Cocktail Napkin Trading

The Aarons and Moses' can join the Von Joshua. Somewhere (Dominican?) there must be a Jesus in the org to bring in the New Testament. This trend may keep the f-bomb to a minimum here before long, what with the Exodus of Bradley to the promised land.

Dear Cubster, please take the following rant for what it is, just a rant...but

I don't get it, you're a fan who goes to games. You're a season ticket holder.

Milton Bradley threw you under the bus Mr. "racist" Cub fan.

How could ANYONE expect him to produce with the likes of YOU in the stands?! And yet you're dumping on Reed Johnson for putting in the word (when asked) for his best friend and buddy, Aaron Rowand---something MB would never do because he has no friends. And if you can't make friends with ANYONE on the Cubs, in the stands, or up in the booths, you, Milton "Piece of Shit" Bradley and your deck of race cards, belong under the bus. No one had to throw you there. Under the bus is your home.

In my opinion the Orioles (again) line up as the ideal trading partner-outside of Bradley.

Luke Scott and Brian Roberts would be the targets.

If we essentially stand pat, I'd see our rotation like this:

1. Lilly
2. Zambrano
3. Dempster
4. Wells
5. Samardzija/Gorzelanny

bullpen

1. Marmol
2. Grabow
3. Guzman
4. Caridad
5. Berg
6. open

This means I think the Cubs will deal or attempt to deal Sean Marshall. I also believe they will trade Jake Fox (surprise).

To get Scott and Roberts we'll have to include a high end pitching prospect and possibly a shortstop (blanco?)I'm guessing we may have to part with Casey Coleman (i hope not) or a pitcher that has some upside.

Needless to say, Roberts in the leadoff spot and Luke Scott hitting 5th and playing right would improve our offense significantly.

The part I took issue with was:

"But he (Rowand) takes responsibility for stuff," Johnson said.

I stand corrected as my issue should be with Sullivan for putting it in a context that makes that quote a slap at Bradley. Unless RJohnson really said that as a slap at Bradley.

for RJohnson, ARam, DLee and Dempster to be quoted with things that by implication point at Bradley was pretty interesting since supposedly it goes beyond the code of what happens in the locker room stays there. Clearly bridges are being burned here and the sportswriters wanted a bonfire and they got it.

I wonder if RJohnson was even thinking of Bradley with that quote? Maybe. I have no problem saying he likes the way Rowand plays the game or takes responsibility for stuff when not used as a contrast to what the Cubs just went through with Bradley. It seems to be piling on at this point and the writers who hate Bradley much more than the fans, want to do that every chance they can.

As a fan, I just want the Cubs to win. This other stuff was on the level of distraction leading to a failed season, reminiscent of the 2004 team with Farnsworth, Merker, Alou. Which also had alot of battling with the media issues. When it gets to a player who then can't perform because he's distracted, it's best to get that person to another town.

Somebody threw this Cub season under the bus. Hendry is more to blame than anyone else but the finger pointing list is long and the writers are gleaming with that being so.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs...

I vote for a 3-way deal, Bradley and cash to somewhere, Wood to Cubs and some cash to somewhere, somewhere sends some C-level prospects Cleveland's way...

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Oh Carmen. The Orioles are a no-go as long as their crazy owner insists on buggering up each trade. Let Roberts go. The Cubs's biggest problem with any trade they might want to make is that they have so little to offer over other teams (Angels) that have a lot of talent.
Rowand would be interesting. I'm sure the WSox fans would love this. Here's some wish list people I would like to get but not bloody likely:
Lackey - pipe dream
Aaron Harang -(may be injured, more likely just burned out from the Reds by lack of run support)
Ichiro Suzuki- again hah! but I do like him.
DeRosa-no comment needed
Pitching coach- Orel Herscheiser or Leo Mazzone
coach/babysitter-Hank White
That's all for now. Hope you chuckled a little bit.

Twittenmeyer: Lineup vs. Zito: riot, gooch (7), rami, fox (3), bake, rejo (9), soto, fuld, gorz.

I'm so tired of hearing of the racist Cubs fans. I'm sure there are jerks everywhere, but one thing Jock Jones, Latroy Hawkins, and now Milton Bradley can't seem to grasp is the fans loved Sammy Sosa. If we are all racist to the bone we would have ripped Sammy daily. The team ended up throwing Sammy under the bus, not the fans.

Bottom line, produce for the team and the fans will not only accept you but love you. Suck and you'll get your ass booed constantly. Does anyone really think the ushers at Wrigley let people scream racist threats at players? The moment that is heard the fan would be kicked out. I've been to Wrigley a hundred times, heard some heavy duty heckling, but never racist stuff.

Personally, instead of trading or releasing Bradley, if I owned the team I would buy a semi-pro team in Siberia and transfer Bradley's contract there.

Ken Rosenthal was just on TV during the Cubs game and said the Cubs have already had contacts from other teams regarding Bradley. San Fran, San Diego, Mets, Texas and Tampa were mentioned.

Also said that the Cubs are confident they can trade Bradley this off-season and do the sliding scale in paying Bradley, the more we pay the better player we get back.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS officials dismiss — in strong terms — reports of possible interest in acquiring outfielder Milton Bradley from the Cubs. “Idiots” was one of the nicer comments directed at those offering such speculation.

~snip~

The Royals are likely linked to Bradley because they nearly acquired him from Oakland in 2006 for reliever Leo Nuñez. The deal was voided at the last moment when Bradley suffered an injury.

It was former manager Buddy Bell who pushed to acquire Bradley because the two had an amicable relationship in Cleveland (where he was a coach).

http://www.kansascity.com/385/story/1472338.html

Paul I. Sullivan

now you know the rest of the story

Twittenmeyer still spewing distaste vs MB:

cst_cubs: 6-1 post Milty.

Muskat tweeting more useful stuff:

Don't expect D-Lee in #cubs lineup Sunday; he's still bothered by neck spasms

Lou Piniella is first cubs mgr since Charlie Grimm to have winning record in first 3 years with team; Grimm's first years were 1933-35

at least Rosenthal didn't mention KC

...maybe he'll get invited to the minyon

A couple things:

There were FIVE games the Cubs EASILY choked away this season with Gregg - and I would have to admit with DeRosa in the early part of the offensive drought lineup, and subbing for A-Ram, the team adds on another 2-4 wins no problem.

With that scenario, the team is right in the thick of the Wild Card race.

Bradley/No Bradley - Hendry royally fucked the team with these two decisions.

I really think that even a "closer by committee" without Gregg would have done a better job.

On the bright side, in spite of a few of you who constantly trash out Minors - and BP or whatever tip sheet you read, the team's inexperienced players did an admirable job this year and could be at least bench players on nearly all MLB squads. There are 800 total players in the entire major leagues - and making it to this level is a success. OK - we don't have another Albert Pujols perhaps - but servicable Major League caliber players - which is the true objective of the farm system. Plus using players in trades...

"...trash out minors" = "trash OUR minors"

I really think that even a "closer by committee" without Gregg would have done a better job.
(Bradley/No Bradley)
---
aka Wuertz and Ceda/No Gregg?