2011 Cubs

[Mike Clark]

I believe that the players are entitled to get whatever they can. Ownership has the responsibility not to overpay or sign people to ridiculous contracts. Problem is sometimes owners can not help themselves. ARod is a great example. That contract is stupid.

There might be someone dumb enough to give Pujols 10 years. Personally I think that would be stupid. The chances of him playing to the value of that contract over the last 5 years are not very good. Now for someone like the Cubs who are extremely desperate to win a World Series it might seem worth it. The Blackhawks are a good example. They overpaid Brian Campbell and Marion Hossa for a chance to win the Stanley Cup. It worked out for them for 1 year. We will have to see how it effects the team long term. I think overpaying Pujols for 5 years(maybe 5-10mil more a year than what he is asking for 10 years) would be a better gamble. Special players are worth taking a 5 year gamble and Pujols is a special player. My issue with long term contracts in baseball, more than 3 years, is that more often than not you are paying for dead weight in 2 or more years of that contract with no way out. I can live with 1 bad year in 3 but not 2 bad years in 5. Now if you have 2 bad years after year 3 when it comes time to resign I have the opportunity to ask you to take a pay cut or you can find someone else who is willing to pay you more. If you have those same 2 bad years early in a 5+ year contract I have to eat  the last 2/3 years and hope you turn it around. That could end up costing me $30+million with no way of ever getting it back. None of this is including the chance of injury. A season ending injury is usually covered by insurance. I am just talking about the normal ups and downs that most MLB players have. White Sox are a great example of that this year.

I think MLB would be much better if the majority of players, especially pitchers, were on 2 year contracts. With really good players getting 3 years and exceptional players, like Pujols, getting 5 years. The NBA almost got this part right. The owners overpaying their good players elite money can not be helped I guess. Any guess as to who the highest paid NBA player was this off season. The Atlanta Hawks Joe Johnson. Ridiculous imo. There are only about 12 players in MLB that I think are worth the 5 years gamble and none of them are pitchers. I think guaranteed contract hurt baseball a lot. That is one thing I think the NFL has done correctly. Big signing bonus with no guarantee. That way if your production goes down you can renegotiate the contract or release the player. In baseball if you sign a bum you are stuck with that bum until you can find someone who will trade their bum for your bum or eat the contract.

I really think one of the biggest issues with player salaries is ego. This is all professional sports not just MLB. Players think that if they are the highest paid player that means they are the best or most respected player. Players seem to confuse the amount they get payed with respect. That should come from your peers and your fans. Not your pay check. Really why else would someone demand $25 or 30mil to play a game/sport. What are you going to do with all that money anyway? Unless you are Frank Thomas and can not live on $9mil a year. One of the most laughable sport quotes of all time.

I know this was long. Apologies for the rambling. This is a sore subject for me. Especially with what is going on in the NFL and NBA right now.

[pdga#7648]

imo opinion.  signing AP isn't the answer for the Cubs. is 1 guy really going to win a World Series for that team? NO he wouldn't. they have way too many holes to fill, and that pitching staff is horrible.  the Cardinals are in a race year in and year out, but in AP's 10 years there, they have 1 title to show for it. even the best in MLB can't help a proven winning franchise win multiple titles. so for any Cubs fan to think, sign Pujols and we will win, is just ridiculous. They need an entire new everything. From GM to fans, to a ballpark, and to real players like they had in the 80's with Sutcliffe, Ryno, Jody Davis, Dawson.


only 3 things will keep me from watching MLB...
1. another strike
2. Pujols tests positive for anything illegal
3. Pujols wearing a CUB uniform


I could handle seeing him in any other uniform, but The LOSING CUBBIE BLUE! he's too good to play for that franchise. he's too good to get booed from any fan!

[pdga#7648]

and no, I'm not taking a shot at any Cubs fan on here. I'm talking about the season ticket holders that are there day in and day out putting all that pressure on their own team. I think the fans want to win more than the players do. so yeah, the entire team is being pressured by all those uneasy fans. I know losing sucks, but to boo them will not make them play better.

And get rid of that queer ass song. they are not the best in that division, or good enough to go all the way to anywhere except the golf courses before most other teams.

[CEValkyrie]

Today is the exact reason to boo the Cubs. There is no reason to lose this game today. 2 of 12 with RISP. Bases loaded twice with no outs.

9th inning lead off walk. Barney doesn't pull the trigger on 2 stikes he's trying to bunt. Fails to move ther runner. If Fukudome goes into first base like he should in 9th he picks the first baseman and the ball goes down the line and he's standing on 2nd base. Instead it's a double play. This is stuff a division 3 baseball player is taught and can execute. It's an embarassment and bad baseball.

[stpitner]

I still am willing to defend Hendry because it was the Tribune putting on the pressure to "win now" with whatever money and big names it takes because if you back load it they will have sold off the team and if you win now you drastically increase the value of your team.  Soriano is the perfect example of that.  Sign him for 8 years when the tribune only has to worry about paying for a couple of them.  He was indeed considered the #1 prospect out there that year despite his struggles in left.  He still had a ton of speed at that time.

I never want to see Prince in a cub's uniform.  Too slow.  I don't care about the home runs.  He doesn't only hit home runs.  Give me a guy that hits 70% of his homers but can steal 20 bags and score from 2nd on most plays instead of a huffing and puffing Prince.

I like Barney and Castro - keep them at the top of the order.  I love the way Byrd hustles all of the time.  He may not be the ideal player to have,  but he gives it his all.

I think I'm ready to part ways with Aramis, but I don't want to see Vitters.  If the Cubs really felt like something with Vitters they would have sent Aramis on his way somehow.

I'm glad this is the final year for Fukudome's contract.  I'm glad a ton of other contracts that were Tribune related going away.  I think this offseason will help determine whether Hendry is worth keeping around or not.

But hey, at least the Cubs payroll is less than the White Sox this year - you can see what the large payroll has done so far for the White Sox

[pdga#7648]

looks like it might just be a 2 team race in this division.


and oh yea, the Pittsburgh Pirates are ahead of the Cubs! 

[CEValkyrie]

This division absolutely sux! The Cubs are terrible and are only 4 back. The Cubs have one of the worst batting averages with RISP. They have lost 6 one run games. It really doesn't matter anyway. AP to the Cubs 2012 baby! That is the name of my fantasy team that is absolutely dominating.

[pdga#7648]

since you are 100% positive about him being a Cub next year, let's make a friendly wager Brett?
cmon you can spare a few discs!

[Dan Michler]

looks like it might just be a 2 team race in this division.


and oh yea, the Pittsburgh Pirates are ahead of the Cubs! 

The Cardinals are 4 games ahead of the Cubs with 130 games left.  If the situation was reversed, I would not be declaring this a 2 team race already.  We are 20% of the way into the season.  Lets atleast see what happens with the series this week. 

We've got Zambrano/Carpenter, Garza/Westbrook, and Coleman/Garcia.  2 of 3 might give the Cubs a little momentum heading into a tough stretch of games.  Zambrano is 12-6 lifetime against St.Louis.

[pdga#7648]

hold on, I said it MIGHT be a 2 team race.
The Cubs seem to have the Cards # as of late, but if they can't beat other teams, not a good chance.
and the Cubs have a losing record at Home and on the road. you just said they have a tough stretch of games coming up after the Cards series. they better put a winning streak together sometime soon.

[pdga#7648]

Wood's ERA was 0.00 until tonight. That's what he gets facing this offense.

Pujols breaks out(4-5) no team better to do it against!

Carpenter was terrible, but gets the W.

The Umps tried helping the Cubs(Punto tagged up at 3rd, should have been 7-4) and they still couldn't win.
And best of all was Soriano falling down in left, while the ball sailed over his head!

1-0 good guys.


At least the Bulls won 

[Dan Michler]

In the spirit of antagonizing Doug about his promise to never watch baseball again if Pujols joins the Cubs, check out this article about Hendry and Pujols hugging before the game last night....

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110511&content_id=18927194&vkey=news_chc&c_id=chc

[pdga#7648]

asking how's your kids, hows the wife sort of stuff. you read the article? Hendry said it was not about business.

The announcers said it best last night. The Cubs signed Pena to a 1 yr deal, they have the finances and he would be a great fit, yes Prince Fielder. Not once did they say anything about Albert.


but a promise is a promise, but I'm not the least bit worried. Now or come October.

[Dan Michler]

asking how's your kids, hows the wife sort of stuff. you read the article? Hendry said it was not about business.

You're right.  I'm sure he wasn't making small talk to get on friendly terms with a man who has the potential to triple his wealth in a few months.  That would just be ridiculous.

[pdga#7648]

triple his wealth? cmon Dan, smoke another one!  how many times do you have to hear it?? Pujols said he wants to play for a team that can win Championships! The Cubs can not do that. Albert knows that, as well as all other baseball fans.

but it wouldn't suprise me if he was talking about next year. the Cubs are cheap and low like that. It would be against MLB rules to try to talk to a player while he is under contract with another team.

but now, I will just ignore your guys's ignorance for the summer. I will sit back and enjoy the season, then laugh after Pujols signs with the Cardinals, after the season.  Then I will say told ya's so! Then you Cub fans can sit back and whine and cry about St Louis being overachievers!

Peace out!

[pdga#7648]

1 last thing though.
maybe this is what has kept the Cubbies down all these years? it hasn't been the Billy Goat Curse.

[CEValkyrie]

Total hammer job last night. This team has hit pretty good this year. If they keep hitting with RISP who knows what could happen.

The attendance has been down and there have been a ton of empty seats. Currently #7 in attendance and i'd expect that to go down as the Cubs fall out of contention. I think the fans are starting to make a statement. I'm not attending any games this year.

Sidenote: The White Sox attendance is #25

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2011-misc.shtml

[Dan Michler]

Attendance per game would be the relevant stat on that link, as some teams have played alot more home games than others.  The Cubs rank #10 and the Sox #20.

They ranked #6 in attendance last year (avg 4,000 more per game than they have so far this year), largely because Wrigley doesn't hold as many as the teams ahead of them.  With all the summer night games and weekend games ahead, I actually think the Cubs may rise a bit from #10.  Many of those games are already sold out.

The Yankees have lost 3,500 and the Cardinals 2,000 per game from last year while they are both in 1st place, so attendance is pretty much down league wide.  Texas has actually gained 10,000 per game, which shows how much making the World Series can impact your total revenue.

Hey, I would obviously love for the Cubs to make the WS.  If everybody stops going to the games as you suggest, the ownership is likely to spend less money because they have less revenue.   When you make less money, do you spend more?This will lessen the Cubs chances of winning.  So, you not going to the game actually hurts the team.  If your logic was correct, the Royals would have a huge payroll.  The teams that make the most, spend the most.  Boycotting games because the ticket prices are ridiculously high (which they are!!) makes a lot more sense than boycotting because you think it will make the management want to win more.

I'm going to the games win or lose because its fun and I like baseball and love the Cubs.  One day, they will win.

[CEValkyrie]

Pujols article. Most underpaid player.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ys-forbes_most_underpaid_baseball_players_051111

[pdga#7648]

Wow. Pujols just batting over .270 with 9 Hr's and 31 rbi, but yet the Cardinals only trail Cleveland and Philadelphia for the best overall record in baseball!  and we know the Indians wont finish the way they have started.




Oh yeah. I think Marmol gave up 6 runs tonight in 1/3 of an inning to blow the win. His most runs ever out of the Cubs bullpen