CaliforniaRaisin

Hmmmm.....way fewer ABs in '06. Was he possibly nursing an injury? I don't think you are looking at his line correctly. He had 120 ABs in 05 and 199 in 06. And 199 ABs at short-season A-ball is about 2/3 of the season if not more.

I have already said I would probably not re-sign Z and would try to trade him if I could get good value. That doesn't make Z's requests and statements that bad or ridiculous - we don't know that he'll get hurt and he is asking for Zito money while being younger and better than Zito has been. He has set a deadine and tried to show he'll stick to the deadline (I doubt he will). All baseball contracts pay for past performance, and Z has been underpaid during his arby years (just like most all baseball players), I can't blame him for asking for what is probably less than he'll get on the open market.

Why is Z automatically the bad guy? Why not look at it from the perspective of Carlos Zambrano has given the Cubs 3 very good seasons, why can't the Cubs reward him with the contract that he wants? Z has been very good for the Cubs, why should he give them a reduced price? Shouldn't the Cubs do the honorable thing and pay him what the market dictates? You say Z is being greedy. Maybe the Cubs are being stingy. Z is due for a major injury sometime in the near future. His K/BB trend scares the crap out of me. Dude is not a pitcher. He's a thrower. It just happens that his stuff is so freaking good he's made it this far. Z is in for a major plummet. Z is a dink for saying he'd leave if he didn't get an extension by opening day. It's one thing to say you don't want to negotiate during the season (that's common). It's another to say you're gone if an extension isn't inked by opening day. Selfish jerk. Now we know how "Carlos Zambrano thinks." I doubt he means it though, and it appears a lot of us feel the same way. And he is due for a major injury, I agree. But Zito money is a good deal given Z is better than Zito, younger than Zito and there's also salary inflation for next offseason to think about.

Yeah, b/c hometown discounts for an org that drafted and developed you is completely out of line. Bastard Cubs organization. Worthless arrogant SOBs. It's a negotiation tactic. Hendry is in a situation where he basically has to re-sign Z, I honestly don't think Z is gone in 2008 (for better or for worse). I'm not sure why Z should be chastised for not taking a hometown discount - especially not talking about it now that negotiation time is near. Just like both Aramis situations, I think some people are overreacting a bit (granted I was in on the Aramis overreacting the last time). Z shouldn't be chastized b/c he was put in an advantageous bargaining position? Business, my hiney. How many generations of his family do the Cubs have to provide for? How about some love for the fans who've loved him from day 1? Do you love Chicago or don't you? It seems as though we only deserve first crack at giving you your massive contact. Wow, I thought we would get more than that. ARam is looking more and more like a team player. I don't want to hear another soul whine about his game ever again. Some guys play the game to win. Others play for themselves. I thought Z was in the first group. Wrong. I'll wait for the whole thing to play out before I judge - Aramis was gettling a lot of flack before he signed his most recent contract. And if Z really wants Zito money, he is letting the Cubs sign him for less than his market value.

Heh, if hometown discounts were the norm, they'd be the real market value. And then we could get new hometown discounts and repeat this cycle!

Loria and Beinfest have some great people skills.

+1 You can add me in as well. plus 3 As long as the return is nice, I wouldn't mind trading Z. I don't think this team is going to make the playoffs anyway and I am readily expecting Z to get hurt this coming season. If he doesn't, I still expect a decline after the wear and tear on his arm at such a young age. That said, Hendry is in a situation where he must re-sign Z so I don't see him trading Z away.

seriously? Sarcasm.

Yeah, b/c hometown discounts for an org that drafted and developed you is completely out of line. Bastard Cubs organization. Worthless arrogant SOBs. It's a negotiation tactic. Hendry is in a situation where he basically has to re-sign Z, I honestly don't think Z is gone in 2008 (for better or for worse). I'm not sure why Z should be chastised for not taking a hometown discount - especially not talking about it now that negotiation time is near. Just like both Aramis situations, I think some people are overreacting a bit (granted I was in on the Aramis overreacting the last time).

Or linebacker... Perfect replacement for Briggs!

Because the Angels won't deal their top guys, or because you think Hendry will go after the toolsiest prospects in their system? They're about as toolsy as you get in the Angels' system as a hitter and a pitcher.

The trouble with waiting is that the Cubs are unlikely to be out of it come July. It will be impossible from a PR perspective to deal Z in July if you're within 4 games of 1st. You deal him now, you can weather the storm of criticism if you end up contending. Call Bill Stoneman. Ask for Weaver, Kendrick and Adenhart. Call the Yankees and ask for Hughes, Sanchez + Tabata. Let them know the Angels are considering the other package. I don't think either team would bite, but if I didn't get the packages I'd simply hang on to Z and take my chances. Define "take my chances" 1. Go to arby and let him walk after 2007 or 2. Take my chances that I can get him to sign a long term near Zito deal Let me be more precise... I'd be working two separate paths at the current time. 1a) I would be working aggressively to get him signed to a hometown discount contract in the range of 5 years, $80M 1b) I would be working the phones with the teams that had a set of three premier prospects to get a trade that I was convinced improved the overall talent level of the organization If neither of those paths bore fruit, I would complete the season with Z on the staff. If, in the unlikely event that the Cubs are completely out of it in July, I'd look to trade Z. I don't think that's going to happen, though. So next October I would: 2) work aggressively to get Z signed to a hometown discount deal 3) If that didn't work, I would offer him arbitration and take the draft picks when he signs elsewhere And hope he doesn't get hurt. :?

Check out my avatar. :D

Correct.

.330 OBP last season.

How do you know this? That would be fantastic. I'm really looking forward to ST. Hopefully we'll see Gooz dominate and move into the big league rotation. Oneri/Wilken and some other second hand stuff from scouts in Venezuela. Does he have a change Raisin? I thought he did but I wasn't sure. I'd rather see him use that if he does. Yeah, he has a change.

How do you know this? That would be fantastic. I'm really looking forward to ST. Hopefully we'll see Gooz dominate and move into the big league rotation. Oneri/Wilken and some other second hand stuff from scouts in Venezuela.

Mine will be all done late tonight (Monday night).

Forget Hank White and Ronny, I want Angel to replicate those stats, esp that sexy K/BB.

Haha, good to see I'm not the only one who does that.

Great road win, even if the Suns didn't have Nash.

The refs in this game sure love blowing the whistle. I hate games like this where everything is called.

Awful way to close out the quarter. Gordon and Hinrich need to go to the rack more.

Sweet, Darren Collison (shoulder) and Lorenzo Mata (hip flexor) cleared for the Arizona games.

Linebackers will carry a franchise tag of $7.206 million and a transition tag of $6.493 million. - from the Boston Herald