vance_the_cubs_fan

Did anyone go and read the write up on the site... I love this...third hand information. This guy will print anything.

Ugh....if we sign Wilson for under a million to be a bench player himself...

I agree that the Reds don't have to trade Dunn. On the other hand, right now their rotation is Hudson, Harang, Claussen, Wilson, and Milton. Ewww. While they no longer have a surpluss of OF, they've still done nothing to address the pitching. Offering them Hill and Williams gives them two pitchers who could be better than anyone else they have except Harang. Pie gives them a premier prospect to hang their hat on. The deal might need to be expanded with additional players added on both sides, but I think an offer of Pie, Hill, and Williams would be an excellent start to the conversation.

Pie, Hill, and Williams to the Reds for Dunn.

The ballot for Will Clark is now posted.

Probably would have to throw in Murton too, which would be fine, of course. We could also send them an extra arm such as Wellymeyer if they so desire. But I wont get my hopes up. Rather than throw in Murton, I'd try to take back Milton which would get them out of that contract. But what use would we have with Murton? Like it or not, we are stuck with Jones. Murton would make the ideal fourth OF since an OF of Jones, Pierre, and Dunn would be all LHed.

Probably would have to throw in Murton too, which would be fine, of course. We could also send them an extra arm such as Wellymeyer if they so desire. But I wont get my hopes up. Rather than throw in Murton, I'd try to take back Milton which would get them out of that contract.

Time to offer Pie, Hill, and Williams for Dunn.

I'd prefer he get Vidro over Soriano.

This is fine by me.

Why should injures cost Belle the HOF when it didn't Puckett?

I'll have to admit I'm torn on Albert Belle. I've always disliked him as a player. He's one of the only players that I have a true extreme dislike for. That being said, he was very, very good. He played in 12 seasons (and two of those he played in 9 and 62 games respectively, so essientially 10 seasons) and had his career ended by injury at age 33. While that is surely used in the case against him as his counting stats will fall short of HOF standards, Puckett who also had to retire due to injury played in 12 seasons and that wasn't held against him. The main difference between Belle and Puckett is that Puckett was a fan-favorite and liked by everyone while Belle was a surly bastard liked by almost no one. So...if Puckett could get admitted on a 12-year career, the question remains..was Belle's 12 years HOF standard? Well, first of all the worst line he ever put up in a full season was 260/320/477 in 1992. His carerr 295/369/564 is definitely HOFish. His 162 game average would equal 41 doubles, 130 RBI, and 40 HR. That's pretty damn impressive. Belle led his league in RBI three times and finished in the top ten 8 of his 10 full seasons. He was the 1995 MVP and ranked in the top five three other times ( 2nd once and 3rd twice) meaning in 10 full seasons, he was top three in MVP in four of them. He led the AL in SLG% twice and finished in the top ten in six of his ten full seasons. He also had five all-star appearances to go with those accolades. Belle may have had a short career. That is definitely a knock against him. Maybe it should keep him out for awhile, but short careers haven't prevented players like Puckett from enshrinement provided they had an extended peak of dominance. For the majority of his career, Belle was one of the, if not the most feared hitter in the American League. I'm going to have to vote him in. I don't like it. I do it feeling a little dirty. But he won't be the first ass voted into the HOF and likely won't be the last.

Ballot for Albert Belle is now up.

Belle is definitely an interesting option.

Ballot for Rick Aguilera is now up.

Here's the write-up on Aguilera.

Link If Bradford is used exclusively against righties, this isn't a bad signing.

Link. My guess is he'll be moved at the deadline.

Miller has a world of talent. I think this would be a great move, even if it is only for 2007.

My aunt just added to my Christmas reading list by getting me an out of print copy of Win Shares.

I understand being in that position, but to expect any of those options to work out is ludicrous. The fact that Womack or Tavarez did has no bearing on whether Bigbie or Spivey or Tub-o-Ponson will. Back to my gambling analogy. If I go to the slots every week and after blowing 50-100 bucks, I hit a jackpot that pays...it doesn't mean that I'm going to hit that every time. In fact, that becomes the gambler's fallacy. That the odds will pan out in the end. In fact, the casinos are hoping I buy into it, because sooner rather than later, I'm going to get burned. The odds are that the Cardinals will have a decent pitching staff in Carpeneter, Mulder, Marquis, Suppan, and Reyes...that Ponson will bust and that outside of Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds the offense will be average to pretty craptastic.

You're right. Recent history makes the Encarnacion signing look a little better. And I'd put a higher liklihood of Encarnacion performing near his 2005 levels than I would that Ponson or Spivey become anything useful. Just because I play the slots a bunch with crappy odds by playing one line doesn't mean I'll eventually jack pot if I keep throwing money in the machine.

Jones has a 3-year contract, but that doesn't mean he'll be with the Cubs for 3 years. Assuming Pie is ready next year, Jones should be a very tradeable commodity as a corner OF signed for $10 million over 2 years. Pie may also find himself in a platoon with Jones for a year or so. If Pie is ready, he'll play regularly. After all of the ballyhooing about Pie and refusing to trade him, he isn't going to start out in a platoon situation with a less-than-average RF. But how much of Pie's value as a prospect is tied to him being able to play CF? If that's not where he's going to play, it might be wise to trade him.

I think the Red Sox would move Clement, but I'm not sure what the price would be. Zito would be very costly.