RedIvyCub

I feel so bad for Michael. He really is a great guy. But I still ask myself why the team unloaded Damien Miller for him.

HEY...when did Hayley change her name? LOL

Nope it's the Cubs main number actually.

Gosh, how do I put this nicely without promoting an attack or coming across as an arrogant know it all? Please don't take this the wrong way. That is what she is supposed to say to you and doesn't mean he is working on any deal nor that he will get the message. She does her job well.

Dear Lord, this thread is golden. That's like a bad translation from Fukudome's blog. Sadly, it's a good one from hardcorecubfan's. Have to say...I agree with you there. I actually read that sentence a couple of times to try and make sense of it...then I giggled.

I prefer high heeled sandals. :wink:

The team....Wood, Zambrano and Ramirez. The staff...meaning coaches...Rothschild. The entire front office...been an awful lot of turnover there especially in the last year.

That is fine. Believe what you wish but I have no reason to make up such a story and post it on an internet message board. We'd totally believe your vague, insinuated accusations of bad-person-ness against unnamed members of the organization if you were a guy. ROFLMAO...old me would have probably gotten defensive on that. New me isn't going there. I actually think it's funny.

I think it's best for me to reply as a whole rather than to address each post. First off, I admit when I am wrong. I have gotten defensive about things when I shouldn't have and you are right in how would anyone know I am a female. So playing the gender card was pretty assanine on my part and I apologize for doing so. Just understand that as a woman, there are a lot of men out there that assume women know nothing about the game and are there to look at men in tight pants. Also sorry for trying to come across as a know it all trying to get attention on the internet as that also was not my intent. I came to this board in particular five and half years ago (when I should not have been posting anything here) because there was a lot of good intelligent baseball conversation here. People here seem to know what they were talking about and don't seem to believe that the business of baseball is run like a fantasy league (my pet peeve quite frankly). A couple of you really hit it though. When I first took the job, my boss at the paper told me that it isn't always the best thing to work for a team you are a fan of and that in time you tend to become cynical and jaded and it ruins the team for you. It does happen and I saw it with many who were employed after me as well. It is just like any other job where you don't take your work home with you. In fact, in 2002, I could barely watch when I didn't have to be at work. I would go to Sox games so I could actually enjoy watching a baseball game where it had no implications on my work. What truly ruined it for me was 2003. The fans changed even before the playoffs. There was one rainout (Pittsburgh near the end of the season) where fans were so unruly that security had to walk each of us to our cars to ensure our safety and I am not trying to be dramatic here. This really happened. My one coworker was hit in the head with a rock by an unruly fan that day. But was still excited about the postseason as I had a special feeling about that team. Then as we all know, the bottom fell out in game 6 of the LCS and I promised myself that I would never let them suck me in like that again. Again, called separately your work life from your personal life. And finally not right for me to paint all the players with a broad brush. Quite frankly there are only a handful that I can do without and that is more about how you treat people. I am not going to point fingers or name names because quite frankly that is tabloidism. So take it for what it's worth but if I see something where I can contribute based on my background, I will. But there are just some things that cannot be revealed and will stay behind closed doors. What happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse and what happens on the road stays on the road. I think you would understand were you in my shoes.

That is fine. Believe what you wish but I have no reason to make up such a story and post it on an internet message board.

Let's just say it's more about how you treat people and I don't mean all of them. Never said repulsive because it isn't about that. Quite frankly, I cannot say much more. You know the old saying, what happens in the clubhouse, stays in the clubhouse.

Yes. She has explained as much in the past. Okay, you want it then you have it. I have pretty much kept this off the board but here it goes. And no I expect no one to believe me but you go ahead and ask Bruce Miles if I am lying and then you can get back to me. For the past 8 seasons prior to the one, I was indeed employed in the front office of the Chicago Cubs. I left of my own choosing partly to get out before a new owner comes in and sweeps the place clean and partly to be closer to my family as my parents are getting up there in age and the price of gas made commuting into the city was costing me more that it was worth. One of my two direct bosses is no longer with the club and left a year before I did. I suspected he left because he knew the Tribune was going to sell well before it was ever announced. The location of my office in the ballpark allowed me direct access most of the baseball braintrust on site whom I had contact with on a daily basis. In fact, my boss was interim GM from 2000 - 2002 until he handed it over to Jim Hendry. It's why I know the business side of this game as well as I do and it's why I have a great understanding of the rules, etc of this game. It's why maybe I get a bit perturbed when my knowledge of these areas is challenged by the people on this board even though I never came clean before now but that really shouldn't matter. I couldn't say anything for some time and didn't even want to bother until now but I am tired of the piling on and not being able to say one word back without being told I am a complete idiot or getting my hand slapped for responding. Regardless of my background, it shouldn't be assumed that because I am a female and I am not part of the little clique on this board that I know nothing about baseball. If it seems like I have met or know some of these guys, well guess what, this should explain that I have. Not all of the players but many...and because of my position, I always met all of the coaching staff. So fire away boys, I think it's time for me to take another break from the action.

whoa...can i ask you to get started then...because i would be quite curious to the reasoning behind this... Sorry don't care to share and there are things that I cannot share. If you don't want to or can't say anything about it, then why hint at it in the first place? Because I was stating an opinion just like everyone else here does but guess I am also not allowed to that any more either?

whoa...can i ask you to get started then...because i would be quite curious to the reasoning behind this... Sorry don't care to share and there are things that I cannot share.

:roll:Why the hell do you even bother following sports then? :roll: Quite possibly the absolute dumbest post ever recorded in the history of the internet, and that's saying alot. Maybe because I am sports fan? You almost make it sound like because I am not an over the top Cubs fan then I shouldn't even bother to watch. I love how I state an opinion here and get jumped on but I will probably get my hand slapped for even stating this much. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entited to mine. Check my other post about Sampson and IU.

Steroids aid muscle recovery. It's not all just about adding bulk. To say they wouldn't benefit an NBA player is false. Actually, I'm all for punishing those that are caught. I'd much prefer the sport to be clean, but I'm not going to pin the blame on one person when many were doing it. I don't believe any records are tainted nor should they be marked with an asterisk. It's called the steroid era because several people used them, not just Bonds. If you believe the wide-spread theory that he didn't start taking them until after the '98 season, then you can safely assume he hit quite a few homes before then off of pitchers that were on something. There is a reason MLB hasn't officially punished Bonds. Read into that what you will. Try rereading what I said. I said steroids wouldn't help NBA players as much. That is pretty easy to see. Yes they could be aided in getting back healthy sooner but after tat they are on their own natural ability meanwhile steroids can help baseball, and football guys add bulk and improve bat speed. Bonds has admitted to having taken them just claims he didn't know he was. He has been caught and he should be punished. The only way left is to blacklist him. Any other player who admits or is caught of purposefully using steroids to get ahead (I'm not talking every positive test because many of them are a result of a drug that didn't list an ingrediant that was banned). I have a lot of respect for Jason Giambi because he admitted to it and that takes guts especially in New York but I'm rather surprised he has just been allowed to keep playing. To me its a bit of a double standard by Selig (no surprise there). Rose has admitted his wrong doing why is he still being punished, that's the best example I can come up with. Giambi cheated, and admitted to it, I don't see why no one tried to get him banned which is how MLB has typically treated such situations before. I did read what you said. You said steroids wouldn't do a whole lot and implied that steroids only add strength, which isn't the case. My apologies if I misunderstood what you were trying to say, but reading it again, that's the only interpretation I can come up with. As for why Giambi didn't get banned, the punishment for steroids is a suspension, the length of which increases with each offense. And for the record, when he first admitted it, he didn't really come out and say what he was owning up to...just that he was "sorry." As for why Rose is still being punished, the consequences for betting on baseball were posted in every freaking locker room. He knew it would result in a lifetime ban, and that's exactly what happened. Obviously, I'm not going to change your mind here, so be it. I'm just trying to understand why someone would seriously consider withdrawing their support for their favorite team because of one player. No big deal. I understand all of that and remember Giambi's farce but it is still hypocritical to me. I'm one for different penalties for different positive tests. If the MLB knows it was something major like what Bonds did then a lifetime ban is fine by me but you can't do that to everyone with a positive test because many are accidents. Right now the current policy isn't going to stop the people who were big time users already. They can use it and likely will go awhile before ever getting tested and most of the time players can get off long enough to not test positive. Once you test positive once say it was an accident and then stop using. I personally think there is a large amount of people still using because so few get tested, they tend to get warning, and the first ban isn't that big of a deal. I'm one for big penalties because if you don't cheat you got nothing to be afraid of. It's why I don't understand why they can't get blood to test for HGH. If you are legit why be against it. Because Don Fehr and the union feel that drawing blood is an invasion of privacy which was the same argument they used to try and stop the initial testing that took place.

Because don't you know that we are all supposed to love the Yankees and the Red Sox so they would never do that to a Yankee. Remember Jose Canseco was effectively banned from the game when no one would pick him up once he started running his mouth about steroids. It's why he wrote the first book.

The lie he was supposedly caught in was that he said he didn't knowingly use (one of, I don't recall which) steroids or HGH. right, I know. but the fact is he's never tested positive. it's still an innocent until proven guilty thing. He said he didn't knowly take them but that would mean he has taken them he just don't know it was them. It's hard to believe someone allowing a needle to go into his butt without finding out what it is first. Especially a egocentric control freak like Bonds. Well, according to Roger Clemens, same thing happened to him...and using the analogy, I guess the Cub fans would be all good with adding Clemens to the rotation now also?

Can you honestly tell me with no doubt whatsoever that no one on the Spurs has ever taken anything illegal to enhance their performance? There's no way you can say that with absolute certainty. I'm not advocating that athletes break the rules to win, and I honestly wish baseball was steroid-free. However, Bonds is not on any official "suspended" list. MLB has taken no official action against him, and there are rules in place on how they deal with these things when they catch someone. He'd be subject to the same testing as anyone else. If you can't support the Cubs if they sign Bonds, then I don't see how you can support them now when there are a few minor leaguers in the organization that have been suspended in the past few years for taking performance-enhancing drugs and most likely at least a couple players on the current 25-man roster who have done something along those lines without getting caught. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're a Purdue fan, right? Did you stop supporting the Boilers when they were found guilty of some recruiting violations about a decade ago? I know I wasn't happy about it when it happened, but I didn't stop being a Purdue fan. It's great to have morals, but to honestly think that there is a team out there - at least at the professional level - that hasn't looked the other way once in awhile when someone was doing something they shouldn't have been doing is being a bit naive. Okay, to use the college comparison you mentioned. I am an IU fan and when IU hired Calvin Sampson, I pretty much quit watching the basketball team for the most part. I knew he was a cheater and I didn't like the low life type of players that he brought into the program or how he obtained some of them (yes that is pointed at you Illini fans...be glad Gordon didn't go to U of I). Kids had nothing but athletic skill...no character, no integrity, etc. Actually became more attached to the football team at that time...you know, that team that got to their first bowl game in 15 years before falling on their face? So I used your analogy and showed you that no, I won't support a team that bring on someone who is going to be on trial for his lying and his cheating (Bonds). I already rarely watch the Cubs as it is because quite frankly, I don't find too many players on this club that I feel have a lot of redeeming qualities as human beings and don't get me started on what I think of Lou and his staff (Lester not included).

Please, put down the kool aid and back away slowly.

In baseball, it's who you know Cubs bidders will find that to buy a major-league team, it's advantageous to be the commissioner's friend or already be familiar to the other owners By Ameet Sachdev Chicago Tribune reporter http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun-cubs-buyers-jul06,0,1321309.story Sorry, I hope this is more acceptable. It's a very relevant article. BTW, would not read too much into Cuban not being mentioned. It is stating right there in the article why he most likely would not be the chosen one to purchase the Cubs and why no one can sue over it.

For the most part, Swisher will be playing first.

Nope Loria destroyed the Montreal franchise and ran it into the ground all by himself.

I certainly don't like the fact that we get the White Sox for 6 games every year where the Cards get the Royals. I really don't even care about the rival matchups any more. It is because MLB wants to preserve the "natural rivalry" matchups with more games.

Hank Steinbrenner is WHY MLB doesn't want a clown like Cuban running a team. They already have to deal with Hank Steinbrenner and Jeffrrey Loria as it is. Not really. They had their shot at getting Loria out of the league. Instead, they handed him another team. Contraction was taken off the table so no there wasn't an option but to let him keep the Expos in a move to DC OR to let him take over the Marlins where they felt he would do little damage and let Henry join the Red Sox group. I don't think they thought he would win a WS in a million years after what he did to the Expo franchise. I also think they figured contraction could come up again and the Marlins and their poor attendance, etc would be a likely candidate. I think they could have bought him out in Montreal without giving him the Marlins if they really wanted to. Only Selig and Loria know for sure though. No way Loria would have agreed to that and that is the only way they could have bought him out.