cesar an improving young player?

That’s why figures from the players union are more accurate then mlb. If you went to work last month and your boss told you were getting a bonus, wouldn’t it matter if it were paid in your last check of the year or your first of this year? It would to the IRS. It would to your bosses business for what tax year it was reported in and how much taxes both of you paid that year. Sammy Sosa was paid his signing bonus up front and was included with his reported salary that year. Most are paid out over years. Take a look at USA Today’s salary database come from “The data, compiled by USA TODAY, are based on documents filed with the Major League Player Relations Committee, Major League Baseball Players Association and information from team officials and players' agents”. The figures use the same method I am. This isn’t the NFL, and how salary caps and payroll taxes have nothing to do with proper accounting (.i.e. mlb luxury taxes are calculated based on the roster on 8/1, not total player expenses for the year). From a financial perspective, they better be when they pay it or some trib execs are going to jail. This isn’t accounting class, but an attempt to identify and compare team payrolls. Yes, if the bonus is paid before the New Year, it impacts their prior years finances (assuming their fiscal year is the calendar year), but we really don’t care. Unless mlb opens their books, of course we will never know. But we are trying to find out what they spent from the end of one season to the next, and this is extremely accurate. As the count says, it’s about 115 mil when you factor in a few minimum wage players. I’m not sure what point you are trying to make here. Sub-inflation? If you already know what the inflation rate will be the next 3 years or so let me know. I’ll make a fortune. The reason people are concerned about the back loading is that if the budget doesn’t rise or is cut (new owner cuts payroll, economy tanks, etc) that there won’t be money to address other needs, especially if the players are hurt or underperforms.

Here is all the information Indy needs to know to get to the celebration: - Merge onto I-65 N via the ramp on the LEFT toward CHICAGO.148.3 miles - Take the TOLL ROAD / I-90 exit- EXIT 262- toward ILLINOIS / OHIO.0.5 miles - Merge onto I-90 W toward CHICAGO (Portions toll) (Crossing into ILLINOIS).25.0 miles - Merge onto I-90 EXPRESS W / I-94 EXPRESS W / DAN RYAN EXP W via the exit on the LEFT. 4.2 miles - I-90 EXPRESS W / I-94 EXPRESS W / DAN RYAN EXP W becomes I-90 W / I-94 W / DAN RYAN EXPY W.1.7 miles - Take the EISENHOWER EXPY / I-290 W exit- EXIT 51H- toward CHICAGO LOOP.0.4 miles - Merge onto I-290 E / EISENHOWER EXPY E toward CONGRESS PKWY / CHICAGO LOOP.0.5 miles - I-290 E / EISENHOWER EXPY E becomes W CONGRESS PKWY.0.6 miles - W CONGRESS PKWY becomes E CONGRESS DR.0.1 miles - End at Grant Park: 331 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60605, US

Do you know if the contract was insured? I'm guessing that it wasn't since it wasn't big in the scheme of things, so I expect they assumed the risk.

Updated numbers. Sorry they aren’t as pretty as Jazz’s. :( 13.250 – Zambrano (raised contract estimate at midpoint of arbitration numbers) 9.000 - Lilly 4.750 – Marquis (updated for contract) 3.650 – Prior (arbitration estimate) 1.500 - Miller .380 – Hill (contract renewal estimate) 6 Starters at 32.530 5.333 - Dempster 3.833 - Eyre 4.500 - Howry .825 - Cotts (Updated for contract) 1.750 - Wood .900 - Ohman (Updated for contract) 3.250 - Rusch 7 Relievers at 20.391 4.534 - Barrett 2.550 - Blanco (estimated pending signing bonus payment details) 2 Catchers at 7.084 13.000 - Lee 4.333 – DeRosa (estimated pending contract details) 4.250 – Izturis 13.000 - Ramirez 4 Infielders at 34.583 10.000 – Soriano 5.333 – Jones 3.000 – Floyd 1.050 – Ward .475 – Murton (contract renewal estimate) 5 Outfielders at 19.858 Total 24 players at 114.446 million With Rusch likely out and adding two young players, we've already crossed the 115 mil mark for the 25 man roster. If we extend Z and lower 2007 a bit, I sure won't complain. If the 120 mil number is true we have a bit of flexibility for a midseason trade.

It has to be pointed out that Neifi (career .675 ops and .609 for the Cubs in 2006) had an .450 ops for the Tigers, and went 0-10 in the playoffs. Even for Neifi, that was horrendous.

Feb 4th, 4:00 pm CT, CBS...............YES!!!!!!!

Oh Baby, YES !!!!!!!!!!

:roll:

Dusty said it's because she "walked" into the bathroom :D

Unless the Saints are bringing Bobby Boucher Jr along, it'll be the Bears openin' the big can of whoop ass. GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course. Where have I heard that before? At least the finish of this game won't be in the hands of the Seattle kick ball boy. :D

Time for a game changing turnover

I think they guessed wron expecting a sneak

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He was blocked in. It was just a bump. Matt did the flop. Hurt his pinkie.

Who? Kemp or Either? I hope you say no so I don't throw up. I don't really believe naming names will accomplish much. It would depend on who would have needed a CF/lead off hitter enough to give up a decent prospect to get Pierre. Julio Lugo was traded for Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza. Mark Hendrickson and Toby Hall were traded for Dioner Navarro and Jae Wong Seo. David Wells was traded for George Kotteras. I can sit here and make speculations, but Hendry and/or Dusty felt it was much more important to attempt to salvage a horrible season by not trading some guys who had value on the market at the trade deadline. It was another poor decision piled on top of poor decisions. I have to disagree with you on this one. Hendry made the trade for Pierre on the assumption that he would sign a reasonable extension; just to have him come back and say he wanted Furcal money because leadoff men were so valuable. At that point he was not going to be here for 2007, as evidenced by Hendry’s lack of pursuit this off season. I also don’t recall any serious pursuit by any team for him mid-season. He came into July with a .303 obp (granted a better June and July). What would we have received better then the #31 in this years draft? Who would we have received it from?

If the Giants were available, they would have picked it up but it was on the NFL network. The rest of the NFC games weren't likely to have playoff ramifications. The AFC games are pretty much mismatches. So they gambled hoping for a Giants loss. But they get Bears-Packers and the possibility of Farves farewell game.

Giants win 34-28. Packers should be out by the time the early games are over (lions or vikes lose). For the Cheeseheads to have the game mean something, the following needs to occur: Lions beat Dallas Vikings beat Cards Then all but one of the following: Cards beat Chargers Dolphins beat Colts 49rs beat Broncos Saints beat Panthers Browns beat Texans Seahawks beat Bucaneers Then they just have to beat the Bears Have fun pondering retirement on New Years day Lord Farve

Do they need to circumcise their bats?

Have you seen the pitching market this off season? No way St. Louis is paying market price for him next year.

Players who have worn #17 Lon Warneke(1932), Guy Bush(1933-34), Charlie Root(1935-41), Hi Bithorn(1942), Russ Meers(1946), Hank Schnez(1946-47), Jess Dobernic(1948-49), Warren Hacker(1948-49), Bob Rush(1949-57), Frank Ernaga (1958), Al Dark(1958-59), Don Zimmer(1960-61), Steve Boros (1963), Joey Amalfitano(1964-66), Jose Arcia(1968), Terry Hughes(1970), Frank Coggins(1972), Dave Rosello(1972,1975-77), Dave LaRoche (1973-74), Ed Putman(1978), Kurt Seibert(1979), Jesus Figueroa(1980), Joe Strain(1981), Bump Wills(1982), Jay Loviglio(1983), Dan Rohn(1983-84), Mike Brumley(1987), Mark Grace (1988-2000), Bobby Hill(2002-03), Calvin Murray(2004), Adam Greenberg(2005), John Mabry(2006) http://ignarski.tripod.com/temprost.html#no17

Maybe the press were all on PTO

11.000 – Zambrano (arbitration/contract estimate) 9.000 - Lilly (4m signing bonus paid in 1st year, 5m base) 7.000 – Marquis (Pending contract details) 3.650 - Prior 1.500 - Miller .380 – Hill (contract renewal estimate) 6 Starters at 32.530 5.333 - Dempster 3.833 - Eyre 4.500 - Howry .700 - Cotts (arbitration/contract estimate) 1.750 - Wood 1.000 - Ohman (arbitration/contract estimate) 3.250 - Rusch 7 Relievers at 20.366 4.534 - Barrett 2.550 - Blanco (estimated pending signing bonus payment details) 2 Catchers at 7.084 13.000 - Lee 4.333 – DeRosa (estimated pending contract details) 4.250 – Izturis 13.000 - Ramirez 4 Infielders at 34.583 10.000 – Soriano 5.333 – Jones 1.050 – Ward (pending details) .475 – Murton (contract renewal estimate) 4 Outfielders at 16.858 Total 23 players at 111.421 million