the bloated long term contracts they have on the books and lack of basically any near MLB ready talent is going to make that harder.

 

I would imagine they could move Harden for something, he's a FA anyway and he'd get picked up and work out a trade or he would clear

Basically, they're at about the point where you need to commit to developing through the draft and trying to move any expensive piece that someone will take, unless they continue to think they have infinite funds.

 

THey gave it their shot at got 2 playoff runs out of it. Didn't win a title, and they're showing their age/cracks this year. If they keep trying to plug holes, they'll just keep getting more expensive and falling farther back. Which is of course, exactly what they're going to do. They're about where we were in late 2006. We'd made our run, but we were starting to run out of gas, and we needed an infusion of fresh talent. We wound up being terrible for 1 year, and rebuilding off of that. They're about at that point where literally everything can start going wrong.

Cardinals are now up 8 games on the field in the NL Central, and their schedule is pretty damn easy the rest of the way. They have 3 games remaining on the road this year against teams over .500. Chris Carpenter should be the NL Cy Young winner as well.

Cardinals are now up 8 games on the field in the NL Central, and their schedule is pretty damn easy the rest of the way. They have 3 games remaining on the road this year against teams over .500. Chris Carpenter should be the NL Cy Young winner as well.

 

You could see a split vote between him and Wainwright or they could share it.

 

 

Wow, the umpiring in the Cubs game is absolutely atrocious.

Wow, the umpiring in the Cubs game is absolutely atrocious.

I've noticed over the last 2 weeks or so watching MLBN there have been some majorly blown calls all over MLB

Cardinals are now up 8 games on the field in the NL Central, and their schedule is pretty damn easy the rest of the way. They have 3 games remaining on the road this year against teams over .500. Chris Carpenter should be the NL Cy Young winner as well.

 

 

You could see a split vote between him and Wainwright or they could share it.

 

Timothy Leroy Lincecum begs to differ.

 

 

Anybody see the show John Smoltz put on yesterday? 9 K's in 5 innings (including 7 in a row at one point). His change was f***in' nasty. Dave Duncan+NL=John Smoltz of old.

 

And for all the talk about how terrible the NL is (and I believe it is terrible overall), I'm really lookin' forward to the NL playoffs. More so than any other year I can remember. The Dodgers, Phillies and Cardinals are not only the top 3 teams in the NL (rank them in any order you want), but you could make a good case for any of them being the top team in all of baseball right now. And the NL WC race is shaping up to be pretty exciting as well. Lot of young and exciting teams goin' at it. Throw in the fact the Cubs won't be anywhere near the playoffs, and the NL looks pretty nice right now.

For anyone that missed it, TribCo is retaining a 5% stake in the Cubs after the sale to the Ricketts. So, they get the cash they need, but still have a reason to support the Cubs.

 

Thrash away.

 

What if the new Cubs brass came in and immediately wanted payroll flexibility back.

 

In the offseason, would you do the following, knowing it would be our last move for awhile:

 

Linebrink for Soriano Vitters Cashner Flaherty......and perhaps another contract coming back our way.

 

 

 

 

What can I say, there'd be the new DH and the farm system is restocked. Obviously a pure joke of a scenario but I'm trying to think what scenario there could possibly be where we'd accept AS on our team.

Edited August 24, 200916 yr by Princess Dye

What if the new Cubs brass came in and immediately wanted payroll flexibility back.

 

In the offseason, would you do the following, knowing it would be our last move for awhile:

 

Linebrink for Soriano Vitters Cashner Flaherty......and perhaps another contract coming back our way.

 

 

 

 

What can I say, there'd be the new DH and the farm system is restocked. Obviously a pure joke of a scenario but I'm trying to think what scenario there could possibly be where we'd accept AS on our team.

 

With that contract, absolutely none, the guy is gonna be making over $20 million in 2014 when hes 38

no, the Soriano contract is horrible, like arguably the worst non-pitcher contract ever signed considering the years and money left and his age.

I despise when Linebrink takes the mound, but Soriano is just a ridiculous return for him, i would rather drive spikes into my eyeballs

Not a chance I do that. I'd think about it if I were the Red Sox or Mets or Yankees and thus had nearly infinite salary, but no way Soriano makes sense for a team with a $100 million salary.

I am curious to see if Hendry throws McDonough under the bus with these contracts although the Dempster and Bradley ones are all his doing. All Hendry needs to do is point to the Blackhawks.

I am curious to see if Hendry throws McDonough under the bus with these contracts although the Dempster and Bradley ones are all his doing. All Hendry needs to do is point to the Blackhawks.

 

I dont think I have ever seen a GM blame his ex team president for any financial troubles the team would have. That would be an epic fail on Hendrys part.

 

I dont think it would happen, but it would be great

The only prayer the Cubs have for dropping a little payroll is some AL GM thinks Bradley can excell at full time DH and take some of that money

The only prayer the Cubs have for dropping a little payroll is some AL GM thinks Bradley can excell at full time DH and take some of that money

He could be our Carl Everett, version 2.0...

He could be our Carl Everett, version 2.0...

I don't want him anywhere near the Sox, I was just saying that considering what he did in Arlington last year I could potentially see an AL GM desperate for a bat take a risk. I would think it would be a bad move, but more possible than anyone taking Soriano

It's good to know that the Cubs suck more than the Sox.

 

Losing to the Nats in embarrassing fashion is a great example of this.

Good to see the Nats drop a 15 spot on the Cub.

Oh nooooo. The Cubs didn't get pounded by Washington, did they? Oh noooooo!

I suspect Sandberg will be promoted to AAA next year, and the seat will be extremely hot for “Sweet” Lou if the team pulls this s*** again.

I suspect Sandberg will be promoted to AAA next year, and the seat will be extremely hot for “Sweet” Lou if the team pulls this s*** again.

 

Wouldn't surprise me if Sanberg is managing on the north side next season.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....aily-basis.html

 

Milton Bradley said after Tuesday's loss he's "never" comfortable playing at Wrigley Field.

 

"It's hard to be comfortable when you don't get a hit and get booed every time," he said. "When I go home and look in the mirror, I like what I see. My family is there I have people I can talk to who are very supportive, in spite of everything and all the adversity and the hatred you face on a daily basis. But I'll be alright. I always have."

 

What did the guy expect? The team hasnt won in over 100 years, spent all this money to get swept in the playoffs twice. You are the big offseason signing that supposed to bring a power lefty bat to the lineup and they traded away a fan favorite to sign him too. 32 RBIs in 104 games. From the day they signed him, I thought he was way too big of a head case to deal with all the pressure there is at Wrigley.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....aily-basis.html

 

 

 

What did the guy expect? The team hasnt won in over 100 years, spent all this money to get swept in the playoffs twice. You are the big offseason signing that supposed to bring a power lefty bat to the lineup and they traded away a fan favorite to sign him too. 32 RBIs in 104 games. From the day they signed him, I thought he was way too big of a head case to deal with all the pressure there is at Wrigley.

Just another log on the fire. The Cubs are crashing and burning in a hurry. And this really needed to be their year, because the future looks bleak - they have a nearly barren farm system, multiple horrid contracts that are basically untradeable, aging star players who tend to get injured even now, young players who are low ceiling guys already at their peak, and a ballpark in dire need of major repairs in the main sections.

 

The Ricketts have bought a cash cow on the downslope from peak. Not a good place to be a buyer.