vance_the_cubs_fan

Last I checked, there's a list of 3000+ waiting for you to non-renew. When did you last check? I called at the beginning of last season to check my place in line.

Last I checked, there's a list of 3000+ waiting for you to non-renew.

Depending on the other moves the Marlins could make in selling off parts, this might not be a bad deal. They could conceivably put together a team with a lot of young talent in two or three years down the road. Ramirez is now penciled in at SS. Sanchez could be a nice young pitcher. They'll hang on to Wellingham and Dontrelle. If they can get Petit along with other players from the Mets in a deal for Delgado, they'll be well on their way to restocking the team. Depending on what they might could get for Pierre, they could put together a very young but successful team in the near future.

I think Pie's potential to be a a top tier player is greater than any position player in the Cardinals system right now.

Welcome to the forum!

Except that PSU is above LSU in the BCS, and will likely be there this week as well. Maybe LSU will jump them to #3, but prior to Saturday, it was Miami at #3, PSU at #4 and LSU at #5 If LSU wins out beating Georgia in the SEC championship, I think they will have a decent chance to jump to third in the computer rankings as well.

Andi! Welcome back.

What? No Show Tunes ?!?!?!? Rogers and Hammerstein would be very dissapointed in you. ;)

Geaux Tigers. Moving into a good spot in the event Texas or USC gets upset.

Geaux Tigers! (Of course, I'm even more pissed off about that Tennesee debacle now.)

So, again, what does it take to get him? Depends on what the other bidders are offering, but I would offer Hill and Cedeno to start. Furcal+Neifi means Cedeno will not get a fair chance with the Cubs until 2008 at the earliest. I'd rather sell him while his value is high. I would also trade Hill+Pie for Beckett, but I'd much prefer moving Cedeno before Pie. I think it would take Williams and Pie to start. IF they offered Castillo, I would also give them Walker and one other P. Any deal for Beckett is going to have Lowell attached to it. Okay, so you deal for Beckett and Lowell, and give up Williams, Moore and Hill. Then you can spin Lowell and Nolasco to TEX for Mench? If taking Lowell is the only way to get Beckett, then it would give me a little pause. It will be hard to move Lowell. But why couldn't Florida attach Lowell to Pierre or Castillo? Texas only wants Lowell if they're getting Beckett. Florida could attach Lowell to Pierre or Castillo, but are under the belief the best way to get maximum value is to attach him to Beckett. From everything I've read, he's available if you take Lowell and is being openly shopped that way. Even my source in Houston confirms that Lowell and Beckett are being shopped as a package deal.

According to this, the only way to get Beckett is to take Lowell. Could the Cubs trade a group of prospects and Walker for Castillo, Beckett and Lowell. Then, we could flip Lowell and say 4 million to the Dodgers for Bradley.

Sheff only has one year left on his deal, so the risk isn't as great as it is with Giles. He's going to want an extension to shut him up. That's just speculation at this point.

Sheff only has one year left on his deal, so the risk isn't as great as it is with Giles.

So Beckett is the next Ismael Valdez? No thank you. Beckett is a talent, but is too _____ for my liking. Besides we already have Kerry Wood, why would need his clone? Beckett is the next Ismael Valdez?! Yeah, that's a valid comparison... :roll: With Beckett, the Cubs would have a dominating rotation of Wood, Prior, Zambrano, Beckett, and Maddux. Even if one of those gets hurt, you still have three dominating starters. I know the Cubs aren't likely to get involved, but they should.

I don't think Sheff would drop balls on purpose. He wants to win. On the other hand, I'd rather not have a disgruntled Sheff. In spite of Sheff's problems, they have never gotten in the way of winning. my bad. he didn't drop balls. he threw them away b/c he didn't like his team/city (Milwaukee). purposefully committing errors. yeah, that's a real winner. yes, sheffield's problems have gotten in the way of winning. he's always been a whiner and a complainer. he tanks plays on purpose. what about that man's actions suggest that he is anything different from the spoiled child with a monster paycheck he was in Milwaukee? For the record, here's the final record and standings of the last five teams Sheffield has played for: 05 Yankees: 95-67 (1st AL East) 04 Yankees: 101-61 (1st in AL East) 03 Braves: 101-61 (1st NL East) 02 Braves: 101-59 (1st in NL East) 01 Dodgers: 88-76 (3rd in NL West) There's 4 first place finishes out of five. Now, they either won because of him, with him, or inspite of him....but it definitely doesn't appear that having Sheffield affected his team mates or caused enough of a rumble to affect their ability to win. There's also three 100+ win teams in that group. That leads me to say, either: 1. Sheff isn't the malcontent he's made out to me. 2. It doesn't affect tram performance. You're reasoning from the whole to the part, which is not a logical argument. What I'm reasoning is that Sheffield hasn't kept his teams from winning. I'm not arguing that they became good because of Sheffield. Yes, all were good before he got there. But his antics, if there truly are in, didn't have much effect on his teams ability to win games.

You might be surprised. Rumor has it they plan to flip Blalock once the trade is completed.

I don't think Sheff would drop balls on purpose. He wants to win. On the other hand, I'd rather not have a disgruntled Sheff. In spite of Sheff's problems, they have never gotten in the way of winning. my bad. he didn't drop balls. he threw them away b/c he didn't like his team/city (Milwaukee). purposefully committing errors. yeah, that's a real winner. yes, sheffield's problems have gotten in the way of winning. he's always been a whiner and a complainer. he tanks plays on purpose. what about that man's actions suggest that he is anything different from the spoiled child with a monster paycheck he was in Milwaukee? For the record, here's the final record and standings of the last five teams Sheffield has played for: 05 Yankees: 95-67 (1st AL East) 04 Yankees: 101-61 (1st in AL East) 03 Braves: 101-61 (1st NL East) 02 Braves: 101-59 (1st in NL East) 01 Dodgers: 88-76 (3rd in NL West) There's 4 first place finishes out of five. Now, they either won because of him, with him, or inspite of him....but it definitely doesn't appear that having Sheffield affected his team mates or caused enough of a rumble to affect their ability to win. There's also three 100+ win teams in that group. That leads me to say, either: 1. Sheff isn't the malcontent he's made out to me. 2. It doesn't affect tram performance.

If you tossed in Walker and got Castillo, we'd have the lead-off hitter with or without Pierre or Furcal. How about Pie, Hill and Walker for Beckett and Castillo? Would the Marlins do that knowing they still need to move Lowell to? I guess I just don't understand the obsession with leadoff hitters. Especially getting multiple leadoff hitters. I think our team would be better with Castillo over Walker. I like Walker, but if I could upgrade to Castillo I would.

If you tossed in Walker and got Castillo, we'd have the lead-off hitter with or without Pierre or Furcal. How about Pie, Hill and Walker for Beckett and Castillo? Would the Marlins do that knowing they still need to move Lowell to? Gammons implies that to get Beckett, you have to take Lowell as moving Lowell's contract is the key.

Gammons is reporting that Boston may make its own bid for Beckett and include Jon Lester and Hanley Ramirez.

What about a mega deal with the Marlins? Would you consider this? Cubs get: Castillo, Pierre, Beckett, and Lowell. Marlins get: Pie, Cedeno, Nolasco, Williams, and Marshall or Pinto. The Cubs would have to spin Lowell to another team, but we'd have a number one and two hitter and a rotation of Zambrano Prior Wood Beckett Maddux

I think they'd want much more than that.

More than likely, if the Trib sells the Cubs they will work the broadcast rights issue as part of the sale.

I think power is overrated. That lineup would score runs. Runs win baseball games. I think there are a number of pure power guys that you could add for RF as well. With the OBP that line-up would have, you might could even afford to bring back Burnitz for RF. You could look at Mench, but after getting Pierre and Castillo, I'm not sure what trading chips would be left. Preston Wilson might not be a horrible option for RF with that line-up as well. With that line-up, Encarnacion would be ok as well.