Evil Ash
Henchman Supreme
ESPNews just reported it. Wonder how much of his salary the Cubs had to pick up
Sosa an Oriole???
- Thread starter Evil Ash
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Evil Ash
Henchman Supreme
Update: its Hairston, 2 minor leaguers, and cash for Sammy Sosa
FORKTUNG
Registered
>>Yawn<<
MaoTosiFanClub
The problem
Unless the Cubs have Magglio Ordonez and his Swiss knee on their radar, I really don't understand this. If they don't they're looking at very below average Hairston/Hollandsworth/Patterson outfield. Not to mention why the Cubs did not demand Jorge Julio to solve that abyss known as their closer spot.
moviegeekjn
Registered
Sosa was done with the Cubs after last year, the "leaving the game early" being the final kiss of death...definitely on the downside of his career, but the ties to Chicago had been cut. Cubs were looking for anyone to take him off their hands, so it's not surprising that they don't get equal compensation.
The whole NL Central looks to be weaker this year, so Cubs fans main hopes lie in more innings from Prior and Wood and the fact that both the Cards and Astros lost talent over the winter as well.
The whole NL Central looks to be weaker this year, so Cubs fans main hopes lie in more innings from Prior and Wood and the fact that both the Cards and Astros lost talent over the winter as well.
MaoTosiFanClub said:
Rumors around Chicago, and seem to be backed up by some supporting evidence, is that the Cubs will then package up the two prospects from BAL along with another player (or two) and ship them to Tampa for Aubrey Huff. The reason why this is thought is BAL talked to Tampa during the trade negotiations for Sosa about prospects in the BAL system but there reportedly was never any mention of Tampa players to come over.
Ordonez is scheduled to work out for Chicago and we will see how that goes but most assume once the Sosa deal goes through that another move that has been struck will bring Huff to Chicago. One report suggested the Cubs would send Farnsworth and Mitre along with the two BAL prospects to Tampa for Huff AND Baez.
Sosa had to go and right now the trade looks very one-sided but there is at least one other move that will trigger upon the trade being completed...what that other move is, though, is still a mystery. Just think about the RJ deal had the Dbacks had not been able to land Green. I think this is a similar deal.
Sosa wanted out as bad as Cubs wanted to rid themselves of him. Certainly doesn't help negotiating position.
MaoTosiFanClub
The problem
I know Sammy had burned his bridges in Chi-Town, but replacing Sosa and Alou with Hollandsworth and Burnitz while not addressing the back of the bullpen? There is going to be some fired up Cubs fans.AZCB34 said:
Ordonez was a huge gamble anyways for the money he will likely get from the Tigers, rumored to be 5 years at $55 million. Then again, Burnitz is a Coors Field mirage whose hacking and uppercuts are worse than Sammy's. What happened to Huff? Guy is cheap and can rake although his glove is below average.
MaoTosiFanClub said:
Burnitz doesn't improve the Cubs OF but I am not sure it hurts it alot either. I guess the way I view it, pretty much a wash with the exception the clubhouse problem has been removed. I want Burnitz ALOT more than Maggs...although radio out of Chicago is saying Cubs want to look at Maggs again before deciding fully on Burnitz.
The Huff thing is still possible but I read something this AM saying that Mitre, Farnsworth and the 2 BAL prospects weren't enough for TB and the Rays wanted Zambrano added to the trade...ROFLMAO at that one.
One of the big thoughts amongst Cub fans is that Zambrano will be due for a new contract (Boras) as will Ramirez and even Garciaparra so Burnitz provides a cheaper alternative for RF which will set them up well to extend those guys. I think even Prior's deal may be coming due very soon. Gonna take alot of coin to secure those guys.
Bullpen is still a huge problem. I don't know if Borowski is ready to return...he is the best closer on Cubs right now, ugh. Cubs fans are FREAKING OUT about the Burnitz thing. Very few want anything to do with him but I think reality is, it seems the likely outcome.
Orioles are stupid to take sosa...not only is the guy been on the decline for the last 4-5 years...he threw out his back sneezing! The only reason I can think why they took sosa is for PR recruiting in the caribbian and latin america areas.
Djaughe said:
He is declining but maybe a new start will get him going again. I think one of the biggest reasons they went for him was star power with the Nationals playing right in their backyard. Orioles are strapped to an impossible divisional situation so they are forced to make these moves in order to win the marketing battle with the new kid in town. I figure in a few years, the orioles will be nothing more than the White Sox...low second fiddle in the market.
Tha latin/caribbean thing probably doesn't hurt but I am not sure Sosa helps them gain any better entry into those areas.
Hey Mao...about the closer situation for the Cubs...current frontrunner to win the job is Ryan Dempster even though I think Borowski will be available to start camp on time.
MaoTosiFanClub
The problem
AZCB34 said:
Neither is anything to get excited about, but you never know. Closers are so volatile you could get a good year from one right after a disastrous season or vice versa. Question: Are they going to bring in anyone to hit lefties that can play the OF? Burnitz/Patterson/Hollandsworth should be fine against RH pitchers, but will likely provide no pop against lefties.
MaoTosiFanClub said:
Jason DuBois will platoon with Hollandsworth in LF and will start against lefties plus some spot starts against righties I would think. He has little experience although was considered a very good player in the Cubs minor league system. Problem is, he has only 23 ML AB's and he K'd alot. The K's may be explained by the lack of experience against top level pitching...too lazy to look up his K stats from AAA last year. He did have pop in his bat at AAA...think I heard he had 30+ HR's in about 400 AB's. DuBois did hit over .300 last year at AAA
Beyond that the only other OF on the 40 man is David Kelton who seems to be a lighter hitting guy (.250ish last year) with below average power (19 HRs in almost 500 ABs. Again, he is a guy who has basically no ML experience.
Old man Trenidad Hubbard I think is still with the organization and played well in AAA...dude is older than me...and he could find a spot on the bench as reserve OF.
Put simply, if the youngsters don't pan out, the Cubs OF will be weak and if one of them gets injured...look out. Cubs made a half hearted attempt at Beltran but couldn't push full resources without knowing Sosa was gone and at that time there seemed to be no serious suitors.
