The Chicago Park District delayed the opening of the new Wrigley Field skating rink until Saturday, which only seems appropriate considering the Cubs' lack of offseason movement.
Milton Bradley remains on the roster, and the free-agent center fielder that manager Lou Piniella raved about all last week at the winter meetings is off the market. Mike Cameron signed a two-year, $15.75 million deal today with Boston, a price tag the Cubs never came close to matching.
Contrary to rumors, general manager Jim Hendry still will be able to
sign a free-agent center fielder even if he has yet to shed Bradley's
contract. He just has to be more creative. Marlon Byrd remains the
Cubs' top available option, and Coco Crisp has emerged as a possibility
now that the White Sox have acquired Juan Pierre.
Photo: Marlon Byrd remains on the Cubs' free-agent radar. (Ron Jenkins/AP)
Crisp isn't high on the Cubs' list right now, but if they don't get Byrd he may be the most affordable option. Talks with Byrd's agent, Seth Levinson, have been ongoing and nothing is imminent. The Levinson brothers -- Seth and Sam -- are also the agents for Bradley.
As for the Cubs scouting of Cuban flamethrower Aroldis Chapman, they're considered long shots at best in what's expected to be another Boston-Yankees bidding war.
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Why do so many people keep bringing up the Lou Brock trade? I remember when he was a Cub and he was terrible. He couldn't hit and he was a horrible outfielder. Fortunately, he became a superstar with the Cards but never showed that potential as a Cub.
Also quit bashing Aramis Ramirez. The Cubs stole him from Pittsburgh and he has become a solid run producer and decent third baseman.
I agree that Marlon Byrd is not the answer in centerfield, so let's go with Fuld and Reed Johnson. And let's hope our new hitting coach can help Soto and Fontenot.
LOL @ Putting mark derosa in the same category as lou brock and greg maddux.The Guy is Not that good people, please stop making fools of yourselves overrating him.Come on man Brock and maddux? Two hall of famers? derosa is a utility man at best GTFOH
The Cubs are waiting until November of 2010 when Aaron Miles becomes a free agent. 4 years $60,000,000 should do the trick.
Sometimes I am ashamed to tell people that I am a Cubs fan... and that has nothing to do with the team... I am ashamed to be a fan of the same team some of you say you are a fan of. Does it suck that we haven't won a World Series title in our lifetime? Yes! Have there been players that I thought would be a great fit, that we didn't get? Yes! You want the ownership to open the wallet and spend... and you complain about the big contracts we are stuck with now...don't you remember...those guys got the long term deals because they have had good careers. Soriano was coming of a 40-40-40 year...has it worked out for Chicago...not really, but was it a bad deal??? I don't think so. Most of the free agent signings are a gamble at best... guys can get injured...they could hit an early decline...you never really know! The Cubs have a great core and if two or three guys have a really solid year, they will win the division and return to the playoffs!
GO CUBS!
The Cubs organization is a very poor organization when it comes to evaluating talent. Just this decade alone is proof to that, they supposedly had or have highly tauted prospects in their farm system that they never give them the chance to prosper or flourish as ball players and we all know who they are. When their regarded by MLB as potentially high prospects and for example an MLB team is interested in theses so called prospects in a trade, as a result a trade never gets done, not only is it a disservice to MLB but to the ball player himself. The Cubs organization are too in love with their prospects and too chicken to pull the trigger on trading highly tauted prospects, a lot of times, some players just don't pan out, there is nothing you can do about that. The Cubs organization are haunted historically by the trades they make, some trades work out and some don't, get over it, that is the chance you take. When it comes to making a trade and an MLB team wants in return one of your highly tauted prospects in this case the Cubs, especially if your seeking a prime free agent player it is ill logical and ill practical not to cut a deal, whether it's short term or long term, you are getting what you want to better your club and you are giving them in return what they want, it is fair play. The Problem with the Cubs is that they have alot of overly priced under achieving ball players. Pay more attention to what the other MLB chapionship teams are doing, I think you will learn a thing or two. There has to be more accountability and transparency from the bottom up in the Cubs organization. A suggestion make a deal on a ball player with in the Cubs organization that still has some good market value and make a blockbuster trade , especially a player or players who they plan not to extend a contract to. Stop beating around the bush and don't settle for players that don't have a good track record. Do thorough investigative work and get players that have outstanding track records year in and year out. Good players with good chemistry bring championships. And a brand new stadium would'nt hurt either!
I havent seen this mentioned anywhere but does anybody think that the Cubs are playing chicken with Bradley? Meaning, in essence are they saying "we are NOT going to just eat your salary and release you. So either you renegotiate your contract to a more palatble number so another team will take you in a trade or your coming back and playing in a place you dread coming to" This is what I think is going on.
Wake up to reality, everyone. By the time Bradley's contract expires, so will more than half of the veterans because of age. Then add tightwad Ricketts to the fray and the Cubs will never figure to go anywhere. Even if they do finish high enough to be able to draft anyone worth while, it'll take several years before those guys are able to play at the major league level.
Hendry will continue to make dumb trades and acquisitions and, of course, true to Cubs tradition, will trade away the better players like DeRosa, Brock, Maddux and others.
I had hoped the Ricketts group would do like the Yankees and the Red Sox and buy the guys they need to win but I'm afraid we have another super conservative owner that only thinks about money and profit.
I wish the Cubs fans would stay away in droves which would be the best way to demonstrate to Ricketts...if he wants to make money, he's going to have to spend it...or, lose it big time. If you don't get a good product you don't buy it.
The bottom line will get more results than any trade or acquisition. It'll be another 100 years and several new owners before a contender emerges. Someone call Mark Cuban...at least he's out there doing something. The Ricketts will turn out to be minor league owners and won't put on a good show.
What a shame. A terrific city like Chicago has to put up with an unbelivable bunch of owners who don't care about a world series. And so far i have to include Mr. Ricketts. But that said, lets go on dreaming. At this juncture, considering what has been done so far as bettering the team, let us keep Bradley since we can't get rid of him. Tell him he will be sitting on the bench forever until he changes his demeaner and attitude in the clubhouse and start playing like a man who has been blessed with a lot of talent. Enough to make him a somebody and a lot of money. Maybe Rudy can get thru to him. I know this sounds unreasonable and drastic but we don't have too much other choices. Taking Burell for Badley is utterly ridiculous. If Bradley has any pride he can't sit on the bench for a whole season. He just can't can he? Iknow i would play with the
Cubs for nothing and love it.Can't this man see that. What a wonderful chance in life he has. How can he let it pass. In conclusion, lets put Fuld and Jhnson in center and see what happens. I like that better than the free agents left available. Hendry, you blew it. You should have convinced Ricketts to spend a little more money on what we needed to win a world series instead of pissing away our chance this season {NO PUN INTENDED} Go Cubs
Why not Sam Fuld in Center? He is probably as good as any other center fielder out there on the open market. For pity sakes, give the guy a chance. What the Cubs need first and foremost is more bullpen help; second they need for their players to come to training camp in tip top shape.
Thank you
Mr. Rickets are you going to peal off the mask like Mission Impossible and be Andy McKenna? I hate to pile on the new owner but this is a disaster (both organizationally and publicly). Maybe you could have waited to kill the new owner euphoria UNTIL AT LEAST THE SEASON STARTS? Just a few weeks into this and all you are concerned about is moving spring training to FL (when all other teams are looking towards AZ), opening an ice rink, and evaluating keeping the troughs.
I know Hendry put the painted the team into the corner but to have the whole organization frozen because of Bradley while other teams are dealing is ridiculous. We may be better off owned by a chewing gum company. Mark Cuban HELP!
HERE WE GO AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANOTHER OFF SEASON, AND ANOTHER ROUND OF IDIOCRACY TRANSACTIONS, COURTESEY OF OUR GM JIM HENDRY !!! HE MUST NEVER WATCH "PEOPLE'S COURT." "SOMETIMES THE "cheap" COMES OUT EXPENSIVE" !!! IN THE CASE OF THE CUBS, IT HAPPENS OFTEN !!! MARLON "friggin" BYRD ??? WHEN OH WHEN IS MR. RICKETTS GONNA GET RID OF OUR MGR. AND GM, WHAT'S THEIR NAMES.........OH YEAH, HECKYL AND JECKYL !!! IF HENDRY IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING BYRD, THEN HECK, I WOULDA BEEN PRIMED TO KEEP JAKE FOX INSTEAD !!!
HERE WE GO AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANOTHER OFF SEASON, AND ANOTHER ROUND OF IDIOCRACY TRANSACTIONS, COURTESEY OF OUR GM JIM HENDRY !!! HE MUST NEVER WATCH "PEOPLE'S COURT." "SOMETIMES THE "cheap" COMES OUT EXPENSIVE" !!! IN THE CASE OF THE CUBS, IT HAPPENS OFTEN !!! MARLON "friggin" BYRD ??? WHEN OH WHEN IS MR. RICKETTS GONNA GET RID OF OUR MGR. AND GM, WHAT'S THEIR NAMES.........OH YEAH, HECKYL AND JECKYL !!! IF HENDRY IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERING BYRD, THEN HECK, I WOULDA BEEN PRIMED TO KEEP JAKE FOX INSTEAD !!!
Hendry rolled the dice on the Cubs winning the World Series by now and lost. Plain and simple. For as questionable of moves as he's made, the guy's not a complete idiot. He new these contracts were backloaded and production would be declining. But backloading contracts of veterans was the only way he could get all these guys on the roster. He hoped with all this "talent" they would win in 2008 or 2009 and he could ride that World Series high to cover up an aging team with bad contracts. The problem is he mis-evaluated talent, under-valued team chemistry and it all blew up in his face.
Part of me wants to resent the new owners for making the Cubs feel like a small-market team. On the other hand, the payroll will supposedly jump by $10 million next year, so the Ricketts aren't just being cheap.
Hendry & the Trib in recent years took on lots of long-term contracts for aging players (Soriano) and players coming off career years (Bradley, Dempster). These contracts were often back-loaded so that the pay would rise even as the aging players' production declined. Some of the 2007-2008 success was achieved by, in effect, borrowing from the future in this manner.
Now Tom Ricketts gets to look like the opposite of Santa in the short term -- fielding a less-talented team despite a rising payroll -- until some of those big contracts go off the books. It could be ugly for a while. But I guess the Ricketts family doesn't deserve any pity -- they should have known what they were buying for $800+ billion.
Fire Hendry. Renegotiate Bradley's contract to spread the final year's $$$ over about 5 years. Trade him for prospects and eat most of that money. Bring back Johnson and platoon him with Sam Fuld. Do something similar with Soriano's contract and trade him to the AL (maybe in a package with Fontenot and/or Baker for Brian Roberts). I'm sick and tired of watching fly balls drop in front and behind him. I'm pretty sure the pitching staff would appreciate any outfielder that can actually catch and throw the ball.
The 2010 season is already over -- Cubs come in third place in their division...
Can we just fast forward to the next disasterous off season please?
Boston over St. Louis in 5.
Keith from Lansing
I personally dont have a problem with fukudome or his contract.They did project his numbers to be better than what they are but I like the way he plays.Every guy is not gonna be ichiro or matsui who were huge stars in japan fukudome was a lil bit a lesser star.Your preaching to the choir about the bad contracts hendry has given dont forget Ryan dempster's 4 year 52 million contract too the guy is simply not a pitcher who deserved 13 mill a year he just not that good and had his only good season in his contract year.Hendry overpaid and outbid himself again.That being said the cubs only need to get a legit leadoff hitter and a 4th starter.The only team in the NL clearly better than the cubs are the phillies if cubs can make a good move or 2 they can still compete for the NL pennant.People are being way too negative and writing the cubs off.Its not like this is the pirates,or nationals.I was hoping that hendry would not sign bradley but for some reason he loves the guy he was about to bring him here in 2005 before they signed burnitz.They all met and he ate dinner with dusty and hendry.Hendry has got to be accountable for this horrendous signing its having way too much impact on the cubs I really dont know what the guy was thinking.This is more frustrating than the sammy sosa debacle because the cubs hands are tied and nobody wants to pay bradleys salary so the cubs are just stuck.
Meet the new owner, same as the old owner. Actually Ricketts is starting to look more like P.K. Wrigley every day. So far he only cares about the urinals in the mens restrooms.
We're still waiting for the Cubs to make a free agent move too and hopefully we can find a team dumb enough to take Bradley.
We have talent, but a leadoff hitter has been mentioned as an offseason move for years.. and Hendry hasn't done it. Now he has to spend most of his time un-doing everything he did last year (Gregg, Bradley, Heilman... Miles). We need a starting 2nd baseman, not a platoon of utility guys. And Hendry is now stuck without much money because of bad deals on Soriano, Bradley and Fukey. Notice the Phillies got rid of Cliff Lee cuz he is going to be looking for a 5-6 year deal, and the Phillies would rather do a 3 year deal with Haladay so they are not handcuffed by the contract. Be nice if Hendry took note of this, since he wheeling and dealing has now got him completely boxed in.
Personally, i don't want Hendry making deals for anyone. This team is strapped so badly right now with bad Hendry contracts, that i have no doubt that anyone Hendry attempts to sign will end up being an overpaid flop. There is definitely a pattern of futility on Hendry's part, and it will be at least another 5 years before the team can break free of these nightmare players that we're stuck with, and that's only if Hendry is barred from anymore signing disasters.
People keep saying this team will never win blah,blah,blah.In reality they only need a true leadoff hitter and one more starter.They won the division in 07 with a weak team that had a bunch of new pieces and new manager they were under .500 until late july that year.The 2008 team clicked on all cylinders and almost won 100 games but cracked under the pressure in the playoffs.They signed bradley,miles,got gregg and let wood and derosa go and the team regressed. It's not like the cards or brewers have strong teams they are worse than the cubs right now what has either team done this off season? I know it's to late but Brian Roberts could of gave the cubs the last key piece to the World Series with a consistent Switch hitting leadoff hitter who hit 350. in the Al in the toughest division would of been Perfect for what the cubs needed.Roberts at the leadoff with fukudome(who's patient enought to let roberts steal bases) at 2 then Lee,ramirez,soriano,soto,theriot would of been the best line up in the NL.Stop being so negative yea the cubs are frustrating us all and hendry had a horrible off season last year but stop it with the "This team will win 75 games,This team will be in 4th place" non sense.Cubs still have a chance they just have to invest wisely or pull off a lucky trade.You act like they dont have talent
At this point the offseason has been a disaster and it is clear to me that not only did Bradley play a big hand in ruining last year, but will play a big part in ruining this year. Because of him the Cubs can't go after anyone, but like the GM has a clue anyway.
Yeah the Cubs made the playoffs in '07 and '08...but really, anyone with a blank checkbook in hand could have put together a winning roster in a bad division. The two flops are more of a description of those teams. And then not one thing, not one, worked out. That is a bad GM. As bad as it gets.
This year is obviously going to be worse than last year. So, saying that and knowing it, why not just shelve this need for a FA signing and just let the young guys play. The team will not win with its nucleus, which we have all seen, so why not just let the kids play and see what they can do. This team won't win 75 games this year.
so the 2010 cubs finish poorly. they make the lottery draft. they can then go after a player too tall to be a point guard, a player too short to be a forward and a center who is really a power forward. O NO!! sorry thats the bulls.
Everyone has all these great ideas about trading Milton Bradley. Now...folks....be honest. You are a GM for ALL the other teams. Would you take a guy with that kind of contract for two years? Would you bring a guy in to your team that had just decimated another team that HAD 97 wins the year before and caused numerous upheavals in the dugout?
The mistake was talking hm in the first place! Signing a guy with THAT history...was dumb to begin with but, he is here. He will BE here. No other GM in their right mind would want him and all this fluff about him going to the Rays for Burrell, to this team or that team...with the Cubs picking up much of his salary is just that..FLUFF! No...this was the biggest mistake since we let Madden go and on the same plane as Lou Brock.
Now, imagine you are Milton Bradley for a minute and you read how you are thought of...what the heck goes through your head? I can't imagine knowing I have the ability to produce, I have all the money I need GUARANTEED, and absolutely NO ONE wants me! Dude...that must be a terrible feeling.....I personally think he has a manic depression issue but that is for him to deal with....
Remember Ernie's famous line? Wait until next year!
Well, I think the truth is..wait until 2012 as we will be saddled with Bradley's contract until then. Would YOU eat a contract you had signed with someone for that kind of money? Another lesson in all these contracts. Remember when the Giants paid $18million per year for the great BARRY ZITO? He certainly is setting the world on fire out there, isn't he? And our very own Carlos Zambrano....setting the world on fire at his $15million per year...Who would you rather have for that money...Haliday, Sabathia, Lincicom, and the likes of them? These guys are hand me the ball and stand back....
They have a history of production before they are landing these big contracts. Complete games. Low ERA. Consistent track records.
We need to change our line..WAIT TIL 2012!
Remember Ernie's famous line? Wait until next year!
Well, I think the truth is..wait until 2012 as we will be saddled with Bradley's contract until then. Would YOU eat a contract you had signed with someone for that kind of money? Another lesson in all these contracts. Remember when the Giants paid $18million per year for the great BARRY ZITO? He certainly is setting the world on fire out there, isn't he? And our very own Carlos Zambrano....setting the world on fire at his $15million per year...Who would you rather have for that money...Haliday, Sabathia, Lincicom, and the likes of them? These guys are hand me the ball and stand back....
They have a history of production before they are landing these big contracts. Complete games. Low ERA. Consistent track records.
We need to change our line..WAIT TIL 2012!
LOL @ Everybody constantly whining about soriano and fukudome.Soriano has his lapses I can admit that but the cubs were 28-28 without soriano in the lineup and 66-35 with him in the lineup in 2008 call it what you want but soriano is key to the cubs success.Fukudome Is patient,plays hard and has great D.12 million a year is not overpaid for a solid player who helps your team.Aramis ramirez makes 16-17 million a year and produces NOTHING in the playoffs and really is not as good as advertised his playoff numbers are actually worse than soriano's.
YAWN! What a boring off season. No activity. No trades of consequence.
Let's face it....Milton Bradley has won! He is well paid and totally destroyed the 'team' we had that won 97 games. Hard to believe but Jim Hendrey, I think, needs to be held accountable for destroying a team like that. This team? Could end up in sixth place. Everyone talks about being so close...but close to WHAT? I think Pittsburgh is more exciting to watch. Same with Milwaukee. They had a decent year considering they lost Ben Sheets and Sabathia.
What do we have? a non-productive Milton Bradley who is a detriment to the word 'team' and we have a similar situation with Carlos Zambrano on the pitching staff. Two very bad apples that are rotting the rest...Nice Job, Jim!
Come on Cub fans, only one reason nothing is being done is because of Bradely. Got to move him and free up some money. Not just with his play, Bradley is going to have some ramifications on Cubs for some time to come. Money talks and bs walks.
I think it's great that Milton Bradley and the Cubs are together...
Did you ever read that song I wrote about it?
Here it is again...
Since Milton Bradley is still a Cub, I'll give you this little Christmas Card....
Sung to the tune of Have Yourself A Merry LIttle Christmas...
Enjoy!
...Have yourself a Milton Bradley Christmas...
...he’ll be out in right...
...Don’t be sad...
...you know that Sammy Sosa’s white...
....
...Yes, you'll have a Milton Bradley Christmas...
...With the Cubs he'll stay...
...Now, c'mon, no team will take that dude away...
(chorus)
...Here we are as in olden days...
...Happy golden days of yore...
...Graves with players that were dear to us...
...But, 1908's no more...
...April Fifth, you both will be together...
...and he's with you now...
...Until then, you'll have to muddle through somehow.
...So, have yourself a Milton Bradley Christmas now.
Music by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane.
Lyrics by Nada Surf
I dont care about the ump getting disciplined.I'm talking about how bradley always has these incidents.He snapped in clev at the manager,In texas tried to bumrush the Broadcast booth because he did'nt like what was being said about him,In L.a. he snapped threw a bottle at a fan called jeff kent racist a beat writer an uncle tom.In oakland throwing gatorade jugs on the field.He snapped at some state troopers in ohio in an incident that had NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM AT ALL.ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.Its no coincedence the guy has been on 7 teams in 7 years he's a F'n pyscho with no self control.Yet Billiantly hendry gives him a 3 year deal and as usual the guy shows his true colors and alienates the whole team and city.It's not about race it's about accountability.Horrible investment has the cubs hands tied and the window is closing fast.
Hey Motojones (Mensa)...
Don't you realized that the umpire was fined and suspended for the Bradley incident you spoke of?
Are you blaming Bradley because he's black?
You all have been spoiled by the cubs of 2007 and 2008....NO GM has been to the playoffs as many times as Hendry.....Don't blame him these new yuppie owners aren't throwing money around.....The new owners have not been impressive so far...New bathrooms.....WHO CARES.....
Go get Brett Gardner from the Yankees to play CF -He's young, a left handed bat, and can't be that expensive. There's no place for him to play now that NY has Granderson.
I obviously meant the 2010 season...
I am to the point that the Cubs should stand pat this off season unless they can pick up some quality younster that have been non-tendered. They need to start rebuilding with youth and shedding some of these contracts.
During the 2009 season they should test the waters for trades of some of their older players with short term contracts like Lee, Lilly, Fukudome and Aramis who have value and not overwhelming dollars owed.
No way they will ever be able to trade Soriano so I won't even mention it.
They should be trying to position themselves to trade for soon to be available players like Adrian Gonzalez, or shedding enough money to be players in the continued dumping of talent by small market teams that will continue for the next few years because of the economy.
After next season they have $26 million coming off the books for Lee and Lilly combined. If the season starts to tank its time to move these guys to a contender for some prospect!!!
After that incident in 2007 when milton bradley tore his acl up trying to scream at an umpire who ironically called him a "piece of s***" and his manager could'nt hold him back and he looked like a complete utter fool I would never have signed the guy.Period.It's no coincedence the guy went from the indians,dodgers,oakland,san diego and texas without getting one multi year deal but the Idiotic cubs give him 3 years and 30 mil so after his umpteenth incident where he burns his bridges because of his bad attitude the cubs are stuck with this contract.The guy has had problems everywhere he went and hendry was too stupid to see it.This whole situation is frustrating to watch because the cubs are handicapped by this horrible investment.
Jim Hendry won't do anything to improve this team. As long as the stadium is packed and the beer is flowing, hendry will never try to improve the team.
Why dont the cubs go after Johnny Damon.I know his arm is weak but the guy is a great leadoff hitter,patient and can hit at least 18-25 HR's.He really impressed me with a couple at bats in the world series and has played in pressure cookers NYC and boston.He can play CF and hit leadoff.He has performed in the playoffs and is a nice guy.
Hey I have a thought. Instead of wasting more money, we can bring up Tyler Colvin to play CF. The Cubs should start gradually integrating their farm talent with the "seasoned" veterans. Another person that can fill the spot is Sam Fuld. He is not a superstar but the guy has heart and this is the type of player that the Cubs need right now.
Colvin will never be a good hitting ML player.
young (position) kids don't get chances here because of Lou, Hendry, and long term contracts. besides the Cubs don't bring you up till you're about 27-28.
LOU, LOL. he needs 5 weeks of spring training and 8 more into the season for him to figure out what he has. the Yankees can have him. besides that he's a quitter. he quit in mid season (2009) and quit on Tampa. he can say what he wants, those are facts.
if Hendry wants to keep his job, go with Fuld CF and Castro at SS. save the money for 2011. you improve on D, speed, stolen bases, and D improves your pitching.
"Cubs still waiting to make free-agent move"...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting...
Hey, don't forget we missed out on getting Corey Patterson back, too!
Why do you dumb conservatives always feel the need to bring up politics in every single discussion? That's why Republicans are losing so many people. They are all creepy and weird! Leave political talk out of sports talk and go tea bag someone!
-----------------------------------
Dude, you're just as bad as the guy you criticized with your "tea bag" remark.
Anyway, on to baseball -- Marlon Byrd? Seriously, why is Hendry obsessed with guys that are coming off abberant career years? We've all seen how Miles and Bradley worked out. I don't count DeRosa because 2006 seemed to be the first year he really was given an opportunity to play full time.
Also, with Byrd being touted for CF, does anyone know how his defense is? His vitals say 6', 245 lbs, which doesn't exactly sound like a highly mobile individual.
Democrooky land? Isn't DLEE already in Chicago, home of Obama's drum and probably the Democrat seat of the Midwest?
Anyways, I agree about the assertion that Byrd is no more than a mere stopgap for a future star CF that we don't have. That would have been Curtis Granderson. Tyler Colvin can fill the same role as Cameron or Byrd for much cheaper. Cubs officials need to stop falling in love with Rangers players that have career years in the best hitting park in the majors, and then expect them to reproduce that career year or better it in the suffocating whirlwind confines of Wrigley Field. Don't get me wrong, I love Wrigley, but management still hasn't figured out how to sign free agents or even mold young players that could thrive in such a special yet overwhelming ballpark (not to mention the amount of day games involved). Milton, from the beginning, was a terrible mistake by Jim Spendry, as his history pointed towards personality disorders that are only magnified under the pressure of Cubdom. Jim be wise to stay away from overpriced free agents and give the kids a chance to do the job that a Byrd or Cameron would have done at several times the bill. If Jim really wants to get someone who can make a defensive impact at CF and a player that can hit 5th in the line-up, then perhaps he should start thinking about trading his "precious" position players in the minors that will never get the chance to succeed in Chicago b/c of the glut of long-term free agent contracts that's been handed out.
Lou wanted Ibanez and he got bradley, how did that work out? Phillies did pretty well with him didn't they? Now Lou wanted Cameron and the red sox got him, and the cubs... well they are still trying to shed bradley and see what crumbs are left on the table.
There is a reason the red sox, phillies and yankees are winning world championships. There is also a reason the yankees want to hire lou as a baseball consultant. He happens to know what he is doing, not that be knowledgable and a pro count for much in chicago.
Well, at least cubs fans will be able to listen to Ronnie for 3 more years, maybe he'll tell us all about 69 again or even if we're lucky, that he should be in the hall of fame.
Want good baseball, look elsewhere.
andy h on December 15, 2009 2:55 PM
Cameron is a K machine, Byrd, give me a break
Go with a young kid, stop the stupid insanity of signing retreads.
Make a trade for Gonzalez from SD, send DLEE over, that way he can bang Obama's drum in Democrooky land
--------------------------------------------------
Why do you dumb conservatives always feel the need to bring up politics in every single discussion? That's why Republicans are losing so many people. They are all creepy and weird! Leave political talk out of sports talk and go tea bag someone!
Byrd, Bradley, Burnitz, Jacque Jones...this has a familiar ring. Bidding against themselves for the crumbs left behind after the good players move. Oh, and let's give them one more year AND a no-trade clause. Fire Hendry, now.
Please stop reporting marlon byrd as an option.Nobody wants him.I'm sick of these redundant daily stories on how nothings happened still.LOL @ Marlon Byrd being the biggest acquisition if the cubs make any of this offseason like that bum is gonna get us to the world series especially after the phils just got roy halladay.I'd rather have crisp but that aint saying much either
Cameron is a K machine, Byrd, give me a break
Go with a young kid, stop the stupid insanity of signing retreads.
Make a trade for Gonzalez from SD, send DLEE over, that way he can bang Obama's drum in Democrooky land