How's This For A Team?

by Al Yellon on Jan 11, 2008 9:20 AM CST in Chicago Cubs News

Erik Bedard, Milton Bradley, Orlando Cabrera, Melky Cabrera, Endy Chavez, Ryan Church, Johnny Damon, David Dellucci, Adam Dunn, Chone Figgins, Shawn Green, Josh Hamilton, Orlando Hudson, Raul Ibanez, Geoff Jenkins, Jon Lieber, Gary Matthews Jr., Nate McLouth, Joe Nathan, Alexi Ramirez, Brian Roberts, Luke Scott, Ryan Spilborghs, Nick Swisher, Mark Teahen, So Taguchi, Randy Winn

Those 27 players couldn't really make a "team" -- there are too many outfielders, no catcher, no true first baseman and not enough pitchers -- but all 27 of them have been mentioned somewhere this offseason as possibilities that the Cubs might either be interested in, had inquired about, or might be a "good fit".

And that's just from December 1 till now; I got all those names from MLBTR's Cubs page. Had I gone back farther than that, I probably could have put 20 more names on that list.

Point: don't believe everything you read or hear. Or, as in the case of this BCB diary posted last night, don't assume the Cubs are "interested" (as the diary title states) in someone because a mainstream sportswriter has speculated that player might be a "fit" (as Ken Rosenthal stated in the article linked in the diary).

The Cubs have not yet announced their official pitcher/catcher reporting date, but it figures to be around February 13 or 14, which is less than five weeks away. Can't come soon enough for me.

UPDATE [2008-1-11 10:02:30 by Al]: It's official! Pitchers and catchers report on February 13, and the first workout will be on February 14. Position players report on February 18, and the first full-squad workout will be on February 19. I can't wait!

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Comments

But isn't it just those comments

that spawns all this interesting dialogue? It's not that many here believe it as much as it providing an opportunity to sound off.

I for one am interested in hearing what others have to say about various players.

I may not agree with them but who cares, it's cool to see the 'slant' someone else says.

Hey I know I'm a bit guilty of posting a diary on Roberts the other day. I found the Orioles Hangout and posted it, though with a question mark. It spawned a lot of talk and many others here with the background and time to write, came back with a lot of cool stats-like discussion.

I for one think its good in a way that it keeps the baseball thought going through the dark, cold winter.

Our grandparents used to say, "I hope the Cubs win the Series before I die". Now the teenagers are saying it.

by blackhawk24 on Jan 11, 2008 9:26 AM CST reply actions

PLUS... it's way more fun

than discussing the Roger the Roid Rocket

Ed Lynch is STILL on the Cubs payroll, as our D-Backs scout in Phoenix. Lynch attends all 81 D-Back home games with a notepad in hand. Really paid off for us!

by SackMan on Jan 11, 2008 9:30 AM CST up reply actions

Well, that's true.

The Roberts diary, in particular, led to some interesting discussions. I guess what we'd all like is some real offseason action to discuss, and since the Fukudome signing we haven't really had much.

It's less than five weeks till REAL baseball begins again.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 11, 2008 9:32 AM CST up reply actions

In the end... what it all boils down to

is the Cubs just making the RIGHT moves. Not necessarily the splashy moves.

They've got to get better at talent evaluation: scouting guys in their own system, and on other ball clubs.

If we were able to scout our own prospects better, we would have been able to trade them when their value was high... instead of watching their value drop relative to their big league performance.

The Braves were excellent at this in 90's and early 00's with their pitching. They kept Glavine, Smoltz, and Maddux, and traded away nearly all of their top pitching prospects, because they had high value to other teams, yet the Braves valued them correctly, as most of them never panned out... and you can say none of them would have ever equaled a Glavine, Smoltz, or Maddux.

Ed Lynch is STILL on the Cubs payroll, as our D-Backs scout in Phoenix. Lynch attends all 81 D-Back home games with a notepad in hand. Really paid off for us!

by SackMan on Jan 11, 2008 10:32 AM CST up reply actions

Another ballpark renamed

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7663632

Jacobs Field becomes Progressive Field in 2008

by dmlichte on Jan 11, 2008 10:18 AM CST reply actions

Wonder how much they're paying?

And how many people are still going to call the place "The Jake"?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 11, 2008 10:33 AM CST up reply actions

Yes, it is sad when 14 long years

of tradition are trampled under. And now the name shifts from the great Richard E.Jacobs - forward thinking builder of that most needed of structures - shopping malls - to that of an auto insurance company.

If the Cubs could win I would happily change the name of Wrigley to Hitler Field at Stalin Stadium.

by TR on Jan 11, 2008 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

Hmmm.

I dunno about that. But just about anything else would be OK.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 11, 2008 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

Other unacceptable names include...

Khmer Rouge Park

Idi Amin Stadium

Oprah Field

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

by santoswoodenlegs on Jan 11, 2008 11:38 AM CST up reply actions

re: Other unacceptable names include...

P. Diddy Park (Diddy Field?)

The Bill and Melinda Gates Baseball Garden

Cuba

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Jan 11, 2008 11:58 AM CST up reply actions

Cuba is a GREAT baseball name...

...with a storied tradition. And then I could sit around in the bleachers smoking Montecristos and drinking Havana Club rum. That would be awesome.

I would suggest you learn to truly interrupt all stats before using any selective stats. -- cubswin

by cwyers on Jan 11, 2008 12:03 PM CST up reply actions

re: Cuba is a GREAT baseball name...

Yup, I just figure if Mark Cuban does find a way to buy the Cubs and Wrigley Field he'll go, "Naming rights? Eh, screw it, just called it Cuba."

Plus, when the Marlins are in town, we could all dress up like Ernest Hemingway. That would rule.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Jan 11, 2008 12:11 PM CST up reply actions

Even Blagojevich Park?

then we could just shorten it to "The Blag"

You think I'm kidding, but if the state does buy Wrigley Field, I would not put it past Gov. Ego to try something like this...

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

by ballhawk on Jan 11, 2008 2:02 PM CST up reply actions

re: Yes, it is sad when 14 long years

Uh, yeah, your example is a bit extreme, but I see your point. I have to believe, however, that whoever acquires the naming rights will find a way to keep "Wrigley Field" in the name. It's a historic place with international name recognition -- especially now with Dome's arrival. I can't see anyone throwing away its goodwill value.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Jan 11, 2008 11:19 AM CST up reply actions

LSA!

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 11, 2008 1:08 PM CST up reply actions

I would say 99.9% will

here in Phoenix we still call Chase Field "The Bob".

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Jan 11, 2008 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

16 years @ approx $3.6M / yr

From the Plain Dealer (or as we used to call it - the Pain Squealer)
http://tinyurl.com/yo98j6

Doing the math, it comes out to almost $58M total.
16 years seems like an odd number (I know, I know - it's even), but it matches the number of years left on the Indians' lease there.
Interestingly enough, former owner Richard Jacobs paid $10M for the previous naming rights (over 12 years). Yep, even the owner had to pay - he gave himself a good deal though...

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

by ballhawk on Jan 11, 2008 1:57 PM CST up reply actions

re: Another ballpark renamed

Subsequent reports have indicated that Jethro Tull will play opening day. Yes and ELP will open.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by daver on Jan 11, 2008 10:45 AM CST up reply actions

You can bet $

ITs not the $20MM+ the Cubs will get. LOL!

Wait 'til next year. And the next. And the Next. And the next after that too.

by TheEman on Jan 11, 2008 10:51 AM CST up reply actions

re: Another Ballpark renamed

soon we will be seeing

the Chicago Microsoft Cubs at Mieneke Car Care Stadium

Live is boring until March 31st strolls by..

by Chanman25 on Jan 11, 2008 3:38 PM CST up reply actions

The mainstream sportswriters often are no more ...

... authoritative than we are here in Speculation Nation. How many times have you seen some nitwit rumor floated on a blog and then a week later seen a sportswriter saying, "Rumor has it that the Cubs and Mets are talking Jose Reyes for Marshall and Gallagher." It reminds me of that great story told by Bill Veeck about a bunch of sportswriters sitting around a table at a hotel bar floating the name of Yogi Berra as a potential manager of the Red Sox. The whole idea was to find out how long it would take for the rumor to get back to them. What they hadn't counted on was the Yankees actually believing the rumor and then preemptorily signing Berra before the Bosox could get their hands on him.

by 100yearsofineptitude on Jan 11, 2008 11:25 AM CST reply actions

Reminds me of this story...

... told to me about 15 years ago by someone who worked for the Sun-Times.

As you know, back then you could buy the early edition of the Sunday paper about midafternoon on Saturday. The Sun-Times commissioned a survey to see if people wanted to buy the paper earlier on Saturday.

The Tribune got wind of the survey and said, "Well, if they are going to do it, WE had better do it first!" So they did. In the meantime, the results of the survey came back, and said that basically, no, people didn't want the Sunday paper earlier on Saturday. But by then the Tribune had already moved their distribution time earlier, so the Sun-Times people said, "Well, if they are doing it, WE had better do it!"

And that's why you can now buy the Chicago Sunday papers at 7 am on Saturday.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 11, 2008 1:11 PM CST up reply actions