tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39405762011-06-30T15:27:07.016-05:00Bryan's Baseball BanterRants and Raves
<br>Analysis and Discussion
<br>Projections and Predictions.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comBlogger621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-1106766896997430162005-01-26T13:14:00.000-06:002005-01-26T13:19:35.013-06:00Does anybody still come here anymore, wondering if I've come back from the dead? Just curious.
bfsbaseballATyahooDOTcom
Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-927292732003-04-16T13:27:00.000-05:002003-04-16T13:27:18.420-05:00The Sore Shoulder, Part IWell, I did predict that a nefarious sore shoulder would come up sometime soon, I just thought it would be a month down the road. Dave Veres is onto the 15 day DL today with it, and the early word is that Alan Benes will be the guy coming up from Iowa to take his place. Rod Beck probably should be the guy to get the call, but since whoever comes up will be pitching moreBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-926486462003-04-15T08:40:00.000-05:002003-04-15T08:40:39.216-05:00Korey Part III really wanted Corey Patterson to succeed.
After being down 5-1 to start the frame, the Cubs scored 2 in the bottom of the 6th last night and had second and third with nobody out with Patterson up. Bob Boone summoned lefty Kent Mercker from the pen, and I summoned the slightest hope that Corey could have a productive at bat against a lefty. Mercker fell behind 2-0, at which pointBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-926120092003-04-14T17:59:00.000-05:002003-04-14T18:01:46.000-05:00Corey or Korey?I listened to a debate over the weekend about the progress of CF Corey Patterson. Sitting in the upper deck during Kerry Wood's 13 K gem on Saturday, a couple of guys in front of me were talking about Patterson and one of them specifically mentioned his batting average as it was posted on the scoreboard (.300 +). The other guy then responded that Patterson was a complete bust andBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-924283972003-04-11T09:21:00.000-05:002003-04-11T13:56:10.000-05:00The Natives are Getting RestlessAlright, alright, enough already.
A combination of craziness at work, travel and personal illness has kept me from writing as much as I would have liked over the past couple of weeks, but please don't take that to mean that I am done. I certainly have not retired, though one would think I would have to get paid for this gig first before I could retire (ala Eric Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-918021082003-04-01T17:24:00.000-06:002003-04-01T17:24:47.466-06:00Just returned from another trip - this time to NY for opening day.
I will write more soon. Thanks for bearing with me. Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-912617162003-03-23T23:14:00.000-06:002003-03-24T00:31:58.000-06:00Days 2 and 3 at Fitch ParkI was tired last night and decided to wait and post a double batch today. So sue me.
Yesterday I again saw the two A-ball teams play games. Today, Fitch was home to the AA and AAA teams. Lots of info, so I'll dive right in to yesterday's games. One note from yesterday: the working groups seem to be more accurate than I thought. While there will certainly be some Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-911700912003-03-22T01:24:00.000-06:002003-03-22T01:24:50.483-06:00A Day at FitchI took in a couple of minor league spring games today. The teams were presumably players that will be in Boise and Lansing this year, though for now, their squads are called Lansing and Daytona since the final roster moves have not trickled down yet.
On the "Lansing" side, I was pleased that Justin Jones got the start on the hill. This was the first time I got to watch Jones, Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-911079892003-03-20T23:59:00.000-06:002003-03-21T00:01:20.000-06:00Notes from today's gameJust a few notes from today's Cubs/Padres contest at Peoria Sports Stadium:
Juan Cruz looked very good today. No fewer than 6 different teams had scouts in attendance charting his pitches, and he did not disappoint. Cruz was consistently 93-94, and occasionally hit 96 with the FB. At one point, he struck out 4 consecutive guys exclusively with fastballs. I was Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-909976312003-03-19T10:20:00.000-06:002003-03-19T11:20:01.000-06:00It's that time of year... The first thing you notice when you walk off the plane is how warm it is. It feels good. You left 30 degrees and a cold, biting wind and you step off the plane and realize that you are severely overdressed. You take your coat off and realize that you won't be needing it at all. Interesting.
You go and meet (insert one of: your friends, your family, your girlfriend, Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-907302842003-03-14T15:15:00.000-06:002003-03-14T15:15:21.153-06:00SwampedNo update today - I'm swamped at work and trying to get ready to leave town for a few days.
In the meantime, check out The Cub Reporter or the Untitled Cubs Page - both are linked to the left.
Finally, I'll leave this one for you to debate and discuss: Where is Juan Cruz better off? 11th man on the Cubs staff, or starting every fifth day in Iowa? I'm not asking what scenario is bestBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-905889622003-03-12T09:02:00.000-06:002003-03-12T09:02:12.110-06:00It's SpringHoly Cow, on the way to work today I saw that it was 55 degrees! When I walked outside, the frigid and biting lake wind had been replaced by a much more pleasant temperature. What a great day for baseball. It may not be 70+ like in Arizona, but today would be a good day to play, and I hope it's at least this nice when the Cubs travel back north in a few weeks. At least it's better Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-904574642003-03-10T08:35:00.000-06:002003-03-10T11:06:47.000-06:00A Good WeekendAlmost as if on cue, Bobby Hill got his first hit of the Spring on Friday and followed that up with two more hits yesterday. It was a uniformly good weekend for the Cubs, with a 9th inning victory on saturday over the White Sox and a split squad sweep of the Padres and As yesterday.
The story of the Saturday game, with apologies to Phil Rogers and his fanciful dreams of Joe Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-903046432003-03-07T09:36:00.000-06:002003-03-07T09:36:46.950-06:00Hill StrugglingGreat. Just great.
The collective beat writers have taken this opportunity to remind everyone that Bobby Hill does not have a hit yet this Spring -- as if we needed another reason for Baker to play his veteran trump card. Luckily, Mark Grudzileeyak (in honor of Harry) has a sprained ankle and won't be able to play his way into the lineup for a few days yet.
Can I just remind Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-901764702003-03-05T08:30:00.000-06:002003-03-05T08:34:32.000-06:00Who's Pitching in A Ball?In my last column, I wondered out loud who would get the rotation spots at Lansing and Daytona and who would get bumped to the bullpen or stay behind at Boise. I'd like to break that down a little further.
Candidates for the rotation:
Luke Hagerty - tall lefty dominated at Boise last year and surely will start in Lansing if he doesn't skip directly to Daytona. He's Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-900321512003-03-02T22:36:00.000-06:002003-03-03T07:49:45.000-06:00News and Notes on the Cubs...With the signing of Bobby Brownlie, the Cubs "stacked" pitching staffs in A ball are now even more clogged. At the Cubs Convention a month ago, Oneri Fleita joked that he had 15 guys that could easily fill the ten rotation spots at Lansing and Daytona. Clearly, Brownlie will start wherever he goes. The question is, who's getting bumped to the bullpen as a result Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-900064812003-03-02T12:32:00.000-06:002003-03-02T22:11:17.000-06:00Brownlie SignsGreat news for the farm system today as righthander Bobby Brownlie signed with the Cubs for 2.5 Million, ending one of the longest holdout dramas in recent memory. According to this article on cubs.com, Brownlie will be in camp Monday when the minor leaguers report.
Looks like I got lucky with my prediction awhile back when I said that he'd probably sign for 2.5 Million. You can Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-893551792003-02-18T23:26:00.000-06:002003-02-18T23:26:51.456-06:00I'm going to be out of town for a few days, so nothing new will be up until at least Friday.
In the meantime, drop over to the Cub Reporter to see what Christian Ruzich is up to -- he always has some good thoughts on the Cubs. Also, be sure to read The Untitled Cubs Page. It's pretty new, but it's off to a very good start and recently did a position by position analysis of the Cubs that is Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-892406802003-02-17T08:42:00.000-06:002003-02-17T09:12:18.000-06:00The Dusty EffectWord this morning is that Sammy Sosa will actually be in Cubs camp on Wednesday of this week. Mike Kiley of the Suntimes has an article here. It's called "A Show of Respect from Sosa."
It's interesting to think of all the intangibles that Dusty is getting credit for bringing to the Cubs. If Sosa shows up, he'll be the first manager to get him to report on time. I happen to Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-890325242003-02-13T08:23:00.000-06:002003-02-13T08:34:28.000-06:00Today, I Am The Greatest...In case you haven't noticed, everybody's favorite Hall of Fame leadoff hitter is looking for a job. Specifically, he's trying to coax Billy Beane to sign him to a minor league deal with the As, but Beane doesn't think that the fits on their team.
Rickey Henderson needs a job, ladies and gentlemen, and who am I to stand in the way of the employment of a future 1st Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-888528412003-02-10T09:14:00.000-06:002003-02-13T08:28:26.000-06:00PITCHERS AND CATCHERS!That yell you just heard was my own personal exclamation point on three of the most beautiful words in the English Language. I would say the most beautiful, but that place is rightfully held by "Cubs Win" and the place in my heart reserved for Harry Carey. Anyway, the Cubs pitchers report Thursday and I'll have a Spring Training piece up then.
Around the WebWell, to be Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-885896962003-02-05T08:12:00.000-06:002003-02-05T10:19:46.000-06:00Then I took off my hat and said imagine that, me working for you...Minor League Top Prospect Lists are "en fuego" these days, with about 4-5 that I know of having come out in the last month or so. I don't exactly have time to digest every single one of them, but I wanted to make a few points of interest to Cub fans.
Aaron Gleeman wrote an insightful article for Baseball Primer with his Top 50 Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-884739282003-02-03T08:59:00.000-06:002003-02-03T08:59:06.700-06:00Today's Food for ThoughtUnfortunately, I am stealing this from another web site, but too bad. Here's today's lesson:
I talked to one of my buddies last night who is a Red Sox fan and he seems to have heard these Shea Hillenbrand for Juan Cruz and/or Mark Bellhorn rumors. I'm here to say that #1 - the real rumor was Hillenbrand for Cruz OR Bellhorn and #2 - there's no way that the Cubs will Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-883559712003-01-31T19:28:00.000-06:002003-01-31T19:34:30.000-06:00Around the Neighborhood, Part III've been meaning to post this all day but I just haven't had time.
This isn't meant to be a retraction or anything like that, but there are a few points that I would like to clarify. I expect Phil Rogers and everyone else to be accurate and clear so I feel like I should try and do the same. Judging by the amount of feedback I received, this topic seems to have Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-882699262003-01-30T09:09:00.000-06:002003-01-30T09:38:57.000-06:00Mr. Rogers' NeighborhoodWhen I was little, I admit that I was a pretty big fan of the show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I used to love watching it. I would look forward to it every single day. Heck, my parents liked it and encouraged me to watch it.
But then I got older and a funny thing happened - I didn't like it as much. I realized that #1 there were lots of other shows on TV and #2 that MrBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-881192132003-01-27T16:16:00.000-06:002003-01-27T16:16:34.000-06:00Just Wondering...Is there anything more annoying than Martin Grammatica doing a cross on his chin and blowing kisses about 27 times before he kicks the ball?Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-879928062003-01-24T22:32:00.000-06:002003-01-26T12:19:30.000-06:00I will decide after I watch the Super Bowl commercials...In a shocking development, Bobby Brownlie has announced that he will NOT attend practice tomorrow with the Rutgers baseball team and instead will decide on Monday whether or not he will pursue professional baseball or return to Rutgers for his senior season. This now marks the 327th deadline that Brownlie has set during his negotiations Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-879585082003-01-24T09:10:00.000-06:002003-01-24T09:25:42.000-06:00Still DeadlockedAnd so another "artifical" deadline set by Bobbie Brownlie has come and gone, and still nothing.
This morning's Star Ledger indicates that he still hasn't made up his mind and either wants to attend practice Saturday with Coach Hill and the Rutgers boys, or sign.
We are starting to see the signs of a scared young man faced with a dilemma he never thought he'd have.
It seems to Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-878983122003-01-23T08:02:00.000-06:002003-01-23T08:03:28.000-06:00Extra InningsThe 30 some deadlines that Bobby Brownlie has set have come and gone.
He now has an offer on the table. And all he has to do now is figure out whether to accept it.
Today's Newark Star-Ledger indicates that Brownlie indeed has an offer on the table, and though they don't know for how much, Brownlie indicated to Rutgers baseball coach Fred Hill that he would decide today, at least Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-878566822003-01-22T14:02:00.000-06:002003-01-22T14:18:47.000-06:00Today's Answer: Don't Bet on ItThings don't look promising between the Cubs and Bobby Brownlie.
While nothing has been finalized yet, Brownlie is still unsigned. While all of the beat articles this morning were going off of the fact that he had not signed yet, he has not gone to class yet and is still eligible to sign until he actually sets foot in a classroom.
Baseball America is reporting Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-877829052003-01-21T08:30:00.000-06:002003-01-21T12:15:15.000-06:00Today's Question: Will He or Won't He?GM Jim Hendry, along with John Stockstill, Gary Hughes and Brad Kelley traveled to California yesterday to watch 1st round pick Bobby Brownlie work out. The reason? Classes begin today at Rutgers University, and if Brownlie goes to class, the Cubs lose their rights to him. This morning, word from the Newark Star-Ledger indicates that the Cubs are due to Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-876235252003-01-17T22:00:00.000-06:002003-01-17T22:01:17.000-06:00Bullpen CrunchWith the signing of Mark Guthrie this week, the Cubs bullpen is looking rather crowded. Guthrie got a 1.6 M one year deal with a team option for next year, or a 300,000 K buyout. The key is that his contract is guaranteed, like those of Mike Remlinger (~3.5M), Dave Veres (2M) and Pulpo (4M). So, the Cubs have spent a total of 11.1 million dollars on four guaranteed contracts. Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-871980342003-01-09T21:05:00.000-06:002003-01-09T21:05:22.813-06:00Back from FloridaAmong other places...
Sadly, my Hawkeyes got smacked in the Orange Bowl, so my trip wasn't perfect. But, tailgating with 45,000 other Iowa fans outside the Orange Bowl before the game was still tons of fun. After teasing me with 50 degree weather yesterday, Chicago is back to the usual 30 degrees, with word that this weekend will get very, very cold. Ah yes, vacation's over, Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-866045762002-12-27T17:36:00.000-06:002002-12-27T17:37:02.000-06:00"Just Missed" the Top 30+Hope everyone had a nice holiday. Be sure to write to me with comments or questions.
With the Cubs system so deep, many of these players would be included in the top 30 of other teams. As it happens, most of these guys were once top prospects but have fallen either because of a poor year or because of injuries. Still, some of them were highly regarded as recently as Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-864507032002-12-23T15:41:00.000-06:002002-12-23T15:41:04.873-06:00Happy HolidaysIt's no surprise that things are pretty hectic this weak and I haven't had time to put up the "just missed" list of prospects, so I will have to do that at the end of the week when I get back. In the meantime, Merry Christmas to all my loyal and not so loyal readers. May visions of Cub victories dance in your heads...Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-863343032002-12-20T15:10:00.000-06:002002-12-20T15:24:55.000-06:00Cubs Sign Estes, Re-Sign AlfonsecaIn what really should be labeled as a pair of uninspiring moves, the Cubs (yawn) signed LHP Shawn Estes to a one year contract today worth a reported 3 million dollars with incentives that could push the deal to around 4.5 million. Late yesterday, the club also agreed on a 2003 contract with (yawn) reliever Antonio "Alf, AA, El Guapo" Alfonseca worth 4 million.
Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-863341492002-12-20T15:06:00.000-06:002002-12-20T15:06:53.450-06:00Cubs Sign Estes, Re-Sign AlfonsecaIn what really should be labeled as a pair of uninspiring moves, the Cubs signed LHP Shawn Estes to a one year contract today worth a reported 3 million dollars with incentives that could push the deal to around 4.5 million. Late yesterday, the club also agreed on a 2003 contract with reliever Antonio "Alf, AA, El Guapo" Alfonseca worth 4 million.
I'll say Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-861361172002-12-16T17:48:00.000-06:002002-12-19T15:12:37.000-06:00Cubs Top 30+ ProspectsSorry for the delay (sound familiar?). One note on 2-4 - for all practical purposes, they are interchangeable, not in terms of upside or ability to contribute but in terms of overall value. So, a high ceiling lefty that throws 95 in rookie ball is about as valuable as a couple of guys in AA ball who are overcoming injury or an arm issue. If Sisco puts up the same numbers Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-859598912002-12-13T14:06:00.000-06:002002-12-19T09:10:13.000-06:00Cubs Top 30+ ProspectsHere are players 5-7. One note - these three guys are all pretty close - about as close as any three guys on the list, so they are pretty much interchangeable in terms of order. I consider #s 2-4 to be very close as well, but for different reasons. Check in tomorrow for the final installment. Email me here. Enjoy!
7. Angel Guzman, RHP, 6-2, 180, 6-2, 2.39 in 94 IP at Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-859044382002-12-12T12:25:00.000-06:002002-12-12T20:43:18.000-06:00Cubs Top 30+ ProspectsHere are 8-10. I'll do 5-7 tomorrow, and I'll put up the top 4 over the weekend (though by that point it really won't be much of a secret). I'm also planning on a list of guys who almost made the top 30 since some people have inquired about particular players that aren't on the list and obviously aren't in the top 10. Email me here with comments or questions.
10. Matt Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-857576962002-12-09T19:49:00.000-06:002002-12-12T13:39:31.000-06:00Cubs Top 30+ ProspectsSorry for the delay - here's #s 11-20.
20. Aaron Krawiec, LHP, 6-6, 210, 7-10, 4.09 ERA in 159 IP at high A Daytona
Maddening inconsistency plagued Krawiec's first few years in the Cubs system, and few can forget the night he struck out 17 in 8 IP at Lansing a few years ago. He gave up 13 runs combined over his next two starts. His pluses are that he has loose and easy Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-857268442002-12-09T08:08:00.000-06:002002-12-09T10:17:35.000-06:00Apologies for the delay, I had some network problems at home over the weekend and wasn't able to update my site. 11-20 will be up shortly.
In the meantime, go over to Aaron's baseball page and read his take on this year's Hall of Fame class. It's a good read.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-856160642002-12-06T18:08:00.000-06:002002-12-07T13:01:49.000-06:00Cubs Top 30+ ProspectsI've been saying that I was going to post this for awhile, and now that the news is slowing down a bit, I finally have time to put it up. Today I'll start with 21-30, and we'll work our way up from there. Please leave comments!
One preliminary note about my prospect rankings: I try and bridge the gap as best I can between the tools guys that scouts love and numbers guys Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-856058812002-12-06T13:49:00.000-06:002002-12-06T18:42:33.000-06:00Clutch Hits- The Expos were notified that their 2003 payroll has to be about $40 million, which would be a slight increase from its 2002 level of $38 million. The Expos have also notified teams to start making offers for anyone they're interested in. This means that maybe, just maybe, the Cubs will have some talks with the Expos, but they still won't be along the lines of the ones reported the Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-855643582002-12-05T18:17:00.000-06:002002-12-05T18:25:08.000-06:00More False RumorsThis one is a bit ridiculous, but there is a rumor out there that Corey Patterson may be available in the right deal. It seems that Bob Nightengale, of the former "Baseball" now "Sports" Weekly, reports in his latest report that this might be possible. Check out The Cub Reporter for more on this.
But don't believe it, folks.
WGN Radio's Dave Kaplan, one of the few guys on theBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-855106312002-12-04T18:54:00.000-06:002002-12-04T18:54:43.243-06:00Trade is FinalHundley is officially a Dodger. The rumored 4th player was indeed Chad Hermansen, and the Cubs get 2 M in cash as part of the deal. Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-855041622002-12-04T16:32:00.000-06:002002-12-04T18:53:34.000-06:00The Day After...After the debacle that was last night and all the bogus trade rumors, things seem to be dying down today. It sounds as if the Expos and Rockies rumors aren't to be (thanks WGN radio), although who knows what will happen as things cool off heading into the winter meetings. Here's my reaction to yesterday's trades:
Hundley to LA I didn't hate Todd Hundley as much as everyone Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-854649142002-12-03T22:41:00.000-06:002002-12-03T22:59:01.000-06:00LatestJust to be clear, I never said that the Billy Koch rumor was credible - I just said that I saw it somewhere else. It looks completely bogus. Apologies to anyone who thought it was anything more than a rumor, but again, I only said it was a rumor. Besides, it seems pretty unlikely that the Sox would turn around and trade for Hill after not being able to sign him a few years ago, and they Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-854606372002-12-03T21:07:00.000-06:002002-12-03T22:13:45.000-06:00More MadnessThe latest rumor has some incarnation of Bobby Hill and either Farnsworth or Zambrano over to the White Sox for newly minted "proven" closer Billy Koch, just acquired today from the As. Evidently, my favorite writer - Phil Rogers - is talking about this on the Score and says that he's heard the rumor. (Update #3 (1000 PM CST)It sounds like the Billy Koch rumor is completely false Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-854516312002-12-03T17:48:00.000-06:002002-12-03T17:48:30.000-06:00Say it isn't so...I guess I won't be getting to write my "Free Todd Hundley" column after all. The Cubs shipped Hundley to the LA Dodgers today in return for two of the most overrated players in baseball - Eric Karros and Mark Gruzielanek (famous for being called Gurziliak by Harry). In short, I don't like this deal.
The next rumor is that the Cubs send Carlos Zambrano, Kyle Farnsworth, and Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-854366082002-12-03T12:32:00.000-06:002002-12-03T12:32:49.563-06:00As trade for FoulkeThe White Sox just traded reliever Keith Foulke and catcher Mark Johnson to the As for pitcher Billy Koch and one or two minor league PTBNLs. Interesting deal. Analysis soon.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-854036662002-12-02T18:27:00.000-06:002002-12-02T19:46:29.000-06:00Remlinger is all but inThis is very encouraging news, if it turns out to be true - Mike Remlinger might soon be a Cub. Allegedly, if he passes his physical and they work out the fine print, he will sign a three year deal somewhere in the 10-11 million range. See my thoughts below on Remlinger and the possibility of his addition to the Cub bullpen.
Thome goes to... Philly?I know it's not an Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-851747852002-11-27T13:26:00.000-06:002002-11-27T13:26:09.156-06:00Happy ThanksgivingThe Top 30+ list will have to wait until Monday - I was working on it some last night, but it needs a little more time. I promise it'll be up soon. Enjoy the turkey and football weekend.
Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-851285712002-11-26T15:59:00.000-06:002002-11-26T22:27:45.000-06:00Stop me if you've heard this one before...The story goes something like this:
Jewish kid from the suburbs of anytown grows up following local baseball team. Kid worships team and tells everyone he's going to play for them one day. Somewhere along the line, kid stops having the talent to play baseball. Probably, kid just couldn't hit the curve ball.
Kid turns his attention to the moves of theBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-850623152002-11-25T11:23:00.000-06:002002-11-26T22:06:58.000-06:00Mr. Rogers' NeighborhoodPhil Rogers must have used a ghost writer this week because sadly there really isn't much material for me to dissect. But it's so much fun! I'll admit that it's easier to knock down a strawman than to say something completely original, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing it.
Unsurprisingly, Rogers again makes the point that Thome is the right man for the Cubs.Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-849416562002-11-22T15:21:00.000-06:002002-11-22T15:24:21.000-06:00Apologies for the delay, I got smacked by a nice case of food poisoning the other night and it's only now just letting up. I tried to write something the other day, but staring at a computer screen made me dizzy, or at least more so than usual. Anyway, we now return to regularly scheduled programming.
Thanks to Jay MariottiExhibit B on why nobody should listen to any Chicago area baseball/beatBryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-847704682002-11-19T11:19:00.000-06:002002-11-19T14:11:31.000-06:00Apologies to the BravesIn the interest of being fair and admitting when I'm wrong (as if I'm setting an example for other baseball writers?), more details have surfaced concerning the Hampton trade that, in my opinion, make the deal much more sensible for the Braves.
For one thing, the Braves will actually pay very little of Hampton's salary over the next few years: $2 million in 2003, $2 Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-847204342002-11-18T13:38:00.000-06:002002-11-25T21:47:05.000-06:00Mr. Rogers' NeighborhoodExhibit A for why nobody should listen to Chicago area beat/baseball writers (other than Jeff Vorva of the Daily Southtown) is yesterday's Inside Baseball column in the Trib by Phil Rogers. I mean, here I was, minding my own business, sipping on some coffee while sitting with my girlfriend at Panera. All we wanted to do was relax and read the Sunday paper. Instead, Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-846235292002-11-16T09:53:00.000-06:002002-11-16T18:11:33.000-06:00Baker's The ManWell, it's finally official that Dusty Baker will be the next manager of the Cubs, after he agreed to a four year deal worth somewhere between 14 and 16 million. Since it got done quickly and they aren't releasing the financials, my guess is that MacPhail didn't dig very much deeper at all, but rather relied on Dusty's lack of leverage and the many positive aspects of this job (Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-845860462002-11-15T12:13:00.000-06:002002-11-15T14:35:00.000-06:00Baker?The Cubs and Dusty Baker appear to be very close to a deal where Baker would manage the Cubs for 4 years and get somewhere between 14 and 16 million. Last night, during a radio interview, Baker's agent Jeff Moorad, put some pressure on the Cubs to "dig a little deeper." At first, my reaction was "What sort of leverage does Baker have? Nobody else has a managerial opening at this point Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-844887562002-11-13T15:00:00.000-06:002002-11-14T13:13:33.000-06:00Cubs Deal For MillerThe Cubs made a trade for a catcher today, effectively ending any speculation that they would pursue Ivan Rodriguez on the free agent market (or so I thought). In a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cubs received catcher Damien Miller in exchange for minor league players David Noyce and Gary Johnson. The Dbacks had been looking to trade Miller and his arbitration Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3940576.post-844370202002-11-12T15:54:00.000-06:002002-11-14T13:16:27.000-06:00I've finally stopped being lazy and gotten around to putting this thing together - something that I've been meaning to do for a long time. I realize that nobody will ever read this other than my dad, but that's fine for now (Hi Dad). It's actually been shockingly easy to set this up so hopefully that means I'll continue to write and update as things happen.
I hope to have a number of weekly Bryanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270923513549840303noreply@blogger.com