Soul

I thought the Yankees were going to try to stay away from offering the world to free agents. Try to build more from within.

I guess it's a good thing that we're still months away from the start of the 2009 season, huh? True, but it's hard to count on moves not yet made. And it kind of looks like Gregg was the answer to Wood being let go -- i.e. I'm not sure there are really plans to upgrade further in that area, especially since we continue to have concerns in other areas. We'll see what happens. You're right, it's only the beginning of the offseason.

Some of the Bears players are starting to chirp about the media coverage they're getting, most notably Tommie Harris. This weekend's game will be pivotal, indeed. Not only is it the most important game to date in determining the division champion (i.e. our only chance for the playoffs in all likelihood), but it also looks to be a horrible matchup for our defense. I don't mind Bears players getting fired up and angry. Really, I don't -- actually, I think it holds the potential to increase the level of play. But I want to see results on the field. The Packers can put 3, even 4 good WRs on the field at the same time and Rodgers definitely has the arm to get the ball to any of them downfield. This is exactly the kind of matchup where the Bears can prove their naysayers wrong. But if they collapse as the matchup appears to show they might -- then understand, there's a reason for the criticism.

If we got fuentes then why would we need Gregg...you talkin loco. Why do we need to replace Howry? He was no good last year and we were fine. So because we made the playoffs, we shouldn't replace a crappy reliever? Huh? Because we have adequate other internal options? Who are these internal options that you speak of? Last year's pen was excellent because of the last two guys (Wood, Marmol). Howry -- Pitiful Eyre -- Worse than Howry Shark -- Luck of the Irish, but he could be a solid reliever Cotts -- Not bad for a 5th-6th innning guy Hart -- Not much Weurtz - can be lights out or terrible I really don't see any adequate internal options. There's got to be an internal option that can give us better than Howry's 1.458 WHIP.

I recognize that paying the man is not the logical move. That said, I'd have paid him and tried to make the necessary upgrades more creatively (Grienke, Hermedia). If he really is going to get $10 million/yr for 4 or 5 years I do think that's too much. I'm not sure if we're just making that assumption or if it's really what he's going to get though. I also wonder if Wood is really as big an injury risk, given his new role. He pitched 66 innings last year, and seemed to hold up reasonably well. I'm not sure you can take his injury concerns as a starter and automatically project that out to his new role as a guy who is now throwing 1/3 the innings.

Hey, we beat the Mavs. Cool. How about a nice winning streak for a change?

I don't want to watch Kerry in another uniform. He was a great Cub, even through the injuries and everything.

Dallas should always have to play us at the United Center. To hell with them, we shouldn't have to hop on a plane and play them down there. It's not even really cold yet.

No Sosa jersey, but I've got a die-cast semi truck that has Sosa and "66" and "1998" on it.

I agree that would be better.

Marmol is much more valuable working in the flexible set-up role. I don't know if the Cubs look at it that way.

Alright fine. I hope he does great.

On the bright side, he managed to survive doing that with a horrible defense behind him, and he's moving to a good one. On the negative side, everything else. His K numbers are like Howry. And he's coming to Chicago. You know, to pitch like Howry. Yea, no... And why are we only looking at 2008 numbers? Especially when somebody already showed that his numbers were skewed pretty badly by an approximately 2 week stretch where he forgot where home plate was and when he did find it he got crushed. His prior numbers don't exactly scream "Marmol mach 2" to me. What does it even matter? He's supposedly a 1 year rental that cost us a solid prospect.

I thought it was 100% certain that he wouldn't sign for less than huge dollars over a long term deal. I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but I'm guessing something like this is close to being the case, given the fact that Hendry and Wood met last night. I was being slightly sarcastic. Everyone's taking that as sacrosanct. How do we know it wasn't just Wood trying to open the negotiations? How do we know what the final number/years would have wound up as?

A solid question. What a dumb trade.

I thought it was 100% certain that he wouldn't sign for less than huge dollars over a long term deal.

On the bright side, he managed to survive doing that with a horrible defense behind him, and he's moving to a good one. On the negative side, everything else. His K numbers are like Howry. And he's coming to Chicago. You know, to pitch like Howry.

Just wait until Hendry signs Gregg longer term, and Wood winds up somewhere for reasonable dollars. Come on IMB, you've seen this movie before. It's still not a comparison at all. What is Gregg's top-end contact? 3-12? 3-15? We're still talking about a saving over well over $20 million dollars, and at least Gregg is a safe bet to still be pitching by the end of that deal. Signing Woody would have been a stupid move. Not that that fact would make a Gregg long-term deal palatable, but the Woody ship had sailed, regardless. Gregg's top end contract is way higher than 3-12. 3-24 probably would get him to sign this offseason. Otherwise he'll get 45 saves closing for a team that's good in spite of its management and get 5-60 next year. This is awful. I'll admit I'm running on emotion here, but this is exactly the kind of thing I fear.

If Ceda comes up and performs.... I don't even want to think about that.

Just wait until Hendry signs Gregg longer term, and Wood winds up somewhere for reasonable dollars. Come on IMB, you've seen this movie before.

Wow that is some interesting logic Yeah, that makes no sense. this deal was done because of the decision to not bring back wood. it wasn't a choice between keeping woody and trading for gregg. The end result is, Gregg will be there instead of Woody. As for saving 4-5 million -- that seems like a pretty small amount of money for a team to be unloading an all-star pitcher with a 1.085 WHIP when they're already spending over 100 million and talking about taking on more. you're talking about a 4-year commitment to a guy with an arm put together by duct tape. i don't necessarily like the trade for gregg or even gregg himself, really, but woody was long gone and the deals had nothing to do with each other besides the fact that we needed another body in there. Going with Gregg instead of wood this year is only a difference of $5 mil, but it's a difference of over $30 mil over the lifetime of his would be contract. you really want to make that commitment? i don't It's change for this team with a payroll that might push $150 million and will undoubtedly expand even more as we go along. $40 million over 4 years to a guy whose career was an inch away from being done just over a year ago is not change how can you seriously believe yourself BUT TELL ME WHAT PLAYER WE COULD SIGN WITH THAT MONEY THAT MAKES US BETTER. ANSWER ME THAT seriously. i don't get how anyone can think this way. i mean, soul, try and look more than 6 months into the future, man. You are very convinced that Wood's arm is going to fall off. It didn't this year, with full duty. If it's that certain, then no other team should offer him more than a couple years. If they do, and it works out, we'll talk. $4-$5 million per year is just not that much money for this ballclub. That's pretty much Blanco money. In 4 years it will be even less. You really think Wood is only going to get 4-5 a year? No, I'm talking about the hypothetical savings difference.

Wow that is some interesting logic Yeah, that makes no sense. this deal was done because of the decision to not bring back wood. it wasn't a choice between keeping woody and trading for gregg. The end result is, Gregg will be there instead of Woody. As for saving 4-5 million -- that seems like a pretty small amount of money for a team to be unloading an all-star pitcher with a 1.085 WHIP when they're already spending over 100 million and talking about taking on more. you're talking about a 4-year commitment to a guy with an arm put together by duct tape. i don't necessarily like the trade for gregg or even gregg himself, really, but woody was long gone and the deals had nothing to do with each other besides the fact that we needed another body in there. Going with Gregg instead of wood this year is only a difference of $5 mil, but it's a difference of over $30 mil over the lifetime of his would be contract. you really want to make that commitment? i don't It's change for this team with a payroll that might push $150 million and will undoubtedly expand even more as we go along. $40 million over 4 years to a guy whose career was an inch away from being done just over a year ago is not change how can you seriously believe yourself BUT TELL ME WHAT PLAYER WE COULD SIGN WITH THAT MONEY THAT MAKES US BETTER. ANSWER ME THAT seriously. i don't get how anyone can think this way. i mean, soul, try and look more than 6 months into the future, man. You are very convinced that Wood's arm is going to fall off. It didn't this year, with full duty. If it's that certain, then no other team should offer him more than a couple years. If they do, and it works out, we'll talk. $4-$5 million per year is just not that much money for this ballclub. That's pretty much Blanco money. In 4 years it will be even less.

You're all treating this as if it's a 5 year, $12 million per deal. It just wouldn't be on that level, can't be seen in the same light at all. Who is this going to allow us to sign that will make us so much better? Answer me THAT.

Wow that is some interesting logic Yeah, that makes no sense. this deal was done because of the decision to not bring back wood. it wasn't a choice between keeping woody and trading for gregg. The end result is, Gregg will be there instead of Woody. As for saving 4-5 million -- that seems like a pretty small amount of money for a team to be unloading an all-star pitcher with a 1.085 WHIP when they're already spending over 100 million and talking about taking on more. you're talking about a 4-year commitment to a guy with an arm put together by duct tape. i don't necessarily like the trade for gregg or even gregg himself, really, but woody was long gone and the deals had nothing to do with each other besides the fact that we needed another body in there. Going with Gregg instead of wood this year is only a difference of $5 mil, but it's a difference of over $30 mil over the lifetime of his would be contract. you really want to make that commitment? i don't It's change for this team with a payroll that might push $150 million and will undoubtedly expand even more as we go along.

Come on, the idea that the Cubs *HAD* to let Kerry go so they could save a couple million to upgrade elsewhere is ridiculous nonsense. I expect more from people on this board.