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BREAKING: Milton Bradley Reported Headed To Seattle For Carlos Silva

Via tweet from Carrie Muskat:
Sources confirm Milton Bradley headed to Mariners for Carlos Silva -- merry christmas #cubs fans

Star-divide

Well. Clearly, Carlos Silva has been one of the worst pitchers in baseball the last two years. This is not a deal you'd make in a vacuum, and unless Silva has a previously undisclosed injury or some sort of massive mechanical problem, the Cubs won't get any decent production out of him.

However, I ask you to remember what happened seven years ago, when Todd Hundley "had" to be traded under similar (though certainly not identical) circumstances, and Jim Hendry turned him into Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek.

Karros had just come off two really poor years and a lot of Cubs fans wondered, "What do we want with him? We have Hee Seop Choi ready to take over 1B." Grudzielanek was similarly awful in 2002, posting a Neifi-like .665 OPS.

Yet by the end of the 2003 season, both of these players had played significant roles in the NL Central championship season, and Karros is still remembered fondly by Cubs fans for the full-page ad he took out in the Tribune thanking all of us for his memorable season.

Let's wait and see. For me, I'm happy that Jim Hendry managed to fix his mistake from a year ago, albeit at a high (for now) dollar cost. Maybe Carlos Silva will reclaim what he had in Minnesota and be worth the contract.

Next stop: signing a CF.

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And not only that...

… the Cubs own the land and they’re going to build the triangle building on it. A park will never happen.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions  

Sorry Al

the land was traded to Seattle in the Bradley trade ;)

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

LOL

What are the Mariners going to build there?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Rain Forest Cafe

And it rains on you during your meal, of course.

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

Agreed

Fat chance getting that petition signed by the masses on BCB.

"Ask Dad. He'll know. And on the off chance he doesn't, he'll make something up"

by StevenABQ on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions  

He wasn't good in Minnesota though...

Flip him, flip him, flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him,flip him. Please Jimbo.

by chilango2 on Dec 18, 2009 12:10 PM CST reply actions  

to who?

who on earth WANTS Carlos Silva?

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Al if he gets Milton dumped.

Horrific move.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:14 PM CST up reply actions  

agree, disgraceful work by Jim Hendry

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:22 PM CST up reply actions  

For...

Peavy/Roberts/Lind?!?!

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Hendry picked up a player more difficult to trade than Bradley

Flipping will be really really improbable. I’d just plan on the Cubs being stuck with him for two years.

by Qixotl on Dec 18, 2009 12:12 PM CST up reply actions  

He was bad in 2006

But outside in 2004, 2005, and 2007 he was a 4.10 ERA or so guy. That’s pretty decent.

I’m not saying he’ll do that here, but he was solid for Minnesota

by IllinoisCubs on Dec 18, 2009 12:13 PM CST up reply actions  

he had a decent ERA

with terrible peripheral stats. So he still sucked

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions  

Great, he was a bad pitcher on a spreadsheet.

At worst, if he is healthy he can be an inning-eater. The Cubs can use one of those.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions  

Rec'd

Hooray for CubsStats.blogspot.com !

by BWoodrum on Dec 18, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions  

It's hard to

eat innings when you give up alot of runs Al. And he was a bad pitcher on a spreadsheet, on the field whatever way you want to look at it.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:20 PM CST up reply actions  

Does that mean he will suck in 2010?

We do not know that yet. He was hurt much of 2009.

Look, I realize this isn’t an ideal trade. There wasn’t going to be one for Bradley, no matter who came here.

I refer you again to the reaction to the Hundley deal seven years ago — which was just about the same as this reaction. Virtually everyone thought Karros and Grudzielanek were useless and would suck.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

again

its not just about Silvia the player. Its Silva the contract.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm annoyed that you are so willing to believe that Silva could turn it around in 2010...

… when you so brazenly insisted Bradley couldn’t do the same.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I didn't say he couldn't.

I just didn’t want him on the team no matter what he did.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions  

You DID say he couldn't. Repeatedly.

Over and over, you said there was “no chance” 2010 could go smoothly with MB on the team.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I was referring to his being able to get along with players, fans & media.

Not his statistical performance.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions  

I guess i'm just not scared of a little media circus.

Then again, i don’t read the papers, i never listen to the radio, and i don’t have cable TV. I tune that crap out and just… watch the game.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions  

And comment here.

You don’t have cable? Then you miss half the games.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Touche

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra

by tville on Dec 18, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions  

Cable isn't the only way to catch the games.

I’ve got a little piece of silicone, metal and glass in my pocket that puts each and every one of the games in my ears for the price of a $10 app.

I also have worked out various… ahem… shenanigans on the internet so that i can stream / download any games i do happen to miss.

I can see the cubs without buying in to the media circus everyone here feared so deeply. Tune it out, and its not such a big deal. I prefer to pay attention to what i see on the field over what the fools in the paper or on Around The Horn have to say.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions  

Media circus isn't too bad

Not getting along with fellow players or the fans is.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Dec 18, 2009 3:07 PM CST up reply actions  

Players, maybe...

… and it was debated how poorly they actually got along with him. By most accounts, dude was a loner, but not fighting with guys or anything.

Fans? Who cares? Bicker back and forth as much as either side wants, as long as it doesn’t affect the on-field performance.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 9:01 PM CST up reply actions  

ayup.

and so now, Hendry, who apparently didn’t have enough money, has traded for a MORE EXPENSIVE, WORSE player.

Way to go. The Cubs just became a worse team. All because of bruised egos. Awesome.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions   2 recs

When I had that conversation with you on here a little bit ago

I never imagined this. You are 100% spot on.

www.facebook.com/craighudak

by Craig in South Bend on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

what did you imagine? :D

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:20 PM CST up reply actions  

I agree with you Drew, but

that’s only the case if the Cubs would even consider bringing back Bradley.

I thought they burned that bridge so well, they could never bring him back. For that, I blame Hendry not Bradley.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:32 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

#3

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:24 PM CST up reply actions  

what are you counting

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:32 PM CST up reply actions  

we're getting money back

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 2:57 PM CST up reply actions  

which is what makes this deal

only mostly sucky, instead of completely sucky.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 3:00 PM CST up reply actions  

Agreed

What else could have been done? If Bradley would have been cut the Cubs would have still eaten the contract. Silva could very well be horible but at least we can now move on.

Maybe Silva can be good. We should all hope for the best and give the guy a chance. It may be the best move of the year?

winning changes everything!

by mudd on Dec 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST up reply actions  

This is so far beyond not

ideal. This is ridiculous, amateurish, and frankly, a big fat cop out by the Cubs organization. It doesn’t take much to see why this organization doesn’t win. Real franchises admit their mistakes in these instances, eat the contract, and get something useful in return, so that they can get back to the business of winning. The Cubs hem and haw for months on bad trade offers, then settle for Carlos Silva. Why? Because the don’t want to/can’t come out of pocket with cash.

It’s shameful.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions  

Admit a mistake, yes.

But did you really think they could “get something useful in return”? Pat Burrell, I assume you’re referring to him when you say that. Burrell sucked last year. Could he be better? Sure. So could Silva.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions  

burrell before 2009 was atleast decent

silva wasnt

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Silva had a decent year in 2007.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

1.31 WHIP.

SIlva, at least, doesn’t issue many walks.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:49 PM CST up reply actions  

nor does

he strike anyone out. ever.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:50 PM CST up reply actions  

As you likely know...

… strikeouts aren’t necessarily the most important thing for a pitcher.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:51 PM CST up reply actions  

Let me ask you a question Al.

What might your reaction have been on Silva if the Cubs had TODAY 1) signed him in free agency, 2) traded for him in a deal that didn’t involve Bradley, or 3) picked him up on the waiver wire?

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions  

Of course, I'd have been upset.

This deal didn’t happen in a vacuum. Do I think Silva is good? No, of course not.

But now he’s a Cub. I have to at least hope he’ll improve.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

But this isn't the open market.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:03 PM CST up reply actions  

Don't be.
This is simply an indefensible acquisition, and I’m a bit shocked that you’re trying to defend it, actually.

Some here, Al included, would have justified trading him for a big stinky turd making $100,000,000 over the next 5 years. “AT ALL COSTS!” they proclaimed. And it was so.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah, that totally would have happened

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 2:58 PM CST up reply actions  

I want to know

….who signed said stinky turd to a $100,000,000 contract in the first place?

LOL

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" -- Bender Bending Rodriguez

"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."

by The Jade Scorpion on Dec 18, 2009 3:42 PM CST up reply actions  

Perhaps they aqquired said million dollar turd...

… from the cubs!

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 9:02 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah, but he needs to improve to get to bad

I rather have seen the Cubs get a couple of million bucks and “a player to be named later” than a bad pitcher they still won’t cut because they owe him salary.

I want to build a time machine, go back to October 2008, and fire Hendry then….

by ClarkFan on Dec 18, 2009 8:52 PM CST up reply actions  

What part of the fact that

Silva has never been good are you having trouble with? He was serviceable in 2007 – a contract year, by the way — but past that has always been a guy who relied on a superior defense to even be remotely effective, which even then he rarely was.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:50 PM CST up reply actions  

I'd take serviceable.

Look, I know Silva has sucked for two years. Horrendous. Would I have acquired him under ANY other circumstance? Of course not.

I’m willing to wait & see.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions  

I hear you, but Silva has a new start with the

Cubs and Bradley was done. Cash+Silva is better than cutting Bradley.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Agreed.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

After the $$$ is confirmed, you need a poll.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

I'll do that.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Bradley also had a new start

just sayin’

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

Damn, and we still aren't remotely close to superior defense

No center fielder, a charmingly erratic left fielder, and OK not great at 2B and SS.

by ClarkFan on Dec 18, 2009 8:54 PM CST up reply actions  

doesn't matter.

We had a problem in MB, we still have a problem in Silva. Only this is a less radioactive problem. That’s improvement

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Turn that green if you want, but...

… Jason Marquis posted an ERA over 6 in 2006. The Cubs signed him — yes, I know, to an over-market-value deal — and he was exactly that, an effective inning eater, for two years.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 9:34 PM CST up reply actions  

No,

He was a bad pitcher, period. And as a someone who pitches to contact, he’ll only get worse with Theriot and likely Jeff Baker behind him, and a bevy of smaller parks in the NL Central to deal with.

This. Is. Awful.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Dave Duncan

would turn Silva into a good pitcher…. In 2008 i hoped i was right in 2010 i hope i’m wrong.

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 8:22 PM CST up reply actions  

No, at best he can be an innings-eater

At worst, he can be the worst pitcher in baseball like he’s been the last two years. Unless the Cubs are getting money back from Seattle, they’d have been better off releasing Bradley.

by Big D on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST up reply actions  

Al, I'm glad to see Milton gone too,

but C’mon, he won’t be an “innings eater” he’ll probably be David Pattoned.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Depends on how he does in spring training.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Depends on how he does in spring training.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

There will be no CF

we gained zero payroll flexibility from this move. None. In fact Silva makes a little bit more in the next two years than Bradley does. An outright release would have gained the club more value than this.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:10 PM CST reply actions  

There will be no CF?

The Cubs aren’t going to have a center fielder next year?

Wow, talk about knee-jerk.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Not one that matters

Where is the $ coming from Al? We have less money after this trade than we did before, which is the exact reason we lost Mike Cameron.

Get ready for some kind of horrible choice between Posednik, Ankiel, Colvin or Sam Fuld.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:13 PM CST up reply actions  

We have to pick up Ankiel

Everyone knows the Cubs love St. Louis’ sloppy seconds.

Chicagoan in the Lou.

by Mike Martin on Dec 18, 2009 12:14 PM CST up reply actions  

Why is Fuld a bad choice?

A career .282/.403/.388 stat line is nothing to sneeze at. his minor leage stats have been decent as well.

by Qixotl on Dec 18, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions  

yeah

 it kind of is. He is a decent backup OF. That’s it.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

A Fuld/Johnson platoon wouldn't be the worst solution.

At least it might leave some money for midseason acquisitions.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions  

what DO you want?

Because clearly, Hendry has severely limited our options

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:40 PM CST up reply actions  

I would take Marlon Byrd

over those two. I think Reed Johnson’s value is seriously inflated in the minds of some BCBers, and I don’t want Sam Fuld getting 400 at-bats (as the part of the platoon that faces right handers).

Depending on the health of his shoulder AND his contract demands, I’d also be interested in Ankiel.

by elgato on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Agreed

Since we didn’t get Cameron, that’s not a bad option

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

sweet

I’m really liking the outlook on next year..loooks so wonderful

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:20 PM CST up reply actions  

And your outlook...

With Bradley was positive and optimistic?

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

if you were expecting this to be a great offseason

well, I don’t know what to tell you. Hendry absolutely screwed this team up.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

Hendry

I don’t know how you can make this statement. I don’t have the time nor patience to go through the building of the Cubs in 2007 and 2008 but I know for sure that even though they didn’t win the World Series that Hendry did as much as he could to put the Cubs in position to win. I don’t think Hendry could have done so without doing some of the things that “absolutely screwed this team up”.
Did Hendry have the supporting staff to continue building a Cubs farm system while still putting together the best team in MLB 2008? No.

Did he have to overpay for Sori to get us in the playoffs 07 08? maybe

Did he sign the player with the highest OPS+ in the AL thereby showing a willingness to help the team by getting a talented player and secure a position that has become the new 3B for the Cubs?
yes did that work no

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 8:32 PM CST up reply actions  

Oh

 I totally agree. On a veteran team with a window closing we should definitely be happy with a platoon of Reed Johnson and Sam Fuld. Because thats the kind of talent big market teams roll out when they want to contend.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:22 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

seriously?

the expectations of this team have dropped then

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

thank you Jim Hendry

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

I disagree.

Platoon him with a decent RH hitter and put him near the top of the order so that his high OBP leads to baserunners for Lee and Ramirez and then he certainly has value. He will be cheap as well.

by Qixotl on Dec 18, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions  

So, you

really think that that giving Sam Fuld 400 at-bats next season really makes the Cubs a better ballclub?

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions  

It is possible but not likely

and remember folks I follow him closer than anyone
FYI did not play yesterday in Venezeula but on Wed he was 1-3 with a triple, two walks one run and one RBI and our old friend Ronnie Cedeno was 2-3 with a homer but also a caught stealing and an error.Some things never change.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

well since you follow him more closely, I'll ask you the same thing I asked CalCalender

Can’t be his numbers… they’re pretty good, albeit small sample size. What else tells you that Fuld is limited to backup OF ceiling.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

the fact that his numbers aren't eye-popping in the minors for one

and the fact that he doesn’t do anything exceptionally, for another.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions  

His minor league numbers are OK but the only time he was

breakout was AFL & Venezeula. Also given his laying out for anything fielding style he has been injured more than few times which is why he is getting his shot relatively late. He is pretty bad at hitting righties so at BEST he can platoon. I mean if it were up to me I would sell to hell with it, with his fielding and patience at the plate, let him hit .250 but I kind of doubt Lou, Hendry etc feel that way. Fuld is a terrific player to have on the bench and he deserves two or so starts per week but counting on him to be an everyday CF would be very bad planning. I am sure that is not the Cubs plan and I am sure Fuld does not expect it unless there is an injury. Right now the guy is just trying to make sure he makes the team. I would LOVE, LOVE to be wrong and find out he can play 150 games and hit .299 while crashing into brick walls and metal fences but I just wouldn’t make that the pre-season plan.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 2:51 PM CST up reply actions  

you say "that's it" based on what?

Can’t be his numbers… they’re pretty good, albeit small sample size. What else tells you that Fuld is limited to backup OF ceiling.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

It's really hard for hitters without any power to sustain an OBP that high.

Typically contact hitters without much power gain a high OBP through great plate discipline — they don’t strike out much, walk a lot, and enough of their balls in play drop for hits that they do OK. The trouble is it’s really tough for them to sustain the walk rate necessary to have a really good OBP if they can’t scare pitchers into nibbling the corners.

Thus it’s quite rare to find hitters without much power that can sustain a high OBP — Rickey Henderson and Tim Raines are the prototypes; one is in the Hall and the other should be and will be once enough weak-minded old people die (and are replaced by weak-minded young people that slavishly admire Raines’ ability to avoid outs both at the plate and the basepaths). But I digress. A no-power guy putting up a high OBP is really pretty unusual. Sometimes a guy does it for a year and then can’t do it again (see Theriot, 2008), but that doesn’t mean it’s wise to expect a player without special skills to do it in any given year.

Statistically the red flags that stick out for Fuld specifically are that his BABIP and walk rate are both higher in his limited major-league time than they’ve typically been in the minors. I have a hard time seeing those things continue. So Fuld’s OBP will probably drop from it’s exceptional current level of around .400 to around .350 in a good year. Bill James projects .347 and a slight improvement in power… in total 1.3 runs below average in just 130 plate appearances; Bill James has been quite optimistic on lots of young hitters this offseason, and I think this is a somewhat optimistic projection though I don’t have a lot of evidence. Anyway, you’re looking at about -7 hitting runs given a full season of plate-appearances, assuming he can play at that level all year. If he’s a league-average CF that makes him something like a league-average player. But it’s unknown whether he could keep up that level of performance all year.

by aldimond on Dec 18, 2009 1:45 PM CST up reply actions  

we don't know what the money is yet

Sounds like they are still working out the details. breathe…

by madtown on Dec 18, 2009 12:12 PM CST up reply actions  

we don't know all the details yet ...

I’m hoping that the Mariners agreed to send the Cubs several million — enough to help get another bat.

by elgato on Dec 18, 2009 12:12 PM CST up reply actions  

If the numbers in the AP stories are correct, the Cubs saved about $5M

Silva was owed $25M, and the Mariners sent the Cubs $9M. Effectively, all the savings are in 2010, when Silve is owed $11.5M and Bradley $9M, so the Cubs get a net of $6.5M, maybe enough for a B-grade CF. In 2011, there is a net loss, as Silve will cost $13.5M (same salary plus a $2M buyout of 2012) vs. Bradley’s $12M. Just another Hendry move pusing his costs into the future – fire him now before he has $160M committed for 2012….

by ClarkFan on Dec 18, 2009 9:04 PM CST up reply actions  

Who wants to go to Seattle...

…for the interleague game to heckle him?!

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Dec 18, 2009 12:11 PM CST reply actions  

Me too.

I wanted MB to come back to see what he could do (barring a decent trade), but I knew a number of bone-head fans wouldn’t give him a chance.

by DMCub on Dec 18, 2009 12:23 PM CST up reply actions  

rec'd

Hooray for CubsStats.blogspot.com !

by BWoodrum on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions  

funny...

i actually agree with you and my guess is you crowd me in the group who ruins it for you

since 2003 this fan base has acted like a rabid pack of hyenas

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

You don't ruin it for me, DCF

You know your stuff, we just don’t agree often.

But I’m absolutely with you on your second sentence.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 4:23 PM CST up reply actions  

rec'd

for the comment that we are all a bunch of rabid hyenas

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:14 PM CST up reply actions  

Sadly, it's true.

Had we gotten those five damned outs, that would never have happened.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 5:37 PM CST up reply actions  

oh god..

you may need an overflow thread for that now, thanks for bringing it up

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:46 PM CST up reply actions  

2003

Do you think that the Cubs fandom would have taken that one World Series victory and set back and been satisfied?

It could be argued that 2003 invigorated a fan base that had grown accustomed to the tag “lovable losers” and began to expect … demand … more?

Don’t get me wrong I get annoyed by some of the relentless pounding from fans that is handed out to management and criticism bestowed on players who were the best alternatives available at the time because they aren’t superstars (and weren’t when signed). All that said a WS win in 2003 wouldn’t have stymied alot of the ramped up expectations going forward.

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 9:02 PM CST up reply actions  

This is spot on

I’ve been a Cubs fan my whole life, haven’t always been as in depth as I am now, but have always been a Cubs fan. That said, it pisses the love out of me when wherever I go have to defend Cubs’ fans to jackasses who love taking shots as us. Then one day I realized that they aren’t taking shots at Cubs’ fans. They are taking shots at the drunken mindless idiots who follow the Cubs because it gives them excuse to be drunken mindless idiots.

AAAAGRRrrghh. Sorry, rant over.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 4:54 PM CST up reply actions  

I think you're inability to see sarcasm might better illustrate "what's wrong with Cubs fans"

that, and you have not Bruce Froemming agreeing with you.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions  

Ugh

I hope nobody here is that petty

Are you familiar with the old robot saying, "Does not compute"?

by dr stabbingworth on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

GOD YES

I’ll give him a racist comment to complain about….

KIDDING

Seriously though, I’m in

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

I want to go to Seattle

to see a really well-run, exciting young team play :-(

http://www.fivetoolfans.com

by mykalmorgan on Dec 18, 2009 12:17 PM CST up reply actions  

in seattle???

"I don’t know how you guys measure worth…but I do know you idiots need a graph to show you that Josh Fields sucks…"

by Where Triples Go to Die on Dec 18, 2009 1:26 PM CST up reply actions  

That team will be much improved next year

and they were better than us this year, so……..yes

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions  

"a really well-run,"

you mean the team that traded 5 prospects for Erik Bedard, signed Carols Silva, fell for Beltre’s 50 HR season, and traded away 2 pretty good prospects for 1 year of Cliff Lee? That really well-run team?

"I don’t know how you guys measure worth…but I do know you idiots need a graph to show you that Josh Fields sucks…"

by Where Triples Go to Die on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions  

as you probably know

the people that run that team recently changed. of the transactions you mention, only the cliff lee deal was made by the current management. and current management, by most reviews, has been doing a heck of a job so far.

by nycbirdo on Dec 18, 2009 5:29 PM CST up reply actions  

And then fired the GM who signed Bedard and Silve

Trading two prospects for Lee doesn’t seem like a bad deal at all. They were, after all, just prospects which mean the net projection is about 1/2 of a major league player between the two of them.

by ClarkFan on Dec 18, 2009 9:09 PM CST up reply actions  

um
you mean the team that traded 5 prospects for Erik Bedard, signed Carols Silva, fell for Beltre’s 50 HR season, and traded away 2 pretty good prospects for 1 year of Cliff Lee? That really well-run team?

No offense man, but do you have ANY idea what you’re talking about?

That was all Bavasi and co. The new Mariners front office is light and day compared to Bavasi.

by redwolf75 on Dec 19, 2009 1:41 AM CST up reply actions  

Cliff Lee and Felix give them

two #1 pitchers. Chone Figgens will be an improvement on Beltre. Jack Z is doing a great job rebuilding what Bavasi destroyed. So Hendry is trading one of his mistakes for one of Bavasi’s mistakes. Only Seattle doesn’t have the rabid press and fan culture of Chicago and Milton may have a chance of having a good year there.

Seattle may not be a contender but they will be improved in year two of jack Z and Don W.

Baseball is too much of a sport to be a business and too much of a business to be a sport.
William Wrigley Jr

by bubbamike the one and only on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 PM CST up reply actions  

I wouldn't bother.

He’s an ex-Cub now. Done & gone.

He’ll get more negative reaction when he comes to Chicago to play the White Sox.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

I might go to that game

I’ll admit I’m a little too emotional when it comes to these things but the guy said terrible things about a team I love and I refuse to let that go by without retaliation. I know I can’t really do anything as a fan, but I can still hate the guy and yell at him

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:20 PM CST up reply actions  

not to be mean ...

but don’t you have anything better to do?

by elgato on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Sure

I’m just saying if I’m given a chance at tickets, I wouldn’t turn them down. I won’t go out of my way to get them, but if they’re available, I’ll take my chance.

Look I realize my stance is extremely biased and insane. But it would make me feel better, at least about last year. As a Chicago sports fan, I’ve had very little to be happy about in the past few years. I’m not much for hockey. So this would sort of be me taking my anger out

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:24 PM CST up reply actions  

and on someone

who isn’t responsible for what you’re not happy about.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

I'd say he is

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

and you'd be wrong.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:25 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

+1

Milton was a small factor of why we lost the division by 7.5 games. Convincing yourself of anything other than that is fairly ludicrous.

by madcow256 on Dec 18, 2009 11:24 PM CST up reply actions  

No kittens to kick?

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 4:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Absolutely absurd

You hate him? He didn’t fit with the club and now he’s gone. Grow up.

Are you familiar with the old robot saying, "Does not compute"?

by dr stabbingworth on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm allowed to do what I want to do

I’m not encouraging others to do it. If I want to yell and scream, allow me to do it. When I spill a beer on you or keep you from enjoying the game, I’ll stop

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:24 PM CST up reply actions  

Johnny Macchione

is that you?

"I don’t know how you guys measure worth…but I do know you idiots need a graph to show you that Josh Fields sucks…"

by Where Triples Go to Die on Dec 18, 2009 1:30 PM CST up reply actions  

Hahaha
the guy said terrible things about a team I love and I refuse to let that go by without retaliation.

The guy said that Cubs fans are too negative, so you want to prove him wrong by flying to Seattle and heckling him.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions   2 recs

No, I'm commenting on when he said

That he wasn’t surprised that it’s been a century

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Wait, you're willing to fly out there and heckle him and you don't even remember what he said?
“And you understand why they haven’t won in 100 years here, because it’s negative. It’s what it is.”

Asked whether he was talking about the fans, the media or even the Cubs organization, he replied: “It’s everything. It’s everybody.”

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah...

… any cubs fan that goes out of his way to be a dick to MB now is basically proving MB’s very point.

Don’t be that guy.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions  

JFTR...

… I would never do anything like that. MB is gone. His time as a Cub is over. I’m moving on.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

I would assume you'd be above that. No worries.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

you're talking about a man

who was just traded for SILVA.

Maybe you want to dial down the irony? Magnets can hit pretty hard.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Oh wow, yeah

That’s worth a plane ticket. You’ll show him.

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." ~Alvin Dark

by DamonBerryhillsMitt on Dec 18, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm not surprised it's been a century either

Please don’t come to Wyoming to heckle me (it’s expensive to fly here and kind of dangerous to drive over the mountains this time of year) and you wouldn’t really get much of a reaction.

Actually I did a back-of-the-napkin analysis (here back-of-the-napkin means I used baseball-reference.com and xcalc) of this and decided that from the start of the “curse” through WWII or so the Cubs were somewhat unlucky not to win a World Series. From that point until the present they’ve mostly been a really poorly run team that’s given itself few opportunities to succeed; that combined with expansion makes them hardly unlucky at all.

by aldimond on Dec 18, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Exactly.

Anyone have any alanis pictures? Maybe with her hand in her pocket?

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 4:57 PM CST up reply actions  

Won't have to do that

Seattle will dump him midseason and he wil get picked up by an NL team.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

St. Louis or Milwaukee? ;-)

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Cincy

Baker lurves him some race-baiters.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Yeah, but that was before he called Chicago a racist city

That’s right in Baker’s wheelhouse.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:22 PM CST up reply actions  

it was after MB called an LA Times reporter an Uncle Tom

Anyway, I don’t think Dusty wants race baiters. He’s a dumb manager, but there are some criticisms that aren’t really fair.

by elgato on Dec 18, 2009 12:24 PM CST up reply actions  

well, MB does have a high OBCP...

Dusty should like that.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:24 PM CST up reply actions  

Racist!

/sarcasm.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

I was kidding folks.

Just thought it was funny that we will, in fact, play against him this year. At least we’re scheduled to…

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Wow! That's so middle schoolish.

OK I don't know shit about basketball.

by SoulEater7 on Nov. 5, 2009 9:51 PM CST

by sue369 on Dec 18, 2009 1:33 PM CST up reply actions  

Mrs. Zeke already planned to go the games in Seattle and visit her sister.

In that order…

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

Does that mean Milton Bradley won't be at the Cubs Convention?

I guess Richie Hebner will have to settle for shortest line for an autograph this year :(

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 12:11 PM CST reply actions  

Put away the tomatoes and eggs kids. You won't be needing them.

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions  

chances are Costco

will stop carrying them… just in case

Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.

by Emelie on Dec 18, 2009 2:02 PM CST up reply actions  

Wow. Thank god Costco didn't overreact...

much…

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 2:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Man...

And I had work to do, oh well.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Al Gore can fix it!

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Nah

He’ll just invent something better.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 4:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Ok Al you are the Happy ONE

The dump Milton at all costs one. If the Cubs are actually paying Silva three million MORE this is beyond INSANE. Per post in other thread this deal is WORSE than signing Bradley in the first place.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:13 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

Disagree for one reason

Silva can only do damage every 5 days. Bradley potentially could ever at-bat.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 12:14 PM CST up reply actions  

I know your stance

So there’s no reason to debate anything with you regarding Bradley. I’m glad he’s gone and I don’t care who replaces him.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 12:23 PM CST up reply actions  

good for you.

glad you put your personal distaste for certain players over the Cubs. Maybe we should rename the team the “AK123 Approved Baseball Club”.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

He's entitled to his opinion.

As are you.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Here's a thought

When I respond to someone elses post, don’t respond to mine. If I actually cared what you actually wrote I’d respond or bother to read your posts.

But all you seem to do is attack people who don’t agree with you. And people like that are as big of a cancer on BCB as Bradley was to the Cubs.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 1:07 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I see people posting this type of comment occasionally.

I just wanted to mention that this entire thread and site is a collective conversation of BCB members. You’re free to have a private conversation but that’s not what this venue is all about.

If you don’t want people to engage you in conversation or only want to have a conversation with a particular member, feel free to do so in a private environment. BCB is simply not that type of venue.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 3:47 PM CST up reply actions  

Really?

I had no idea since I’ve been active on here for 3 years.

My problem is this person has attacked my posts with no warrant in the past and I’m not interested in engaging in conversations with someone who goes out of his way to be that way. That’s not why I come to BCB.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 4:45 PM CST up reply actions  

You might try using Twitter.

That way you can choose who to follow and who can follow you.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 7:53 PM CST up reply actions  

You're missing the point

Calcalender has been rude to me in the past. He’s made obnoxious comments such as “you’re not a smart enough Cubs fan to be here”, and other things like that. And today I wasn’t going to have that debate again. That’s why I said what I said.

I don’t need twitter or any other social network to discuss the Cubs. I just choose to not have conversations with that one person.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 8:36 PM CST up reply actions  

In other words,

You posted a note to someone to say that you were ignoring him . . . .

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 19, 2009 9:43 AM CST up reply actions  

Its always nice to be FYI'd on something of that nature.

:-)

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 19, 2009 9:47 AM CST up reply actions  

Not at first

Originally I stated that I knew his stance and didn’t want to argue on here over our opposing sides. He of course didn’t stop so I made it clear I wasn’t going to do one of these ridiculous arguments on BCB. Which ironically is what this turned into.

by ak123 on Dec 19, 2009 10:01 AM CST up reply actions  

+1

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST up reply actions  

No...

But his poisonous attitude and cancerous presence in the clubhouse did.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah. Like that one time when

Reed Johnson refused to take the field because Bradley hurt his feelings…

Oh wait…

Hooray for CubsStats.blogspot.com !

by BWoodrum on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm not familiar with this stat - poisonous attitude

Is this a new form of sabermetrics I’m not aware of?

Are you familiar with the old robot saying, "Does not compute"?

by dr stabbingworth on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

My apologies...

I forgot that baseball and sports in general are played by robots and that all aspects of the game can be accurately measured a projected through sabermetrics and stats alone.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

nope

which is why sabermetrics are not the end all and be all to every discussion

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 2:04 PM CST up reply actions  

WHAT

Since when did they change the rules and make it so sabermetrics were NOT the only way we evaluate players…dangit…seriously people, someone needs to keep me in the loop here

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:22 PM CST up reply actions  

its the opposite of grit

“http://www.royalsreview.com/2008/5/14/509719/measuring-intangibles-%E2%80%93-th”

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 9:13 PM CST up reply actions  

And

worse than an outright release?!

by DMCub on Dec 18, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions  

We don't know the dollar details yet.

Maybe it will be equalized.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

Like I said in the other thread:

My stomach cancer is gone, but the chemo destroyed my liver…

by chilango2 on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

You're going to need that liver watching Silva pitch.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Dec 18, 2009 12:17 PM CST up reply actions  

That was a great episode of House

But I’m not sure I have a liver left to give to the Cubs. :)

Chicagoan in the Lou.

by Mike Martin on Dec 18, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions  

+1

Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.

by section229beer on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

That was my goal

Making you suffer. Now dance for me, monkeys

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:20 PM CST up reply actions  

Agree

anyone justifying this trade amazes me.

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions  

agreed

They should have held their nose and kept Bradley.

by rgonzale on Dec 18, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions  

Maybe you'll suffer...

But at least the players won’t have to suffer with him anymore. I’ll take a happy Cub team over a happy Mike Martin.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions  

Why are we flipping him to the Cards so Duncan an work with him ?

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:15 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

silva for pujols maybe?

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

If we threw in Miles they'd do it

Damn you Jim, why’d you trade him?!

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:17 PM CST up reply actions  

no, no, no

Fox would have been able to get the deal done though…

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Best part of this is

that I remember an article that mentioned Carlos Silva being a “clubhouse cancer” in Seattle about a year ago.

Good times folks, good times

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:14 PM CST reply actions  

Link, please.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

You're citing Bleacher Report as a source?

Gimme a break.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST up reply actions  

alright Al

bury your head deeper in the sand if you can. I have give you a source more real than anything you can do to show that Silva is a “good” clubhouse guy. So has the person below me.

Prove me wrong.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Bleacher Report is not a "source".

It’s a bunch of high school kids writing.

And you can cut the “prove me wrong” crap.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:30 PM CST up reply actions  

You're citing that as "clubhouse cancer"?

Try again. He didn’t want to talk to a writer, who then wrote a “poor me” piece.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

this is a joke al

Milton Bradley did the SAME THING and you skewered him over here. Get over yourself and TRY to be fair about this please.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

It's not the same thing at all.

But your biases apparently prevent you from seeing that.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions  

Heh.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Laughing in agreement?

Or at the irony of drew suggesting Al has biases?

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

How about both?

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:51 PM CST up reply actions  

Works for me.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 2:02 PM CST up reply actions  

Its like the pot and the kettle are in a screaming match.

“No, YOU are blacker!”

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 2:08 PM CST up reply actions  

It's not the same thing at all.

But your biases apparently prevent you from seeing that.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

explain

to me the compelex differences here. So far there have been 3 seperate links showing Silva to be a problem.

You have thrown one out because you dont like the source

Igrnoed the other one

And said Silva screaming at beat writes is somehow not the same as Milton doing it.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST up reply actions  

The three links, as far as I can tell...

… are all referring to the same incident. I didn’t see anything about “screaming”.

So you’re going to take one incident and compare it to MB wearing out his welcome in seven different cities?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions  

You are so unbelievably stubborn

Replace Carlos Silva with Milton Bradley and you’d be posting these links repeatedly as sources backing your insistence on why Bradley needs to be traded.

Are you familiar with the old robot saying, "Does not compute"?

by dr stabbingworth on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions  

If he flipped out like this in Seattle

How’s it gonna be when he’s in Chicago and the media is hounding him after his third consecutive outing where he was booed mercilessly off the field?

Not pretty, that’s for sure.

by shoemile on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Well, at least we ditched an equally crappy player and cut some payroll with this deal.

Oh. Wait.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions  

Looks like we DID cut payroll....

… if the $9m figure the Cubs are getting in return is true.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

That helps.

I now only 75% hate this, and am open to warming on it some more were Hendry to turn those extra $6 million in to something useful.

I always said all i wanted was the team to NOT be handicapped and something useful in return. That may yet happen. I’ll withhold any further judgment for the time being.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:53 PM CST up reply actions  

A reasonable statement.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions  

that was Al's

exact argument a winter ago against getting Bradley. If Silva has problems in friendly Seattle just wait until he runs into the holy trinity of Sullivan, Kaplan and Rogers.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Thanks, Al...

My blog is still picked up in syndication over there.

But to your point, extremely few posters there have any actual journalism background, or outside sourcing.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 1:02 PM CST up reply actions  

more recently at the WBC:

When the inning ended, Silva walked to the dugout and threw his glove against the wall in frustration. Less than an inning later, Silva was knocked out of the game after giving up a two-run home run to Korea slugger Tae-Kyun Kim. This time, Silva walked to the dugout and did not shake the few hands of teammates who offered their support. He simply walked into the clubhouse and disappeared.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2009/news/story?id=4005018

by Andronicus on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

lol!

waiting for somebody to explain this away.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

We've NEVER seen Zambrano do anything like that

IIRC there was a Gatorade dispenser that didn’t do well in a fight with him

Guys get angry when they don’t perform well. IT HAPPENS. This isn’t reason enough to say he’s a cancer

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Great, hope your all happy...

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions  

ha!

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

well played

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

That's a quote from another link that's already been posted.

Don’t try to make it look like there’s yet another article. Again, this is a writer who Silva didn’t want to talk to one day, and he wrote a “poor me” article.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

It didn't come across as a "poor me" article to me

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

Carlos Silva was reputed to have threatened bodily harm to one of our players, most likely

Ichiro Suzuki. He said he wanted to “throw them against a wall.”

So yeah, you just traded for a potential cancer.

by redwolf75 on Dec 19, 2009 1:45 AM CST up reply actions  

Here's another link

This one actually defends Siva’s actions in this situation. It’s kind of messed up so you need to scroll down a bit.
Silva’s complaints

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 5:08 PM CST up reply actions  

That's a really good article.

The key point made: Seattle was supposed to contend in 2008 (I picked them to win the AL West — man, was that wrong!) — and didn’t, and everyone was frustrated. They did say that Silva should have made his comments in-house rather than to a reporter, but didn’t deny that what he said was true.

I think someone like Ryan Dempster can help Silva be a good teammate.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 5:39 PM CST up reply actions  

From all accounts, he tried.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 5:41 PM CST up reply actions  

I'd actually like one too

I don’t remember hearing anything of the sort. It would make me feel better about the team knowing someone had stepped up to try to fix the situation.

by madcow256 on Dec 18, 2009 11:30 PM CST up reply actions  

Chuckle chuckle

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

No, it IS that black and white

Everybody on earth knew the Cubs had to get rid of MB. Could you imagine what Wrigley would be like if he came out there to start opening day?

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Therein

lies the problem with ‘some’ Cub fans

by DMCub on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

Exactly right

Folks, you have nobody but yourselves to blame for this.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Agree and disagree

Milton deserves some of the blame too. But to act like this whole episode was something that couldn’t be resolved is amazing. He said some stupid things, but everyone (the front office and the fans) needed to get over it and accept his apology.

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:31 PM CST up reply actions  

Double Rec'd

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Well whatever your interpertation of that statement

the fact is he said “I’m sorry”. Was it likely heartfelt? Probably not. But it should have been enough for everyone to move on and not resort to this sort of trade

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm sorry but I don't believe for one minute

that Bradley wrote that statement. It seems likely his agent or publicist wrote it.

Now, Milton may have approved the statement but it’s just not the same.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 3:54 PM CST up reply actions  

What would make one believe that Milton had wrote it?

Is there anything that the statement could have said that would have made anyone believe that Milton wrote it? If not why even bother apologizing if everyone has already made their mind up that they won’t forgive you and they don’t believe you if you decide to apologize?

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 5:10 PM CST up reply actions  

it should have been

enough.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

After a guy kicks you in the crotch and insults your wife...

“I’m sorry” should be enough.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions  

poor analogy.

unless you were egging the guy on all this time.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah, that's all the fan base did from day one.

Sure.

o.0

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

we've had this discussion before.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:27 PM CST up reply actions  

Not the only one that you keep rehashing

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

Except

that is what the fanbase did and the reporters.

Milton is a jackass. Accepted. Milton attempted to keep to himself and avoid the media and the Cubs forced him to talk. Of course, he should have been a professional and sucked it up. But to act like the fans and the media weren’t licking their lips before the ink was wet is ridiculous.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 5:13 PM CST up reply actions  

Yes, us the fans really wanted Milton to be discouraged and feel bad and be angry at us...

we all really wanted him to fail…we like to pick out one player each year and attack, attack, attack until that player cries. Like sinking the Sub. Please.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 5:16 PM CST up reply actions  

Maybe the lip licking was overkill

but Bradley was getting crap before he said anything to anyone in Chicago. And seriously, attacking is one thing that Cubs’ fans are really good at.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 6:01 PM CST up reply actions  

“…Bradley was getting crap before he said anything to anyone in Chicago.”

Citation Needed.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 6:05 PM CST up reply actions  

Obviously this link is from a message board

But i’m sorry I didn’t walk around with a tape recorder recording fan reactions. There plenty more comments posted on articles giving Bradley crap.
‘Blessed’ Bradley signs with Cubs

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 6:13 PM CST up reply actions  

Milton reads message boards?

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 6:15 PM CST up reply actions  

Fine

I’m not really in the mood to argue with your pointless sarcasm. I acknowledged it was a message board. And it’s obvious a message board isn’t representative of an entire fan base. However it does show what I said which was that Bradley was taking crap before ever saying anything.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 6:21 PM CST up reply actions  

It doesn't show that at all. Bradley didn't "take" anything.

There are people here complaining about Hendry and Silva. Are those guys “taking crap” right now? Come on.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 6:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Yes

Because before Siva has played, before he has arrived in Chicago, people already resent him. And as I said in the initial post, Bradley should have behaved like a professional and he didn’t. I wasn’t excusing his behavior, I was stating that yes the fan base, at least part, was against Bradley.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 6:28 PM CST up reply actions  

The fact that a segment of the fanbase wasn't happy with him only makes his signing...

just like every single other free agent ever signed by a professional sports team.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 6:30 PM CST up reply actions  

Do you enjoy like these kind of discussions

Where you make some pseudo-funny remark on the fringe of being relevant so that you can engage your witty sarcasm only to then completely ignore your original statement to make some other point?

I made a comment and you decided to make a sarcastic response. I admitted that I went overboard with my initial statement but still stated that I felt fans were against milton from the start. Your response? More sarcasm. And then more sarcasm. And now you say that’s what every signing is, oh yeah with more sarcasm.

So what really was your point in all this? To show how funny you are?

 Considering you ended up saying what you asked me to cite, I don’t really think you had one.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 6:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Calm down.

My response wasn’t sarcastic. I asked you to cite an example of where or how Milton had to “take crap” before he ever got here or said anything. You didn’t really give an example that showed that. I gave you a related scenario with Hendry and Silva showing you why your example wasn’t valid. Again, not sarcasm. You then countered by telling me that “at least part” of the fanbase was against him, and I’m only pointing out that every FA signing has detractors.

If I was trying to be “funny” I would have posted a picture of a man and wife holding a parrot and machine gun.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 6:44 PM CST up reply actions  

Fascinating

SWL does indeed tend to pmake sarcastic comments at times, yet he was replying to you in a nuetral tone and asking legit questionsmaking legit statements, yet you replied based on what you perceive his reputation to be.

All the while, you berate fans for responding to a player’s rep.

Neat, eh?

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 19, 2009 9:56 AM CST up reply actions  

I was going to let it go

This is not a neutral tone, this was his first reply

Yes, us the fans really wanted Milton to be discouraged and feel bad and be angry at us…
we all really wanted him to fail…we like to pick out one player each year and attack, attack, attack until that player cries. Like sinking the Sub. Please.

It’s fine with me if this part of the thread dies.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 19, 2009 10:00 AM CST up reply actions  

OPS+

theriot 83 (gritty)
soriano 84 (can’t see me)
bradley 99 (failure)

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 9:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Over/under on when Seattle fans get asked to do this

I’m taking June 1

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Under

That coffee is strong. He’ll be like Fry when he uses his tax refund to buy 300 cups of coffee and is all tweaked.

by chilango2 on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

I don't think you see him get traded this season

Next off season maybe. He’ll DEFINITELY be on the market

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

??

How am I to blame for anything regarding Milton Bradley? I didn’t want him here, didn’t agree to an above market deal with him, didn’t tell the front office that they couldn’t eat a chunk of the deal, and didn’t sit there with a gun over Hendry’s head making him pick up Silva.

So, what exactly are you talking about?

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

It's the latest spin

The fans are responsible for every bad thing that happens to the Cubs. They’d have won 116 games if the fans just loved them all a little more.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST up reply actions   2 recs

+1

Some people say the glass is half empty, some say half full. I say, are you going to drink that?

by BleedsbluinMI on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Do you really think

MB would have been treated neutrally had he come back to the Cubs next year? Not having roses thrown at his feet, but not booed off the field? Yeah, and I got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

You wanted him gone, you got him gone. Now, STFU.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm happy he's gone

I am so very sick of the “fans did it” mentality.

Bradley didn’t do the job he was brought here to do and threw a hissy fit. He’s gone. Get out. Fuck you.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions  

Most of Bradley's problem is Bradley

but don’t tell me the reaction of the fans had little to do with it.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I already blamed myself

by your directive. Wow, do I feel terrible he is gone.

Some people say the glass is half empty, some say half full. I say, are you going to drink that?

by BleedsbluinMI on Dec 18, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions  

And again, I ask what does that have to do with me?

He wasn’t terribly neutral to me, given the comments that he made.

It’s fascinating that you take issue with the common fan over behavior and decisions made by millionaires, and billion-dollar corporations.

And STFU? Here’s a better idea, go GFYS.

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 1:07 PM CST up reply actions  

there's a superfluous G in there, I think.

How about you both knock off the abbreviated swearing?

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions  

Actually, I think the "S" is superfluous

And how about we abbreviate the abbreviated swearing?

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 1:25 PM CST up reply actions  

"Yourself" is one word, no?

And my brain is too fried from all these posts to even consider the appearance of abbreviated abbreviated swearing?

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 4:28 PM CST up reply actions  

I hereby blame myself.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Some people say the glass is half empty, some say half full. I say, are you going to drink that?

by BleedsbluinMI on Dec 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST up reply actions  

Those of us

who felt it better to keep Milton than get a bad return can.

by DMCub on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST up reply actions  

Horrible

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST reply actions  

Very upset

The money is about the only thing that makes sense in this situation. It might be a looooong season next year.

http://www.fivetoolfans.com

by mykalmorgan on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST reply actions  

We are swapping contracts

it virtually does nothing

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:17 PM CST up reply actions  

Right

Except Milton Bradley is still a valuable player. He makes their offense significantly better as a RH DH/4th outfielder. Silva gives us a very expensive and bad back of the rotation.

http://www.fivetoolfans.com

by mykalmorgan on Dec 18, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions  

Marshall > Silva

Bradley > Silva

this trade does nothing to help us. We should have just outright CUT Bradley instead

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST up reply actions  

Or, you know... fielded the most talented team.

Everybody talks about how baseball is an individual sport, but some guy doesn’t respond to Theriot’s fantasy football trade requests quickly enough and he’s gotta go. Ugh.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Amen Sister!

He was Bavasi’s worst signing and Bavasi was the worst GM in Baseball.

Baseball is too much of a sport to be a business and too much of a business to be a sport.
William Wrigley Jr

by bubbamike the one and only on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions  

I don't know about that,

I think Jim Bowden may have been worse or at least in the discussion.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 3:57 PM CST up reply actions  

rec'd

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 7:57 PM CST up reply actions  

At least

w e didn’t take on Vernon Well’s contract, but why take this POS?

by 100 Years is Nothing on Dec 18, 2009 12:16 PM CST reply actions  

the ballhawks give this deal a thumbs up!

Mentioned this in the other thread…

Silva has a propensity to give up the long ball. He gave up 20+ homers for 5 straight years (2004-08) including a league-leading 38 in 2006. 38!!!! Just for reference sakes, Harden led the Cubs last year with 23 (Demp and Lilly right behind at 22).

Hendry, you’re a durn fool but I love ya for it!

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:17 PM CST reply actions  

Its raining balls!

Can you TWSS yourself? I think i just did.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions  

I think i just did.

TWSS

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Want to make a bet

That Jack Z and Wakamatsu get something out of Milton who will enjoy Seattle where racist fans won’t harass him.

Baseball is too much of a sport to be a business and too much of a business to be a sport.
William Wrigley Jr

by bubbamike the one and only on Dec 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

I think Milton is going to do fine in Seattle.

Little national media presence, very mellow fans (too mellow, our fans suck), easygoing media, Ken Griffey Jr. etc.

by redwolf75 on Dec 19, 2009 1:51 AM CST up reply actions  

yep

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Their never was gonna be a Bradley trade

that was gonna fix anything. What were you expecting?

She asked: Are you a hopeless romantic?

I answered: I'm a Cubs fan, of course I am.

by Zy Toro Young on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm just referring to Al's post above that this fixes Hendry's previous mistake

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Okay, but it doesnt necessarily compound it.

If it does, we dont know yet.

She asked: Are you a hopeless romantic?

I answered: I'm a Cubs fan, of course I am.

by Zy Toro Young on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Fair enough , lets just say it "continues it"

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

i would have rather gotten a bag of magic beans

than Carlos Silva.

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST reply actions  

11.5 mil this year

11.5 mil next year, 12 million dollar mutual option (with 2 mil buyout).

2 years, 25 million dollars.

by KillaAK on Dec 18, 2009 12:21 PM CST reply actions  

Money may be coming back to Cubs

From Muscat’s blog entry:

The deal will be made official once Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig approves the transaction because of the money involved.

That usually means more than $1 million is trading hands.

Muscat Rumblings

by Qixotl on Dec 18, 2009 12:22 PM CST reply actions  

are you sure it's Seattle sending the Cubs money...

…and not the other way around??? ;-)

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

Heh... that crossed my mind too

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

Of course I am not sure

I am just hoping for a bit of sanity.

by Qixotl on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

That's going to be hard to find around here today. :)

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Um Yes

Nobody would take ON salary for Bradley. I am sure they could have traded him to the Rays, eaten ALL the salary and gotten a bag no two bags of balls . That might have been better.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Silva makes about $3 mil more than Bradley

we’re giving them Bradley and cash! what a sweet deal Jim!

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

How do you know this?

Why not wait to see what’s actually announced rather than assume the Cubs are paying the extra money?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Two points.

1. If you put a link in the subject line of a comment, it won’t be clickable. Put it in the body of the comment.

2. I don’t see anything in that link that says the Cubs are paying the difference.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions  

cut and paste

and it’s likely that the Cubs will be paying the difference. given the history of this team and how Hendry does deals, why would you think differently?

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions  

Because I'm willing to wait and see....

… what the official announcement is, rather than make assumptions.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

If you cut & paste...

… put it in the bigger box in the comment, not the smaller one.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions  

i will next time

and Hendry has never been a money saver … he’s a money waster.

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

When I said that moving MB would be for the best

because we’d get a player of equal or slightly less calibre, but at least they’d have a smiling face, well, the scenario that played out today isn’t exactly that…

There’s still time for something additional to happen, but at this point in time, we’ve been pimped out.

Hey, I guess to look at things in a positive light, if Chicago wanted the title of fattest city, I think they’ve got it locked down now.

www.facebook.com/craighudak

by Craig in South Bend on Dec 18, 2009 12:24 PM CST reply actions  

Hey, I guess to look at things in a positive light, if Chicago wanted the title of fattest city, I think they’ve got it locked down now.

soto and silva will lead us to the promised fat land!

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 12:25 PM CST up reply actions  

Because they just unloaded the worst starting pitcher in baseball

for a reasonably useful player.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I'm not wild about this trade, either, Jess, but

this is what Cubs fans wanted. MB off the team at all costs.

They got their wish. Now, deal with it.

Or maybe adjust your attitudes a little.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions  

its not

what all cubs fans wanted…

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Painting with a bit of a broad brush, aren't you?

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:02 PM CST up reply actions  

The recent polls here...

… seem to indicate that a broad bush is appropriate in this case, unfortunately.

I’d be jumping with joy if i was a Mariners fan. We basically gift wrapped a good player, dropped it in their living room, and offered to take their trash with us as we left.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions  

An unscientific poll on a largely anonymous blog

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions  

SB, most people here have been whining all offseason

Mostly revolving around the MB situation. By any means necessary, he was to be traded.

Well, now he has been. Still, the whining continues.

It’s not what all Cubs fans wanted, but it’s what a landslide majority of Cubs fans wanted. If you’re not part of that crowd and haven’t been all along, say so. But if you have been part of that crowd, you now have no right to complain.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions  

I haven't been one of the "get rid of him at all costs" crowd

I wanted him gone, but Rowand would have been a better return. This isn’t a good trade.

I also wanted the Cubs to sign him in the first place and I admit that I was wrong about that.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

you're conveniently

mixing groups of people and giving them the same attributes

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions  

I mean, true...

… but you can’t really believe the results of the polls this fall and winter have been that far off, right?

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions  

Hard to say, really

I know some knowledgable Cubs fans that don’t visit blogs at all.

And, let’s face it – people are stupid. Tangential example – rainout vs. PGH in 2003, end of season. Next day is announced as a traditional DH because of TV rules, instead of day-night. People were livid at the TribCo insisting that they were being screwed. I was there and astounded by the idocy – how does losing $3,000,000 of gate receipts benefit the company and screw the fans? But people wanted to be angry.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 2:08 PM CST up reply actions  

Of course, "idocy" is really, really bad idiocy . . . .

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 2:09 PM CST up reply actions  

Applies to more than that situation alone, methinks.
But people wanted to be angry.
And, let’s face it – people are stupid.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Indeed

It was meant to

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 2:13 PM CST up reply actions  

come work at a car dealership for a month and you will see it first hand

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:51 PM CST up reply actions  

LMAO

i’m sure you meant this as the customers but that’s not how i took it!

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 9:59 PM CST up reply actions  

The Cub fans

should not be the ones making player decisions.

Baseball is too much of a sport to be a business and too much of a business to be a sport.
William Wrigley Jr

by bubbamike the one and only on Dec 18, 2009 2:09 PM CST up reply actions  

Agreed

But I certainly think they had a hand in this one.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 4:36 PM CST up reply actions  

They have common sense

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions  

What is there

not to love? You actually just got something useful back for Carlos Silva? If Bradley goes bust, they can just release him, as the Silva deal was a sunk cost that they weren’t getting return on anyway.

Who in the hell would object to this deal?

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions  

They are ditching Silva

I’d be happy if I were them too.

Check back on May 15 when Bradley has accused Starbucks of racism.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST reply actions  

"I can't play in this town

because dead Kurt Cobain is too racist for me."

www.facebook.com/craighudak

by Craig in South Bend on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Anyone venture over to the....

Mariners’ SBN site for their reaction?

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST reply actions  

I don't want to be sick, so I am not going there.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions  

They’re pretty happy.

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Linky

Most seem happy. A few seem upset.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Anyone who’s pissed about getting a very good hitter for an absolutely shitty pitcher has issues.

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST up reply actions  

Right...

Because ALL you get with Bradley is a “very good hitter”? Might want to rethink that.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Perhaps they recognize...

… that Bradley’s other issues have very little to do with his and his teams on field success?

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions  

I beg to differ...

But that’s okay.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions  

check those links

The Seattle fans don’t seem to think that Silva has a great attitude, either.

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." -- Yogi Berra

by vonde6 on Dec 18, 2009 4:52 PM CST up reply actions  

Unfortunately

why does everyone think all Cubs fans hate Bradley. Another bunch of crap from the media! I was disappointed in Bradley, but heck why “hate” the guy.

by Saratoga on Dec 18, 2009 1:03 PM CST up reply actions  

They'll turn on him once he starts his act over there

And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.

by Ace Venom on Dec 18, 2009 5:38 PM CST up reply actions  

How anyone can put a postive spin on this,

is beyond me. This is bad bad bad bad. No matter how you shake it. Stop drinking the Koolaid.

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST reply actions   2 recs

Spin or shake...

As long as Bradley is gone, it’s a good move.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

I'll put a qualifier on that.

Carlos Silva has been a bad pitcher for two years. Could he get better? Maybe. But getting Bradley off the team makes the entire situation better.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Its not positive, but its not that negative either.

No Bradley deal was gonna be to far in either direction.

She asked: Are you a hopeless romantic?

I answered: I'm a Cubs fan, of course I am.

by Zy Toro Young on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

My take is I would rather have the bad pitcher than hitter

because with a pitcher you can: 1. Work with them on a new pitch or grip 2. Pair them with a catcher that calls a better game 3. Pull them out if they can get through 5 and you’re not down 7 runs 4. Put them in the bull pen 5. Have another pitcher influence them into changing mechanics to improve 6. Have Rothchild make him serviceable….. on and on……..

But, with a bad hitter they just kill you ever time they’re up or you set them. Pitchers can get out of ruts. Look at what a bad pitcher Glendon R. was for the Cubs but when he came over we actually got some use out of him for a while.

Trading Bradley was never going to be a good deal for us. Let’s move on here, nothing to see. Let’s fix the rest and hope this works out.

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Dec 18, 2009 2:38 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

agreed...

Bradley isn’t a bad hitter though. There’s literally no chance he’ll have a negative value in the box score. He’s better than average, more likely much better and he’ll be better than the Mariners’ alternatives… as long as he keeps out of trouble (which is unlikely, but when he does, the Mariners can just cut him, like they were probably going to do Silva and take the added performance on the field they got out of Bradley).

Silva is a very bad, very expensive (even at discount) pitcher who cannot get left handers out so you really can’t use him in the pen either.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 2:45 PM CST up reply actions  

We will know by August how good or bad this was.

I can take a wait and see approach. I have no choice do I?

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Dec 18, 2009 3:01 PM CST up reply actions  

maybe...

but i don’t think it will take that long. And we don’t have a choice as long as we remain Cubs fans. We can just fight against really stupid moves by the team we love.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 4:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Waiting...

… to see the final deal, but at first glance this is the worst possible solution to the “Bradley Problem.” The Cubs get a player in return that has zero value to the team, while not freeing up any money. Again, waiting to see the money involved, but it can’t be that significant.

Any of the other three options, Burrell, cutting MB, or holding onto him would have been better.

This might be the move that proves to be Hendry’s final straw. Really hoping against hope that something good comes out of this.

by Tangled Up In Blue on Dec 18, 2009 12:28 PM CST reply actions  

Would you rank...

Outright releasing him above/below this move?

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

B'low

Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.

by section229beer on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Above

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

In a way, above.

Again, waiting to see the final terms of the deal before, and how the whole thing shakes out. At first glance however, the Cubs are now on the hook for more money over the same amount of years to a player that quite literally could have zero value to the team over the course of this contract.

Again, nothing has been finalized, and Silva could have productive years, but looking at Silva’s track record, he doesn’t appear to be a useful 5th starter let alone worth a fraction of his deal.

I was/am all for removing Bradley from the Cubs. I also realize that getting something favorable in return is impossible, however this move may actually hurt the team.

by Tangled Up In Blue on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions  

9 Million

If the Cubs in fact did recieve 9 mil from the Marines, this becomes the a much better deal than originally thought and we should all wait to see how that money is spent.

Regardless of what Silva does, if the money allows JH to make a better move, the Cubs are better off.

by Tangled Up In Blue on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Don't know what some of you expected.

Silva, if healthy, is only going to be asked to be a 5th starter in the NL. He won’t be “the problem” this year.

by Rick B on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST reply actions  

Jason Marquis

is light-years beyond better than Silva.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions  

Yes, he is.

But he wasn’t an option here.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:49 PM CST up reply actions  

no

but keeping a good baseball player was.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

We've been through that.

No matter how “good” Bradley was, keeping him was not an option, either.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

I know you believe that

but your belief doesn’t necessarily make it true.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:30 PM CST up reply actions  

In any case...

… it’s done now. Maybe Silva will suck, maybe he won’t. The Cubs got some financial relief.

It could have been better, but it could have been worse, too.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

Yes PLEASE!!!

OK I don't know shit about basketball.

by SoulEater7 on Nov. 5, 2009 9:51 PM CST

by sue369 on Dec 18, 2009 2:14 PM CST up reply actions  

best comment all day

Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.

by Emelie on Dec 18, 2009 2:18 PM CST up reply actions  

rather eat on a plaer that is somewhat useful

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

I'll resist...

Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.

by Emelie on Dec 18, 2009 2:19 PM CST up reply actions  

I was already having a shitty day..

..this trade blows. Milton will own in seattle. Silva..yuck..fml :(

We Got This!

by cubbiebear316 on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST reply actions  

Well, so much for Mayor Smith's interview post...

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST reply actions  

hee!

Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.

by Emelie on Dec 18, 2009 2:19 PM CST up reply actions  

Sigh.

Best-laid plans and all that…

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 3:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Additional thought

if you’ve seen UHF, you’ll understand this, but the Cubs are officially the woman who chose the box.

STUPID! YOU’RE SO STUPID!

www.facebook.com/craighudak

by Craig in South Bend on Dec 18, 2009 12:29 PM CST reply actions  

BTW Silva is a CLUBHOUSE CANCER

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/46799-seattle-mariners-clubhouse-in-turmoil

Recently many of these frustrations have been coming to a head, and players have begun throwing each other under the bus publicly.

This all started about a week ago when Carlos Silva mouthed off to the media about how the pitchers have all been showing up focused, and ready to go, while the batters are playing lackadaisically.

Really? The batters are to blame for you being possibly the worst starting pitcher in the major leagues. You lead the AL in losses, and have a dispicable ERA of 5.93. I would say you should look in the mirror before blaming others for your shortcomings.

Silva was brought in to be a veteran leader in the clubhouse, and to solidify the pitching staff. Leaders typically do not blame other players on the team publicly. Generally, they lead by example, take due blame, or if needed to, call out players behind closed doors.

Nice choice, Jim

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:31 PM CST reply actions  

Please don't believe anything you read on Bleacher Report

We’ve been over this many times.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions  

So Silva didn’t call out his teammates when he sucked?

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions  

lol

at least Sullivan will have a new friend next year.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Thanks. Exactly. He’s as big of an asshole as Milton.. But hey, he’s not black.

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

That guy kinda looks like Toby Kieth.

Censorship of anything, at any time, in any place, on whatever pretense, has always been and will always be the last resort of the boob and the bigot.
—Eugene O’Neill

by 14theofleury on Dec 19, 2009 6:30 AM CST via mobile up reply actions  

Oh give me a F*cking break!!!! This is the single stupedist comment in the history of BCB, CONGRATULATIONS!

Silva has made snippy freaking comments to reporters, big freakin’ deal. Do you have any clue what you are talking about?! I am guessing you haven’t the slightest clue about anything you are talking about right now.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

are you sure

you know what you are talking about?

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

He's basically calling everyone who doesn't like MB a racist

Milton Bradley will now be going to his 8th club in 10 seasons. Silva’s will be on his 4th in nine years, and that includes four season under Ron Gardenhire. The guy is hated by both fans and teammates alike no matter where he goes, the entire league and fanbase of baseball is not racist, but that’s exactly what the Einstein above said.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Thanks for this link instead.

I’m not trying to defend Silva, just pointing out that Bleacher Report should never be used as a source.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Not good, same problem different guy

Isn’t mouthing off in the media what got us into this mess. Cubs fans were too upset by Milton’s comments which made them HAVE to trade him AT ALL COSTS!!!

So we trade him for a pitcher that calls out his teammates in the press. Ugh.

At least Milton wasn’t calling out his teammates for their play on the field.

Always loyal to Leon

by 239 Brigade on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Carlos Silva

……………..to think the Cub’s were going to get anything useful is asinine. There is a small chance that Silva can be a competent # 5 starter though. Maybe coming to the NL can help………..let’s face it…..one way or another we were paying MB in 2011 no matter what.

What’s the over/under for number of comments in this thread?? lol

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

1050

I take the over

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions  

Hmmm...

Not exactly sure the ruling on that. Might have to call upstairs

Right now I’d say this one alone can get to that total

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions  

And the duplicate posts

As late as Sunday, we’re going to get, “Hey, guys, guess what I just heard…”posts.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions  

Only 1050?

The over’s a lock at that number, I’d say. :)

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions  

We'll send him a fruit basket to make him feel better

Throw some corn in there, I bet he misses it from Iowa…

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Dec 18, 2009 12:38 PM CST up reply actions  

The level of over reaction

per limited official detail of this deal is staggering. Simmer down.

"Chicago Cubs fans are ninety percent scar tissue." - George F. Will

by Slakkr on Dec 18, 2009 12:32 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

Right.

If and when Carlos Silva does anything good for the Cubs, I’ll make sure to link back to this post.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions  

What if he fails?

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Then I'll say so.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

Don’t worry. you won’ have to.

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Eating four large pizzas is pretty good

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Pizza is good.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

I can't even win

my 8 person fantasy league, so I’ll reserve that Hendry might know more than me for know.

"Chicago Cubs fans are ninety percent scar tissue." - George F. Will

by Slakkr on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

And refer back to it when Milton has .380 OBP for Seattle

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:44 PM CST up reply actions  

and Seattle is in 4th place.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions  

They finished higher than that last year

And had a better record than us too. Now they’ve been able to pick up a Cy Young winner, one of the top FA prospects (Figgens), and traded their worse pitcher for a outfielder whose flaws are not likely to be exacerbated playing in a city like Seattle.

by madcow256 on Dec 18, 2009 11:44 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm not

going to hold my breath.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

Aren't you going to defend Silva?

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

Only if the Chicago media writes something negative about him

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:05 PM CST up reply actions  

why?

he’s a bad baseball player. He plays badly UPON THE FIELD. Milton Bradley is NOT a bad baseball player.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:31 PM CST up reply actions  

he sure was last year

Dare I give the Cubs my heart again?

by digitalbenjamin on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM CST up reply actions  

no

he was mediocre last year.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 PM CST up reply actions  

.257 BA with 40 RBI in 124 games is not mediocre.

That’s just plain BAD my friend. (and that’s not even bring up defense and other intangibles)

Dare I give the Cubs my heart again?

by digitalbenjamin on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Bradley has always played decent defense.

Using RBIs and batting average to evaluate a player is rather flawed. Bradley was actually a decent player last year, as many Cubs fans on here correctly realize./

by redwolf75 on Dec 19, 2009 1:56 AM CST up reply actions  

I'd agree with this,

But given the amount of banter that surrounded a potential deal for Bradley during the winter meeting posts, it’s a practical impossibility to expect.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Oh, it's going to get much worse - trust me.

I don’t think there’s been a BLou sighting yet, has there?

It’s Friday… just sit back, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the show…

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 18, 2009 12:34 PM CST up reply actions  

This could bring back Eric Hanna

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions  

rec'd

Gotta beat the HANNA post record of rec’s here.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 PM CST up reply actions  

eric hanna lives!

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 PM CST up reply actions  

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:53 PM CST up reply actions  

also, my PSP won’t play this game. What do you suggest?

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:53 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm just glad it's a slow Friday at the office.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions  

I am off to lunch

somehow I still have an appetite. I expect my computer to crash when I try to log in here again

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

good idea.

I’m off to lunch too. I assume this post will be up to 1200 comments by the time i get back!

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions  

Lol! And in Imax!

Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.

by Emelie on Dec 18, 2009 2:23 PM CST up reply actions  

Dumpster Diving Jim

Still living off the trades he made with Pittsburgh years ago for Ramirez and Florida for Lee. While all the other teams are looking for free agents to help, Jim is looking to find that diamond in the rough. And how many has he found?

Never mind the overpaying of free agents (Bradley, Miles, Marquis Jacque Jones.) Really, would it have been any worse than if we just released Bradley?

I’ve never been one to call for Hendry’s head before, but I think he has to go.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. -- George Santayana (1863-1952)

by cubfred on Dec 18, 2009 12:33 PM CST reply actions  

This wasn't...

A “find a diamond in the rough” trade, it was a dump Bradley trade. I wouldn’t read too much into the player they got back.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

The issue is what did Hendry get with a 3yr/30 mil contract...

I’d be fine with releasing Hendry on Monday.

Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.

by section229beer on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions  

+ 100

The Soriano deal was questionable. But MB? Beyond insane.

Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..

coda

ELO, 1975

by cubnational on Dec 19, 2009 9:01 AM CST up reply actions  

I never realized

how many people on here seem to believe they know what it takes to run a Major League team

so many people believe that releasing milton, keeping him, getting decent trade value, were all possibilities hendry never explored or thought to explore,

but come on, none of us know that, we can all whine and complain that the sucks at his job, yada yada, but none of us having any experience doing his job, and most of never will

by CubsFan87 on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

No, it's not.

But it may have been the only way to deal Bradlye.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

If we don't get any money in return, it's horrible because it does not help out the starting rotation at all

really…you want Carlos Silva pitching every five days for us?

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST up reply actions  

There in lies my point

what I “want” as a fan and what is actually possible are not the same

by CubsFan87 on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Not really.

But I’m willing to wait and see if he might get better.

I refer you again to the reaction to the Hundley deal seven years ago — there was no BCB then, but I can tell you the reaction was almost identical — people said, “Karros & Grudzielanek? They suck, and we don’t need them.”

That turned out to be wrong.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

true, but realistically when do trades like those happen?

I want Silva to succeed, but I’m a realistic here. Just like I had the gut feeling on the day that he signed that Bradley would not do well. Many here said “well maybe he would calm down and won’t have to worry about his personaility or injuries”

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions  

This trade will be like the Hundley one...

Except the Mariners will be the ones looking back on it fondly.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 18, 2009 6:15 PM CST up reply actions  

That remains to be seen.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 6:16 PM CST up reply actions  

It does.

But I think the chances of Milton Bradley being productive are a lot higher than the odds of Silva turning things around.

And I also quibble with your comparison of Silva to Karros and Grudzielanek. Karros’ ‘02 line of .271/.323/.399 was bad, but not completely horrible. His OPS+ of 96 was barely below league average. And Grudz’ ‘02 line was .271/.301/.364, with an OPS+ of 81. Again, it was bad, but for a 2B, it’s not that horrible. Consider that Mike Fontenot’s OPS+ last year was 72.

On the other hand, Silva has an ERA over 6.80 over the past couple years. That’s just horrific. It’s simply a much lower level of performance than what Karros and Grud had put out in ’02, making it a poor comparison

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 18, 2009 6:27 PM CST up reply actions  

Silva was injured most of last year.

I’d discount that completely. If healthy, I would think he could get back to his 2007 level, where he would be a serviceable #5 starter.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 6:34 PM CST up reply actions  

Was he really injured though?

Or did the Ms just stick on the DL because he sucked so much, like the Cubs did with Aaron Miles for a good chunk of the year?

In any case, the best-case scenario for Silva is that of a #5 starter. The best-case scenario for Bradley is that of a guy who put up an OPS+ of 161 a year ago. The only thing the Cubs have going for them is that they save a reported $6 million due to the cash got from the Ms, which I guess is a pretty solid plus.

by Poloplaya14 on Dec 19, 2009 1:26 AM CST up reply actions  

I believe the injury was legit.

It started the year before with back problems. That’s one reason they HAVE to get him to lose weight.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 19, 2009 8:03 AM CST up reply actions  

So the question is, was it worth it to dump Bradley?

We’ll have to see how the season plays out, I’m guessing the Cubs got the worse end of this deal.

Always loyal to Leon

by 239 Brigade on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Again, I am assuming

you are just a fan with no front office experience with a Major League team so your evaluation of “not a decent return” takes into account no actual conversations with General Managers which would have led you to believe that there was another possible trade that would have netted a “decent return”

by CubsFan87 on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

I only have to look at stats to see that this trade is crap

and you are just making broad assumptions concerning what could have happened.

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions  

Because stats

tell the whole story right?

by CubsFan87 on Dec 18, 2009 12:45 PM CST up reply actions  

christ have you seen this guy pitch?

no you haven’t … mostly because he’s hurt all the damn time. his potential left with his ability to pitch 3 years ago.

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

this gives us nothing

except it does provide Cubs trainers with one more injury-prone player to treat.

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions  

Don't forget Harden

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." -- Yogi Berra

by vonde6 on Dec 18, 2009 5:02 PM CST up reply actions  

Is this revenge for the Cedeno trade?

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:35 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

which one?

don’t disparage the guy the Pirates are building their team around.

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:37 PM CST up reply actions  

I hope there are financial considerations

or prospects coming our way. Otherwise it would have made more sense to release Bradley.

I see no way Silva can possibly help the Cubs in 2010.

by Clark Addison on Dec 18, 2009 12:39 PM CST reply actions  

So what did all the BCB cry-babies think we would get for Bradley?

The second coming of Cy Young or Brian Roberts? Or Brian Roberts’ wife?

Let’s be realistic.

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:41 PM CST reply actions  

They could have kept a good hitter and not traded him… But then again. That’s the semi-intelligent way to go.

by LetsMakeADeal on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions  

They didn't want anything for Bradley.

They wanted Bradley.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Wow... Zen-like

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Mind = Blown

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:49 PM CST up reply actions  

Not a good trade, but you know what?

 We weren’t going to come anywhere close to getting a good deal in return for Bradley and I, for one, am very happy to see him gone. He needed to be gone and that’s all there is to it, he should have never been here to begin with.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 12:42 PM CST reply actions  

seems like this has turned into Farku Friday instead ;-)

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Milton gets traded
A BCB Civil War
I really want soup

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

CAKE!!!!

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

Cheese.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:20 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm pondering it.

I’ve decided i like gum about 100x more when i’m high then when i’m not. Cheese is universally enjoyable. Not sure what to make of it.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:57 PM CST up reply actions  

Bradley leaves the Cubs
Posts faster than I can count
Refrigerator?

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions  

Man, we are really going to suck next year. :(

"It’s up to Miles to keep the Cubs alive"

by xene on Dec 18, 2009 12:46 PM CST reply actions  

really?

9 mil now … next year?

when?

if so … that’s pretty solid.

by toonsterwu on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

Right.

If they get that much money — well then, maybe some more signings can come out of this.

Yet another reason why people should wait till they get the whole story before they bitch.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

But those 300 or so comments before we knew that $9 million was being kicked in

Were so fun and productive.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Dec 18, 2009 12:49 PM CST up reply actions  

LMAO

True.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions  

who says

hell be the fifth starter, why not make him compete for the job

"I hate to sound like a broken record, but I guess it's better than sounding like a broken mp3 player because then you would'nt hear anything." - Len Kasper

by JMG1984 on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

I was assuming he'd be in the bullpen

It’s an insult to Marshall to make him compete against someone with Silva’s numbers.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

i like bitching before the whole story

it allow me to kill time :)

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:51 PM CST up reply actions  

written by Cub fans?

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.

by junkhorse on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions  

It's a best seller

at the closest Barnes and Noble to Clark and Addison, I’m sure.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

LOL

Many times, yes.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

the book would open

“This book sucks, I’m not an author or anyone affiliated with professional writing, but as an occasional reader of magazines and comic strips, this book is not worth your time or money.”

by CubsFan87 on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

it still doesn't make

the team even equally as good, much less better.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions  

#4

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Rec'd.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 PM CST up reply actions  

And now the waiting game begins for the next move.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions  

That's not terrible.

Yes, it’s still Carlos Silva, but $9 million is a good haul to bring back.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Dec 18, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions  

remember

Silva costs $3mill more than Bradley. It’s a $6mill net “gain”. And I use the word “gain” very loosely.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions  

How can it be "loosely"?

The Cubs have $6m more than they did yesterday.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

and a much worse

team on the field.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:39 PM CST up reply actions  

#6

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

We don't know that yet.

Again, almost every bit of reaction seven years ago to the Todd Hundley deal was just like this: “Karros and Grudzielanek suck, and we don’t need them!”

Turned out differently.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

you're counting on lightning

to strike twice.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions  

Don't say that it can't.

Because it can.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions  

but it's extremely unlikely, Al

cmon.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 2:06 PM CST up reply actions  

It was unlikely that Karros and Grudz would contribute.

But they did.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 2:09 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm with Drew on this part, Al

Karros and Grudzeilanek had prior success

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 2:10 PM CST up reply actions  

But, they had sucked the year before...

…. and Karros had sucked for TWO years.

Silva has had at least a couple of passable major league seasons.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions  

I really think you're reaching here

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 2:14 PM CST up reply actions  

passable

but still awful peripherals

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 2:16 PM CST up reply actions  

True.

But if he can work on his game and improve, he could be a passable fifth starter. Which we could use.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:00 PM CST up reply actions  

usually fat oft injured players on the wrong side of 30

dont get better

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 4:05 PM CST up reply actions  

Usually.

But we don’t have any choice but to hope, right?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:36 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm jumping in here way late, I realize,

but I’m trying to understand something here. I will gladly acknowledge that Silva has been beyond shitty for three of the past four years, and there’s no reason to think that he’ll be better in ’10.

What I don’t get is looking at years like ‘04, ’05. and ’07 and saying that "yeah, I know he threw 200 innings to about a 4.00 era in the American league, but his periphals sucked. I could give a rats ass how many guys he strikes out in ’10, if he pitches 200 innings and gives up 4 runs per nine innings, I would call that success. Doesn’t matter how he does it. Give up a run and a half per inning, who cares? If he gives you innings and keeps the team in that game, that’s the goal, especially for a fifth starter, right?

"Enough foreplay- let's get crackin'"- Fred Garvin

by davidalanu on Dec 18, 2009 7:39 PM CST up reply actions  

yeah...

but the last two really, really sucked… and he was doing it in perfect environs for him. The only thing he has going for him here is he’s not Milton Bradley.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on Dec 19, 2009 12:26 AM CST up reply actions  

No, much worse on paper.

Bradley was no longer part of the club, regardless of our preferences. No guarantee Silva will do anything at all.

The only true difference is +$6M.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions  

$5mill

if the Cubs.com release is correct. Bradley is owed $21m, Silva $25m. That’s $4m. $9m-$4m=$5m.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions  

I believe the correct figure owed to Bradley is $22m.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions  

Correct accoring to Sullivan's new article
Silva is owed $11.5 million in both 2010 and ’11, plus a $2 million buyout of his option year in ’12. Bradley is owed $9 million in 2010 and $13 million in ’11, including incentives. Thus the Cubs get $6 million of salary relief.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 2:01 PM CST up reply actions  

I wonder what the $1 million in incentives was.

I haven’t been able to find any information on that. His contract did have some clauses in it, but he didn’t hit any of them while he was here.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 2:04 PM CST up reply actions  

From the official press release
CUBS ACQUIRE RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER CARLOS SILVA
AND CASH FROM SEATTLE FOR OUTFIELDER MILTON BRADLEY

Friday, December 18, 2009

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today acquired right-handed pitcher Carlos Silva and cash from the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Milton Bradley.

Silva, 30, is 60-64 with two saves and a 4.72 ERA (592 ER/1128.2 IP) in 295 major league appearances (159 starts) with Philadelphia (2002-03), Minnesota (2004-07) and Seattle (2008-09). He has walked only 214 batters in 1128.2 innings pitched, an average of only 1.7 walks per nine innings. Silva is 15-7 with two saves and a 4.18 ERA (116 ER/250.0 IP) in 135 games (17 starts) in his career against the National League, including a 5-1 mark and a 3.71 ERA (26 ER/63.0 IP) in 33 games (four starts) against the National League Central.

The righthander won nine or more games in four consecutive seasons with the Twins from 2004-07, including three double digit win campaigns in 2004 (career-high 14 wins), 2006 (11 wins) and 2007 (13 wins). He made 27 or more starts in five-straight seasons from 2004-08.

Silva broke into the majors in 2002 and went 8-1 with a 3.83 ERA (73 ER/171.1 IP) in 130 appearances, all but one in relief, in his only two seasons in the National League with the Phillies. Acquired in a trade by the Twins prior to the 2004 campaign, Silva went 47-45 with a 4.42 ERA (380 ER/773.2 IP) in 129 appearances (124 starts) in Minnesota, compiling more than 180.0 innings in all four campaigns. In 2005, Silva walked only nine batters in 188.1 innings pitched, an average of one walk every 21.0 frames.

In 2009 with the Mariners, Silva was limited to eight appearances (six starts) due to a right shoulder impingement that landed him on the disabled list from May 9-September 15. He went 1-3 with an 8.60 ERA (29 ER/30.1 IP) in the eight outings. A native of Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, Silva is currently pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Bradley, 31, batted .257 (101-for-393) with 12 home runs and 40 RBI in 124 games with the Cubs last season.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions  

I wish they had the cash amount on that press release

If they got $9 million back, that’s quite impressive. It still leaves us with an enigma in Carlos Silva, but it does open up some doors for more off-season activity.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

That's actually officially not bad

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions  

its 6 million

in savings after you consider that Silva’s deal was worth more $. So we gained 6 million in payroll.

It’s better than nothing is about the nicest thing I can say about this.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

$9 million plus salary

According to Sully. But you’re right… I’d guess it’s closer to $6m and change than $9 m and change.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Even $6m is helpful.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

like I said

it’s better than nothing. Its still a horrible deal but if Sullivan is correct on the dollar amount it should help.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

It will probably allow the signing of a CF...

… and maybe a pitcher.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

The money makes it a much better deal that originally thought.

I said it above, but if the money is in fact near what is being reported, we should all wait and see how JH spends it. Silva may or may not be of any use, but if JH can turn the savings into a servicable CF option, then the Cubs are significantly better off.

by Tangled Up In Blue on Dec 18, 2009 1:02 PM CST up reply actions  

LOL

"I'll take one in the mouth over the eyes any day". - AJ Pierzynski
http://lostinthevines.blogspot.com/

by lostinthevines on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

Depends on what they do with it.

Six million can be spent many different ways.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions  

though in this day and age

not on much that’s very good.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 2:00 PM CST up reply actions  

Given the cost of a win in today's market

$6M isn’t enough to offset the marginal loss of replacing Milton Bradley with Carlos Silva.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions  

yeah the 9 doesnt really mean much

considering Silva made more. I would assume the 6 million is what Jim will try to use to get Byrd to sign. Using the 6 this year and then back loading the deal (sound familiar)

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

its actually

jack squat this year:

Per http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4754761

“According to sources familiar with the deal, the Mariners will send a total of $9 million to the Cubs in the deal — about $3 million in 2010 and about $6 million in 2011.”

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:35 PM CST up reply actions  

That will provide the Cubs some good salary relief next year.

Hendry did about the best he could.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 5:40 PM CST up reply actions  

by August 5th.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:51 PM CST up reply actions  

Versus the 2009 Cubs...

Who didn’t play the right way and won 83 games?

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Lou Pineilla is still our manager

so chin up, we could still play really lousy baseball, and play it the wrong way.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:57 PM CST up reply actions  

perspective from seattle:

Right or wrong, Bradley is perhaps the most well-known alleged clubhouse problem in baseball. The Mariners, meanwhile, supposedly have the most positive and tight-knit clubhouse in the league. If Bradley were to fit anywhere, Seattle makes the most sense, right? And keep in mind that Silva’s no saint. I can’t predict how Bradley will work here. There’s a reason he’s available for the low low cost of an expensive fat guy – he didn’t pan out the way Chicago hoped he would, for several reasons. But Seattle should provide a soft landing, he’ll be away from the crazy media, and given that it’s not like he has a consistent history of flipping a tizzy, I feel pretty good about this.

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/

by Andronicus on Dec 18, 2009 12:49 PM CST reply actions  

He doesn't have a consistent...

History of flipping a tizzy? Wut? Are we talking about the same Milton Bradley?

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

that's the best example of a Mariners fans rationalizing, and hoping for the best I've ever seen

and it sounds a lot like Drew blogs for that site

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:56 PM CST up reply actions  

it'll be very interesting to see

how Bradley does there.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions  

I hope the door hits you in the ass, Milton,

and you break a few bones. Jerkoff.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Dec 18, 2009 12:49 PM CST via mobile reply actions   1 recs

Bring it on, you dirty hippies!

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST via mobile up reply actions  

Hah!

Please tell me you’ve seen passedoutwookies.com. An old favorite:

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Agree completely...

Except for the breaking bones part.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

do you really think

this trade makes the team better?

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:09 PM CST up reply actions  

No...but it was the best option for the Cubs

With MB starting the season it would have been the worse case scenario for the Cubs.

by Geo4MVP on Dec 18, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions  

I give up.

This is ridiculous. Milton Bradley is a plus ball player. Silva is definitely not. The $6 mill net back makes this barely palatable.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:34 PM CST up reply actions  

quitter.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

Is he a winner?

She asked: Are you a hopeless romantic?

I answered: I'm a Cubs fan, of course I am.

by Zy Toro Young on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Good. I hope you quit.

Milton sucks ass.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Dec 18, 2009 2:58 PM CST via mobile up reply actions  

#5

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:26 PM CST up reply actions  

what

exactly is it that you think you’re counting?

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:34 PM CST up reply actions  

you Drew,

He’s counting You!

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 PM CST up reply actions  

I guess he is.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions  

hey, maybe this trade will work out as well as the Orton/Cutler trade

…the only question is:

Are the Cubs the Broncos or Bears?

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:51 PM CST reply actions  

Let's hope Broncos.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Agreed

Because I can’t think of more Kyle Orton-ness without having involuntary shivers. :)

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST up reply actions  

urlacher = Bradley

This team sucks we have no identity when we had orton we won. Trade urlacher for deion branch the Bears need a WR

by KyCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 10:24 PM CST up reply actions  

I can't think of a player in baseball I'd want less than Silva.

But we simply were not going to be an ideal return for Bradley. Was not going to happen. We had to get Bradley off the team. People here can wail about his OBP all they want, but the 2010 Cubs would have been the “Barnum & Bradley” circus from the minute MB showed up at spring training. For a group of players that has not proven to be able to handle distractions all that well, trying to play the 2010 season with Bradley around would have been pure suicide. Hendry paid for his bad signing of Bradley with what appears to be a bad trade. But if they can’t flip Silvia in another trade, bring the guy to ST and let’s see what he’s got. We had to move Bradley, and now that’s done. Let’s keep moving forward and try to improve the team further. A long way to go in this offseason.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Dec 18, 2009 12:52 PM CST reply actions  

I can: Aaron Miles

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions  

You win. :)

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

great, what do I win?

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

You win Aaron Miles. ;)

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.

by hip2bsquare on Dec 18, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions  

Don't forget Jake Fox

You can’t take Miles without getting Fox.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 5:40 PM CST up reply actions  

he’s in asia hunting unicorn

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 18, 2009 11:51 PM CST up reply actions  

John Rocker

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Ted Williams!

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

Is it confirmed to be $9M back to the Cubs?

If so this is infinitely better than just releasing MB and eating the contract. Silva may not suck completely and may be tradeable for something.

Jimbo has financial relief and a player who may become tradable and plays a position, somewhat, of need.

Hell, Hendry could now trade Silva and eat half of whatever’s left and kick this into high gear.

Any links confirming the $9M?

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 12:53 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

Not yet.

But it’ll actually be only $6 million once both contracts offset each other.

by chilango2 on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

Got it.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions  

I assume this is speculation and not confirmed.

Sullivan tweet

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions  

Link does not work.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

Here’s the Sullivan link and tweet:

Cubs getting $9 million from Seattle, so Mariners wind up paying them $6 million plus Silva when salaries offset.

That makes this much more palatable.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

Thanks Al

Not sure what happened when I tried to link.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

Great move for Bradley

Great opportunity to rebound. Much less media pressure in Seattle, especially on the national media given the far north location in the pacific time.

His numbers should bounce back especially with Ichiro and Figgins batting in the 1 and 2 spots.

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 18, 2009 12:54 PM CST reply actions  

Oh no doubt...

… he’s gotta feel like he’s riding a unicorn through the clouds right now. While eating a rainbow.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:29 PM CST up reply actions  

A BOX OF ROCKS WOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS TRADE...

I was actually hoping that we’d get some sort of a double A hurler or something in addition to scraps, but whatever…

Maybe Hendry has another planned signing of a FA outfielder or something. Anyway, I hope I’ll have more hope for this team tomorrow.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST reply actions  

Rec'd.

That’s exactly how I feel.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

Rec'd

Pretty much nailed it.

Scott Bora$ is satan.

by Canadian Cubs Fan on Dec 18, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions  

hoping

for better than innings eater is a fantasy

you should hope for “innings eater”

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions  

I agree for the most part...

But it just proves that this was done out of sheer emotion, and without much cognitive dissonance. This sort of “GITERDONE JIM” attitude is the same sort of knee-jerk reaction that brought Bradley to the Cubs in the first place. It just shows that the front office of the Cubs has very little long-term strategic planning in them.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm not sure I feel that way

Unless you are suggesting that MB should’ve stayed. As for trade options out there, this was getting close to the final option. Rangers weren’t seriously considering him unless Lowell fell through, and Tampa wanted us to pay the whole thing. Even if Heyman is right and that it is 6 mil over 2 years, that’s still a small savings.

by toonsterwu on Dec 18, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions  

Right...

It was an impossible situation.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 PM CST up reply actions  

well done...

and an nice rebound from your Astros post

by Andronicus on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions  

huh

Guess I missed a post somewhere. I’ll stick by what I said in two posts already – if you asked me to pick a favorite right now, based on rosters as of now, I will go with the Astros and I’ll stick with that for today. By tomorrow, if other moves are made, then that could change. I also noted in both posts that

a) I don’t think the Astros will actually win the division but that it is a reflection on the fact that they’ve made some moves already. I’ve long said that too much is made of pre-season/offseason projections as a method to judge how good a team is, when we full well know that fluke years occur, fluke performances occur. Case in point – I remember last offseason that a poster railed against me for suggesting that the Marlins had a shot at the playoffs because pre-season projections didn’t suggest that. Certainly, I was wrong on several other projections.

b) That I don’t think any team in the NL Central currently looks like a playoff caliber squad. Certainly, someone has to win it …

c) That a Holliday signing for the Cards would change things, and things are pushing along with the idea of Holliday and the Cardinals will reup.

I’m glad I rebounded, though.

by toonsterwu on Dec 18, 2009 2:32 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm no Silva fan.

But it will be interesting to see what the Cubs make of him. He is, essentially, the opposite of Carlos Marmol, and Lou could end up really liking Silva as a ‘pen option who doesn’t walk anyone.

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 2:46 PM CST up reply actions  

sooo what's the OF situation?

Soriano, Fukudome. Does this mean Marlon Byrd will be a cub?

by TJ3117 on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST reply actions  

It seems so.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

no problem on the bench

4th outfielder at best. Defensive sub. Not a everyday starter.

by TJ3117 on Dec 18, 2009 1:15 PM CST up reply actions  

Right, which is why...

… some of us think a Reed Johnson/Fuld platoon might work.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

I agree

That’s what I am hoping for. But I have a feeling Hendry will give Marlon Bryd a 3 year deal.

by TJ3117 on Dec 18, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions  

I'd take Marlon for two

Maybe three, depending on the dollars.

by elgato on Dec 18, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions  

368 comments and counting, in less than an hour

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 12:55 PM CST reply actions  

Well lets what jIm spends this money on...

I’m guessing he will now overpay Marlon Byrd.

Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."

by DC Cubbie on Dec 18, 2009 12:56 PM CST reply actions  

3-years with full NTC...

Should do it.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions  

dont forget the player option

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions  

While I'm sure Byrd is the favorite to be the CF.

Guys don’t rule out a trade to get a CF also. We aren’t going to get Granderson but I wouldn’t be suprised to see the Cubs be active again on the trade market.

2010 is OUR year.

by Unique on Dec 18, 2009 12:58 PM CST reply actions  

Good news...

its confirmed that the cubs are getting 9 mill in return with Silva
http://twitter.com/PWSullivan/status/6804620535

by Geo4MVP on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST reply actions  

why yes

yes I am.

If anybody wants me, I’ll be in the angry dome!

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions  

To the mandatorium!!

"This next song... it's about the White Sox. It's called: F*** Em'." - Eddie Vedder

by PacificCub on Dec 18, 2009 2:44 PM CST up reply actions  

I sure did

This post made this abortion of a thread worth reading.

Chicagoan in the Lou.

by Mike Martin on Dec 18, 2009 2:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Heyman has suggested

6 mil over 2. It’s possible that Heyman’s hearing the Cubs will save 6 mil over 2, which would jibe with the Sullivan report. Even if Heyman is right and it is only 6 mil over 2, that’s still a small savings, and it allows the Cubs to move forard, so I’d be alright with it from that angle.

by toonsterwu on Dec 18, 2009 1:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah...but this is what cubs fans wanted

They wanted MB gone badely and what do you expect?! The GM’s knew Hendry was desperate to trade off MB and I am sure they didn’t feel obligated in any way or form to help out Hendry. However, this may have been the best option for the Cubs.

by Geo4MVP on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions  

Jason Churchill

over at www.prospectinsider.com seems to be saying that Sullivan’s report is correct. If Churchill’s saying it, then I’m hopeful that it is 9mil, as he’s fairly connected on the Mariners side of things. He got the names of the MAriners prospect in the Halladay trade right before anyone else did.

by toonsterwu on Dec 18, 2009 1:05 PM CST up reply actions  

Thats great..

I would have done this trade over trading for Pat the Bat (+Cash)

by Geo4MVP on Dec 18, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions  

just so you know

he’s a hack. always has been. never does any fact checking and gets by off his opinion and sloppy writing style.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions  

i have had my disagreements with JC before

Well, I haven’t signed up on his new site, so it was on his old website. One thing I will give him credit for is that he does know the Mariners.

by toonsterwu on Dec 18, 2009 2:33 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm going to post a poll on the right sidebar.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 12:59 PM CST reply actions  

One poll option should be:

Silva? Meh. But still are OK with trade because Bradley is gone.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Dec 18, 2009 1:01 PM CST up reply actions  

And the team didn't just cut Bradley.

Choice should be there for the contingent who just wanted MB released.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:09 PM CST up reply actions  

hey its Friday!

post a pole dancer instead

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Who did you people think we'd get, Halladay?

The meltdown in the Cubs/Milton relationship was so spectacular, and so public, everyone knew Hendry would be desperate to unload him. That left him with no bargaining power, even for a guy who a year ago was an All-Star caliber hitter.

This is a fine deal. It takes a guy whose very presence was, apparently, harming the team’s chances, and sends him elsewhere. The contracts are basically even, so saving $9 million with the payback from the Ms means there’s some added payroll flexibility.

If Silva is terrible they’ll bench or release him. To think he’s going to ruin the season is just ludicrous. Where is he going to start on a team that has Lilly, Zambrano, Dempster, Meyers (all locks) and either Gorzo or Marshall?? Worst case he’s a back of the bullpen guy. Best case, he’s better than Gorzo and Marshall and gives them valuable innings.

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:01 PM CST reply actions  

Ugh, I mean Wells.

I don’t know why I do this, but something about the glorious Randy Myers era sticks in my head whenever I type the kid’s name.

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions  

I think most would have "settled" for Poo-holes and Carpenter.

Anything short of that will be called a disaster

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions  

I was thinking Pujols plus prospects, a draft pick, and cash, personally.

Guess you can’t have everything.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm going to grab some lunch.

Try not to break the internet while I’m gone.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:03 PM CST reply actions  

the babysitter is gone

break out the smut

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions  

my worst fear

is this mistake is compounded by a 3 year deal for Marlon Byrd

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST reply actions  

I'm betting

that there’s no way in hell Hendry gets the ok to give Byrd 3 years. IMHO………it’ll be Ankiel, Pods or Crisp. From those three………….I’kk take my chances on Ankiel

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions  

Now, a deal like THAT, I would be 100% against.

Doesn’t look like Crisp, I think he’s headed elsewhere.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Now, a deal like THAT, I would be 100% against.

Doesn’t look like Crisp, I think he’s headed elsewhere.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:39 PM CST up reply actions  

i dont care who it is

just nothing more than a 1 year deal please

follow me on twitter for fantasy sports analysis @http://twitter.com/DrewDinkmeyer

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 3:47 PM CST up reply actions  

Now we have two big pitchers named carlos


that’s got to make us better somehow

"I hate to sound like a broken record, but I guess it's better than sounding like a broken mp3 player because then you would'nt hear anything." - Len Kasper

by JMG1984 on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST reply actions  

this photo must have been taken before he had the baby

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:05 PM CST up reply actions  

LLOL

(Thats a literal LOL, for those of you who don’t have younger siblings to keep you informed of such internet jargon.)

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 1:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Now, come on.

Here’s a pitcher who could have had a baby:

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

Ray King was the first guy to get that line from me

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Dec 18, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm sure the pinstripes will make him look 70 lbs thinner

Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.

by section229beer on Dec 18, 2009 1:05 PM CST up reply actions  

Dos Carlos

Both Venezuelan too

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Its during an MLB game

theirs gotta be like 40 cameras on the guy.

She asked: Are you a hopeless romantic?

I answered: I'm a Cubs fan, of course I am.

by Zy Toro Young on Dec 18, 2009 1:17 PM CST up reply actions  

The money makes it palatable

I didn’t imagine it’d be $6M coming back to the Cubs. That’s a nice amount.

Byrd might be another product of hitting in Arlington. I just hope it’s not a 3-year deal.

by rgonzale on Dec 18, 2009 1:04 PM CST reply actions  

"Byrd might be another product of hitting in Arlington"

He sure is. Check out his splits between home and road. It’s REALLY obvious.

Are you familiar with the old robot saying, "Does not compute"?

by dr stabbingworth on Dec 18, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions  

Post from the Mariners' SBN...
The best part is that even if Bradley is horrible and hurt
it’s not like you’re losing anything. This is literally a no-downside trade unless Bradley stabs Ichiro or something.

Lol.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 1:05 PM CST reply actions  

Fun fact

Winter league hitters are batting .400 off Silva right now in Venezuela. (thanks to @312Sports)

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:07 PM CST reply actions  

does anyone

hit under .400 in winter ball?

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions  

At least Silva hasn't quit on the Cubs, yet.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I'm givin him a chance

if he’s healthy, gives 180 + innings and keeps his ERA below 5 It’s a good deal

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions  

I'll like him better if Hendry can trade Silva while

paying less than half of his remaining contract. Good news is this is still possible.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions  

who would want silva?

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions  

I don't know, but this answers the question of

who’d want Bradley.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:15 PM CST up reply actions  

we had to take one of the worst players in baseball

to get the other team to “want” him. so, not really

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions  

maybe Hendry will be fired soon

and then another team will be dumb enough to hire him, and then Hendry can reacquire Silva!

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions  

The "I've always loved Heilman" technique.

Brilliant

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM CST up reply actions  

doubtful there

based on the last 2 years Silva would be lucky to get a spring training invite. I think he’ll be in the rotation………let’s hope for the best

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions  

I think he’ll be in the rotation

i sure hope not

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions  

bet you a dollar

he is.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

i have more faith

in gorz and marshall

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions  

you need to have faith

in Larry and Lou.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

I have faith that they're not very good at their jobs

does that count?

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:46 PM CST up reply actions  

As others have said...

I wouldn’t personally pencil him in as an automatic for the #5 slot. At the same time, I’d hate to have a $12 million mop-up guy too.

Maybe it’s not too much to ask to keep his hits allowed under his weight…

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

there's a real record here

you know. Bradley had one too. A good one.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah, medical record

that was real long

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions  

a playing record.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST up reply actions  

I think that record should be broken

when it comes to Drew and MB

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:45 PM CST up reply actions  

It's stuck in the groove

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Dec 18, 2009 1:45 PM CST up reply actions  

TWSS

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah, not playing

as in only having more than 500 AB twice in his career.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions  

MB Career stats: .277/.371/.450/.82, 115 OPS+

CS Career stats: 4.72 era. 1.409 WHIP. 1.1 Hr/9. He gave up 5 home runs in 30 innings pitched, over eight games last year. That’s one every six innings!

I realize comparing pitchers and position players is a little apples and oranges, but Silva is a step down, not a step up.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 2:02 PM CST up reply actions  

MP Career Avg. Stats:

100 games played per season. So yeah, you are right, he probably would go back to his career norms if we kept him.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 2:17 PM CST up reply actions  

oops, MB

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 2:17 PM CST up reply actions  

Prediction!

MB will play fewer than 81 games in 2010.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:00 PM CST up reply actions  

Prediction!

MB will play less than one game with the Cubs in 2010. Okay, maybe that’s not a prediction, but its still awesome to write! And yes, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see your prediction come true.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 4:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Fun Fact:

Bradley is gone and he was absolutely horrible as a Cub.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions  

Damn, you are right.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions  

well

you’ve got one fact, anyway.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

Yes, a .257 Avg with 12 HRs and 40 RBIs is a good season

Fun Fact: You’re wrong.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:20 PM CST up reply actions  

And, he had good....

Let me think, hmmm…. there has to be something else? Oh, wait, I got it, he had good excuses!!!

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:23 PM CST up reply actions  

he consistently improved every month

save september. There’s every indication that he would return to his career norms, which was plenty more than what we’ll get from Silva.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 1:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Drew, there is one thing that will be interesting to watch next year.

MB had to play in a certain number of games in 2009 in order for his 2011 option to vest. In effect, there was a financial motivation for Bradley to play. It will be interesting to see the number of games Bradley plays in during 2010 when there isn’t a financial motivation.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 4:19 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

oh, come on

that number he had to hit for vesting? 75. The number of games Bradley played in? 124.

And the incentive didn’t say anything about playing WELL. Which, frankly, he did for a significant part of the season.

Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.

by drewishdrewid on Dec 18, 2009 4:52 PM CST up reply actions  

Fun fact:

evaluating the play of a player based upon those stats is asinine.

by redwolf75 on Dec 19, 2009 2:02 AM CST up reply actions  

I like you.

No, seriously. Come back more.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 19, 2009 9:44 AM CST up reply actions  

Maybe we'll be converting Silva into a CF

the new Ankiel. Is he LH?

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 2:50 PM CST up reply actions  

He's gone so the Cubs can move on -

if it was trading Bradley for $6 million and nothing else I’d be happy – to get the 2010 NL Cy Young winner (after Larry works his magic with him) – is icing on the cake!! Happy Holidays have officially begun!

by doofus cubs guy on Dec 18, 2009 1:08 PM CST reply actions  

horrible

I would rather have cut Bradley and pay him the $10 mil over the next two years than pay Carlos Silva ~$ 9 mil over the next two years to be a negative value for the team. 0>-5*

They did this to save $1 mil per year and get absolutely nothing back. I’m sick of this team and it doesn’t seem to matter who owns them.

  • unscientific numbers jus to illustrate the point.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:10 PM CST reply actions  

no...

Silva makes more… so that’s what gets it into the black for the Cubs.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions  

He makes $2 million more total over the next two years -- 23 to 21

So, if they got $9mm back, they save $7mm or $3.5/year.

If they got $6mm back, which I think is being reported as a net figure but for now lets assume not, then its $4mm or $2mm/year.

So again, no

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:15 PM CST up reply actions  

fine… 2 million… i’d go fix the above to say the same damn thing, if i had an edit button.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions  

IF

that’s what they do… then i’m ok with it. I’m just not going to get excited over saving a billionaire a couple million dollars they’ve proven they won’t put back into the team… and certainly won’t do it wisely given the the current management.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

They've owned the team for what, 2 months?

They bought into an existing $140+ million payroll.

When exactly did they prove they aren’t going to put money back into the team?

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions  

tell me

where they’ve put any money into this team now? They only saved $2 million over cutting him, no big deal. If you’re telling me that was stopping them from signing a late-inning reliever or an offensive piece, then how can you tell me they are putting money back into the team?

They missed out on Cameron… Mike Gonzalez… Rafael Soriano… Chone Figgins… Curtis Granderson… Cliff Lee… Roy Halladay. I’m not saying the Cubs should have had all of those, but I’m saying teams were out there picking up guys the Cubs could have used and improving themselves. The Cubs have done nothing… except resign a mediocre left handed pitcher.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:26 PM CST up reply actions  

So you'd rather...

Cut Bradley and eat all the money, versus saving over a million a year? Not sure I understand…

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions  

'Cause releasing MB would teach him a lesson.

He’d be paid his full contract and free to sign with whatever team he wanted to play for. That’d learn him… oh wait!

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions  

He’d be paid his full contract and free to sign with whatever team he wanted to play for he could convince to give him a chance to be a total jerk and malcontent on their team.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions  

For the league minimum, MB would have had 6-7

options. Each of those GM’s and managers would convince themselves they know how to make it better and believe he wanted to get it right. Then, there is no dollar risk and teams would take the chance.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions  

Seriously.

Why not do this deal, then cut Silva and achieve the same result plus have the $1 million (even assuming that’s the number, which it isn’t).

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions  

The real question you have to ask

Is what kind of return could the Cubs have gotten if they had just eaten $14 million on the Bradley deal?

by Damen Jackson on Dec 18, 2009 1:16 PM CST up reply actions  

Almost certainly less

than if you DON’T eat the full $14 million, and apply the amounts you were willing to eat in pursuit of free agents.

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions  

to me...

it’s not about the return… Silva presents a negative situation over a guy they could bring up from AAA or the guy they got in Rule V. I’ve watched him pitch in a haven such as SafeCo Field. He’s horrible. cutting Bradley (and now Silva) gets you zero value… employing Silva gets you negative value. There’s no upside to this and there’s nobody left for the Cubs to spend money on. We got bent over by the Mariners GM once again.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:23 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

I understand your point

but I don’t see how you can say there is no upside when the Cubs are saving $6 million. Whether you think there’s anyone worth signing right now or not (and I don’t agree that there’s nobody left to spend money on), that is still at least something positive.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 1:26 PM CST up reply actions  

because...

they’re still paying a guy $8 million to be a negative value. That’s not better than paying Milton $10 million to be a zero value. Have the Cubs done anything the last two years that proves they can turn $2 million into enough value to counter act that? The only way this makes sense is if they can flip Silva without paying too much of his deal… or just cut him.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:29 PM CST up reply actions  

If he sucks too bad, they can release him.

Net gain of the cash. No loss.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

Exactly

The Cubs don’t have to play him, and they save money. And to make another small point, the savings this year should be $3 million, not 2.

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 1:40 PM CST up reply actions  

meh

the actual number doesn’t matter. $2 million, $3 million, $5 million… I don’t have any confidence in this management to make anything out of it.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions  

if he sucks...

then that’s a loss… it’s a loss on the field. And you have to take that into account. When they use that money (which they could have spent anyway) to improve the team, I’ll re-evaluate then ( but i still don’t accept that premise. This franchise has enough money to make improvements and didn’t need to have $3 extra million before it made even a single improvement on the 2010 roster). But it would be worth it in on-field value to just cut him now and give the spot to a minor-leaguer or Parisi.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions  

Call me a Conspiracy theorist bust

I find it odd that this trade is being reported the same day that the Mayor of Mesa, AZ was in Chicago too. I bet those new batting cages went to Seattle’s ST complex too.

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 18, 2009 1:11 PM CST reply actions  

So I didnt get my season tickets from this deal? This trade is horrible!

Yes we got a bad pitcher but we got money. What were you people expecting?

She asked: Are you a hopeless romantic?

I answered: I'm a Cubs fan, of course I am.

by Zy Toro Young on Dec 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST reply actions  

This reminds me of

The Bulls Cavs trade of Ben Wallace for Larry Hughes. Everyone Loses! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

by TJ3117 on Dec 18, 2009 1:13 PM CST reply actions  

This is a shitty trade. The Cubs are paying Bradley to hit for Seattle, this sucks.

Merry Frickin’ Christmas!!!!

I'm a truth teller, I'm a risk taker, I'm like Johnny Cash - I walk the line...

by Jimmyeatworld on Dec 18, 2009 1:16 PM CST reply actions  

I got you coal

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:17 PM CST up reply actions  

better than

paying him to suck at hitting and be a cancer here…………….

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST up reply actions   2 recs

I'm surprised

at all the negativity concerning this trade. There was no way in hell MB was coming back into that clubhouse in 2010. Plus………..how could anyone expect to get value in return. It had to be a bad contract for a bad contract deal. These 2 bad contracts match up just about perfectly. Let’s go get a CF and see what happens

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:18 PM CST reply actions  

SILVA is the WORST!!11!!!!

He’sfFat, purposefully gives up homerun balls, kicks babies in the face and is in the Twilight Fan Club!

THIS IS THE WORST THIS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE CUBS!!!

Dare I give the Cubs my heart again?

by digitalbenjamin on Dec 18, 2009 1:23 PM CST reply actions  

Twilight Fan Club!

i atleast hope hes on team edward

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:24 PM CST up reply actions  

TEAM JACOB 4EVA

Dare I give the Cubs my heart again?

by digitalbenjamin on Dec 18, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions  

you wish!

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 1:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Wonderful!

So now the players will be happier while they watch St. Louis take another division crown. Yay!!!!! We should have outright cut Milton if this is the best Hendry could do.

Metal sharpens metal.

And this guy right here understands and knows what leadership is all about: The coach, the hall of famer......... Dick Butka! George Ryan

The Bulls shrink like a dick in cold water.

by dakoose on Dec 18, 2009 1:25 PM CST reply actions  

I guess the 9 million makes the deal a little more tolerable.

Metal sharpens metal.

And this guy right here understands and knows what leadership is all about: The coach, the hall of famer......... Dick Butka! George Ryan

The Bulls shrink like a dick in cold water.

by dakoose on Dec 18, 2009 1:27 PM CST up reply actions  

Yes, it does.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions  

Is it really 9 million..

dollars?

I was told 2 million is for the buyout clause in his contract and 4 is to even out the salaries.

Doesn’t that mean that the Cubs saved 3 million?

by timeforachange2009 on Dec 18, 2009 4:29 PM CST up reply actions  

I just heard........

on the Score that the net is $ 3 million. I think you are not factoring in the player option.

by timeforachange2009 on Dec 18, 2009 4:45 PM CST up reply actions  

I dunno, then.

Guess we’ll have to wait for official word.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Maybe they were referring only to the savings for the 2010 season.

As I understand it’s a total of $6 mill over 2 years.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 8:00 PM CST up reply actions  

I think some people need to step back...

And realize the options that Hendry had. Lets be realistic: the other GM’s will only trade off their trash or they would want $$$ in return with MB. However, Cubs got 9 mill in return along with Silva. IMHO, this move was best for the team.

by Geo4MVP on Dec 18, 2009 1:25 PM CST reply actions  

One thought about money

Silva was signed to a four-year deal. Given that length, is it possible the Mariners took out at least partial insurance on his contract? If so, then if he goes on the DL, the Cubs would get some insurance money. If you’re going to decide between two crappy players, and one of them is more likely to get hurt, deal for that guy.

One more note about Silva: he has an extreme L/R split for his career. As I said on Oct.. 31, put him in the bullpen and use him to start innings (like Heilman in 2009), and hope he can generate enough quality innings to be flipped at the end of the season. OPS+ against is 114 for LH, 86 for RH hitters. Even his terrible 2008, he was decent against righties.

Here’s my suggestion. Start the year with him on the DL while he loses weight at the Arizona training facility. Bring him up as the 7th reliever in May. Protect him against lefties as possible. Stash him on the DL one more time in August. Add him to the roster and give him a start against a bad club in September. Deal him next Fall. That is all.

Fontenot (fon-te-no): Cajun for "scrappy"

by zambranofan on Dec 18, 2009 1:26 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

don't forget

the GM who signed Silva to that deal no longer has his job… so don’t assume anything smart came with it.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:27 PM CST up reply actions  

and...

i’m thinking the GM who traded for that contract isn’t going to have his job much longer.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:27 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Rec'd

Silva as a ROOGY has potential.

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 2:53 PM CST up reply actions  

hmmm

if we need him to get a groundball from a right hander, I could see that… that’s a very limited potential for upside.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 4:40 PM CST up reply actions  

but...

ever bringing him in to face a lefty would be disaster.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 4:41 PM CST up reply actions  

As a Mariners fan, no.

Silva pitching in ANY capacity does not belong in the same sentence as “potential.”

by redwolf75 on Dec 19, 2009 2:04 AM CST up reply actions  

I thought this might happen

Hendry realized he wasn’t going to get much in terms of talent for Bradley, so he got some money. I didn’t like Silva for Bradley, but Silva + $9 million for Bradley is probably OK.

Make the next signing count, Jimbo.

by elgato on Dec 18, 2009 1:27 PM CST reply actions  

Rabble Rabble Rabble!

Visit FanIQ.com for sports news, bloggings, polls, and more!

by MrNFL on Dec 18, 2009 1:34 PM CST reply actions  

almost 600 comments in 90 minutes

looks like this post is on its way to +1000 comments.

So much love for Bradley!

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:34 PM CST reply actions  

How many did the Jake Fox trade get?

Harry Caray: Marshall is going back to LA to get cocaine for his injured foot.
Steve Stone: Harry, that’s Novocaine.

by Julio Zuleta's Voodoo on Dec 18, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions  

succinct:

The Cubs have spent most of the winter trying to extract some value from Milton Bradley. Today, they gave up on that pursuit, and traded him for Carlos Silva instead.

from fangraphs

by Andronicus on Dec 18, 2009 1:35 PM CST reply actions  

I am sure Jim Hendry lives in fear of the Blogosphere.

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:36 PM CST up reply actions  

This Fangraphs guy has it only partially right

Hendry was trying to get player value and salary relief. He appears to have settled for salary relief only.

by Qixotl on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions  

A Cubs GM...

should never, ever do business with Jack Zduriencik again. Please, please, please… I beg of you. My only Christmas wish for the next five years will be to get a GM even half as smart as he is. The dude has it… and for two years now, he’s abused the Cubs.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:41 PM CST reply actions  

how about

Silva to the Halos for Gary Mathews Jr??

by plenz on Dec 18, 2009 1:42 PM CST reply actions  

Ack!!!

No Mathews contract is baseball herpes. The gift that keeps ruining your summer.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Is this really really real????

Greeting from an internet cafe on the outskirts of Luxor

Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -

by eths on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 PM CST reply actions  

Greetings.

Yes. Pinch yourself.

However, we’re still fighting here. Nothing will ever make us happy. We’re terrible fans and worse people.

by chilango2 on Dec 18, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions  

** pinch ** ** ouch **

Thanks I needed that…

Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -

by eths on Dec 18, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions  

IT'S HAPPENING!?

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:45 PM CST up reply actions  

Egypt!

Spent a semester there, love Luxor!

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions  

Can we just take the 9 million and scrap Silva?

I’d be down for that. Or at least flip him..

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Dec 18, 2009 1:46 PM CST reply actions  

Look at my comment up above.

But who in their right mind would want a bloated contract belonging to a bloated person with bloated pitching numbers?

I’d be so happy if Big Jim finds him a home in Orange County or Miami-Dade… but I don’t think it’ll happen.

by chilango2 on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions  

So if the Cubs saved money on this

Could they just see what Silva’s got in ST and if he sucks then they could just cut him and take the money they saved? If they cut him and anther team picks him up for the minimum they save even more money.

by gizmo6d9 on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM CST reply actions  

yes

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions  

They could do that.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM CST up reply actions  

I'd really be ok with that

It’s better than cutting a check to Milton and paying him for being crazy. At least there’s a shot of Silva getting better moving from the AL to the NL as we often see happen. I don’t know if that small improvement makes much difference, but it might.

Just trying to be “glass half full” here.

by gizmo6d9 on Dec 18, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions  

Well, technically you don't end up saving money

because you have to bring someone else up from AAA and pay them the 400 K…

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 2:57 PM CST up reply actions  

At least Silva has good control--only 1.7 BBs per 9 innings.

One spring training with Larry and I am sure he will be up to 1 BB/inning.

Work your magic, Larry!!

"Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with the seat missing, but it hurts." - Leslie Nielson

by LAcarl519 on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM CST reply actions  

Folks: is it just possible that this trade will work out for BOTH teams?

Maybe both players will benefit from the change in scenery and be productive for their clubs. It’s certainly happened in baseball before and can again.

Or Silva may be flipped to another team. There’s still a lot of off-season left.

Why don’t we wait to see what happens before being the judge, jury and executioner all in one.

Hendry apparently can’t win no matter what he does.

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 1:48 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

Considering the two players involved, no.

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 18, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions  

I can understand why folks would feel this way.

I’m just hoping it works out for both clubs and both players.

I didn’t like the Bradley signing from the get-go, but I don’t wish him any ill will.

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions  

"Hendry apparently can’t win no matter what he does."

Cmon, seriously? He acquired one of the statistically worst players in baseball in order to get rid of the biggest douche (now that Barry Bonds and Albert Belle have retired)

He doesn’t get “credit” for this. He’s painted himself into a corner thanks to his moves, he doesn’t get points for acquiring bad players in order to get rid of bad contracts.

I’m glad Milton is gone, but this trade hardly removes all blame from Hendry, at least not yet.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:51 PM CST up reply actions   2 recs

Hendy takes the blame and owns up to it...

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 1:57 PM CST up reply actions  

so what is he supposed to be "winning"

you claim he can’t win, I’m saying whether or not he owns up to it, he shouldn’t be given credit for wrecking the roster a couple of years in a row.

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions  

By winning I meant people were pissed he wasn't doing anything

and when he does, they’re still pissed- even more. Hence my comment.

Can’t win for losing’ sort of thing.

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 2:00 PM CST up reply actions  

Its better than nothing

The only other option was to pay cash to the Rays and take Burrell, a player that would have no position and put into a very similiar situation that we are already in with Bradley where we have to trade a player before making any additional moves. Cutting him to prove a point just isn’t worth it to me. It’s not exactly a shocker that signing was an epic failure but moving on this is the best we could do.

As far as our new CF goes, here’s hoping we can go find somebody on the trade market because I still feel like the only quality move was to go get Cameron.

by vt3stick on Dec 18, 2009 1:50 PM CST reply actions  

yup...

and instead the Red Sox… a competent franchise… got Cameron for a song.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:51 PM CST up reply actions  

For a song?????

$15m over 2 years for that guy is ridiculous.

Scott Bora$ is satan.

by Canadian Cubs Fan on Dec 18, 2009 6:22 PM CST up reply actions  

I don't know if paying Cameron 7.5M a year for 2 years

was really worth what he would give to the club. Was he the best free agent out there in CF for the Cubs? You could make the argument. But I don’t think for that much.

by gizmo6d9 on Dec 18, 2009 1:53 PM CST up reply actions  

Cammy

only if you’re hung up on Ks and BA can you have a problem with Mike Cameron. Dude is great in the clubhouse, walks a ton, hits homers and plays hall-of-fame level defense in center. He would have been perfect.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 1:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Fully agree

he is a stand up dude and plays amazing defense. But you do have to worry about the day those wheels start falling off. He’s almost 38, I believe, and signing him for 2 years is a risk. At that age they can start to tail off quickly. A one year deal would have been ideal for sure.

by gizmo6d9 on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions  

he'll be 37 at the start of next season

He’s been the same offensive player for the last five years. Right around an .800 OPS with a higher obp or slg depending on what his team needed at the time. And he’d have to fall off precipitously for his defense not to make up for whatever his bat lacked. He’ll hit a ton in Boston.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 2:05 PM CST up reply actions  

I like Cameron

but he wouldn’t have been perfect. He had strong L/R splits that were’t going to be helpful in our lineup. Once I saw Byrd had reverse splits, I decided that put the lesser defender in Byrd above Cameron – for our team.

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 3:00 PM CST up reply actions  

It's not better than nothing, it is, essentially, nothing.

Carlos Silva is at best a replacement-level player. You got $6M in salary relief, but there’s the marginal cost of having lost a good, if troubled, player.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 2:13 PM CST up reply actions  

right...

if we’re lucky, it’s nothing…

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 2:48 PM CST up reply actions  

No

Best move IMO was to trade for Granderson

by CUBFANINAZ on Dec 18, 2009 5:21 PM CST up reply actions  

With WHAT????

What would we have offered?

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 5:30 PM CST up reply actions  

Vitters

He is a prospect .. I would have done it in a minute .. A prospect for a Proven all star centerfielder who hit 30 homeruns

by CUBFANINAZ on Dec 18, 2009 5:32 PM CST up reply actions  

amazing

how a prospect that is worth nothing to you would be worth another team trading a

“Proven all star centerfielder who hit 30 homeruns”

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:36 PM CST up reply actions  

why would the Tigers take a prospect and someone who doesnt have DLee’s attitude for someone that is in REALLY high demand?

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:42 PM CST up reply actions  

you're asking me? idk, why?

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Dec 18, 2009 5:44 PM CST up reply actions  

I started with a different comment about throwing in a half-eaten pb&j sandwhich is all Hendry needed to include but then thought against that…

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:44 PM CST up reply actions  

The Tigers wanted a major-league-ready CF.

Vitters isn’t that. And the Cubs don’t have one of those.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 5:40 PM CST up reply actions  

Something tells me...

…Lou just make himself a pitcher of martini’s and is sitting by his pool celebrating.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Dec 18, 2009 1:59 PM CST reply actions  

If I was as incompetent as Lou

and was getting paid high dollar to continuing doing it, every day would be a celebration

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 2:05 PM CST up reply actions  

When I first read this, I read it as "incontinent".

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 2:06 PM CST up reply actions  

would also apply

I guess I'm just a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers

by Nunyabidness on Dec 18, 2009 3:08 PM CST up reply actions  

Just damper...

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 6:08 PM CST up reply actions  

Today? Apparently, yes ;)

Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...

by Zeke on Dec 18, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions  

Its friday.

This just means i’m playing Facebook Scrabble in 1 window instead of two.

I anxiously await the reasonable trading of Milton Bradley.
Dum spiro spero... | Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.

by AndrewJStone on Dec 18, 2009 2:10 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm there with you, ak.

Thankfully it’s a slow day here.

"Juuuuuuussst a bit outside. He tried for the corner and missed..."
- Harry Doyle

by Rusty in Peoria on Dec 18, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Pretending to work all day.

When the hourglass strikes three, then in the room whence employees confer.

by neverAcquiesce on Dec 18, 2009 2:17 PM CST up reply actions  

Table for 4 at Tango Sur

Party of Zambrano, Silva, Guillen, and Vizquel.

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 18, 2009 2:07 PM CST reply actions  

PERSPECTIVE?

Many here were suggesting that the Cubs should just cut MB loose and eat the loss. They can do the same to Silva, assuming he’s as bad as many here fear, and we’re still 6 million ahead.

Numbers may not lie, but they don’t tell the whole truth (and nothing but the truth), either. -- Doug Glanville

by leothelip on Dec 18, 2009 2:08 PM CST reply actions  

bingo

They aren’;t going to do that anyway.

by Orval Overall on Dec 18, 2009 2:29 PM CST up reply actions  

agreed...

but if he sucks for us before that, he’s taken even more value away from the team. They have to cut him before he becomes a -$6mil asset, which is likely given the way he pitches. The Cubs have a bad track record when it comes to just cutting players.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 2:51 PM CST up reply actions  

Why do you say the Cubs have a bad record when it comes to just cutting players?

Jim was quick on the trigger for Vizcaino last year and that was when he still had a 0 ERA – unless you’re arguing we should have kept Viz.

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 3:03 PM CST up reply actions  

gaudin

ended up being a 1.5 WAR player last year and we cut him outright, but it seems the poster is suggesting we’ve been too late to just cut guys outright which would refer to (Neifi… maybe Jacque Jones?)

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 3:12 PM CST up reply actions  

Yeah -

We’ve obviously given up too quickly on players in the Hendry-Piniella era, but I have trouble seeing us take too long. Maybe you could argue Barrett – but I’d argue it was worth seeing if he could get his bat going again to raise his trade value.

"We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right. That’s not Hendry’s fault. He thought it was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back championship teams together." - Aramis Ramirez

by DGU on Dec 18, 2009 3:27 PM CST up reply actions  

"we’ve been too late to just cut guys outright"

…and this

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 4:43 PM CST up reply actions  

arguing we should have kept Viz.

this

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 4:43 PM CST up reply actions  

oh no!

Damn it! I just ordered a Cubs Bradley jersey for my wife!

by RiskyBusiness on Dec 18, 2009 2:10 PM CST reply actions  

Chicago Cubs:

Cancer-free since 2010.

When the hourglass strikes three, then in the room whence employees confer.

by neverAcquiesce on Dec 18, 2009 2:10 PM CST reply actions  

That remains to be seen.

Enjoy Milton’s first meltdown. You should start a pool as to the date.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 19, 2009 8:04 AM CST up reply actions  

I can't wait

for the MB segment of Cub Can of Worms.
Let’s just hope Silva can avoid getting his own chapter in it.

by Chuck12570 on Dec 18, 2009 2:13 PM CST reply actions  

That's not a can, it's a barrel.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Sometimes you gain by what you lose

Cub fans can sit here all day and look at Silva’s stats until they are blue in the face, but he is not going to make or break this team. Bradley was breaking this team. And I have no doubt just to spite the world Bradley will probably be a boy scout for much of the year and put up some gaudy stats in that much-improved lineup and folks on the board will bemoan the absence of his bat and how we should have just kept him.

The fact is this — the good teams the Cubs have had displayed extraordinary chemistry. The 2010 Cubs will likely shape up on paper as less talented than recent years, but the chemistry will be improved, their health will hopefully be improved and that should go a long way.

What I find most disappointing about the Bradley saga is that it consumed so much of Hendry’s energy this offseason and, not to say the guy can’t multi-task, to me the real on-the-field shortcomings have yet to be addressed. It concerns me greatly that Pinella seems to have anointed Theriot as the leadoff hitter. That is terrible. He can’t run, draw walks and, unless he can go back to using all fields, I just think the offense will sputter without a true, natural leadoff hitter. Figgins or Brian Roberts would have had a truly dramatic and positive impact on the entire lineup. I really hope Theriot is not our leadoff guy.

by BeltwayCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 2:50 PM CST reply actions  

The fact is this — the good teams the Cubs have had displayed extraordinary chemistry.

You’re saying this based on, what exactly? All the time you’ve spent in the Cubs’ clubhouse over the last few years?

“Good chemistry” is something that fans arbitrarily assign to likable teams that win. I’m not saying it doesn’t exist, just that we have absolutely no way to know if it does.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 3:02 PM CST up reply actions  

Just as you have no way of proving it doesn't.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Where did I say I could?

I’m just saying a statement like this:

The fact is this — the good teams the Cubs have had displayed extraordinary chemistry.

Is unprovable, and therefore completely without value. Stating it as fact is even worse.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 4:43 PM CST up reply actions  

You're right that it's not "fact".

But it surely appears to be the case. As it does for most winning teams.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 4:54 PM CST up reply actions  

The key word is "appears"

You’re making two giant leaps here:

1) That teams that appear to get along have good chemistry
2) That good chemistry leads to winning

This ignores completely the fact that most player interaction takes place where we can’t see it, and that there are a lot of losing teams that meet the criteria in 1, and a lot of winning teams that don’t.

Did this year’s Yankees really give you a warm fuzzy feeling of wonderful chemistry? Was this year’s Orioles’ team packed with malcontents, and that’s why they were so bad?

It’s such an incredibly reductionist, post-hoc way of looking at winning and losing in baseball that it completely defies reason to believe you can spot good chemistry and understand its effects from your seat in left field.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 7:19 PM CST up reply actions  

When you slam me, at least get your facts straight.

Have I ever said that chemistry is the ONLY reason teams win? Or that ONLY winning teams have it? Or that non-winning teams might have good chemistry, too?

Second, don’t assume that I don’t hear or find out things “from my seat in left field” that you might not know, or that I learn but cannot or will not post here.

There is more to winning baseball than WAR, believe it or not.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 9:33 PM CST up reply actions  

No facts here it's mostly conjecture

You said that most winning teams have good chemistry. You said this as though it was somehow a quality different from losing teams. What else would the implication be there?

There is more to winning baseball than WAR, believe it or not.

That tired line again? I’m not even saying team chemistry does or doesn’t exist – I’m chemistry agnostic here Al. I’m just more willing to recognize what things are possible for me to know and what things aren’t.


Second, don’t assume that I don’t hear or find out things "from my seat in left field" that you might not know, or that I learn but cannot or will not post here.

Woah, now. No need to get defensive, my point was simply that you’re watching the games just like everyone else is. My seats are even closer to the dugout than yours and I would never presume to speak about what the team’s chemistry is because I’m not on the flights, or in the clubhouse, or at the bars with them after.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 10:18 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm not with the players either.

However, I have heard things and been told things from trustworthy sources about things that you may not have. That’s all I’m saying. I agree with you that chemistry is impossible to measure and may have many causes or effects, on winning and losing teams.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 10:21 PM CST up reply actions  

Where were these things

when the question of how the team felt about Bradley was being asked? I don’t remember this amount of certainty about the situation.

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 19, 2009 12:04 AM CST up reply actions  

Wreckard

I think if the qualification for posting insights is being in the clubhouse it would be a pretty quiet board. Certainly winning breeds chemistry and solves a lot of problems. My point was that much of this thread seems to be viewing the wisdom of this trade based on Silva’s recent performance and seemingly ignoring what a cancer Bradley was. Hendry had a mess to clean up and he cleaned it up. We might not like the cleaning solution he used but the floor is clean

by BeltwayCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 4:04 PM CST up reply actions  

Posting insights is one thing

Saying you know for a fact or not what teams had good chemistry and what teams don’t is conjecture, nothing more.

by Wreckard on Dec 18, 2009 10:19 PM CST up reply actions  

uh...

didn’t the ’07 Cubs go on a tear right after their #1 starter and starting catcher got in a fistfight?

by rgonzale on Dec 18, 2009 3:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Yabbut

they traded the starting catcher two weeks later, right about the same time they started a big win streak.

I’m not implying causation, but it definitely didn’t seem to hurt.

"I have the time and hatred but not the knowledge." ~Madison Cub Fan (Aug. 25, 2009)

by Goodie1969 on Dec 18, 2009 3:13 PM CST up reply actions  

chemistry

winning breeds chemistry

not the other way around

by DartmouthCubsFan on Dec 18, 2009 3:13 PM CST up reply actions  

thats like asking if the chicken or the egg came first – chemistry will breed overachieving (i.e. 2008 Rays), winning will breed the never say never attitude (i.e. 2008 Cubs) which generally never hurts chemistry.

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:26 PM CST up reply actions  

and losing will breed poor chemistry regardless

I saw you in that coffee shop, breaking the fifth commandment. Congress passes these things for a reason, Lois.

by hansman1982 on Dec 18, 2009 5:44 PM CST up reply actions  

Hey to could be worse...

Hendry might have kept MB AND managed to get Silva in another deal…
Then we’d have a pair of high prices boat anchors…

- Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
- Germans?
- Forget it, he's rolling.

by Endrick on Dec 18, 2009 3:08 PM CST reply actions  

My only wish....

I wish the deal was Bradley AND Hendry for Silva……. That I could almost live with….

by James031 on Dec 18, 2009 3:10 PM CST reply actions  

what a horrible move

This is what all you dumb asses wanted..bradley for anybody..problem is this guy is even worse…2 wins in seattle…2 fucking wins…silva is garbage…and some cubs fans who think they know baseball,dont know anything….now we need two outfielders because dome isnt going to be the guy in right all year..and another starter .great move jim,and way to free up that money to make some moves…im physical sick right now. il bet silva dont even make the fucking club..

by LightsOutVegas on Dec 18, 2009 3:13 PM CST reply actions  

I'm sorry you're "physical sick"...

But maybe what your potty-mouth doesn’t understand is that this trade has NOTHING to do with Carlos Silva helping the 2010 Cubs. This trade was to dump Bradley and save a few million doing it, Silva just happens to be the guy it took to make Gameboard go away.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 4:24 PM CST up reply actions  

+1

OK I don't know shit about basketball.

by SoulEater7 on Nov. 5, 2009 9:51 PM CST

by sue369 on Dec 18, 2009 5:46 PM CST up reply actions  

Makes no difference

what Silva does. It’s like releasing Bradley and getting 9 million bucks back.

If we can turn that money into a center fielder, we’ve won.

Even if Silva never throws a pitch for the Cubs.

by Clark Addison on Dec 18, 2009 3:16 PM CST reply actions  

Bingo

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 4:25 PM CST up reply actions  

no...

it’s like releasing Bradley and getting 6 million back spread over 2 years. The Cubs still have to pay Silva.

If the Cubs turned that money into Mike Cameron, it would have been a win… if they turn that money into Marlon Byrd… not sure.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 18, 2009 7:06 PM CST up reply actions  

Thank goodness this

trip is over. I had doubts MB would get traded. Good luck in Seattle MB. We get a bad pitcher so be it. This is the true addition by subtraction and gain a net of 6 million.
 No issues, now we won’t have post/fanposts littered with Milton Bradley bullshit.
 Keep Dome in center, go get Dye for right.

by Grockcubs on Dec 18, 2009 3:22 PM CST reply actions  

dye is godawful in RF

Say no to Marlon Byrd, Scotty Pods, and Rick Ankiel.

by jesus christos on Dec 18, 2009 3:24 PM CST up reply actions  

One of the worst RF'ers...

In baseball last year.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 4:25 PM CST up reply actions  

Hendry got rid of a player that almost no one IN THE CLUBHOUSE defended when the Cubs suspended him for the end of the season

He got money in return. Did you really think he was going to be able to do that without picking up a terrible player?

If you doubt Bradley’s reputation in baseball, consider this: The Cubs were basically advertising their interest in a Bradley trade on an interstate billboard, and almost no one was interested — not even teams who are run on sabermetrics.

Team Speed Kills. All SEC, all the time.

by cocknfire on Dec 18, 2009 3:32 PM CST reply actions  

Not only did they not defend him...

They applauded the move… literally.

Someday we'll go all the way...

by CubsBullsBears on Dec 18, 2009 4:26 PM CST up reply actions  

Merry X-mas

Now that the MB saga is finally over, we can all sit down and reflect on this past year and enjoy our holiday season. Then when the holiday season is over, we can all sit back and wonder who the hell is gonna play CF!!! I think Reed Johnson just became an everyday player for the Cubs. Could be worse, I guess. Right?…RIGHT!?!?

by Easy Ed on Dec 18, 2009 3:37 PM CST reply actions  

Fantastic move!

Really, why does JH still have a job? It would’ve better for them to keep Bradley and work out the differences in-house. This makes the lineup and the pitching worse in one deal….pure garbage.

"But it doesn't matter what I do, what I choose. I'm what's wrong. This is fate" - final words of Dexter season 4

by propheteer on Dec 18, 2009 3:39 PM CST reply actions  

Honestly...

It’s hard to work out differences in house when it’s practically guaranteed that every time you go up to the plate AT HOME you get chewed out by everyone in the ballpark. Some players can deal with it, perform well, and negate the fan hate. Bradley is not one of them.

by windycitywarrior on Dec 18, 2009 4:11 PM CST up reply actions  

Well if

everyone thought Bradley was booed with malice, I can’t wait to see what the fans reaction is when Silva lose, and lose some more.

"But it doesn't matter what I do, what I choose. I'm what's wrong. This is fate" - final words of Dexter season 4

by propheteer on Dec 18, 2009 5:19 PM CST up reply actions  

*loses and loses some more*

"But it doesn't matter what I do, what I choose. I'm what's wrong. This is fate" - final words of Dexter season 4

by propheteer on Dec 18, 2009 5:20 PM CST up reply actions  

The St. Louis Cardinals...

the Brewers, Astros, Pirates and Reds all approve of this trade.

If you think you've seen it all...just wait!

by CubFanSince1970 on Dec 18, 2009 6:15 PM CST up reply actions  

No joke here

but before I got back from school, I seriously thought about a Bradley trade to Seattle. But in my thoughts, I daydreamed that he was traded with Ryan Theriot for Cliff Lee! I guess I was part right, seeing that traded him for a pitcher.

by braziliancubsfan on Dec 18, 2009 3:48 PM CST reply actions  

Burrell Deal Better?

Let’s say the Cubs did eat pretty much all of MB’s contract for 2011, which they obviously were balking at (on Ricketts orders, me thinks) would it not have been better than getting Silva? I’m not saying it would be, just wondering out loud…

Scott Bora$ is satan.

by Canadian Cubs Fan on Dec 18, 2009 4:14 PM CST reply actions  

Yeah, the inclusion of $4M is the only thing...

making this palatable. But that only works if the Cubs spend that money wisely elsewhere.

by shawndgoldman on Dec 18, 2009 4:56 PM CST up reply actions  

You are correct.

Let’s see what happens with it.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 5:41 PM CST up reply actions  

The thing I hate about this trade...

is that Carlos Silva is also a “clubhouse cancer.” He created problems in his time in Seattle, and we basically just made a trade for one of the most overpaid pitchers in baseball. When the justification of doing so is to improve the atmosphere in the clubhouse, and the guy you’re getting has also had problems in the past, it doesn’t look good.

by shawndgoldman on Dec 18, 2009 4:40 PM CST reply actions  

I don't think Silva

will be a Cub very long. Even if they release him, they are $6 million ahead of where they would have been had they released Bradley. That $6 million will help buy somebody good.

by Clark Addison on Dec 18, 2009 8:04 PM CST up reply actions  

I wonder if that might be exaggerated.

As I recall, Ichiro was being called selfish during the disappointing 2008 Mariners season. The bottom line is that team stunk and things got ugly.

Silva pitched for the Twins for several years and that is a team that is well-known as being a pretty tight-knit group. I don’t recall any thing being reported about attitude issues when Silva was with the Twinkies.

Hopefully, Silva will come to the Cubs Convention next month and we will get a chance to hear from him.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Dec 18, 2009 8:08 PM CST up reply actions  

I guarantee...

That Carlos Silva is not a “Cancer” in the clubhouse. He is a total stand-up guy. Unfortunately, he is a historically shitty pitcher though…

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Dec 18, 2009 11:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Silva for Brian Roberts, straight up, start the rumors.

by dakarl32 on Dec 18, 2009 4:49 PM CST reply actions  

Welcome to the Chicago Cubs School of Business, class!

Today in Being a General Manager 101 we will learn:
 
1) How to sign mentally fragile players to enormous contracts to play in highly intense media markets under which they are sure to whither.
 
2) How to bad-mouth your own players for months on end and indicate to any potential trade partners that you have no leverage whatsoever.
 
3) How to let drunk, frat-boy deuschbags in the outfield determine the suitability of who is to receive welcome within the “friendly confines of Wrigley Field.”
 
and 4) How to use irrationally and emotionally based evaluative methods for team construction and player worth, irrespective of those pecky details like statistics.
 
We also offer a elective pysch courses in “trading valuable assets for pieces of crap and feeling good about it.”
 
I’m Jim Hendry and I’ll ge your instructor this term….

by CubsWin!Oregon on Dec 18, 2009 7:06 PM CST reply actions  

A Cubs fan (who is also a Twins Fan) scouting report on Carlos Silva

Alright guys, I hate delivering bad news, but unfortunately today was a bad day for the Cubs. I grew up in Minnesota…I’ve been a Twins fan since the days of Kirby Puckett. I watched every pitch Carlos Silva threw from 2004-2007. And here is what you are getting. One of the absolute worst pitchers in the history of baseball!!! His sinker works once in a while, but never for a full season. If his ERA is under 6.00 it will be a miracle. Jim Hendry is a historically bad GM, and I pray this is the move that will kill him forever…

"I'm gonna make you cry...I'm gonna make you cry and dip my cookie in your tears!!!"

by mutleyil on Dec 18, 2009 11:02 PM CST reply actions  

If I'm not mistaken, I've got the soapbox for comment 1000

I’m stuck in a hotel room in Indiana .. and the most wonderful time of the year brought me my Christmas present on ESPN’s report on Seattle, which I randomly tuned to.

“Milton Bradley – Traded By Cubs.”’

I’m preaching tommorrow and don’t know if I can fit this into my sermon. I’ve got more important things to share in that .. but it’s tempting ..

Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..

coda

ELO, 1975

by cubnational on Dec 19, 2009 8:56 AM CST reply actions  

You could always try II Corinthians 6:14.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

It’s a stretch, I’ll admit, but it has potential.

"I have the time and hatred but not the knowledge." ~Madison Cub Fan (Aug. 25, 2009)

by Goodie1969 on Dec 19, 2009 12:26 PM CST up reply actions  

I feel your pain

cubnational. I’m in a scuzzy motel in Atlanta with the world’s slowest internet connection. Someday I may actually make it to Boston. No matter, this week is pain free now that we know for sure MB is gone gone gone.

Cubs Supreme in Baseball World.

by Emelie on Dec 20, 2009 4:35 PM CST up reply actions  

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