NorthsideAvenger

Oh great. Welcome to the next reincarnation of Eric Gagne. Why.....is Farnsworth going to have 2 TJ surgeries, just like Gagne?

Uh...no, cause I seriously doubt they would want Marquis, considering they already unloading his twin (Tim Redding) on the Yanks. ANY discussions for Giles would start off with Anythony Reyes, and Hawksworth or Wainworth. Book it. In other words, don't expect the Cards land any BIG name OFer.

And then add in the fact that you could prolly spit over the LF fence, and I am NOT surprise that Moyer elected NOT to go to a hitter's paradice.

It's official, Sabean is a moron who i out to destroy the Giants organization. In a matter of 2 yrs, he has traded: Liriano, Nathan, Bonser, Williams, Aardsma, and Foppert for Piernyzki (sp?), Hawkins and Winn. I don't care how anybody---epsecially Sabean---try and spin it, that is ridiculous. I understand Bonds has MAYBE 2 yrs left in him, and the Giants fill obligated to try and win while Bonds is still in baseball, but come on....Foppert, Liriano,Williams,Aardsam were considered to be some of the game's best young arms and ALL that got is a RELIEVER, a catcher who they released, and a journeyman OFer. I don't know what it tells anybody else, but it reeks of desparation.

My favorite moments of Sandberg was when there was a guy on first with 1 (or no outs) and slow grounder hit to him. Watching him make the pivot to throw to second, and then watching Dunston load up his cannon for the throw to first. Everytime the Cubs completed a 4-6-3 double play, it would bring :D to my face. They say that Trammell/Whitaker was the best DP combo of the 80's, but Sandberg/Dunston definately RIVALED them.

The Cards have 2 or 3 very good pitching prospects that were much more highly regarded than Hill. Wainright is the only name that comes to mind but Jocketty has shown he's not afraid to trade prospects for splash deals. See Haren, Dan & Isringhausen, Jason Had they NOT wasted Haren, Calero, and Barton on Mulder (not an ace, not an ace), then I would be worried about the Cards getting Dunn. But seeing as their FARM SYSYEM is very limited in what the Cards can/can't do, I not to worried about the Cards getting Dunn, cause they don't have enough.

Jerome Williams has averaged 5.1 IP per start in 05. Hill has made 1 start and last 5 innings, with his average of a little more then 2 IP per outing. Does THAT not concern anybody? We have two guys who are going to taxed the bullpen in a hurry unless they start pitching deep in the game. With Hendry, you never know who he is ACTUALLY targeting until the deal is announced, but is it me, or is today's start by Hill can alter what the Cubs do at the deadlne? I get the feeling the Cubs want/need Rusch in the pen as the 2nd lefty. The feeling I get, is that Hendry is targeting a starting pitcher (no basis, but considering the Cubs have two young pitchers who can barely average 5 innings per start), and I believe they don't trust Mitre in a WC race. Call me crazy, but I believe the Cubs are going to acquire another starting pitcher.

Perhaps, but I rather keep Murton, and USE the money that would have been spent on Manny on re-signing players like Prior, Zambrano, and Lee. You'd have to agree Murton/Prior/Z/Lee is better then Manny Ramirez and NO Prior/Z/Murton/Lee. You say #2 hitters are "a dime a dozen", yeah which is true, but the Cubs can have ONE particular #2 hitter like Murton for atleast 4 yrs at a VERY cheap rate. Instead paying a vet #2 hitter like Mueller 3+ mill per for 4 yrs, the Cubs have a #2 hitter at $300K for atleast 3 yrs. The OBJECT is to build a competitive team, not build and All-Star team.

Call this a gut feeling, but for some reason, I see Lawton back to Minnesota.

The Cubs will win this game.

Well, anything dealing with what Hendry might or might not do is purely SPECULATION from the fans part, anyways. But going after Giles would be counteracting what he has ALREADY have stated. He has said he wanted players that help for this yrs, and for the next few yrs. Giles SIMPLY does not meet those qualifications. That is not to say if the "right price" comes along, Hendry wouldn't go after Giles, but as of right now, I simply don't see him going after Giles, considering Giles would PREFER staying near his home in California. Don't take this the wrong way, but this "friend who knows a friend" situation seems to fishy to me. Just because ""acquaintances" says Hendry might have some "quiet interest" in Giles, doesn't mean jack. You said "I was speaking to you, not asking Hendry's mindset," but doesn't you "acquaintances" also speculate about Hendry mindset. So it is alright for somebody who claims to have "direct contact" to speculate about Hendry's mindset, but not a fan? You know.....you can't have your cake, and expect to have mine. Alou, and Maddux WERE SPECIAL CASES. Alou was brought in at the request of Sammy Sosa. Had Sammy not been here at the time.....Alou would NOT have signed with the Cubs. Chalk that up to Sosa wanting Alou. Maddux was a TREMENDOUSLY special case, because he was chasing down 300, and the Cubs wanted to rake in on the profit. Giles/Ramirez/Lee would be a killer 3-4-5 (not 2-3-4), but the goal of the Cubs is to win the World Series, FIRST, but also build a CORE for a long-term. Again Giles---while a fine player---is not a player Hendry should be concentrating on. If it was Bobby Abreu. Ok. Who said Giles WOULD EVEN leave California. If I am not badly mistaken, but a couple of yrs ago (while a Pirate) he refused a trade to the White Sox. So, that tells me, that he would have reservations about going to Chicago. The Cubs don't need to build an "MVP Baseball" type lineup, which you are implying they should, they should build a team that can win now and in the future. I understand your concerns about a Pie/Murton/Kearns OF, which is why I fully believe Pie will start 2006 in AAA and stick with Hairston. But Murton I have NO DOUBTS about him producing. All great hitters start with the ability to take a pitch, which Murton has shown. Matt Murton will be a player in this league for the next 10 yrs. And on Kearns...I am a little more comprehensive about him producing, but getting him out of Cincy and away from the organizational turmoil, could do nothing BUT help him relax. And if you haven't notice, RELAXED ballplayers tend to become productive players (Aram) I just don't see Hendry going after Brian Giles older type veterans, when he has in-house candidate, who given the opportunity, would produce at a much LOWER salary. Hendry is trying to build a dynasty, not a "lightning in a bottle."

I love "The Creature's" raw potential, but compare to Murton, Dubois is Rob Deer. I mean compare stats all you want, but the MAIN difference between Murton and Dubois is that, Murton is a student of the game. Murton is also considered a "gamer" and that he will do what it takes to win a game for the Cubs. Walk? Done. XTra base hit? Done. Bunt?Done. Dubois is simply a MASHER, that's it. I don't need stats to tell me what my eyes already do. Murton: complete hitter. Reminds me of Paul O'neill (and that is not a bad thing.) Dubois: Power masher. Reminds me of Rob Deer/Jay Buhner. Not saying that is a bad thing, just saying not what the Cubs need. And just because the Cubs "MAY" pick up an OF before the deadline, doesn't mean Murton won't be part of the Cubs in 06.

Those shades must be really hindering his sight, cause he can't be THAT stupid....(pause shifty eyes left/right.....palm to forehead, d'oh).....of course he could. Something tells me Hendry is going to make sure Baker plays Nomar more then nefti, or Hendry might have to take that reason away.

What about Brian Giles? I'd say the ONLY concern with Giles is age, and I'd place more in Giles keeping it up for 3 more years than Kearns reaching that level. He wants to stay in San Diego or play with his brother and he'd take less to do either, but I'm not sure either team will give him enough to make "less" worth it. Giles has the 4th best EqA in the NL this year. Age is EXACTLY the reason why Giles is not on Hendry wishlist. While a fine player, he is beginning to become "overpaid" as he is getting older, and I believe Hendry isn't exactly to hot after a player---while a fine player, still---who will be 35 yrs old before next season. Hendry doesn't have a vision for the short-term, his version is of BOTH short-term and long-term, hence the reason why he is specifically trying to get Kearns or the OTHER OFer that has tremendous power.

Based on the comments lately and Bruce telling us that Hendry wouldn't do a Dunn for Hill straight up trade, I'm not sure we do anything. TSN said we were looking for a righty which means Kearns, but he just had one lucky year, I dont think hes an upgrade over what we have and getting a righty makes no sense. We should get a lefty to platoon with Murton. Huff (as expected) has been tearing it up in the second half (in July 314/352/616) near his with his post ASB numbers from 2002-2004 of 327/378/566. His OPS vs righties is 70 points higher against righties. We dont know how Nomar is going to do coming back, we do know he will be an upgrade over Neifi, but this team still needs a big bat to protect ARAM and Lee. Williamson looks like hes at top form so that will be a big boost. Wuertz, Novoa, and Williamson can split the 7th and the 8th and if Wood can come back thats becomes a really deep pen. Its been said by almost all in the game, its nearly impossible this year to improve your bullpen. Its a sellers market big time and anything we pick up for the pen is going to cost more than its worth. I still believe that Kearns will become a Cubs before the deadline. And I believe he is an UPGRADE over what the Cubs will be looking at during the OFFSEASON. I mean, I could definately live with a Murton/Pie/Kearns OF in 06.

The Royals are "reportedly" wanting Felix Pie for either Jeremy Affeldt or Mike MacDougal. So I would STAY AWAY from KC until the bring their "demands" down 95%.

My uneducated crack at it; CF/LF Gremlin 2B Perez 1B Lee (don't be surprised if Walker gets the start here, at 1B) 3B Ramirez (unless Walker plays 2B, and Perez takes 3B, nobody left to sub in here) RF Hollandsworth LF/CF Gerut C Blanco SS Cedeno P Zambrano My guess is....WE COULD SEE both Gerut and Holly in the lineup. Gerut Walker Lee Burnitz ARam Holly Perez Barrett

The Cubs WILL win later today. Cause the Giants will be sitting Vizquel, Alou, Durham, because Alou always uses the "don't play the OLDER veterans in the day game right after a LONG NIGHT game" theory. If the Cubs don't win later today, I will be severely disappointed. How does Macias look at himself in the mirror, everyday? I mean he is legitimately STEALING money and playing time from the Cubs.

I SERIOUSLY doubt Huff is even on Hendry radar, for a couple of reason: 1: The Thing from Fantastic Four has MORE athelehticism and defensive ability the Huff. 2: Lamar (the Devil Dogs GM) would be asking for the world. He got the Mets to bite on the Kazmir/V. Zambrano deal, and he ASKED for Carlos Zambrano for Danys Baez. So image what Lamar is asking for when your talking Aubrey Huff.

BUT he may have HURT the Reds chances of actually GETTING decent package from another team, knowing that Kearns ACTUALLY prefers going to the Cubs. Like I said, "I ALMOST expect the Kearns to be a Cubs, maybe for Patterson, and a decent pitcher like Mitre." I guarantee they wouldn't get a better deal then that.

Something tells me that Hendry was giving Baker subtle hints at using Murton and/or Cedeno. I don't think Baker makes these changes without a little prodding from Hendry.

Unfortunately, neither will happen. The Reds won't want to trade a big bat to a division rival, and Murton could be the 2nd coming of Babe Ruth and Dusty still wouldn't play him more than once a week. I disagree. You can't run a team under the rules that you "can't trade a player to your rival" cause you sink just as quick. If the package helps the REDS, they would move Kearns and/or Dunn. Heck, both Dunn AND Kearns are very disgruntled in Cincy, and Kearns has publicly begged the Cubs to trade for him. I ALMOST expect Kearns to be a Cubs before the deadline.

What people are forgetting is that Hendry has already stated he won't make a trade unless it helps for 05 and BEYOND. http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-kiley12.html As it implies in this article, he is looking for somebody can help now and beyond. I don't think Delucci and Soriano fits into what Hendry wants to do. If you haven't notice but Hendry has added guys who have the ability to draw a walk (Gerut, Murton, etc) so Soriano is definately out. Delucci really doesn't factor into the Cubs plans after this yr, so I doubt Delucci/Soriano are EVEN on Hendry mind. As somebody mention earlier, I believe Kearns is the bat the Cubs are going to acquire. They love him, he loves the Cubs. He's young, reasonably cheap, and can help for the foreseeable future. Either that, or Hendry is chasing after Kearns to help lower the asking price for Dunn (which I doubt, considering that Hendry is a honest guy).

Or how about getting a LEGIT CF who can hit, field, and run, and put Hairston in LF, where he is abit more comfortably, defensively.

Nobody. They have the day off. lol, brainfart, who starts for san fran? Jason Schmidt Aren't the Cubs facing a team that MIGHT ACTUALLY BE BETTER off using their AAA team? Feliz? Durham? Niekro (who might be a'ight in time)? If Hill---if he is the starter---doesn't go 6 solid innings with atleast 7/8 K's, then I will be severely disappointed in Hill. Now whoelse can see this situation: Giants/Cubs tied at 4 going into the bottom of the 8th. SURPRISE call...Alou brings in LaTroy Hawkins to face---my guess---Perez/Blanco/Gerut as pinch-hitter, and he promptly gives up 6 runs?