XZero771679666304

Seattle has made Ichiro untouchable. He isn't going anywhere.

If he did, he went to the wrong place. L.A. isn't winning anything anytime real soon. Let's define winning. If winning means making it to the post season, then I submit that the Dodgers have a better chance than the Cubs in 2006 at this point. Combination of 70% money and 30% post-season shot. To me, winning means having a legitimate shot at the series. Neither the Cubs or Dodgers are there now, but the Cubs have a much better shot of being there by the end of the offseason, IMO. The N.L. West isn't won, it's survived by attrition.

Better, but significantly better? I'm not so sure. Who's going to play third? Or first? Bill Mueller? Drew and Bradley (who probably won't even be a Dodger come opening day) are perennial DL candidates who are coming of injuries. Izturis (who helped carry the Dodgers early last year with his improbable start) is not going to be ready till midseason after major surgery. Gagne is going to be coming odd major surgery, as is Jayson Werth. You have no idea what you will get out of Jose Cruz Jr. Kent and Bradley hate each other. They don't even have a manager yet. They have a mixture of the young and inconsistent in the rotation. Weaver and possibly Lowe are going to be gone. They gave a foolish contract to Drew, to Lowe, and now a very foolish contract to Furcal. Now they're out of money. As for the Cubs, Wood is going to be a issue, but I don't feel Prior will miss any real time next year. Z is Z. Maddux is Maddux. We have Silver sluggers at first base and catcher, and a potential one in Ramirez at third whose offseason training is going to be monitored closely this year to help prevent leg troubles. We have gone from a terrible bullpen to a good one. Most importantly we have a ton of money to spend and a ton of prospects to trade to fill our holes. L.A. has the prospects, but not the money. I just feel the Cubs are in a better place than the Dodgers.

If he did, he went to the wrong place. L.A. isn't winning anything anytime real soon. Just curious, do you feel the Cubs have a much better chance at the playoffs then L.A.? I would think their odds are about even with the Cubs, maybe a little better considering they play in the NL west. I think they (the Dodgers) have a marginally better chance of reaching the playoffs (pending further moves this offseason), but any team that wins the West is going to be stopped dead in the first round. Those are all bad teams, and I hardly think being a sacrificial lamb in the first round is anything to be excited about. If the Cubs add a good bat in RF and a leadoff man, I think the Cubs are a much better team, even if their chances of making the playoffs are less. Hendry has 20-25 million to spend, and it's going to be spent. He's got a ton of young players to trade, and a lot of them are going to be traded. Barring disaster, the Cubs will have a significantly better team than the Dodgers come opening day.

It was the money, plain and simple. The Dodgers have a number of decisions to make this offseason too. They aren't exactly a powerhouse. That's being kind. They're a mess. No manager, injuries, several key players coming off injuries, a lowered payroll, holes in the lineup, clubhouse issues.....

If he did, he went to the wrong place. L.A. isn't winning anything anytime real soon.

Something big is going to happen, but I have a feeling it will be something unexpected.

I'd rather have spent 13 million on Furcal than the 10+ million over 5 years that Burnett is going to get. I wouldn't feel any more comfortable with Burnett than Wood. There are better things to spend money on.

Not really. I think Hendry could just point to Pujols' contract. Nobody is going to be making 20 million per for quite awhile, IMO. Arod laughs at you. ARod is a product of a different era, as are Jeter and Manny. Lee couldn't ask for more than Pujols, sonsidering Pujols has been posting his numbers for four years now. Furcal's contract is an aberration, considering how he is making more than Tejada now.

With Hendry's new "I like guys who can catch the ball" mantra, I see about a .0000001% chance of that happening. Plus, you gotta remember, Hendry already more or less told both of them to move on. Yeah, both are as good as gone.

Not really. I think Hendry could just point to Pujols' contract. Nobody is going to be making 20 million per for quite awhile, IMO.

Oh, I agree. I actually just posted that. But i'd still be all giddy like a school girl for any of the three. I'd take any of the three, but I think Manny would add a little zest to the team. And 20 million dollars to the payroll. Give or take....depending on what the Sox are willing to eat. I'm sure they would eat some, just not sure how much. Either way, Dunn will gove you a similar OPS, is younger, under team control for longer, and much, much cheaper. There really isn't a good reason to throw more prospects at Manny to get the same production for more money over less time.

For the same reason the Mets didn't-worries about his hip. Can someone tell me what is wrong with Cedeno's play at SS? I don't understand why the cubs are in such a hurry to get another SS? Is his defense that bad? Because despite what he says, Dusty doesn't want to play kids unless he absolutely has to. Cedeno is a very good defender.

Oh, I agree. I actually just posted that. But i'd still be all giddy like a school girl for any of the three. I'd take any of the three, but I think Manny would add a little zest to the team. And 20 million dollars to the payroll.

With Hendry's new "I like guys who can catch the ball" mantra, I see about a .0000001% chance of that happening.

Bobby Abreu: Career - .303/.411/.512 23HR 95RBI (HR and RBI are 162 game avg's) 2005 - .286/.405/.474 24HR 102RBI Manny Ramirez: Career - .314/.409/.599 42HR 136RBI (again, HR and RBI are 162 game avg's) 2005 - .292/.388/.594 45HR 144RBI What part of trading for that kind of production would be increadably stupid? I dont care what their contracts look like, we have plenty of money. And yes they are older, but when they produce at that rate, i dont care. True, but I'd rather have Dunn, who will have comparable OBP, HR and probably RBI. Dunn is much younger, will be under team control for longer, and a lot cheaper.

Nor would he go to Philly, I suppose. I read in the Sun-Times that Mench isn't a target and the Cubs have decided to get a LH bat in the OF, and I can't think of anyone on the Rangers squad who fits the bill. Perhaps Walker to the Mets for Floyd? I think that would be worth exploring, I think you'd have to have a quality 4th OF'er given Floyd's injury history. I'm not sure how eager they'd be willing to give floyd up now that they unloaded Cameron, depending on how they feel about Nady. It could be clearing the way for Manny. Then Diaz could get his shot in a Manny/Beltran/Diaz outfield. A lineup of Reyes/Walker/Beltran/Manny/Delgado/Wright/Diaz/Molina or LoDuca would be nothing to scoff at, and less expensive sans Floyd. Who do you believe the Mets would have to send to Boston to make the Manny deal work? If they still have Floyd to trade to Chi. for Walker, the only people I see missing from your Mets line up is X Nady and Kaz Matsui. I don't think Ramon Hernandez can be ruled out as their catcher instead of Molina or LoDuca. I imagine Lastings Milledge and Nady would be part of the Manny deal. Matsui seems destined for either trade or the bench unless the Mets don't acquire a 2B, which they have been actively trying to do.

Can the Cubs trade Sing before the Rule V draft, since he has been left unprotected? That trade idea seems a little steep for those two. I'd rather throw those players at Adam Dunn. How about Williams, Hill and Dopirak to the Reds for Dunn, and Patterson + prospects to the Nats for Wilkerson?

Nor would he go to Philly, I suppose. I read in the Sun-Times that Mench isn't a target and the Cubs have decided to get a LH bat in the OF, and I can't think of anyone on the Rangers squad who fits the bill. Perhaps Walker to the Mets for Floyd? I think that would be worth exploring, I think you'd have to have a quality 4th OF'er given Floyd's injury history. I'm not sure how eager they'd be willing to give floyd up now that they unloaded Cameron, depending on how they feel about Nady. It could be clearing the way for Manny. Then Diaz could get his shot in a Manny/Beltran/Diaz outfield. A lineup of Reyes/Walker/Beltran/Manny/Delgado/Wright/Diaz/Molina or LoDuca would be nothing to scoff at, and less expensive sans Floyd.

I really doubt Pierre will still be a Marlin after the next few days. I wonder if Hendry would trade Murton and have an entirely new OF? I like Murton, but if we land one of Huff/Dunn/Pierre, Hendry is going to want an excellent defender to mitigate all that bad defense.

Nor would he go to Philly, I suppose. I read in the Sun-Times that Mench isn't a target and the Cubs have decided to get a LH bat in the OF, and I can't think of anyone on the Rangers squad who fits the bill. Perhaps Walker to the Mets for Floyd?

We're top 5 in payroll and I'm sure Hendry is going to get someone on the cheap like Huff to play RF. Complete joke. How about making a splash by trading for a big bat, Mr. Hendry??? The thing about Huff is that he has been labled as "lazy" by sweet Lou. He had a very down year, but is a very good player (potentially). He can play a number of positions and is "getable". This would be a good example of buying low. In other words low risk high reward. If the Cubs can get him for one of the surplus arms in the pen I'd be real happy. I could handle Huff. I don't think he's as bad as the player he was last year. Getting Huff and Lugo would be nice, again killing 2 birds with a minimal increase in payroll over Furcal alone. But if I'm going with unsure production in RF, I'd like more than a slap hitter in CF (Pierre). If the Cubs get Pierre, I'd want one of the more productive bats in RF (Abreu, Dunn, Floyd). If not, I'll take any combination of Bradley in CF and a similarly productive RF. How about trading for Huff and Lugo, and trading for Wilkerson? 1.Wilkerson CF 2.Lugo SS 3.Lee 1B 4.Ramirez 3B 5.Huff LF 6.Murton RF 7.Barrett C 8.Neifi 2B The only problem I see with that is neither Huff or Murton have the defensive skillset for RF. I could handle that, except for that last guy. Cedeno should start, whether it's 2B or SS. Cedeno should, but with Dusty in charge I remain skeptical about it actually happening. How about this idea: Trade Williams, Hill, Pinto and others to the Phils for Abreu. Trade Patterson and prospects to the Nats for Wilkerson. 1.Wilkerson 2.Cedeno 3.Lee 4.Abreu 5.Ramirez 6.Murton 7.Barrett 8.Neifi

Thats true. And I dont want Damon either (at least not for the money boras wants) but sadly it may be our only chance of winning in 06. I don't think Damon is our last hope. Lugo, Wilkerson, Bradley, Abreu, Dunn, Huff...some combination of two of them and we'll be fine.

Beltran dragged the whole thing out a lot longer, IIRC. At least Furcal had the decency to finish it before the winter meetings.

We're top 5 in payroll and I'm sure Hendry is going to get someone on the cheap like Huff to play RF. Complete joke. How about making a splash by trading for a big bat, Mr. Hendry??? The thing about Huff is that he has been labled as "lazy" by sweet Lou. He had a very down year, but is a very good player (potentially). He can play a number of positions and is "getable". This would be a good example of buying low. In other words low risk high reward. If the Cubs can get him for one of the surplus arms in the pen I'd be real happy. I could handle Huff. I don't think he's as bad as the player he was last year. Getting Huff and Lugo would be nice, again killing 2 birds with a minimal increase in payroll over Furcal alone. But if I'm going with unsure production in RF, I'd like more than a slap hitter in CF (Pierre). If the Cubs get Pierre, I'd want one of the more productive bats in RF (Abreu, Dunn, Floyd). If not, I'll take any combination of Bradley in CF and a similarly productive RF. How about trading for Huff and Lugo, and trading for Wilkerson? 1.Wilkerson CF 2.Lugo SS 3.Lee 1B 4.Ramirez 3B 5.Huff LF 6.Murton RF 7.Barrett C 8.Neifi 2B The only problem I see with that is neither Huff or Murton have the defensive skillset for RF.