Cubs Announce Minor League Coaches

Casey Kopitzke...ha.

How many options does Sandberg have left?

It'll be really nice to have some home grown talent that can produce at the big league level while still under club control

I didn't know Carmelo Anthony was so versatile.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4...

An AP article on ESPN. It's mostly about Cliff Lee's reaction to the trade but throws in MB acquisition speculation at the bottom.

Seattle might make Hendry an offer HE could never refuse.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariner...

Football and baseball can be apples and oranges, but recent interviews with Chris Henry before he died tells a different story concerning an athlete who has a change of attitude toward his team. He said he’d also figured out something that eludes many of the best performers at his position: A realization that individual accomplishments are secondary to the team’s goals.

“I’m just gonna get out here and grind every day, do what I can do to help the team,” he told me. “My stats don’t even have to get sky-high. I just want to win, and to be part of something.”

In the end, Henry most certainly was. Statistically, his impact was understated – he caught 12 passes in eight games, gaining 236 yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns. People in the Bengals’ organization will tell you that, as the team’s only true deep threat, Henry’s ability to stretch the field had been sorely missed during the six games, which is a significant reason for Cincy’s offensive struggles during that span.

While it is sad that his life was snuffed out just when he was "getting it," wouldn't it be just as sad if an organization who has a history of giving up on players too early can't iron out the wrinkles and make oh, let's say a Milton Bradley into such a giver. We want our team to be the best. Getting rid of a Milton Bradley without even trying to heal the wounds all around just makes us look like another Boston or New York. I see moving Bradley as just as much a mistake, not only for the team, but for the man. Maybe we've been thinking that having a "family" run the team would be more helpful for the fans, players and standings. Maybe we were wrong.

~quotes from Yahoo Sports, Michael Silver

The problem is as a player you need to want to change your attitude. Chris Henry looks to have "got it" but Bradley has shown no desire to change who he is as a person.

Thats why all these bullshit comments that Lou didn't manage Bradley properly are exactly that, bullshit. Because guess what? He has had problems at nearly every stop in his career, and the one place where you thought he actually got along with a manager (Texas) he was playing them all for fools by faking injuries and thinking only about himself.

But all of a sudden its Lou's fault for not getting Bradley on board. The organization gave him a shot, gave him his financial security like he asked, and he still layed a giant turd in the clubhouse. All those lies about trying harder for a team that commits to him, and he didn't change one bit.

I have told you guys from day one, he doesn't give a damn about anyone else but himself. You can baby him and he will take advantage of it, you can be a hard ass with him and he will claim racism or play the victim.

You could have someone wipe his ass, jerk him off between innings, and laying roses between the dugout and homeplate and he would still be unhappy. They didn't use the right toilet paper, the girl strokes him too hard, or the roses are red instead of yellow. Boo hoo no one cares about poor old Milton.

CCO reports Bradley will be traded to Seattle.

Bruce Levine reporting on Cubs brass meeting with corporate sponsors yesterday

http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog/_/pos...

Hendry pretty much said Bradley will not be on 2010 Cubs
Ricketts talking to Naples and a couple of other AZ sites

"Perhaps the Cubs feel he (Silva) can regain his form"

Regain what form, exactly?

Jody Davis was managing in the Cubs organization before Ryno, right? He hasn't exactly climbed the ladder. Wonder what the story is there.

Not trying to start rumors about animosity. Maybe Jody is perfectly happy where he is.

Does anyone notice that Silva makes more than Bradley over the next 2 years?

It will be cheaper to release Bradley than it will be to trade Bradley.

Kick the tires on Derek Lowe if you are going to go this route.

I, for one, completely oppose Ryno being promoted to manager in Chicago. It would just be too confusing for me in TCR comments to discern between Ryno me or Ryno the manager.

is confirming a Bradley-Silva swap. As someone who hated the Bradley signing to start with and really wants him off the team, this is horrible. He gets payed more than Bradley and sucks more than Bradley.

The Boise manager is also the Extended Spring Training "Boise/Mesa" (EXST Cubs) manager April-June, so Jody Davis will have those duties, too.

Larry Stone says the Cubs will get Carlos Silva from the Mariners for Bradley.

http://twitter.com/StoneLarry/status/6802467438

The Cubs might make the Bradley for Silva deal just so they can spread the $$$ loss over three years instead of over two and to release $1.5M in payroll for 2010 to help pay for a CF and/or a RHRP, perhaps paying Silva $7.5M in 2010, $11.5M in 2011, and the $2M buy-out in 2012, with the Mariners paying Bradley's $9M salary and $4M of Silva's salary in 2010, plus Bradley's $12M salary in 2011. (The Mariners otherwise owe Silva $25M 2010-12, including the 2012 buy-out).

I would also hope that the Cubs would get a prospect back as part of the deal, since Silva would (at best) probably be the 12th man ("garbage man") on the staff in 2010-11, presuming he doesn't get released.

Silva is pitching for the Caribes this winter.

9.0 IP so far
16H 9R 8ER 3HR 3BB 2K .410 BAA

OUCH!