CuseCubFan69

Let keep it that way! It is going to happen but I just hope it's because of soreness and not the usual Cub company line of we're going to wait a couple of weeks and see and then it turns into August and we find out one of the pitchers actually had their arm amputated in March.

Oh God I laughed when I read your post! Marketing and real reasons together can not exist. Don't you love being treated like an idiot by these people? I'm not happy with these things on the door but they could have put them somewhere worse I suppose. These guys are always looking for a way to generate cash and sadly Wrigley is one of the ways they can do it. I wish I could have gone to Wrigley before they put up the lights.

Throw Pagan in there and you have no "defensive" outfield guys on the team. I'm curious about that guy the Cubs signed that could play infield that had a very nice OBP? He was signed to a minor league deal and I was wondering if he played the OF at all. I have to say if Lou told Jones he's "penciled in" at the 5 spot I'll be a little annoyed. I do not want him there when the Cubs face a lefty and if Floyd is hitting well and in the lineup at the same time as Jones I want him hitting 5th not Jones. Of course Lou did say penciled in and not written in stone, so that makes me feel better.

The only one that hasn't gone to prison is the guy that did the drugs in the first place.

I'd love to see them go through their practice drills.

There are plenty of people calling him a selfish prick (or similar) and questioning his loyalty (to the point of ridiculousness, IMO). All for expecting to be paid the same amount as someone who is performes below his level. To each his own, I guess. We'll see what happens. I'm sure there are some people on the board who were hoping that Zambrano appreciated the Cubs and truly wanted to be a Cub for a long time. I think from a fan standpoint, it is easier to cheer for a player that truly enjoys playing for the team you root for rather than a guy that is simply looking for the biggest payday. And yes, there are more things involved than money regarding a contract extension. There are many examples of players that signed home town discount deals for below what they could have gotten on the open market. In the NL Central alone, Carpenter and Oswalt could have possibly made much more on the open market than the deals they signed. Wood could have made more signing with another team this past off season. I don't blame a player for being soley about the money, or wanting to get the biggest payday he can get. But I can see why many fans would be or are upset over a player only concerned about money. Did Z mention specifics about what he wants though? I thought his main difficulty was that there hasn't been any real negotiating taking place, no real push to get a deal done and he wants one done. We're all speculating as to what he would really sign for. I thought he mentioned having a Zito like contract. Here's what I saw: Maybe there's something else that I didn't see, but I don't view that as laying down the law that the money must be Zito's. Yeah that sounds like there might be a little room for negotiating and not the 18 per. If I were to guess on what he would get from the Cubs and sign for it would be 16.8 per year for 6 years.

There are plenty of people calling him a selfish prick (or similar) and questioning his loyalty (to the point of ridiculousness, IMO). All for expecting to be paid the same amount as someone who is performes below his level. To each his own, I guess. We'll see what happens. I'm sure there are some people on the board who were hoping that Zambrano appreciated the Cubs and truly wanted to be a Cub for a long time. I think from a fan standpoint, it is easier to cheer for a player that truly enjoys playing for the team you root for rather than a guy that is simply looking for the biggest payday. And yes, there are more things involved than money regarding a contract extension. There are many examples of players that signed home town discount deals for below what they could have gotten on the open market. In the NL Central alone, Carpenter and Oswalt could have possibly made much more on the open market than the deals they signed. Wood could have made more signing with another team this past off season. I don't blame a player for being soley about the money, or wanting to get the biggest payday he can get. But I can see why many fans would be or are upset over a player only concerned about money. Did Z mention specifics about what he wants though? I thought his main difficulty was that there hasn't been any real negotiating taking place, no real push to get a deal done and he wants one done. We're all speculating as to what he would really sign for. I thought he mentioned having a Zito like contract.

Welcome to the forum! All the Cub news you'll ever need is right here on good old NSBB! :wink: That's a good question, I'd like to know the answer myself.

I'm curious on how high Wilken really is on these two guys.

I'm not overly excited at the prospect of a "VERY TALL" pitcher. Cause my opinion is....they will suck, eventually. Excluding Randy Johnson Sisco Rauch J. Juden Ryan Anderson Chris Young JR Richard This is NOT an impressively listed of 6'8 or taller pitchers. Now Richard and Young turned out great, but everybody else has either stunk, suffered career altering injuries, or flat not miss big time. So forgive me...if the Cubs had a choice between Wieters and Brackman, I'd take Wieters everytime. I agree with what you're saying but I thought JR Richards was very good until he had a stroke.

Well: Willis for Clement and 6 fingers. Big winner: Marlins Lee for Choi. Big winner: Cubs Renting Pierre for Nolasco, Mitre, Pinto. Winner: Marlins Time to even up the score? Cubs, NYY and Marlins go into a 3-way deal... Marlins trade Miquel Cabrera & Willis Cubs trade Zambrano, Moore, Pawelik, Wuertz, E Patterson NYY trade ARod, Hughes, Milkey Cabrera, NYY receive Miquel Cabrera, Zambrano, Marlins receive Hughes (best prospect NYY), Pawelik (#1 draft choice #10 Chicago), Moore (3B) prospect, Wuertz, Milkey Cabrera and E Patterson Cubs receive AROD and Willis (Cub essentially trade Zambrano for another year of Willis) Marlins go cheap cheap and get 6 players, 5 who can play now or in a year. I couldn't possibly hate that deal more. Willis? No thanks. NY gets Zambrano AND Miguel? Double no thanks. Who cares about NYY's Zambrano's arm is going to falter....if not he is superman or Clemens Willis is a good replacement and would be #2. The thing is Cubs get AROD and still could deal for Ichiro with Jones, Gallagher and throw in. Then you have a WS roster And the Cubs play the Yanks in the WS and ARod hits the series winning homer off of Z! I'm not sure Florida is getting enough in that deal but it definately has potential.

Unless Hendry was going after all this pitching because he thought he wasn't going to be able to sign Z.

Well this move frees up the extra money to be able to sign Z.

I think he's just playing the negotiating game.

they also have a scouting video there if you care to check it out. link Strike throwing machine? That doesn't sound like something Hendry usually goes for.

I was thinking the same thing. He probably had elbow surgery as Hendry is looking for that in everyday players too.

Maybe this is Hendry making a little manuever to make a big trade. Or, he's getting rid of JK for some toolsy dudes.

Well now he gets a chance to get some MLB innings.

I'd say Wood is a better prospect than Ramirez. Wood has incredible power potential at a position that has so few guys with that kind of power potential. If I made a deal with Anaheim, Wood would need to be one of the guys in the deal. Period. Maybe they couldn't get Adenhart as well, but I'd want at least one other prospect. Maybe Mathis or Saunders? I wonder what Mr. Hendry thinks of this Wood fellow. Still, it's such a gamble to make a move like that unless you are deadnuts sure he's going to be good.

I consider Z a better pitcher than Beckett, what did the Marlins get for him? It's impossible to determine. Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota were included in the Beckett deal and netted Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Harvey Garcia and Jesus Delgado. Is Ramirez a better SS prospect than Wood? I thought that guy had a nice little rookie season.

Slap a saddle on that horsey and ride him hard.

I consider Z a better pitcher than Beckett, what did the Marlins get for him?

Define working out! The extra weight does not help keep the players healthy and we all know the Cubs have had a problem with the DL. I've heard Wood also has shed some pounds. Wasn't there talk during the convention that he had lost some decent poundage? I think so and if he has that is a very good sign and a good start for trying to stay healthy.

Weaver is more than a prospect, though. So is Kendrick. Exactly. People are acting like if Z is moved we won't we any real return in results player-wise for another year or more. Z can get you top tier guys, either young or established, that can play now, solve multiple problems and play (hopefully) every day. True but does Hendry see a different type of talent than we do? He has never traded an impact player in his tenure in Chicago.

Man, one big offseason and already y'all are starting to sound like Yankee fans. :wink: It's fun to dream. Imagine the things you could do with a payroll of 150-170?