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Felix Leiter

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Everything posted by Felix Leiter

  1. Felix Leiter
    Kap believing Kenny's lies. Kaplan's schtick wore out years ago. His sources are fantasy and no one talks to him. How many times has he started out a story with "I talked with a general manager today or a source with intimate knowledge or someone who is very wired in'? He acts like it's protecting the nuclear code. Until he puts a name behind his quotes I'll never believe what he says. Plus, he's a damn windsock. Four weeks ago he's spouting that the Bulls should tank their games so they can get a higher draft pick. Last week he's saying the Bulls should all their games so they can shove it up Pax/Gar's backside. What a moron.
  2. Felix Leiter
    Surprised that CSN did not do the live show from the convention yesterday @5PM. Didn't miss Kapman's slobbering nonsense, but always good to see crowd reaction to players and front office people. Did it kickoff @ 6PM, rather than 5?
  3. Felix Leiter
    Jed said yesterday that Baez would see time at 2nd and 3rd in spring training, but play SS at Iowa. He indicated if you can master SS you can more easily play 2nd and 3rd. I know he's a work in progress in the field and I hope they figure out what position he's best at and stick with it.
  4. Felix Leiter
    Jed says they have not had hands tied on budget. Investment in minors and front office staff took $$$. Does have $$$ for majors roster now. Castro been living with Cubs trainer for past 2 months. Didn't come to spring training in shape. Physical development to improve power #'s. Dodged question of 'lifestyle/attitude change." Would not commit to Shark as 1-2 or even 3. Rizzo needs improvement as 2 strike hitter. Tanaka negotiations still going on.
  5. Felix Leiter
    I don't know what you want from Cubs beat writers? Spew the party line? Be cheerleaders? Look at what the tiresome Kapman does on CSN. Last night he asked Bruce Levine: "of the Cubs top 10 prospects, which ones are HOF?". Are you kidding me..what a moron. When you're destined to be a 90-100 loss team in 2014, I'd rather have a little truth not malarkey from the beat writers.
  6. Felix Leiter
    I'm thinking the Dodgers are probably the lead dog in this race-unlimited $$$, huge Asian population, already a winning ballclub, endless promo possibilities. They'll lose Kershaw next year(didn't he turn down a $300M extension). They could sign Tanaka and acquire David Price from Tampa and be much better off-younger and $$$ savings. Once Tanaka signs, Jed and Theo will try to move Shark to those who were interested.
  7. Felix Leiter
    the cubs current tv deal gives them 600k a game? A friend at WGN radio told me the TRIB lost $85K profit for each Cubs game not broadcast during the strike in the 90's. Seemed like a cash cow to me.
  8. Felix Leiter
    Sony owns the trademarked brand name 'Jumbotron'. But they'll sell you the 'Betamax' brand name for the right price. On Saturday on The Score Bruce Levine insisted that in 2019-2020 the Cubs will have a media deal for $170M(over $1M per game). He said currently the club brings in $600K+ per game on local tv. He also mentioned the White Sox would be in the same revenue range. That really floored me. The Sox don't have the fan base locally or nationally to bring in that kind of money.
  9. Felix Leiter
    I wonder if it's accepted that certain soft 'revenues' a club receives are not counted in the total revenue #'s for sharing? Are the skyboxes counted in? The rooftops? TV contracts, especially it wouldn't seem fair to give back a portion of the Fox/ESPN/Etc.. when everyone receives the same payment? I think that Yankee # seems low to me but since that's probably the top team I don't know. Levine said he expects many of these FA to sign before Christmas, as it's pressure from home. He thought the Tanaka saga would drag on into late January.
  10. Felix Leiter
    Bruce Levine just said on The Score that the Cubs are still really interested and could go $80-100M ultimately. He reminded us that we went $80M on Annibel Sanchez bid. He says the $$$ is there and dropped the figure of $400M in current revenue and above $500M in future revenue(tv deal and Wrigley improvements). WOW! They had Jason McLeod on and when Tanaka came up, McLeod was pretty enthusiastic.
  11. Felix Leiter
    Coomer is on with Spiegs and Holmes @ 11:30AM on THE SCORE(Friday).
  12. Felix Leiter
    I don't know much about Jay Z. I can't say I've even heard a Jay Z song. He was the subject of a Vanity Fair cover article a couple of months back and I read it twice to see if I missed something about this genius du jour. Still couldn't find it. I do know if I had his money and alleged star power, a beautiful wife and child and all that trappings(like wearing a shiny bike chain) that go with it, at least I could smile for VF once in a photo. He looked so miserable and unhappy. He's no Paul McCartney who has had a good brand for the past 50 years. Do you think Robinson Cano would sign for more $$$ to play in baseball's wasteland and be in virtual obscurity? He knows what playing on the big stage feels like and he gives that all up if he signs with Seattle.
  13. Felix Leiter
    Cano would sign for Seattle because they would pay him a ton of money, which is the type of "splash" agents like most. Seattle is also not a small market team. Mark Trumbo is likely unavailable, since they no longer have a logjam in the OF with Bourjos gone. Trading Shark and Jackson for Trumbo would probably set the Cubs back multiple years. Set us back? Not hardly. Shark and Jackson are not long term answers. Seattle is small market-bottom third in MLB. Ask Griffey, Jr. or Randy Johnson. JayZ is trying to outdo Scott Boras with no leverage or cred amongst the teams.
  14. Felix Leiter
    OK..so here's what Theo said: He didn't really understand the Cubs and Chicago until he got here. The political landscape in Chicago is different than Boston. Red Sox were able to have 10 year growth plan and accomplish alot in first two years. The business side is in sync(almost) with the baseball side. Said Hendry did not build the team each year for lasting success-more facade and just capturing short term interest. The prospects are coming but need to acquire more pitching inventory. Will be able to sign 'big nut' free agent in future years, but Cubs will win by having more Jacoby Ellsburys who produce in their first 7 years @ $30M rather than next 7 years @ $153M. New TV deal will bring alot of money in---no specifics. Said that multiple outlets are involved and told Gordon W. of the ST that "you would want to be an investor". Asked why fans should continue to buy season tickets for a bad team? Renewals are up and 'when we're good' you don't want to jump back on the bandwagon. Not very convincing. Keeping Shark is long-term realistic but under Cubs terms. (I hope Shark is renting this winter.) There was probably alot I missed. He held up the Cardinals and Red Sox as teams that built their success with minor leaguers and added FA along the way.
  15. Felix Leiter
    Can't see Cano signing with Seattle. Why would he? It's a small market team, that's no closer to winning. I think JayZ was trying to make a splash with Cano as his first client and he has alot to learn. Still would not rule out NY. I feel the Angels are the ones that have to do big things(like pitching) this off season. Would a Mike Trumbo be available? How about a Shark, Jackson package for him?
  16. Felix Leiter
    Coomer does a real good job on Fox Sports North(the Twins). He normally does the pre and post, but has done the tv play-by-play. Not afraid to criticize a player and also tell the viewer/listener what a particular player is doing wrong. Very upbeat personality and would be a good mate to Pat. On a side note, the Twins broadcast team of Dick and Bert is very, very good. The Twins have as much to gripe about as we do, but it just seems they handle it differently.
  17. Felix Leiter
    Theo will be on CSN Wed. Dec. 4th @ 5:30PM CST w/Kapman. I expect Kapper to do his infamous slobbering interview technique that has worked so well in the past. Just to pick up on an earlier post I saw about Theo/Jed's relationship with the local media. I've noticed fewer trial balloons being sent up and tested. I don't believe the FO has gone out of their way to build relationships with Sully(when he was the beat writer), Mark G. and Gordon W.. That's OK with me, but it sure makes their job tougher to break a story.
  18. Felix Leiter
    It's not frustrating when you realize that we will be bad for '14-'15 and that in '16 the young everyday players all of us can't wait to see will be here. What I hope Theo and Jed acquire young pitching back in return and not simply filler.
  19. Felix Leiter
    The Cardinals shed $40M+, so they have the $$$$. I always thought that Peralta's range at SS was average. I remember Steve Stone commenting he doesn't cover alot of ground. But it seems like they would move Carpenter to third and go all in with Kolten Wong at 2nd. Believe they needed to add some power and speed. They probably aren't done.
  20. Felix Leiter
    We're fundamentally bad and when we bring players up they seem to have been taught nothing in the minors. I thought the FO was working on a training plan(book) for all young players, so everyone was operating from the same skill set-not swinging at first pitches, bunting, throwing to the proper base, etc... We seem to care less about 'beating ourselves'. When Tim Wilkins came here, I thought he'd finally turn the minors around but that didn't happen. Why? I wonder of anyone knows the Ricketts family personally. Was Tom or his father the brains behind the fortune? Tom just seems so uncomfortable with the media at times and not a confident owner. I still believe we have at least 2 years minimum before we're competitive in the division and any acquistion of players should use 2016 as a focal point.
  21. Felix Leiter
    They said on CSN Wednesday that only 100 season ticketholders had registered for the Q&A. I'd be curious if someone had an updated number. The team has no alternative but to rehab Castro's image-either to use him long-term or flip him. But his problem has been short attention span theatre and lack of concentration. I don't know how you change that by lifting weights. Was the trouble compounded by getting mixed messages from Sveum and anybody else?
  22. Felix Leiter
    Thanks, Tiger. The team is going nowhere in 2014 and if we're .500 in 2015-that would be a success. I think you could make the case that in 2 years Rizzo and Castillo will be the only everyday players on the current everyday roster. This dumpster diving for pitching coming off of TJ surgery is frustrating and isn't building anything for 2014-15. Trading Scherzer now makes good sense for the Tigers. He will be looking for big $$ in a year and I hope the Cubs would step up and do a long term deal. Shark fits a #4 slot and the Tigers would have 2 years. And Schierholz could play the corner OF, as I don't think having Hunter and Peralta another year is any answer. I think Castro will be dealt and the Cards desperately need a SS. Maybe Jose Oquendo can solve his fielding problems. They will have $40m+ in available $$, so his salary is not a problem. Kelly would be a front end of the rotation guy for us. He was 7-2 with a 2.34 ERA in his last 10 games(a pennant race) and started in the playoffs and WS. That certainly moves him ahead of Wood and Arrieta in my view. And Tiger Lyons was a starter in the minors and we could use a lefty in the rotation, unless Rusin tickles your fancy.
  23. Felix Leiter
    I think we have enough tradeable parts to actually acquire established SP now and not sit back. Thought I heard/read that the Tigers would look to deal Max Scherzer($6.7M) who is actually their #4 and most likely win the Cy Young this year. If we traded for him, he'd be our #1 on day 1. I'd trade Shark(who is our #3-4) and Schierholtz for Scherzer. I'd also hold my nose and deal with the Cardinals. They need a SS(Kozma is a joke), 3rd(Freese has bad ankles and can't field or hit anymore) and a CF(Jay is a terrible OF with a noodle arm). So what do they have? A surplus of young pitching. I'd trade Castro(if you believe that Baez is 1/2 season away), Olt and Lake for Joe Kelly and Lyons(LH). That gives us an established #1 and #2/3, who will be ready to be leaders and teach our younger pitchers coming up.
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