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XZero771679666304

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Everything posted by XZero771679666304

  1. XZero771679666304
    If we're intent on being a [expletive] team, why not let Z pitch for 3 months, prove he can coexist with people and then trade him rather than trade him fresh off a hissy fit suspension by our blowhard ex-GM. The Hendryness of this move is very troubling to me. because that's likely. It doesn't matter if it was likely, there was a chance. The Cubs could have found a half dozen Volstad's this offseason. If the return is nothing, then hold out for the 1% chance Z can make himself valuable again and at least bring a lottery ticket or two back. And there was at least an equal chance Z stank and maybe blew his top again and we get absolutely nothing for him.
  2. XZero771679666304
    If we're intent on being a [expletive] team, why not let Z pitch for 3 months, prove he can coexist with people and then trade him rather than trade him fresh off a hissy fit suspension by our blowhard ex-GM. The Hendryness of this move is very troubling to me. With no hope of draft compensation, I find it tough to believe that there's a bunch of trade value for Z to recapture when his new team would have him for 2 months. Exactly. This is always what a Zambrano deal was going to be like. Volstad/Dominguez would be pretty good compared what I was expecting. Hendry would have gotten less.
  3. XZero771679666304
    Yeah this is a [expletive] blast. You're really this upset over this? The hand wringing over this is hilarious. A month or two ago (when there was a chance we'd compete in 2012), I would have hated this. But given the rebuild mode, there was really no reason whatsoever not to trade Zambrano. You can pay Z 18MM to pitch in a lost season and let him go at the end of the season, or you pay 15-16 million to Z and get back something, anything you might be able to use beyond this year. Hendry assured that if Z was going to be traded, it was going to be for next to nothing and we'd be paying for it. The question was whether keeping him made sense. In a year you're not going to compete, it doesn't make sense. If you're going to pay the money either way, you may as well just pay him to pitch, hope that he can be the Z we know he can be, then flip him for something of value before the deadline. At least then if you have to eat the rest of his contract you're getting more than Chris [expletive] Volstad. I don't for a second think 3 months of Z playing nice would change anyone's mind about his issues. Nor do I have much confidence in his ability to have a great first half in 2012.
  4. XZero771679666304
    So then 2013 we have a couple guys who turn out to be league average starters, Starlin Castro, and David DeJesus. Should be turned around in no time. You know I would've gone about the offseason differently to this point, but going forward, would you rather win 78 games next year and be done with Z, or win 75 games next year and have someone of potential use for the following 2-3 years? Well, that's putting it much more succinctly than I did.
  5. XZero771679666304
    Yeah this is a [expletive] blast. You're really this upset over this? The hand wringing over this is hilarious. A month or two ago (when there was a chance we'd compete in 2012), I would have hated this. But given the rebuild mode, there was really no reason whatsoever not to trade Zambrano. You can pay Z 18MM to pitch in a lost season and let him go at the end of the season, or you pay 15-16 million to Z and get back something, anything you might be able to use beyond this year. Hendry assured that if Z was going to be traded, it was going to be for next to nothing and we'd be paying for it. The question was whether keeping him made sense. In a year you're not going to compete, it doesn't make sense.
  6. XZero771679666304
    I agree (his numbers are pretty bad), but frankly Volstad and Dominguez is about as much as I have been hoping to get for Z. Which obviously isn't much.
  7. XZero771679666304
    That that needle ready
  8. XZero771679666304
    I also seem to remember him having an attitude problem, but that's vague and anecdotal.
  9. XZero771679666304
    I remember seeing him in 2008 when he first came up and thinking he had good, live stuff. I remember a power sinker, though I could be wrong. Obviously the numbers are not what you'd like to see.
  10. XZero771679666304
    Does Volstad have some really great stuff or something? He's 26, hits arbitration in 2013, and has been less than stellar so far in his ML career. I don't have a problem targeting him, but I don't see enough potential there to pay all of Z's contract unless he's got some really nice stuff. I don't expect stars for Z (as great as the LoMo talk is, it's almost certainly a pipedream), but if Volstad is it and we're paying the entire deal, I'd have rather kept Z and hoped a good first half would boost his value some. That said, after the Marshall/Wood trade, I'm not criticizing this trade until we find out all the details. And Volstad is 6'8, which is kind of cool ...... Volstad has a pretty good sinker, iirc, and a decent curve. He's a ground ball pitcher also, iirc.
  11. XZero771679666304
    The only way we're getting LoMo is in a Garza trade, imo. We'll probably be paying all of his contract just to get Volstad and a throw in.
  12. XZero771679666304
    Volstad is what I was guessing. Volstad and Ceda would be slightly better.
  13. XZero771679666304
    Good potential power bat Very patient hitter World class Twitter user Beyond world class. I think LoMo is aiming way too high. I'd be thrilled with someone like Dominguez, though. Also, a potentially telling quote from Theo's interview with Kaplan today. This is pulled from the Bleacher Nation piece summarizing the interview: http://www.bleachernation.com/2012/01/04/theo-epstein-speaks-about-the-state-of-the-chicago-cubs/ Yeah, that quote struck me as being portentous as well.
  14. XZero771679666304
    This is what I figured. He's got too much power to slug under .400 and he takes enough walks to keep his OBP at or above .300. I think .700 is the probable floor.
  15. XZero771679666304
    Seem like filler/depth moves to me.
  16. XZero771679666304
    LaHair is gross, but I think that's a tad low. .700-.725, still awful for a 1B.
  17. XZero771679666304
    Theo hasn't "intentionally set the bar low". What he's done is he's committed to following what he believes is the proper path to building a perennial powerhouse. Telling people we'll err on the side of the future, if we have to make a choice and mentioning signing bigtime contracts only make sense when we have a team that's ready to compete is EXACTLY that. Setting the bar low. I'm not disagreeing with it either. It's smart. Tempering expectations, while still giving out some hope is what he should be doing. But, it's not us, he's worried about, it's the meatball guy. The guy who either doesn't or can't see the big picture. That's who Theo has to convince he's doing the right thing, for revenue purposes. I really just don't agree with the notion that Theo is going out of his way to temper expectations. I think he says what he says because he means it or because it serves the best interest of the team, provided the former doesn't conflict with the latter.
  18. XZero771679666304
    Make no mistake, I am. Thoroughly. But I'm not going to get apoplectic over fluff comments. If the Cubs enter camp with LaHair as the 1B, I'll not be so forgiving.
  19. XZero771679666304
    If Theo convinces Boras to lower Fielders price because we already have Brian LaHair, then he's even better than I thought. No kidding. "Whoa, those guys are going with LAHAIR. We better bring down the asking price!" Whether it would work isn't what I was arguing. It's the principle. Bagging on your own assets is stupid, as is openly bemoaning your needs. Frankly I'm surprised at how alarmist people are acting over what are obviously fluff/throwaway comments. Again, what would you have preferred he say? And what would be gained from saying something "diplomatic" like "We like LaHair, but we're still weighing our options"? It would make N&G feel better?
  20. XZero771679666304
    Jesus what the [expletive] To be fair, what's he supposed to say? "Bryan is the only 1B on our roster, and we really need to replace him because he sucks." You talk up the guys you have whether you mean it or not. There are a myriad of ways to discuss the Cubs' 1B situation much more diplomatically without basically waxing Kaplan's dome. I don't think Theo is at all obligated to assuage our fear of Bryan LaHair at 1B next year by being "diplomatic". That's not his job. Let's say Theo is actually negotiating with Boras and Fielder (for the sake of argument), then what stands to be gained by openly admitting it is a dire need? That just gives leverage to the other side. Talking up Lahair and indicating he's prepared to go with him may be a bluff. Or he may be serious. But either way just admitting it is a need you're desperate to fill isn't at all prudent, even if it makes us feel better.
  21. XZero771679666304
    Jesus what the [expletive] To be fair, what's he supposed to say? "Bryan is the only 1B on our roster, and we really need to replace him because he sucks." You talk up the guys you have whether you mean it or not.
  22. XZero771679666304
    No you don't. There were moments where he was funny (unintentionally), but the vast majority of the time he was an insufferable [expletive].
  23. XZero771679666304
    The rationale is trying to see if they can get a huge return on Garza as they retool. If they can't, they'll keep him. It's pretty sound logic.
  24. XZero771679666304
    Why? Most people don't want to pay to watch crappy baseball. Yeah just because Theo is sitting in a suite at Wrigley doesn't mean people will come watch a team that isn't good. I never understood thinking like this either. People only have so much money and time, why can't they spend it on what they wish without having their fan hood and what not being question? Also, I could care less what Cards and White Sox fans think of Cub fans. As if Sox fans have room to talk about anybody.
  25. XZero771679666304
    I'm disappointed that more hasn't been done, but I can't fault the FO for not handing out the contracts that have been thus far. Fielder and the Cubans are still on the board, so there's still the possibility of an exciting move. Even if those don't happen, all is not lost. In contrast to years like 2006, 2010 and 2011, there is at least a direction, some sort of method to the madness. As far as my active interest in 2012, the next two weeks or so will dictate that. I'll be pretty engaged if Fielder or Cespedes are signed, and probably still actively interested if Garza is dealt and some young ML-ready talent is on the field. I mean I watched virtually every game when the Cubs were hopelessly awful in the 90's, so there's really no way I'm just going to ignore next year.
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