BleedCubbieBlue.com was talking about how Hendry should try to orchestrate a Zito for Patterson deal saying that Hendry has a knack for pulling off one-sided trades.

I don't see it happening but I wouldn't mind seeing Zito on the hill for the Cubs. I know Billy Beane loves prospects, maybe we could throw in HIll as well.

New news on the potential new location for Tejada. It's titled "wild rumor" and it fits the bill. The comments at the bottom have a lot of guys saying the O's are about to sign Burnitz to a 2 year deal.


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

angry face at the rich hill and prior.

Are the cubs really "trying" to deal Prior or that what the market going to take for tejada?

Hendry apparently wants Tejada bad. The thinking is that if the Cubs don't win soon, he could be out of a job. The Orioles want Zambrano, but Hendry won't deal him. He has offered up Prior instead.

The latest rumor is Matt Clement and Manny Ramirez for Tejada. I would do it in a heartbeat if I were the O's.

prior and zam are young and should not be traded for no one.

Supposedly the Pirates are interested in Sammy Sosa.

Their GM is denying it but I think he knows that he would lose the last few fans they have if he admitted to it.

Well, Sammy thinks he is the second coming of Roberto Clemente, so he would be a good fit in Pittsburgh.

That is true, I'm sure he's also considering the fact that his only other option may be Japan ball.

Per The Sun-Times:

The Cubs have signed Marquis Grissom to a minor league contract.

They are pressing Balitmore for a decision either way on a possibly Prior and change for Tejada and Bedard deal.

Woody is also supposed to start throwing this month at the Cubs' camp in Arizona.

Marquis Grissom? Why?

He's supposedly a good clubhouse presence.

Then hire him as a damn coach.

good one.

The cubs also signed AUGIE OJEDA to a minor league contract!!!!!!

AUGIE AUGIE AUGIE

Latest from mlbtraderumors.com

BOS gives: Bronson Arroyo, Tony Graffanino, PTBNL

BOS gets: Jeremy Reed, Will Ohman

CHC gives: Corey Patterson, Ohman

CHC gets: Raul Ibanez, Graffanino, cash

SEA gives: Reed, Ibanez, cash

SEA gets: Arroyo, Patterson, PTBNL

Ibanez and Graffanino huh?

Ibanez is decent. His 99 strikeouts last year were a little high. His AVG had been going up until last year when it dropped 20 points. I don't think he would be a bad pick-up but he probbaly won't be stellar either. He is a switch-hitter.

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=116380

Graffanino? Do we really need another 2B? I get it. If we acquire all of the 2B in the league then other teams will have no choice but to trade for them. That's a great idea!

Graffanino has played with five different teams in his 10 seasons in the majors. Looking at his stats there is nothing that jumps out at me. Maybe the plus in this trade would be just getting rid of Patterson.

Graffanino:
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/player.jsp?player_id=115017

Seems like much ado about nothing to me.

Actually, Much Ado about Nothing was a later festive comedy published by William Shakespeare in 1600 about "the baiting of Benedick and Beatrice into a declaration of love and the deception of Claudio into mistakenly thinking that Hero is unchaste." It has nothing to do with the Cubs and this possible trade.

http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/muchado/

...Now a tragedy maybe...

[This message has been edited by bluestainedivy (edited 1/4/2006 5:18p).]

Prior opts out of contract and files for arbitration!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2280623

Not really that big of a deal I suppose except he will get significantly more money than the $2.75M he was going to get next year.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Check out "Texas A&M & Baseball In No Particular Order"
at tamu-and-baseball.com

Well, we now know what feels worse than the White Sox winning the World Series.

words can't describe that feeling of we are now owned by all sips until we win the next one. Why do I root for the two biggest lovable losers.

Can't say I'm happy the Sox won the series but can't be disappointed in the fact the Astros didn't.

What does that say about ones psyche when you root for the Cubs and Ags?


"I never liked Texas, though," Heard said of A&M's rival, the Longhorns. "They were always uppity, and I was raised not to act like that."

Kellen Heard-Fightin' Texas Aggie

Gluttons for punishment, I guess.

spin it, it says we got balls of steel. Cause we keep getting kicked and keep coming back for more.

Shaun, I think that's gets us a little to close to Sadomasochism

Just wait 'til next year guys. We'll take both of championships.

Can anyone explain to me what exactly arbitration is? I have understood it to mean that if a player meets certain requirements than he can get out of his contract and force a new one based on other player's of the same level salary. Is there a time period for reaching an agreement?

[This message has been edited by bluestainedivy (edited 1/5/2006 12:22p).]

No, arbitration is where the team and the player each put contract proposals on the table and an independent party decides which is the most fair option. Those are then the terms of the deal. For example, the Cubs say that Mark Prior only deserves $8 million/year, while Prior says he deserves $12 million/year. They make their respective cases and the arbitrator makes the call. It is an option A or option B decision for the arbitrator. But under Jim Hendry, the Cubs have never gone to arbitration with any player. They will have a new deal worked out for Prior before then.

Is a player allowed to opt out of his contract for arbitration at any time or is that something specified in the contract?

It has to be specified in the contract. Prior had certain #'s he had to meet in order to opt out for arbitration after 2004 & 2005. He didn't hit those numbers last year.

I see.

your probably right mac.

I thought i had big balls, but i guess they are always swollen.