NorthsideAvenger

I am pretty sure Hinske is gone (I think they are hoping he just dosen't show up for ST) with Hildenbrand/Koskie/Glaus manning 1B/3B/DH...oops forgot about Overbay..my guess is that H'band would be next to go. Holy cow that's quite a log jam. 1Bs: Overbay, Hinske and Hillenbrand 3Bs: Koskie, Glaus They just signed Koskie last year. Somebody is getting spun off for more pitching. Riccardi is going for it this year. I guess he smells blood with the Red Sox being weakend and the Yanks aging. My guess will be Glaus at third (I believe for him to waive his NTC, he was guarantee a starting spot at 3rd base), with Overbay at 1st, with Koskie at DH. So, Hinske to Baltimore for plat of speghetto O's, and a case root beer, might do the trick. Then trade Hillenbrand, to the Yankees, cause they need another "stud" hitter.......

You give Prior 1 or 2 seasons with him, and you can have him fitted for his bust in the Hall of Fame. I couldn't live with seeing another Cubs pitcher go on to have a hall of fame career with another team. Hell, it's hard enough to watch Dontrelle turn into one of the best in the league. I'm praying this was just all talk and there is no real merit to it. But Hendry doesn't seem too eager to shoot down any rumors. Hence the reason, I am becoming less of a fan of the propose Tejada/Prior deal. I want Tejada, but after remember who is the PC in Baltimore, I say forget now.

Quick question guys: Who's the pitching coach in Baltimore? You see were I am going......? I'm starting to pull back on a Prior for Tejada deal.

Difference being that the Cubs paid roughly $22 million for their players, while the Cardinals gave out just over $14 million. On the other hand, Neifi-esque Aaron Miles is no comparison to Juan Pierre. Agreed, but it goes to show HOW EEIRLY similar the Cubs and the Cards have gone about their offseason.

The only way the Orioles walk out of that deal with BOTH Prior and Zito, is if they give up a combination of Nick Markakis/Hayden Penn/Adam Loewen/Val Majewski/Jeff Fiorentino AND Tejada and Bedard. For the Orioles, it will come down to getting Zito OR Prior, but not both. And it will be taboo if the Orioles even mentions C. Zambrano.

Then let's get Victor Zambrano and include him in the deal. It's not that hard. Oh.....wait, your talking about the good Zambrano.....awww............................heck no, he won't go. heck no, he won't go. he no, he won't go. Baltimore must think the Cubs are idiots (at times it is hard to prove otherwise), but in no way shape or form are they going to get Carlos? BTW: what does that tell you about the value of Prior around MLB, in that the Orioles would ACTUALLY prefer Carlos to Prior in trade talks?

Cubs........................ Cards Bobby Howry............. Braden Looper Glendon Rusch.......... Sidney Ponson Scott Erye................. Ricardo Rincon Nefti Perez ............... Deivi Cruz Jacques Jones........... Juan Encarnacion John Mabry............... Larry Bigbie Juan Pierre............... Aaron Miles Jim Hendry and Walt Jockerity(sp?), are they sharing the same brain?

http://www.mlb.com/nyy/photogallery/pr/year_2005/month_12/day_22/cf1286822.html Wow.....Insert you favorite gay joke here......

The fact that Hendry is actually considering a Prior/Tejada swapped shows how desparate he wants to improve the offense. If Hendry trades Prior, he'd better have another top quality starting pitcher in his back pocket.

Sorry to hijack the thread: But ESPNnews (breaking news box at the lower right corner of your tv) is saying: Report: the Cubs WOULD trade Mark Prior. So, apparently, Prior is AVAILABLE, and a Prior for Tejada/Bedard deal maybe closer to happening then previously thought. But take it with a grain of salt.

What's to discuss? KC's had an offseason leaps and bounds better than ours. If you were HIGH.

2B isn't the most obvious place for him to move. SS move because of decreased range, 2B still need range. I'm thinking 3B or LF. Regardless, once you move him out of SS, the premium you pay for production at SS is more than you should pay for production at 2B. You don't trade young top 10 pitchers for a guy you might have to move in a couple years. I hate when other people post "I have a source" stuff, but I'll do it anyway. Take it with a grain of salt. I would do the same if I were in your position. I have a source I respect who tells me that Mark Prior absolutely hates everything about the Chicago Cubs organization. It's almost a 100% sure thing that he's leaving as a free agent the very instant he can. You could be looking at Tejada for four years versus Prior for three years. Obviously, I don't know this for sure. Just something to consider. Considering this is a "I have a source" theory, I simply chose to believe that somebody ELSE is putting words into Prior's mouth. I realize Prior (and who wouldn't, right now) could have a legitimate beef with the Cubs, but I simply don't see any evidence to show one or another. And say what you want, but Hendry is a straight shooter, meaning if he was going to trade Prior, he would tell Mark what's going on. But seeing as this is a "I have a source" theory, you can't agree with something, that hasn't been acknowledged. Until, I see proof that Prior does "hate the Cubs organization", I would chalked this up to overzealous creative writing.

Of course. Nothing is unexpected with this organization. Nothing. Winning Can we plz close this thread, now? 40+ pages of JACQUES JONES is more then enough.

I wouldn't say Prior is "inexpensive." He made $3.55 in 2005, and will no-doubt exercise his right to accept arby sooner rather then later. So Prior, IN ESSENCE, is about to become very EXENSIVE, very quickly. Hence the reason, why the Cubs didn't instantly nec. say no to a Abreu for Prior deal, and the reason why Prior's name has popped in Tejada talks. So the question is....who is more desparate for what: the Cubs for more offense or the Orioles for more pitching?

If RosenD'uh has some truth to this....and that the Cubs are considering a Prior for Tejada deal, then a couple of things will happen....the Cubs WILL get Bedard with Tejada. Baltimore ain't getting BOTH Prior and Pie, and expec the Cubs to eat the contract of Tejada's. If the Cubs have to eat the entire contract then my guess would by Tejada/Bedard/Narkakis (sp?) prospect for Prior/Pie. The other thing that comes out of this is that the Cubs may be nearing a deal for a pitcher in the Millwood, Zito, Weaver mold. This deal isn't as bad as some think, but the Cubs needs to get more the a very GOOD, EXPENSIVE SS, for reasonably cheap young pitcher.

The Cubs would have to get somebody ELSE with Delmon Young from the DRays (say Scott Kazmir) to make that trade happen. Felix Hernandez, at his peak, will be JUST as good (not better, just as good), so that would a lateral move. I would want more then Delmon Young or Felix Hernandez (from their respective teams) before I'd consider a Z trade. Cabrera/ARod/Pujols/Santana are the ONLY ones on that list, I would trade Zambrano for, straight up.

Everybody's favorite Tribune comedic writer is BACK at it again, with a brand new edition: Z/Pie/Perez for Tejada...for the love of baseball god....why won't somebody plz hut him up. Millwood/Weaver/Zito would have to be in the Cubs possession before I would even consider trading Zambrano for Tejada. Trading Z for Tejada, and "hoping" to sign Millwood, etc is not very sound.

Yes, the did, and Winn is clearly the better player right now. Which means....Finley is the league's MOST expensive bench player at $7 million. Nonetheless, why did Sabean go after Finley, when Rickey Henderson was still available? At this stage, I would clearly take Rickey Henderson available? What Sabean couldn't convince Devon White, Goodwin and Goodwin (Tom and Curtis) to come play for the Giants? Was the local AARP out for lunch, and Sabean wasn't patient enough? Anybody who EVER consider Sabean a "genius" is borderline nutso.

There is no chance in heck that Boston trades Manny, right now. As somebody on ESPNnews just said---maybe it was Gammons---but you can't trade Manny for ".50 cents on the dollar" type trade. Meaning, right now....seeing as there is nothing sort of "joke offers" on the table for Manny, I don't see Boston JUST giving Manny away. In others words....MANNY WILL BE MANNY.........IN BOSTON.

This means the "highly anticipation arrival of the king of the new Cardinal throne" Anthony Reyes won't be starting the season in St. Louis, not to mention....it gives the rest of the NL Central,a NEW Matt Morris to pound on.

Don't have too much room for Meche, but I still consider taking that trade.

Correct me if I am wrong, BUT wasn't David Ortiz "less then impressivee" when he was with the Twins? Didn't he "blossomed" when he finally left Minny for Boston and with the help of ManRam, formed "BASEBALL'S most fear 1-2 punch" of Ortiz/Ramirez? Don't get me wrong, I don't expect Jones to turn into a MVP Candidate, but is it possible that LEAVING Minny for a more hitter friendly atmosphere, could help Jones become a better player? I mean in Minny the best "power" he played with was Tori Tunter/Justin Morneau/Matt LeCroy/Ortiz, and now in Chicago he will get to hit behind Ramirez and Lee, and excluding Ortiz, Jones never played with the offensive talents of a Aramis Ramirez, and/or Derrick Lee.....till now. I know I will take poopy for this....but I expect a .281/.335/.496 24 hrs/91rbis in Chicago next yr. Now give me the poopy talk!!!

Coco Crisp is my guess. Nah....It'll be Jeremy Reed. OR maybe Torii Hunter.

I hate to go all spaztic on people here, but JUMPIN' JEBUS of YESTERDAY'S NEWS, what the fraud are your problems? I understand 3 yr and $16 mill is WAY TOO MUCH for Jones, but let's face it the Cubs had NOBODY ready to play RF for atleast 3 yrs, and no Carlos Lee, or Cliff Floyd are not RFers. I hate the fact Hendry gave JJ the deal, but...it's not the end-all contract that will destroy the Cubs season. If JJ is used properly, he is worth the contract, the problem is....the Cubs won't know how to use JJ properly. But, I do think keeping Walker now becomes a priority, regardless of Hendry's "ability to catch the ball" theory. Jones WILL BE FINE for the Cubs, the negativity justs bums me out. Seeing as there was no 'trade on the horizon' for a big bat like Dunn/Abreu/Huff (cause the Cubs don't have the parts needed) and the OTHER choice for RF was Juan Encarnacion....who would you rather have? You don't have the info on what players are available, and regardless of what the media says....I highly doubt Tejada, Abreu, and/or Huff are TRULY available. I do think, 3 yrs and $16 mill is abit much, but stop overreacting, cause you people reaction makes me wanna go and watch "Glitter", to which I really don't want to.

If Texas signs Millwood they COULD have a very solid top of the rotation with Millwood/Eaton/Padilla with Dominguez, Wilson, Benoit competing for the final two spots (with Diamond/Danks coming up fast), the Rangers could finally stumble into some good pitching. Or Millwood could be the next Chan Ho Park, complete down to the agent.