Soul

Both Clemens and Pettitte leaving the NL Central? I call that a double-bonus for the Cubs.

Stros just got weaker. Gotta love that.

I'm not sure you can say Jocketty is a flat-out moneyball guy, but he sure does seem to know how to get good players at little cost (Spiezio, Carp, Kennedy, etc.), which was the entire idea behind Moneyball. Not to mention Williams used the money earmarked for Ordonez and Lee to get some fairly similar (or better) producers at lesser cost. He might not be a walk-o-phile, but he seems to like to run a fairly efficient operation, and he isn't satisfied with a ho-hum offense that depends on hitting with RISP. Yeah, and that's great. Except it's not MoneyBall. It's good GM'ing, which is what it's all about. Jocketty takes players who Beane wouldn't sniff at and gets career performances out of them. That's something way beyond MoneyBall. Kenny is doing the same thing, except he has a knack for doing it with his starting rotation in a addition to filling holes effectively with decent role players at little cost. People on this board are so confused by a guy like Kenny Williams all they can come back with is, "he's lucky." He's not lucky, people. He's damn good. Same for Jocketty. Of course none of this addresses Hughes, who I think is very valuable to the Cubs. He just could benefit from some additional perspective, that's all.

I like the HoopsCubs source's deal better than the trade rumors one. But that's just me :lol:

You mean other than pick him up quicker than spit?

If you were to follow the Sports Guys betting ideas long enough, you'd lose a ton of money. It's fine to question Grossman, but you can't then place Dallas over them and use Romo as good support, since he has not played any better, or against any better competition, than the Grossman started out the season. Rex looked so much better in the Meadowlands than Romo looked. Yeah, I enjoy his pop culture references, and those type of things than any kind of sports analysis from him. At this point it's just piling on though. People need to back off. If the Bears are going to lose in the playoffs, then fine. Not many people even thought Lovie would be able to beat the Packers, much less win 2 divisions in a row. I know the bar has to be winning the Super Bowl, but my point is none of these media types gave us any credit before for what was happening in Chicago. They called us junk even when it was clear we were building empire on defense. Now they just ignore the accomplishments made, and rag on Rex for a living. Looking at it realistically, teams like the Colts are in the same boat, having lost in the playoffs while putting together great regular seasons. Yet I don't hear the criticism coming their way. It's all pretty darn biased. That's why I think deep down inside most media types hate Chicago and are hoping we fail. How could I think any differently? 10-2, first to clinch, best record in the NFL and nothing but negative press about the QB? Come on, something's wrong with that.

I know it is, but being a GM involves taking calls at all hours, negotiating million dollar deals all day long and balancing a bunch of issues at once. It's highly stressful under normal conditions, and even more so when your job is on the line. My dad had the procedure done 20 years ago when it was new. He's about to celebrate his 91 st birthday. I think Hendry will be fine. 8-) My uncle pretty much the same thing. It is amazing what they can do these days. Glad Jim has insurance ;) What insurance? http://www.uptownchamber.com/newsimages/aflac.jpg They give you cash, which is just as good as money.

I agree with the sentiment of your post, but I don't like the "2 months left" train of thought. It seems like every offseason we hear about how much more time Hendry has left, and he never finishes the job. I'd say he only has maybe a month before the real work has to be done. I don't think you can be waiting around to late January to be thinking of making extremely important moves. He hasn't been waiting around though, goons. He's been driving himself into the ground working.

Wow. There's 2 months left yet, nobody's said Ward is the "big bat", Jennings is not untouchable, Garcia would never, ever have been traded by Williams to the Cubs.

Where are you going to get a number 2? I'm not in favor of signing Marquis, but a front-line starter is pretty much out of the question. Why not Zito? The money the Cubs would throw at Zito should be reserved for Zambrano, who is going to cost a small mint to keep around. right now, just thinking what Big Z would ask for on the open market is scaring me. 6 years and $102M is my guess. And that would be a bargain. Zito is likely to get that being a #2 starter. Z is a legit ace. Aces don't hit the open market very often anymore. They don't get traded often either. so what do you think Zito end up with? Still young, decent ERA for the AL, WHIP still looking alright, this market..... 6/90?

Where are you going to get a number 2? I'm not in favor of signing Marquis, but a front-line starter is pretty much out of the question. Why not Zito? 3 loopy lefties in one rotation? If the alternative is Jason Marquis at 8+million per? Yes. I hope Marquis isn't the only alternative. Because I don't think Hendry is even considering Zito at this point.

# of games played in that duration: Huff: 828 Drew: 707 Just sayin.

Where are you going to get a number 2? I'm not in favor of signing Marquis, but a front-line starter is pretty much out of the question. Why not Zito? 3 loopy lefties in one rotation?

I've got a feeling it's going to be 3/28, something close to 9 million per. This market is indeed quite insane. if it is I leave this board for a month, mostly in rage. That's pretty much my feeling as well. If that happens, I'll need to take a break for a while (to avoid being banned). yeah, if the Cubs sign Marquis for 3 or more years at more than $8M per year, mods please ban me for a month so that I can't get myself banned. LOL 8-)

Huff is indeed a butcher in the OF. He was also hitting better a couple years ago and appears to have taken a step back.

I've got a feeling it's going to be 3/28, something close to 9 million per. This market is indeed quite insane.

Wow. You're not biased or anything. I mean, it's not like he won a World Series. He totally caused his pitchers to have freakishly good postseasons. Saying he's a lucky version of Hendry is an overstatement. He is not a good GM, and I would not be happy if he took over for Hendry. He what? "Caused his pitchers to have freakishly good postseasons"??? Explain that one to me, because I think every GM on the planet would like to know how Kenny did that.

Kenny Williams, not a moneyball guy. Walt Jocketty, not a moneyball guy. Moneyball is overrated. Stat-head GM'ing, overrated. Not saying I want Gary Hughes as my GM, but the whole Moneyball flap should be viewed as an important contribution to the evolution of effective baseball management, NOT as the end-all be-all of how to produce a winner.

That's classified information.

Well Church is an upgrade over Jones in the sense that Jones doesn't want to be here so we have no choice but to find another player :)

I guess it depends on how many games he plays, what his legs are like, etc. I don't recognize the achievement anyway, so it's meaningless to me. The thing that bothers me is that ESPN has a damn contract with the guy, so they'll be selling it like the Aaron HR-record breaking moment, and not even mentioning that he cheated his butt off to get there. I'm going to need something for nausea on that day.

Really? I think we're on the precipice of a minor defensive collapse. Look at the increasing number of rushing yards we're giving up each week, then factor in the Harris injury, Vash being slowed with a hamstring (or out). I hope you're right, but I don't like the trend I'm seeing here. Remember last year when starters began getting injured at the end of the year? The defense really started to suffer.

I know it is, but being a GM involves taking calls at all hours, negotiating million dollar deals all day long and balancing a bunch of issues at once. It's highly stressful under normal conditions, and even more so when your job is on the line. My dad had the procedure done 20 years ago when it was new. He's about to celebrate his 91 st birthday. I think Hendry will be fine. 8-) My uncle pretty much the same thing. It is amazing what they can do these days. Glad Jim has insurance ;)

Can't wait for ESPN to roll out that chocolate-colored 'vette for Barry when he "breaks" the record. I know it's taboo, but really I must: :roll:

i'm pretty much with you. i guess it's an okay signing, as long as we're willing to cut bait quickly if he shows up and sucks, but since i doubt that's the case, it's hard to get excited. At $1m in this market they'll dump him in ST if he can't cut it. I'm actually dumbfounded how anyone could think this isn't a solid, low-risk high reward, signing.