Greg Maddux

[CatnipOligarchy]

so here we are less than 10 days from pitchers and catchers reporting to camp, and Greg Maddux is without a team to pitch for next season. I put the blame on AOL and Scott Boras for this. AOL, which has destroyed Time Warner, which owns the braves, has forced the team to cut payroll about $15 million for this coming season. Atlanta payed Maddux $14.75m last year and couldnt afford near that this year, so no offer was made. Scott Boras, superagent, doesnt care a bit about loyalty to a team and is only concerned with getting his players and himself the most money possible.

Anyways, Greg Maddux is 11 wins away from 300 for his career. My dad and I are both Braves season ticket holders, and i would love to see Greg Maddux win his 300th in a Braves uniform more than anything else next season, shy of a world series title. I realize this is a long shot, but every day he goes unsigned increases the chances of him resigning with Atlanta. From what i understand, the Braves cant offer Maddux a new contract until May 1, but they can invite him to camp and sign him to a minor league deal from now to may 1. I realize this is unlikely, but I'm gonna keep hopes up, hes been my favorite player the last 10 years.

If Maddux is to sign with another team, i want it to be the Chicago Cubs. I have always had a soft spot for the Cubs, and they are also the team that groomed him, so it wouldnt be so bad to see him go back there. Cubs fans deserve a 300 game winner. The same can be said for the equally great Cardinals fans, but Maddux started in Chicago, so the Cubs get the nod. It would suck if he went to LA. I would be truly hurt if he went to the mets though. It was bad enough losing glavine to them, but maddux too, that would be brutal.

so, im going to cast my vote for atlanta, because thats what my heart says. but my mind tells me he's gonna end up in chicago.

[brianicoleman]

id be likely to bet chicago.... i think they have expressed the most interest in him.... as for atlanta, i do not think that he would come back after not being offered arbitration

[Fubalastic Fantaculist]

i voted chicago. yes, they have shown a lot of interest in him and i think he wants to finish up his career where he started it.

[....]

I'd like the Braves to keep him, but just think about that Cub lineup if they grab him. Prior, Wood, Maddux, Zambrano, and whoever else. That would be pretty interesting to watch.

[IndianPimp99]

Hey Boog, the whoever else would be Matt Clement.

I (obviously) would love to see him with the Cubs but I also feel that if he really, and I mean REALLY wanted to come to Chicago then he would have done it by now. Sure the contract offered may not have been what he was looking for, but up to now it is the only offer on the table. I have yet to hear of a counter offer from Bor-ASS and Maddux but that should have been submitted right after the initial offer was deamed too low.

Funny I should stumble upon this topic today since today (2/11) marks the first day since the Maddux news broke that none of the big 4 "major" newspapers in Chicago have anything about Maddux. (The big 4 are the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald, and Daily Southtown)

I voted for Chicago, but I could just have easily said the Dodgers or Giants. As good as Maddux is, he can't get them out like he used to and two of the best pitchers parks are close to his Las Vegas & San Diego homes. I really don't see the Braves, Mets, and Cardinals pulling it off (though I didn't see the Angels with Vlad or Bartolo either so what do I know)

[+Fulcrum Subscriber¹]

Maddux Signs with the Cubbies!! Woot!

[firebud]

Maddux Signs with the Cubbies!! Woot!

w0000t! :D

[nazgul]

Thank god the Yankees didn't get him... that woulda been even more nuts.

[Veedems Veteran]

Thank god the Yankees didn't get him... that woulda been even more nuts.

I'm a Yankees fan and I didn't want them to get him either. I don't think he's all that great anymore.

[Aaron Veteran]

I voted Cubs. Am I right! I bet money I am right! :D

PS- Maybe we ought to close this one now, huh?

[Chad]

I'm a Yankees fan and I didn't want them to get him either. I don't think he's all that great anymore.

He's still a better pitcher than anyone the Yankees have.

[CatnipOligarchy]

I'm a Yankees fan and I didn't want them to get him either. I don't think he's all that great anymore.

He went 16-11 with a 3.96 era last year.. i dont see how anyone considers that bad. Sure he had a few years back in the mid 1990s where he was posting ERAs in the mid 1's.. but hes still one of the top 10 pitchers in the league in my opinion. 15 wins for 16 years in a row <-- you cant argue with that.

[ChicoCahill]

he's on a downslide, i can't see why they gave him a 3 year deal

[CatnipOligarchy]

he's on a downslide, i can't see why they gave him a 3 year deal

he's having the same problems with QuesTec as Schilling and Glavine. He is still an excellent pitcher and he will be a great mix in that rotation of mostly power pitchers in Chicago.

[ChicoCahill]

i love that if the cubs rotation has all rightys there a power rotation, but the yankees have that and everyone says you can't win a world series without a lefty

[IndianPimp99]

Well, the difference between the Cubs and Yankees rotation is age and health.

The Cubs have Wood at 26, Prior at 23, Zambrano 22, Clement at 30, and Maddux at 37.

The Yanks have Brown at 39, Contreras at 33, Lieber at 34, Mussina at 36, and Vasquez at 28.

Cubs average age: 27.6

Yanks average age: 34 plus Lieber and Brown could be injury risks, and Contreras hasn't been consistent.

[Fubalastic Fantaculist]

i have a good feeling he will sign with the cubs! :yes:

[Toxikk Veteran]

im gonna say cubs. i can predict the future you know.

sike. im voting after the contract was made :D

[BroChaos Veteran]

hehe, yeah, this is awesome news. i just hope we can put everything together. we are shaping up to have a great team. hopefully we can finish this season better than last, which was total heartbreak.

[brianicoleman]

for the ones that didnt get the memo about greg maddux, he is now with the cubs.

[Scribbller]

Good intersection in the cubs side.

Edited February 26, 2004 by Scribbller