TCR Friday Notes
Well at least I haven't woken up to the headlines of "Jose Macias signed to lifetime contract by Cubs" yet. Give it time.
Don't forget to check out the Free Agent Frenzy contest we're piggy-backing off of MLB.com. It's the post right below this one. A fun little game to see where you think some of this year's free-agent class will land.
AFL
The season is essentially over, with only the championship game left to play on Saturday. The Solar Sox are not in it, so here are the final Cubs stats:
Matt Murton .337/.396/.511, 7/12 BB/K, 1 HR, 11 2B Eric Patterson .301/.344/.373, 6/17 BB/K, 5/8 SB's Buck Coats .256/.286/.282, 2/6 BB/K Brandon Sing .246/.338/.464 10/24 BB/K, 3 HR Angel Guzman 1-2, 3.82 ERA, 12/28 BB/K, 2 HR in 30.2 IP David Aardsma 0-0 9.64 ERA, 10/18 BB/K, 2 HR in 18.2 IP- Guzman finished the season strong, putting up a 8.21 K/9 anda respectable K/BB ratio (2.33). Any ERA under 4.00 in the AFL has to be considered pretty good with the friendly hitting conditions. Oh, if you could just stay healthy Guzman, the joy you could bring to Wrigleyville. - Eric Patterson ended the AFL on a high note. After muddling about for the first few weeks, he ended up with an average above .300 and a respactable .344 OBP. Geoff Young of Ducksnorts took in some AFL games earlier this week and had a bit to say about Corey's younger brother. - Brandon Sing on the other hand crashed and burned. After starting out smoking hot, it looks like the pitchers adjusted to him a bit. He may have just worn down after probably playing more games than he ever has in a season OR the better pitchers who can actually throw breaking balls for strikes finally began eating him up. Time will tell... Winter Leagues - Adam Greenberg has a new journal entry up on MILB.com. Some interesting stuff including the fact that he's "bunting at least once per game". His #'s so far: .262/.322/.410 6/23 BB/K, 2 HR in 83 AB's Felix Pie in the DWL: 13/56 .232/.274/.357 , 2/10 BB/K, 2 HR Free Agents Oh where to begin.... - I think Furcal and his agent are desperate at this point. There have been a few stories out there of the Mets and Braves already making contigency plans and I can't imagine he'll surprise us all and end up in Kansas City. So out comes the insanity that the Yanks may be interested in him playing center[immediately denied by Cashman) and I'm sure before it's over the Red Sox will get their name dragged through the mud. His agent, Paul Kinzer said it would be a few weeks before a decision would be made, by that point we should hear that Furcal is willing to pitch, catch, manage, sweep up the stadium and mow the field if it will get him a better deal. Good news for Hendry as it doesn't look like the competition is all that steep yet. Word is that he wants a 5 year deal but the Braves apparently were only willing to shell out a 3 year deal at the moment. Hendry shouldn't overplay his hand though and wait too long. You certainly don't want to outbid yourself, but on the other hand, don't insult the guy if you really want him. - I can easily think of 4 to 5 other players, who similarly can be jettisoned after 2006 to make room for Felix Pie that I'd rather have play center over Juan Pierre for the Cubs next year. But if the rumors persist and become reality, he's still a better option than Korey. Obviously that's not saying much. The fact that the rumor also includes Felix Pie at the moment, tells me there isn't much there. Don't worry Pie fans, (and who doesn't like pie) Hendry is one too(I'm guessing player and the dessert) and he's not going anywhere unless the other end of the trade is someone resembling the stature of Manny Ramirez or the Adam Dunn's of the world. - I read something about the Mets throwing over $10 million a year at Wagner for 3+ years. I was never all that interested in Wagner, particularly when B.J. Ryan was available at the same time and seems to have a better future ahead. The Mets though are going to set the bar pretty high for closers this off-season if that figure is true and signing Ryan will easily take no less than 3/$24 mil (and probably more). The small flame of hope that Ryan would be wearing Cubbie blue is just about extinguished. - At least the Cubs have been in contact with Brian Giles's agent. That's promising in a, at least the Cubs realize he's good, sort of way. - Speaking of players I'd probably trade Felix Pie for, there are some rumors of Bobby Abreu possibly being available in a trade, the latest being Vernon Wells for Abreu, straight up. When I first heard of Abreu possibly being shopped around, I thought, wow, right field solved, go use your Jedi powers of persuasion Hendry and make this happen. Then I remembered this is the Cubs and players as good as Abreu just don't fall into our laps. He'll probably end up a Cardinal. Go get us some ballplayers, Jimbo.
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