Wheelimus

Yeah, Pie makes no sense for the Reds (Griffey blocks him for the next 3 seasons), and the Marlins would need to be giving up more than just Pierre if they think they'd get Pie back. I think you could swing the deal for other minor league talent...

To get a bonafide leadoff hitter AND Adam Dunn? I might throw my mom in the deal if I had too :lol: I kiiid I kiiiid I agree and it smacks of Pie being a player in this deal. Maybe Cincinatti is the third team, and Pie (with Mitre) goes there in exchange for Dunn, Milton goes to Florida with us picking up salary, and Pierre comes here with Walker and Patterson going to Florida You just brought me down USS. As in, I just made you feel worse? I dunno, we give up Pie, Walker, Patterson and Mitre and cash and get Dunn and Pierre? Hmm...that does seem like a lot to give up, on second look. Maybe substitute cash with a low level prospect. I didn't see the Dunn part! :oops: Would you give up those 4 plus cash to get Dunn and Pierre? Would you also give Nolasco to the Reds?

absolutely insane idea :D Reds trade: Austin Kearns, Adam Dunn, and Ken Griffey Jr. Cubs trade: Corey Patterson, Jerry Hairston Jr., Rich Hill, and Sergio Mitre (and i'd throw in a decent pitching prospect if I had too) No money exchanges hands, Cubs take on Griffey's 06-08 contract ($12.5 million per), Reds keep the deferred money (which, as I believe, the Reds couldn't shed anyway under MLB rules) Here's an estimate of the money above Reds package: $47.5 ($37.5 Griffey, $6 Dunn, $1 Kearns) Cubs package: $5.8 ($3 Patterson, $2 Hairston, $.5 Mitre, $.3 Hill) So, we esentially save Cincy 41 million plus over the next 3 seasons (what they owe Griffey, plus what Dunn and Kearns would make next season). They get two starters to plug into their rotation right now, a replacement for Griffey in center, and a very versitile Hairston, who I'd wager you could plug into 2B for them. Cubs get one of the most lethal hitters in the game, one heck of a project in Kearns, and one heck of a gamble in Griffey. As far as next season money goes, we spend right at 20 million. Plenty of cash left to get Furcal for shortstop, and another arm for the bullpen. In this scenario, you pencil Dunn into right field, Griffey into center, and let Kearns/Murton fight it out for left. Now...how is THIS for a lineup? Furcal Walker Lee Dunn Ramirez Griffey Murton/Kearns Barrett Even if making this move keeps us from signing another starting pitcher, i'm willing to chance winding up with Glendon Rusch as the 5th starter if someone goes down, if it gets me that potent of a lineup.

Zito is also considered (as least from what I've heard) the worst of the "big 3", so I doubt he'll get quite the haul that those two got.

Sheesh, imagine the rotation Zambrano Prior Zito Wood Maddux with Rusch and Williams ready to step in for the inevitable pitcher going down. Although, crazy crazy thought, since the Cubs have money to blow, what about a deal like this? Todd Walker, Greg Maddux, Rich Hill, and $4 million for Barry Zito, Mark Ellis, and Bobby Kielty Now, Zito is set to make over 8 million next year, a wash with Maddux's money. Ellis is coming off of his best year and is arbitration eligible, he's going to get a nice payday. Kielty is very interesting, 29 years old, decent OBP, would make a good bench outfielder. Probably goign to make 1 million, maybe 1.5 Money wise, if I had to guess, we'd be taking on 11 million or so, and giving up about the same, plus the 4 million to Oakland. We'd get a starting second basemen, a really good pitcher, and a legit bench outfielder. It gives Oakland a very cheap second basemen, a starter to replace Zito in 2006, and the esential replacement prospect for Zito. Heck, i'd toss Mitre in if I had too Would still leave money to pursue Giles or Furcal...

I'd probably trade Patterson and Walker for Castillo and Pierre, straight up. Castillo is set to make 6 million, Pierre will likely get 6 million or so. So with Corey and Todd, they'd probably save a good 5 million. After wasting $5 million of our 44 or so on Neifi and Rusch, the above would still leave us $27 million to fill right field, the bench, a starter, and maybe another arm for the bullpen. Man...I wish Maddux would hang it up, without his contract we could still get Furcal and Giles

And someone PLEASE put Mike Fontenot on suicide watch... 2nd year at AAA, and he puts up .272/.377/.430/.807 Does ANYONE doubt that he would be more useful than Neifi Perez in a utility role?

OOOHHH...I love it when people use the word "groupthink"! It's so obvious we all just get together and come up with mindless "groupthink." Oooh yeah! Better "group think" then "group not think"...which anyone who is happy with Neifi Perez for 2 years at 5 mil guaranteed probably would prefer :lol:

atually, I think I figured out Hendry's plan... Smoke http://mypage.iu.edu/~trarobin/cubs/waterpipe.jpg Pickup http://mypage.iu.edu/~trarobin/cubs/phone.jpg Sign http://mypage.iu.edu/~trarobin/cubs/contract.jpg Rusch and Perez didn't just GET inflated contracts, they had to track down some KB to get those suckers... :lol:

I'd take Abreu over Giles, but sadly don't expect us to get either...

Good news guys! I've got a preview of the '06 ballclub.... http://mypage.iu.edu/~trarobin/cubs/2006cubs.jpg

Still no confirmation on Cubs.com, I'm holding out hope that it's a 1 year deal with an option for a 2nd year.... even then... :cry:

Shoot me, please, right now. If Neifi Perez is our starting shortstop or second basemen next year, I might just have to take a season off of watching baseball. Just, jesus, how can you be so stupid? Now, if Neifi does legitimately become a sub, being used only to pinch hit (shudder) and as a late inning replacement, and I suppose to spell shortstop and second base once in a while, it won't be the worst waste of a roster space ever. I have little to no faith this will happen... Of course, when we trade walker to Texas for Kevin Mench to play right field, i'm sure they'll throw in Hidalgo too so Murton never gets a start! Hello outfield of Hidalgo/Patterson/Mench! **cries**

No way I make a deal with Texas unless it somehow gets us Michael Young. Just nobody else interests me, including Soriano. Well, I suppose Tex would, but we're good at 1B :lol: As for Cleveland, hmm, I could see something happen there. How about a true blockbuster and trade Walker, Barrett, and Patterson for Crisp, Sizemore, and Martinez? :lol: (yes, I realize, never happen, heh, but I like to dream big).

You think? Williams had a 3.98 ERA in 17 starts with the Cubs last year, 104 innings. He'll only be 25 when next season begins, and will only have 2 years of MLB service time. He isn't even arbitration eligible yet. He isn't going to make more than $500,000 next year. His trade value should be extremely high. Rich Hill is a "near MLB ready" prospect who is going to be very cheap for a long time. Add in another prospect, and if we were to not make Philly eat much contract, I think we have something to work with.

Zambrano is the only untouchable starting pitcher in my eyes. Abreu is a great player, don't get me wrong, but I would exhaust every attempt to bring in Giles instead before I even think of a trade that involves someone like Z. Much better to spend money than talent. In fact, Utley would HAVE to be involved for me to even entertain the thought. But anyway, i'm not convinced it will take a Zambrano to get Abreu from the Phillies. I'd wager Jerome Williams and Rich Hill would get the conversation started nicely.

With the reports of him not getting picked up, he can't be all that happy. Any chance of a trade? What would it take, if they're afraid they'll lose him next year would it take more than a decent relief prospect? Leicester?

don't get me wrong, if Damon would sign a 1 year contract at 6 or 7 million with a 2nd year option, i'd take it. But 3 years? No freaking way...

I think that lower line for Lofton is very generous. Riiight, because how many times since 1992 has be posted an OBP of lower than 350? Twice..., .322 in 2001 and .346 in 2004. I do not doubt for a second that Lofton would be every bit as valuable in 2006 as Johnny Damon.

Hmm Damon - Kenny Lofton .335/.392/.420/.812 Johnny Damon .316/.366/.439/.805 Damon will comand 3 years at 8 to 10 million. Lofton will command 1 year at 3 to 5 million...and not block Pie. Give me Lofton. Yes, I know, he will regress. but even .280/.350/.400/.750 is perfectly acceptable in center, especially with adequate backup (Patterson/Hairston/Pie)

I don't see many teams giving better than that without L.A. eating any cash.

How about Corey Patterson and Jerome Williams for J.D. Drew and Milton Bradley? They swap one head case for another, minus the vice baggage, and swap a bad contract for a very good starting pitcher. Bradley Walker Lee Ramirez Drew Murton Cedeno Barrett rotation of Zambrano Prior Wood Maddux Rusch and $ to burn if we want to go after a Millwood or a Burnett

By the way, here's a good site for his minor league stats including his current winter ball stats for the Mesa Solar Sox http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Matt%20Murton&pos=&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&did=milb&pid=444875 .381/.435/.587/1.022 What else could you possibly expect out of the kid? And I'm sorry, just because he isn't crushing balls out of the ballpark, a guy with a .500 SLG % isn't lacking in power. I'd wager that Matt just has such a good eye that he takes the best he can get from the pitcher. Doing that doesn't exactly always lead to homers. But i'm very comfortable with a high OBP instead.

I've got a meeting in 20 minutes, could we get this over with Vance? haha Yeah, Murton has earned the job. His less than steller splits were largely due to being fed nothing but lefties for so long. If you go months without getting that look, it'll take you a while to adjust. Hell, his splits are remarkable that he was able to do as well as he did. I don't think a line of .280/.350/.450/.800 with 20 homers is too much to expect next year, heck, would not be one bit surprised to see him do better than that. .300/.380/.500/.880 wouldn't shock me. I'll take either of those out of left field next year, no problem. We have other holes to fill. Save the cash you'd spend on some vet retread in left, and spend it to get Giles here. And another starting pitcher so we actually HAVE a glut of starters again. Never can have too much starting pitching.

Hmm, crappy center fielder whose likely 2006 line would be .240/.310/.430/.740? Nah, no thanks, we already got that :lol: