You know why people hate the signing? Because, supposedly, the Cubs can't AFFORD TO PAY Peavy if they were to trade for him. In fact, the majority of the free agents out there can't even be afforded because we don't have the money to sign them. But we can waste a half a million dollars on a guy who 1) can't stay healthy, 2) is an old reliever, and 3) has done nothing good in his career to show he deserves the money, however little he is.

500K isn't really THAT much, but when you don't have money to spend on GOOD players, why spend any on bad or mediocre ones?

Aaron still waiting for you to give me a player that was traded away that is a producing starter on another team. I can't think of one player Hendry has traded away that we could use right now.

I gotta agree with Joe S. I see nothing wrong with the C.Fox signing. Give the guy a break! Geez. We didn't guarentee him a spot or something.

Guys....c'mon.....are you REALLY bashing the Chad Fox deal?? It's a freakin minor league deal with a spring training invite. What is so bad about that? The guy is probably done pitching, but why not give him the chance to see if anything is left, or more importantly let him be able to walk away from a game he loves on his own terms rather than forced out by injury.

The guy blew his elbow out in 2005 after only 11 games with us. He was out of baseball in 2006 and 2007 and worked his way back for 2008, only to last just 3 games before another elbow injury.

He is a class act and JH is merely giving him an opportunity. Again, it's a spring training invite guys not a 2 year guaranteed deal....the only way he makes the team is if by some strange chance he just is on fire during spring training. So relax already, huh?

If you were in Chad's shoes wouldnt you also want every last chance to see what you could do and if you couldnt do it, to be able to walk away on your own terms?

"With the Chad Fox signing.....

Jim Hendry is turning into Jim Hendry circa 2005-2006."

Jim (TP), you stole the words right out of my mouth...

They keep dangling the nugget of the Peavy trade in front of all of us...Will that ever happen? Probably not. And if Hendry is true to form...in the event the trade does happen...since he's no pilfering a completely idiotic franchise like the Pirates, then he'll trade the ENTIRE farm to get him, setting us back years...or...

He'll trade the farm for a Brian Roberts, or trade 3 top prospects to get Teahen, etc.

What I really don't get on this site, is the apparent love-fest for Hendry. I know I appear to be a downer for most on here when it relates to Hendry, but get real...the guy simply should be held accountable, and he hasn't. I don't know whose balls he's licking to keep his position, but for crying out loud, his own boss took the fall before he did...How does that work? Sign me up for a job like that.

Also, anyone else get the feeling that Hendry is sabatoging the team? I say that actually half-jokingly...Consider the fact that he used to work for the Marlins, and seems to love to give them top talent no matter who he's dealing for...then, couple that with his former boss, and the bundle he traded for Trachsel to MacFailed, and the Orioles...ah, there's that name again...

hmmmmmmm....let's see...I would venture to say that 99% of you on here use the term/have used the term "MacFailed" in reference to Andy MacPhail...Isn't it funny that most of you consider him a failure, and Hendry a success? I still can't get over the fact that Hendry and Rothschild have escaped the axe when literally everyone around them hasn't...What gives?

We are so spoiled with the last two playoff appearances, that many fail to understand that he was directly involved with the progress of our team since 1995 where he was director of scouting and minor league operations, then director of player development, then assistant GM/player personnel director, before becoming GM in 2002. Keep in mind that Hendry has only had success with pitching development, and I've given him credit for that....but when you all talk about our system being weak, I think you need to look no further than Hendry, and I think that fact is lost on most of Cubdom.

Chad Fox?!? Are you kidding me? I don't care if this is a minor league contract with an invite to ST...a lot more other players are deserving of such an opportunity. This lightning in a bottle sort of strategy that Hendry's been using is wearing thin.

Aaron:

I knew you would blow a gasket on Hendry's signing of Fox. What is his next signing going to be? Maybe Jason Simontachi, or Shawn Estes.

this is not news. let me know when they get Peavy. The key to 2003 success was Prior, Wood and Zambrano were outstanding shut em down type pitchers. which made them dangerous and built for the playoffs. I like Lilly and Dempster. But half the time you don't know what your gonna get. Peavy is the key and you can get a mediocre right fielder and win.

From a purely "fun to see" standpoint, I'd like to see Griffey go to Seattle as their DH.

read that the cardinals are interested in Kerry Wood. That would really piss me off.

So do you think he'll sit next to LaRussa in the dugout? I would be disappointed in Woody if he went to the Cardinals. He has better morals than that.

psomeone please please please tell me why people are so facsinated with Griffey ? The guy is far past his prime, its not even funny. The guy can't run anymore, you think Ibanez or Dunn would be bad in OF ? Holy cow, I guess you weren't watching him last year on south side...and yes, I know were dumb enough to put him CF, but still, the guy can't run anymore. and when was the last year he didn't get hurt ? 1999 ? C'mon.

Gosh, I sure hope we don't go with an aging, high cost veteran in right. Whether it's Griffey, Ibanez or Abreu, haven't we learned our lesson with Jacque Jones.

Let's hope Fukodome can make some adjustments and produce next year, and for goodness sake, give Hoffpauer his chance already. Without being a broken record (or CD in today's era), he'll likely produce 15-20 HR's and 80 RBI's, and he's in our system and being paid peanuts. We don't need more fragile veterans who's best years are well in the past.

I don't think the Chad Fox signing is going to have much of an impact on the Cubs. I doubt we'll see him on the roster.

With all the rumors floating around for a left-handed bat (Raul Ibanez, Bobby Abreu, etc), there's one name I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned.....Ken Griffey Jr. Yes, I know he's 39 and he's been injury prone for a long time. But I feel like the guy has a little left in the tank. He had a tough season last year, but he hit 30 homeruns in 2007. While he's lost a step or two defensively, I think he's still better than Abreu or Ibanez would be. I think Griffey could provide what Jim Edmonds did in 2008, if not more. I've been a huge Griffey fan for a long time and maybe it's nostalgia that I want him on the Cubs, but wouldn't he look great in a Cubs uniform? I think Griffey has something to prove to himself before he retires. I know he wants to win and he'd be a great mentor to guys like Felix Pie. I'm pretty sure a one or two year deal wouldn't be too expensive coming off a down season. And maybe you could put him at first base to give D. Lee a few more days off. Unless the Cubs land a new leadoff man, here's my 2009 lineup:

Theriot-SS

DeRosa-2B

Ramirez-3B

Soriano-LF

Griffey-RF

Lee-1B

Soto-C

Fukudome-CF

Can't wait for 2009! Go Cubs!!!

great creativity on the line up...needs speed

But I like it!

Thanks, Agustin. ARAM should bat 3rd, as he is the Cubs best pure hitter. At this point in their careers, I think D. Lee is a better suited to bat 6th. And I still don't see why Soriano can't produce in the cleanup spot. He's always going to be an aggressive free-swinger whether we like it or not. So if he's swinging for the fences, he should be doing it in the four hole. I agree we need speed. Not sure how JH intends to get it, but Lou has made it no mystery this team needs a leadoff man and a power LH bat. I don't think Griffey would be nearly as expensive as Ibanez or Abreu. I know he's old, but I think he would fit in well with this Cubs team. Also, if Fontenot can prove he can play SS, maybe we can flip Theriot in a Brian Roberts deal.

Chad Fox?? I don't understand this one.

I predict Howry bounces back and has a very good year as a set-up man in SF. Come July his numbers will be better than Gregg's and Samardzija's and we will be sorry we let him go (without even getting draft picks in return).

Good to see the Giants are making sure that they stay mediocre next year too...unless they make Howry their closer. For some reason, Howry didn't suck when he closed games...just when it involved working with any sort of points on the scoreboard (or, in some cases, with no points on the board).

Also, Chad Fox? Good sign...now he can not pitch for us next season, too (and when he does, he can bring the definition of mediocre along with him)!

With the Chad Fox signing.....

Jim Hendry is turning into Jim Hendry circa 2005-2006.

Why? Fox is 38, messed his elbow up pretty badly and I don't think he'll be on our pitching staff in April. So why did we sign him?