Glass houses Francis.

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Not even close.

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AJ Burnett took more than 4 million less a few years ago in choosing the Pirates over the Phillies. That was more recent than 1987.

There are enough factors in play with these two teams that I could absolutely see him taking less to play for the Cubs.

1. Comfort level with Joe's clubhouse
2. The Cubs have a manager and staff
3. Comfort level with Hickey
4. He can't rock that 2 week shadow beard with the Yankees
5. Playing for the yankees can be a different animal as far as media and the whole package.

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

Gordon Wittenmyer‏ @GDubCub
39s40 seconds ago

Cubs announce Will Venable hired as first base/OF coach. Also: Jim Benedict hired as special assistant to baseball operations.

If he was a perv he was doing it wrong. He used to curse out children, your's truly included.

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

Have you seen him pitch? Is he a 3 or a 4?

Benedict looks to be a good hire:

https://www.bucsdugout.com/2017/9/29/16 ... m-benedict

Benedict, who served as the Marlins vice president/pitching development, has been discussed quite a bit in Pirates circles. As the Pirates pitching coordinator, Benedict was instrumental in the development of their pitching prospects. Along with pitching coach Ray Searage, he had a lot to do with the Pirates’ revival of seemingly broken Major League pitchers, such as A.J. Burnett, Francisco Liriano, Vance Worley, Edinson Volquez and J.A. Happ, over the last several years.

We are smart.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Have no idea on Benedict but pirates pitching from prospects has been meh with only a couple exceptions.

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Elections have consequences.

No way I'd trust this guy as your closer. The FB is to straight even when his control is good. I'm sure they are listening but you can't sell low...

Bleacher Nation‏ @BleacherNation
24m24 minutes ago

From the Unexpected Rumor Department: Twins Want to Make a Run at Acquiring Justin Wilson from Cubs http://www.bleachernation.com/2017/11/2 ... from-cubs/ …

He's a 30 year old not that good reliever. Take what you can get for him, a live A ball arm works.

You obviously listen on that and if they give you a good deal you take it. But I am curious to see what this new coach can do with him. He has been really good at times. He could be a real nice part of a bullpen.

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

Agreed but no way I let him close. That FB is just to straight.

So his fastball has more movement when he pitches in the 7th or 8th innings?

It was a bad acquisition, it happens, if the Twins want to send over some Rick Vaughn clone throwing it off the backstop in A ball, take the deal.

He was pretty damn good with Detroit and in years past. He couldn't locate this year. It happens. I think he will be effective next year wherever he is. I would keep him.

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

I can't believe I'm saying this but keep him. Let the new guy work with him and see if he can get him straightened out.

Wilson is also a FA in 2019, so if you hold on to him next year you have to make a call on a guy going into his age 31 year old season.

He's on the wrong side of 30, if the Cubs can get something interesting and young for him it is worth the gamble.

Levine reporting Boras's asking price for Jake is 6 yrs/27 million per. Good luck with that one.

You don't sell Wilson at his lowest. You keep him and hope he returns to form. The upside for what he can be is much more valuable than the upside of what you would get for him in a trade.

If the Cubs don't like the price for Cobb, Fister on a 1 or 2 year deal as a back of the rotation starter for 8-10 million is not a bad option. Good info on Fangraph as a possible value as a free agent.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Fister is brutal.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/11/ ... -mets.html

Cubs free agent Jake Arrieta figures to offer more “feast-or-famine probability” than any other free agent on the market, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com posits. Arrieta has exhibited a number of troubling trends since his dominant Cy Young campaign back in 2015. Kramer points out that the right-hander’s rate of hard contact allowed was once among the the lowest in baseball, but has since fallen to the middle of the pack. Arrieta has also lost 3 MPH on his fastball from 2015 to 2017; pitchers in their thirties typically don’t regain that velocity. Kramer digs even deeper, looking at Arrieta’s “topped ball” rate (balls hit directly into the ground), noting that his rate in this category has also dropped. These factors in tandem create a confusing and concerning picture when looking at the value Arrieta could provide over the next couple of years. It’s not all bad; Kramer also notes that the former Cy Young winner hasn’t lost his ability to put batters away on two-strike pitches, and he’s still got an excellent pitch repertoire to go along with a delivery that provides deception. Teams exploring a deal with Arrieta will face an interesting dilemma in trying to project his future performance.

Wilson might not be at his lowest right now...

If you are giving 10 mil to a shitty old starter, Lackey is a much more attractive option than Fister.

Do you think the ability he showed with Detroit was an illusion? There was a reason why most of the contenders wanted him last season. Like many speculate, I think it was all mental with him. I'll take my chances on him rebounding rather than getting a couple low level prospects by trading him. Selling players at their low point is terrible asset management.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

I thought it was a great pickup, I'm not sure what happened to the guy after he left Detroit. Gotta think he rebounds and fits in nicely this year or cut him loose.

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Why would they cut him loose or trade him at a loss? This front office dumpster dives for lefty handed relief pitching every year. They are going to keep him and he is probably going to be pretty effective once again.

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

Wilson had a .218 babip and a 83% strand rate in Detroit last year which is not an illusion because it did occur. It is unsustainable though especially in light of his career numbers. He's a measurably worse pitcher than say Pedro Strop (a guy who gets shit on repeatedly around here) and people are acting like Wilson is the second coming of Billy Wagner. .75 WAR lefty in the bullpen guys are just laying around organizations, if someone wants to give you some young arms for one, might as well take them up on it.

That's a big if at least in terms of quality young arms but yeah you always listen. Hopefully he bounces back and becomes at least a quality 7th inning guy.

Career numbers do not always reflect what a pitcher will be. There was a reason why multiple teams wanted Wilson last season and I suspect they were all aware of his advanced stats and whether they were sustainable or not. If a team wants to give up some attractive assets you definitely consider trading him but why would a team give anything of value for Wilson right now? That is my whole premise- you are not getting anything of value for Wilson so you hope an offseason with the team and Hickey's coaching can help fix whatever went south in Wilson's game last season.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.