17 Seconds

At this point, I'd prefer Les Miles, Rupert Giles, Aaron Miles, or AJ Styles to Marcus Giles. How about Bruce Miles?

95 wins?

How is Johnson's defense in center?

I don't think anybody is blaming him for being frustrated. But letting everyone know that he's not going to be happy about it could factor into their decisio. Considering the statements hendyr made at the convention (not specifically about the Roberts/Derosa thing) I doubt it. I can't find a quote, but he basically said that the day he lets a player's feelings or opinions affect what he does as GM is the day he should quit. If anything, I think i would make Jim want to get Roberts and then ship Derosa off to another team. That seems to be the standard operating procedure for players who speak out in the Hendry era.

I don't think anybody is blaming him for being frustrated.

You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. Oh. Apparently, I was thinking of this. When the games actually start and Theriot is up at the plate in a meaningful game, I doubt that guy will actually be rooting against him. Not if he's a real fan at least.

That's not even close to what's going on, and you know it. Considering the fact that you accused me of wanting Theriot to fail and rooting against him, I think it's perfectly clear that is what is going on.

I highly doubt Jim promised he's be the starting second baseman for his entire contract. He said he'd be the starting 2B last season, which he was. Things change. Anyways, I don't think anybody here is arguing that Derosa was wrong, they're just saying that he doesn't need to repeatedly be saying it. There's a difference between having the right to say something and actually saying it. This is what, the 5th time he's told the media about how he's unhappy with the situation? We get is Mark, you made your point. Suck it up. He paid his dues and earned a three-year deal to be the starting second baseman for the Chicago Cubs. If he'd underperformed, he'd have nobody supporting him now. But he actually exceeded expectations and now they're going back on the deal. My guess is they wanted him as a supersub all along (primarily because of Ramirez) but the only way he'd sign is if they gave him the starting job. After a year, they're weaseling out and I won't blame him if he raises hell about it. Suck it up, Cubs. He is an employee of the Cubs. What is accomplished by going to the media? Can you tell me? With this team, if you speak out you're more likely to be shipped out than rewarded.

Man up and do what? Hold MacPhail's family hostage until he agrees to deal Roberts? No, man up and and walk away if MacPhail is jerking him around. You realize that we don't HAVE to get Roberts, right? You realize that the Earth will still exist if we walk away, right? What self respecting GM goes after a player for 3 months and a week before opening day still is being jerked around? Now look at what we have, a distraction and still no Roberts. For this to still be going on is pathetic. There is absolutely no reason for this to still be going on. Good GM's don't get dicked around like this. They give a final offer and walk away. Did the Red Sox humor the Twins for 3 months when they asked for Ellsbury and Lester? No, they told them they could have one or the other and walked away. Did the Yankees get jerked around for 3 months when the Twins asked for Hughes and Kennedy? No, they told the Twins to eat it and pulled the original offer off the table while they were at is. As badnews has said, that's how sane organizations handle things. Not to mention those teams were even bidding against other teams. We're not even competing with another team for Roberts services anymore, we're just getting jerked around. It reminds me of a dude getting cheated on by his girl, still wanting to be with her, and then waiting anxiously for his cell phone to ring so he can find out if she still loves him or if she wants to be with the new guy she's banging. Grow a sack and act like a man. You're right, it's stupid for me to expect a negotiation to not go 3 months and create a distraction right before the season starts. I'm completely unrealistic for expecting that. DexterMorgan: Man, all you gotta do is find a girl that looks just like her, nail her, and then dump her, man. Get her of your mind. Lloyd Dobler:I got a question. If you know so much about women, how come you're here at like the NSBB message board on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere? DexterMorgan: By choice, man. I'm at work, that's why I'm here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you posting here right now as well? Exactly. So what's your excuse? Anyways, it would be more helpful if you'd actually stay on topic as opposed to resorting to meaningless insults and weak attempts at humor. Why did I take you off ignore? Again, when people can no longer argue their case, they turn to insults. Instead of insulting me, why don't you attempt to refute the things I say? I don't see how any person who has paid attention to the way this offseason has gone down can possibly say Hendry hasn't gotten jerked around. How can you possibly say that this isn't a disctraction right now? Last I checked, distractions like this are not a good thing. Why am I criticized for stating the obvious? Are you Jim Hendry or something?

Man, does Paul Sullivan ever offer anything worth reading?

Man up and do what? Hold MacPhail's family hostage until he agrees to deal Roberts? No, man up and and walk away if MacPhail is jerking him around. You realize that we don't HAVE to get Roberts, right? You realize that the Earth will still exist if we walk away, right? What self respecting GM goes after a player for 3 months and a week before opening day still is being jerked around? Now look at what we have, a distraction and still no Roberts. For this to still be going on is pathetic. There is absolutely no reason for this to still be going on. Good GM's don't get dicked around like this. They give a final offer and walk away. Did the Red Sox humor the Twins for 3 months when they asked for Ellsbury and Lester? No, they told them they could have one or the other and walked away. Did the Yankees get jerked around for 3 months when the Twins asked for Hughes and Kennedy? No, they told the Twins to eat it and pulled the original offer off the table while they were at is. As badnews has said, that's how sane organizations handle things. Not to mention those teams were even bidding against other teams. We're not even competing with another team for Roberts services anymore, we're just getting jerked around. It reminds me of a dude getting cheated on by his girl, still wanting to be with her, and then waiting anxiously for his cell phone to ring so he can find out if she still loves him or if she wants to be with the new guy she's banging. Grow a sack and act like a man. You're right, it's stupid for me to expect a negotiation to not go 3 months and create a distraction right before the season starts. I'm completely unrealistic for expecting that. DexterMorgan: Man, all you gotta do is find a girl that looks just like her, nail her, and then dump her, man. Get her of your mind. Lloyd Dobler:I got a question. If you know so much about women, how come you're here at like the NSBB message board on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere? DexterMorgan: By choice, man. I'm at work, that's why I'm here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you posting here right now as well? Exactly. So what's your excuse? Anyways, it would be more helpful if you'd actually stay on topic as opposed to resorting to meaningless insults and weak attempts at humor.

Man up and do what? Hold MacPhail's family hostage until he agrees to deal Roberts? No, man up and and walk away if MacPhail is jerking him around. You realize that we don't HAVE to get Roberts, right? You realize that the Earth will still exist if we walk away, right? What self respecting GM goes after a player for 3 months and a week before opening day still is being jerked around? Now look at what we have, a distraction and still no Roberts. For this to still be going on is pathetic. There is absolutely no reason for this to still be going on. Good GM's don't get dicked around like this. They give a final offer and walk away. Did the Red Sox humor the Twins for 3 months when they asked for Ellsbury and Lester? No, they told them they could have one or the other and walked away. Did the Yankees get jerked around for 3 months when the Twins asked for Hughes and Kennedy? No, they told the Twins to eat it and pulled the original offer off the table while they were at is. As badnews has said, that's how sane organizations handle things. Not to mention those teams were even bidding against other teams. We're not even competing with another team for Roberts services anymore, we're just getting jerked around. It reminds me of a dude getting cheated on by his girl, still wanting to be with her, and then waiting anxiously for his cell phone to ring so he can find out if she still loves him or if she wants to be with the new guy she's banging. Grow a sack and act like a man. You're right, it's stupid for me to expect a negotiation to not go 3 months and create a distraction right before the season starts. I'm completely unrealistic for expecting that.

Well that was an intelligent and well thought out response. Show me one instance where I've said anything personal about Theriot or implied anything bad about him other than the fact that I don't think he's a good hitter. SHow me please. I can't stand how anybody who is unhappy with the shortstop situation is branded as a "Theriot hater". It makes me sick, actually.

I highly doubt Jim promised he's be the starting second baseman for his entire contract. He said he'd be the starting 2B last season, which he was. Things change. Anyways, I don't think anybody here is arguing that Derosa was wrong, they're just saying that he doesn't need to repeatedly be saying it. There's a difference between having the right to say something and actually saying it. This is what, the 5th time he's told the media about how he's unhappy with the situation? We get is Mark, you made your point. Suck it up.

I woudln't. He won't meet those projections anyways. So are you just one of those people who roots for players you don't like to fail, even if they're on your favorite team? Look, I don't like the fact that Ryan Theriot is the starting shortstop. There is nothing I can do about that, though, so I would be exceptionally happy if he performed well. Its one thing to be realistic about player performance. Its a completely different thing to actually root against that player. Some did that with Jacque Jones last year, and now SOME are doing it with Theriot. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the decision to start him or bat him leadoff, you need to understand that there's nothing you can do to change it, so you might as well root for him to meet those projections, instead of taking your frustrations with management out on a player who has nothing to do with the decision to put him in the lineup each day. What makes you think I'm rooting for him to fail? Of course I'm not. I would be absolutely thrilled if Theriot surprised everyone and had a great year, I just don't see it as likely. I like Theriot. I like the way he plays and all that stuff, I just don't think he's a good hitter. I want the team to win, period. And stop acting like I'm going to games and yelling "you suck" to Theriot or something like that, because I'm not. I'm expressing my opinion on an internet message board about what I think would give us the best chance to win. I don't blame Theriot, because he is doing everything he can. I blame Jim Hendry, since he is the one responsible for building the team, not Theriot. Not once have I said that I hate Theriot, and not once have I unfairly criticized him. I don't have any ill feeling towards Theriot at all. I just think he's not a very good hitter. Ernie Banks couldn't hit at a major league level right now, but that doesn't mean I dislike him. My sister can't hit at a big league level right now, but that doesn't mean I dislike her. I never said I hope Theriot doesn't meet Bill James projections, I said I don't think it will happen. There's a pretty obvious difference between those 2 things. That being said, is it so much to ask to get some guys with good OBP at the top of the order? Am I wrong for wanting guys to actually get on base in front of Lee and Ramirez? Is that such a radical idea?

I woudln't. He won't meet those projections anyways.

As someone already mentioned, it looks like we're going to have to get Roberts just to save Lou from himself. How can someone possibly consider a 1/2 of Theriot and Soriano? Ay dios mio.

YAH!!! UZE YER PENIS, D00D!!!! Well done.

What a joke. Way to man up Jim.

That doesn't mean he has to continously talk to the media about it. You want to voice your displeasure once or twice and let it be known how you feel? Fine, but I think he needs to shut his mouth now. What he's saying is true, but that doesn't mean he needs to say it over and over again.

It takes 2 parties, both of whom think they are getting a good deal, to make a trade. I'm not sure how guts enters into that. This negotiation is now 3 months also and Hendry is still getting jerked around. It's pretty clear that Hendry wants to make the deal and that Baltimore is the side holding it up. That fact that Hendry has let it drag on while not saying "this is my final offer, take it or leave it" is gutless, plain and simple. Not to mention it's now created a distraction with opening day just over a week away. That's great, everyone knows how key distractions are when avoiding getting off to a slow start.

I didn't really care when he spoke out about it the first time or two, but this is a bit much. He has made it very clear to the media that he is unhappy about it, it doesn't seem necessary to keep saying it. Either way, it pisses me off that Jim has created a distraction right before opening day. He should have grown a sack long ago and told the Orioles this is my offer, take it or leave it. For this to still be dragging on is pathetic.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080321-cubs-mark-derosa-trade-chicago,1,3320569.story Add another notch to the distraction factor.

It sounded like he was using a cliche phrase to imply that we should be going young and that Hill is not good. Relax.

Seriously, I've been against the Roberts trade, but I don't know if I can tolerate watching Theriot lead off every day.