don_kessinger_was_good

Patterson sucks.

The biggest risk of someone becoming a success in that trade is Nolasco. I think little of Mitre, and lefty hardthrowers like Pinto with wild command are a dime a dozen and end up toiling as loogy's in the big leagues--if they're lucky. Cross reference: Heredia, Randolph, Sanchez. I like Nolasco though, I'd have preferred to hang on to him, but we had a need for Pierre.

Back on topic....Dodgers are sure turning things around in a hurry. With the NL West the weakest of the three NL divisions, they look to be runaway favorites for 2006. Mueller, Furcal, Kent and Nomar is a lot of offense right there. Drew, Lofton, Cruz, Werth. Gagne will be back this year. All they need is some starting pitching, and try to avoid the injuries with guys like Drew and Nomar, and look out.

No.

Interesting. Maybe my guy was right after all. By the way, on the same page Roto reports the Tampa offers for Gathright, KC is/was certainly one of those "other" teams. With the tender deadline tomorrow, I wonder if we'll hear something from the Cubs end in the next 48 hours. Sure hope so, our options are shrinking.

I wanted this guy for the bench two years ago when he was with the Cardinals. He's a pure splits hitter, but he absolutely mashes with favorable matchups. 900 OPS last year against LHP. 868 OPS for his career. He'd be a real nice complement to Mabry on the bench. Heck yeah, sign him.

Holy cripes, I thought the Dodgers were in a budget crunch, was that not the talk all fall and through the Tracy and DePodesta firings? Now they're signing EVERYONE.

I'm sorry, but I would've been unhappy had the Cubs paid $6MM to Nomar, the risk is just too great. But I'm happy for him, I don't think ANYONE wasn't excited when Hendry made that trade in 2004, and everyone wanted Nomar to do well here. And yes--count me in for snagging Hee Seop if he's available. What a nice LH bat on the bench that would be, no?

Only problem is, this isn't a new rumor or a new offer made by Hendry. It is one that has been on the table for a while and has yet to be accepted by Tampa Bay while they hold out for something better. So don't expect anything to happen on this front soon because there is no reason for either team to do anything quite yet. They are still waiting for the other person to blink. However, if the deal does happen, whenever it happens, I will be a happy Cubs fan. Exactly. It's apparently been on the table for a good week now, so that must mean he was right--Tampa is holding out for Hill, and Hendry won't cave. I don't know, if you're Hendry and you have to choose between Guzman and Hill, it's really a 50-50 crap shoot, isn't it? Guzman would seem to have the higher ceiling, but Hill seems ready to help right now. We're in such a tough spot for RF facing alternatives like Jones, I think Hendry needs to blink as you put it and give Tampa the pitcher they want. Our need for that outfielder is greater than our need to choose between two pitching prospects, IMO.

Hendry has been quoted as saying something to the effect that, ideally, Hill will be at Iowa. I think the job is Williams' to lose. This is what I don't understand with Hendry then. If you are correct, why WOULDN'T he move Hill in the right trade, then? I mean, if he is writing off Hill for a year at AAA from the get-go, then what are the chances Hill makes a significant impact in 2007, as a 27-YEAR OLD rookie? Goodness, sell now while his value is highest.....

Jimenez is a smart pickup. Wasn't he at one time the #1 Yankees prospect, or am I thinking of someone else??

As things currently stand, it will be a spring training competition between Hill and Williams for the fifth rotation spot, correct? I am assuming the Cubs are committed to Rusch for the 4 spot.

We have a mutual friend and that allowed me to talk baseball for a bit with him over a beer, nothing more, nothing less. He was told about the Cubs because of the Royals interest in Gathright. Obviously, Tampa isn't likely to trade both Huff AND Gathright. Hence, the topic of the rumored Cubs offer for Huff came up, and he confirmed he'd heard it was on the table.

What I would like to know is what is the 2nd deal Hendry has had on the table? Apparently, it's another outfielder deal, but I haven't heard or seen anything on what/who it could be. Jayson Stark claims the Cubs have already been rebuffed on Wilkerson, Ibanez and Gibbons (thankfully on the last one). I figure the other deal then has to be something for Kevin Mench, since it's no secret the Cubs have explored Texas trades this winter.

It's the Cubs that are offering Guzman; Tampa wants Rich Hill.

would you mind elaborating on how you had access to this writer? No.

Like half the deals in progress out there, third-party teams hear about them. The Royals have been talking with Tampa because they're trying to work a trade for Joey Gathright, who they really like. Problem is that KC is trying to pawn off Jeremy Affeldt and Mike Wood, where Tampa is more interested in JP Howell and Ambiorix Burgos. Hard to see where the two sides can find middle ground there, it's a big gulf between Affeldt and Wood vs. Howell and Burgos.

What I like about Huff is that his downside (2005) is Burnitz-level production, but if that's as bad as it gets, then he's worth the trade for the upside--his numbers in 02-04 are quite nice. As for the defense argument, sure, I'd prefer a strong defensive RF, but honestly--we got by fine for the most part with Sammy out there, and for the second half of his career he was pretty much a butcher in the field, too. By the way, the speculation as it was related to me was that Tampa was holding out for Hill INSTEAD of Guzman, not in addition to him. So the question to you is Hill + Wellemeyer, is that a fair deal or not? I think so, but apparently Hendry does not.

Supposedly, this is one of the two rumored "on-the-table" trades Hendry has had out there this week, and is waiting on a reply, related to me by a local sportswriter on the Royals beat. I think I'd be extremely pleased if that is indeed the deal and it is accepted, but I have to think the reason it hasn't occurred is because Tampa thinks it can do better--like maybe holding out for Hill. I was also somewhat surprised to hear that the same guy tells me the Royals are at least thinking of moving Andy Sisco into the rotation for 2006. They are hesitant because he looks to be a successful setup man, and those are certainly valuable, but he'd have a whole lot more value to KC if he could become a competent starter. They look to be one starter short as things currently stand. I spoiled his fun by pointing out to him that the Royals are now jinxed with the ex-Cubs factor: Sisco, Matt Stairs and Mark Grudzielanek will all be on the opening day roster. So no turnaround in 06 for KC.

What about this as a real flyer, but it would be cheap: Juan Gonzalez. Yes, the always-injured, Juan Gone. He can't ALWAYS be hurt, can he? You wouldn't even need to pay him $1MM to get him, and its not like $1MM is going to kill the Cubs. But the upside.....the last time he played a fair amount of the season (2003) he still posted a 900+ OPS. Where the hell else are we going to find a 900 OPS slugger at this point? He'd slot in fine in the 5 spot, and if/when/with probability one he gets hurt again, THEN you go to a backup option. Look, if he could give the Cubs 400 PAs, for $1MM, how cool would that be? Cripes, if he could give the Cubs half that PA for that money, he'd be worth having, wouldn't he? Another idea: is Magglio healthy? You know Detroit regrets that contract and would eat big money to move him. If they ate half, would you take a chance on Magglio at $5.5MM per season, which would be half his salary? I'm just desperately trying to think of RF options here better than Jones or Encarnacion or Wilson.

Given what's transpired for the Cubs this offseason--or more aptly, not transpired--moving Walker at this point would be a huge mistake. You're not going to get anything for him that would help the Cubs more at another position, that's for sure. But if you keep him, you have a natural #2 hitter to bat behind Pierre, and you keep Neifi from being an everyday player. I wouldn't even mind seeing a Walker/Hairston platoon, quite frankly. Since no other teams seem willing to trade quality for our prospects, one can only infer that other teams don't LIKE our prospects, or at least the ones Hendry is willing to trade. So at this stage, I think you just need to bite your lip, sign Preston Wilson or Juan Encarnacion, and hope for the best. The only alternative I see is if Hendry were willing to trade for a young outfield prospect and give him the keys to the job, but with Baker in town, we know how badly that plan would work. Still, it rubs me the wrong way because there are a lot of interesting young outfielders out there, some of whom are blocked with their current teams and might be moveable as a result. Franklin Gutierrez, Jeremy Reed, Nick Swisher, Termel Sledge, Delmon Young, Val Majewski, Nook Logan, Freddy Guzman, Lastings Milledge, Shane Victorino, Carlos Quentin. Trade for one of THESE guys and give him the job?? How could say, Franklin Gutierrez be any worse than Jacques Jones, for crying out loud?

Exactly. If anything, it's the Cubs that should be sellers, not the Brewers. They finished ahead of us last year, and this year, I think the Wisconsin Diaspora ends--I'm predicting Milwaukee for the playoffs. Only question is whether their pitching will be deep enough. Lineup looks terrific, with Lee, Clark, Jenkins, Fielder, Weeks, Hardy, Hall and Miller. That lineup is much better balanced than the Cubs. If they could just bring in one more quality starter, watch the heck out.

#51 is taken. Gallagher wore #51 in the one Daytona game he pitched. =; Somewhere, Jeff Pico weeps.

Or he didn't see the question, or he would rather write about it in his paper. Trust me, he doesn't login for Q & A. He stopped by a watering hole frequented by Cubs fans. He wants to know what is on our minds. Correct me if I'm wrong. Best columnist of Chicago = Mike Royko. Miles learned from the master. He found the place to go to find what was on the mind of the intelligent rabid Cubs fan's mind. Let him come and go freely. When he has the time, he'll hang. Mike Royko was indeed the best. I enjoyed reading him the most. (Good observation) I don't know the trade proposals. The Cubs have been pretty tight-lipped. If I knew, they'd be in the paper. I miss the old Chicago Daily News.

Things are looking so bleak and desperate at this stage, why not sign Damon and put him in RF? He's the LH bat Hendry wants, he has good OBP, decent speed, a bit of power. And the Cubs have money. No, he's not an ideal solution, but he sure looks better than any alternatives we're being presented. Preston Wilson? Jacques Jones? Corey Patterson? Please. If you keep Walker, now you've got a decent looking offense with three everyday LH bats (Damon, Walker and Pierre) and a switch-hitter when Neifi plays for Cedeno at SS. If you bat Pierre, Damon, Lee, Ramirez, Barrett, Walker, Murton and Neifi/Cedeno, you have good OBP everywhere but #8, and you blunt the impact of Neifi in the lineup by having him at the bottom. I'm thinking this might be the best solution at this point, but Hendry has shown no interest in Damon, which is disturbing. He has the money, his alternatives look awful, he should do this. He does have a good relationship with Boras, after all.