North this morning:

We signed DeRosa to a deal and we didn't need him because Theriot batted over .300 last season.

North's argument against DeRosa was that he had a breakout year, and before that, was nothing special, and the Cubs didn't need a 2B because, as I mentioned, Theriot is a good hitter.

Of course, the problem with Mike's arguemnt is that how could you downgrade DeRosa because he only had one good year, while pumping up Theriot, who's going to be 27 years old, and batted .328 in 53 games ?

Fred didn't seem to have a problem with the move saying that in today's terms, 3 year/13 million isn't much, but after North ranted against the move, Fred asked if the Cubs were the old team bidding, and Annie says DeRosa's name never came up anywhere.

Of course if any of them had read the papers IN CHICAGO, they would have seen DeRosa's name mentioned on a few seperate occasions, and that there were a few teams interested in him.

I'm not saying Mike is wrong about DeRosa - I'm skeptical as well, but don't rip him for having one good year while pumping up Theriot who's a career minor leaguer, and had 130 good at bats.

I'd rather bank on a minimum wage player entering his prime than a 4 million dollar player who is leaving his prime. You could live with Theriot or Cedeno at second base if you could spend 4 million more on pitching.

I wouldn't have a problem with someone preferring either Theriot/Cedeno - my issue was North writing off DeRosa becuase had only one good year while propping up Theriot, who had been a career minor leaguer, and had 130 good atbats.

Personally, with all the holes in the pitching staff, this signing is more of a luxery one, but then again, it shouldn't affect who else they sign this off-season.

My point is that you can gamble on a minimum wage player. If 2B is the difference between you and the playoffs there would undoubtedly be one available in July. You cannot make that kind of a move if you are on the hook for 4 million for the next three years.

I don't really see how $4 million is a big contract...it has been discussed ad nauseam about how there are teams lining up to spend cash this offseason and that if you want someone, anyone, you're going to have to overpay. Whether or not it addressed a specific need, or might have been money better spent elsewhere is another argument

Teams that know what they are doing pay big for big production and fill in the rest with adequate players at minimum prices. The Cubs overpay for average production and then fill in the rest with people who have no business in an MLB uniform.

Story checks out

Going to agree with Dolphin, but Theriot and Cedeno are not the answer and are unproven.

Cedeno had a shot and he blew it.

Theriot played well, but not for an extended period of time and I understand Hendry not looking to see if another kid can play for a season and not have a MLB player.

Please do not give Mike North any credit for his selfpropelled contrarian statements.

Does he give Jay Mariotti credit everytime he talks about Thomas Jones being a great RB and Kyle Orton being able to QB this team?

_________________
""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

All Theriot/Cedeno had to do next year was field the ball and get a bunt down every once in a while. That would qualify them as average second basemen in the league. Then you spend real money on impact positions such as LF, RF, 3B and 1B and get lots of pitching.

If De Rosa means you have to get Marquis instead of Padilla, that was a horrible move.

I think the point I was attempting to make is getting lost in this - I wasn't debating who's better, or whether they should have spent their money elsewhere.

My point was simply that Mike North was using the same criteria (one season) to pump up one guy, and call the other guy garbage.

I agree with Dolphin's point - If they're looking at Marquis, there is no hope at all for next season. He's a bad pitcher and I'd rather go with a rookie pitcher making no money since Marquis would be no better than a #5.

As of today, what is the projected Cubs rotation ?

1) Zambrano
2) ???
3) ???
4) Rich Hill
5) Wade Miller ???

- Carlos Marmal (sp??)
- Sean Marshall
- who else, besides Mark Prior, is a candidate internally for a starting job ?