Punch and Judy Garland

Marte shouldn't throw tonight, 2 innings on Tues and coming in last night for two batters should earn him a day off. It's a hard week for him with the Angels being so lefty and then Texas having Delluci, Blalock, and tex if you want to turn him around. Teams like Oakland and Anaheim make you wish you had two lefties. I don't count cotts because he's not a guy who gets lefties out.

Detroit spends money though. He'll make a ton.

I did appreciate the "that just sucks" line. Why is Hawk out now? Was this expected post-surgery? Is he not traveling? One inquiring mind wants to know!

I hated Ritchie but I don't know that he was a bad guy or anything. Jaime Navarro gets my vote with utter ease

Have you noticed that in big games against good pitchers that sending Crede up there works out as well as if you let Jose Contreras bat? Short of his homer off Urbina last year, it seems that Crede has the 20 quietest homers you are going to find. His swing just seems so long and slow when there is an above average pitcher on the hill.

Did this spiral into a fantasy baseball debate? Not sure how much position versatility really matters in real life. If you rake at one position and aren't a butcher then you are valuable to me

Jimmy Key was the most underrated pitcher of his time. That alone sounds a lot like Marky

You'd have Shea Hillenbrand over Adam Dunn? You'd be fired on your first day as a gm

Last year proved that the number one pick can still be a surprise the noght of so I imagine there will be changes in thought this year too. I think Bogut is the next Brad Miller which is not an insult. He'll be a great passer as a big man and a solid player. Not really a uber-star but he'll be good.

question: can Josh Fields play 1st base for the White Sox in 06? I realize it wastes his arm but just curious if he would hit enough to take over for Konsucko so soon with all of the bad FA 1st basemen out there

maybe he's just lost at the dish? I don't think accusing him of steroid use is really fair. I also doub that getting of steroids would be largely responsible for a BA drop of over 100 points

what do K's have to do with obp? Dunn has always had a great obp

It would seem Bradley is too good to trade unless the deal were to involve a starting pitcher to replace scott erickson, but the Cubs aren't really in a position to do so. Maybe if they pay a very high price they could nab Bradley and Brazoban but that would seem to involve dealing someone or something they wouldn't want to part with. Maybe Matt Lawton though. He might make sense for them. Ah hell, it's pointless no matter who they get

Being that he doesn't hit free agency until 08, his price would be 3 of a teams top 4 prospects. I don't think they'd move him but the price would be enormous. I would say that he has proven that he can get any lineup out and is playoff tested. I fear our pen against a lineup like Boston's but even they wouldn't hit off Lidge. I'd be far more interested in this topic in two months.

Danny Graves was designated for assignment today. I sorta buy the twins theory. There is obviously a working relationship dating back to the Nomar trade since both the Cubs and twins were involved and Andy Macfail being with the Cubs and Lee Macphail (not anymore though) being from the Twins org. Jackie Jones and a reliever would seem to fit if the Cubs were willing to pay Jones and a little bit of Choke's salary. I guess that Jenkins, Lawton, and Jones are the only guys I can think of who qualify under the left-handed OF label if that is in fact accurate

here it is, actually it was fresh in mymind because I just saw it from Rosenthal the other day: The Braves weren't the only team that wanted to acquire closer Dan Kolb last winter. The Cubs also were heavily interested but resisted the Brewers' demands for RHP LaTroy Hawkins and either RHP Jon Leicester or RHP Michael Wuertz because they wanted to pair Hawkins and Kolb in their bullpen. The Brewers liked Hawkins because they could keep him through 2006 for $3.5 million per season. Kolb, represented by Scott Boras, had two more years of arbitration. He's now a $3.4 million setup man for Atlanta. . . . Not saying that it will happen, just a guess. With Levine, there may not even be a trade to speak of.

not sure if you not hearing it means the rumor did not exist

Brewers wanted to get hawkins in a trade before the season, that is why

With it now still 5-6 weeks from Percy's return, I can't see the Tigers, who aren't raising white flags yet, moving Ugie. Unless they feel Farnsworth or German can do the job I guess. I just don't see the Flubs moving Patterson. I think it will be a Dubois and Hawkins combo with prospects for Geoff Jenkins and Mike Adams. I know the Brewers have had interest in Lachoke so this is my official guess.

Read only part of the thread but Uribe's play was a baseball play and Konerko should either shut his mouth or take it to kangaroo court and keep it private. Konerko is overplaying his hand here. It wasn't a dirty play and he shouldn't be trying to cause trouble with his tenuous hold on a roster spot beyond 05.

Why in the hell would Texas do this? They'd pick up an inferior 3rd-sacker, a pitcher, and a right-handed David Delluci for their two best players. Hmm. Nope.

I hope he's great for them. You gotta love Baldwin and that Wolfman look in his eyes. What a competitor. We'll never forget what he did for us in 2000, a magical season

love it, the cubs series do so much for our fans.

I've been impressed, I hadn't realized he had the best opp Ba in baseball before yesterday. We can live with him and he has showed that he is surprisingly not horrible in bigger games.

I'm not down on Viz today because that ball wouldn't normally have left the park. Let's try to wait a month (Frank's return) before knowing what we really have with him.