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UK1679666180

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Everything posted by UK1679666180

  1. UK1679666180
    I would consider focusing more on player development in the minors (over the last 5 years) as well as maintaining the same intensity as far as international FAs as options the Cubs could've used but did not.
  2. UK1679666180
    Well the difference is, of course, that we'll have Soriano for 2 years more than the Astros will have C Lee. If they both produce like this for 4 more years, well then the Astros only have 2 decline years to deal with, while we have 4. Of course, if we can win a World Series in those productive years, I'll manage to get over it. I should also think that Soriano's skills will decline less steeply, if only b/c he appears to keep himself in better shape than Lee. However, conversely, Soriano depends on speed for his game, which obviously declines with age, whereas Lee does not. I don't get this at all. you just posted a point that the two players are similar, making no reference to speed whatsoever. now the point of speed comes up and Soriano's game is based on speed? was Soriano's speed relevant in the 46 times he could have walked around the bases last year? More depends on his bat speed moreso than his running speed. Obviously, his running speed separates himself from similar production players but depending on what you expect from him, his power w/out the speed should be suffice.
  3. UK1679666180
    I don't understand what he has done that would separate himself from other GMs this off-season, the results remain to be seen. He probably does have greater flexibility with his contract offers, but he hasn't done anything that would sway my opinion of him. FWIW, the Cubs still have not spent what they lost in expired contracts as Wood, Pierre, Maddux still cost more than Soriano, Derosa, and increases to Ramirez and Blanco.
  4. UK1679666180
    Yeah, that's why a couple of us have said we like the direction they're headed in Latin America. Pie has been the last Latin America legit prospect, he was signed in '01. That's too long of a gap between him and someone like Suarez. I don't see how it's a good first step, when it's something that should never have been an issue.
  5. UK1679666180
    Possibly. If he does though, it will be by a very small amount. If you want to trade Izturis so badly, then why would you sign a player to replace him that is probably going to be exactly like him, and has probably lost a step in the field? I would want to replace him with someone better than Counsell, but I've seen Lugo and Counsell as the only two options mentioned. I'd love to see Lugo depending on cost vs. expected production, but I think Lugo will be a lesser priority compared to pitching and likely miss out on him. Counsell will make less than Izturis and produce more. If they can trade Izturis and not eat salary, even by signing a marginal improvement for less in someone like Counsell, it is an upgrade by reducing payroll and whatever big or likely small they get in return for him to go along with whatever improvement Counsell brings. I would rather deal with the 40 arm of Theriot at SS over both Izturis and Counsell and that includes that Theriot will not come close to what he did last year. But, he doesn't seem like an option.
  6. UK1679666180
    Even with a potential decline, he'll outproduce Izturis.
  7. UK1679666180
    Actually last year, his OPS was .674, over the last 5 years it has been .675. While Izturis has had a .631. Counsell will outproduce Izturis next year, I'm not crazy about Counsell, but he'll more than likely outperform Izturis (which isn't saying much).
  8. UK1679666180
    That wasn't exactly a bad year for Counsell. In fact, he's only broken a 700 OPS one time out of the last 5 years (same as Izturis). He has been more consistent than Izturis, but it certainly isn't enough to try to trade Izturis and sign Counsell. His OBP over the last 5 years has been .337, Izturis who has played about 5 seasons worth of games has been at .295. Personally, I would trade Izturis for almost anything.
  9. UK1679666180
    Bynum won't improve with his approach at the plate, I'm not sure how he hit for so many XBH, I just don't see it happening again. If the Cubs had a better SS than Izturis, I would be opposed to it. But if it's Izturis as the SS, ideally I'd give Theriot a shot, but I don't know how the Cubs view his lack of arm strength. I'd much rather have Counsell starting than Izturis. Heck, Counsell had a bad year last year and it was about the same as the Cesar's best year.
  10. UK1679666180
    Counsell>Izturis offensively. Defensively despite the glory of a GG, they're pretty close. Counsell doesn't get the attention of being a good defender moreso b/c of his versatility rather than inability. The Cubs would be better off having Counsell at SS than Izturis.
  11. UK1679666180
    The Cubs can do both, they can have the highest payroll and be able to spend what it takes to develop a good farm system. Look at the Dodgers, they've been better than the Cubs, have a high payroll, and still able to produce a productive farm w/out high picks. It's not an either/or type of situation, in the case of the Cubs it has been more of a case of neglect and moves/picks that didn't work out. The neglect comes from diminishing Latin America (until recently it appears) and nothing in the Pacific Rim (scouting professional Japanese Baseball is diff. than amateur scouting, IMO).
  12. UK1679666180
    Definitely the exception and not the rule in the last 10-15 years. How many players were acq'd via trade by trading prospects on each team? It's a 3 tier process on improving a club. Everyone gets giddy over a signing w/out looking as to why it is a necessity. I'd rather to look as to why this team is in the position it is in and it isn't b/c of an inability to spend.
  13. UK1679666180
    Exactly, look at how many players were International when the Cubs had the top farm in '02.
  14. UK1679666180
    Depends which Morris shows up, more times than not he'll be soft.
  15. UK1679666180
    But, it's going to take a lot more to get them there. What they're doing now, might not lead to anything. I like what they've done overall this off-season as well as increasing the payroll. But, there have been better teams than the Cubs will field in '07 that did not make the playoffs. If they get lucky and win one and are never heard from again great, but they should be looking to win for the next 10 years rather than just next year, the only way to have a chance at doing that is thru the farm system, which has to be rebuilt.
  16. UK1679666180
    They have a long way to go before they even become a playoff contender in '07, before even thinking about them winning a WS. The Cubs still have to improve the product on the current field now. And they'll have to improve the future product from within the system. They can do both and it'll be easier for them to improve the product short-term, but to maintain long-term success they have to improve the farm system.
  17. UK1679666180
    UCLA is going to thump UK :? Unfort., I'm inclined to say the chances of UK beating UCLA are not good.
  18. UK1679666180
    Angels... Salmon, Erstad, Molina, Anderson, Eckstein, Lackey, Washburn, Ortiz, etc.
  19. UK1679666180
    I believe I mentioned it long before this Winter, so yes, had they cont'd the path they were on pre '03, I doubt they would've had to spend 125 mil to improve a 66 win club. Random point, if anyone mentions Hill, Choi, etc. Who did Choi and Hill net the Cubs? The ability to trade prospects is almost as important (the only reason it is less is b/c of financial reason, but the risk of failure is obviously greater w/those prospects). The farm system has been in free fall long before this past Summer.
  20. UK1679666180
    I believe this has been mentioned on this board before.
  21. UK1679666180
    I think Jones is a better player than Mathews overall.
  22. UK1679666180
    UK might, but I don't think defensively they can match up with UCLA. UK will be the underdog if they beat DU.
  23. UK1679666180
    Maybe people misinterpreted so I'll try to make it more clear: J.D. Drew is not playing for the Cubs in the near future. Period. You don't need stats. You don't need to know who likes or doesn't like him. The Cubs are not interested in signing him. They'll use the bulk of their remaining money on pitchers. Agreed, which is why I mentioned "if the demand for an OF'er remained on the Cubs". Obviously, w/Soriano that demand isn't there anymore. Had the Cubs missed out on Soriano, I assume Drew would still be on the radar.
  24. UK1679666180
    There was never a manager or many teammates that liked Kevin Brown either (putting it nicely), yet based on his production, the demand remained for him and his reputation. Productive players find homes, if the demand for an OF'er remained on the Cubs, Drew would still likely be looked at by the Cubs.
  25. UK1679666180
    Irony at its finest. Lee deserved last year and Pujols deserved it this year.
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