UK1679666180

They definitely don't want to go for another 4-40 mil contract, which is why I'm surprised they didn't do everything in their power to have Hermida included in the trade, even if meant someone like Colvin and Marshall.

Yeah, they just want to bridge the gap until Colvin is ready. I hope they wouldn't, Colvin hasn't done anything that would indicate he can be counted on to step in there 2-3 years from now as a starting RF'er.

I don't know if it is, but the theory is that most left handers generally have a natural uppercut & pull motion to their swing which puts the ball more likely into the path of the sweet spot of the bat.

This is what confuses me about Ibanez rumors, he can't play RF, if you're going the route of a LH'ed LF'er, I'd rather the Cubs absorb all the negatives of Dunn and utilize the positives in the middle of the order.

Hey, don't be too ashamed. I was planning on rooting for a Steve Spurrier-coached team had South Carolina put up a fight. 24 years old drought about to end next week? I'm excited to see Cobb tonight. I guarantee it doesn't end next week. Only because we play Vandy next week, though. :wink: Honestly, ya'll will probably beat us. It will be kind of interesting, though, that I'll be in the UT press box watching a kid (Cobb) I watched in the high school press box just last year. Meh, the week after. After this half though, I'm not too sure, boy has UK played awful.

Hey, don't be too ashamed. I was planning on rooting for a Steve Spurrier-coached team had South Carolina put up a fight. 24 years old drought about to end next week? I'm excited to see Cobb tonight.

Yeah, I misread that. But pitchers do have some control as far as their BABIP against but it's off-set by how well they strikeout hitters.

UF deserves credit for playing the best football right now, if they play for the title with how they're playing now, I don't see anyone stopping them.

Milwaukee??? White Sox?? You know the White Sox had a pretty good bullpen last year, right? Also Milwuakee's was not nearly as bad as people made it out to be. They actually had a better bullpen ERA than the Cubs. Really the Cubs bullpen was trash outside of Marmol and Wood. By the end of the year the White Sox bullpen was Thornton and Jenks. Milwaukee's was Torres and Shouse. Thornton and Jenks are better than Marmol and Gregg, the Cubs don't have anyone from that 3rd spot that could run with Linebrink.

Oh God, I want nothing to do with Oliver Perez. Why? He's a middle of the rotation starter with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, espec. under Rothschild, he's the perfect fit for Larry and would become the lefty version of Matt Clement, IMO. I think he's a mediocre starter, and that's not what we should be spending money on. He hasn't had a season worth the 8 figures per year he's going to get since '04.(His much better than average ERA with the Mets came with 20 UER. I don't see Lou being a huge fan of him walking 100 guys a season either. If they don't bring back Dempster, they'll need someone like Perez to fill that void, given the injury history of Harden, Marshall is best off used in that role of a 6th starter since no one beyond poss. Samardzija or Atkins could fill that role as a ML starter out of the farm. They also have Gaudin to take up emergency starts. I forgot about Gaudin but it doesn't underscore my point about them still neeeding another starter if Dempster isn't back. Absolutely - the rotation is my biggest concern this offseason, by far. Though Jim's turning the bullpen into a close second. Of all of the 8 playoff teams from last year, the Cubs by far have the worst bullpen and it isn't even close, well maybe Ana b/c they'll lose one if not both of K-Rod and Oliver. Milwaukee??? White Sox?? You know the White Sox had a pretty good bullpen last year, right? Also Milwuakee's was not nearly as bad as people made it out to be. They actually had a better bullpen ERA than the Cubs. Really the Cubs bullpen was trash outside of Marmol and Wood. Depends on who they get as well as far as closer, Villanueva was solid out of the pen and Shouse would prob. be the Cubs 2nd best reliever right now, it's definitely close but Mil. doesn't have anyone that could match with Marmol.

Oh God, I want nothing to do with Oliver Perez. Why? He's a middle of the rotation starter with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, espec. under Rothschild, he's the perfect fit for Larry and would become the lefty version of Matt Clement, IMO. I think he's a mediocre starter, and that's not what we should be spending money on. He hasn't had a season worth the 8 figures per year he's going to get since '04.(His much better than average ERA with the Mets came with 20 UER. I don't see Lou being a huge fan of him walking 100 guys a season either. If they don't bring back Dempster, they'll need someone like Perez to fill that void, given the injury history of Harden, Marshall is best off used in that role of a 6th starter since no one beyond poss. Samardzija or Atkins could fill that role as a ML starter out of the farm. They also have Gaudin to take up emergency starts. I forgot about Gaudin but it doesn't underscore my point about them still neeeding another starter if Dempster isn't back. Absolutely - the rotation is my biggest concern this offseason, by far. Though Jim's turning the bullpen into a close second. Of all of the 8 playoff teams from last year, the Cubs by far have the worst bullpen and it isn't even close, well maybe Ana b/c they'll lose one if not both of K-Rod and Oliver. Milwaukee??? White Sox?? I'd take the Sox pen but yeah with Torres retiring, I'd put Mil. there as well.

Oh God, I want nothing to do with Oliver Perez. Why? He's a middle of the rotation starter with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, espec. under Rothschild, he's the perfect fit for Larry and would become the lefty version of Matt Clement, IMO. I think he's a mediocre starter, and that's not what we should be spending money on. He hasn't had a season worth the 8 figures per year he's going to get since '04.(His much better than average ERA with the Mets came with 20 UER. I don't see Lou being a huge fan of him walking 100 guys a season either. If they don't bring back Dempster, they'll need someone like Perez to fill that void, given the injury history of Harden, Marshall is best off used in that role of a 6th starter since no one beyond poss. Samardzija or Atkins could fill that role as a ML starter out of the farm. They also have Gaudin to take up emergency starts. I forgot about Gaudin but it doesn't underscore my point about them still neeeding another starter if Dempster isn't back. Absolutely - the rotation is my biggest concern this offseason, by far. Though Jim's turning the bullpen into a close second. Of all of the 8 playoff teams from last year, the Cubs by far have the worst bullpen and it isn't even close, well maybe Ana b/c they'll lose one if not both of K-Rod and Oliver.

Oh God, I want nothing to do with Oliver Perez. Why? He's a middle of the rotation starter with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, espec. under Rothschild, he's the perfect fit for Larry and would become the lefty version of Matt Clement, IMO. I think he's a mediocre starter, and that's not what we should be spending money on. He hasn't had a season worth the 8 figures per year he's going to get since '04.(His much better than average ERA with the Mets came with 20 UER. I don't see Lou being a huge fan of him walking 100 guys a season either. If they don't bring back Dempster, they'll need someone like Perez to fill that void, given the injury history of Harden, Marshall is best off used in that role of a 6th starter since no one beyond poss. Samardzija or Atkins could fill that role as a ML starter out of the farm. They also have Gaudin to take up emergency starts. I forgot about Gaudin but it doesn't underscore my point about them still neeeding another starter if Dempster isn't back.

Oh God, I want nothing to do with Oliver Perez. Why? He's a middle of the rotation starter with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, espec. under Rothschild, he's the perfect fit for Larry and would become the lefty version of Matt Clement, IMO. I think he's a mediocre starter, and that's not what we should be spending money on. He hasn't had a season worth the 8 figures per year he's going to get since '04.(His much better than average ERA with the Mets came with 20 UER. I don't see Lou being a huge fan of him walking 100 guys a season either. If they don't bring back Dempster, they'll need someone like Perez to fill that void, given the injury history of Harden, Marshall is best off used in that role of a 6th starter since no one beyond poss. Samardzija or Atkins could fill that role as a ML starter out of the farm.

Who wouldn't?!?! I would take any of them over Johnson except for MAYBE Sheets. That's the only one he isn't better than, but Sheets is ALWAYS hurt, and signing him will take a multiple year deal (same with Perez and Lowe), while Johnson would only be for one year, and he would more then likely out perform them, since he did last season (aside from Sheets). Mil. got just under 200 IP from Sheets last year and even 160IP and 40 from Marshall will be better than most FA pitchers. A team is going to have to take a conservative approach with Sheets as I'd like to see the Cubs take with Harden and that's similar to how you see teams handle Maddux, 90 pitches 6 IP whichever comes first and some rest throughout the year. Last year, he had 6 over 115 pitches and 19 over 100, someone with his injury history should be taken more cautiously to see if increased usage is part of the problem.

DB post

Oh God, I want nothing to do with Oliver Perez. Why? He's a middle of the rotation starter with the potential to be a top of the rotation starter, espec. under Rothschild, he's the perfect fit for Larry and would become the lefty version of Matt Clement, IMO.

It's nothing special, he never had much movement on it to begin with, his arm angle proves that more than any natural movement (tail) on the ball. His changeup is worse than his FB.

His slider is still a plus pitch although it isn't as effective as it used to be, opponents still only hit .220 off of his slider.

Mid 90's?? His avg. FB velo was 91.5 MPH.

Who wouldn't?!?! There won't be a monetary difference between what Johnson gets and what Perez gets, Dempster is in the 12-15 mil range, Lowe is probably in the same range as well as Sheets. Perez and Johnson are prob. in the 10-12mil range. Sabathia's contract could blow all of those up.

If they don't get Dempster, I'd rather Lowe, Sheets, or Perez over Johnson.

I'll update this: What I would do as far as FAs: Josh Bard as the backup C (injured most of last year, injuries impacted his numbers), fall back option would be Dave Ross. Milton Bradley assuming passes physical for RF, I didn't get much of a look as far as his range, but if reasonable enough range, fall back option would by Bobby Abreu. I'd bring back Dempster, despite concerns of the one year drop-off after a significant increase in workload, there's enough there to justify bringing him back for a 3yr deal. Bullpen: I had mentioned going after Mark Hendrickson as a cost-effective lefty who for some reason does much better out of the pen and has always done well vs. lefties, comapred to someone like Affeldt will save on years and money with little production difference. I'd go after a project in the pen as far as Brandon Lyon or Chad Cordero, if they get the 2nd tier closer salary of around 5 mil per, I'd look into someone like Mike Lincoln for the 7th. I've always loved Juan Cruz as many of you know, but between the Class A FA as well as his suspect control, the difference between him and the 3 I just mentioned, isn't worth it. I have no clue how they intend to keep this payroll under 145 mil.

I'd still like to see someone like Hendrickson as the sit. lefty and someone like Lyon, Cordero, or Lincoln for the 7th inning as well as poss. using Lyon or Cordero in the 9th in case Gregg falters.

His ARP was just under 6, which would've placed him 3rd on the Cubs and 109th overall, which is pretty accurate to how I'd rate him. He's no better than the 3rd option on an avg. bullpen and a solid 4th option on a good bullpen. (ARP is the adjusted formula for how many runs a reliever prevented from scoring compared to an avg. reliever)