From the "for what it's worth department"

[Boobaby1]

[

Grilli, McCutchen stayed put, high on Pirates’ potential

Last winter, the Cubs made an aggressive run at the best closer in the National League right now.

“It was a tough choice,” Jason Grilli said.

But Grilli turned down “a little bit more money” to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates instead of Theo Epstein’s Cubs.

The best center fielder in the league also is a guy Cubs’ brass identified as a possible long-term target once he reached free agency in a couple of years — until *Andrew McCutchen signed a six-year *extension with the Pirates before last season.

“I didn’t want to be anywhere else,” McCutchen said Wednesday, before doubling twice and scoring the only run against Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija in the Pirates’ 1-0 *victory at PNC Park.

What in the name of Honus Wagner is going on around here?

Go!

 

[Willrust]

Guess I will have to state the obvious in that I am sure that there were at least 15 teams that also identified McCuthen as a possible long-term target if he reached free agency prior to signing his extension.

 

[Willrust]

http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs-talk/dempster-looks-back-cubs-look-ahead-another-trade-deadline

Sorry to rehash old things, but gotta post some of those gleanings sent from the mothership that alot of people knew and others refused to accept

“Chicago’s a really, really special city and I think just as much as playing for the Cubs, people fall in love with playing in this city, and rightfully so. It’s just a tremendous place and you can see why guys don’t want to leave.”

In recent years, Kerry Wood left before returning at a hometown discount. Where Derrek Lee evolved – rejecting a deal with the Los Angeles Angels in July 2010 before accepting a trade to the Atlanta Braves weeks later – Aramis Ramirez essentially used his doctrine of “No chance, papi.”

It took the perfect storm in January 2012 to convince Carlos Zambrano to waive his no-trade rights and go pitch for Ozzie Guillen’s Miami Marlins.

On July 23 last year, Dempster woke up from a nap at the team hotel in Pittsburgh and saw that his name had exploded all over Twitter. Atlanta outlets had first reported it was a done deal with the Braves, pending his approval, and other reporters jumped on the bandwagon, creating an environment where he felt it was difficult to make a decision.

To those of you that argued until you were blue in the face, those 2 bolded statements are about the best consolation that you can get.

 

[mountsalami]

Guess I will have to state the obvious in that I am sure that there were at least 15 teams that also identified McCuthen as a possible long-term target if he reached free agency prior to signing his extension.

More "that I'm sure" information delivered via ET during his recent Earth landing.

ET has that really cool hand with those neat fingers. Wonder what other "shockers" he delivered to you during his visit.