Sheets

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=76636:date=Jan 20 2010, 06:20 AM:name=Dingo)-->QUOTE (Dingo @ Jan 20 2010, 06:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Something that made me vomit in my mouth:-

Cubs are 'monitoring' Mark Mulder

Fox link<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Mulder will never throw another meaningful pitch in his life.

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=76688:date=Jan 20 2010, 02:37 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 20 2010, 02:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Jim Callis suggested (take it for what it's worth), that Sheets could reasonably expect a $3M base salary with $7M in incentives. Could the Cubs afford that? Obviously, the incentives would be performance/health based, so whoever signs him would want him to earn the 7 bills. But could the Cubs afford the extra 7?

Anyway, I guess the Rangers have a lot of interest.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I would hope that we could. Figure if Sheets pitches well and is healthy, and we do well, more revenue comes in and we're fine. If Sheets doesn't pitch well and we suck or are good, then no harm done. If he pitches well and we suck, we can always try to unload him at the deadline. I think his potential salary is manageable, but what do I know.

[Ace]

If Sheets would really take a $3 mill base, I'm sure the Cubs would consider it. I'd read he was looking for more like $7.5 in a base.

[Butcher]

From Crasnick:
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Conversely, the Cubs' interest in Sheets is overblown. GM Jim Hendry's biggest objectives are finding a late-inning reliever and a bat for the bench. The Cubs are set with Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells in the first four spots, with Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny and Jeff Samardzija set to compete for the fifth spot. Sheets would look great in Cubbie blue, but he's more of an extravagance than a necessity.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[ColoradoCub]

<!--QuoteBegin-Jerry Crasnick+-->QUOTE (Jerry Crasnick)<!--QuoteEBegin-->the Cubs' interest in Sheets is overblown. GM Jim Hendry's biggest objectives are finding a late-inning reliever and a bat for the bench. The Cubs are set with Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells in the first four spots, with Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny and Jeff Samardzija set to compete for the fifth spot. Sheets would look great in Cubbie blue, but he's more of an extravagance than a necessity.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Butcher]

I win.

[ColoradoCub]

damnit butch!

[Coach]

<!--quoteo(post=76802:date=Jan 21 2010, 01:07 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 21 2010, 01:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->From Crasnick:
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->Conversely, the Cubs' interest in Sheets is overblown. GM Jim Hendry's biggest objectives are finding a late-inning reliever and a bat for the bench. The Cubs are set with Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells in the first four spots, with Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny and Jeff Samardzija set to compete for the fifth spot. Sheets would look great in Cubbie blue, but he's more of an extravagance than a necessity.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That makes sense with our budget.

[Rappster]

<!--quoteo(post=76689:date=Jan 20 2010, 02:38 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 20 2010, 02:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76636:date=Jan 20 2010, 06:20 AM:name=Dingo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dingo @ Jan 20 2010, 06:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Something that made me vomit in my mouth:-

Cubs are 'monitoring' Mark Mulder

Fox link<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Mulder will never throw another meaningful pitch in his life.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

SHUT UP!

Fucking racists!

[1060Ivy]

With the Mets losing out on Pineiro and Molina, they should have the cash to sign Sheets. My guess is that Sheets will sign with Mets for more than $6 MM per year + incentives.

Still believe that the Cubs need a healthy, effective Sheets to compete in 2010.

[The Dude]

I'd love to have Sheets. To all those that say the Grabow signing doesn't keep us from doing other things, I'd say that a few million extra is all we'd need in the budget to afford Sheets. Would you rather have a potential ace or an average lefty reliever?

[BT]

<!--quoteo(post=76819:date=Jan 21 2010, 12:53 PM:name=The Dude)-->QUOTE (The Dude @ Jan 21 2010, 12:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'd love to have Sheets. To all those that say the Grabow signing doesn't keep us from doing other things, I'd say that a few million extra is all we'd need in the budget to afford Sheets. Would you rather have a potential ace or an average lefty reliever?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


There is a very good chance that the reason we don't sign Sheets is because it's not a priority, not because we blew 3 million on Grabow. The Cubs have 4 rotation spots locked up. They have a plethora of candidates for the #5 spot. While I would love to have Sheets, he would be a luxury. And while I can't prove it, I am almost positive that the roadblock to signing him is NOT 3 million dollars.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=76827:date=Jan 21 2010, 03:21 PM:name=BT)-->QUOTE (BT @ Jan 21 2010, 03:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76819:date=Jan 21 2010, 12:53 PM:name=The Dude)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Dude @ Jan 21 2010, 12:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'd love to have Sheets. To all those that say the Grabow signing doesn't keep us from doing other things, I'd say that a few million extra is all we'd need in the budget to afford Sheets. Would you rather have a potential ace or an average lefty reliever?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


There is a very good chance that the reason we don't sign Sheets is because it's not a priority, not because we blew 3 million on Grabow. The Cubs have 4 rotation spots locked up. They have a plethora of candidates for the #5 spot. While I would love to have Sheets, he would be a luxury. And while I can't prove it, I am almost positive that the roadblock to signing him is NOT 3 million dollars.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


What's interesting though is that Hendry is planning on SIGNING a bench bat and SIGNING another reliever. I don't know how much Sheets will end up signing for and I don't know how much those two signings will cost the Cubs, but I have to think that the two relievers and bench spot could be adequately occupied by low-cost players within the organization there by leaving a cache of monies to be put towards the better part of a possible Sheets offer. And while you may feel that the Cubs may feel that Sheets over Silva/Gorzo/Samardzija is a luxury, I would be quick to point out that Grabow/Calero/Reed Johnson over Gaub/Parker/Fuld is just as much a luxury.

[BT]

<!--quoteo(post=76831:date=Jan 21 2010, 02:01 PM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ Jan 21 2010, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76827:date=Jan 21 2010, 03:21 PM:name=BT)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BT @ Jan 21 2010, 03:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76819:date=Jan 21 2010, 12:53 PM:name=The Dude)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Dude @ Jan 21 2010, 12:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'd love to have Sheets. To all those that say the Grabow signing doesn't keep us from doing other things, I'd say that a few million extra is all we'd need in the budget to afford Sheets. Would you rather have a potential ace or an average lefty reliever?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


There is a very good chance that the reason we don't sign Sheets is because it's not a priority, not because we blew 3 million on Grabow. The Cubs have 4 rotation spots locked up. They have a plethora of candidates for the #5 spot. While I would love to have Sheets, he would be a luxury. And while I can't prove it, I am almost positive that the roadblock to signing him is NOT 3 million dollars.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


What's interesting though is that Hendry is planning on SIGNING a bench bat and SIGNING another reliever. I don't know how much Sheets will end up signing for and I don't know how much those two signings will cost the Cubs, but I have to think that the two relievers and bench spot could be adequately occupied by low-cost players within the organization there by leaving a cache of monies to be put towards the better part of a possible Sheets offer. And while you may feel that the Cubs may feel that Sheets over Silva/Gorzo/Samardzija is a luxury, I would be quick to point out that Grabow/Calero/Reed Johnson over Gaub/Parker/Fuld is just as much a luxury.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

no, it's not.

First of all, we KNOW Marshall and Gorzelany can start. At their worst, they can be 5th starters. And they are filling in one spot on the roster, the 5th stater spot. So spending money on Sheets would simply be spending money on a risky player who MAY be and upgrade, but we don't have any idea how much of one.

Your second scenario is putting 3 completely unproven players, covering 3 roster spots. We NEED a left handed reliever. We NEED a setup man. We NEED a fourth outfielder. To trust 3 entire spots to guys whom we have no idea if they can handle those spots, is no where near the same gamble as finding ONE guy who can take the 5th starter spot. A spot that literally has 5 or 6 candidates, at the minimum, who can fill in if the other guys falter. Gaub/Parker/Fuld MIGHT be able to handle those spots effectively, but we certainly don't have multiple backups in place in case they falter (with the possible exception of Parker).

How many times do we have to go over the fact that the left handed reliever spot COULD NOT be adequately handled by some cheap, in house option when we needed it last year? What in house option would you be comfortable inserting as our 4th outfielder? Fuld? He's our best option, and after a hot July, he has pretty much blown chunks. Who do we have after that? Colvin? Brett Jackson?

Any of the guys could help, but I think you'd have to be insane to entrust 3 different roster spots to unproven rookies, all so you can sign a 5th starter with an injury history.

[Butcher]

This is sort of tangential, but Sheets wouldn't fill a hole in the #5 spot -- he'd fill a hole in the #1 spot. Because, really, we have:

1. ___________
2. Lilly (hurt -- who knows when he'll be healthy/effective)
3. Zambrano
4. Dempster
5. Wells (career year as a rookie?)

It might also be worth pointing out that if we had another effective starter, Marshall could have been the lefty out of the pen and done just fine, making the Grabow signing unnecessary.

There are a lot more question marks surrounding our starting rotation then you seem to think. Of course Sheets is a gamble, but if effective/healthy, he would make us a playoff contender. Adding a 4th OF and another reliever isn't going to do that -- even if they're the best 4th OF and 7th/8th inning guys in the history of the game.