Splendid Splinter

I agree with that. Having Reed Johnson/Jim Edmonds made it an easy decision for the Cubs in 2008. I still think they should've kept him as Pie showed a big jump in production the last 2 years with the O's (98/93 OPS+ in 589 PAs compared to 52/63 OPS+ with the Cubs in 287 PAs) that he could've at least been a 4th OF (due to his defense and PR) and he's only gonna turn 26 next month. But if he would've stayed, Lou would've just ruined him or wipe out all of his trade value (not that he had much when they did trade him)... Signing Joey Gathright after trading Pie was probably the worst move I've ever seen from Hendry. I mean what was the difference between Gathright and Pie? Gathright had more speed? But that was when Hendry/Lou had to get more speed/lefties on the team. I remember they didn't want Gathright anymore so they traded him for Freel who did even worse than Gathright. I mean they could've kept Pie the entire time and never had that mess.

Don't exactly want to hijack the thread here, but I got a couple questions though (this is for anybody on here to answer)... I just moved to Fayetteville, AR 2 weeks ago for Architecture school. Royals AA team/stadium is not even 10 minutes away from where I live now. I'm thinking about getting either a 7-game or 11-game package (along with other single game tixs if I have the time). My questions are... (you guys can PM me or say it here) Who are the prospects that I should watch out for? (Royals AA and the rest of the Texas league) Will Mike Trout be with the Angels AA team this season? What is Arvest Ballpark like? (like the stadium itself, any great/bad spots to watch, hitters/pitchers park?,etc...) What other Texas League team do I need to see? If there's anything else, or something you would recommend, just go ahead and add to it... I'm just curious cuz I used to go watch the Indianapolis Indians a few times a year the past couple years and love to watch the minor leagues games. I'm not really knowledgeable on the minor leagues/prospects/etc... (I mainly know the Cubs farm system and like other big time prospects like Hellickson/Montero/Harper/etc...) I'm pretty excited to see the Naturals as they should have a few of their big prospects playing there this year. Thanks.

Five pounds of muscle a month, for someone at the right age and with the right frame? From the proper starting point and with the right workout and diet, yeah, that is totally feasible. That's what I was thinking. My freshman year of college, first couple of months was me losing a little weight (5-10 lbs) while getting toned then the last 3-4 months I gain about 17 lbs (if not all, then most, of it was muscles added). I end up being 217 lbs (goal was 215-220) from being about 200-210 at the start and I'm 6'2". 20 lbs over 3-4 months isn't that much since esp. if the kid is 6'5" and still growing into his body. It's like Dustin Keller from the New York Jets (I knew him from high school)... His redshirt freshman year at Purdue, he went from being 6'2" 170 at the start of the school year to about 235 before the school ended that year. If people are talking about DJ adding 20 lbs this offseason, where was this during last offseason when Colvin gain 20-30 lbs???

Can you name me a player who retired (whether he just quit or because of injuries) while still on his contract and not get paid at all whatsoever?? Cuz I can't think of one. If you can and it's legit, I'll shut up and eat my words on it. I'm just thinking cuz the player's union is going to back up the players, they're just not gonna let the owner have that money to himself even if Meche doesn't want the money. I mean I'm even trying to think of a player (who quit/retired due to injury) during a season and not get paid after he was done cuz they still pay him for the rest of the year. That's a little different, but still kinda the same (they didn't pay the player a prorated portion of the salary cuz he retired/quit partway through the season cuz the contract was voided the day he retired). I mean this can't be the first time someone ever done what Meche is doing now right??? Maybe I should just shut up cuz I don't understand or something... Maybe there is a clause in the contract where the contract is voided if you retire on your own term. I don't have that much knowledge about the contract and retirement so I'm just wondering and trying to figure it out.

"As a competitor my entire life this is the hardest decision that I've ever faced, but it's not fair to me, my family or the Kansas City Royals that I attempt to pitch anymore. I came into this game as a starting pitcher and unfortunately my health, more accurately, my shoulder, has deteriorated to the point where surgery would be the only option and at this stage of my life I would prefer to call it a career rather than to attempt to pitch in relief for the final year of my contract." That's Meche statement... I bet MLBPA will file something saying Meche should get some of that $12 mil cuz of injury-related issues or some type of excuse... I mean isn't that how Albert Belle was getting his money even though he was retired cuz of his injury? I mean Bobby Bonilla this year is getting paid by the Mets every year for the next 25 years (by buying out last year of his contract). I mean that contract was guaranteed, but retiring void that contract somehow? I just can't see how the owner will get to keep that $12 mil to himself...

For me, at best I'm thinking .320/.375/.440 for Castro this coming season... At worst is what he did last year .300/.347/.408. What I'm guessing he'll do??? .309/.361/.423... Just a little improvement across the board, but he could have a sophmore slump and do worse than what he did last year... He's too good of a contact hitter IMO for his slump to last long enough to drag his numbers down.

Looks like Ricketts did spend more money on the farm system... hahaha

yes, although he probably didn't feel like dealing with the pain and rehab that it would take to get back to pitching in the major leagues. that being said, almost everyone in the major leagues and probably on planet earth would take $12 million to do that, so more power to him. Yeah more power to him, but he should've at least tried and get that $12 million then flip it back to the community or charities or something.... instead of giving it back to the owners? Still, either way, it's not something you see everyday and bravo to Meche... Also... I wonder how the MLBPA gonna take this? I doubt that they'll let this go and let Meche give $12 million back, even if he does retire. When the last time they let a player give money back to the organization???

Have you ever had mono? no and maybe i'm taking the term bedridden too literally, but not being able to do much because you're sick is different than being confined to a bed. Yeah... the 2nd time around I was probably in bed the entire time for like 2-3 weeks (beside going to bathroom or getting food/drink/etc...). After that time I was able to move around the house a little bit, but then you get so tired that you either laid in bed or the couch the rest of the day. Then about 2 months later, you felt good enough that you can go hang out with friends or walk around the house all day and not get tired, but you still couldn't do like any activity or lift stuff up yet. I pretty much did nothing anyway just to make sure I got over it completely. It took me about 3 months that I was able to do stuff/activities, but even then you wouldn't do much cuz you got tired super quick (when you basically became lazy for 3 months straight, you lose a lot of energy and fitness that it takes awhile to get it all back). First time around... I only went about 6 weeks until I went back to school and did everything else. At least that's how it was for me. It's different for everybody as well so I wouldn't know how it was for Simpson, but I know what he went through. Hopefully, he's back at full strength and ready to do great this season in the minors.

I totally agree. Not only did the Royals have more money on the table, but sometimes people don't really want to play in high pressure markets. I know if somebody offered me $80,000 a year to do a job I was comfortable doing with little pressure compared to a higher pressured job for $100,000 a year I probably will take the 80k. What was Cubs offer for Meche? Anybody know? A better comparsion would be probably $200,000 instead of the $100,000... Would you be able to turn down $120,000 a year then? Considering Royals probably offered $10 mil more than what the Cubs offer was.

Have you ever had mono? Mono usually take about 10 weeks to recover... I would know cuz I had it twice in one year 3 years ago (my doctor from 2nd time doesn't think it was separate, but I came back too early from the first time- HAD to cuz I had school and that it still lingered with me until it broke out again a couple months later. The 2nd time didn't matter cuz I lost my hearing around that time and was getting cochlear implants after my mono so I wasn't going to school). The 2nd time it took me a little over 3 months to recover from mono and I literally did nothing in that time.

Same here... it was as funny as the old "Dusty's Dugout Dice" pic. "Manage like a pro by simply rolling a couple of dices."

They are almost like the Patriots in this regard. I don't know what I would ever do if the Cubs had this many picks in the 1st and supplemental rounds. They would probably draft 7 highly athletic kids who aren't very polished in baseball. Check out 2002... 4 picks total in the first and supplemental. Cubs most picks ever in one year. Not one of them did anything...

Welp Jim Edmonds is mine.... I like 11/26... 5 guys who all had good careers... Is Lefty Gomez the best 5th place player with 43 WAR??? Also born on June 27th... Woody Paige Khloe Kardashian J.J. Abrams Vern Yip Helen Keller Ross Perot Toby Maguire Wow... my birthday sucks. LOL

Would you rather have Ryan Howard's or Soriano's? (given if both were the same age- they were close in age when they got their last contract I believe and you can only sign one of them) Also not knowing what their future is going to be afterwards... That's basically 5yr/$25m vs 8yr/$17m... Ryan Howard would cost 11 mil less and 3 less years overall. Is that enough to take Howard's contract over Soriano's???

That's how I kinda feel on this... I would offer something like 4 yr/88 mil or 5 yr/100 mil at most, but would rather see if 18 mil/yr is enough for 4-5 yrs...

Typically, yeah. But Fielder isn't built like a typical player. True but most of the guys who are built like Fielder last til age 32-35 or so before they just drop off a cliff... (Cecil was 33 with his last average or better season and Mo Vaughn was 34 with his) Prince is a better hitter and more agile than most guys with the same build that he should be able to last as long as them, if not longer. Heck Frank Thomas lasted til he was 40, but he had the DH to help him out. If Cubs wanna give him a 4 or 5 yr deal, I might be ok with that (maybe) but can't go more than 5 yrs and 22 mil/yr... I would offer something like 4 yr/85 mil and see if that's enough. Just give him something to think about, but most likely turn it down so someone else can deal with it and say that I tried... But I just rather spend the money elsewhere and wait for 2013 FA class... or if Adrian Gonzalez is somehow available.

I don't think it was the FO that has been stressing the defense compared to the managers... I mean Soto is good defensively while being very good to great offensively (in 2 seasons), but they still let Hill have a lot of ABs cuz of his supposed "defense" over Soto. I hope that the end of ST that they do end up releasing Hill and let Max be the backup C/1B.... That way Pena and Soto will a lot of starts while they can still have a day off once in a while and free up a bench spot/12th pitcher... I mean if Soto gets hurt, we can always call up Castillo. it's not like there's a shortage of C now that they have to keep Hill. Even if Max hits like .230, he still brings value due to his OBP and some power where Hill brings nothing offensively IMO.

Just so you know... Colvin had an OPS of .787 in the second half of the season after an OPS of .844 in the first half. I think this year pitchers will know what to do with this guy. Plus his OPS is super SLG heavy, which is fine if you don't have that on your team, but the problem is we got that already with A Ram, Soriano, and possibly Pena (although he walks enough) so we don't need Colvin in the lineup as well. Fukudome is a way better fit with this team with his OBP-driven OPS. Don't forget that Fukudome has improved every year so far in his career. Right now it looks like we got 2 guys in the lineup (if Colvin starts) who get more than 50 walks in a season in Soto/Pena and possibly a 3rd in A Ram with the best guy at drawing walks will be on the bench. If I had it my way... my lineup would be like this Fukudome Castro Ramirez Pena Soto Soriano Byrd DeWitt/Baker If you had Colvin starting, where would you put him and how would the lineup be set up???

I like to think that, but they're basically giving the starting RF spot to Colvin this year over Fukudome. What make you think that they won't do that next year over Byrd? I just hope Colvin just bombs as a starter, but does well as a "spot starter/4th OF" role that it'll make Hendry think "Ok, he's not starter material anymore." But I don't think that'll happened cuz Hendry LOVE those types of guys... (Colvin/Jacque Jones/Burnitz) It always seem like they're starting for the Cubs when they should be the 4th OF.

That's what I'm hoping for, but realistically I'm thinking the end of July/August for B Jax... Then we'll have our starting CF for 2012. What's gonna be scary is the OF for 2012 is Soriano/B Jax/Colvin with Byrd as the 4th OF.

Hahahaha If that happens, then we just need to tank this season and they'll fire Quade... Yeah I'm sure Colvin will take some ABs from both of those guys, but I can't see Soriano or Byrd playing less than 150 games if they're healthy.

Just something else I don't think anyone talked about yet... What do you guys think of this? Cubs do have a top 10 pick this coming draft (i think 8th or 9th, can't remember), maybe they were ok with letting go both Archer/Lee knowing that they will replace one of them at worst with their pick (who may end up being better than Archer/Lee due to where they're picking- top 10)???? Just wondering if Hendry was thinking about that during the talks on the trade.... It'll be interesting to see who the Cubs will draft this year in the first round.

Honestly a better comparsion would be Fukudome to Grienke, not Soriano...

If Weeks has another good year this coming season (that'll probably make him a Type A FA, but at worse Type B) then Brewers can offer both Weeks and Fielder arbs which both will decline.... Brewers will get several picks back (due to both being Type A FA most likely). That's if Brewers don't trade either one of them this offseason or by the trading deadline. I'm just saying here. They should be able to recoup some of it back, but not all of it. At least Brewers trade their SS who, IMO, probably won't be much with the bat in his career (think Orlando Cabrera but great defense) and Jeffress, who is one strike from being banned forever I think. I don't think they should've done the trade with Grienke IMO as it took several good prospects from them (even though 2 are iffy) and it's not like they're going to up their payroll and leave it there so you would want as many cost controlled good players as you can get. Also just curious, what did the Brewers give up for Marcum? I can't remember anything about that trade.