That's scary.

Hopefully for the Cubs its just jealousy from other organ-I-zations.

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Yep, but still just 23. But yes, those were some really shitty numbers needless to say. Gotta hope he is the real deal and that Cashner doesn't emerge as a front end starter throwing 100 MPH Verlander heat for the next 12 years.

one thing is certain..epstein/hoyer have zero faith in any of hendry/wilken prospects .. that is why ricketts fucked up by letting wilken/hendry handle the last draft.

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Does anyone think they should dump Soriano next? One thing Quade did right is batting him 6th or 7th last season. He is a good guy and batting 6th or 7th,I could live with him. It just seems like after dumping Z's money,it's a lot to ask dumping another 45mil.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Right now, he's the most proven bat they have on their roster. Obviously his average is going down but you can still count on him for 25 home runs and 800 or so OPS. That line would have some value on an AL team looking for a DH. That said, a couple mid level prospects and covering a portion of his salary I don't see how you don't make that move if it's there.

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Team Cutler.

True. The most recent high picks though seem to be universally liked though around the minors in Baez, Maples and Vogelsbach sp?

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Team Cutler.

Today is his 36th birthday. He's gonna get paid $19 or $20 this year, and his OPS is certainly dropping under 800. Two of the last three years were significantly under 800 and 2010 was like 810.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I'll bet you a beer he's above .790 this year regardless of where he plays

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Team Cutler.

That's cool. I'll pay you in Feb 2013.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Today is probably his 38th or 39th birthday.

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Rizzo won't be 23 until August. Most of his MLB AB's were as a 21 year old

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Kenny Williams fell for the banana in the tailpipe

The Cubs and free agent lefty Paul Maholm are trying to work out an agreement, tweets Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.

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

One of the guys in my office has been saying that he followed Rizzo thru the minors for fantasy baseball purposes.

Anyway, the point is he said that Rizzo had been stealing signs for a long time. Major leaguers were able to pick up on it right away. They adjusted the signs and Rizzo sucked.

Just a thing I heard.


IMU, I dont think Stewart is here for the long haul. Believe he is a stop gap.

Sounds like BS mixed with Cubs paranoia

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

Weird. He's another 4/5, at his best 3 starter, when the Cubs have acquired two of them already in Volstad and Wood. Unless a Garza deal is imminent

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Team Cutler.

Yeah, the only reason I even give it a 1% chance of being true is this guy is scary in the amount of time he puts into fantasy sports.


IMU, I just dont like Ian Stewart a lot. Hoping for better than him or Vitters by 2014

Maybe a sign that Garza and/or Dempster will be traded still.

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

Probably a 1 year deal meaning if he's any good they can flip him at the deadline. Good signing if healthy for sure.

If Maholm happens - which would be great.
This starting staff is starting to look deep. Not great but decent / ok which is a lot better than I expected.

1-Garza
3-Dempster - a 2 IF he has a great year
4-Maholm
5-Wood
5-Volstad
?Wells - I think he's done here but give him a shot at spring training
?Samardzija - Please keep him in pen. Loved his stuff last year
?Coleman - blah - liked him a couple years ago

I'm starting to think Jed (Theo) wants to:
Trade Garza If they get at least 2 studs
Trade Dempster If someone will take his contract plus 1 decent prospect
Stockpile young starters that can go to the pen / minors and fill them in once Garza and / or Dempster get traded.

Attention Bears please observe a PLAN.

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Kenny Williams fell for the banana in the tailpipe

Randy Wells is not part of the future.

They should unload Dempster for sure but he has a no-trade I believe. They might as well give The Shark a year in the rotation to see if he can be a dependable big league starter.

As for Garza, I think they are taking the proper approach i.e. attempt to sell high, if not keep as an asset.

Wells is depth, nothing more.

We shall see.

I just dont think he's that good and now I have the fact that Theo seems to hate anything that Jim Hendry touched on my side.

Cubs, Tigers Talking Matt Garza
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 9, 2012 at 5:52pm CST]
The Cubs and Tigers are “down the road” in talks about a deal that would sent Matt Garza to Detroit for a package of prospects, according to David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. The Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays have also expressed serious interest in Garza, Kaplan writes. However, the Yankees aren’t comfortable with the Cubs’ asking price despite their “tremendous” interest in the right-hander.

The Tigers appear to be willing to meet the Cubs’ asking price of multiple highly-regarded prospects, according to Kaplan. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported last week that the Tigers could move right-handed pitching prospect Jacob Turner in the right deal.

The Cubs are nearing a deal with free agent left-hander Paul Maholm. Ryan Dempster, Chris Volstad, Travis Wood and Randy Wells could fill the team’s rotation out and make Garza available. He’s under team control through 2013 and figures to earn $9MM or so in 2012 through arbitration.

I dig it. Garza is a 2 or 3 on a good club. The Cubs blow.

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Garza's a #2 on every playoff staff last season except the Phillies. Bottom line is he's a young top of the rotation starter and odds are that in 2-3 years when the Cubs are planning to be good he'll be better than anyone they get in a trade. The Cubs can certainly afford to extend Garza and build the rotation around him rather than trade him and hope to find a top of the rotation starter in a couple years.

I totally agree with this. If they do trade him, they damn well better get one helluva package in return. If not, I'd extend him through at least 2015.

Keyser just does not want Garza on the Tigers. Verlander and Garza at the top of the rotation is a thing!

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

So I take it the Maholm deal is done?

paul_maholm paul maholm
I hope to get to continue some things when I visit during the year and start some great things as I start my Cubs career. #GodBless

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

randy wells is not part of the future..this team is loaded with 5th starters with better stuff...and the cubs would have to eat too much of dempsters contract to dump him.

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Breaking news; Chicago Cubs sign LHP Paul Maholm to a 1 yr 4.25 million deal with club opt 6,5 for 2013. 500k B out


Great deal.

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Team Cutler.