NorthsideAvenger

Some people think I'm crazy for saying the Cubs need a "lefty" in the lineup. That truly do. I would seriously consider Barrett to Arizona for Estrada/prospect. And put Jones in CF. Mine is in bold. If and when Pie is ready (he needs atleast a 1/2 half to a FULL season in AAA, before he is ready) Jones won't be blocking Pie.

Wonderful Terrific Monds, III A name so cool, it need to be repeated three times.

per TCR. Interesting, and it does add some credibility that there is a deal in place, just waiting for the RIGHT time to announce it.

I, for one, think unless the Cubs lands a QUALITY lefty bat for the lineup, I think Jones has to be kept. I am not keen on an ALL RIGHT HANDED hitting lineup, unless all 8 hitters at either at the above-average to great at their position. Beisdes....I think the Cubs could get a better deal for Jones after 07 when he has only ONE YR LEFT on his deal.

Link. From what I can ascertain, Muskat is not a very good "beat writer". Rarely has she come up with insider knowledge regarding the direction the Cubs are going to take. It looks like she is taking info from various other sources and turning them into her own analysis. Her "analysis" is more opinion based then most others. Atleast respective reporters atleast "quote sources" whereas Muskat quote her own opinion as source. And that source isn't very reliable.

No thank you. I'm thinking more along the lines of say.....Guzman/ptbnl.

Personally, I thought the RIGHT guy won the MVP award. No disrespect to Pujols, but since Abreu was dealt, Howard was the LONE RANGER on the Phillies team that was expected to fade after the trade, but managed to stay in the hunt. I would not have had a problem with Pujols winning it, I just think the RIGHT player won it.

Kaplan also quoted unnamed agents as saying that Hendry's presentation was the best he'd ever seen and that Hendry's rep among players (past and present) helped seal the deal. Lou was active in this recruiting process and also met with Soriano separately. Hendry says he'll be pursuing pitching. As I posted earlier, there's some speculation that they wanted to sign Soriano early to boost credibility and improve there chances with potential FAs, such as Schmidt. hmmm schmidt? now your talking!!!! :D I mean honestly. If you were shmidt. And Hendry came to you with his plan to win. Then you look at the Cubs line-up now. With Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, Barret, Jones in it, wouldn't you think you'd have a good chance to win here? Would the "winning" play a part in wanting to come over? The difference between not re-signing Ramirez. To now having Ramirez, Lee, AND Soriano. Makes this team look MUCH more attractive to FAs. Considering the other team that is supposedly going after shmidt currently resides in the Bronx, he has a better option. But it is a EASIER road to the World Series in the NL, then it is in the AL. Not to mention Schmidt has seen what the AL has done to pitchers going from the NL to the AL in recent yrs. (ie Beckett/Randy Johnson) My guess is....unless the Yanks GROSSLY JUAN PIERRE'D Schmidt, I get the feeling that it will be only Seattle as the only AL team he would be interested in. My guess is Schmidt stays in the NL (not saying the Cubs, but perhaps.....Arizona?).

Don't forget the Cubs are gettin a pick for Pierre, so the Cubs are winners on both ends.

Apparently all the money they made last year didn't make they play hard. Funny what a little optomism and a coach that demands playing hard every day can do. My point is there has got to be alot of positive energy around the club with the direction this off-season is going. Positive energy is a good thing. Martha Stewart, is that you? 8)

No he's only a type B Hey, that's something.

Yeah, it's nice to keep him in the NL. "Single... no, double to center!" "ending a streak of 18 4-3 groundouts." "thrown out trying to steal third and Kent will come up with the bases empty....again." And Kent says something under his breathe that can't be repeated.

Prolly not, unless it was for a guy like ManRam, or somebody of that ilk.

Link Detroit would be a nice fit for Floyd. He can platoon with Monroe, and DH, and give the Tigers more options next yr. So I highly doubt Floyd will settle for a bench role with the Cubs.

The fact that the ONLY two players---non pitchers---who showed up to play were Casey and Guillen (both hit from the left side, with Guillen being a switch hitter), I have no doubt if they had one or two more lefties, they would have won the series. If the Cubs were an AL team, Carlos Lee would be a fine DH. But his ballooning weight, makes his UNATTRACTIVE for an NL team. Say what you will about Soriano, but atleast Soriano is more the antlethic enough to play at least league average defense, which you can't say about Lee. I would stay away from Lee.

Weren't most of those ABs in the lead-off spot from last year, his career (and also walk) year? There were a lot of variables for him at play last year (new league, walk year, lead off, etc). Hard to say which was most important. At any rate, we're paying him $17m, he can hit anywhere I darn well tell him to (or, more likely, anywhere Lou tells him to). This is how I'd set it up, though JH is likely to ditch Jones for a CF and DeRosa wasn't brought in to be a backup, but whatever: Theriot 2B Murton LF Lee 1B ARam 3B Soriano RF Barrett C Jones CF Izturis SS I'd like to get rid of 7 & 8, but I don't know who we'll bring in for those spots now. Sweet Lou has already stated that Soriano is going to bat leadoff in 2007. So, any discussion otherwise is pretty much a moot point.....FOR NOW.

The last I heard, was that Boston offer Drew a "good deal", and that 'Piniella's Cubs have matched the offer" and that was a few days ago. So, who knows if there is a legit offer (seeing as Boras is the agent), or if the Cubs even are going to keep any offer they may have made on the table, with the hopes that the Cubs have CF open and the job would Drew (who is said to prefer CF to the corner spot).

Getting Soriano makes getting Carlos Lee redunant. What the Cubs need is a JD Drew type LEFTY who can split up the predominately right handed lineup that the Cubs currently have. And if people think having a lefty hitter is "overated" try telling that to Detroit. If they had a very good lefty hitter (and not Casey)....who knows how the WS would have played. Their predominately right handed lineup played into the Cards hands. So, naturally the Cubs need a "lefty" in the middle of the order like a JD Drew.

Pretty solid move for Cat and the Rangers.

I'd take Westbrook and Jennings, thank you.

Chalk me down in the "love the signing, hate the contract" group. Now it's not secret I wanting Drew, because I felt the Cubs had no shot at Soriano, I do think he is slightly turning the corner on plate discipline. Now, considering he is coming to Wirgley Field, and presumably a BETTER lineup then what Washington trotted out there, I could see him maintain a .280/.340/.520/.940 line for at least 4 yrs. And if Kaplan is correct on it actually being a 5 yr $90 mill with 3 yrs worth of options, then this signing is a huge signing for the Cubs. But, Soriano by himself is not going to turn the Cubs around. The Cubs still need to address the bench (Blanco/Theriot/Izzy or Cedeno, is abit week) and add into a couple of pitchers. If the Cubs can do that, I could see them passing the Cards 83 wins, by early August. And with a little luck, maybe the Cards will miss the playoffs next yr, like the White Sox did this yr.

Neither do I. With Alou, I was more frustrated at his reaction then anything.

Alex Cora for 2 yrs/$ 4mill Alex Gonzalez for 3 yrs/$15 mill Man, and we thought the Cubs thought TOO HIGHLY of all glove/no hit SS. Between the two Alex's, they will get NO OFFENSIVE help. Wow.

Sorry Derwood, if Hendry wanted to emulate the Cardinals, Hendry would have made his deal with the devil before the Cardinals did. BTB, the deal with the devil should be expiring soon, I believe.

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/cubs.asp Bruce Miles' article, mind you: At the very BOTTOM on the article. So, we got one out of town source saying the Cubs have "matched" an offer for JD Drew, and then we have a LOCAL writer saying that Drew isn't even on the "front burner yet? Do we as fans, even have a clue what is ACTUALLY going on?