WrigleyField 22

sweet

Speaking of hometown discounts, if we insisted on keeping Blanco, why couldn't he give us one? Greedy bastard. :) Still, I hate you cubs. Go Soto!

If that is actually the rotation, they had better be adding two impact bats to the lineup. Mark DeRosa and Caesar Iztuis (he was injured for the better part of his time with us so he's like new)

f u cubs. We actually have a young guy who would be a suitable replacement as a backup defensive catcher! In case anyone is counting, we are the same bunch of losers as last year plus DeRosa. Next Up: Gil Meche 5 yrs 60M

You actually forgot Hill, who in m eyes, if this works out well he could be a very dominating #2 quality starter. Now ofcourse I think it will end up more like this. Just taking a stab at it. . Zambrano Hill Cliff Lee Lily Miller/Prior/younguns I meant to throw him with either the Prior or Marshall group. Or I don't, maybe he can net us a good bat in a trade. But you're right, otherwise he would be in there. I think Hill is going to be very good, and that Miller will be fully ready for the '07 season. That should not share a spot. Instead should be considered #4 and #5. With Prior not even in the #5 spot. Prepare the season as if he was not here. If he is, and he's ON. And you need to find a spot for him. . Well then that's a problem I don't mind having. Zambrano i my only absolute right now. The other guys (not sure who, but theres about six of them) account for two other rotation spots at the bottom. That leaves two spots open in the rotation. If I had to guess Hill and Miller would fill those 4 and 5 spots, but its an open competition. It doesn't matter how your break down the groups, you might as well just lump them in one group and call it two spots.

You actually forgot Hill, who in m eyes, if this works out well he could be a very dominating #2 quality starter. Now ofcourse I think it will end up more like this. Just taking a stab at it. . Zambrano Hill Cliff Lee Lily Miller/Prior/younguns I meant to throw him with either the Prior or Marshall group. Or I don't, maybe he can net us a good bat in a trade. But you're right, otherwise he would be in there.

Westbrook please.

Manny Ramirez but in all seriousness I would think some nothing minor leaguer. Just don't make us eat more than $0.5-1M

I also like the idea of finding a 4th OF who can give some rest to Jones and Murton. He obviously would have to be someone with near equal splits. But having a solid backup, with Pagan as the 5th OF would be quite nice. Disappointed to not see a mention of Drewm who I prefer to Soriano, but I can't say I'm surprised.

Hmmm very interesting... Nice link Serena. I'd still like him as a number 8 hitter and seeing Izturis get far away from this team.

If it is Westbrook over Lee, I want an extention.

I'll live with this signing if Izturis is gone (or at least not starting) and Jones gets a platoon or we uprgade the position altogether. So that means find a masher and leadoff guy from SS and CF I can see it now Roberts CF DeRosa2B Lee 1B Ramirez 3B Jones RF Barrett C Murton LF Izturis SS Yuck DeRosa=fine choice if used as number 8 hitter or super-sub

Maybe I'm crazy and I don't know why the Indians would trade them both, but I would take both of these guys on the Cubs. Zambrano Lee Westbrook Prior/Miller Marshall/Guzman/Mateo Zito looks like his contract demands wont be worth it, we lost out on Matz, Schmidt looks likely to go to Seattle. Any of the FAs will be expensive and no better if not worse than them two. Plus they would cost a combined $8.85M. Less than $9M for 400+ innings of ERA from 3.5-4 (you figure they improve AL-NL). We could really pour our money into the offense. Okay I'm done with my crazy ideas for tonight.

Howry and Eyre and Marmol for Westbrook and Lee!

I wish this whole thing (the Cubs releasing the tape, Sammy leaving etc) just would have never happened. Both the Cubs, Sammy, and the fans would be better off.

I'm definately intrigued by Cliff Lee or Westbrook. I'd be comfortable with either in the number 3 spot. Lee for next 3 years: $2.75M $3.75M $5.75M w/ option for $8M Westbrook is set to make $6.1M next year and then will hit free agency I would think the Indians would be more inclined to trade Westbrook based on this. Eyre and Marmol? too much? too little? just right?

I have way too much on my mind to make a cohesive post, so some scattered thoughts: Won't mind him as number 8 hitter TRADE Izturis and get a real SS (no thats not Theriot) Wow, with the way the market is looking, Aramis LOVES Chicago I fully expect DeRosa to be average .330 OBP .420 SLG Probably were better 2B options out there, not so much for UTIL guys but are we even using him in the UTIL role Generally dissapionted, but wont jump to knee-jerk reactions

List of pitchers (who are as good as their younger couterparts, or close) who we can sign to shorter deals: Tom Glavine Miguel Batista Greg Maddux Mike Mussina Roger Clemens Jason Schmidt I just based that off age, there could be other younger guys willing to take on shorter deals. I admit all of that list looks either impossible or very unlikely to sign. But hey, we can at least try to take a shot at signing one or two. Maybe there are younger guys willing to take a shorter deal. If you find that opportunity take it. Worse than ending up with mediocre pitchers is ending up with mediocre pitchers that are signed longer. I just suggest all of this because I think we are closer to building within than some think.

On a semi-unrelated note: As far as developing pitching, we aren't that bad off. Veal and Gallagher are only a few years away from being regulars in the rotation. Hill might live up to all the end of the season hype. We have a #3 pick, which if spent well could be a pitcher who flied through the system. Then we have a plethora of guys who have a chance to be back of the rotation guys at least (Marshall, Guzman-stuff to be top of line, Mateo, Marmol-more likely RP, Ryu-maybe) Then all it takes is one good season and a guy like Shaver could fly up the ladder. None of these guys can really be counted on next year, except to count on Marshall/Guzman/Mateo/etc to take on the last spot. I'd almost like to see if we can find some good pitchers willing to take on 1-3 year w/ option contracts. This would basically mean old guys I guess. The Padilla/Lilly types will want that long contract to last them. The older guys might be willing to take shorter deals and probably have the chance to perform as well as the slightly younger guys who want longer term deals. I honestly think that our pitching situation will partially solve itself within a short time, and if it doesn't get resolved we can always sign a new FA the following years. I just don't have a good feeling about long contracts to mediocre pitchers. Its not even the amount I'm worried about. In this market pitchers will get money. No way around it really.

He'll probably be serviceable. I'd like better with a top half first rounder, but like others said, its a crapshoot. Lets just wait a few years and see what results we get, as a whole, from Wilken's drafts. If his past is any indication we'll do better than we have been doing.

To be fair, it worked and is continuing to work, we just let Dusty ruin it. If Dusty hadn't ridden those guys we may be looking to add a number 4 only. Now maybe Prior and Wood(Wood especially w/ the mechanics) were damned to be a constant injury problem, but I think part of it may be Dusty. Even if one of Prior/Wood could have stayed healthy, we'd be looking at the top two spots filled. We've done a fair job at proucing good pitching talent.

I'm not sure the little money you save of Barret and Molina is worth it. Barret off the top of my head is set to make like 5.5M. If you are planning on ridding yourself of Dempster's, Isturiz's, and Jones' contract also, money should not really be an issue, though I haven't added it all up exactly, but you would probably be fine. Adding on to what I just said: Barret is set to make 4.4M. Bengie Molina signed for 5M last offseason and was pretty much right in line with his career line this year. He won't get any less than 5M. So he'll probably actually be more than Barret. Let the Philles sign Molina if they need a catcher so bad, because they wont demand one from us.

I'm not sure the little money you save of Barret and Molina is worth it. Barret off the top of my head is set to make like 5.5M. If you are planning on ridding yourself of Dempster's, Isturiz's, and Jones' contract also, money should not really be an issue, though I haven't added it all up exactly, but you would probably be fine.

He's improved every year of his career, and a move to the NL might help his numbers even more. I'd look into it, thats for sure.

Whats the ruling again on type A signings? And wheres a list of the type A's and B's?