Jehrico

Pie, Hill, Williams, Walker, and two additional pitching prospects for Cabrerra and Pierre. :D And we'll pick up everyone's salary for the next two years, if need be.

He's making Tejada money! He's worth maybe half of what Tejada makes. They may as well be paying him for 6 but only playing him for 3, so he's not declining on their roster. Had Furcal gotten a contract commensurate with his abilities (i.e. if there were any other bonafide FA shortstops on the market this year), they could just cut him if he starts to decline after 3 and be in the same position they are in now. I don't see how overpaying him by as much as 40% makes sense, unless you are suggesting their organization is on about the same level of the Tigers, so that is the premium you have to pay to get players to go there now.

Mr Perry, What you've just written is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent article were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on the internet is now dumber for having read it. I award you an F- for your efforts, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Help me help you. Show me the money.

According to the Suntimes, Hendry is still talking to LA about Bradley, but insisted on Dusty meeting with the player before consummating a deal. Dusty met with Bradely with Colletti's approval last month.

That's not much to stew, as many teams have major holes (only 3 starters, no middle infield, openings in the outfield) right now, and the offseason isn't in progress yet. Had the season started today, you'd have seen alot more activity before now.

Everything else aside, exactly HOW are the Dodgers of all teams better than us in that department?

Why the hell is this not an official deal then? Maybe Hendry's pen ran out of ink, and he had to go and get another?

I'd basically offer any rule 5 casualty, or anyone wasting a spot on the 40 man roster who maybe shouldn't be on it anymore.

I am so annoyed by this part of the story. Their infatuation with a stereotypical leadoff man is going to bite them in the butt. You can't build a team like this. You have to find players for each position in the field, then let them hit wherever is best. Find a team with quality from 1-8 and you'll be much better than a team that goes hard after leadoff and settles for mediocrity from 2, 5 and 6. Try to assemble the best catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, leftfield, center field and rightfield you can find, then put them in the best order. Don't limit yourself to a spot you've already admitted is close to barren in terms of availability. Hendry and Baker have spoken at length about the complete lack of the "true leadoff hitter" in today's game. That lack of supply drives up price when met with high demand. The Cubs irrationally high demand is making it harder for them to find a guy. Go out and get the best hitters you can find at CF and RF, and don't worry about the order, you'll score more runs and win more games. Goony I think you are right on. It is possible that the best leadoff available may play a position where there are better players available. The perfect example Pierre and Bradley. Bradley is the better player but Pierre can bat leadoff. If the Cubs took your approach they could go out and get Bradley and Wilkerson and call it an offseason. Wilkerson Walker Lee Bradley Ramirez Murton Barrett Cedeno I would be very happy with that lineup. I'd be happy with that lineup too...which makes me wonder why so many people think Hendry has already blown the offseason, while the winter meetings are just starting, and there are still very good options on the table. I just don't get it.

Is anyone else hoping they pick Fregosi? It'll be easier for Hendry to can Baker midseason if Little is still in the org to take the reigns.

At least the old AGon had a knack for hitting walk-off homers against the Cards...

the thing is though, the order of the lineup is much less a factor in runs scored than the players in it. But the players in that lineup would get on base and hit the ball hard- unless Perez is a starter. No matter what any statistical analysis says, I have trouble accepting the notion that Perez batting 8th would not be any different than having him lead off. If anything, the leadoff hitter should get over 100 more plate appearances over the course of a year than an 8 hitter. 100 less appearances of Neifi is a good thing, in any book.

Who plays CF in that scenario? All 3 of them. SF uses 5 OF'ers and 2 IF'ers. :D Does it matter? It's not like their pitching staff keeps the ball in the park, anyways...

I can't believe you agree with Rogers on this one. How do you know Hendry didn't try to seal the deal with Furcal when you suggested, but Furcal wanted more time to weigh his options? He said quite awhile ago he was going to take up to the winter meetings to decide. There was no sealing the deal early without offering something so ridiculous that it was a no brainer, and that would have been a worse screw up. Secondly, how do you know that FL would have swapped Pierre for Hill? The beginning point of conversations from their side of the table was beginning with Pie plus other pitching prospects. He didn't screw a single thing up, and all isn't lost yet. We could still end up with Wilkerson and Bradley rounding out the outfield, RonnyC and TWalk in the MIF. If TWalk can't catch the ball good enough for him, he can include him in a deal for another 2B. That's a good lineup at Dusty's disposal. Now weather or not he chooses to use it... Either way, the only real knock you can put on Hendry at this point is his ridiculous insistance on keeping Dusty as the manager.

Hendry decides that just being able to catch a ball isn't good enough. He contacts the agent for Ralph Macchio, signs him to a 4 year, 60 mil contract. Hey, he can catch a fly with chopsticks, surely he can catch a ball better than anyone else!

Where'd you get your crystal ball?

Bagging Wilkerson will be worth losing out on Furcal. If they bring him over to play CF, that would alleviate my fears of them overpaying for Pierre. FL will want more for Pierre than Washington will want for Wilkerson, but Wilkerson is the better player. Hopefully the Yanks step up and complete the deal for Pierre before Hendry makes a bad move.

I disagree. Furcal is now the 2nd highest paid shortstop behind Jeter. He's going to make more money than Tejada next year. That's a complete joke. On a side note, how bad does it look now that we didn't put more effort into getting Tejada a couple of years ago??? :cry: That'll depend on how RonnyC turns out.

If it keeps us from giving up the prospects I think the Marlins will demand for Pierre, then I don't think it would be that bad of a deal to offer.

If this does turn out to be true (still no real confirmation), then I lost what littel respect I had for him. Not about the money my ar$e. Hope he likes finishing under .500 for the next three years.

I believed you. Sorry, I posted the two links a little bit ago. Maybe his "source" learned something new? I think they're preparing the story, and will put the link on the main sports page as soon as it is announced (if it is announced). I could be wrong, but I think they're just leaning ahead, and got ahead of themselves when they had the story posted momentarily.

I'd have a tendency to believe AramisFan if he says he talked to Len over PM, actually. I believe it. Of course it helps that I was pretty sure Furcal was going to be a Cub anyway. I want to see on ESPN's bottom line: "Poster Aramis Fan on NorthSideBaseball.com reports that free agent SS Rafael Furcal will sign with Cubs" I don't know about ESPN, but it'd be a big step in the right direction in terms of the reliability of the average source that the Score or Phil Rogers use...

I like him b/c his first name is Trot. Agreed. He sounds like an adult film star. If only he had Kent's porn-stache...

Everyone once in awhile at work, I like making up a rumor, telling one person, then see how long it takes to get back to me, and how much it has changed. It can be pretty funny some times. If I were Len Kasper, I'd be leaking all sorts of wild rumors out there, then see how much of legs they grow on their own...