dew1679666265

From the sound of it stuy, OL Aubrey Phillips will sign with FSU. He's been committed with UT since June. Tennessee's also already picked up signings from JaQuori Schofield, Arthur Jeffrey and Nyshier Oliver. Two linemen (one OL and one DL) in that trio is nice. Already done. FSU received the LOI around 30 min. ago. I've been hearing all morning that despite being committed to UT, he was going to sign with Auburn. Then he faxed his LOI to FSU. :-)) I heard from someone that he's been a silent for the past week to FSU, but there was some last-minute consideration of AU. He seems extremely indecisive.

Shocked the world.

From the sound of it stuy, OL Aubrey Phillips will sign with FSU. He's been committed with UT since June. Tennessee's also already picked up signings from JaQuori Schofield, Arthur Jeffrey and Nyshier Oliver. Two linemen (one OL and one DL) in that trio is nice. Already done. FSU received the LOI around 30 min. ago. I've been hearing all morning that despite being committed to UT, he was going to sign with Auburn. Then he faxed his LOI to FSU. :-))

I doubt you'll find many people who argued both sides. It's just that one side was more vocal then, and the correct side was more vocal after the trade. I've been in favor of keeping Marquis for a while. Before last season I was saying we shouldn't dump him for peanuts. Yeah, he is awesome. Not awesome, but a decent enough #5 starter. Good enough to not throw away for scraps.

I doubt you'll find many people who argued both sides. It's just that one side was more vocal then, and the correct side was more vocal after the trade. I've been in favor of keeping Marquis for a while. Before last season I was saying we shouldn't dump him for peanuts.

Seconded Yea, Wigginton at $3 mil a year is far better than Miles at $2.5 mil a year. Plus, given our platoon situation at second and the likelihood of Bradley getting hurt in right (and Wigginton being moderately passable there, I believe), he would have gotten pretty decent playing time as well. The only problem is that you're ignoring the timing of the signings. Wigginton wouldn't have signed for $3 million earlier, but now he's getting desperate. Abreu may end up signing for $7 or $8 million (for 1 year), but he was looking for something like $36 million over 3 years earlier. Why did we have to make the move when we did? The season hasn't started yet - it would seem shrewd to wait out the players in order to get a better player at a similar price. In your scenario, Hendry got worried nobody would be available and jumped on Miles too early. Had he waited, we've seen a player of Wigginton's caliber was available much later, and at a similar price, as Miles. I can fully see the playing time issue as I'm sure the O's will give him more than we can, but that's about the only argument I can understand. Hindsight is 20/20. 1. Miles was offered nearly the same contract by the Cardinals. 2. Bradley would have signed and been off the market. 3. Dempster would have been signed and off the market. 4. There was no guarantee that Wigginton would be available (or that he would sign with the Cubs) as late as February. Most of what I posted above would have likely happened, which would have left the Cubs without a RF, SP, and sub MI. I suppose if none of that happened, the Cubs could have saved quite a bit of money, but was it worth the risk involved in waiting? I've already said I'm fine with the timing of the Bradley and Dempster signings. A bad hitting, poor defending middle infielder isn't exactly tough to find, though. I don't understand jumping on one when there are better ones (Wigginton) still on the table. If you're going to jump on a player quickly, he better be very valuable (Demp, Bradley) and Miles simply isn't in any way valuable.

From the sound of it stuy, OL Aubrey Phillips will sign with FSU. He's been committed with UT since June. Tennessee's also already picked up signings from JaQuori Schofield, Arthur Jeffrey and Nyshier Oliver. Two linemen (one OL and one DL) in that trio is nice. I've heard reports that we've lost David Oku (Auburn) and Marlon Brown (Ohio State or UGA), though.

I would've liked Bradley a lot more if we had depth on the bench (i.e. DeRosa). I liked resigning Dempster, I'm so/so on the Wood for Gregg swap, fine with Heilman, a little down on trading Marquis, ok with Gathright since Pie had to go, don't care on Bako and very unhappy with the Miles/DeRosa fiasco, even if the reason was to give Fontenot more playing time it still wasn't good and didn't make sense. Dump Miles and add Wigginton and a good bench bat and I'd feel a lot better about this offseason.

Which I agree with, but you have expressed this same opinion over and over again for the last month. I think everyone on this board knows how you feel about DeRosa, Miles and Bradley by now. But every chance you get you bring up, your issues with this. It has to come to a point were, you just sit back and see what happens. This offseason if we stopped talking about the bad moves (or, if you prefer, the "perceived" bad moves) Hendry was making, we wouldn't be talking about Cubs baseball at all (except for the Milton Bradley signing and maybe the Heilman trade). That would make for a pretty dead board.

I'm actually normally very optimistic, but there's just something sticking in my craw this offseason.

Then have a little faith in the first GM, to bring us back to back division titles, and more wins in a season in 60 plus years. Many didn't think last year team was better then 07 either. We still have two months to opening day lets see what the team looks like then. If when they start playing they don't appear better then last season, then feel free to make these comments again. But right now, almost every post you make has something to do with you being upset over trading DeRosa, signing Miles or Bradleys health. Put it this way when was the last time Hendry didn't cover himself a little, when he's had injury prone players? So either he truely believes, the guys we have hear can do the job better then guys we had last year(which is possible), or he's still gonna make a couple of moves before opening day. Do you really think Lou will put up with Johnson getting alot of AB against RH pitching, or Gathright playing everyday? If Hoffpauir isn't on the team hitting well? Lou wasn't happy with that type of situation last year and thats why we signed Edmonds. All I'm trying to say is take a break on the complaining, and give it some time. I have faith in Hendry, but I don't understand the moves he's making. I understood the offseason plan last year and, thus, didn't complain. But I can't just sit back and have no opinion on anything when a team I love is - from all appearances - getting worse. If I'm wrong, I'll be more than happy to admit to it and give Hendry his due. I've been wrong on a number of the moves he's made and I've been right on quite a few. If I'm wrong here, I'll happily admit to it. But from what I've seen this offseason, I don't understand how we've improved. If Hendry proves to be a mad genius who flies in the face of stats, great. But I'm seeing more Neifi Perezs and Jose Macias' than I am Ted Lillys and Jim Edmonds'.

Seems like most do it around 11-1. I covered a couple of kids signing for football the last couple years (one to UT Martin and one to Tennessee) and one was a 8:30 and one close to noon. I seem to remember most doing it close to lunchtime, though. Some of our commits have signing ceremonies starting as early as 8am EST. The big ones occur around 10-1 or 2-5, depending upon the high school. That's kinda what I was thinking.

Seems like most do it around 11-1. I covered a couple of kids signing for football the last couple years (one to UT Martin and one to Tennessee) and one was a 8:30 and one close to noon. I seem to remember most doing it close to lunchtime, though.

HO-LEE CRAP. From what I've heard today, it's highly likely that FSU ends up taking Gary Brown (a 5* DL) from UF, and there's a better than average chance we pull Andre Debose from UF as well. And, despite his stance that it wouldn't be tomorrow, Orson Charles is rumored to be headed to FSU as well. I've also heard a rumor of another player who will be a shocker (of the good kind) flipping over to FSU, but I can't get a name from my people. I've also heard that Tennessee is going to have a MAMMOTH day tomorrow, and that LSU is going to lose out on the Randle sweepstakes (and the two aren't related). It also sounds like UF is going to have a day where someone pees in their cornflakes - and I couldn't be happier! If you were to just tell me that the Randle/Tennessee comments were related, this post would be absolutely perfect stuy. :D I hope you're right about the mammoth day for UT. I'm hearing UF's day might get worse as UT's gets better, as NuKeese Richardson is rumored to be headed to Rocky Top. That'd be very nice. Hearing anything on Alshon Jeffrey or Marlon Brown?

Has Lou ever stuck to a very strict platoon (or even a strict platoon at all)? I really don't remember. And it's a sign of a bad move when you make one and end up hoping that - at best - you can match your production from last year. Didn't he stick pretty close to the platoon in CF last year with Edmonds and Johnson? So/so, I think. As the season progressed he began playing Reed against a decent number of righties, I'm pretty sure. I thought that was because Edmonds had some minor injuries and couldn't go as often so Lou didn't really have a choice. It seemed like when Edmonds was healthy, he played against righties. And Lou really seems to like his left-handed hitters face right-handed pitchers in pinch hit situations and vice versa (to the point that he sometimes goes too far with them), so I'd say that as long as both sides of the platoon are producing at a satisfactory level in Lou's eyes, he'll stick with it. Lou does seem to like Fontenot, but it worries me that they apparently really like Miles. If they decide he's the greatest thing since sliced bread - and with him being a switch hitter - he could start stealing some ABs. Especially when Bradley goes down and we need a right fielder....

You worry way too much, teams aren't always evil and will charge premium prices for crap. Especially not for a their back up outfielder or a veteran outfielder. If the Cubs try to get a Garrett Anderson, Cliff Floyd, Ken Griffey, Luis Gonzalez, or someone like that. I really doubt teams will be charging a arm and a leg for guys they picked up for next to nothing this offseason. Sure it might take a few weeks for Hendry to find a deal at the right price, but do you really think some team won't give in at some point? If you do I think you worry way too much. Especially considering the Cubs picked up two outfielders that were released last year. Plus with the economy so bad, noncontending teams will be cutting payroll probably more then ever this season. I really don't want to replace Milton Bradley for an extended period of time with Garrett Anderson or Luis Gonzalez's 97 OPS+. And any of those guys would cost more than I'd like to pay - and very likely close to what we got for DeRosa if we're desperate. Most good teams have backup plans. We are a good team, but I don't see a backup plan when Milton Bradley goes down for an extended period of time. Cedeno had 4 AB's at 3rd base last year, and 82 AB's came as a SS, which Wigginton won't play. Again Wigginton doesn't wanna be a back up, and he wouldn't come to wait for these guys to get hurt. There's isn't many AB's backing up Lee and Ramirez in most seasons, and who knows if Wigginton can play 2b. Plus how do you know Hendry didn't call him up, and heard he wanted regular playing time and big money, then moved on to Miles? You don't know that and just like to complain like you have done all offseason. Like I have said over and over again, lets see what happens. Doesn't complaining over and over again, and saying the same thing get old? It's time to take those Mark DeRosa posters off you're wall, and see if Hendry is smarter then all of us again or not. Actually I do get tired of complaining about it, but I also get tired of Hendry obsessing over a certain type of player (lefties or fast slap hitters) and getting those players at all costs. I'm also tired of the teams I root for losing and I haven't seen anything so far to make me think we're a better team than last year. If Hendry called about Wigginton then fine, but that's why I put in my statement that I hadn't heard that he did. Usually, when Hendry has an interest in a player, we hear about said interest. Either Bruce will come on here and say that they've discussed it or Levine will throw it out there or something. Nothing like that happened with Wigginton and that, along with Hendry's obsession this offseason for speedy, slap hitting lefties, leads me to believe that he wasn't interested in Wigginton. And the only poster of a player I have on my wall is of Peyton Manning. I also have some bull horns and skeleton head that were hung on the fence of my farm when we moved in. But that has nothing to do with baseball . . .

Why would Wigginton wanna come to the Cubs to be a precaution? He wants to play, not wait around for if or when guys get hurt so he can play. I'm not certain he would have come here. But it's disappointing that I never heard anything about Hendry being interested in Wigginton. At least call him and ask. And why might he come here? Hendry could tell him we have no backup 3B, no backup 1B, a super fragile RF, and a platoon situation at 2B. Cedeno got over 200 ABs as the backup at 2B and SS last year. Add in some ABs in RF and 3B/1B and he's close to 400.

If Hendry thought there was a strong chance he would miss a good amount of time, then he wouldn't have signed him. Bradley wasn't healthy 05-07, Bradley is healthy right now. If Bradley goes on the DL, and is gonna be out for a long time. Then you bring in another veteran outfielder. It's no lock Bradley gets hurt for a long period of time, and playing Johnson/Hoffpauir/Gathright for 30-35 games isn't gonna kill us. If Bradley misses more then that there's a bunch of guys you can get to fill in for a very cheap. That guy doesn't have to be on the roster on opening day. Bradley has had extensive DL stints every year but one since 2002. He hasn't been healthy much at all in his major league career. To think he'll just magically be perfectly fine this year is not good planning. And it's not so easy as to just "bring in another veteran outfielder." Let's say Bradley goes down for 60 days and that's his only injury. I won't feel comfortable with Micah Hoffpauir as the primary RF for over a third of the season. Other teams will know the Cubs need another outfielder and will charge premium prices for crap. That's why you should have a strong bench entering the year and not fill it only with Joey Gathrights and Aaron Miles. Here's what I posted to you in another thread about Bradley's health: 2002: 2003: There's three DL stints in the 02-04 seasons. He was healthy all year in 05, but was suspended for the final week of the season because he got pissed off. And for whatever reason it is that he's averaged less than 100 games a year since 2002, he still has. There are reasons - mostly injury, sometimes suspension.

Not really, there isn't that many AB's behind Ramirez/Lee, and you can't really expect Soriano to miss that much time again. The Cubs don't plan on Bradley being hurt alot, or they wouldn't have signed him. So how can the Cubs promise Wigginton 400 plus AB's, unless they could put him at SS. Because Wigginton isn't gonna play over Ramirez, Soriano, Lee or Bradley when their on the roster. He can't really play 2b anymore, and wouldn't get alot of AB's even if he played there. Miles might get 300 plus AB's, but he will get half his his AB's playing SS and filling in for Theriot. So I really don't think the LH/RH had alot to do with this move, since the Cubs are currently looking for a RH bench player, and Miles is better from the right side, then the left. Wigginton wanted regular playing time and the Cubs couldn't offer that, while the Orioles could. Especially with having the DH and Wigginton being a bad defensive player. I too would rather have Wigginton over Miles, but I'm not gonna be mad over this. Because I understand the situation. Signing a major injury risk and then not preparing for the likelihood of him getting injured is foolish. That's one thing Hendry did well in 06 - he had major injury risks pitching (Wood and Prior), so he went out and got innings eaters in Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly. If you have a guy who has averaged less than 100 games in the past 6 years, you should take precautions in case the inevitable happens - even if you think he's healthy. Wigginton could have been that precaution. And Miles isn't a world beater defensively at second and he's pretty terrible at short - Wigginton can't be that much worse.

HO-LEE CRAP. From what I've heard today, it's highly likely that FSU ends up taking Gary Brown (a 5* DL) from UF, and there's a better than average chance we pull Andre Debose from UF as well. And, despite his stance that it wouldn't be tomorrow, Orson Charles is rumored to be headed to FSU as well. I've also heard a rumor of another player who will be a shocker (of the good kind) flipping over to FSU, but I can't get a name from my people. I've also heard that Tennessee is going to have a MAMMOTH day tomorrow, and that LSU is going to lose out on the Randle sweepstakes (and the two aren't related). It also sounds like UF is going to have a day where someone pees in their cornflakes - and I couldn't be happier! If you were to just tell me that the Randle/Tennessee comments were related, this post would be absolutely perfect stuy. :D I hope you're right about the mammoth day for UT.

If they hadn't signed Miles, they most certainly could have offered Wiggington that many at bats. Between platooning with Fontenot at 2nd, spelling Lee, Ramirez, Soriano and Bradley, he could have had plenty of playing time. That's not including being the main PH off the bench. Hendry didn't want anything to do with him because he hits right handed. And he's not a speedy slap hitter.

I don't really we could have gotten either cheaper. Well maybe we could have gotten Bradley at 2 years. But at the time we signed Bradley he turned down simliar two year offers from the Rays and Nationals. The Cubs went three years with Bradley, but the third year can be a team option year if Bradley doesn't play 125 plus games next year. I still think Dempster gets paid, and gets more if he stays on the market. The top starting pitchers still got paid this offseason, Dempster was right there with AJ Burnett on teams radars. If we don't resign Dempster, I bet the Braves end up signing him to something like 4y at 60m or 5 at 70m. From everything I read they wanted im pretty bad and even more then Burnett. I still would have preferred Adam Dunn over Milton Bradley after we dumped DeRo, but I agree with you that neither Bradley nor Dempster would have come much, if any, cheaper waiting longer.

Would he have gotten Dempster and Bradley cheaper? Abreu has been offered $8 million, just $2 shy of Bradley's annual salary. Dempster likely would have been close to, if not the same, amount. I agree on the terrible signing of Miles, though.

The money doesn't quite match up (2.95 million for the first, 3.5 million for the second) but I definitely agree with you that if Wigginton would have agreed to come here, the second option would have been far preferable. I'm not sure he would have because of the PT issue, but I bet Hendry preferred Miles even if Wigginton was interested, which IMO is a mistake. Sadly, my friend, I believe you are correct. I haven't seen the Cubs linked once to Wigginton all offseason. Even though he'd have been better than anybody we've been linked to for the middle of the infield.

Seconded Yea, Wigginton at $3 mil a year is far better than Miles at $2.5 mil a year. Plus, given our platoon situation at second and the likelihood of Bradley getting hurt in right (and Wigginton being moderately passable there, I believe), he would have gotten pretty decent playing time as well. The only problem is that you're ignoring the timing of the signings. Wigginton wouldn't have signed for $3 million earlier, but now he's getting desperate. Abreu may end up signing for $7 or $8 million (for 1 year), but he was looking for something like $36 million over 3 years earlier. Why did we have to make the move when we did? The season hasn't started yet - it would seem shrewd to wait out the players in order to get a better player at a similar price. In your scenario, Hendry got worried nobody would be available and jumped on Miles too early. Had he waited, we've seen a player of Wigginton's caliber was available much later, and at a similar price, as Miles. I can fully see the playing time issue as I'm sure the O's will give him more than we can, but that's about the only argument I can understand.