There are numerous reports saying the cubs are interested in Curtis Granderson. He has a very reasonable contract 3yr/$23.75M and a team option for $13M with a $2M buyout in '13 and he's fairly young (29 at the start of next season) so he won't come cheap. The biggest problem with Granderson is he's AWFUL against left handed pitchers. Last season he hit .183/.245/.239/.484 against lefties and has a career line of .210/.270/.344/.614. Granderson would improve the defense and add speed (20 SB's) and power (30 HR's) to the lineup against righties but is he worth giving up 2 top prospects like Castro, Vitters, Carpenter or Cashner and a throw in like Fox, Hasselhoff or Fontenot?

I am very interested in Granderson, although I did not realize he was so bad against lefties. But he would sure look good out in CF and allow Fukudome to go back to RF.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

We have the bestest hitting coach the world has ever seen. I'm sure he could fix him.

Granderson's going to LA, the Angels or Dodgers. Tigers are changing from a mega-salary free agent team to a younger, lower cost operating model. They want infield and pitching prospects who will be ready for the majors in the next season or two. And they want a lot--4 or 5 prospects for Grandy alone.

That would be an ugly outfield against lefties.

Fukudome: Can't hit lefties
Granderson: Can't hit lefties
Soriano: Can't hit anybody.

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I'm counting on Hendry to empty out the farm for Granderson. He's really in win-now mode with a new owner.

Teach Grandy how to pull off Podsenik's drag-bunt infield single against Lefties and Granderson hits .300 with 40 HR's and steals 40 for the Cubs playing in Wrigley and the NL.

And people call you a meatball. . .

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

miltron bradley soured the cubs so much on the need for a lefty that theyre going to replace him with a guy that cant hit lefties to save his life out of spite?

empty the farm for granderson, and what do you have? a team that doesnt win the world series and an emptied out farm system. this team needs to BUILD a farm system, not rid it of any talent that is left for one guy.

I'd take Granderson, but I too didn't realize how bad he was against lefties. Maybe I should think about this first.

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Second City Saint

True but he's right about winning now. They have $140M+ payroll. The cubs are all in and adding a 30 HR hitting center fielder would be a HUGE addition considering the lack of power from the right fielder. I would think Castro is the only untouchable. Vitters, Cashner and Fox and you got yourself a deal.

It's also a plus that the Sox would only see Granderson 6 times a year instead of 19 times a year.

If the Cubs are only bumping up the payroll slighly from last season, and have a few guys already in line for more money, how do they afford this? Is simply letting Harden walk enough to pay for this ?

This is Granderson's contract per Cots:

Curtis Granderson of
5 years/$30.25M (2008-13), plus 2014 club option

* 5 years/$30.25M (2008-13), plus 2014 club option
o signed extension with Detroit 2/4/08
o 08:$1M, 09:$3.5M, 10:$5.5M, 11:$8.25M, 12:$10M, 13:$13M club option ($2M buyout)
o 2013 option increases to:
+ $15M if MVP (1st - 5th) in 2011 or 2012
+ $14M if All Star in 2011 or 2012
+ $13.5M if All Star selection in 2011 or 2012
o award bonuses: $25,000 each for All Star, Gold Glove; $50,000 for Silver Slugger; $75,000 for LCS MVP; $0.1M for MVP, WS MVP

It looks like he is due $5.5M next year and I believe Harden was making $7M.

I didn't clearly state what I meant.

When I typed "I'm counting on Hendry" to empty the farm system, I'm not in favor of it. It's just what I'm predicting he will do.

What I am in favor of is Hendry being fired.

With the trades and signing over the past 24-36 months, he has been in "win now" mode for a while.

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ahhh...gotcha. sadly, you are likely right.

Someone help me out here...is the top one supposed to be "All Star Starter?"

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"There is a high statistical probability of death by gunshot. A punch to the face is also likely."

It reads to me that if he simply makes the team. Essentially a $1million bonus...

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

If you could make the deal without giving up Castro, I would be all for it and if Castro was needed to make the deal, I would consider it.

If we have learned anything in the past decade or so, it is that Cub prospects (excluding pitchers) usually are major duds. Patterson, Pie, Cedeno, (remember Pat Cline) were once considered the future and instead of trading them when their value was still high, the Cubs kept them until they fizzled out in the majors.

Vitters? the guy is still in Class A, if you can package this guy for a proven major league player then go for it.

I would love the Cubs to build a quality farm system, but honestly, do Cub fans expect this regime capable of building one? When this regime has been so wrong in the past.

Jim Hendry has done his best work when he has traded his minor league talent for proven major league talent, Ramirez, Lee, Harden.

of course you give what you need to out of the farm system. Name the last player the Cubs traded out of the farm system that had a long productive career...and if you name Dontrelle, I have a problem with that. You're telling me you can't find a guy to start in right for Fukodome on the few days that lefties are pitching that can hit lefties well? Fox? Baker? C'mon. Granderson answers their two biggest needs. Outfield defense and a leadoff hitter.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

I dont think you can look at Castro in regards to previous Cub prospects. Every case is different. So many scouts are so sure on him. I understand being skeptical in general. But you cant make decisons based on past prospects.

Here's the thing RPB...a lot of the Cubs talent has been can't miss. They missed. I think it's the coaching. How many years was Pie/Patterson in the minors, and they can't bunt? Can't work a count? Don't think like a leadoff hitter, in fact, do better in the four or five hole? Can't miss means nothing if you can't properly instruct them.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Unless the talent is so great it doesnt matter. I understand what youre saying. The failure to devolop at least makes it a more plausible stance.

I just think you have to look at every situation as its own.

I'm not really sure Grandy is a leadoff hitter, either... if that's part of the thought process.

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Agreed.

With a guy like Granderson I look at it like this. If you can't get him without giving away your 1 or 2 best prospects in the minors, then your system isn't strong enough yet to make the deal.

He's obviously a very solid player, but to even consider trading Vitters/Castro/Cashner is an automatic no in my book.


You could talk me into packaging away Marmol for him though, thinking that a FA/Guzman would close.


But ultimately we don't have enough mid to mid upper level pieces in the minors or the guys on the big league roster to make the deal happen.

Oh, and get rid of Bradley yesterday please.

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Team Cutler.

Why?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

249 30 71 .327 .453

BA. and OBP.

He could leadoff against righties (.367 career OBP). He should hit down in order or not at all against lefties.