don_kessinger_was_good

I don't get the whole Corey fanboy thing. I mean, this guy sucks. He's become a laughingstock. An OBP below 270, an OPS below 600, a complete inability to do anything even resembling major league baseball performance, with the sole exception of some occasionally acceptable defensive play. Big deal, Joe McEwing can play defense too. I seem to recall Augie Ojeda had a nice glove as well. And both guys will take a first pitch now and then.... Patterson sucks, he makes nearly $3MM a year, and he's not even a prospect/kid anymore at 26 this offseason. Cut bait, indeed. Patterson stinks. Any other player, any other team, and everyone would be all over this underachieving zero. But here, there is still a sizable minority willing to give Patterson more chances and excuses than Carter has pills. I just don't get it.

Corey Patterson still sucks, and it's an outrage that Matt Murton is in Iowa. Thanks.

I love the 1908 and 1929 jerseys. Not surprising that those were the two best Cubs teams, either?? They'd need to add uni numbers to the backside, but otherwise I would love to see something like that. Do the suits even appreciate the ridiculous merchandise sales they would generate? I've gotta think it would add several millions to the bottomline, easy. I know I'd buy one or two.

I'd trade Mulletsworth as my first choice, demote Wellemeyer as my 2nd. Not because I care about Wellemeyer, he's proved at this point he is simply incapable of consistently throwing strikes. But at least he's young, maybe some team will want him in the offseason.

The Cubs now trail the MILWAUKEE BREWERS in the standings. In August. Think about that for a minute. If you owned the Cubs and had spent $100MM on payroll to find yourself behind six other teams for the wildcard, including the MILWAUKEE BREWERS, and find yourself 4th in your OWN DIVISION, wouldn't you demand heads to roll?? I sure would. I'd fire Baker and every member of the coaching staff tomorrow. The lackluster effort from this squad, the whining and excuse making, and now the kicker, falling below 500 and behind the Brewers. That would be the trigger for me to act if I owned the Cubs.

Repeat after me: Do not throw millions or talented prospects at middle relievers. Do not throw millions or talented prospects at middle relievers. Do not throw millions or talented prospects at middle relievers. Do not throw millions or talented prospects at middle relievers. Do not throw millions or talented prospects at middle relievers. Remlinger was the most egregious example via free agency, but we signed LaTroy, and the Cubs traded value for the likes of Matt Karchner and David Weathers in recent years too. Middle relievers, even if they are purportedly a "setup man", just aren't worth it. You're better off turning those jobs over to young pitchers in your organization, and letting the hot hands earn the spots. Buh-bye Sling Blade, not sad to see you go.

Cub fan boys, bless your heart, that aren't giving the Astros the credit they've earned are really living in a bubble. Their 1-2-3 starters are the best in baseball, and they have arguably baseball's best closer as well in Lidge. Once they got Berkman's big bat back and healthy, off they went. In fact, in many ways these Astros are much like the 03 Cubs. If you have dominant pitching, you only need one or two quality bats to be successful. That was our recipe then, it's Houston's now. For crying out loud, they subtract Beltran, Bagwell and Kent and get BETTER, now that's scary. Our offense stinks, our manager is functionally inept, this is true. But let's be honest here--this 05 Cubs team has underachieved because Wood has been AWOL, Prior has been inconsistent when not hurt, Maddux is nearly done, and Z has had bouts of wildness. Them's why this team is a 500 ballclub, despite the best 1-2 hitting combo in the league. Fact is, if you focus STRICTLY on results, our pitching is league average at best. Not good.

Keep up the good work Brandon, you're having another outstanding season. The big leagues aren't far away now. My question is, do you now, or did you when younger, ever pattern your swing and hitting approach after a big leaguer? I ask not only because many young players do this, but the one time I saw you play, the first thing that crossed my mind was "Mike Sweeney." And of course the obvious question being a Joliet boy...Cubs or Sox?? Best of luck.........

Jayson Stark is a fanboy buffoon. His "sources" are pretty much a Magic 8-ball and a large bottle of glue. Meh.

My list is based on Likelihood to Make a Difference at the Big League Level: 1. Pie 2. Murton 3. Sing 4. Harvey 5. E. Patterson Honorable Mention: Cedeno, Theriot, Fontenot, Soto, Moore I am very disappointed in Dopirak, he has slid waaaaaay down my list.

Who cares, Lawton isn't a difference-maker, offense is still pathetic, manager is still a nitwit, bullpen is still a collection of gas cans. This mediocre 500 team remains a mediocre 500 team. Matt Lawton, wow, I'm so excited. Especially since Matt Murton will never play again. What an awful job this organization has done since last July, just plain awful. I just watched another strikeout from Dusty Pet Todd Mulletsworth, man, that never gets old.

Um....these are the White Sox we're talking about. The GM traded for a washed-up Robbie Alomar not once, but twice. Heck yeah we can get him to take Neifi. I'll take Bobby Jenks in return.

You'll have to convince me what Jenkins brings to the table that Burnitz does not. If you were going to settle for a half-assed solution in 2006 and were willing to spend $7MM to do so, I think you'd take Burnitz and his one-year option before you took Jenkins and his two-years-remaining deal. IMO of course.

Agreed; Neifi and Cedeno should be the reserve IFs, and Macias should be released. Neifi can (and has) covered 3B and 2B; Hairston can play 2B obviously and, in an emergency, SS; Walker can cover 1B and 3B if he really really needed to; and Mulletsworth was our backup 1B last year (not sure why Walker seems to have the job now?) Plus, Hollandsworth and Burnitz and Gerut can all play all three OF positions, and have. Bottomline is the Cubs have at least two-deep coverage at every position on the field, making Macias 100% expendable. Wasting a roster spot for him is simply inexcusable, and evidence of gross malfeasance on Jim Hendry's part. Because he has better 25th man options than the Gremlin, in the persons of Mike Fontenot (best choice), Ronny Cedeno and even Ryan Theriot.

I really wanted Justin Duscherer in the offseason, I think we could have snagged him if we really wanted him. He'd look awfully good as our setup man right about now. :-( I don't fault Beane at all for moving Mulder, but I will admit, Hudson I wouldn't have done (were I Beane).

Yeah, that's a real problem for a message board, especially seeing how the guys with thousands of posts are always so chock-full of information and valuable insights. :roll: :roll: I mean, I never get tired of hearing about posters next exam, or how their golf game went, that's always gold Jerry, gold!!! Lighten up. Same to you. I guess the other guy bashing the new poster was fine though, no need for him to "lighten up." Ridiculous.

Yeah, that's a real problem for a message board, especially seeing how the guys with thousands of posts are always so chock-full of information and valuable insights. :roll: :roll: I mean, I never get tired of hearing about posters next exam, or how their golf game went, that's always gold Jerry, gold!!!

If the Reds sent Junior to the MFYs, it would be a salary dump, because the Yanks have nothing to offer the Reds in terms of quality prospects except for Colter Bean--a young reliever that I love--and Eric Duncan. And with Edwin Encarnacion knocking on the door, the Reds have no room for or interest in Duncan. So assuming the budget is not stretched for the Reds, and it appears it is not, moving Junior would seem to be a lower priority than moving Dunn. Since Dunn, unlike Junior, will yield some quality young players for the Reds. Kearns would be a classic case of selling low, so I doubt they do that; for some reason, the Reds front office thinks Wily Mo is a long-term solution for them (I don't see it); Ryan Freel certainly goes nowhere. So if they're going to move someone to get some pitching, and honestly, they need to, then Dunn is the guy they simply must trade. If they can get a couple additional prospects for unwanted veterans like Randa, Aurilia, Casey and Mercker, then they have a chance at least to drastically remake their team in the next ten days with an eye towards 2006. Encarnacion, Lopez, Freel, Pena, Kearns, Kelly (DL), plus whoever they get in trades, those are some nice building blocks. Unfortunately for them, they are stuck with Milton, that was a boneheaded signing and no one will take him unless the Reds eat most of the money.

I am on record as not wanting to move Rich Hill unless absolutely, positively necessary. But honestly--Patterson is a wash-out, and Mitre is not consistent enough to crack our top 5 pitchers. So if you can move those two and only need to add in Hill to get a LH hitting, 25 year old guy with 40 HR/100 RBI production, and consistent 380+ OBP, gee whiz, of course you make this trade. And frankly, it would be pretty good for Cincy too, I don't know that they're going to get a package better than that. Two young guys that will immediately join their starting rotation, that's high value. Now, you REALLY want to make me happy?? Tell me what total package I need to offer Cincinnati to get both Dunn AND Kearns. Or if I just can't have Kearns, how about Dunn and Ryan Wagner? I'd like to include the just-acquired Jody Gerut to Patterson/Mitre/Hill, and you get me both outfielders. That would be sweeeeet.

I wonder if 1 more trip through the rotation with long outings would be enough to convince people that 7 relievers is a waste. Remlinger has 4 IP in 4 outings in July. About 4 guys have had just 1 inning of work since the break. This is seriously not good for the bullpen. Cubs==Terminally Dumb. Meanwhile, Ben Grieve is a quality PH option on the bench who we jettison, AND we keep Jose Macias as one alternative. Dumb dumb dumb. Does Grieve have lice or something??

Wow, another Colter Bean fan. Let me be the first to commend you on your astute appreciation for a reliever that gets people out, no matter how funny he looks doing it! Three neat young relievers: Colter Bean, David Aardsma, Ryan Wagner. We have one. I want all three. I'm greedy.

Dumb trade, nothing I've seen or thought about changes this. Not dumb to trade Dubois, as his future is clearly in the AL; not necessarily dumb to trade for Gerut, who looks to be a nice 4th outfielder. Dumb trade because (1) we already have a nice 4th outfielder that hits LH with gap power and can play all three OF positions; I believe his first name is Todd, (2) Dubois is worth more than Jody Gerut, (3) marginal outfielders with no SLG are not "the answer" for this team. Hopes that Jody Gerut is somehow the magical missing piece to a bigger trade for an impact player is, how shall we say diplomatically....not well formed. Because if Jody Gerut is the answer, I don't want to know the question. This according to "my source." :roll: :roll: I'd rather have gotten a pitching prospect for Dubois, the Yankees want another bat, especially one that hits RH, I would've loved to score Colter Bean for Jason.

Bad bad trade. Dubois > Gerut. I don't mind trading Jason, but I want something more than Gerut for him. Sheez. What does this guy bring to the table that Hollandsworth doesn't?? Hendry not off to a good July start here.

I like the sound of a 2006 Cubs outfield consisting of Austin Kearns, Vernon Wells and Brian Giles. Sweet.

I am very disappointed with Dope, and Harvey's slow progress is disturbing as well. If he was the real deal, he should be further along than this. My list-- 1. Pie 2. Hill 3. Marshall 4. Gallagher 5. Pawelek 6. Murton 7. E. Patterson 8. Pinto 9. Harvey 10. Cedeno I give a shout out to Nolasco, Theriot, Moore, Van Buren, Greenberg and Pignatiello, who comprise my "biggest surprises" of the year so far. Biggest disappointments?? In order--Dopirak, Guzman, Pinto, Lewis, Harvey, Leicester.