ZiggyTaxi

Our top 4 are better then your top 4 or even your top 4 of the 2003 season. That is ridiculous.

How low do you think the Marlins were on that power ranking last season? :shifty It doesn't matter where you start, but where you finish!!! Exactly. :thumbup Mark Prior > Josh Beckett

It has been reported by more than one source (including at least one I remember from your city) that Farnsworth was on the block. I assume this "source" wasn't Hendry now was it. Not many sources to trust, since so few speak the truth, at least that is what I have experienced. Best sportswriter I know for credibility if Bruce Levine but he just states the obvious and in a vague way, so he found a loophole I guess.

Go back to your hole Ziggy!! We are talking about the Mark Redman deal not about Farnsworth. Why dont you back to cubstalk.com where you belong! "Why dont you back to..." I assume you mean go back to. Maybe it is you that should go back to your "whole". I do not post at Cubstalk.com, rather Northsidebaseball.com

Newflash He is on the trading block... Newsflash He is not. Sure, everyone is for the right deal, but Farnsy really isn't unless the right deal comes along, same things goes with every player. We have a really good bullpen now, I doubt Hendry is trying to trade Farnsworth.

The Marlins getting Farnsy? What is up with these signatures? He is not going to be a Marlin. Someone just tell me this is what you hope, and don't expect because it is funny if some people actually think there is even an outside chance he would be. Why not pick someone more practical like a Free Agent, or one that is even on the trading block.

For P Mark New (sorry if spelled wrong), a PTBNL, and cash. Reported on channel 10 Neu, a reliever, and ex-Cane closer, threw the last pitch of one of our recent National Titles. And Cash. Hmm. Vlad money anyone? Yeah....About your signature. I don't think the Marlins are going to be getting Farnsy.... That is just plain dumb if you think the Marlins will end up with Farnsy.

minus u obviously dont know baseball if u think dee lee wont hit more than the 31 he hit here at the pro and now hes at wrigley..expect between 40-50 hrs I don't know baseball? Wriggley is not exactly hitter park like every one thinks it is....Are you fan of a player first or the Marlins?Can't get your mind off Derreck?At least Shamrock is not whinning about Derreck Lee because he knows the potential Choi has. Worst case scenerio Choi becomes another Derreck Lee at the plate.Which is neither good or bad. Actually that would be the best case scenario. Hendry might have a plan here. Overhype positional players and trade them away. (see Hill, Bobby and Hee Seop, Choi)

Its RHP F.Beltran..................but again I could be wrong :whistle It won't be Beltran.

You are wrong on that.? The Tribune realizes what that would do to their image, so they would pony up and pay ANY price. Watch and learn...it's happened before. Which is exactly why it won't happen again. Tribune isn't going to do another Maddux, trust me.

Your wrong but your enititled to your opinion :plain I could say the same exact thing to you. I will laugh when it turns out to be some throw in. I will also be the first to post saying my apologies if Hendry makes an idiotic move and gives up someone good.

is SS is a fa right now? yes, steward is a fa. The Mauer's live on the other side of the river, St.Paul or nearby Maplewood. That's about 30+ miles from Eden Prairie. Joe was all-state in basketball, football, and baseball. He almost went to Fla. St. to play QB. IMO, the Twins drafted him because of his hometown, and they thought he'd be easier to sign. Joe's going to be good, chances are good that he could be a Twin for quite awhile. I wouldn't be able to say the same thing about Prior. I can see Mark leaving for big money as soon as he can, yes bigger money than the Cubs will be willing to pay out. You are wrong on that. The Tribune realizes what that would do to their image, so they would pony up and pay ANY price.

Weren't they the runaway favorites last year without I-Rod? And what did they do? They sucked until they stole some Pirates. No one had the Cubs winning the central. Yeah you are right. They were the opposite. Noone picked them to win. The year before they lost 95 games.

No we took Mauer because at the time we had enough good pitchers. And Peter Gammons had this to say last night in an interview Minneapolis ABC (KSTP-5).... "Joe Mauer could be one of the greatest catchers of all time. But that remains to be seen once we see how he manages a game and how he does against big league pitching. But right now he has the talent, brain, and drive to be great. There's a reason Mauer was taken over Prior. Prior and Mauer will go down as the gems of that draft." Peter Gammons is an idiot. Don't even get me started on Gammons... If you think the Twins actually took Mauer over Prior because they liked Mauer better, then you are extremely naive. Mauer will be good, but not Prior good. Even Curt Schilling said himself Prior will be the best pitcher the next 10-15 years. Enough good pitchers?! You do not let go of Prior to get Mauer. The Twins aren't that stupid. Prior wasn't a prospect. EVERYONE knew he would be great and in little time.

Ziggy...The Cubs have one of the best farm systems when it comes to pitching and someone who is not in the Top 10 for you guys can be in the Top 10 for some other team....the guy were getting is talented , Beinfest wouldnt have let D. Lee go unless he knew the guy was a legitimate prsopect and not a throw in "not that good" player b/c then the deal would essential be Lee for Choi which isnt going to happen...A moderator (wisc) at WindyCitySports page said that he heard Hendry say that the PTBNL is "going to cost us a pretty good minor leaguer"...i also have heard from Marlins sources that he is a tall, right handed, power pitcher...Blasdel would have fit the profile but hes not protected (if he were the player the Marlins wanted the Cubs wouldnt take a chance and leave him out there for someone else)...So stop being so hard headed...you still got Lee for chump change compared to the Sexson deal...Its funny how i monitor the boards everywhere the fans seem like they dont want to trade anyone who had a good season the previous year in the minors....Sorry for the long response but just had to make my point =)...i know you being a Cubs fan you dont want to lose a player who might help you out in the future but you have to give up quality to get quality We'll see. Until the PTBNL is released I will stand by my guess that it won't be a very good player. It will be a throw-in. He isn't protected either because he just isn't that good. What is Hendry going to say that he is horrible?! I don't think so.

You're in the central, you'll be fine. Yeah, too bad we don't have 200 million to spend on anyone we want...

The weird thing is the Twins' signing bonus to Prior was worth about 2 million more then the Cubs', but I have heard a lot of stories as to why Prior didn't want to become a Twin. Maybe he wanted to hit, or live in Chicago, or just wanted to be on the Cubs. Who knows. All I know is that I thank God it happened.

The only reason Mauer was taken over Prior was for financial reasons. Obviously, anyone would have taken Prior over Mauer. That is really a No Decision.

Latroy Hawkins is really underrated. He is a very good relief pitcher, this wasnt a bad move at all by the cubs. They needed bullpen help badly. Maybe adding one more can ease their bullpen a bit more. I don't think they needed bullpen help badly (guthrie, borowski, remlinger, farnsworth) as they had more pressing needs in upgrading LF, C, 2B, and SS. Are you kidding me? Bullpen was definitely the first priority. Guthrie, Veres are horrible. Veres has been horrible all year and Guthrie started to show his true self early September. Alfonseca, Guthries, Veres are three bad relievers. We had a pretty bad bullpen. LaTroy improves the bullpen greatly and with one more pickup like a Rincon and then use a Beltran or Wellemeyer we would definitely have both the best pitching rotation and bullpen in the division.

Let me take it back...Blasdell looks good but he was not protected in the Rule 5 draft and with the way he looks hes gone It is not going to be anyone that is that good, so I would guess someone like Tavarez or Blasdell.

From my understanding, the player we are getting is on the Cubs 40 man roster ans is taking up a roster spot "protecting" him until after the draft where his rights will be transfered over to the Marlins It will not be someone on the 40 man roster. It doesn't even have to be someone Rule V Eligible because Rule 2(a)(2) prohibits trades of minor league players between filing the reserve lists in late November and the Rule 5 draft. So, it doesn't matter. Any minor leaguer would be a PTBNL right now. (MLR 3(b)(7), usually called the Incaviglia Rule says that a player can't be traded until one year after he signed his professional contract so that further constrict who it would be. My best guess is Anderson Tavarez, but if it is someone Rule V Eligible maybe Jared Blasdell. Thanks Mark for the info.

Had a question on the Whole Lee/PTBNL thing. Why is everyone saying he has to be Rule V Eligible? He doesn't.

Eddie's the worst closer in the Big Leagues and we really coulda used LaTroy coming back. How about whoever the blue jays use? Eddie is overrated, and he definitely can't go every day. B-B-B-But...HES EVERYDAY EDDIE!!! :lol I prefer LaTroy over Eddie.

I wouldn't trust Hawkins closing...he seems not to be able to handle the pressure. Exactly. He is one of the best Set Up men, but he just doesn't have the makeup to close. I am confident Borowski can easily replicate his '03 year. ZiPS Projections confirmed it, though they aren't a sure thing it is a fun projection system. I can guarantee you that Borowski will have a VERY similar year to 2003. Why would we see a drop in numbers when he pitched even better for us in 2002 just in a different role. Borowski is the Cubs closer and a pretty good one at that. I don't know, i've just never trusted Borowski. Maybe's it's his workmanlike attitude and demeanor on the mound or his less than impressive stuff, but I just don't think Borowski can continue to be a very good closer. I'll be a believer if he has a year like he did last year closing in 2004, but I am skeptical. You do not need "the best stuff" to be a good closer. You need to throw strikes and keep the ball down and get the job done. Mental makeup also is a huge requirement to be a closer. Borowski does all of that, and has been nothing short of spectacular for the Cubs.

I wouldn't trust Hawkins closing...he seems not to be able to handle the pressure. Exactly. He is one of the best Set Up men, but he just doesn't have the makeup to close. I am confident Borowski can easily replicate his '03 year. ZiPS Projections confirmed it, though they aren't a sure thing it is a fun projection system. I can guarantee you that Borowski will have a VERY similar year to 2003. Why would we see a drop in numbers when he pitched even better for us in 2002 just in a different role. Borowski is the Cubs closer and a pretty good one at that.