CubfaninCA

Only question I have is which AL East team overpays him?? Apparently, Minnesota may put Radke on the market. Wouldn't mind picking him up for a year.

The Cubs won in 98. I think Sosa should have been dealt in 2000. The broken down players is what the Cubs do. They look for bargins to go with their superstar marquee players. I want a team of good players not one superstar to bring in the sheep. If the Cubs actually decided to go after good players to go with with Lee then yeah...I agree with you but history has shown they do not. Do you remember the trade proposals the Yankees gave us for Sammy? A bunch of crap for the #1 slugger in the game. Wonder why we didn't take that. :roll: didn't they offer Soriano? Iirc it was Soriano, Ledee and a couple of garbage pitching prospects.

Of course that would be better. But trading Lee for multiple younger and cheaper players is a better option than overpaying overrated players to try and make a run. If you can trade Lee and get a huge upgrade at another position and a slight downgrade at 1B, then spend the extra money for another huge upgrade, then the Cubs will be a better team. In the proposed deal, the Cubs get a pretty substantial upgrade at SP (Webb), a slight downgrade at 1B (Tracy, assuming Lee reverts somewhat to past trends), and a great prospect. If you can use the extra money to get Brian Giles over a player like Jacque Jones, then the team is better for it. Still, I would rather keep Lee and find other ways to add these players or similar. Why would Giles come to Chicago after they traded away a guy coming off an MVP season for a #3 starter, a 1b whose had one good season, and a kid?? Giles probably wants to win now. Not in 2009. Because the Cubs have filled three holes at the cost of one player? Thus having the wearwithall to sign Giles plus some others. And one more thing, exactly how good were the Cubs this year while Lee had his career year? Uh huh. Sure he would. Only way he'd come to Chicago is if the Cubs pulled off a deal to bring his brother in. Without Lee we'd be looking @ a 65 win team, if that. That assumes that we just get rid of Lee for nothing in return, which obviously wouldn't be the case. Yes, but we should never let facts get in the way of a really good point. 65 wins = having Choi @ 1b and whatever 2nd tier FA they bring in due to Lee's savings. :o

Of course that would be better. But trading Lee for multiple younger and cheaper players is a better option than overpaying overrated players to try and make a run. If you can trade Lee and get a huge upgrade at another position and a slight downgrade at 1B, then spend the extra money for another huge upgrade, then the Cubs will be a better team. In the proposed deal, the Cubs get a pretty substantial upgrade at SP (Webb), a slight downgrade at 1B (Tracy, assuming Lee reverts somewhat to past trends), and a great prospect. If you can use the extra money to get Brian Giles over a player like Jacque Jones, then the team is better for it. Still, I would rather keep Lee and find other ways to add these players or similar. Why would Giles come to Chicago after they traded away a guy coming off an MVP season for a #3 starter, a 1b whose had one good season, and a kid?? Giles probably wants to win now. Not in 2009. Because the Cubs have filled three holes at the cost of one player? Thus having the wearwithall to sign Giles plus some others. And one more thing, exactly how good were the Cubs this year while Lee had his career year? Uh huh. Sure he would. Only way he'd come to Chicago is if the Cubs pulled off a deal to bring his brother in. Without Lee we'd be looking @ a 65 win team, if that. That assumes that we just get rid of Lee for nothing in return, which obviously wouldn't be the case. Yes, but we should never let facts get in the way of a really good point. Tracy & Webb get the Cubs to 70 wins this year. Woo hOoo.

First, why does everyone think Lee is going to regress back to his career norms. He worked hard to make adjustments in his swing and plate coverage, so there isn't much of a reason to think he will revert back to a .270 hitter. Secondly, what guarantee that any young players we get in return for Lee will be the superstars that everyone is making them out to be. Finally, will a team like the Diamondbacks trade 3 very promising, young players for one excellent player when they are in a rebuilding situation. I wish this board was around in 1998 when Sosa had his first huge year. He turned 30 in November of 1998. Would love to go back in the archives for some of the trade proposals. :o

OK, I see. So you will take another near .500 season so you can watch Lee maybe almost win the triple crown. Not me dude. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. The Cubs got nearly nothing from 40% of the their budget (Sosa, Wood, Nomar, Remlinger...) Next year should be different, as Sosa, Remlinger and hopefully Nomar are gone from the budget, and I expect Prior to have some good luck for a change and be dominant again. If Prior is 100% this year, we're still in the wildcard hunt.

Of course that would be better. But trading Lee for multiple younger and cheaper players is a better option than overpaying overrated players to try and make a run. If you can trade Lee and get a huge upgrade at another position and a slight downgrade at 1B, then spend the extra money for another huge upgrade, then the Cubs will be a better team. In the proposed deal, the Cubs get a pretty substantial upgrade at SP (Webb), a slight downgrade at 1B (Tracy, assuming Lee reverts somewhat to past trends), and a great prospect. If you can use the extra money to get Brian Giles over a player like Jacque Jones, then the team is better for it. Still, I would rather keep Lee and find other ways to add these players or similar. Why would Giles come to Chicago after they traded away a guy coming off an MVP season for a #3 starter, a 1b whose had one good season, and a kid?? Giles probably wants to win now. Not in 2009. Because the Cubs have filled three holes at the cost of one player? Thus having the wearwithall to sign Giles plus some others. And one more thing, exactly how good were the Cubs this year while Lee had his career year? Banks...Sosa...maybe now Lee. I see a very bad pattern here. Cub fans can not fall in love with a player so much that they would go crazy if he is dealt during his peak to improve the team. I'm sick of the Cubs hanging onto one marquee player and no real supporting cast. So the Cubs should have traded Sosa after 98?? Unlike years ago, the Cubs spend some money nowadays. Lee will have a supporting cast around him. They just need to discontinue spending money on guys likely to breakdown (Nomar).

Of course that would be better. But trading Lee for multiple younger and cheaper players is a better option than overpaying overrated players to try and make a run. If you can trade Lee and get a huge upgrade at another position and a slight downgrade at 1B, then spend the extra money for another huge upgrade, then the Cubs will be a better team. In the proposed deal, the Cubs get a pretty substantial upgrade at SP (Webb), a slight downgrade at 1B (Tracy, assuming Lee reverts somewhat to past trends), and a great prospect. If you can use the extra money to get Brian Giles over a player like Jacque Jones, then the team is better for it. Still, I would rather keep Lee and find other ways to add these players or similar. Why would Giles come to Chicago after they traded away a guy coming off an MVP season for a #3 starter, a 1b whose had one good season, and a kid?? Giles probably wants to win now. Not in 2009. Because the Cubs have filled three holes at the cost of one player? Thus having the wearwithall to sign Giles plus some others. And one more thing, exactly how good were the Cubs this year while Lee had his career year? Uh huh. Sure he would. Only way he'd come to Chicago is if the Cubs pulled off a deal to bring his brother in. Without Lee we'd be looking @ a 65 win team, if that.

Of course that would be better. But trading Lee for multiple younger and cheaper players is a better option than overpaying overrated players to try and make a run. If you can trade Lee and get a huge upgrade at another position and a slight downgrade at 1B, then spend the extra money for another huge upgrade, then the Cubs will be a better team. In the proposed deal, the Cubs get a pretty substantial upgrade at SP (Webb), a slight downgrade at 1B (Tracy, assuming Lee reverts somewhat to past trends), and a great prospect. If you can use the extra money to get Brian Giles over a player like Jacque Jones, then the team is better for it. Still, I would rather keep Lee and find other ways to add these players or similar. Why would Giles come to Chicago after they traded away a guy coming off an MVP season for a #3 starter, a 1b whose had one good season, and a kid?? Giles probably wants to win now. Not in 2009.

I think some forget how dominant Prior and Wood were.

I'd be pretty fired up about anyone's .900 OBP. After Lee's 1.090, I can't.

Wow, that'd be awesome. I'd do that, but Hendry wouldn't be so bold as to enrage the Chicago sports media by trading away Lee for basically a prospect, no matter how good the prospect might be. Basically, you're trading Lee and a couple million dollars of additional salary commitment to AZ for a cheap, very solid starter, a fairly proven first baseman / OF and a top 15 prospect. You're trading away a guy who just had his career year for three guys to plug holes. Now, AZ might have flashbacks to the whole Richie Sexson thing and think better of this, but I think Milwaukee did pretty well on that deal. How you going to fill the superstar hole though?? He could have another huge year. Sure, he could. So could Tracy. Or Webb. Or Quentin. Or it could be that it is more important to have a good team than a great player. They can address their problems other ways. I can't get too fired up about Webb's 3.68 ERA or Tracy's .900 obp, when Lee's coming off an MVP year.

Wow, that'd be awesome. I'd do that, but Hendry wouldn't be so bold as to enrage the Chicago sports media by trading away Lee for basically a prospect, no matter how good the prospect might be. Basically, you're trading Lee and a couple million dollars of additional salary commitment to AZ for a cheap, very solid starter, a fairly proven first baseman / OF and a top 15 prospect. You're trading away a guy who just had his career year for three guys to plug holes. Now, AZ might have flashbacks to the whole Richie Sexson thing and think better of this, but I think Milwaukee did pretty well on that deal. How you going to fill the superstar hole though?? He could have another huge year.

He's a high character guy and you build around MVP's. I wouldn't be surprised to see him put up a 1.000 Ops next year. Sounds like he made some adjustments to his swing last offseason, so he should continue w/ the power. Can't see him batting for as high of average though. He's hit .295/.390/.597 since the all star break, I think that's the type of line you could realistically expect next year. That is still very good, and well above his career numbers, but significantly off the pace of your typical MVP candidate. Not surprising the average has dropped, but .987 ops is 14 points off Ortiz and above Andruw Jones. Only 5 guys are above 1.000. Gotta factor in his stellar d as well. Also, he has good speed. He's about all around as you can get. Would help some if he has someone better than Burnitz batting cleanup too.

I'm not advocating this, but will throw it out there for reaction... ARam & Walker for Giles and Chipper Do the Cubs need to get a little more?? I'd do it if it persuaded Brian Giles to come to Chicago @ a discount. Doesn't seem like the Cubs are absolutely thrilled w/ ARam. Perhaps I'm reading that wrong though.

I think Arizona would at least consider it. I'd do it. The Cubs get huge salary relief. Webb makes the rotation dangerous. Tracy is a step down from Lee, but gives the Cubs OBP, and the ability to still go out and get a big bat. =P~ I think some people here are against trading Lee too much. His value will never be higher, and it's untelling what they could get for him. I'm too impressed by Lee as a ballplayer and as a person to consider trading him...even if could potentially improve the Cubs. Lee is someone the Cubs should continue to build around. He's a high character guy and you build around MVP's. I wouldn't be surprised to see him put up a 1.000 Ops next year. Sounds like he made some adjustments to his swing last offseason, so he should continue w/ the power. Can't see him batting for as high of average though.

Lineups have nothing to do with whether the Cubs win or lose over the longhaul. Injuries hurt, but moreso than the actual injuries was the fact that the Cubs were counting on players that were injury risks. True about counting on injury prone players. However, Neifi batting 1st or 2nd was a killer, along w/ Corey's stint in leadoff. Didn't they go on an 8 game skid w/ those 2 at the top of the order??

The top 2 reasons the Cubs are 2 under are..... 1) Injuries. If they can stay somewhat healthy the lineup's quite good. Wood missing over 20 starts was an absolute killer and Prior not pitching @ 100% hurt as well. 2) Baker bizarre lineups. Hendry has to go out an get a #1 and #2 hitter. It's not a guarantee that Baker will use Walker properly, and Baker's choices of 1 and 2 hitters may have cost the Cubs 30-50 runs this year. Altogether, the team needs a major shake-up.

Nobody will give up pitching? How do you know? Pitching gets dealt every year, why would this year change? I'd just as well take a couple bats for Lee. I'd rather keep Aram than Lee, since Lee is the one more likely to suffer a decline (the numbers Ramirez has put up, given his age, suggest he's much more likely of consistently producing in the coming years), Ramirez is already locked up for the next 3 years while Lee might require a new huge deal as he reaches his 30s, and it's much easier to find productive 1B than 3B. Project all you want.... Lee >> ARam. Lee's far superior defensively. The only way I trade ARam is if they have a good replacement like Jones. Currently, Lee's untouchable.

No clue. Obviously you'd need a guarantee that he would willingly play out there before any deal could be made. What about opening up talks of moving Lee for a huge return and moving Jones to 1B. Just a thought. What could the Cubs get for Lee that makes them better?? No one will give up pitching. Just oughta hang onto Lee. I'd rather deal ARam.

If the Cubs pick up all of Jones contract I wonder what the Braves would ask in return. Gotta figure the Cubs could get him at a discount, as they're doing ATL a favor. Atl's putting quite a bit of money into A. Jones, Hampton, Hudson and Smoltz right?? And Farns should get a good payday too. Am guessing Murton and Walker would be on their way to ATL. Not sure who else though. Perhaps one of the young relievers??

Would be nice to get a couple of guys, who have been to the playoffs consistently, like Giles and Jones. However, Jones is probably too expensive for the Cubs blood. They'll probably opt for someone cheaper like Pudge Rodriguez. :(

Guaranteed in '06, then a team option for '07. If the option is picked up(it shouldn't be), then the same option appears for '08. Isn't the option for 07 and 08 vested on 450 PA's in 06?

Pretty interesting. Would be sweet to get M. Giles, which could make B. Giles less expensive, as he'd come to Chicago w/ a discount. Probably a 1-100 shot though. :cry: I guess Atl could put Patterson in rf. He'd probably hit like crazy w/ Atlanta. Or they could take Murton. Would gladly take this lineup next year.... Lofton, Giles, Giles, Lee, Floyd, ARam, Cedeno & Blanco. Barrett for Floyd

I hope the Cubs don't replace Barrett with IRod. The 34 year old catcher with a .743 OPS vs. the 29 year old catcher with a .821 OPS. It will be Nomar Part II. Better keep around Blanco.