CuseCubFan69

The trouble with waiting is that the Cubs are unlikely to be out of it come July. It will be impossible from a PR perspective to deal Z in July if you're within 4 games of 1st. You deal him now, you can weather the storm of criticism if you end up contending. Call Bill Stoneman. Ask for Weaver, Kendrick and Adenhart. Call the Yankees and ask for Hughes, Sanchez + Tabata. Let them know the Angels are considering the other package. I don't think either team would bite, but if I didn't get the packages I'd simply hang on to Z and take my chances. Define "take my chances" 1. Go to arby and let him walk after 2007 or 2. Take my chances that I can get him to sign a long term near Zito deal Let me be more precise... I'd be working two separate paths at the current time. 1a) I would be working aggressively to get him signed to a hometown discount contract in the range of 5 years, $80M 1b) I would be working the phones with the teams that had a set of three premier prospects to get a trade that I was convinced improved the overall talent level of the organization If neither of those paths bore fruit, I would complete the season with Z on the staff. If, in the unlikely event that the Cubs are completely out of it in July, I'd look to trade Z. I don't think that's going to happen, though. So next October I would: 2) work aggressively to get Z signed to a hometown discount deal 3) If that didn't work, I would offer him arbitration and take the draft picks when he signs elsewhere I don't even think the Cubs would have to offer Z arby because he'd be signed pretty quickly. I would love to see the list of players that GM's would offer for Z.

Just sign Z now and sign Santana when he is a free agent.

Just click on one of those threads that Bob put up cyber.

I think it really depends on the budget but I'm sure he could backload it.

Preach on, brother. Yet another reason the Marquis signing looks stupid. I'd rather spend 18M on Z and take my chances with prospects and reclamation projects rather than spend the same amount of money on Lilly and Marquis. If the Cubs give Z Zito money, they'll have around 70M dollars in payroll committed to 6 players (Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Lilly, Marquis, Zambrano). That leaves just 30-40M left to sign 19 other guys. Unless the Cubs managment really plans on taking the payroll into NY/Boston territory, I don't see this happening. I think everything hinges on where the Cubs are in the race this year. As everyone has said, if they're in the race, they can't, or more accurately won't, trade Zambrano. If they're out of the race, then this becomes the equivalent of when Randy Johnson got traded out of Seattle midseason. That's probably the most accurate comparison, moreso than the position player comparisons. Ace pitchers are just not available at the trade deadline that often, and once it became clear the Cubs would move him, teams would bid just to keep other teams from getting him. I don't think it will be horrible if all the Cubs get for Z are 2 picks. The farm system badly needs an infusion of talent. Ultimately, I think this is exactly what will happen because I doubt the Cubs will be out of the race by midseason. I'd be shocked if the Cubs are out of it at the trading deadline. If Z is traded I want a huge impact player like ARod or 2 or 3 can not possibly miss prospects. I think the Dodgers might be a decent team to trade with. They have an abundance of pitching and they could move a couple to the Cubs along with a top prospect like Kemp and not miss a beat.

And will likely help a team lose. The 2003 Florida Marlins might have something to say about that. Beckett Penny Willis Lowell Castillo Lee Cabrera. That's 7 players that had more to do with than win than Pierre did. Wow, you forgot Pudge.

Oh I agree 100% and I don't blame the man at all. If Hendry truely had vision he would have signed Z last off season to a 3/4 year deal if Z would have been receptive to that.

Meet Juan Guzman the second, eh? Let's hope Mr. Hendry doesn't continue to shop at the dollar store from here on after making all those big deals. I would hate for him to have shot his wad and to not have had a plan for Z.

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.

I'm not so sure that they will have guys out of shape like they did when Dusty had his country club going. Lou may want the players to be in shape.

I don't mean to blow off the draft picks entirely. Just mostly. Draftees will give the bigleague club nothing for many years. As a general rule (and yes I know there are exceptions), figure something like 3 years development time for a college kid, and 5 years for a highschooler. That's *if* these draftees even reach the bigs. For intents and purposes, that seems darn close to nothing. My feelings are if the 2 picks are better than any thing offered then hold onto him. I would try to sign him but if that can't be done let's look around for the best offer and at the very worst the Cubs get 2 picks. Z is not going to take a hometown discount like Ramirez did and he made that comment before about Ramirez not getting the moist bang for the buck. I do not blame Z for getting the most cash that he can in any way and I hope this works out for the Cubs and if Z is on the team or not it doesn't matter to me as long as the team is improved.

Of course they do and the fan was pretty upset Miggy wasn't there.

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/PremiumForum/viewtopic.php?t=38350

Psh. I'd trade Z to them for Tejada and Bedard. Bedard looks like he's got the goods, but he's not the centerpiece in a deal for Z. It may depend if the O's think they can compete or not so it's possible Tejada could be had for prospects and/or very good young players like Murton if they don't think they can now. I don't see them trading Bedard.

Let's not get personal here ladies and gentlemen.

On ESPN's Mike and Mike this morning they were talking about the 30,000th Sports Center and the effect of announcers. Vitale was talking about being able to do education and entertain (E&E) and then talked about baseball being boring when an analyst talks about where a base runners feet should be. He wanted more stories about the experiences a player has had instead of that kind of analyisis. I found that a contradiction of what he said, education of how to take a lead is just as or more important than stories and to say that isn't part of the education is just plain wrong. Personally, I want both (stories and technical) from an analyst. I also want the play by play guy to do their job and let the sport be the story and not them. Harry wasn't a guy like that but he was a homer and I'm talking more about a national audience type of thing. I don't want some preachy guy like Buck or somebody who has to make up rhymes like Berman.

Does this category have a minimum of AB's or innings?

Honey if I didn't love you...opps, I got confused with the Police/country/grammy thread and this one! Well the big difference between those 2 (Wilson + Pierre) is what the Cubbies gave up to get them but yeah, they are pretty close along with a Mickey Rivers type guy.

The bitterness that Grace showed made him look very unprofessional and I hope for his sake he has gotten oven it.

Welcome to pro wrestling...I mean the NBA.

If Soriano makes the move to CF and does well I'd have no problem trading Pie and others for Wood if he is as good as many on here say he is. The only thing that bugs me about my statement is how old Soriano is and how long he could handle CF which is 3 maybe 4 years tops IMO. Ok, so I have one problem with it!

I agree with most of that except going up there and taking 7-8 pitches late in the game. I think it's more valuable when your wearing out the starting pitcher then a reliever. Mainly because there's 5-6 left in the bullpen. I think it depends on the situation too. If Hill is up and a man is on second and two outs plus the pitchers spot is up next, I want him to drive the ball no matter what the amount of pitches are.

Hill would be ok if he can play SS/3B and or the OF but if all he can play is 2B then I really don't see the value in him especially if the Cubs are keeping 12 pitchers. I don't want him to take the spot away from a guy like Theriot who can play multiple postions and give the same type of production with a bat. As for pinch hitting, I assume that the Cubs would only pinch hit Blanco when he starts, possibly Jones against a lefty (If Lou wants to win), Izturis and the pitchers. With Floyd/Murton, that other lefty OF on the Cubs bench so other than that I don't see the use for a deep bench other than the subs getting a start every so often to get the starters some rest.

If he does have movement then I take my he will be another Novoa back. If he doesn't have movement then he will have a Novoa type career.

How do you know this? That would be fantastic. I'm really looking forward to ST. Hopefully we'll see Gooz dominate and move into the big league rotation. Oneri/Wilken and some other second hand stuff from scouts in Venezuela. Does he have a change Raisin? I thought he did but I wasn't sure. I'd rather see him use that if he does.