In a tradition so rich and deep that it makes us want to vomit, the Cubs did, over the weekend, what they do every offseason. They tried to distance themselves from talk they’ll go after the richest free agent of the offseason. This is more expected than Punxatawney Phil.
I’m not a firm believer in the fact that whoever spends the most wins the most, but I do believe that if you run your team on the cheap, you lose. The Cubs will give you lots of reasons why they don’t want to step up and pay Rafael Furcal $50 million. It’s more years and more money than they gave E-ramis. They’re going to try to re-sign Derrek Lee to an extension this spring. Blah, blah, blah.
First off, Furcal’s probably not worth $50 million. He has the advantage (and Paul Konerko is enjoying this, too) of being a prime free agent in a down year. But there’s a thing called the cost of doing business. Look, if the Cubs are bidding against themselves for Furcal that’s one thing. But if the Mets or even the Braves step up and will pay Furcal a little more than what the Cubs expected to have to pay to get him, it’s time to start paying.
Chances are that Furcal won’t get $50 million. Chances are he won’t get five years. Maybe the Cubs know that and that’s why they threw a wet blanket into play on Saturday. But if you really think this is the guy who will fill your gaping hole at both shortstop and at the top of the order, you need to do it. If you have to pay a little more to do it, so be it.
Chances are that Atlanta will just trade for Julio Lugo and take themselves out of the mix. Chances are that the Mets combination of being distracted by their pursuits of BJ Ryan and Billy Wagner, and the fact they want Furcal to change positions (if you think he’s not worth $50 million at short, he’s really not worth it at at second), that the Cubs are going to be the only ones waving money at Furcal anyway.
But why do they have to pull this crap every year? They have a pile of cash at their disposal, and they won’t use it. If you sign Furcal and it creates problems with the deals for E-ramis and Lee, you know what? Throw some money at them, too. If you want to play with the big boys, you have to learn to act like the big boys. Stop crying poor when you’re not.
Over the past few seasons there have been impact free agents who would have signed with the Cubs had the Cubs shown the testicular fortitude to pay up. Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, Ivan Rodriguez (the year he went to Florida and KILLED them in the playoffs), Carlos Beltran…
So who are the big free agents the Cubs signed instead? Moises Alou, Todd Walker, Jeromy Burnitz and Greg Maddux.
That’s it. Whoop de damn do. All four of those are guys were nice players. But why was that it? Why are the only free agents the Cubs signed the ones their teams (Astros, Red Sox, Rockies and Braves) had decided to cut ties with?
Oh, wait, I forgot about Todd Hundley! Now that was a great pick up! A catcher, on the wrong side of 30 who had suffered through Tommy John Disease. But he made sense because his dad used to play for the Cubs.
Whatever.
KC Johnson fills us in that it was windy yesterday. Really?
More good news. Remember when we thought that Fred Miller tripped over Bryan Robinson’s dog? Turns out, he got punched in the face by Olin Kreutz. See, now that’s leadership!
Cedric Benson’s knee went snap.
Bobby Wade’s punt return job might be gone. In fact, his NFL job might be, too. He doesn’t get it. Check out this gem:
“The fair-catch one was really tough because I thought I had a good spot on it and at the last second it just popped on me. But you’ve just got to judge the wind some way, somehow and get it done.”
No, you dumbass. Just let it go, you were at the five yard line!
The Cubs have told Nomar he’s free to go somewhere that he’s a better fit. Someplace with more room on their disabled list.
Mariotti puts down the doughnut to babble his way through this mess.
The Dodgers have apparently offered Theo their GM job. Poor Dusty. Now he’ll have no place to go when he gets fired next June.
The Rockies are after Shawn Estes and Brad Ausmus. Wow! That’ll put them over the top.
The Mariners are after a catcher who doesn’t speak English and an outfielder who can’t…well, it’s Jock Jones.
Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback is pretty heavy on the italics today.
Kelly Dwyer doesn’t seem to believe in the Clippers. Who knew?
Gene Wojohoochiecoochie on Barry Alvarez’s last Camp Randall cook out.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Tice!
America’s finest news source with the story of the heated argument between Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan over who’s taller.
Am I still a great rookie quarterback? Yeah, the conditions were non-conducive to throwing, but does that excuse my air-mailed INT in the end zone? No, it does not. I am dreading the Panthers. And rightfully so  they’ll show the league I am a sham.
My nickname at Texas was ESPN3. I was just as awesome a punt returner as I was a corner.(hint hint)
Good Christ, I’m out of red ink after this one.
I took the expression “playing not to lose” to a whole new, miserable level. My clock management at the end of the first half was criminally retarded, as I let the clock run down to try a 52-yard FG in the wind with 2 timeouts in my pocket.
Not only that, but while I know the wind made passing difficult, FIVE TIMES in the first half we had third-and-at-least-7 and ALL five times I opted to run the ball.
That was Kreutz’s best hit in 2 years.
Question– who did the game yesterday for FOX? Having attended, I wasn’t privy to the broadcast and am curious if the Bears have gotten off the Brian Baldinger “bottom-rung” yet.
I’m sure we’ll get Mr. Smarmy and the rest of the #1 Crew next week, BTW.
I would also expect the Bears to be 3 point underdogs.
Sam Rosen and Bill Maas did the Bears game. I almost gagged while eating my lunch on several occasions.
So am I a step up or–gulp!– a step down from Baldinger?
I didn’t like Bill Maas all that much. He’s less obnoxious than Baldinger but his lips never seem to stop moving.
He was obsessed with explaining every detail of the “Tampa Two” or “Cover 2” defense with various charts and overheads. Every rush that went over 5 yards was replayed so he could identify the key block. He pretended he was talking to Adrian Peterson after he scored his touchdown and was flexing his muscles in the end zone while encouraging Peterson to continue flexing and then used some food metaphor to describe his bicep.
I’m not sure which guy it was, but either Bill or Sam attempted to speak over the referee on multiple occasions when a penalty was being called. Much like watching an old Cubs game with Chip Caray, I found myself wishing he’d just STFU.
I’m the #3 FOX broadcaster, somehow. Kenny & Baldy are #4.
Maas’ explanation of the Tampa 2 made you wonder how that defense ever stops anything. Excellent analysis of how many holes there are in it, followed by a chart that showed three of the top four teams in fewest points allowed per game are using that defense. (Bears, Bucs, Colts).
My impact as a free agent would have been to give Mark Prior a B-12 shot for his sore Achilles!
You know Fox’s football announcing crews are sad when you are actually not dreading the Buck/Aikman combination, which I am almost sure will be the crew for the Bears/Panthers game next week.
Actually, Sam Rosen and Bill Maas are doing the Carolina game, too. Buck and Aikman get Eagles @ Giants.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nflonfox (in “The Rundown” box)
So we’re the #2 team, then?
Yikes. I think Tom Brookshire would make a better #2 than Bill Maas, and he’s like 108 years old.
We’re actually a team?
Considering that but for Chip Caray, tHom would be the most loathed ex-Chicago broadcaster, and LA Erik was far from most popular ex-Chicago athlete–a talented but laid-back, no-intensity, Southern Cal kind of guy in the manner of Steve Trachsel– us two doing a game in Chicago would probably result in Soldier Field falling into Lake Michigan.
Actually, I’d rather spend my afternoon listening to Dick Stockton and Daryl Johnston then anybody else on that FOX roster.
I just despise Joe Buck on general principal.
Cedric’s “only” out 3-6 weeks.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/cs-051114bears,1,5128124.story?coll=cs-home-headlines
Assuming this diagnosis is correct, Ced is one lucky dude. I saw that replay and figured he tore every ligament in that bad boy. He said he could feel his hip and ankle touch.
Yikes.
Quit being a sissy, Cedric. I strained my MCL this weekend, too. They’ve got me listed as “probable” on our injury report.
( http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5083142 )
Hope you all didn’t miss the replay of my sideline takedown. That was flippin’ spectacular.
got salad?
For a good laugh.
We’re the #2 team.
That’s right, FOX says Lions/Cowboys is a better game than Bears/Panthers.
I love beating up my teammates.
Do I get a royalty for “testicular fortitude”?
Are there ANY announcers that you guys like? Geez, what a buncha bitchers.
Whoa, I got the shakes again. Maybe if my kid wasn’t such a smarmy faggot, I’d still be alive.
No, Fork. I used the term “testicular virility” in a speech last spring. I get royalties!