Neuby

Seattle Boston- could decide they want prospects , or other players and get Giles to play left field. Yankees Annaheim

I will say this in every thread Giles hasn't signed anywhere yet, now that the Padres seem out we can see where he's serious about playing. Don't rush judgement we don't know the Cubs payroll the new seats, Ticket price hikes, Mlb revenue money and new rooftop could play factors sending the payroll in the 110-115 range instead of the reported 105. Has Dunn been dealt? Abreu? Ramirez?

People aren't upset at having Howry. People are upset at having Howry, Eyre, Neifi, and Rusch instead of Giles, Cedeno, Novoa, and Hill. only problem is no one knows yet that this is the case yet. Giles name has been mentioned with the Cubs this offseason. He hasn't signed anywhere yet. At this point I would rather have Abreau, Manny, Dunn just to name a few that are still out there than Giles and his shoulder. As far as I know Nova is still slotted in the pen next year and Cedeno will be given a starting job at second or short. So in essence you upset that Rich Hill might be traded or start the season off in the starting rotation in the minors?

Looks like JH is striking early and often this offseason.

If last years payroll with Sosa was around 100 million ,assuming they make there natural bump this year the payroll should be around 105 million. Add in a new rooftop , new bleacher seats, ticket hike, mlb revenue money we should be seeing a payroll at 110 million.

awesome read

I dont think it's hate but a matter of what Hendry is doing and what options he is looking at to improve the ball club. Eyre and Howry are nto the top RP free agents available and Hendry is already giving out bloated contracts to them. I for one am surprised Hendry is paying this much for setup men when he has been burned twice in the past with Hawkins and Remlinger. I guess you can make a case that Baker did not properly use Rem and Hawk but at the same time that brings up the question of why is Baker still here? assuming Ryan gets a closer's job and Gordon gets one who is a better set up man on the free agent market than Howry? I like Dotel I still wouldn't be suprized if Hendry got in on Dotel if he was looking for a deal like Dempster and Williamson with more cash up front.

I'm confused why is there so much hate towards Howry and the board rejoiced when we signed Hawkins? Hendry still has cash maybe more than we think and plenty of trade bait. Patterson, Walker, Cedeno,Williams, Rusch, Wuertz,Nova plus all are Rule 5 arms ect . Dempster Williamson Howry Eyre Ohman Wuertz/Nova? that might be the best pen the Cubs have had on paper in years.Hopefully Baker will let it make our starters that much better.

I can barley read let along do math how much extra cash does this make the Cubs assuming all the tickets are sold and the new seats?

so let's get a CubanWGN going and start emailing him at his blocg , getting him to come to northside baseball for a Q&A? . Hey it's the offseason it's not like we have anything better to do.

Such as? And how many ABs did they get in Chicago? The Cubs haven't had any recent call ups that deserved a shot. At least Hendry and Hughes seem to be able to evaluate minor league talent. Too bad they can't evaluate the talent before they draft. if they're so good at evaluating talent, we'd have productive young position players in Wrigley more than once every blue moon. While Hughes has been lampooned on this board, to say he doesn't recognize talent is a joke. While in Montreal as scouting director he was responsible for locating, drafting, or developing Moises Alou, Cliff Floyd, Larry Walker,Carlos Perez, Delino Deshields, Ugueth Urbina, Mark Grudzielanek, and Marquis Grissom. So to say he doesn't know how to evaluate talent is a joke and completely off base. Vance you have to remember that if your not a moneyball guy you don't get any respect what so ever. It's not like Hughes had anything to do with the Marlins first championship either, sure they spent money thats why they won the world series just like this years Yankees. Hughes is widely one of the mest respected talent finders in the bigs just this board loves to get carried away with the Cubs front office and the coaching staff hate.

don't forget Mike Harkey, Damon Berryhill, Lance Dickson, David Kelton, to some more that either lacked talent or injurie troubles.

There has been speculation that Aramis doesn't have the best stretching/conditioning routines that lead to the nagging injuries. I thought I read somewhere that ramirez was going to be working with a new trainer this offseason , and that Barrett was going to be working with some Major leaguers from the ATL area along with Corey Patterson and Richard Lewis.

When the deals where handed out for Hawkins and Remlinger it seemed like everyone was for them. That said I would spend the money on Dotel .

By my count, that means the Cubs are interested in every available SS, RF, SP, RP, lead off man, and power hitter. If half of these reports are true, Hendry will have met with about 700 agents. I would hope they would be with all the holes we have and trading chips to go along with all are money.

It's the coaches job to coach. Rothschild has been here for a while. Wood was healthy when Larry showed up and stayed healthy the first two years. But similar to the way Clement reverted to form after brief success under Larry, Wood has reverted to injuries. There are dozens of ways to lay blame there. Wood didn't do enough to change his mechanics. Larry didn't do enough to change his mechanics, and, perhaps more damning, Larry didn't do a thing to stop Dusty from overabusing his guys when they were healthy. When did Rothschild get here 2002?Wood was drafted when? Coaching go only so far. It's sometimes up to the student to apply it. Wood was with the Cubs organization.Patterson is a prime example no matter what team he ends up with I doubt he will be able to apply his tools to become the player we all thought he could be.

750 OPS. Yes, he's clearly 2nd tier. Miggy, ARod, Jeter, Young. I might even put that Peralta guy up there, but it's probably too soon. Furcal is in a group with Lugo, Renteria, Rollins, Guillen, Crosby and possibly Green. Furcal is being grossly overvalued this offseason. What does that have to do with anything? Both Furcal and Giles are likely to take their time signing, but they are also likely to sign within a week of each other. I don't care if Hendry goes after Furcal. He's overpriced, but at least he's good, and the one thing the Cubs have is the ability to spend. But what you absolutely cannot even consider doing, is going after Furcal instead of Giles. Giles is far and away the better option between the two, it's not even close. RF is a much bigger hole, and Giles is a much better player. Considering ARod plays third I am gonna take him off the list that leaves us with Miggy Young Jeter I would put Furcal right behind those guys . Peralta and Lopez each have one good season so far. Renteria had an off year last year. So at must your putting Furcal in the top 6 or 7 in the majors at his postion , thats doesn't seem like second tier to me. Right now from all reports it looks like it is between the Cubs and Braves . Hendry has to focous his attention on getting Furcal done. If Furcal signs with the Cubs it lets Hendry move Walker for needs in other areas. Giles has been fielding offers from a ton of teams and won't be signing quick from all indications. Getting Pierre and Furcal shouldn't preclude the Cubs from getting Giles. There interest has been reported. Assume they get Pierre cheap in terms of prospects , then with Furcal signed adress there right fielder needs by going after Dunn, Abreu,Ramirez? Where have you read the if the Cubs sign Furcal that it means that a guy like Jacques Jones will be in right field?

I'd go far close to 4 years 40 million assuming some of that money is tied up in incentives. Maybe 4 years 36m with another 4 million in incentives tied up.

The one reason I will never buy another word Levine has to say even before this one was his report a couple years back that Hendry had a lunch scheduled with Vlad. Levine said it was just a token vist much like the one Thome had a few years back. When I pressed Levine on it weeks later after no one else reported this meeting he told me he never said it even though others on this board including myself heard his intial report.

I don't understand blaming Rothschild Wood was getting hurt before him and will be after him. Did Rothschild teach Wood his mechanics? Do we know Rothschild hasn't spoken to Wood about changing them? I choose to blame Wood or just blame it on luck.

Leadoff and CF was not the only problem. RF was as big a hole as CF last year. Pierre is a mediocre CF, Furcal is a 2nd tier SS, Giles is an outstanding RF. I don't want to hear about the "doesn't want to play here" BS. Players will play where they are offered money. You don't know if Giles wants to come here unless you try and convince him to come here. And if you're turned down early, don't just give up. That can't be your excuse not to go for the best. Furcal is a young playoff tested switch hitter, with speed, power, great range, a cannon arm and he's a second tier shortstop? Miggy Arod (3b) Micheal Young I mean I understand Furcal might be overpriced but 2nd tier? Goony we also don't know that Giles will sign with anyone anytime soon considering all the teams in the bidding.

I wonder if the Cubs can expand this deal to include Matt Stairs who can back up lee and be the left hand bat off the bench.

here's to hoping this means we keep Nomar at short and go after a big bat in right field and go grab AJ Burnett and Bob Howry if the rumored Todd Walker for Mcdougal is true get some bench help and call it an offseason.

I work at Ohare aiport and asked him who he thinks the Cubs will have at shortstop next season. "hoping for Furcal his range and arm are a huge plus for are pitching staff" I asked what he thought of Nomar returning "Nomars injuries has really hurt his range and ability to play shortstop". Asked if he had to bet who would be playing right field . " I hope we can get a guy like Jacques Jones he runs really well, and can catch the ball " These are rough qoutes he was sort of in a hurry but I hope he's wrong about Jones.

Looks like Furcal wants 50 million over 5 or 6 years according to his agent and he will play anywhere including center field. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2221393