don_kessinger_was_good

I know I'm late responding, but that has to be one of the worst ideas I've read in a long time. We end up giving Walker, Hill, Dopirak, and cash for Crain and Pierre ??!?! No way. Walker is more valuable than any of those mentioned. Pierre is overrated. Just sign Kenny Lofton. His OBP is better than Pierre and he's cheaper. If you're trading those players, you better end up with more than Pierre and Crain. Wow...just reading that has left me nearly speechless. Then be speechless. Juan Pierre had an off year this year. So did Pat Burrell and Morgan Ensberg last year, would you want them in 2005 here? The two years prior to this, Pierre posted OBPs of 361 and 374. He had over 200 hits both years, stole 65 and 45 bases, and struck out a mere 35 times each season. Oh yeah, and he just turned 28 years old. Naw, Cubs couldn't use someone like that. :roll: Meanwhile, Walker is a bad attitude big mouth with lousy defense and no speed. He makes only $2.75MM, whoop-dee-do. He can take his disgusted bat flip to his sixth big league team and we won't miss a beat. The Cubs need to improve their team defense, speed, OBP and hitting for contact. I think if (for example) you give the 2B job to Cedeno, you gain speed and defense, likely give up little in OBP (based on an admittedly low sample size), and only sacrifice IsoP in exchange. And save nearly $2.5MM. I do that. Meanwhile, Pierre solves a need, and you'd buying him cheap based on his off-year. My my, what a concept, buy low instead of buy high for once. I'm not saying I'd be unhappy with Lofton, I just don't think he's going to be available. I like the idea of Pierre and Furcal hitting 1-2 at the top of my lineup, it would completely change the character of this team. Walker OTOH, is more of the same. Dump him.

I would certainly support bringing back Kenny Lofton--the Cubs never should have let him go in the first place. But question: why would the Phillies let him go? He's been terrific for them, why wouldn't they bring him back themselves? They have as much money to spend as the Cubs, so money isn't a problem. Just say no to Jose Guillen though, that's a bad idea. I continue to pine after one of Tampa or Cincy's extra OFs. At some point, both those GMs have to suck it up and admit they need pitching--don't they? We make a natural trade partner. Unfortunately, watch out for St Louis. Larry Walker is finished, and Reggie Sanders has been subpar when he hasn't been hurt this year. You know they're going to be actively looking for corner OF help, competing against us for all the obvious names. I would think Houston will be looking for a corner OF too, and they should have the money to spend with Rajah's $18MM off the books. And the Dodgers have nearly as much money to spend as we do. It's going to be a tough off-season, I fear. Hendry will likely have better luck coming up with creative trade ideas than he will plunging into the free agent market.

I would gladly trade Walker + Hill for Hunter + Crain; and then turn around and spin Hunter + cash + Brian Dopirak to Florida for Juan Pierre. Crain is an excellent reliever. So, let me get this straight. You'd trade Todd Walker, Rich Hill, Brian Dopirak and cash for Jesse Crain and Juan Pierre? The Cubs are getting ripped off big time there. Todd Walker is unneeded (Cedeno), Rich Hill is a one-trick pony, and Dopirak looks like a bust. In exchange, I get a leadoff man and a setup man for my bullpen. Yeah, I'd do those trades. Cubs aren't getting ripped off at all.

I would gladly trade Walker + Hill for Hunter + Crain; and then turn around and spin Hunter + cash + Brian Dopirak to Florida for Juan Pierre. Crain is an excellent reliever.

I'd rather spend the $20MM/year that Manny's deal involves on two players that can help us instead of just one. Like for example, Brian Giles and Rafael Furcal.

What did Morgan Ensberg come back from? Unless I'm mistaken, they've always treated the Comeback Player award as if it were a "Most Improved" award. I don't think you need to have been injured to win it.

I think a better way to couch the question is, what would your updated list of the Cubs Top Ten Prospects look like (regardless of position), after taking 2005 into account? A pre-preview of a BA or NSBB Top Ten list this winter, if you will. Here's my take, and I'll consider anyone not currently qualified as having their ML rookie season to be fair game: 1. Felix Pie 2. Ronny Cedeno 3. Renyel Pinto 4. Matt Murton 5. Eric Patterson 6. Brandon Sing 7. Sean Gallagher 8. Jermaine Van Buren 9. Ryan Harvey 10. Rich Hill David Aardsma would JUST miss out and be #11 on my list. Top Ten Biggest Disappointments of 2005? Falling way down the charts due to either bad performance, lack of progress, or injuries: 1. Brian Dopirak 2. Richard Lewis 3. Sergio Mitre 4. Angel Guzman 5. Ryan Harvey (yes, I put him on both lists) 6. Jon Leicester 7. Sean Marshall 8. Chadd Blasko 9. Jason Dubois 10. Renyel Pinto (failure to stick at AAA qualifies as a disappointment) My "just missed guy" here for #11 is Bobby Brownlie. I think it's a stretch to consider Mitre, Leicester and Dubois as "prospects", but they began the year as such, and relative to expectations, were huge disappointments (what the heck happened to Ice?) If you want to replace them, I include Todd Wellemeyer, Jon Connolly, and Luke Hagerty, then. And finally, Top Ten Surprises of 2005. Guys that really improved their stock and exceeded expectations--so someone you already thought highly of like Murton doesn't count. 1. Ronny Cedeno 2. Jermaine Van Buren 3. Ricky Nolasco 4. Adam Greenberg 5. Andy Shipman 6. JK Ryu 7. Sam Fuld 8. Scott Moore 9. Ryan Theriot 10. Luis Montanez My honorable mention shout-out for #11 would be the aforementioned Brandon Sing.

1. Jason Giambi 2. Ken Griffey Jr 3. Morgan Ensberg 4. Bob Wickman 5. Ryan Dempster That would be my ballot....

Not me. If Hill can't beat out Jerome or Guzman for the #5 starter spot in the spring, I'd prefer the Cubs include him in a trade elsewhere. Frankly, I'm not sold on Hill long-term anyways. He has one trick pitch, and it's good--but until this year, he's NEVER been able to throw strikes consistently. The evidence suggests he's more likely to revert to past control problems than he is to ever be a steady control pitcher. Which unfortunately for him, is exactly what's needed for a relief pitcher--especially a loogy.

If Murton can have one more strong game here, I think Dusty is screwed, he'll have to start Matt pretty much every game but maybe one or two from here on out. THANK GOD.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be true.

I would trade Mitre or Welly for Marte--I'd trade BOTH Mitre and Welly for Marte. Neither of our two are worth a hoot, and they'll only block spots for promising prospects on the protected 40-man list. Marte is at least a lefty with good stuff. He's a better (thankfully) Felix Heredia, if you will. If you snag Marte, you can safely let Rusch go walking, as you'd still have two lefties in the pen in Marte and Ohman. Three if the Cubs hopefully sign BJ Ryan. This bullpen gets me excited: Ryan, Dempster, Novoa, Wuertz, Van Buren, Ohman, Marte. I am assuming the Cubs stick with a 12-man staff next year, obviously.

Wow, this is one of the few intelligent lineups Dusty has put out there all season. Too bad it's a day late and a dollar shot. But given the available personnel, this is the exact lineup I'd send out there tonight. I think this is likely one of the few times I've ever said that about a Dusty lineup.

Can someone please whisper in Jose Macias' ear that HIS body is telling him he can be a starter elsewhere, too? C'mon, let's all put in a call to Jose's agent and convince him he should reject all overtures from the Cubs next year. Hold out for the Red Sox Jose, they want you!!

Mitre is worthless. Like Koronka, Macias and Wellemeyer, he needs to be dumped off the 40-man this offseason before the Rule 5 draft to protect more valuable/promising young players. You try and trade him first before that date arrives, but if you can't, you waive him. Big deal. I mean honestly, which would piss you off more--the Cubs waive Mitre and someone picks him up, or the Cubs leave someone like Nolasco or Sing off the 40-man and someone claims them in the draft. I know which one would make ME angrier. Buh-bye, Fez.

The question I'd ask DFB--"Can you explain why, in a must-win 1-run game, you chose to go to Sergio Mitre instead of Wuertz, Novoa or Williamson? Or even Ryan Dempster?" What an ass. I believe this was Mitre's first appearance since he came back up. All the guy does is serve up gopher balls. I can't even vocalize how much I hate Baker. Hate hate hate.

And yet he's included in every trade proposal made on this board as if he's a blue chip prospect. Sergio Mitre = Jeremi Gonzalez Lite Jeremi Gonzalez > Sergio Mitre Jim Bullinger > Sergio Mitre Willie Banks > Sergio Mitre Frank Castillo > Sergio Mitre Of course, Dust Idiot doesn't know this.

HAHAHAHA....IN DUSTY WE TRUSTY, YAY YAY YAY!!! GIVE HIM HIS CONTRACT EXTENSION, YAY DUDE, HE'S EARNED IT!!! WE LOVE YOU DUSTY, YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Neifi has the lowest OPS and second lowest OBP of the shortstops you listed, you do realize that, don't you?? The frustration I agree should be more directed at Dustbag though. Neifi as utility infielder, I have absolutely no problem with, in fact, I like it. The problem is he should never be a starter, and he should never hit anywhere other than 7 or 8 when he does spot-start. That poor usage is all on Dusty, just like he misused Mulletsworth, and Remlinger, and Simon, and Harris before him. Dusty is a "pet lover." PS--What, there's a software filter now so you can't call Baker "Dust bag"? That's pretty lame.

Most everyone was ready to see Farnsworth go, he had chance after chance here and for whatever reason, could never get his act together. So he eventually figures it out elsewhere, bully for him. We gave him SIX YEARS in Chicago for crying out loud, and he managed just one good year and one decent year for us in that entire time. And, while Scott Moore had a strong year at a low level, the value in that trade for us was Roberto Novoa. He looks like a perfectly useable middle reliever/setup man, the role Farnsworth was SUPPOSED to fill for us. If we still get that production, just from a different (and younger) guy, then who cares what Kyle does for another team. It was a good trade.

The Cubs REALLY need BJ Ryan. He makes so much sense for this team, and the Cubs can easily afford him. In fact, after Brian Giles, I regard Ryan as Hendry's top off-season priority. Get him here. He's left-handed and very talented. I really like the idea of having Dempster and Ryan, a lefty and a righty, for the 8th and 9th innings. If we had a smart manager, that could be a real weapon. Rather than saying one of you is the closer, the other is setup, I'd tell them they're each both. You'll alternate roles depending on how the other lineup shapes up. Would be awesome. I agree that Novoa, Wuertz and JVB look just fine for middle relief, and Ohman has been one of the better loogy's we've had the last ten years. If Rusch chooses to return, he's your long reliever/spot starter, if not, you could put Mitre or Wellemeyer in that role. Yep, sign BJ Ryan and re-sign Dempster, I like it alot. And PS--what if the Cubs sign AJ Burnett? Then you'd have the choice of making Williams your long man and putting Wood in the rotation, or keeping Williams as the #5 guy and putting Wood at the end of the game. Dempster, Ryan, Wood--think about that for a second. Wow.

I'd trade Lee for Ichiro and Felix Hernandez. I'd trade him for Jason Bay and Zach Duke, too. I love Lee, but no player is untouchable when you haven't won a pennant in 60 years.

Patterson needs to get more than a tiny bit better to be of any value to anyone. Frankly, I think he should go to Japan. Look what it did for Tuffy Rhodes' career!!

Do the Cubs play KC? And if so, is it here? Naturally, I'd be very excited if that were the case!

Wow. Isn't that just pathetic?? All should go but maybe Hank, since he is under contract for 2006 after all, and a couple of the pitchers seem to be more comfortable throwing to him than Barrett. Hairston has a pop gun bat and a bad attitude; Neifi can't hit; Macias and Patterson are beyond words. ANYONE can come up with better replacements than these guys. Shoot, we have them in the minors, right now: Hairston-->Mike Fontenot Perez-->Ryan Theriot Patterson-->Adam Greenberg Macias-->Any Warm Body Note: Hairston, Perez, Patterson and Macias combined make $6.5MM. Six and half million!! Four rookies would cost $1.25MM in their place, and you'd have better than 5 million left over to sign someone of actual value. Whatever became of Wilton Chavez, inquiring minds want to know??