How would you have felt if the cubs spent their money better?

[MRKARNO]

The cubs clearly overpaid for Maddux at 3 years 24 mil.

What if the cubs, instead of being stupid, were smart and took that exact same money and gave it to Javy Lopez? They would have filled a gaping hole at the catching position and improved their weakness by a lot. Let me remind you that Lopez signed for 3 years 22.5 mil.

When you look at it that way, I'm glad they signed maddux over Javy. The javy signing would have actually scared me instead of annoyed me like the maddux signing

[CubKilla]

They were talking to IRod..... FWIW.

And I heard that Maddux's contract was actually a 2 year deal with a 3rd year to kick in if Maddux pitches 400+ innings total in '04-'05.

[serena]

IRodriguez would have scared me more ... who knows? Would have taken 3yrs/$24mil? Didn't he turn down the deal that the O's offered to JLopez?

I dunno, JLopez might turn out to be Hundley 2.

[LittleBears Suck]

If you told me after the World Series that the Cubs were going to spend 8 million on either Greg Maddux or other needs, I'd hope they sign Maddux.

What if they had gotten Luis Castillo? Or traded Corky for ARod? Or gotten a real closer in Foulke? Or made a bigger push for Ivan Rodriguez? Or sign Carl Everett and bank on him instead of Corey Patterson? If any of those scenarios happen, the Cubs have a helluva rotation and a very improved team. Now they just have a helluva rotation.

Considering the alternative, I"m glad theysigned Maddux.