vance_the_cubs_fan

If family/location is the big concern, how could Boston, Houston or STL be ahead of the Cubs? Well, Boston probably values Giles more, and they spend more money than the Cubs. Also, they won the World Series last year and made the playoffs this year. Houston & St. Louis have made the playoffs the last 2 years as well. Like I said, if the Cubs had made the playoffs this year, they may have a better chance. Unless Boston trades Nixon or Manny, they won't be going after Giles.

Why no concern with Chipper's fragile body? If durability and the perception that laziness leads to the injuries causes you to want to deal Ramirez, how can then turn around and acquire a guy coming off 2 straight injury marred seasons (who happens to cost much more than the guy you'd be replacing)? That's a concern too. Just want to get 3 (both Giles & Chipper) for 2 (ARam & Walker or CPatt). People who think the Cubs have any shot @ B. Giles w/out some major change are dreaming. Am kinda doubtful the Cubs could get M. Giles w/out giving up a major asset. Thus my proposed deal. The only way that Giles is a pipedream is if Hendry doesn't go hard after him. Anybody can be had. Hendry needs to move either the Pacific Ocean or Giles' family to Chicago, or greatly overpay him. The only possibility of those 3 is moving his family (Marcus) to Chicago. I haven't heard anything about Mark Cuban buying the Cubs from the Trib, and SD, LA, Anaheim, Boston, Houston and St. Louis are probably all ahead of the Cubs in the bidding war. Maybe there would be a better chance if the Cubs had won 90 games this year. You may be right on some of those teams being ahead of the Cubs on Giles, but unless Houston raises payroll by at least 10-12 million, they don't have the room to make Giles a competetive offer.

Exactly. If I invest $10m over multiple years in a player I want Top 3 production from his position in the league, for the length of the contract. Damon won't deliver that. Give me a list of ten players who have in the last 10 years produced in the top 3 for his position every single year of the contract and had a top 5 salary for the position. Good luck. Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez come immediatly to mind. What about Miguel Tejada? Pujols has been top 3 with a top 5 salary ever since he resigned. Helton's been right around there. This seems like a rather odd exercise. It is an odd exercise, but just primarily points out that only elite players produce the value of high dollar contracts. I'm trying to figure if Damon's asking price is a matter of market inflation for tier 2 players, or if Damon if asking for tier 1 money with a tier 2 resume. I believe it's the case of the latter compounded by the fact that this is a weak free agent class.

Don't you realize if we traded for Jones and Giles, the Braves would have more than enough money to keep Furcal? Also, if we trade for Jones (17 million) and Giles (5 million est), then we likely couldn't afford to go hard after Furcal. Trading for Giles is a smart move. Trading for Jones to play left isn't a bad move. Trading Ramirez for Jones, even if it includes Giles, is idiocy.

Hershiser is now being mentioned as a candidate for the A's job. Hershiser has done well as a pitching coach in Texas. It would be interesting to see how he would fare as a manager.

Maybe MLB will make it up to the Angels by giving Garland a small strike zone and expanding the one for Lackey.

Who are your QBs playing? I would start Bledsoe or Eli (Hasselbeck doesn't get TD with Alexander there). I would play Dillon, Holmes, and Bettis. Parker is not gonna get that many carries now that the bus is back. And Bettis is gonna get all the TDs close for Pitt. Bench Coles. Jets suck. That's what's interesting. Bledsoe is playing against the Giants and Manning of course is playing against the Cowboys. The Giants have one of the worst pass defenses in the league, so that bodes well for Bledsoe. There numbers over the season have been very similar.

Chipper Jones is due 17 million next season and 20 million the next. I like his production, but I'm not really willing to give up a much younger and cheaper Ramirez to get him. If Ramirez gets me Chipper and Giles without giving up anything else, I might consider it...but likely not. If Chipper would move back to LF, I'd be willing to offer some bullpen help for him without getting Giles. Trading Ramirez and Walker for Giles and Jones only improves the team marginally and eats up a large part of the free salary we would have to use in other areas. In essence, it's a bad deal.

You sure like name calling. You've done it all year. Do you even know what the word gutless means? Yes. It means Kyle Farnsworth. Somehow, I have the feeling if you said that to Farnsworth's face you would discover he's anything but "gutless." Probably so, but he'd still choke on the field when you need him most. Which is my point. Maybe, but he's no gutless than a person willing to throw around unfounded insults anonymously on a website. :lmao:

Help me out. I need one QB. Who do you start, Hasselback, Eli, or Bledsoe? Also choose three RB's from this group: Dillion, Holmes, Barber, and Bettis. And two receivers from Horn, Coles, and Branch.

I'd let her play anywhere on my field that she wants!

I'd assume that's correct. Those google people are pretty sneaky, though! Alrighty. I'll try to give three clicks a day all from a different ISP.

Tim, Do they record clicks by IP address? So, if I click once from each work computer and then again at home, they wouldn't know that's the same person, right?

I'd like to see these players: Roy Hobbs Roger Dorn Willie Mays Hayes Jake Taylor The Whammer And manager: Lou Brown

Could a strong showing here and in Spring Training earn Sing a bench spot in 2006?

I've seen it, and that is definitely not the case. The ump called him out, paul rolled (and didn't sprint anywhere), then AJ ran, the ump froze, looked confused as hell, then panicked and didn't know what to do, then just stood around like an indignant idiot defending his ineptitude. You're right. I saw the fist pump while Paul was still in his crouch. If the Angels are at fault there, then everyone better tag every batter after every strike 3 call, everytime. The Angels definitely will. I wouldn't just tag them. If it's AJP, I slap him as hard as I can with the ball.

Dude you really gotta come up with some new baseless, juvenile, insults. You're lack of creativity reflects poorly on your intelligence. Dude, you really gotta lighten up. The guy incapable of handling pressure situations. If you don't agree with me, that's fine by me. But I stand by my characterization of the gutless choking dog in question. I'll stand by the characterization of Badger that this repeated statement lacks creativity and says more about the person making it than the person its directed to.

4 is more than 2. brilliant....still had the lead after the grand slam though. I love measuring the true nature of someones crappines. Lets bring Farnsworth, Alfonseca, and Fassero back. Then all will be well. I'd rather have Farnsworth than Novoa in the pen next season. I'd rather see Farnsworth out there than Wuertz, or JVB, or Leicester, or Wellemeyer. I'm not sure all would be well, but Farnsworth would've been the best righty in our pen last season, and barring a major FA acquisition, likely will be better than any righty in our pen next season.

You sure like name calling. You've done it all year. Do you even know what the word gutless means? Yes. It means Kyle Farnsworth. Somehow, I have the feeling if you said that to Farnsworth's face you would discover he's anything but "gutless."

This post summarizes my feelings. The players respond to the calls on the field, so if the umpire signals out, the batter is out. It is clear that Eddings is signaling out here. If he's not, he surely should change the way he makes his call.

According to this poll, it seems that most of the sports watching public agrees with how heinous this call is. Eddings should be disciplined, but we all know that won't happen. I also find it funny that Guillen doesn't want to watch any replays. God forbid if the truth were known.

To be the biggest issue is the lack of clarity in Eddings call. It appears to almost everyone that the raised fist is the "out" call. The general rule for umpiring is that calls should be clear enough so that the players know what has been called and what has not been called. If he signals "out" the batter should be "out." His strike three call should not be one that can be confused with "out." If there's a strike-three that results in a call other than "out" as this one did, then he should make a motion that is different from the "strike three" that results in an "out." In truth, the way an umpire makes his call should be uniform from umpire to umpire, but MLB is too ignorant to understand this concept.

I think it would be funny if immediately upon entering LA County, Eddings is arrested on a bogus charge and subjected to a full body caviyt search because someone suspects him of smuggliung drugs or something. I believe that would be fitting.

My 2006 Chicago Cubs: 1B Derrek Lee 2B Marcus Giles 3B Aramis Ramirez SS Alex Rodriguez RF Vladimir Guererro CF Brad Wilkerson LF Adam Dunn C Michael Barrett SP Carlos Zambrano SP Mark Prior SP Johan Santana SP Zach Duke SP Greg Maddux I think we can get Giles for Walker and Patterson. Rodriguez for Pie and Hill. Vlad for Wuertz, Macias, and Neifi. Wilkerson for Gene Clines and a coach to be named. Dunn for Mitre and Murton. Santana for MacPhail and buttload of Trib stock. They might want a cut of what Wrigley Premium makes and some ivy too. We could probably do that. Duke will be easy, because the Pirates know they can't keep him when he gets expensive so they'll trade him for the entire Peoria Cheifs. With that line-up and rotation it really doesn't matter who's on the bench and the bullpen.

:lmao: