Flubs are out of the Beltran sweepstakes...

Jabroni · #1 12-28-2004, 10:03 AM

"Hollandsworth in fold, but Cubs' chances in Beltran derby look like long shot"
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southt...pro/282sd1.htm

"Cubs' timing not right for Beltran"
http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-cub28.html

Quote:

The Cubs aren't prepared to say it publicly, but privately they realize their chances to sign free-agent center fielder Carlos Beltran are dimming by the minute and almost completely extinguished.

While general manager Jim Hendry continues to explore Sammy Sosa trades at a deliberate pace with the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals, the Cubs know Beltran has to decide before Jan. 8 whether to remain in Houston or jump to the New York Yankees. The Cubs are no longer viable contenders to sign Beltran because a Sosa deal apparently will take much longer to develop, if it ever does.

Quote:

With all this uncertainty in the air, it should not come as a shock that Hendry said Monday after signing outfielder Todd Hollandsworth to a one-year contract that he "would be comfortable if the season began tomorrow'' with a starting outfield of Sosa in right, Corey Patterson in center and Hollandsworth and Jason Dubois in left.

Where is Lip to rip on the Flubs for not dishing out the cash for Beltran either? They could even afford to keep Sosa and sign Beltran; they just don't want to spend the money either. So the Flubs are losing their top offensive player this offseason in Moises Alou and may be replacing him with Todd Hollandsworth and Jason DuBois in LF. Lip already ripped on the White Sox for blowing smoke about being interested in Beltran. But I guess the White Sox are the only team to blow smoke about possible player acquisitions just to sell tickets.

But who knows? Maybe they will end up with Jeromy Burnitz in LF! I don't think his numbers last year were juiced up at all from playing in Coors Field.

bennyw41 · #2 12-28-2004, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabroni

Where is Lip to rip on the Flubs for not dishing out the cash for Beltran either? They could even afford to keep Sosa and sign Beltran; they just don't want to spend the money either. So the Flubs are losing their top offensive player this offseason in Moises Alou and may be replacing him with Todd Hollandsworth and Jason DuBois in LF. Lip already ripped on the White Sox for blowing smoke about being interested in Beltran.

He probably has you on ignore.

**Rocky Soprano** · #3 12-28-2004, 10:26 AM

You mean the Cubs are not going to sign Beltran?

I was so sure that they would! That is so sad, too bad for them!

SOXSINCE'70 · #4 12-28-2004, 10:31 AM

NOT!!!!

iN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF BART SIMPSON'S
BULLY NEMESIS NELSON MUNTZ,"HAHA!!"

Clarkdog · #5 12-28-2004, 10:36 AM

If they do happen to find a sucker for Sosa, don't be surprised if they look to sign Ordonez to an incentive laden deal around Spring Training.

gosox41 · #6 12-28-2004, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabroni

Where is Lip to rip on the Flubs for not dishing out the cash for Beltran either? They could even afford to keep Sosa and sign Beltran; they just don't want to spend the money either. So the Flubs are losing their top offensive player this offseason in Moises Alou and may be replacing him with Todd Hollandsworth and Jason DuBois in LF. Lip already ripped on the White Sox for blowing smoke about being interested in Beltran. But I guess the White Sox are the only team to blow smoke about possible player acquisitions just to sell tickets.

But who knows? Maybe they will end up with Jeromy Burnitz in LF! I don't think his numbers last year were juiced up at all from playing in Coors Field.

Remember Lip's math. Let X=payroll. Let Y= any positive number that can be never to big. Let Z=and positive number that ahsould automatically be added to y. Add the 3 together and you get wha the Sox payroll should be.

I assume this holds true all teams, whether you care about them or hate them.

Bob

***FarWestChicago*** · #7 12-28-2004, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gosox41

Remember Lip's math. Let X=payroll. Let Y= any positive number that can be never to big. Let Z=and positive number that ahsould automatically be added to y. Add the 3 together and you get wha the Sox payroll should be.

I assume this holds true all teams, whether you care about them or hate them.

Bob

TDog · #8 12-28-2004, 11:46 AM

A Cubs fan in the office said the Cubs are going to win 140 games in 2005.

"What if they don't sign Beltran?" asked another Cubs fan.

"Doesn't matter," said the first. If they don't sign Beltran, he explained, Sosa will go down early in the season with an injury and Dubois will step in to hit .417.

As the first fan passed my desk, he said, "White Sox: 0-162."

No wonder I laugh every time a Cubs player gets hurt. (They're going to get overpaid anyway.)

From what I have read, I believe the Cubs are only mentioned as being in the hunt for Beltran by baseball writers who have been perpetuating the fans' belief that he has to go to the Cubs because they are America's team or something. Up to this point, I don't believe the Cubs have ever seriously been looking to sign him, although the corporate line seems to be to the contrary.

Such behavior from the Sox would irk people around here.

**Rocky Soprano** · #9 12-28-2004, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDog

A Cubs fan in the office said the Cubs are going to win 140 games in 2005.

"What if they don't sign Beltran?" asked another Cubs fan.

"Doesn't matter," said the first. If they don't sign Beltran, he explained, Sosa will go down early in the season with an injury and Dubois will step in to hit .417.

As the first fan passed my desk, he said, "White Sox: 0-162."

No wonder I laugh every time a Cubs player gets hurt. (They're going to get overpaid anyway.)

From what I have read, I believe the Cubs are only mentioned as being in the hunt for Beltran by baseball writers who have been perpetuating the fans' belief that he has to go to the Cubs because they are America's team or something. Up to this point, I don't believe the Cubs have ever seriously been looking to sign him, although the corporate line seems to be to the contrary.

Such behavior from the Sox would irk people around here.

Tell them to put their money where there mouth is. That shuts them up ratherly quickly.

**Lip Man 1** · #10 12-28-2004, 12:46 PM

Jabroni:

When the Sox have a 95 million dollar payroll I'll back off.

Try running this through your computers.....the top ten payrolls last season produced nine winning records, six of the eight available playoff spots, both league champions and the World Series winner.

or how about this statement from Bud Selig March 2002:

"The record is clear. From 1995 through 2001, a total of 224 MLB postseason games were played. Only five were won by clubs whose payrolls were in the lower half of the industry. None advanced past the Division Series, and no team, other than those whose payrolls are in the top fourth of payroll, has won a World Series game during this period. The seven-year postseason record is 219-5 in favor of the high payroll teams"

Those are the statistical facts Jabroni something I'm sure you and your ilk can easily understand.

The dumbing down of Sox fans continues...

It will be interesting to see if you are still making 100 posts per day and are as giddily optimistic come July if the Sox are only a few games over .500 and six or eight games out.

We'll see.

Lip