djmarco

So if the marlins get loduca we will put him in......1st?please don't tell we are gonna waste ramon on the bench,again. lo duca will probably play 1st for the dodgers. McGriff is gone. If they can get another outfielder, Green will move to first base. It's been discussed and written in LA papers

okay, I'm going to be honest, so please don't kill me...remember, you guys have benitez now! 1. Braves (why? Somehow, who saw them taking it last year after getting rid of millwood?) 2. Phillies (a lot of pitching and hitting can come back...bowa is the problem) 3. Marlins (pitching will do well, but there will be a lack of offense...middle relief/closer will be a problem) 4. Mets (pitchers coming off off years, bats should come around, good prospects, vastly improved defense in a pitchers park) 5. Expos (without Vaz and Vlad, what the hell are they? Vidro can only do so much, but he's probably going to have a monster season before he hits the market) Hard to see the Braves that high unless they sign Vlad and a few others. They'll be hardy though---like a snake whose head is cut off not realiing it's dead for a few months. They've lost a lot more than a 3rd starter this year. Your other predictions are good

I love the optimisim, but we still need to upgrade the pen, add depth to the staff, get another bat, and improve the bench before we talk about playoffs. Remember it went down to the wire last year with the Dodgers, and they are in a good position ( they got rid of 30 mil from payroll) to make some big moves. Don't forget also that the Astros and Cubs are looking better, and the Braves aren't dead yet.

One other thing you guys are forgetting is that the Phillies pulled off some major acquisitions (Wagner, Milton, Worrell), and retained Milwood all without giving up anybody, unless you consider Carlos Silva and Nick Punto to be solid major leaguers. Reality dictates that we have to keep pace with our rivals, and, so far, we're not. I know there's plenty of time to maneuver, but we've lost a lot of big bats, weakened our rotation and our pen, and lost defense with the departures of Lee and Pudge- not to mention Pudge's leadership. Yet, I'm reading that the front office seems content with the team and is claiming that Benitez completes the picture. It just puzzles me that last year we made one great move after another; I just don't see that being done yet. Hopefully, I'm just being too impatient and the best is yet to come

I'd take him or Dellucci

Beane's been pretty creative with the A's, but he's also given up a lot of talent to borrow players for 1/2 season. Berroa was one, and his infatuation with Lilly cost him a lot.

Benitez< Urbina Are you joking? anybody recall what Benitez did in the post season for the Mets? If we had him as our closer, we would have never won the series this year I'm one of the biggest Ugy defenders there is, and he was not good at all in the playoffs. If he was 50% he was barely over it and he got bashed in on a couple of occassions and one because of the team bailing him out. On the whole, Ugie was terrible in the playoffs. we won in spite of him, not because of him. We bailed him out of many blown saves. Remember game 1 of the Cubs series (Sosa's two-run homer in the ninth)? How about game 4 of the World Series? The only reason Gonzalez's home run was neccessary was because Ugie blew it. Same thing with Pudge's dramatic play at the plate in game 4 of the NLDS - Ugie came in with a 2-run lead and promptly gave up one run, and then if it hadn't been for Conine and Pudge, would have given up the tying run. How about that game-saving snag Lee made for the final out of game 5 of the WS? Ugie was hit way too hard in the postseason. Anyhow, i don't really know what my point is here....Beintez is not really neccessarly the answer to our prayers, but i think we're gonna be thrilled to have him at $3.5 mill. And Ugie...well, let's just be happy we had him for the regular season..... Benitez has been very bad in 3 of his 4 yrs in the post season...he was a disaster for the O's I believe in 97. He is also not a real workhorse---i've read where he can't pitch back to back days also, and it bothers me that he was with 3 teams last year.

what for? we have castillo...anderson is not a multi position player graffanino is a nice utility man We have nobody that can back up Luis now that Andy is gone. We can bring up Hooper, but... And Graffinino has already been signed. who signed graffy? we need a utility man...anderson does not fit that role --he may be a tad expensive for just a one position bench player

I have a feeling we may go after Marlon Anderson, but that's just me. ?? what for? we have castillo...anderson is not a multi position player graffanino is a nice utility man

what bad move has been made? all of them

Benitez< Urbina Are you joking? anybody recall what Benitez did in the post season for the Mets? If we had him as our closer, we would have never won the series this year

I'm not sure we've saved that much either, especially when you consider the holes we have to fill. I'd love to know what we offered Penny and Pavano

I'd love to be talked out of my pessimism, but every move we've made has made us a weaker team ... Choi< Lee Castro/Redman< Pudge Benitez< Urbina No one< Redman No one< Encarnacion No one< Looper I know it's early, but we need a big time rally

That seems like ages ago...Jose Mesa was once a great reliever also

Baez, Sauerbeck and Moss just blare out for us to try to get

I think last year he turned the corner...so many baseball are high on him. Leiter called him a stud, and Dave Campbell said he's finally found the groove for the greatness everyone predicted for him. He's got great stuff-but he had 2 or 3 horrendous games last year that blew his stats out of proportion. He also got shelled by the Phillies and Braves in some key games in late September which probably put him in the pen for the playoffs. I read an article about him before the 6th game in the Cubs series, and he sounded great---said he was fed up with his critics and wanted to show up the teams that gave up on him. I liked that.

I wish I could share some of the enthusiasm about Benitez. Visions of him in the Mets post season haunt me. Certainly not a sign of a clutch closer...why give up Urbina if you're gonna spend 3.5 mil on a loser like Benitez?

Look, for all the talk about the Phillies upgraded pen, I'm still not scared of them. They didn't do anything to address their offensive problems. I went to a lot of Marlins/Phils games last year, and while Mesa/Williams blew their fair share of saves, I noticed that they had a real hard time scoring runs late in the game. To me, they needed one more impact bat, not a loaded bullpen. Their pen is scary good and with Worrell and Wagner it becomes a 7 inning game with them, but they just made something they had better, they didn't improve where they needed to. Go ahead and bash me, but I still say if the Phillies had added another quality bat they'd be more of a threat than adding Wagner and Worrell. Their pen was weak, and they addressed it big time...don't forget they got some good set up guys (Milton was also a nice pick up), but you're right, they do have some holes in the lineup. I guess they're counting on Bell and Burrell to come back with good years. But another liability for them is Bowa; way too emotional to be a great manager. In fact, I think he's a lunatic

We dont nessecarily have to Trade Redman Mid-Season if we sign him.. If Pavano isnt getting the Run Support Needed or is struggling to start, and AJ Comes back Well. Then Pavano can always be moved to the Pen where he was great. I thought he pitched pretty awesome in his 2 starts also. why do so many dump on Pavano?

i like dejean...any ideawhat he commands? much better option than benitez

haven't heard of any marlins offers to their players (i.e. Pavano)

The fact that Boras is able to get away with all of his bs exposes the stupidity of baseball owners. He crafted some outrageous contracts for the likes of JD Drew (next Mickey Mantle), Chang Ho Park, A-Rod,etc. with his puffing. If I were an owner, I wouldn't give him the time of day. :hat

It will be interesting to see what pudge signs for... remember bs artist Boras said he had offers from other teams of 40 mil for 4 yrs when turning down Marlins offer

For a site which is as sophisticated as this one with so many good posters, I'm surprised Benitez gets as much support as he's getting. He is way overpriced for a team that is counting its money carefully. Trade Pavano? Interesting thought. I love the guy-followed him since my buddy raved about him in Trenton and predicted great things for him. I think he's finally reached that level of excellence so many felt he had after his performance in the Series and playoffs, but you never know given his past (injuries, inconsistency,etc) Maybe he has great trade value now. On the other hand, he's still relatively cheap , so it wouldn't make sense to trade him :hat

For a sit which is as sophisticated as this one with so many good posters, I'm surprised Benite gets as much support as he's getting. He is way overpriced for a team that is counting its money carefully. Trade Pavano? Interesting thought. I love the guy-followed him since my buddy raved about him in Trenton and predicted great things for him. I think he's finally reached that level of excellence so many felt he had after his performance in the Series and playoffs, but you never know given his past (injuries, inconsistency,etc) Maybe he has great trade value now. On the other hand, he's still relatively cheap , so it wouldn't make sense to trade him :hat