NorthsideAvenger

Don't hold your breathe......DUDE. Dusty seems too laid-back for that. This team has quit on him. They look like they don't even care anymore. They're not covering bases, and they're making errors that first year little leaguers know not to make. It's hard to be optimistic about anything when the team doesnt look like they care. It makes you wonder if Baker is REALLY trying to get himself fire. He didn't downplay---he sidestepped--- the offseason article that Chicago hasn't treated him well, and was consider a town who didn't want to see a black man succeed with power. He was alledgely pining for the Dodgers jobs, even tho he has ALSO side-step this contreversy. Hendry had basically forced him into playing Cedeno, Dubois, Murton. Hendry has also force him to change his Patterson/Perez fascination, by sending Patterson down. This maybe all coincendental, but IME, it looks Baker is trying to get fired from the Cubs.

Don't hold your breathe......DUDE.

Yes he does, but he wouldn'be traded, thus he can't reject, unless he simply does not show up at the other team. This is a case of one team just GIVING a player away. I believe that a players no trade / 10&5 rights are not ignored when it comes to waiver claims -- i.e. they can still reject the move to the waiver claiming team. From the waiver rules thread: Ok, I wasn't positive about the situation about Junior and the 10/5 rights. Thanks for clearing that up. But I can't see Junior refusing to get out of Cincy, if it meant going to a contender, outside of New York.

The whole Royal roster plus their whole farm system for Pie. (Royals pay all salaries) I still don't think I'd do it. I would do a Pie for Butler and Alex Gordon in a heartbeat. If the Royals want to add their entire farm system for Pie let them go ahead. If Gordon ever signs, he will probably be a better prospect than Pie before too long. I don't know about that. I like Gordon and everything, and when it comes down to it, I believe Pie's speed makes him a better prospect, IMO. I really like Gordon, but I wouldn't say he will end up being a better prospect then Pie. On the same level perhaps, but not better.

Yes he does, but he wouldn'be traded, thus he can't reject, unless he simply does not show up at the other team. This is a case of one team just GIVING a player away.

USAToday.com The White Sox, whose deal for Ken Griffey Jr. (for three minor league prospects) was killed by Reds owner Carl Lindner last weekend, would revisit their trade talks if Griffey clears waivers in August. ... The Padres plan to trade third baseman Sean Burroughs to the White Sox this week for Triple-A outfielder Joe Borchard. Junior to the White Sox makes more sense then Junior to the Yankees. If the White Sox get Junior, it will legitimze their lineup. I mean, Pods/Igauchi/Konerko/Junior/Dye/Everett(dh)/Piernyski/Burroughs (if happen)/Uribe, wouldn't be Murderer's Row, but it is more frightening, without Junior in it. They could literally go L-R (aka Bakerology) throughout the lineup. One last thing on the White Sox....man was Joe Borchard on of the BIGGEST busts in baseball history. Talk about a player who couldn't hit a curveball. It must svck knowing the White Sox gave Borchard one of the largest bonus in history, and he did NOTHING for them. There's the baseball draft in a nutshell. A decent starter, and over-the-hill CF, and a middle of the road reliever for a still prime young starter, and a very good CF? What was Phillies thinking? Did they know that the Marlins GM is NOT an idiot, cause I sure as hell would have laugh at that proposal.

You know the sad thing....Scoop Jackson got what he wanted.....a reaction. That is what journalist---and I used that loosely with Scoop Jackson---wants.....reaction. He got each and everybody here to read that article. You kow the saying, "There is no such thing as bad publicity", and he used it.

Now that would make me pause, and think about it. I don't know if I would do as fast as you, but it would definately make me think.

The OTHER problem I see---at least this yr---is that you have a few pseudo contending teams, still thinking they are in contention. The NL West is a pseudo division this yr, cause they got NO team that deserves to be in the playoffs, but somebody has to go. So there is 4 pseudo contenders...the Cubs could be consider pseudo contending....Mets, Phils,Baltimore,Toronto...etc...weren't ready to convince their fan base they weren't contenders. But I do agree the trade deadline should be adjusted. But, imo, baseball should start their season about 1/2 weeks before April hits, and the deadline should be move to around the 17th of August, thus giving teams an additional 5 week---couple the moving back the deadline with starting earlier---to figure out if they are contending or not.

Really? I'd trade any Cub if it made the team better. I'm sure KC could put together a nice package for Pie. THE only player on the Royals, or in their system I would even considered for Felix Pie is Zack Greinke. And even then, I still wouldn't do it. Pie is going to be a "special" player, and you don't trade special players. You know this how? Special like Patterson? Or Hill? Choi? Harris? Not doubting Pie has the skill set to do well, but I'm not buying any prospect as being "the next big thing" until they actually prove it. There is a DIFFERENT feeling when I watch Pie play. When I saw HS Choi play, I thought he would be an above-average 1st baseman with good baseball skills. I was thinking a more talented Travis Lee. Hill never impressed me. Hill, like baseball beckett said, reminded them of a future utility guy. A more hyped Jose Macias, as you will. Corey Patterson has befuddled me. I like Corey, but his stubbornish, his belief that he is a "POWER" hitter, when he isn't built (his body language doesn't say that) for power, but for more average/power. He want reinvent himself. With Pie, there is the "IT" factor. He wants to to get better. This is a story going around about Pie taking away several doubles that most CFers don't get to, but missed the last catch, and pissed about it. That tells me there is a competitve streak, not seen in alot of players the Cubs have. He wants to catch everything, he wants to win. He will do what it takes to win. Now maybe I am overhyping Pie, but of all the prospects the Cubs have had, he is the ONE, I feel will make it. I can't explain why I feel it, but you know. The Expos knew with Vlad. Seattle knew it with ARod. The Marlins knew it like Cabrera. I am not saying Pie will enter their levels of superstardom, but I do believe he has the talent/ability to reach it. Is it the same feeling you get when Bugs Bunny wears a dress? :albino: No, but knowing that you like to think about Bugs Bunny in a dress, makes me :D, tho. I just don't want the Cubs to trade Pie, simply because fans are jaded at FORMER top prospects.

Well, right now...getting Fontenot for Sosa is a HECK OF A DEAL for the Cubs. And don't the Orioles still owe the Cubs a player, consider Crouthers retire, unexpectedly?

I am not a Mariotti fan, but he get a =D> for this article. http://www.suntimes.com/output/mariotti/cst-spt-jay03.html

Didn't the Cards initially make Matt Morris a reliever after TJS, so that he could build his arm strength, without having the starters "workload?" I do not forsee a permantely switch to relief, even if he is dominant. I actually believe working out of the pen, and losing a pitch (I heard the Cubs ask KW to drop a pitch) might help get KW back on track with his career. If he can turn that corner....NO TRIO in baseball could match Z/Prior/Wood.

:shock: Kerry Takatsu? Kinda struck me as odd, but my mom swears that those were the ranges. Also, he's very cute. :roll: Now that we have establish Kerry Wood's "cute factor", maybe having that monkey off his back will help KW pitch better. :lol:

I think Butler has slightly more ability with the bat---power wise---but considering he has 21 errors in 88 games at High A, and they just drafted a pretty darn good 3rd baseman, offensively and defensively---LF just seems to be Butler's destiny. And if Butler is moved to LF, I think it slightly takes some luster off his status. But athlethic, I think I still take Pie over Butler. I think in time, Pie could be an impact---depending on hwo your define impact---bat for the Cubs.

Really? I'd trade any Cub if it made the team better. I'm sure KC could put together a nice package for Pie. THE only player on the Royals, or in their system I would even considered for Felix Pie is Zack Greinke. And even then, I still wouldn't do it. Pie is going to be a "special" player, and you don't trade special players. You know this how? Special like Patterson? Or Hill? Choi? Harris? Not doubting Pie has the skill set to do well, but I'm not buying any prospect as being "the next big thing" until they actually prove it. There is a DIFFERENT feeling when I watch Pie play. When I saw HS Choi play, I thought he would be an above-average 1st baseman with good baseball skills. I was thinking a more talented Travis Lee. Hill never impressed me. Hill, like baseball beckett said, reminded them of a future utility guy. A more hyped Jose Macias, as you will. Corey Patterson has befuddled me. I like Corey, but his stubborn, his belief that he is a "POWER" hitter, when he isn't built (his body language doesn't say that) for power, but for more average/power. He won't reinvent himself. With Pie, there is the "IT" factor. He wants to to get better. This is a story going around about Pie taking away several doubles that most CFers don't get to, but missed the last catch, and pissed about it. That tells me there is a competitve streak, not seen in alot of players the Cubs have. He wants to catch everything, he wants to win. He will do what it takes to win. Now maybe I am overhyping Pie, but of all the prospects the Cubs have had, he is the ONE, I feel will make it. I can't explain why I feel it, but you know. The Expos knew with Vlad. Seattle knew it with ARod. The Marlins knew it like Cabrera. I am not saying Pie will enter their levels of superstardom, but I do believe he has the talent/ability to reach it.

Not counting tonight, but here is Dempster's line as a reliever this yr: Saves/SVO 14/16 Ave .217 WHIP: 1.24 H/IP: 25/32.1 Yeah....he is no closer. :roll: -------- CubsHawk, to say someone is not a closer because he "sweats too much", is a weak, and invalid argument. New flash, all closers sweat. Consider this fact....at the time that Dempster was pitching, it was around 90 degree, not blistering, but not "cool" by any means necessary. Add in the fact that the lights are not "cool" either. ALL closers have games like this, where they make it a heart attack game, but all the great ones, find a way to get out of it. In fact, this MAY HAVE BEEN Dempster's most impressive outing as a closer. He didn't have his stuff, he struggled. He EARNED this save tonight. Regardless of any statement you make, Dempster is a BONAFID closer, and to compare him to Hawkins, would be like comparing Novoa to Mariano Rivera. You can't do it.

Really? I'd trade any Cub if it made the team better. I'm sure KC could put together a nice package for Pie. THE only player on the Royals, or in their system I would even considered for Felix Pie is Zack Greinke. And even then, I still wouldn't do it. Pie is going to be a "special" player, and you don't trade special players.

Or Macias/Walker/Holly.

Hill also AVERAGED a little more then 6.1 IP in the minors. This is a not NEW thing. The Cubs need pitchers who can eat innings. And with today's OUTING by Maddux, the Cubs now have three starters who can barely go 5 innings. So, if you don't think the Cubs shouldn't be concern about Hill's (Maddux and Williams) inability to go deep into a game CONSISTANTLY, then you are overlooking a problem. I like Hill, but his stamina tells me, he is a middle reliever dressed up as a starter. You can't have three guys in the rotation, barely giving you 5 IPs per start, you taxed the bullpen TOO quick. And ignoring the problem won't go away. 6 1/3+ per outing isn't good? who do you want out there, bob feller? and hasn't williams gone 6+ in five of his six starts? Pitching strong into the 6th inning, and pitching the 6th inning are NOT the same thing. Barry Zito just had an outing in which he went 7 innings, but gave 5 ERs. Do you call that a "quality start?" No. 6.1 IP/start is ONLY good if he does it consistantly. Pitching say 6 here, 3 there, 8 here, 2.1---for example---is not what I would consider consistant. I like Hill and Williams, alot, and I think people are misreading what I am trying to say. Maddux is barely getting 5 innings, but he has an excuse...he is 39 yr old finese pitcher. Hill/Williams have to put together consistant quality starts, and considering the Cubs have this "on again/off again" split personality about the playoffs, I don't think you can trust THREE pitches only going 5, maybe a weak 6 innings, during a postseason run. I hope they prove me wrong.

Griffey is a guy who would make it through waivers, because of his large contract. I sure would love to see the Cubs get him, however, I think the Cubs are done with deals for the season. Griffey could get through waivers, but could the players being sent to Cincy get through? Exactly. I doubt whoever we send them would get through. First: Cincy would have a HIGHER priority then all but 5 teams. Meaning they would have a very high priority pick. Second: All the Cubs would have to do is get either Hairston, and/or Patterson to Cincy's pick in the waiver wire, which I am confident we could do. Not to mention a 3rd player could be the INFAMOUS player to named later, which they Cubs would then send in the offseason. I don't see getting Junior would be all that difficult. If we truly wanted Junior. His contract would ALL BUT GET HIM TO CHICAGO in the waiver wire priority pick.

But both the Yankees and the Cards would have LOWER priority to claim Junior. Junior already stated he won't go to NY, especially after the Yankees treated his father (don't know why people still think Junior will change his mind and go to the Yankees), so I SERIOUSLY doubt Junior would be willing to go to NY. He's already BLOCKED one trade to NY, My guess is...he would block a 2nd. And the Cardinals....I seriously DOUBT Junior makes it to St. Louis spot in the waiver wire.

Never. Besides I believe Farnsworth is a FA, a RENTAL. So I doubt Farnsy stays in Atlant beyond this season. Isn't Farns from Georgia? I think he'll happily re-sign with the Braves. I also expect him to close for them very soon if not immediately. Yes, but with the Braves being on a tight budget, and the way Farnsy has pitched this yr.....The Mets are going to prolly offer a 5 yr $50 million dollar contract to attain Farnsy as closer/LBer coach for the New York Giants.

Does anybody think this "mid-afternoon" deadline is a waste of time for everybody involved? I remember the deadline being around mid-night thus every team could HAVE every possible moment to try and make a trade work.

Never. Besides I believe Farnsworth is a FA, a RENTAL. So I doubt Farnsy stays in Atlant beyond this season.