ESPN said $16 million. Not sure how I feel about this signing yet.

Are we expecting to have Pie around in '07? How does this acquisition affect him?

I think the Cubs want to give Pie one more year in the minors. That would mean Murton or Jones will be the odd man out in 2007.

If Pie excels I think we would be able to move any of our current starters fairly easily....there is always someone looking for an OF bat and none of them have crazy contracts that would hinder that.

I would be mad if Murton was traded though. He's my boy.

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[This message has been edited by AgRyan04 (edited 12/20/2005 11:35p).]

I do NOT want Murton to go, either. Buster Olney mentioned Corey Patterson as a possible replacement for Damon in Boston. It was kind of an offhand comment, but it definitely perked up my ears.

Comparison of Burnitz and Jacque Jones from 2005:

quote:

---

The Cubs passed on Jeromy Burnitz's $7 million option for 2006, opting to sign free agent Jacque Jones for 5.3 million per season.

A look at their 2005 numbers:
JONES BURNITZ
Games 142 160
Average .249 .258
Homers 23 24
RBIs 73 87
Walks 51 57
Strikeouts 120 109
Stolen bases 13 5

---

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-051220joneschart,1,6712524.htmlstory?coll=cs-home-headlines

Honestly, I'm not too excited about this Jones acquisition however I think he has potential to be good. There are two things that scare me about Jacque though, his Average and his strike outs. He had a low average last year which is a little more acceptable if the outs help produce runs. Unfortunately he had 120 strikeouts which is a lot and is something that our offense already struggles with. It was very frustrating to see runners get stranded on the bases due to low quality at-bats.

I am hopeful.

I read in the Sun-Times that Neifi and Hairston are both ahead of Walker on the depth chart at second. I'm not totally against Neifi starting but I'm not sure he's an 162-game starter.

I'm guessing Ronny Cedeno will start at short then.

I would hope Walker would start in front of Neifi & Hairston. Neifi is a great backup and Hairston just needs to go. His only positive is that he can play OF or IF. Too bad he sucks equally at both.

I say give Hairston another year. I don't think OF his natural position. Let's see what he can do as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement.

Even so just think of who we had to give up to get him.


[This message has been edited by bluestainedivy (edited 12/21/2005 5:05p).]

Looks as if The Tribune is plagiarizing ideas from my website again....

as for Jerry "Fancy Pants....literally" Hairston....he's completely expendable. I don't care if he hasn't adjusted to the OF or not, he has yet to prove he can hit at a level above "eh" at the big league level (in +2000 career ABs). It doesn't help that he has played one full season in his 8 years at the big league level.

Plus we signed John Mabry to play that role for about 30% less than Hairston made last season....and Corey is still on the payroll (although we'll have to see how long that lasts)

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[This message has been edited by AgRyan04 (edited 12/21/2005 8:32p).]

I do NOT like the sound of this AT ALL.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5189112

quote:

---

Cubs after Tejada, could move Prior
The Cubs, aggressively pursuing a blockbuster trade for Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada, are willing to part with a top starting pitcher, most likely right-hander Mark Prior, sources tell FOXsports.com.

The talks are stalled, a source says, over the Cubs' insistence that the Orioles give up left-hander Erik Bedard along with Tejada if they want Prior – and the Cubs' refusal to include top outfield prospect Felix Pie or a top pitching prospect in return.

The Cubs and Orioles also have engaged in three-way discussions with the Red Sox in which Tejada would go to the Cubs and Ramirez to the Orioles, according to another source. The package the Sox would receive is unclear, but conceivably could include Prior, shortstop Ronny Cedeno and center fielder Corey Patterson.

Whatever the details, a three-way deal would appear to be a longshot, and no other deal appears close. The Red Sox would need to give the Orioles pitching along with Ramirez if they wanted Tejada in a straight, two-team trade. The Angels' offers for Tejada have been insufficient, sources say.

The Orioles are concerned that they would be losing too much offense if Prior was their principal acquisition in a Tejada deal. The Red Sox share the same reservation about trading Ramirez for anything other than a hitter of Tejada's caliber.

The Orioles and Cubs have been talking for at least a week. While the teams completed a trade involving outfielder Sammy Sosa last off-season, that deal was essentially a salary dump by the Cubs. A Tejada deal would be more difficult to accomplish.

Orioles owner Peter Angelos is a difficult negotiator who routinely procrastinates on major personnel moves. He also is a stickler for players with clean medical records, and Prior has been injured in each of his three full seasons with the Cubs. Any deal involving Ramirez would require him to waive his no-trade clause, an issue that could further complicate discussions.

The Cubs are believed to be more willing to trade Prior, 25, than right-hander Carlos Zambrano, 24, who has emerged as the team's workhorse and ace. The Orioles likely would not be interested in right-hander Kerry Wood, 28, who is coming off shoulder surgery.

If the Cubs acquired Bedard along with Tejada, they would gain a ready replacement for Prior and keep their rotation at full strength. But the Orioles need to add pitching, not trade it, which is why they would want the Cubs to include a top prospect. Cedeno, Patterson and second baseman Todd Walker are among the other Cubs who could attract the Orioles' interest.

Tejada, 29, said he wanted to be traded in an interview with the Associated Press earlier this month, stating his desire to play for a winning organization and his belief that he would benefit from a "change of scenery."

He later softened his remarks publicly, but did not back off his position in talks with club officials. He has four years and $48 million remaining on the six-year, free-agent contract he signed with the Orioles prior to the 2004 season.

Rather than move Tejada, the Orioles could attempt to improve the team around him. They've signed free-agent catcher Ramon Hernandez, 29, to a four-year, $27.5 million contract and free-agent outfielder Jeff Conine, 39, to a one-year, $1.75 million deal. They also are talking to free-agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, 36, and are one of several clubs pursuing free-agent right-hander Kevin Millwood, 31, who seems most likely to sign with the Rangers.

While the Cubs appear to be the team pushing hardest for Tejada, the Orioles have maintained steady dialogue about a possible deal with the Red Sox. If the Orioles could swing a deal for Ramirez and pitching, they then would seek to trade for a shortstop or sign one as a free agent.

The Angels, meanwhile, continue to view the addition of a slugger like Tejada as their top priority. Their talks for Ramirez have not advanced, and like the Cubs, they have numerous young players who would appeal to the Orioles, starting with right-hander Ervin Santana and first baseman Casey Kotchman. The Orioles also could take back high-priced veterans like shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Darin Erstad in a trade.

The White Sox, willing to move right-hander Jon Garland or right-hander Jose Contreras, appear more of a longshot for Tejada. Both Garland and Contreras, however, are eligible for free agency at the end of the season. Under Angelos, the Orioles have routinely balked at acquiring potential free agents without the assurance of signing them long-term.

---

So where would that leave the rotation?

Sounds like the Cubs will only do the deal if they get the lefty (Bedard) who would take Prior's spot. The other 4 spots would be Zambrano, Maddux, Jerome Williams, and Rusch. Woody is supposed to start throwing after the 1st, but he probably won't be ready until around May.

From a personal standpoint I would be sick if Prior was traded. Although he has lowered himself from the God-like perception I had of him prior to '04, I still love the guy.

Here are Bedard's career numbers:

2003: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 HR, 1/0 SO/BB, 13.50 ERA, .500 BAA, 0.00 G/F
2004: 137.1 IP, 149 H, 13 HR, 121/71 SO/BB, 4.51 ERA, .270 BAA, 0.92 G/F
2005: 142.2 IP, 139 H, 10 HR, 125/57 SO/BB, 4.00 ERA, .260 BAA, 1.15 G/F

Nice improvement from '04-'05 but still not special like Prior.

He is also a year and a half older than Prior (he turns 27 in March).

We all know what Miggy can do. He is still owed $26M for the next three years (plus an option for '09 with a $3M buyout).

Is Prior worth more than Miggy + Bedard? Possibly not.

The problem with that is that we'd have to give up more....Cedeno, or Pie, or Walker....That's the deal killer to me. If Baltimore wants to move Miggy that badly they shouldn't be in the driver's seat.

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[This message has been edited by AgRyan04 (edited 12/22/2005 6:32p).]

Gammons was on the radio this morning saying that there are just too many parts to the trade to get moving in order for it to actually happen. He said there is no way the Orioles should give up both players for just Prior.

Peter Angelos is a bum anyways. Even if this trade favored him incredibly he still wouldn't pull the trigger.

I too am not too keen on trading Prior.

[This message has been edited by bluestainedivy (edited 12/23/2005 12:36p).]

i would be sick and not sure if I could watch the cubbies if they trade Prior. I might have more of the god complex prior than some cubs fans, but don't give up on the man yet.

Have a Merry Christmas guys!

Got my new home jersey from my parents. Can't wait to wear it to the games at Minute Maid to piss off the Astro fans.

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9115652/1

This one gets a little confusing with two potential ways to get Tejada....Apparently O's want Zambrano as opposed to Prior....It gets kinda crazy....

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For no reason that involves logic, I would hate to see Z or Prior go. Besides, pitching wins more games and even an iffy Prior seems better than anything would could get to replace him. It sounds like this Tejada business is serious, but the latest at mlbtraderumors is that the O's management doesn't trust Prior's health history. Maybe we shouldn't either.....I just wish April would get here or at least Feb. so we'd have some baseball to keep us occupied.

tejada is at least 5 years old than prior and zambrano. They better not do it.

Any of you guys read this? I'm thinking about ordering it....

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=PA6iComCzG&endeca=1&isbn=1589792122&itm=213

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Yeah, I read it... It's an average read IMO.
I thought it was sort of bland, kinda something that I could have wrote about the season. While reading it all it did was bring back bad memories of that worthless September. I would just go to B&N one day and read parts of it instead of buying it.

Not sure I want to relive that. At least the end of the season.

My wife got me this one: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=u57p3tXACf&isbn=1578601924&itm=11 I haven't started reading it yet.

I also got a BP jersey. Very nice.

dp

Hey Old Style, did I mention that the Cubs picked up the option on Williamson?

[This message has been edited by bluestainedivy (edited 12/27/2005 12:14p).]

I don't think I had seen that, but it doesn't surprise me. Good move, IMO.

Prior for Tejada deal supposedly actually on the table

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2005/12/cubs_tejada_tra.html

this makes me a little nervous.

Prior AND Rich Hill?! F that!

There's an article on ChicagoSports.com that makes it sound less likely that the deal is going to go down. I hope that is accurate.

Why the angry face Shaun?