WrigleyField 22

I really think we should help the Yankees with their problem of not having enough role players. Ituriz for ARod. No cash exchanged. We could throw in Dempster as well.

Thats 46 Niefi Perezes... World Series here we come!

Old Trap-Game as that is likely to light a fire under them and motivate them to kill anyone else.

I'd say Anderson definately benefits from the attention the rest of the line gets. However, Anderson was a 6th round pick and I'd venture to guess there are some DEs picked in earlier rounds who aren't as good and wouldn't take advantage of such a situation.

I don't know the nature of Edmonds injuries, but if he can get healthy I would not be surprised to see him put up good numbers. Whoever gets him could get a huge steal.

True. But, I'd like to see Pedro Feliz in Cubbie Blue. Give me Feliz, Soriano, Zito, and a ARam for ARod swap, and then we're talking. why on earth do you want pedro feliz? Obviously it's his .281 OBP

It might win a championship if the five starters average 22 wins and .05 ERA because that lineup is pitiful. Well that would put you at 110 wins already not counting wins the bullpen picked up. So yea, that might be a champonship team if they did that. I agreee with the sentiment though, that the lineup is too weak. Plus it is very oddly contsructed. Murton number 7 with Moore 6 and Theriot 2? And I'd like Brady Clark as a bench guy, but our starting RF and leading off? If I had to guess that teams payroll would probably be around 90-95 million, enough to maybe help out that weak lineup a little more.

My turn to play: Usually I would be in favor of possibly going young, but those scenarios are no fun, and as long as its my moves and not Hendry's they will be better: Sign Barry Zito 5/70 (12,13,15,15,15)- Schmidt for 3/36(or so) would do as well. If the Trib would be willing to not have Matsuzaka’s posting fee count towards the cap. Unrealistic/Impossible, otherwise he would be my first choice. Trade Theriot/Fontenot, Izturis, Guzman/Marshall/Mateo, Scott Moore and Donald Veal for Alex Rodriguez. Yanks eat 20M(5,4,6,6) (15M) For the sake of the rest of my scenario, Yanks take Fontenot and Mateo. -- I know guys might not like trading Veal, but I take the chance. I suppose you could try giving them more guys like Marshall/Marmol who are ready now. Its really a question of quality or quantity. Maybe they'd like some cheap production for next year. Sign Mark Loretta for 2yr/6.5 M (3.5,3) I think Branyan would be a great bench bat. If he is a FA we can sign him. If his option is picked up I would see what the Padres want for him. I’d be willing to trade Izturis or Dempster for him, but I’m not sure either interests them. But it is MY 2007 so I guess I get to do whatever I want. Dempster(5M), Cedeno, and 2M for Branyan(1M). If we can sign him outright I see if I can move Dempster for whatever prospect we can get. Possibly throw him in the Yanks deal. Sign Lofton to 1yr/2M with mutual option for 2.5M or 1M buyout I’ll assume the best and say we aren't stuck paying Rusch’s 3.25M. Whether through insurance or retiring. C-Barrett 4.4M 1B-Lee 13M 2B-Loretta 3.5M 3B-Ramirez 13M (4yr/52) SS-Rodriguez 15M LF-Murton .4M CF-Pie .3M RF-Jones 4M Zambrano 9M Zito 12M Hill .3M Prior/Marshall 4.5M(whether Prior plays or not hes getting paid) Miller 3M with incentives and option ------->Guzman/Marmol/Gallagher as men 7-9. Guys after that- Shaver, Wells. Wuertz .5M Howry 4M Eyre 3.5M Wood 2M base w/ incentives Marshall .3M (Also Priors backup)- If he does go to rotation hello Novoa/Marmol Aardsma .3M --Wuertz/Howry close until Wood can. Ohman could still figure into rotation, but his price tag(1M?) might make it worth dealing him for a cheaper prospect player. Branyan 3M (3B) I put three as it includes the 2M I give with Dempster Lofton 2M (CF) Soto .3M © Pagan .3M (OF) Theriot .3M (IF) Bynum .3M (UTIL) other possibility is Coats or any guy off the scrap heap. 99.2- room to breath. Even if we still pay for Rusch we are under 105M. I honestly thought it would be closer to 105 with this, we could have money to replace Bynum with a real player.

Sell High! Find someone whos on the cheap, but has a strong likelyhood of putting up good numbers next year and see if you can get a prospect thrown in the deal.

I expect a win, but no opponent can be taken lightly. Bears 22 Bills 10 Yes Gould will make 5 FGs because he is awesome.

No this is just the end of one chapter of torturing. The book aint over either, its the beginning of a whole new chapter.

Unless Hendry anounces his departure tomorrow as well, it will be a very anti-climatic press conerence.

Good idea! Let's count on Prior again! How does "Prior possibly healthy for 07" translate into "count on Prior again". Sometimes I think that anytime people see Prior they automatically acuse someone of wanting to count on him.

I agree with the first line. One year deal only. Around the same amount of money he made this season. But the second line, who cares how he gets on base really. A .336 OBP isn't great, but it is far from terrible and about what he usually puts up. Although somewhat true, it doen't project well to get on base if he isn't hitting well.

One year deal for less than he made this year is about the only way I'd bring him back. So no thanks on him returning. Look at the September line, a .325 BA with only .336 OBP OUCH

I really don't want the Tigers or Twins to win because then I would have to hear from my friends back home that the White Sox just play in the best division in baseball and whine about not making the playoffs. While maybe true, I DON'T CARE. I don't want the Cards to win because they are the Cardinals, plus I go to school in St. Louis. A's over Mets.

There are probably ton of casual Cubs fans who still pledge loyalty to Dusty and want him back.

I wouldn't call it a groin injury. It was in the groin region, but wasn't it quite literally a testicle injury? It's not like he hurt the muscle, correct? And If Barrett isn't our starting catcher, I feel no more confident with Blanco starting. Blanco made 2.5M right? Not a lot just alone, but an extra 2.5 a year could change a big time FAs mind (If we so decide to go that route) If it doesn't go to a starter it could be used to sign a bench player who could actually hit.

He plays for the Cubs, I don't blame you.

Why is Soto not ready? He's played a full season at AAA and word is that he handles pitchers well. With Barrett, the back-up catcher is only going to play every fifth or sixth day. There's no reason to spend 1.25 million on one when you have a player with equal skill set ready to take over. In fact, hasn't it been two full seasons? Also Soto, while having a whole lot less power than Blanco, has the good plate discipline that the team is so severly lacking. Add the extra couple million in salary difference and its a no brainer.

Better, most likely yes. Significantly better? Most likely no. We have enough IFs. Really the spots we need to fill on the bench are power hitters, something Graffanino doesn't supply enough of. We could do worse, but I'd rather pass.

I stopped rooting against the Sox one game in late August when I saw them down in the bottom of the 9th with an out and was glad at their impending defeat. Turns out if you actually have an offense no game is over. Dye hit a 2 or 3 run homer for the win.

I don't think we differ in our belief in the ability of the Cubs to find those players. So instead of agreeing to disagree, I'm disagreeing to agree? :)

Other than possibly Moore we really don't have any kids that could provide good power off the bench. Pagan might provide okay power, but not the kind of power I would want when I need a big hit late. One or possibly two, depending on Moore vets would be useful for that purpose. As far as the bolded part, I don't think thats neccessarily true. If you go after a bench player who has had only one or two good seasons that both came in the last 2-3 years then it would be true. If it is a guy who has consistently put up solid numbers off the bench other than one or two years he is a better bet to do well than a rookie who is not used to coming off the bench and is used to being an everyday player. That's pretty much why I said "Unless the Cubs can get somebody likely to put up an 800 OPS, and/or dominate against LHP or RHP specifically". If you can find a guy who has consistently put up solid numbers, go ahead and get him. I guess where we differ is our believe in the ability for the Cubs to find those players. Hendry's record has shown he wont, with Hollandsworth being his only good bench signing. I think there are enough good bench guys out there, they just need to have a big hit in a playoff game so Hendry will notice them.

Other than possibly Moore we really don't have any kids that could provide good power off the bench. Pagan might provide okay power, but not the kind of power I would want when I need a big hit late. One or possibly two, depending on Moore vets would be useful for that purpose. As far as the bolded part, I don't think thats neccessarily true. If you go after a bench player who has had only one or two good seasons that both came in the last 2-3 years then it would be true. If it is a guy who has consistently put up solid numbers off the bench other than one or two years he is a better bet to do well than a rookie who is not used to coming off the bench and is used to being an everyday player. Restovich comes to mind. Does Brandon Sing or any of our stud 1st base prospects play any other positions like 3rd. I agree with saving money. I'd keep Pagan as the CF backup. We need a starter and trade for a big outfield bat. Sing can play some LF, not sure how well, but after this years numbers I wouldn't be willing to save a spot on the bench for him. Restovich, I'm not so sure about. Part of me thinks he just needs to be given a chance, while the other side of me thinks hes an AAAA player. The truth is probably somewhere in between and he would be a decent bench guy, but not someone you can count on to be a big bench off the bench. I'd certainly give him a long look during Spring Training, but wouldn't plan on him having a role on the bench.