RyCubsFan

Aardsma doesn't fit in, to quote Martha Stewart.

You are right that there are questions about his health. He's signed up to play in the Baseball World Series though, which indicates to me that Vidro expects to be healthy. The question marks about his health though are why Williams could net Vidro. Without the question marks, it would take much more than Williams to obtain Vidro. Since the Cubs have Neifi and Hairston as backups, I'm comfortable taking a chance on Vidro being healthy.

I want to maximize offensive production. If you get a stud RF, you can settle with Murton for a good 600 AB. If you get a second tier RF, you pretty much have to find somebody who can at least platoon with Murton. If you told me he was a guaranteed .300/.350/.450 or more, I'd give him all the AB he could handle. But he's not a guaranteed anything, and since the Cubs have settled for nominal improvements elsewhere, they need bigtime corner OF help. I agree with everything you wrote. However, I do believe that Murton will put up the line you propose.

Millwood is too inconsistant for such a longterm deal. After all, the Cubs could have signed him to a much cheaper long term deal last offseason. Why is he worth so much now, but wasn't then? Who's to say that he won't regress significantly this year? I'd rather trade for Zito. Send Hill, Novoa, and Wellemeyer to the A's. Hill for Zito makes sense, as Hill has been compared to Zito because of their similar curves. It would be a good media story.

1. Offer Williams for Vidro. The Nats desperately need two starting pitchers. 2. Offer Walker for Bradley. 3. Hill, Novoa, and Wellemeyer for Zito. Pierre Vidro Lee Ramirez Bradley Murton Barrett Cedeno Zambrano Prior Zito Wood (Rusch til Wood is ready) Maddux (Guzman replaces in July)

I just don't buy into the concept of a "legit leadoff hitter." Give me players with high OBP and high slugging throughout the lineup, especially in the leadoff position, the position which sees the most plate appearances. I could care less whether they are fast. Todd Walker would be a much better leadoff hitter than Juan Pierre. He's a better offensive player. He gets on base just as much (last year much more), he doesn't get thrown out trying to steel (cause he doesn't attempt it), and he hits for much more power. And we gave up 3 young pitchers with promise to downgrade in the leadoff slot. Why is it okay that Pierre has no power? Its as if people see it as a plus, because it makes him a "true" leadoff hitter.

I'm sure I've followed Pie in Winter Ball as much as you have. Please do not suggest that I'm ignorant b/c we have a different opinion. I'd venture to say that Pie is just shaking off rust. It's a bit of a stretch to call Pie "oft-injurred." He had one injury, which wasn't even all that serious. There were no broken bones. The Cubs have been cautious not to make that injury any worse, hence they shut him down for the season. I agree that Pie should start this year at Iowa, and probably play there all year. I too would like to see a stop-gap, but I would MUCH rather the stop gap be Bradley and the one-dimensional Pierre. Here's a post I made about a month ago on Pie. It still stands. Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:21 pm Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don’t take my word for that Pie is going to be a star. Take Bobby Dickerson’s word for it. Dickerson was Pie’s manager this year in Double A: On Pie’s Attitude: Quote: On Pie’s Defense: Quote: On Pie’s Power Potential: Quote: On his Ability to Win: Quote: And, of course, the DiamondJaxx went to the championship this year. I believe that they would have won it had Pie been able to play. I repeat that Pie is going to be a star. Plus, he's a fun-loving, exciting young man. He's exactly the kind of player that wee all love to root for. He plays with heart, effort, and joy. So enough with the Pie for Pierre suggestions. It would be nothing short than a collossal mistake to make such a move. And while I am all for targetting Dunn or Abreu, I would do everything I could to get one of them without trading Felix.

He is indeed one-dimensional: his ability to hit for average. What else is he good at? He's not very good at getting to balls. Sure, he's fast. But he's slow to react when the ball comes off of the bat. And when he does react, he doesn't take a good route to the ball. We agree he has a weak arm. He's not a good baserunner. He gets caught steeling bases too frequently. He doesn't hit for power at all. He had only 2HR's and just 19 doubles last year. He's just a slap hitter. He doesn't walk much. taking pour routes + weak arm + no power + many caught steals + few walks + a good batting average = one dimensional

Welcome to the forum! Pierre is simply not a good ballplayer. He is completely one-dimensional. He's not a good defender. He hits for no power. He doesn't even have a good stolen base ratio. Keep him far away from the Cubs. Pie is already a better player than Pierre. He is simply an outstanding defender. You will see Pie win a gold glove in the future. Nor is he the second coming of Patterson at the plate. Pie continues to improve at every level in all facets of his game. He will be an impact player in the Bigs, and it would competely foolish of the Cubs to trade him away. I like the potential of Pie as much as the next guy and know a lot of posters here hate Pierre but saying a guy that's in AA is already better than an established major league player of Pierre's caliber is ridiculous. I'd take Pierre over Bradley based simply on attitude and work ethic alone. Throw out 2005 (like everyone does with Wilkerson) and use Pierre's career average stats - they're respectable. OK, Pierre haters >>> ATTACK. "Of Pierre's caliber": you make it sound like Pierre is a good player. He's completly one-dimensional. He's takes bad routes to the ball in the outfield. He has no arm strength for throws. He hits for no power. He doesn't even steal bases all that well. Pie is most certainly a better defender than Pierre right now. Pie would hit for more power than Pierre right now. While Pierre's OBP would be higher, I would wager that by the second half of the season, Pie would hit for a similar average as Pierre. I have that much faith in Pie's development as a player. I have that little regard for the worth of Pierre as a ballplayer.

The Cubs have many young pitchers with good arms to trade for a bat... The Cards keep thinking that Marquis should net them a big bat, but Williams is certainly more valuable than Marquis. Their stuff is simiar, and they put up similar numbers last year. Williams, however, is younger and cheaper.

Welcome to the forum! Pierre is simply not a good ballplayer. He is completely one-dimensional. He's not a good defender. He hits for no power. He doesn't even have a good stolen base ratio. Keep him far away from the Cubs. Pie is already a better player than Pierre. He is simply an outstanding defender. You will see Pie win a gold glove in the future. Nor is he the second coming of Patterson at the plate. Pie continues to improve at every level in all facets of his game. He will be an impact player in the Bigs, and it would competely foolish of the Cubs to trade him away.

I could have sworn I responsed in this thread, but I can't find it. Raw sums up my thoughts pretty well. I wouldnt' be thrilled, but it wouldn't be a bad option either. It would hopefully leave room for other help (bench, RH platoon for Huff if he falters as starter, pitching) and would improve some weak positions. Ok, what I don't get is that you stress OBP, amonst other posters whose opinions I actually value, but then when a chance for two HUGE OBP guys is talked about, you're not thrilled? I just don't get it. We aren't gonna get Dunn, we aren't gonna get Abreu - we aren't giving up Prior or Z. So Let's move past those two pipe dreams. I just don't get how these two don't fit the exact bill that you argue for. It is entirely possible to get Abreu w/out trading Prior or Z. Yes, it's unlikely, but it certainly is possible. There are plenty of options that are better than Huff. Cliff Floyd comes to mind as an option. I'd rather have Mench than Huff. Heck, I'd rather put Bradley in RF than play Huff out there. I'd prefer Kearns to Huff as well. Abreu and Dunn will both be very difficult to trade for, but not impossible. Even if we can't get either of them though, there are still much better options than Aubrey Huff.

Stay away from Huff! I would like Wilkerson and Lugo though...

Let's make a rule that to stop citing the Score. This radio station doesn't seem to ever report accurate information. Might as well cite a poster on an ESPN board or something. I've seen nothing from Hendry indicting interest in Preston Wilson.

Good news, good news, and more good news. Lugo is a solid player, but I don't believe that Huff is a good option for RF. I don't want Pierre on the Cubs. He's not that good and Florida asks for WAY too much. If they'd take Mitre for Pierre, I'd do it. Otherewise, I'll pass. Perhaps the Cubs feel they can get Bradley yet. Perhaps Hendry really is targetting him over Pierre (I really hope so).

With so many mediocre pitchers getting 9 mil a year (i.e. Clement), 10 mil a year for Burnett could end up looking real good.

1. I'll be VERY surprised if the Cards add another year. This is the first time they have offered a four year contract to a pitcher. Apparently it was a stretch for them to do so. So to add a 5th is asking too much. 2. Why is it too late? The Dodgers entered the Furcal race at the last second and landed him. He's not signed yet, so I wouldn't say it's too late. I also suspect that Hendry has been in touch with Burnett's agent a few times this offseason already. Also, with all the mediocre pitchers (aka Clement) getting 9 mil, 10 mil on Burnett could end up being a very good contract.

This just increases the value of our young arms. Nolasco, Ryu...guys that don't project to be frontline starters, but #3's, they should be in demand.

1. Money but 2. maybe he likes L.A. as a place better than Chicago. There's a Latino mayor in L.A. and a huge Latino population.

Just say no to Huff and Lugo. I like Lugo as a player, but Cedeno will be Lugo within a year. Let the kid play. He's been onfire for the last year and a half. Huff is horrible in the outfield, and he hasn't even done all that well at the plate lately.

I'd love Loretta on the Cubs. If Hendry really wants to trade Walker, Loretta could play 2nd for us. He could be our leadoff hitter. Surely we could beat the offer of David Wells. Mitre and Welly?

Likewise, especially on the Cubs...where Cedeno's production will not be that far Furcal's this year, let alone for the life of the contract. I'd offer that to Burnett. It would eclipse the Cards offer by 1 year/10 mil. It was tough for the Cards to offer 4 yrs to Burnett, so there's no chance they'd go to 5 years If the Cubs don't want to do 5, they could offer 4/44, also beating the Cards and Jays. Are Derek Lee and Burnett friends?

1. Sign AJ Burnett for 5/50 (Furcal's money). Trade for Zito is backup. 2. Trade for Abreu or Dunn. Wilkerson is back up option here. 3. Trade for Bradley. Michaels is back up. 4. Keep Walker and Cedeno as your middle infield.

With Pie just a year off, Damon isn't a good fit for the Cubs. The Cubs need a corner outfielder more than anything. Ideally he would bat lefthanded and have pop. The best candidates: Abreu and Dunn. Hendry needs to get one of these two guys. If they are completely unavailable, then try Wilkerson. I'd much rather go 4/40 for AJ Burnett.

The Rangers do get a big name pitcher though and doesn't Young play 2b? We get Zito in the proposed deal. They could move Young back to 2B, but what does that solve? Now they have a hole at SS. EDIT: Forgot about Wood. :oops: Todd Walker is in the rumored deal as well. I would think that he'd play 2nd for the Rangers. Young would stay at short.