UMFan83

?? Your MLB source again? Does this source know how close the Cubs were to getting Roberts a week or two ago? Not close. They want more than utility guys. Utility guys? 2 potential rotation regulars and a potential starting SS. What the heck do they want? They have to trade for potential. They are rebuilding. I don't mind dipping into the upper echelon on our potential players as long as its not Soto, Pie, Hill or Marmol. Those 4 pieces we need on the 2008 Chicago Cubs.

?? Your MLB source again? Does this source know how close the Cubs were to getting Roberts a week or two ago?

Says? someone in MLB. That is all I can say. Does your source know if Jim Hendry is done laughing yet? Cripes we are trying to make our team better for next year. Other than expendable parts like Marquis, Dempster, Murton, Cedeno, we shouldnt be trading anyone on the projected 25 man.

The funniest thing about this poll is imagining what the results would look like last year. I'm guessing it would be like 50% - Bears 40% - Bulls 10% - Cubs

I'd love to hear the "Perfect World Projections" for each of the top 10 Actually, they do 11 this year...most of them are pretty lame, but here they are. Geo Vitters Veal Ceda Donaldson Gallagher Colvin Patterson Castillo Thomas Samardzjia Thanks so much!

Says?

I highly doubt it. Roberts would have been traded yesterday then. I don't think we get Roberts. I think this was sarcasm, playing off the speculation that the trade was delayed so as not to steal Goose's thunder last week. And if so - well played, UMFan. 'Twas indeed.

Hey I didn't put a timetable on the title...it could happen in 2195!

I'd love to hear the "Perfect World Projections" for each of the top 10

So if he's a pretty good option for a 5th starter, what is Marquis? The whole basis for people supporting him seems to have been, "he's okay for a 5th starter". So I guess now we have two? I get what you're saying and don't necessarily disagree, but I don't care to see both Lieber and Marquis in the same rotation. Lieber's actually fine for a 4th starter. A good 4th starter is league average, and a lower end 4th starter is a little below league average. That's Lieber, and he's consistently there. Projecting him for a 4.75 ERA or so would put him as an average 4th starter. Marquis jumps around. Last year he was a #3 starter. He's had years where he shouldn't have been in a rotation at all. It's hard to project what Marquis is because of his huge inconsistency. Lieber and Marquis as the #4 and #5 will likely outproduce most of the #4's and #5's around the National League, unless 1 of 2 things happen: 1) Marquis absolutely collapses (another season above 5.50 ERA) 2) Lieber gets hurt, only pitches 70 innings again, and his replacement from the minors is awful. If #2 happens, then it would have happened anyway because the alternative is that replacement from the minors getting all 200 innings. We just have to hope #1 doesn't happen. As I said in another thread, the Cubs were #2 in the NL in their starting rotation last year. Their #5 spot had a combined 5.10 ERA (Miller, Guzman, Marshall, and Trachsel). Z is not likely to drop off much more and might improve back to numbers of a previous year. Lilly will drop off. Hill will likely get a little better. Marquis might stay the same, might drop off a little bit, might drop off significantly. Lieber and anybody who replaces him will likely do better than a 5.10 ERA, so the #5 spot will be better than last year. That makes this rotation of Z, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, and Lieber almost as good as last year. The rotation will likely be top 5 in the NL once again. I think the problem that some posters have with Lieber and the likes is that Cubs fans were spoiled with Zambrano, Wood, Prior, Clement, Maddux (or at least the concept of them all being healthy and pitching to potential) and expect every pitcher in the rotation to have a sub-4.00 ERA. Reality is, this is not the case. Obviously, I'd love for us to have this happen, but if we are projecting an above average offense with Fukudome and possibly Roberts, we might have to deal with an average to slightly above average rotation. Combined with a very good bullpen and a good bench, thats a NL Central winning ballclub most likely.

Aside from the "I'm in favor of signing Lieber", this post is right on the money. Unless the cubs didn't believe Prior could pitch in the majors in 08. And if so, they wouldn't have been the only team that thought that way from what I read.

Aside from the "I'm in favor of signing Lieber", this post is right on the money. So you'd rather have Prior sign for the same amount so that he can rehab until August, give us 2 months at most of pitching (for the first time in over 2 years mind you) and then let him go for nothing?

Why? Why is it so upsetting to everyone to get 100 innings of league average production from the 5 spot as opposed to 200 innings of below average production? seriously? where are the other 100 innings that lieber can't go coming from? also, i don't think it's written in stone that a fat, oft-injured, 38 year old lieber is league average. Gallagher? Marshall? Hart?

Haha, you live 3 blocks from the Hilton, why would you want to rent the hotel room even if you had the money?

Looks like its a 1 year deal. Probably for like 4 million a year, 6 at the most? Would everyone take Lieber over Marquis? Ok then why did Marquis get 3/24?

Anyone think the Cubs are delaying the announcement of the Roberts trade to give Lieber's signing its day in the sun?

Hopefully this one works out better than Greg Maddux's homecoming

Just interested in hearing people's opinions. I didn't put in Blackhawks because A) I believe that would be the trendy pick and B) I wouldn't be nearly as excited if they won it than if the other 3 did (I would still be excited, but it wouldn't melt my heart like the big 3 would) So: Cubs: Last Years Record: 85-77 GM: Jim Hendry Current Record: N/A Last Championship: 1908 Last Championship Appearance: 1945 Core: Derrek Lee, Carlos Zambrano, Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano Bears: Last Years Record: 7-9 GM: Jerry Angelo Current Record: N/A Last Championship: 1985 Last Championship Appearance: 2006 Core: Brian Urlacher, Charles Tillman, Tommie Harris, Nathan Vasher, Olin Kreutz, Devin Hester Bulls: Last Years Record: 49-33 GM: John Paxson Current Record: 14-22 Last Championship: 1998 Last Championship Appearance: 1998 "Core": Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni

Yes but i makes players like Gallagher and Marshall more expendable in case the right trade comes along...

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/roch/blog/ sounds to me like someone's trying to cover his behind Angelos is such a idiot. If I was were a O's fan I'd hang myself already. The Orioles fans made a good point. Everyone thought (just like GMs in the past like Gillick) that getting MacPhail meant that Angelos would give him the keys and stop meddling in the affairs. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. MacPhail wanted to be the GM because he has aspirations to be the Commish some day, and in order to do so, he has to remain at a visible baseball job until Selig steps down. No doubt MacPhail's resignation from the Cubs was at the very least a mutual parting of ways, and likely a push out job by the Cubs. Angelos knows that MacPhail won't step on any toes as a GM. Not to say MacPhail doesn't want to do his job well, or make the Orioles better, but he's not going to put up a huge stink if Angelos blocks a deal or two. Exactly what Angelos wants.

The Cubs return the same pitchers who gave them the 2nd best staff in the N.L. last year. I think 4th is very fair even with the regression of some of the pitchers, especially if Zambrano steps up like the magazine thinks he will and becomes a top half #1 again. The only huge concern is the 5 spot. Z is a 1 or 2, Lilly is a 2 or 3, Hill is most likely a 2, Marquis is a 3 or 4 (he's been a 3 or better 3 of the last 4 years), and the last starter is a question mark. The Cubs ranking could vary wildly depending on who that last starter is (and which Marquis shows up, the one from 04/05/07, or the one from 03/06), but it is very likely that the staff will be above average once again. But its not the same pitchers because Marshall and his 3.92 ERA is seemingly being benched for Dempster. I just think the Giants and possibly Dodgers rotations are better.

The OH guys are speculating that Angelos rejected the trade, the insiders are all but confirming it. They are suggesting that only a sure fire superstar will be enough for Angelos to sign off on a Roberts trade. They assume that he won't be traded now until July. Whats 6 more months guys?

My sources say that this thread won't last 120 pages

An update! But not a good one... http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/roch/blog/