07-15-2010, 10:51 PM
<!--quoteo(post=105708:date=Jul 15 2010, 09:06 PM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Jul 15 2010, 09:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=105696:date=Jul 15 2010, 07:45 PM:name=Ace)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ace @ Jul 15 2010, 07:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=105692:date=Jul 15 2010, 08:13 PM:name=BT)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BT @ Jul 15 2010, 08:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'd say that it seems pretty obvious that at worst, the Cubs offer was comparable to the Padres and White Sox, and there seems to be no evidence that it was excessive.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Shrug. I thought the deal sucked balls when it was signed, and I think it didn't take long for that to be confirmed.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I was all for signing Fuk. There were plenty of bad Japanese signings, but I was hoping for another Matsui or Ichiro, in the sense that he could make the transition. I didn't for a minute think he would be as great as those guys, but I had modest expectations for him. I was thinking a <b>good to great OBP and 15 home runs, with some good defense to boot.</b>
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And therein lies the rub. You don't pay $12 Million a year (times 4 years !) for that kind of production, especially to a guy already 31, who's almost certainly going to start to decline from the moment the ink dries (because of age).
BT is right though, none of us were expecting Ichiro II. And the Cubs had always been cheap, so it was fun to go after some FA's.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->I was all for signing Fuk. There were plenty of bad Japanese signings, but I was hoping for another Matsui or Ichiro, in the sense that he could make the transition. I didn't for a minute think he would be as great as those guys, but I had modest expectations for him. I was thinking a <b>good to great OBP and 15 home runs, with some good defense to boot.</b>
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And therein lies the rub. You don't pay $12 Million a year (times 4 years !) for that kind of production, especially to a guy already 31, who's almost certainly going to start to decline from the moment the ink dries (because of age).
BT is right though, none of us were expecting Ichiro II. And the Cubs had always been cheap, so it was fun to go after some FA's.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance