NorthsideAvenger

I'd rather play for KC or Pittsburgh, yes. Right now, I'd rather play for South Africa then Tampa Bay.

Theoretically, you are correct. But in practice, that's just not true. You can hold a guy down for only so long before he will turn on your franchise. If I ran a low budget team, I'd try and accumulate as much young talent as possible. I would keep my best guys in the minors as long as possible, but that's really only about a few months to one season after it's become obvious he should come up. They've probably already crossed that threshold, and risk losing any sort of good will between them and the player. If you call a guy up early enough he might be willing to cut you some slack when trying to extend him through his arbitration years or possibly even free agency. When you go too long, he's not going to play ball as willingly. Your post would hold water, if it weren't for one fallacious assumption you're making... The DRays are a competently run organization with a long term vision. They aren't, so... They could be. There's new ownership. New GM. New manager. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm not saying they're good or bad. Just that there's no track record. They might, in the end, turn out OK. Certainly, it's better this year than last for them. It certainly can't be worse. Well, they could be the Royals...:jocolor: That would be a step up from the DRays. At least from time-to-time the Royals ATTEMPT to put up a competent (even tho thy sign the wrong players for too much money) team on the field.

If memory serves me correct, but Adam Everett (4th rd in 1995) was drafted by the Cubs in 1995. Jon Lieber was drafted by the Cubs in the 9th rd of 1991. I know they sign and developed with other teams, but you COULD TECHNICALLY put these two players on the list of players the Cubs drafted after the 1st rd, who went on to a useful career.

Albert went to a community college in Kansas.

Delmon Young has already become a malcontent in the DRays organization, and for the right reason. The DRays are a cheap-butt organization that is looking for money in the pocket, instead of the best possible team. It is of my opinion that EVEN right now, you could argue that Delmon Young is a better player the Huff. So, the DRays should go ahead and deal Young and Upton, cause I see NO REASON why either will want to re-sign with their franchise when FA hits. Tampa Bay is the reason why MLB needs to contract a couple of teams. TB has no intentions of actually competing, thus they should be eliminated from major league baseball. Rant over.

Is that like OJ Simpson saying he will continue to find Nicole's "killer?" Selig is a farce of a sports league president.

I haven't exactly followed Halladay's career much, but when I looked up his stats, the main thing that jumped out at me was that he threw 239.1 IP in 2002 and 266 IP in 2003. That's a lot of innings. Today Seinbrenner is :cry: and that makes me :D . I hope Halladay never leaves Toronto.

If this deal goes down, how can the Cubs justify keeping Grissom, then? Correct me if I am wrong, but Pierre/Murton/Jones are the starters....then you have Hairston and Mabry who would "feesibly" play the OF adequately. The you add Matos, alledgely, and that would bring the total of 6 players (not counting Grissom) who could play the OF (even tho a couple of those players can play the IF). I mean...Matos would be the Cubs best defensive OF bar none. So how can the Cubs "justify" keeping Grissom, even if they acquire Matos?

Why are the Cubs considering this deal when they got in-house candidates who can do the same type of production that Matos would provide. I mean between Grissom/Pagan/Restovich (Restovich is still in camp, ain't he) couldn't they do the same as Luis Matos? And if the Cubs have interests in Matos, why couldn't the O's/Cubs do a Matos for Patterson, straight up? Nothing in this Walker discussion makes sense. Well, right now....nothing with the Cubs makes sense.

Now WHY did we re-sign Nefti, again? Oh well, I wouldn't mind if the Cubs sign Bobby Hill.

I actually see JHJ feeling the role that of defensive replacement if the game is close in 7th inning or later/starter against a tough lefty. I don't see Hairston a starter, unless the Marlins would prefer JHR over Uggla.

I disagreed. I personally believe that "The Dump Truck" as closer will be the Cubs best reliever, but with Wuertz the next best....

I can ALMOST guarantee you that Jim Hendry will be back, Baker on the other hand.... Being a middle of the road team, is SO the Cubs luck. I don't see the Cubs being really good, or really bad. Kinda like last yr, they'll end up in the 78-83 wins catergory. Just enough to think they could make the playoffs, and not selloff, and just bad enough to not make it. Agreed, but why should the Cubs moved a 24 yr old player like Murton in your "worst case" scenerio? If Murton was 29-34, I agree moving him, if the Cubs suck, is a good thing, but possibly trading a 24 yr old at the first sign of adversity is not a savvy move. I not against trading either Lee or Ramirez, (preferrably not both, tho) but ONLY if we get atleast 2 TOP PROSPECTS in all of baseball (for example......Justin Upton and Carlos Quentin TYPE prospects) as part of the deal. If your settling for less then that....that trading either Lee or Ramirez becomes a matter of being stupid.

While the talk all winter was on an extension being done in the spring, it appears, at least for the time, one isn't forthcoming. It's possible the Cubs are waiting to see how the season plays out before re-upping with Hendry and Baker. I fully expect Hendry to be re-signed, and I expect Dusty to be let go.

Come one....you can't be that ignorant. Do you REALIZE who was playing first base at Iowa? Scott McClain, that's who. Now admitting, I like McClain, but he isn't what I would consider a strong defender. And I am willing to bet there were a few plays he could had come up to prevent some errors. Cedeno didn't have a Derrek Lee at AAA, while Nefti did. Now while, I do consider Nefti a very good defender, Cedeno is as good, IF NOT BETTER then Perez defensively. So don't even use the X numbers of errors in X number of games theory to justify sayin Nefti is a better defensive SS, cause you would be wrong.

What do the Cubs fans have to do to get some HONEST people up in the front office. This cloak and dagger crap when it comes to injuries, is simply mindboggling frustrating.

I can't describe how great of a time I had, especially with my nephew. But it was an unbelieveable experience, I would recommend to any BIG-TIME Baseball fan.

I got back earlier TONIGHT, and I didn't have access to a computer for a couple of days, so be patient, and just humor me... I just got back from Orlando, tonight, and all I can say is (no computer for a couple of days)…..”The World Baseball Classic” is going to be an OUTSTANDING tournament for yrs to come. Stars or no stars, the game I went to between the Dominican Republic and Venezuelan was simply outstanding. Don’t let the FINAL score dictate how intense the game was. I got to the game at the start of the 4th innings (the game was PACKED, PACKED, PACKED and I got a couple of pictures to PROVE it, just have to download it in a couple of days) in which Carlos was pitching. I don’t know how it looks on the tube, but Carlos look pretty solid. I know he gave up a homerun to Adrian Beltre---I believe---but his stuff was at midseason form, unfortunately his command was at Spring Training form. His fastball was clocked between 94-96 (not the 93-97 as reported in other thread) and TOUCHING 99 MPH a few times. The most anticipated match up was Z .v. Pujols which ended up in a 5 pitch walk. Miguel Cabrera MIGHT be a better hitter then Pujols when it is all said and done. At least he is a BETTER athlete. I know this is a borderline crazy statement, but Miguel Cabrera looks ready to SERIOUSLY enter the MVP race, this year. David Ortiz, was CHEERED AS LOUD, as any player has even been cheered for. The crowd at the Dominican/Venezuelan game was pro Dominican, but there were some VOCAL(sp?) Venezuelan supporters in the stand---especially after Miguel Cabrera hit a 2 run shot. David Ortiz is UNBELIEVABLY popular. This was a fairly big hassle over the Miguel Cabrera homerun. No one was hurt, but a few security guards, as I could tell came over to break it up. The BIGGEST thing I notice about the game…..both the Dominican and the Venezuelan fans lived and died on EVERY pitch(postseason INTENSITY at it's finest). Those fans were into the game from the opening pitch, to the final pitch. They LOVE their beisbol (as Sammy would say). Anybody who can make it to a World Baseball Classic game, please do, because there is a certain electricity in the air that only happens in the postseason. I love the experience, and I would do it again, IN A HEARTBEAT. I got a FEW pictures of the game, so if I can…I might try to download them into my signature box (if I can get them to fit, ASAP). On the Carlos Zambrano note: Carlos is looking UNBELIEVABLE. Those pictures, someone put up awhile back, is accurate…Z is looking sharp physically, and I believe he is ready for a Cy Young Caliber season. I will try to get the pictures up, ASAP. World Baseball Classic (outside of the roster controversy) is going to be a great tourney. Again, I know the DR/Ven game is OLD news, but I actually went to a WBC game (Still have the tickets) and is still pretty darn excited about it. :lol: :lol:

I'm not claiming it is a ringing endorsement. I just feel it's an indication that Grissom pretty much has the job unless a leg falls off. Grissom's got the job because there's nobody else to give it to. The young guys need to play in DM or AA because there's no way in the world they'll play for Dusty in Chicago. But then again, in the Cubs organization, young players have more value to the WT, IOWA, Daytona affiliates then they COULD possibly have with the Cubs. Sooner or later, the Cubs are going to have to put their faith into young players (like they are doing with Murton and Cedeno). If Bobby Bonilla doesn't get hurt, or the Marlins going to cheap way in 2003, the world may not have heard about Albert Pujols or Miguel Cabrera for awhile longer.

And wants to go back to the AL after this season. Bowden may give Soriano away for pennies on the dollar tallent wise, but he will still cost @10mill for the privilege of him agreeing to play 2nd base poorly. From what Cedeno has shown so far during ST, Soriano would commit less errors at 2B than Ronny would at SS. Our MIF defense isn't that strong, whatever Baker and Hendry may claim. The difference being that Cedeno enter 2006 as the starting SS in his career with the Cubs, and HAS A CHANCE to improve, whereas Soriano is entering his what....5th FULL yr (7th overall) and has NO ambition of ever improving his defense. Cedeno's defense thus far...is defensable, whereas Soriano defense is NOT. So, no I don't want the Sammy Sosa of the infield (all offense, and NO defense) on the Cubs. Simply because the Cubs pitchers are ALREADY paranoid at the defense (hence Hendry's mantra of getting guys who can CATCH the ball, this offseason), and the Cubs don't need to add to that paranoia. The Cubs DON'T need to buy into the fact that Soriano has a "recognizable name."

To be blount: Love the light blue, or "cartoonish" as some would say, unis. The dark blue, are more spring training-ish to me. So I am indifferent there. I like the pinstripes, but WOULD love to go back to the straight up white unis.

That's correct. Sooned to be out of the inning, without another run scoring.

Good ol' Jason Giambi. Caption contest. Arod: Hey Jason, i have heard roids can have horrible effects on your testicles. Jason: Really? Let me check. One. Two. Three? Giambi: 1ball-2balls-3balls-4balls. ALRIGHT, I get a base on balls...

I may be crazy, but I think Clemens pitches the WBC, and then calls it a career. But I admit, depending where the Astros are by May/June, I could see Clemens returning, but I still think retirement is the definite choice.

I'm not ready to say Felix Hernandez "will be remember as one of the greats", but that doesn't mean I am not impressed with Felix, cause I am. I mean, the hype around guys like Doc Gooden (THE most electrifying rookie pitcher, I EVER saw...), Rick Ankiel, Brien Taylor, Todd Van Poppell had the same kind of hype as Felix currently as. As a baseball fan, I hope Felix does become one of the greats, but NOT until he passes the 100 WIN mark in his career, would I even start including him in a debate.