Cubs off-season

[Pogotheostrich]

Walker's $2.5 mil option was pickup today. Burnitz's $7 mil option was declined. Guess they think they can sign him or a replacement cheaper.

[ThatDude]

Williamson's $2M option was also picked up, and according to whats at the bottom of this page, Rusch is dangerously close to coming back

i was literally cursing the signing of Burnitz last offseason, and had his option been picked up, i would have been cursing again. hes simply not worth $7M. especially not with all that sam-me money coming off the books and the loot that leaves to sign a bonafide OF or two (more on that in a minute)




now ill go into super wonderful dream mode for a minute here.....


Walker's option being picked up was the first part of a sign-and-trade move with ATL to get M. Giles.

now back to the bonafide OF. Hendry signs B. Giles to play RF and Damon for CF. yeah, those are two big contracts, but the money is certainly there with so-so's $16M and Burnie's $7M to play with

Corey gets dealt somewhere for some serious bullpen help, a lefty that can get lefties out would be nice




back to the really real world.....


id be fine if Walker stayed a Cub, as long he is the everyday starter and Hairston is shown the door, or at least glued to the bench

id also be happy with either Giles or Damon. both would be really nice and unrealisticly optimistic, but one of them is damn near mandatory

[ThatDude]

Rusch is dangerously close to coming back

and the fears are realized

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ ... p&c_id=chc

Glendon Rusch inked a two-year contract with the Cubs on Monday after receiving assurances he will get a "serious look" for a spot in the team's crowded starting rotation.

Rusch's new deal runs through 2007 and guarantees the 30-year-old left-hander $6 million, plus as much as $1 million more in performance bonuses based on starts.

[Pogotheostrich]

How much was Sosa on the books for in 2005? I've seen conflicting reports but it seems like it was around $16 mil.

[ThatDude]

$16 is the number i remember as being most accurate

[Pogotheostrich]

Neifi is coming back.
link

[Invictus]

Lets hope he's only there as a verteran/teacher/back-up... as good as he was filling in, id much prefer to see a Furcal/(Cedeno/walker) combo than to throw Neifi in the mix. Perez is a great versatility guy to have however, so it's nice to see some contingency.

[j_d_mcnugent]

neifi has versatility but i dont think its wise to pay him 2.5 a year let alone gurantee him 5.0 over 2 years. i dont have a problem with the cubs bringing back glendon rusch, but his contract was also perplexing to me. maybe i am just out of touch with today's market.

[Pogotheostrich]

neifi has versatility but i dont think its wise to pay him 2.5 a year let alone gurantee him 5.0 over 2 years. i dont have a problem with the cubs bringing back glendon rusch, but his contract was also perplexing to me. maybe i am just out of touch with today's market.

Wow. When I posted yesterday the $$$ wasn't know. What a waste of money.

[ThatDude]

everytime i think about this trade i puke up just a little in the back of my throat

ive brushed my teeth at least 40 times in the past day, and theres just no getting rid of that taste


i cant wait until 2008 gets here