fearthecubs

Maybe they haven't. Would you rather play for Toronto @ 5/50 or St. Louis @ 4/40?

Ironic isn't it? Do you think if Nomar was more 'motivated' he could have avoided such an injury? And here we are two years after the trade, counting on Murton and watching backwards Ramon take 55 out of town.

I sure as hell don't have an answer for you.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=260&p=2&c=470878

"Everybody has work to do, and I'm no different, but the best players in baseball don't stay the best players in baseball unless they work. I have to make adjustments. It's funny, because I've just been thinking about exactly what my offseason is going to be like. I took a week off after the AFL finished, because after such a long season my body just needed a break, but I started lifting today, and I think the focus for me is going to be more on flexibility and stretching. Obviously, I've got to work on my hitting, and my defense too, but I just feel like God has opened a door for me, and now it's my responsibility to make sure I'm ready. Every year I play a little smarter, a little better, and I want to do that next year as well. I don't feel like I've peaked as a player, and what I'm trying to do is start working out, and work myself up and up until I'm peaking right at spring training, so I can carry that all the way through next year." Read more here: http://cubs.scout.com/2/470298.html

League minimum? I know at the least the Rockies and Royals wanted to sign Neifi to a 2 year deal to be a starter before we signed him for 2/5.

You got it right in that specific statement, stick with that. They should be used as a compliment; denying that Podsednik was nothing short of a critical part of a World Series team is pretty crazy IMHO. If Posednik was so critical, why did the White Sox score fewer runs in 2005 than in 2004. I think the White Sox success was more indicative of their phenomenal pitching than anything the offense contributed. I'm not debating if pitching or hitting was more crucial to their championship, I don't want to open that can of worms. I'm not trying to attack here, but this seems a bit silly. Someone (in this case Vance) makes a good point that is contrary to your assertions that Podsednik was critical to the White Sox's success, and instead of responding to it and defending your thus far unsubstantiated position, you skirt the issue and refuse to comment on it. Vance didn't even use any complicated stats to back himself up. I think, if you are going to call people who don't think Podsednik was essential to the White Sox's success crazy, then you better defend that position with something other than blind assertion. If you want me to address it open a new thread.

I don't think we'll ever see eye-to-eye on this. I think you're a great poster, so let's just agree to disagree.

Anyway, Grudz is crazy looking for a three year deal. He might get a higher dollar amount than usual, but three years is pushing it. I'd rather have Graf than Grudz anyway.

Not to force an argument but honestly, Neifi puts forth about 100x the effort as Old Man Rem did.

Unfortunately, he's very very bad at it. You're just missing the point entirely. What makes you think if you were a coach and I was a FA, I would in any way want to play for you? You obviously as a coach wouldn't hold any loyalty to players, and its questionable whether your commitment is winning or sticking to your SABR for right or wrong in order to possibly come out in the end looking like a genius.

You're exactly right. Neifi is a quality player and honestly, I have absolutely no problem giving him 2.5M - I said about a million times in other threads - who else is there to sign if not Neifi, I didnt get ONE reply. Hm, maybe instead of 2/5 for Neifi we should get Graf for 3/9? that makes more sense? Neifi's brutal. It's easier to count players we wouldn't rather have. First and foremost though, we don't need a backup middle infielder with Cedeno and Fontenot both ready. But if for some reason we HAVE to start Cedeno, D'Angelo Jimenez was available at last check, and is roughly infinitely better than Neifi. Fontenot's D isn't nearly as good, he's not a veteran off the bench, and Jiminez was let go due to awful personal behavior. Fontenot's O is also much better than Neifi, and I could care less if the player on the bench is young, old, veteran, choirboy, jerk, or unborn fetus as long as they produce. You should care. This is the same argument I got into over Podsednik. It's not just numbers people. Haven't you noticed how many mound visits Neifi orchestrates, his jovial personality in the clubhouse - this stuff matters if you've ever played organized sports. It's hard to stay "up" all the time, and Neifi can help people with that. He plays solid D, makes contact. Lay off the poor guy, he wants to help YOUR team win.

It could be worse. http://msn.foxsports.com/id/5111086_7_2.jpg

You're exactly right. Neifi is a quality player and honestly, I have absolutely no problem giving him 2.5M - I said about a million times in other threads - who else is there to sign if not Neifi, I didnt get ONE reply. Hm, maybe instead of 2/5 for Neifi we should get Graf for 3/9? that makes more sense? Neifi's brutal. It's easier to count players we wouldn't rather have. First and foremost though, we don't need a backup middle infielder with Cedeno and Fontenot both ready. But if for some reason we HAVE to start Cedeno, D'Angelo Jimenez was available at last check, and is roughly infinitely better than Neifi. Fontenot's D isn't nearly as good, he's not a veteran off the bench, and Jiminez was let go due to awful personal behavior.

Novoa's got good stuff if he could throw strikes. Big if though.

You're exactly right. Neifi is a quality player and honestly, I have absolutely no problem giving him 2.5M - I said about a million times in other threads - who else is there to sign if not Neifi, I didnt get ONE reply. Hm, maybe instead of 2/5 for Neifi we should get Graf for 3/9? that makes more sense?

viewtopic.php?t=26771

You got it right in that specific statement, stick with that. They should be used as a compliment; denying that Podsednik was nothing short of a critical part of a World Series team is pretty crazy IMHO. If Posednik was so critical, why did the White Sox score fewer runs in 2005 than in 2004. I think the White Sox success was more indicative of their phenomenal pitching than anything the offense contributed. I'm not debating if pitching or hitting was more crucial to their championship, I don't want to open that can of worms.

Regardless of Neyers (admittingly) good points, he still kicked the crap out of us and the Yankees.

A 6 p.m. deadline tonight looms as the cut-off time for the 72-hour window the teams agreed upon when the deal was first tentatively struck on Monday. Since then, the Red Sox have been poring over Beckett’s medical records, focusing on the shoulder stiffness and tendinitis problem he experienced in September that led to a pair of MRIs in October. The Red Sox still had enough unanswered questions about Beckett, according to a baseball source, that the proposed deal could not be consummated yesterday. Boston Herald http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=113896

Word.

You got it right in that specific statement, stick with that. They should be used as a compliment; denying that Podsednik was nothing short of a critical part of a World Series team is pretty crazy IMHO.

The Dodgers do have Cezar Izturis as their everday SS. However, they do have a whole to fill @ 3B. Furcal's guy has already said he'll play anywhere. "Just give him a glove."

FYI, Lofton is a FA I honestly thought he had another year left. Well, I change my question to: do you think Lofton will find a starting role somewhere next year? He deserves it.

Yuck. Agent Paul Kinzer said the four teams he considers contenders for Furcal's services — Braves, Cubs, Mets and Dodgers — haven't made formal offers yet, but parameters have been discussed, and the shortstop has been given a good idea of what he can expect. Other teams, including Kansas City, expressed interest, but Kinzer said he was honest and told them they had no chance of signing Furcal. The Cubs targeted Furcal as an offseason priority, but Cubs officials have stated their belief that the Braves have the inside track on him. Furcal has spent his career with Atlanta, and Kinzer has cited Furcal's fondness and respect for manager Bobby Cox. AJC http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/1105/24braves.html