Mantle? I think you meant Reed Johnson, Doc. He'll sport #11 in Atlanta, while Paul Maholm sports #17 down there.

Confirmed.

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You know me like that.

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This trade could be off. It appears as though Dempster's right arm is about to fall off.

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Ahhh, so that's who that guy on Twitter is.

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You know me like that.

Paul Sullivan?

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Both of the prospects received for Dempster have performed very well at the A level. Both appear ready to move up again.

In 2-3 years we will know if these deals were any good. Obviously, the Rizzo deal worked out nicely. I have to hope that the Cubs scouting dept. has accurately evaluated the talent they have dealt for and will develop into players capable of contributing to a Championship in a few seasons. It's going to be interesting (and probably painful at times) to see what they do to fill out the rotation now. Germano was okay last night, but sure didn't seem like a guy with great stuff. I suspect things will get a bit tough to watch in some of the games ahead this season.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Can they make minor league deals still? I would do another Germano trade if so.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Captain Obvious says hello

They can (and may) make more deals, as long as whatever players dealt- pass through waivers first. Nobody is going to claim someone like Soriano for fear of having to assume the rest of his contract (ala Kenny Williams with Alex Rios). Soriano and Marmol would go unclaimed for sure. But if they pass through waivers, then the Cubs can still offer deals where they would pay a portion of the contract and get a minor league player in return. I don't like the idea of trading Soriano now though, unless they get something substancial in return. Since Sveum got Soriano to switch to a lighter bat, he has hit 20 HR's and is on pace for 107-108 RBI. Plus, he's playing better defense. If he were the 2010-2011 model, I would want him moved. But Soriano has been a very productive player in 2012 and there is no reason to move him while assuming over 90% of the contract, unless a very good prospect is aquired in return.

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Go Cubs!!!!

I'm talking more along the lines of getting a non 40 man roster guy like Germano was.

Just someone to grab instead of having Volstad getting murdered in 3 innings every outing.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I'm with you on Volstad. He actually had a very good outing in his last game, but I wouldn't ever want him to take the hill again for the Cubs. Kinda glad Wells is done for the year too, so he can't resume a spot in the rotation.
I'm not sure about deals involving guys not on the 40 man roster. But I would think the chances of getting guys of any quality that were not deemed worthy of a spot on the 40 man roster are slim. It was nice that Germano got a win and got through 5 innings, but he didn't impress me.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Heard your call this morning.

Say RBIs. Saying RBI makes you sound elitist and pompous.

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You know me like that.

Impossible to judge these trades but certainly they did not acquire any "premier" prospects for 2 pitchers who were getting it done.

We shall see what Theo Inc. do next. Close to 20M off the payroll in these trades plus Z money falls off too so their payroll obligations next year are minimal with only Soriano, Garza, Marmol over 10M+ per then DeJesus I beleive at 6M so their payroll right now is maybe 65M for next season.

This is why it's a little silly to devote so much energy to this stuff. Every reasonable thing I've read on this said anyone who says this is a good or bad deal right now is just full of it. So what's there to discuss?

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The same thing that takes place every year with the NFL draft. People declaring things great or a bust off of some scouting reports.

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

Marmol won't be going anywhere unless he has a stretch like Maholm had and is lights out...I can't see any team wanting the high wire act that is Carlos Marmol.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Translation:The Cubs made trades that may or may not work out and we'll just have to see

Did Steve call in the morning also? I heard him on CJH around 3:30 yesterday saying how he thought keeping Soriano wasn't really that bad of an idea.

Except for the fact that he is overpaid and he is not going to be apart of the team's future plans and maybe he could have brought the Cubs a piece or two they could have used in rebuilding.

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But its ok...because we dont actually make personnel moves.

Gonna use this as a springboard to rant on sportsfans. This is not directed at RFDC or FF in particular


Its just speculation in fun. Who cares if you end up being wrong on a prospect?


I dont get it. I mean this kinda goes into that whole "Im a good fan" theory

First of all, No you arent

Secondly, even if you were, nobody cares


If one of my teams wins the first game of the season and I go crazy and start predicting a title....thats ok.

I dont need Im a good sports fan guy to come in and tell me "You really cant judge a team until____"

Fuck you, I just judged em after the first 3 minutes of the season and if I feel like amending that judgement 200 times during the season....thats ok too


Id understand it, if you were being paid for your opinions or analysis.

The Mully and Hanley approach to fandom.

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Except they ARE paid


I mean, Im just saying, enjoy it however you enjoy it.

I know what you mean. Feel how you feel.

But some fans are genuinely stupid.

Tom in Hanover Park, Southside Bob, etc.

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I am just pleased Dempster is gone..Call it a win, even if the prospects never pan out..fuck you Dempster! now I can enjoy watching his E.R.A. climb steadily the next 8 weeks.

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I agree, RFDC and FarveFan do suck!

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

It seems that people are confident that Soriano will be claimed off waivers...If a team claims him then they have to pay his salary for the remainder of this season, and the next 2 years..right? ..why would any team pick that contact up?

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He apparently spent the day mulling it over and decided that he had not changed his opinion from that morning when he let Mully & Hanley know that he thought keeping Soriano wasn't really that bad of an idea and decided to let CJH in on the fact that he hasn't changed his mind in the last 7 hours.

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You know me like that.