don_kessinger_was_good

1. What wasn't I right about? 2. I like how it's fine to belittle my original idea, but when I retort back, it becomes personal attacks. The double standards at this site are a joke. Have fun, at least Al's site is more evenhanded.

If you're equating Mike Wuertz to Rafael Betancourt, you're a fool. i agree. betancourt is a middle reliever who's 33 years old and is making $5.4M over the next two years, and has been horrendous this year. his LD% is a disturbingly-high 25.9%, and he gives up twice as many fly balls as he does ground balls, which is really a bad thing if you were to put him in a place like wrigley field. his great numbers last year were mostly a result of an unsustainable BABIP and LOB% (86.4!) along with a really abnormal home run rate - only 6 all year, or just 4.7% of his fly balls. he pounds the strike zone, but his ability to throw strikes hasn't been as good this year. meanwhile, wuertz is a pitcher who allows more ground balls than fly balls. his command is more spotty, but he has had a solid K-rate up to this year, and his velocity is still as good as it has been in previous years. he threw his fastball on 40% of his pitches in 2006 and 2007, but only 26.5% this year, while his slider rate has increased from 42.6% in 2006 to 62.1% this year. his pitching coach and catchers should probably be working with him on throwing a more even mix of pitches, rather than relying so heavily on the breaking pitch that often bends out of the strike zone. Still, given his age (29) and cheapness ($860k), combined with the profile of a ground ball pitcher at a hitter's park, he provides more value for the dollar than betancourt. i'm assuming that's what you meant when you said anyone comparing the two guys was a fool, correct? You're more than a fool, and you're always antagonistic, to boot. Look, relievers are notoriously streaky. You're willing to dismiss Betancourt as a loser due to two bad months, but in the same breath, you're willing to dismiss Wuertz' underperformance--simply because he's cheaper? Betancourt is so far superior to anything Wuertz has (or has even the remotest chance of) accomplishing, it is absurd. Over the last five years, the guy has an ERA+ of 206, 111, 150, 119, and 312. 312!!!!!! You wouldn't take the option of him having a bad couple months is all, in favor of keeping Mike Freaking Wuertz? Yes, you are a fool. So you swap the two, and throw in Colvin, who is a complete bust. So much so, that I'm fairly certain Cleveland wouldn't take him, so we'd need to offer someone with a bit rosier future, like Patterson or perhaps Ceda. And I'd do that alternative in a heartbeat, too. Betancourt, Marmol and Wood = lockdown. Hendry could then do a follow-on trade to move Howry to someone like the Yankees (who could desperately use him), and maybe we could get an Ian Kennedy for the future. Howry plus Pie?

If you're equating Mike Wuertz to Rafael Betancourt, you're a fool. Tyler Colvin will not be missed, yet another Cubs 1st round bust. Wilken needs to go.

How about a more modest trade with Cleveland? Rafael Betancourt is a much better reliever than he has shown so far this year. I wonder if he has "Latroy Hawkins" disease--a guy that excels in a setup role when there is no pressure, but wilts when he is forced to become the go-to guy. We do need another setup man to take some pressure off of Marmol, and Betancourt has great stuff. Wuertz and Colvin for Betancourt?

You can get the Royals to take Marquis off our hands to help out on the Meche contract, and as I've said before: Meche > Marquis. Obviously, I'd really really like to see the Cubs get CC or Harden, but seriously, you know that won't happen. Just hang up the phone if the conversation includes the names Randy and Wolf.

Newsflash--Rickie Weeks just isn't any good. If I'm Baltimore, I demand LaPorta or Gamel to be included.

Remind me to ask for you as my opponent litigator the next time I have a contract dispute case that hinges on the contract's verbage. Or should I just say "wording" in lieu of verbage, does that makes things easier for you?

You're a real class act. I'll buy you a Funk & Wagnall's--you're such a witty guy!

Where is it written that you can only be a successful pitcher if you throw 95 mph gas, or have a plus-plus offspeed pitch? Gallagher impresses me because he's progressed smartly through the system, one level per year, and just wins games at each level. I'll take that over the hype (and utter, complete failure) of a Pawelek or Samardzija with their superior "stuff" all day long. That said, Gallagher and family aren't the ones that should feel disrespected. He's in the majors with no prior starting experience at this level. The guy that is getting ripped off is Sean Marshall, who IMO is the 4th best starting pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. Did he kick Lou's dog or something??

Ronny Cedeno and Sean Gallagher for David DeJesus and Leo Nunez.

Hardly. Edmonds wants to stick it to the Cardinals in the worst way. He feels slighted about being dumped, kind of like Grace did when the Cubs let him go.

geez, you're obnoxious. Well, since you volunteered to be such a smart ass without being addressed......your mindless tripe never has any meaningful baseball insight. Have you ever even played the game? Or do you just like watching it in mom's basement?

Is the "Pie-Should-Play" wailing-and-gnashing-of-teeth crowd the same group still crying over the Cubs not playing future Hall of Famer Matt Murton? Just curious. Send Pie to Iowa so he can improve his bat confidence and rebuild his trade value (if that's the route the Cubs choose). Give Edmonds a month to show whether he can contribute or not; if he can, then move him in July somewhere else. If he can't, then release him. What's the big freaking deal? I don't think trading one 600 OPS guy for another in the everyday lineup really matters much one way or the other. Pie is the future, terrific. He ain't the present. Let's move on to the next issue.

In fairness, Rhodes put up cartoonish numbers in the US as well before he tailed off after one game. That was one helluva game. Hope Tuffy has it on tape for his kids' sake.

I agree with the bench Fontenot, put DeRo back at 2B, Reed and Pie in the OF plan.

Kosuke is yet another data point proving that power in Japan does not translate to power in the US. Gorilla Matsui is the only Japanese pro that has successfully hit for power over here. And really, should it be a surprise considering the cartoonish numbers the likes of Kevin Bass and Tuffy Rhodes put up in Japan? But the thing is, lack of power is the ONLY part of Kosuke's game that is deficient. This guy can play, and I love him out there in RF. That at-bat against Heileman was just beautiful. How many guys have the Cubs had like this over the years? Fu-ku-do-me....clap clap, clap clap clap....

The thing about Pagan is that he was (a) overused, and (b) used incorrectly. The guy could/can rake against LHP, but he's just a judy slap hitter from the left side. Having said that, he was no great shakes in the field, I'm satisfied with what amounts to a swap for Johnson.

Pie is overmatched; SERIOUSLY overmatched. He needs to go to AAA, he is not helping the team. He has had a number of ABs where he looked worse than Corey EVER did, and that's saying something. At least Patterson would occasionally drive the ball and could steal a base seemingly at will. I do agree Crisp is not desirable though. Johnson looks like he has a clue, fundamentally sound, a nice 4th OF--but if the Cubs turn to him full time it'll expose his warts just as happened with Angel Pagan last year. So, what about Reggie Willits as a stop-gap to split time with Johnson, while Pie figures things out in Iowa? Unlike Crisp, Willits should come cheap; LAA has plenty of OF-ers and last I knew, Willits was back in AAA. True, he has even less SLG than Theriot--and that's saying something. But he has a terrific eye and can run the bases. Would a Johnson/Willits platoon be so bad? (Willits is a switch hitter)

Another element not explored is that maybe Hendry is trying to build trade value for E-Patt, a 2-week audition should do the trick. With Murton, for better or worse, there clearly is not a strong market for his services, or he'd have been traded by now; he's not doing the Cubs any good in Iowa. But maybe with E-Patt, Hendry senses an opportunity. And after all, it IS for only 12 games or so. FWIW, when I saw Patterson in Arizona this spring, he looked GREAT.

So much Matt Murton love, it's really pretty simple. His SLG so far in Iowa is below 300. THREE HUNDRED. Jose Macias could beat that number. A guy that (a) can only play corner OF, (b) can't play it well, and © hits groundballs with no power, has (d) little value at the major league level. He can take a walk. Terrific. Trade him to Oakland, Beane will love him.

I posted a link to the main page, re: Roberts admits to steroid use in 2003. Does his trade value now get more reasonable? Do the Cubs want him? Hendry has always made a big deal out of pursuing "character guys", so I wonder whether the Cubs' interest will cool somewhat. I can certainly live with another year of DeRosa at 2B no problem....Let's trade for Bedard instead.

On NBC News.....admits he used steroids "once" in 2003 and "regrets it." Jason Grimsley fingered Roberts as telling him (Grimsley) that he used once or twice during 2003. Guess Grimsley's credibility looks pretty good right now.

I prefer to focus on tangible data points. The fact is, as immense as his talent was/is, Mark Prior has NEVER pitched a full season of professional baseball. Not once. Regardless of the reasons for his missing starts, some of which were purely random and accidental (e.g., the Giles collision), I just can't get too worked up about losing a guy that was drafted in 2001, and with 2008 upon us, never gave the Cubs a full season of starts. Cubs made the right choice in cutting him loose if he didn't want to give them an option year. And as for the 2003 stats, we all know how dominant Prior was that year. But in baseball years--especially for pitchers--that was a LONG time ago. Ancient history.

I'd give up Pie to help get Bedard, but not Hill or Marmol. Baltimore seems to put value in sheer quantity of prospects (re: the Trachsel and Tejada trades), so maybe we can match up with them after all? If Murton, Marshall and Cedeno was enough for Roberts, then the Cubs add Pie, Gallagher and someone like Eric Patterson to bring in Bedard? I think the latter three together are perfectly competitive with what the Reds are supposedly offering for him. The idea of a front four of Zambrano, Bedard, Lilly and Hill makes me drool.

Why would the Cubs want DeJesus if they decide to keep Pie? Pie has a better upside than DDJ: he's faster, he's a better defender, he's younger, and he's cheaper. I've watched DeJesus a lot the past couple seasons, he's no great shakes. His power never developed and he's not a big threat on the basepaths. He makes the routine play in CF but he's no gold-glover. Pass.