CuseCubFan69

I don't believe in "too right handed". I think too many managers get caught up in L/R lineups, instead of the best hitters. Besides, the Cubs are actually middle of the pack in the NL for OPS against righties, and at the bottom against lefties. I guess the point I made that I bolded didn't count, eh?

First of all, I still think the Cubs are going to lose Ramirez but if ARam does stay, would aquirering Burrell make the team too right handed if Jones is traded? It would be ok as long as the rightys can hit rightys but I don't know the splits. I'd rather have a Murton, Jones, Burrell OF if it's possible along with Durham at 2nd.

I'd to get him involved in a 3 way trade with the Yanks for ARod.

Any chance you'll interview some of the new coaches as well (espec. John McLaren)? Yes, we'll get a chance to interview the coaches. I did ask Lou and Jim some OBP-related questions today. Overall, I was reasonably impressed with Lou. He deserves the "honeymoon period" with the media and public, kind of like the ones that U.S. presidents get, or used to get. You can't do that. You have to get right into Lou's mug and tell him to bring a winner to Chicago and do it now! Tough love Bruce, you have to give him tough love. Oh yeah, and tell him to those pitchers back on the workout schedule and to start it now, times a wasting.

Unbelievably, not a single question at the press conference. They probably bought into the bad luck theory.

I just don't understand why it took so long to get the second opinion.

I wonder what constitutes a Piniella guy. Lugo? Eduardo Perez? Geoff Blum? Cameron? Cirillo? Lenny Harris, Snow, Dunstan and Macias....I really hope this isn't Dusty part 2 when it comes to picking up players. Now, if you're talking ARod and Irchiro I'm going to smile!

Eyre was mediocre last year. Keeping him for insurance purposes when you can call up Novoa to strike out a bunch of guys and put up a 1.5 WHIP doesn't make sense. You writing that makes me wonder what Lou thinks about off/in season training and the injury bug that hit the Cubs. Maybe he won't let them have their little country club house. This guy doesn't sound very enthused: Interesting, thanks for posting that goony. Eyre is a guy that needs to keep in shape better. I wonder who he is talking about that won't like this "in your face" tactic?

Because they keep making the same stupid moves and the masses applaud them for "making things happen". Now you're blaming priests? When will the far reaching blame game end? That's not the managers fault that people applaud or critisize what they do, they can't make up their (press/fans) minds. I'm not saying it's their fault that they are applauded. But the praise for "the little things" leads managers to continue doing the little things, because that is what they are "supposed to do". IMO managers are there to help their team win games, not impress people.

Because they keep making the same stupid moves and the masses applaud them for "making things happen". Now you're blaming priests? When will the far reaching blame game end? That's not the managers fault that people applaud or critisize what they do, they can't make up their (press/fans) minds.

Eyre was mediocre last year. Keeping him for insurance purposes when you can call up Novoa to strike out a bunch of guys and put up a 1.5 WHIP doesn't make sense. You writing that makes me wonder what Lou thinks about off/in season training and the injury bug that hit the Cubs. Maybe he won't let them have their little country club house.

Wright and Reyes are the core of those good players, who happen to be extremely good and come from within and currently underpaid for their production. Their value allows the Mets to pay FA prices for Beltran and surround him with very good players. Exactly. Spend more money on player development too! Whatever it takes to do it from within, do it. They won't win without improving from within 1st. So it's true that you must love yourself before you can truely be loved?

I think they convince themselves that their moves are so important to the team, so they have to make them, which to me, is akin to justifying your salary. They are paid like NFL coaches, whose strategies matter, but don't matter nearly as much. Why and how do you know this? Are these just your opinions or are they facts? Baseball is a game of one on one matchups. Football is a game of team strategy. Are you seriously going to try and contradict my claim that football coaches and their strategies are far more important than baseball managers and their strategies? Assuming players did as they were told. An average fan could come into a baseball game and win any individual game (not saying he would win, just that he could) with simple decisions that a manager needs to make. Fill out a lineup card, let them hit, go to the pen when you need it. An average fan would not stand a chance in a football game. The bolded part is the part I don't agree with.

IMO dav you make fair offers to players you are going to resign and overpay for talented free agents and someone else wrote that Beltran wasn't a target and I said he should have been.

What are you basing this on? Lee got a fantatsic deal. Ramirez is well paid. The offer to Furcal was market value (nobody expected the Dodgers to crazy with their offer). If he says these guys are in his sights, and news reports show Soriano as his number one target, why disbelieve it? Just out of natural Cubs angst? Others have posted what I was going for. If the Cubs overpayed for Beltran they would have not traded for Pierre and the list goes on. IMO, when you have a talent like that you do what you have to do to get him. What stinks is that this year their are not any impact hitters out there in the free agent field. I don't recall Beltran ever being a Hendry target - he was a fans target, but not a Hendry target. There is a big difference. I don't think it's an accurate criticism to say he isn't willing to pay for the player. The criticize is applicable if it is changed to say Hendry doesn't usually target the big names, because that is often true. The only bigger names he has targeted he has signed, or was sorely outbid and it was good thing. But that sample is very small and mostly in-house. But when he has targeted a name, he has shown diligence in trying to get that name. The difference this offseason, we as fans hope, is that the organization is truthful when it says it is specifically targeting the big names. I think Hendry's ability or inability to sign the big FA is more of an unknown than anything. I suppose if making an offer of 90-95 mil a year qualifies him as not being a Hendry target, then you're right. He didn't make an absurd offer like the Mets, but it was more than a fair offer, no doubt. The team that made the absurd offer is still playing. That absurd team has also surrounding Beltran with good players. By spending money and having a farm team that helps supply talent.

What are you basing this on? Lee got a fantatsic deal. Ramirez is well paid. The offer to Furcal was market value (nobody expected the Dodgers to crazy with their offer). If he says these guys are in his sights, and news reports show Soriano as his number one target, why disbelieve it? Just out of natural Cubs angst? Others have posted what I was going for. If the Cubs overpayed for Beltran they would have not traded for Pierre and the list goes on. IMO, when you have a talent like that you do what you have to do to get him. What stinks is that this year their are not any impact hitters out there in the free agent field. I don't recall Beltran ever being a Hendry target - he was a fans target, but not a Hendry target. There is a big difference. I don't think it's an accurate criticism to say he isn't willing to pay for the player. The criticize is applicable if it is changed to say Hendry doesn't usually target the big names, because that is often true. The only bigger names he has targeted he has signed, or was sorely outbid and it was good thing. But that sample is very small and mostly in-house. But when he has targeted a name, he has shown diligence in trying to get that name. The difference this offseason, we as fans hope, is that the organization is truthful when it says it is specifically targeting the big names. I think Hendry's ability or inability to sign the big FA is more of an unknown than anything. I suppose if making an offer of 90-95 mil a year qualifies him as not being a Hendry target, then you're right. He didn't make an absurd offer like the Mets, but it was more than a fair offer, no doubt. The team that made the absurd offer is still playing.

Why? Just because we have the money to spend. Doesn't mean you should give up one of your best young players who you will be getting a bargain on for the next # of years for an upgrade. Look. Put Soriano in CF and take his 25-40 HR and get stellar pitching and maybe even add another impact bat elsewhere. Or even a very good above average bat elsewhere and you have a very good offense. Keep Murton. He can be part of a really good offense. . I'd tend to agree here. I think I'd much rather try and keep Murton and improve elsewhere. I'd trade Matt for a stud like Cabrera, but not Dunn. I agree. If the Cubs just add Soriano and Schmidt/Zito and Durham I'd be thrilled.

I think they convince themselves that their moves are so important to the team, so they have to make them, which to me, is akin to justifying your salary. They are paid like NFL coaches, whose strategies matter, but don't matter nearly as much. Why and how do you know this? Are these just your opinions or are they facts?

I would have misspelled it for a month if you didn't do that!

What are you basing this on? Lee got a fantatsic deal. Ramirez is well paid. The offer to Furcal was market value (nobody expected the Dodgers to crazy with their offer). If he says these guys are in his sights, and news reports show Soriano as his number one target, why disbelieve it? Just out of natural Cubs angst? Others have posted what I was going for. If the Cubs overpayed for Beltran they would have not traded for Pierre and the list goes on. IMO, when you have a talent like that you do what you have to do to get him. What stinks is that this year their are not any impact hitters out there in the free agent field. I don't recall Beltran ever being a Hendry target - he was a fans target, but not a Hendry target. There is a big difference. I don't think it's an accurate criticism to say he isn't willing to pay for the player. The criticize is applicable if it is changed to say Hendry doesn't usually target the big names, because that is often true. The only bigger names he has targeted he has signed, or was sorely outbid and it was good thing. But that sample is very small and mostly in-house. But when he has targeted a name, he has shown diligence in trying to get that name. The difference this offseason, we as fans hope, is that the organization is truthful when it says it is specifically targeting the big names. I think Hendry's ability or inability to sign the big FA is more of an unknown than anything. Having a talent like Beltran not even on his radar scares me more than under bidding.

I do not see the reason that the Cubs would ever announce that they are going to platoon Jones. At least not until the platoon partner is signed. Lou should just have a meeting with Jones and tell him that is what he is planning on doing. He can do that in November if he wants to but I wouldn't expect to find out about it since I'm just a fan. At that point Jones can demand a trade and go to the press if he wants to. Just because a player wants to be traded dosen't mean it will happen either. I just don't see Lou coming out to the press and saying "I'm going to platoon Jones, I'm not sure with who yet but I'm sure we can find someone" Unless they want him gone and he makes the trade demand but I agree, it's foolish to say something like that....especially in October.

Baker and Beane, now that I'd pay to see.

Do you really believe this to be true? I can see micromanaging because that's what they believe in but to justify their salaries....I really don't think so. Okay, replace "justify their salaries" to "feel like they're doing work/doing their job". I still don't believe that. IMO a manager has his beliefs and does what he thinks will be successful. Once you start thinking about doing things to justify their salaries or feel like they are doing work then it's time to leave the profession. I understand that many here don't respect managers at all but to say they do these things for these reasons are wrong IMO. My God, if I have 9 guys out there kicking butt I keep them in there unless I'm trying to get others some playing time and keep them from getting injured. In no way shape of form make a move just to justify me being there. That just doesn't make any sense to me. You aren't a major league manager. It's not at all similar. These guys are making millions to babysit. There's very little teaching, from a manager's standpoint. They still have too many things to control like their pitching staff and when to pull them and who to put in. I think winning and job security would count more than trying to justify yourself by making moves just to make them. I just don't see them as being that stupid.

Why would the Yankees trade a 23yr old 2b that hit .342? Cano wont be traded. No, that's not what I meant. If the Yanks trade ARod and the Cubs can't help them cover 3rd they could switch Cano to third and take in Theriot as part of the trade. I dont like the idea if I were the Yankees of moving Cano to 3b. Its more of a comfort then. Cano played well at 2b. Why move him to another spot on the field? I agree it would be optimal to keep him there but if the Yanks find and better 2nd baseman in a deal than a 3rd baseman it would open up options for them. What if they trade ARod for 2 star pitchers. They could sign Soriano for 2nd if Cano could slide over to 3rd.

It was Serena that actually changed it.