In the Sun Times, it was reported that Crane Kenny stated that the spending increases seen in recent years by the Cubs (Fukadome/Soriano) are not to continue and that in fact, some of the current players may not be retained due to budget restraints. The article went on to say that Kerry Wood, may be one such player not retained. This from a team that drew 3.3 million fans (an all time record in Chicago) and a team that will likely increase ad revenues, based on increased ratings on radio and television broadcasts. I thought the deal was, they improve the team and win consistently and we buy every ticket available. I might buy Kenny's song and dance about a rough economy, if it had any effect on ticket sales for the Cubs. But it has had ZERO effect. The days of the biggest outdoor beer garden are gone. Winning is expected and demanded. The fans have done their part in supporting the team to the hilt. This team must do its part and continue to work towards the Championship that has been everyones goal.

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Go Cubs!!!!

The sitting on the hands, and the silence in game one of the playoffs was 'supporting the team to the hilt'. I expect better Steve. Sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up here.

Nice money spent on Marquis and Fukodome. The free spending of the past two years is now gonna bite the Cubbies in the ass as Dempster takes his act elsewhere, and possibly Kerry Wood.

Pitching and defense wins championships, not career .222 playoff hitters named Alfonso Soriano, who demand to bat leadoff.

Slick, you can be a Cubs basher all you want, but that's stupidity to talk about the fans sitting on their hands. They supported the team for years, and they have the right to sit on their hands and STILL expect a world series winner every year for the next 5 seasons. The team owes the fans a large debt of gratitude for unwavering support since 1984, and that debt will never be repaid in full.

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

How can you expect a WS winner for the next 5 years?

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Thats even more than I expect. I just expect the team to be in contention for a title each year and win their division on a regular basis. If every now and then they could win a WS, I would be thrilled. By every now and then, I mean every decade or so. I try to be reasonable about my expectations. But the last thing I want to see is management taking a step backwards, after the fans have supported this team as well as we have, for so long.

35th st. Not-so slick....The fans had little to cheer for in the 2 games at Wrigley Field. Would you have cheered a team that committed 5 errors in one game and walked the ballpark in the other, while failing to generate any real offense in either? Those games were not well played at all. To cheer anything at all in either, was a struggle. Your comments are purely argumentative and not legitimate.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Yeah...because all that loud - rowdy cheering by the fans in game 2 helped the Cubs so much!

I don't like to hear that the Cubs may curb spending...but at the same time, they are spending enough money to win it all...but obviously have not invested it wisely enough.

What is the Rays' payroll this year? Hendry is doing is best to buy a World Series title, and at the same time we finally see a glimmer of hope in young player development. You need to develop the young players and find a phenom or two...then throw your big money around at key-critical free agents.

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

I don't think they necessarily need to curb spending. Just spend wiser. Between Fukudome and Soriano alone, they have over $120 million comitted to just 2 players over the next few seasons.

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$144 million comitted between Soriano and Fukudome, Frank. ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR MILLION.

This is going to be an interesting off season.....

Soriano...yes. Fukudome, they did not overpay in the sense that the Sox were prepared to spend more than the Cubs. I haven't given up on Fukudome, and no logical Cubs fan should. Soriano is a lost cause.

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

So, simply because the Sox were going to give him money (and they did NOT), the Cubs did NOT overpay for a 4th outfielder?

Explain that one to me please. And explain it soely based on his performance last season. You haven't given up on him and thats fine, but nobody knows what the future will hold. Please explain how the Cubs did not overpay for a guy who couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat from mid-June thru the playofs.

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they also have some good money too

marmol
soto
theriot
lilly
de rosa
reed johnson

all big parts of the team all paid less than theyre curent market value
and yes with javy vazquez signing for 11 million and the zambrano zito deals mean lilly at 10 mil per is a bargain

Didn't Fukudome choose the Cubs over the Sox even though the Sox DID offer more money? It's not like the Sox made the decision not to sign him. That's the way I heard it reported.

Regardless...YES...Fukudome was overpaid based on his shitty perfomance. He needs to turn it around big time for this not to be a failed signing.

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

if they cut spending and payroll, they can kiss my ass. They could have a yankee payroll and still make money, i dont want to hear "poor" talk from them.

If the Cubs curb spending, I'm going to curb my enthusiasm for the upcoming season.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

And we have a shortage on assholes? Who knew? Thanks for leaping into the gap filling that void.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

This is my favorite part of Slick's puke-fest.

I think most would agree that Vazquez's contract is WAY worse than Marquis' at this point. Have fun with the remainder of that baby...

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Bros, as long as the Cubs win, this broheim does not care how much they spend. I can launch a few hundy at a game, that don't matter, but I'm sad as hell they can't win a playoff game!

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Dude, you are my bro.

Agreed!

marquis 23-18 with a 4.55 era in two years with the cubs. has not had a losing season with cubs. marquis signed a 3 year, 21 million deal, for a 5th starter, thats not a bad deal for a guy who is 79-70 lifetime, they are getting their moneys worth.

Jaiver Vazquez 38-34 with a 4.33 era with the white sox. out of the 3 seasons with soxs, he has had a sub 500 record twice. Vazquez signed a 3 year 34 million deal, which comes out to 11.5 million a year, thats a horrible deal for his performance. Vazquez is 127-129 lifetime and was 100-105 when he got the extension, bad deal.

based on salary cubs are better off, plus, marquis is a 5th starter, cubs are getting their moneys worth, Vazquez was suppose to be a #2 and has crapped himself start after start. His one good year with the soxs is when they lost 90 games when the pressure was off, so based on expectations, Vazquez is a failure and a mistake by kenny, because he is paying 11 million for a 4th or 5th starter, because danks, buherle and floyd are for sure better then him.

Vazquez's contract is bad. But, it is 3rd worst as far as Chicago Baseball contracts go. Javy's deal isn't near as bad or as hamstringing as Soriano's and Fukudome's deals are/will be.

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TO THE HILT!

That's what I'm calling out Steve for.

The team owes their fans NOTHING, and their fans will accept it. The 40+ year old 'fans' providing 'unwavering support since 1984 are merely bandwagon fans imho. True Cubs fans have been fans since well before then - going back to the 60s and then up through those lean 70s during the Jerry Morales, George 'The baron' Mitterwald, Reuschel Whale Bros., Bobby Murcer, Tarzan Joe Wallace years.

The proof is in the pudding for this Cubs team. When the pressure is on, they just fold. Always have, always will.

Having over 100+ million tied up in 8 players, and not having Wood and Dempster under contract is not a good position to be in. So while you may say that Marquis is a better investment than Javy Vasquez, I think it goes without saying Cubs fans would much rather have Wood and Dempster under contract for the next two years than Marquiz and that swinging bunt specialist from the orient. I can't wait to see what Soto starts getting in arbitration.

Sure Vasquez's contract sucks, but the Sox have he benefit of three or four young bucks (Floyd, Danks, Richard and Broadway) that can pick up the slack for the fading Vasquez and Conteras. It's about pitching and defense in the playoffs. This is lost on Jim Hendry.

Did someone sayyy... to the hilt?
YES!

While I'm ever so relieved to be recognized as a true fan by no less a genius than slick, I do have a question to pose to his august majesty.


Do you actually believe that idiocy of "When the pressure is on, they'll fold. Always have, ALWAYS WILL

That is a unique combination of nouveau rich arrogance and the same pie in the sky kool aid (Sox version) reality denying horseshit you blast Cubs fans for.

Like you so aptly put earlier on in this thread... sell crazy somewhere else.

Now that the tanks are topped off on both asshole and crazy, you can shuffle off.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

I love it when you twist Frank. The Sox did not choose to avoid signing Fukudome for more money...Fukudome chose less money from the Cubs. You can't be critical of the Cubs decision and not accept that the Sox would have overpayed too. And I think that his stroke can be fixed. Pitchers figured out they could bust him inside all day long. That can be changed.

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

uh...well, first off I was born in the 80's, so that excludes me as a "true" Cubs fan, I guess. And I also guess by your response that all of the "true" Cubs fans have either died or switched their allegence, since the Cubs owe the fans "nothing." If you and your fellow Sox fans had filled Comisk/Cell since 1984 every year, I think you'd think your team owed you something too. Please respond.

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

as bad as the soriano deal looks it shouldnt "hamstring" the team

regardless of the supposed "curb" the cub are a big market team and no contract should stop them from doing anything financially.

all these bad contracts seem to get worked out and the team doesnt change the way it operates.

Frank, yes, I agree, but I am going to give Fukudome one more year before I declare him a failure.

I believe either Soriano is in another spot in the order next year or the Cubs eat some major salary and trade him. They're certainly trying right now.

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

soriano being traded is not going to happen unless a gm agrees to it while he is drunk. I keep reading the cubs are looking a ibanez from seattle, well if thats the case, keep soriano.

they can trade soriano especially if/when they pick up some of his money. theyre are teams that would take him especially if they "only" had to pay half 9m per year.