So former Bull and current Indiana Pacer/nutjob Ron Artest asked the Pacers for a month off during the season so that he could go out and promote his new rap CD? And the Pacers didn’t give it to him? I’m with Ron on this. I mean come on, it’s not like he’s going to miss anything important. It’s the NBA regular season! He’s Ron Artest! The man’s got a gift. He’s the Eric Wright of the new millennium (without the AIDS and stuff)!
You cannot silence him! It’s just wrong. What if Jeff Foster and his electric polka band wanted to go barnstorming? Would Larry Bird and Rick Carlisle have stifled them? I think not.
You are right to pout Mr. Artest. The man is keeping you down. Now you just sit there in your little warmups and cash your million dollar checks and you seethe and keep up the good fight.
The end is near for the Samuel Peralta Sosa era in Chicago. It’s going to be bittersweet when he takes his “Hey, buddy!” act out of town. On one hand he really has to go. This isn’t even a debatable issue. What the Cubs get in return in the trade isn’t even important at this point. Nothing good can come from another season of Sammy. That’s the bad part, because for most of his 13 seasons with the Cubs he deserved to be beloved. He always had his moments. But when he was good, he was great.
He’s the best player the Cubs have ever had. Maybe that says more about the 96 year World Series drought than it does Sammy, but if you take a step back he was better than Ernie and Mordecai and whoever else you can find that played here roughly as long as he did.
That’s why it’s almost so amazing that the fall could be so sudden and complete that who he gets traded for isn’t as important as the fact that he just gets traded.
In a way, it’s what makes the trade so do-able for the Cubs. They don’t even have to worry about their acquisitions panning out. Four years ago when Ed Lynch tried to trade Sammy, Ed was petrified that whoever he got would pale in comparison to what Sammy continued to do. He’d have been right, considering Sammy’s 2001 season was one of the best in Major League history. But now? Jim Hendry could trade Sammy for a couple of leaky rosin bags and he’s not going to get ripped for it.
So here’s where the whole thing stands today.
For the second time in as many days Jim Hendry met with new Mets’ GM Omar Minaya. By now you all know the love that Omar has for Sammy. If you didn’t, Phil Rogers sees fit to hit us all over the head with it, again.
Minaya wants to get his hands on Sammy, but he doesn’t want any immediate impact on his payroll. He sees Sammy for what he is, a slugging outfielder who can help, but not carry a team anymore. In order for Minaya to do this, he has to move two players with contracts that when combined nearly equal Sammy’s.
That’s Mike Piazza (owed $16 million for one year) and Cliff Floyd (owed $13 million for two). Piazza’s likely off to a life of DH’ing and part-time catching in the American League. The Orioles currently seem willing to take on his cash. Once that hurdle is out of the way, the Cubs and Mets can sit down and do a Floyd-Sosa trade. The Mets would like to see the Cubs kick in about $4.5 million (approximately the size of Sammy’s buyout in 2006).
This trade works for all the wrong reasons. The Mets’ committed two mortal sins. They signed a catcher on the wrong side of 30 to a too-long, too-rich contract, and they signed an injury prone outfielder to a too-long, too-rich contract. The Cubs let Sammy and his agent use a failed trade attempt in 2000 as a gun to their heads in negotiating a deal with an absurd escalator clause at the back end. But Sammy loves New York. For whatever reason, New York loves Sammy. Huge crowds show up with Dominican flags to salute him whenever the Cubs go to Shea. And, like we said before, whoever gets him next year will really know if he’s got anything left, because he’s going to bust his ass to prove he’s not done and that the Cubs’ were morans to let him go.
Prove away, Sammy.
The New York Daily News has that very scenario.
Newsday reports that Minaya met with Sammy’s agent, Adam Katz, though Katz insists they didn’t talk about Sammy. Nah, they talked about politics, fashion and The Polar Express. I suppose when he and Jim Duquette and Jim Hendry met in the bar they didn’t talk about Sammy, either?
The Rockies think that the Mariners have talked to the Cubs about Sammy, and that they’d like to dump Preston Wilson on the Cubs for Sosa.
The Astro’s ill-fated attempt to re-sign Carlos Beltran has started.
The runner-up in the Beltran sweepstakes will be offered Andruw Jones.
Chris DeLuca’s still dumb, so don’t put much stock into his view on Beltran or Randy Johnson.
Say goodbye to Magglio. Though, if he knee turns out sound, you’ll only have to go eight miles north to see him. Could you live with an outfield of Cliff Floyd, Corey Patterson and a (presumably healthy) Magglio Ordonez?
It’s a good thing nobody actually reads Paul Ladewski, because today’s column is a steaming pile of…
…Peter Gammons on the winter meetings.
Tim Krlkj;lkj;lkjlj on where the shortstops might end up.
Eddy Curry wants out. But will anybody notice when he’s gone?
Ben Gordon’s about to find out how cushy the bench is.
Mike Downey’s senility is showing again. Today he defends Dave Wannstedt’s run in Chicago and blames it on “the talent his bosses gave him.” Well, he was in charge of bringing in most of that talent. Go back to your nap, Mike.
Roz knows almost as much about the Cubs’ announcer search as we do. Really, he should have just e-mailed. I could have told him this on Tuesday afternoon.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut to urge the Bulls to trade Eddy Curry. How about Curry and Mariotti to that island on “Lost” in exchange for Kate?
Speaking of “Lost” (the best new show on TV), here’s a little background on how it got started.
America’s finest news source tells us what we’re doing with our old clothes.
Andy, quit teasing me in the Quick Slant, you’re giving me a stiffo….and no man should have that kind of effect on me.
Uh…thanks? (Walks away in a panic.)
Mike Downey, you don’t remember me, you senile old piece of crap? I played 9 seasons for the Bears. NINE! That’s longer than Gale Sayers lasted, and as long as Butkus played.
OK, I’m better. Sorry.
Yes, Sammy had 4 tremendous years. But the other 9 years added in don’t make him better than us.
Thanks for insulting us, asswipe.
Signed,
Ernie Banks
Cap Anson
Hack Wilson
Frank Chance
Rogers Hornsby
Gabby Hartnett
Billy Williams
Ryne Sandberg
Billy Herman
And a host of pitchers.
Just because I don’t have legs don’t count me out guys.
That’s a nice list, Asswipe. Glad you put Rogers Hornsby and his just over 300 games played with the Cubs on that list. He only played 1900 more for other teams.
Seeing as Cap Anson never played a game in the 20th century, you’re right! I’m changing my mind. It was Cap!
I was the greatest Cub of all time!
I won 23 games for them. In three years.
I just wish the visibility wasn’t so good at Wrigley.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wilsoha01.shtml
Check out my "most similar players" it includes two thirds of the current Padres outfield.
Shut up Mangum, everybody knows that the Bears never had a DB worth a damn until Mike Brown came along.
My most similar hitters’ list includes the great Tony Fernandez!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hermabi01.shtml
Jose Canseco’s on my list! So is Gary Sheffield. But I never heard of the rest of these guys.
Buddy.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sosasa01.shtml
As a long-time Sam Me critic, there’s no way I could argue that ANYONE’S had a more productive career as a Cub.
He’s still an insufferable jackass, not fit to stand alongisde Walter Payton and Michael Jordan because his motivating factor has always been famosito y dinero, not rings and things.
Still, there’s no question he’s #1 stats-wise.
Frank Chance?!? Like us, he only got into the HOF because of a weak class and a stupid poem.
I don’t see why there such a fuss and urgency to get a Sammy deal done, or why Andy has campaigned on the ‘throw Sammy to the tracks’ wagon.
His .255/.335/.515 numbers from a 2005 projection (well, mine anyway) are certainly not what we’ve come to expect out of Peralta, and there’s no doubt that he’s overly compensated for said numbers. However, there aren’t really that many players that are capable of putting up the numbers he does, and Sosa always has the potential for more, he could still have another so-called ‘great’ season left ones while most never achieve this greatness. Plus who knows about any potential replacement. Any one of our prospects could go Roosevelt Brown on us, and any FA signing or trade could Mo Vaughn/Todd Hundley on us.
Also a ‘dump-a-deal’ trade isn’t something I forsee the Cubs backing themselves into doing. Jim Hendry has always been cautious to avoid such a situation, where he forces his hand too early. And while Sosa’s contract is certainly terrible, do remember that Sosa is still alive, unlike Todd Hundley, and still an active player, unlike Denny Neagle.
I agree that there is a market for Sammy regardless of his contract figures, but I think the chances of him actually being traded are less than 50%.
Besides, do you really want to see Sammy break the all-time strikeout record in another uniform? His 2110 are only a good two seasons or better away from Reggie Jackson’s record mark of 2597. After all the balls in the dirt we’ve watched or listened to Sammy swing and miss at, we almost deserve to see it.
If I thought Sammy could show up for spring training and not drag a black cloud around with him for eight months, I wouldn’t want him traded.
He’s going to be more productive for whoever the Cubs trade him to. He’s painted himself into the corner in Chicago, and the Cubs broke out a paint roller for him with the hysterically overeactive way they decided to "prove" he’d skipped out on the team.
After covering up for him for 13 years, they suddenly decided they couldn’t do it for one more? Whatever their motivation (maybe they thought they’d get a leg up on declining his ’06 option PR-wise?), they’ve put themselves in a spot where it’s their, and his best interest to trade him, and financial relief (immediate or in ’06) is the only thing they’re going to get out of it.
Hey, when I’m healthy, I can still rake, and I’m a lefty. I can help.
Cliff, you’ve played more than 150 games once in your 10 year career, and played 113 and 108 the last 2 years respectively. I think it’d be a pretty big leap of faith to assume you’ll suddenly be healthy this year.
Sorry, that’s 12 years.
Just last year, didn’t we just have to get rid of a moody, enigmatic, cancer who played outfield for us?
No one wanted him, and we almost released him when we couldn’t trade him.
God Damn it. He wrecked our season this year!
Your jackass hit .325 with 37 homers and 104 RBIs. He also only struck out 94 times in 154 games the year before you tried to get rid of him.
Ours hit .253 with 35 and 80. Also struck out 133 times in 126 games.
I’m not saying, I’m just saying. Would you get what Sosa’s value is in a trade if you are simply swapping contracts?
And if he is a cancer next year, couldn’t the Cubs simply conclude that, put him on the 60 Day DL with a mysterious sneezing injury and tell him to rehab in the Dominican?
Theo, the only problem with that is that Manny Ramirez is a MUCH better hitter than Sammy Sosa is at this point in time.
My contract also had 6 years at 20 mil per left on it…or thereabouts…Sammy’s, who Pedro tells me a stand-up guy, only has 1 (or 2) year(s) left…
I would say the 70 mil in difference has a little something to do with who is more tradeable…
I am the reason no one wanted Manny last year. It was the yankees or bust and the yankees signed sheffield. The gladiator has a few less years remaining on his contract, all it be it he is alot crappier than Manny.
I’m not saying Sosa is going to put up Manny Ramirez-like numbers. I might suggest he won’t be as bad as he was this past year, especially with the knowledge that he’ll have to put up unbelievably awesome numbers for the Cubs to pick up his ’06 option, and at least strong numbers to play for more than a couple million in ’06 for another team.
And while he can be a cancer, rehabbing an image among teammates and fans is easier than everyone says it is.
If Hendry can’t get a decent trade for Sosa, he goes back to Katz and tells him that Sosa and the Cubs are stuck with each other, for better or worse. Why would Sosa poison himself for upcoming free agency when he could compromise a little bit, play well and contribute to a team with a shot to win it all?
It would mean he would have to apologize to all his teammates, probably relinquish his ceremonial captain title, and just play where he’s told.
Trust me on this. It might just work out, folks.
Ok, Theo. If you’re so positive this can happen, can I borrow the 17,000,000 dollars that it’ll take to find out?
Actually, it makes more sense for the Mets to trade Piazza and Flloyd to us for Sammy and cash. We take on the onus of moving Piazza to Baltimore and take on whatever salary we have to.
The Mets moving Piazza to the Orioles means they have to take something back, and that means the salaries will not be a wash.
Hey Billy Herman. I don’t suck. I have one World Series ring (one more than you), four gold gloves, five all-star games (13 years apart), and I once held the record for most hits in a season by a shortstop.
Hey, the Cubs have had me before.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/whitero02.shtml
Hey, what about signing me???
Hey, if you really are getting Cliff Floyd…If nothing else, he’ll make business at every restaurant in Chicago go up considerably!
Is Chicago ready for The Ambiguously Gay Mike Piazza? ‘Cuz here he comes (pun intended)….
Don’t you worry. If Sammy goes, maybe you’ll still have me to kick around.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-wood12.html
Seems this "moran" thing is getting popular.
http://growabrain.typepad.com/growabrain/
Happy Birthday to me, Buddy!
How many times per game will I have to gratuitously plug Desipio.com if I get this job? As many times as This Old Cub?
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