Transmogrified Tiger

Too bad Sabean's a moron and signed Rowand, Pie + Marshall might've gotten us in a conversation about Cain or Lincecum. I still like the idea of using Marshall + Pie to get a pitcher though.

It's been said already, but still... ahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahaaha

No kidding. Easily above average at all 3 OF spots, the best defender in the game at SS, an elite defensive 1B, and above average D at 3B and C.

How do you figure? Bedard struck out almost 40 more batters in 13 fewer innings last year, against much tougher hitters. How so? AL hitters- .270/.338/.423 NL hitters- .266/.334/.422 He made two starts against Boston, two against Cleveland, three against the Yankees. That's a decent chunk of his innings. Hill pitched in the worst division in baseball. Hill made 4 starts against Milwaukee, 2 against Philadelphia, and another against the Mets.

Hill(2007) and Bedard(2006) at age 27: 3.76 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.84 K/9, 2.48 K/BB, 121 ERA+ v. 3.92 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.45 K/9, 2.90 K/BB, 119 ERA+ If the upper line is Hill's, and the lower is Bedard's, then you've actually proved my point. And Bedard did that facing MUCH better hitters. The only advantage that Hill enjoys is an ERA advantage, and that is to be expected from a pitcher in the worst division in baseball versus one in the best. The upper line is Bedard, the lower line is Hill. Either way, they're remarkably similar at the same age. Considering Hill's contract and injury history relative to Bedard's, it'd make sense that he's the more valuable commodity.

I'm in there with you. Rich Hill and Erik Bedard are the same guy stat-wise (w/Hill actually a bit better) through age 27. Hill probably won't match Bedard's age 28 season, but then he may pitch after August as well. Hill is a year younger, has a healthier history with no past abuse, has two more seasons under the Cubs' control, and may end up just as good or better the next 3-4 years. I'd be all for getting Bedard, but using Hill to do it would be a step backward. Maybe I'm reading it wrong, but it looks like Bedard trumps Hill in every category last year, and Bedard is pitching in the harder league. I don't get why dealing Hill for Bedard would be a step backward? The answer, my friend is bolded. We have a pretty significant history of grossly overvaluing our own prospects. Oh, yes, I've been there. Kelton, Choi, Bobby Hill, Brendan Harris, Todd Wellemeyer, CPatt, Jackson Melian, Matt Bruback... they were all, at one time or another, the next big thing. Truth is, Hill is a solid prospect. But, is trading him for a guy who had better numbers in the much tougher league really a step backward? I don't quite think so. Of course, I am pretty nearly always in the minority here. Hill(2007) and Bedard(2006) at age 27: 3.76 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.84 K/9, 2.48 K/BB, 121 ERA+ v. 3.92 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.45 K/9, 2.90 K/BB, 119 ERA+

http://www.pantagraph.com/content/articles/2007/07/19/sportsextra/doc469fe5ac6b57f677190848.jpg Everett is actually a good defender though, unlike Mr. RGI who ran on reputation for years before he became a Cub.

Sabean looks like he's going to race Colletti to the bottom of the NL West. He has a head start from when Colletti started, but to be fair he did that himself.

Wow does it suck to be O_O. 3rd overall in points, and he somehow is the odd man out in the 3-way tie for the last two playoff spots. Anyways, I take on Wolf and IMB takes on Tobias. Let the trash talk begin.

What a remarkably inefficient thing to do.

That list of Guzman, Petrick, Harben doesn't really sound equivalent to Marshall to me. Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Marshall, Dempster, Marmol, and Hart(with Veal, Atkins, Samardzija, and Holliman as options if they break out) is enough depth for me.

Possible. The Jays might want to get out of that deal enough to accept less than normal. But they take back Marquis and DeRosa, so they don't really get much salary relief. I guess they get out of all of his '09 salary, but I really doubt that suggested package would make it worth it.

Well, trusting you guys for advice served me well last week(I still lost, thanks Minnesota defense), now I find myself in a similar situation. I'm another <5 point performance away from hiring a hit on Palmer(@ SF), and I have a decent option behind him in Anderson(v. Buffalo). I have Houshmandzadeh and Braylon Edwards, so I have a connection with either QB. Who do you start?

Michael Young is not a SS defensively, and his offense is a product of Arlington.

YAY

No deal if we're not allowed to play with a SS anymore.

I have a hard time believing we have the chips necessary to pull out that "dream" scenario of Fukudome, Figgins, Roberts, and Blanton. In terms of money and players given up it doesn't make much sense. Pie would have to headline one deal, Marshall another, and Murton+Gallagher a third. So for example, Pie+Cedeno+lower tier minor leaguer gets us Roberts, Murton+Gallagher+lower tier minor leaguer gets us Figgins, and Marshall+Prior gets us Blanton. It drains us of pretty much all our tradable assets, and even those packages might not be enough.

I loathe the word fundamentals.

You're ignoring their ages again.

Theriot as a strictly RH hitter AA (Age 25, heinously old): .304/.365/.391/.756 AAA (Age 26): .304/.367/.379/.746 Cedeno AA (Age 21, appropriate or slightly young): .279/.321/.401/.722 AAA (Age 22): .355/.403/.518/.921 AAA (Age 24): .359/.422/.537/.959

I think there's room to make fun of Gary for looking down at the series of tubes known as sabermetrics and still appreciate him as a great scout.

From my memory, Lou made some comment about DeRosa being out of position or something, which is why he never went back there.

Wow? I didn't ignore the age of the players, because the age of Cedeno and Theriot is insignificant - unless the Cubs are banking on either one of the two guys to being the SS of their future. So, why should the Cubs suffer through having Cedeno learn "on the job?" Sure he has plenty of talent, but mentally he is not a mature player - as you can tell if you note his baserunning miscues, his mental errors defensively, and his mindless approach at the plate. I'd love for Cedeno to pull it all together and take the SS job, but until that happens Theriot is best option on the Cubs roster. It's not a "man crush" or hate for Cedeno. Because you don't lose anything, Theriot is already the baseline of performance. If Cedeno fails, then he's Theriot.

He was hands down the best pitcher on the market. 2007 Cordero? Or the rest of his career Cordero where he's pretty average?

I have a feeling if we re-do this poll in March that Colletti will run away with it.