If We Were The GM

[tspain]

I have tried to figure out what I would have done this off season if I had been the GM of the Cubs. Here is what I would have loved to do as the GM of the Cubs for 2006 and beyond:

 

Trade Prior and Barrett to Atlanta for Franceour, McCann and Marte.

 

Trade Marte, Murton, Pie, Dopirak, Harvey, Hill, Wuerst, Pinto and Nolasco to Florida for Cabrera, Pierre and Willis.

 

Lineup looks like

 

Pierre

Walker

Lee

Cabrera

Ramirez

Franceour

McCann

Cedeno

 

Rotation

 

Zambrano

Willis

Wood

Maddux

Williams/Rusch

 

For the bull pen I would have signed Todd Jones in addition to Howry and Eyre. Todd Jones can close if Dempster falters this season.

 

Dempster

Jones

Howry

Williamson

Ohman

Eyre

 

Bench Players

 

I would have signed Mabry and Marrerro because they play multiple positions and I like the flexibility.

 

Mabry

Marrerro

Blanco

Hairston

Perez

 

 

Either go with the extra pitcher, or sign another bench player, to be decided by the health of Kerry Wood in spring training.

 

 

I feel this is a much stronger team than what we will be fielding in 2006 with Jim Hendry at the helm. Could these deals have been made, I have no idea, but if I had been the GM, I would have been trying to make these moves.

 

Tell us what you think, and what you would have tried to do if you were the Cubs GM.

 

Pastor Tom Spain

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I have tried to figure out what I would have done this off season if I had been the GM of the Cubs. Here is what I would have loved to do as the GM of the Cubs for 2006 and beyond:

 

Trade Prior and Barrett to Atlanta for Franceour, McCann and Marte.

 

Trade Marte, Murton, Pie, Dopirak, Harvey, Hill, Wuerst, Pinto and Nolasco to Florida for Cabrera, Pierre and Willis.

 

Lineup looks like

 

Pierre

Walker

Lee

Cabrera

Ramirez

Franceour

McCann

Cedeno

 

Rotation

 

Zambrano

Willis

Wood

Maddux

Williams/Rusch

 

For the bull pen I would have signed Todd Jones in addition to Howry and Eyre. Todd Jones can close if Dempster falters this season.

 

Dempster

Jones

Howry

Williamson

Ohman

Eyre

 

Bench Players

 

I would have signed Mabry and Marrerro because they play multiple positions and I like the flexibility.

 

Mabry

Marrerro

Blanco

Hairston

Perez

 

 

Either go with the extra pitcher, or sign another bench player, to be decided by the health of Kerry Wood in spring training.

 

 

I feel this is a much stronger team than what we will be fielding in 2006 with Jim Hendry at the helm. Could these deals have been made, I have no idea, but if I had been the GM, I would have been trying to make these moves.

 

Tell us what you think, and what you would have tried to do if you were the Cubs GM.

 

Pastor Tom Spain

 

One small problem with your idea is that the Braves have already traded Marte to the Red Sox.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

One small problem with your idea is that the Braves have already traded Marte to the Red Sox.

 

He was saying what he would've done this offseason, so that trade could've been done before Marte got shipped to Boston.

[tspain]

And Jones signed to close for the Tigers, but I would have gotten a shot at signing him first, and would have tried to get Marte before the Braves traded him to Boston.

 

Pastor Tom Spain

[ThePenguin11]

If I was the GM I would have:

 

- Told Macias to take a hike the day after the WS ended.

- Exercised Walker's option.

- Signed Howry & Eyre

- Not resigned Perez to that ridiculous contract.

- Traded for Pierre.

- Worked on a Dunn or Griffey trade with the Reds before they traded Casey.

- Upped the ante for Furcal

- Kept my final offer to Jones at 2 years.

 

EDIT: All in all, not that much different from Jim's approach. Unfortunately, the moves he hasn't made so far have been the big ones.

[CoolHandLuke]

-I would have not resigned Neifi or Rusch

- " " signed Eyre or Howry to the deals they got, but would have still persued them.

- " made an attempt to sign Giles and BJ Ryan

-Walker would be penciled in as the starter at 2B

-pursued a guy like Byrd or Weaver as the 4th/5th starter to go along with JWill

-if we lost out on Giles and failed at bringing in someone like Abreu, I would look to bring back Burnitz before signing crap like Jones.

-Made my number one cf option Milton Bradley instead of Pierre

 

-BAKER WOULD HAVE BEEN GONE

[UK1679666180]

Players I would've targeted...

 

Michaels-CF

Giles-RF

(The other 6 position players are as expected)

 

For the Bench

Saenz

Sweeney

Branyan

Call-up Fontenot

(Hairston/Blanco as the remainder)

 

Pitchers:

Everything what Hendry did except bringing back Rusch.

[rawaction]

Sign Giles for 4/$52M (would have had to overpay to get him to leave SD).

Sign Bob Howry

Trade Patterson and Williams to LA for Milton Bradley.

Trade Hill, Dopirak, and Mitre to Tampa for Lugo.

Sign Jeff Weaver 1/$9M.

Trade minor league pitcher for Branyan.

Sign Marrero.

 

 

Lineup.

 

SS-Lugo

2B-Walker

RF-Giles

1B-Lee

3B-Ramirez

CF-Bradley

LF-Murton

C- Barrett

 

Bench

2b/SS-Cedeno

2B/CF-Hairston

3B/1B/OF-Branyan

OF-Marrero

C-Blanco

IF-Fontenot

 

Rotation.

 

Prior, Zambrano, Maddux, Weaver, Wood

 

Bullpen.

 

Dempster-CL, Howry-SU, Ohman, Rusch, Wuertz, Novoa

[Drew Doughty]

-Let Rusch/Perez go

-Designate Macias for assignment and/or see if he has any real trade value

-See what I can get for Derrek Lee

-If nothing is good for Lee (which would probably be true), I'll start filling the holes in RF, SS, and CF.

-Pursue Giles hard

-Sign only one of howry or Eyre

-Pursue Furcal hard, but not to the point where it's a 13m/y contract

-IF Giles falls through, sign Jones to a 1year deal with a team option for a 2nd year. 3-5 for a year, if he accepts.

-IF I can't sign Jones, trade for Craig Wilson

-Acquire Pierre

-Shop Corey, see if there's anything I like, let him compete for a job in ST (probably 4th OF at best until injury)

-If I can't get Furcal, let Cedeno have the job outright

-Make sure Walker is on the team

 

Opening day lineup (not quite ideally, but somewhat logically)

Pierre CF

Walker 2B

Giles RF

Lee 1B

Ramirez 3B

Barrett C

Murton LF

Cedeno SS

Zambrano P

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Players I would have went after...

 

Michaels

Giles

Wilkerson

Bradley

 

(Had to get at least two, and Bradley came SOOOO CHEAP)

 

 

For the Bench:

Sweeney

Branyan

Kept Corey as an extra OFer

 

 

Pitchers:

Rudy Seanez (sp?)

Agreed on the bullpen arms he got

MAYBE BJ Ryan but that'd have to be before the Jays jumped in there...

 

But I think most of my changes would have been with coaching/management. Dusty would be gone. Same with Rotschild. Same with Clines.

 

I'd end up overhauling alot of things if I became Cubs GM. Our whole minor league coaching system would be changed, someone actually does have to do some coaching down there. Also, WTF is with our trainers?

 

This organization needs a good kick in the @ss.

[WrigleyinEngland]

Ok Lets see.........

 

Fired Baker the day the season ended, Hire Joe Giradi with Ryno as one of the coaches and then get our triple A pitching coach instead of the arm killer.

 

FA's

 

Giles wasn't going anywhere so i would of saved all trades for the outfield except Barret and prospect to SD for Loretta. I like Blanco with our pitchers and i won't be touching neifi so Henry is acceptable hitting at 8. I pay the bucks to get Furcal , whatever it takes.

 

Saenez and Eyre, wouldn't bring back Rusch, offer Byrd, Weaver a reasonable but not long term contract. I would get my CF through trade i want either Micheals, Wilkerson or Bradley.

 

I then offer Hill, Murton,Nolasco and Guzman/Pinto to Phil for Abreu

 

Sign a platoon of Jones/Marrero to play LF. My bench would be made up of Sweeny, Fontenot, Hairston,Perez,Mabry.

 

Furcal

Loretta

D Lee

Abreu

Aram

Wilkerson/Bradley

Jones/Marrero

Blanco

 

Prior

ZAm

Maddux

Byrd/Weaver

J Will

Wood when back If any of the above fail look for a trade for a fifth starter during season.

 

Dempster

Eyre

Saenez

Weurtz

Ohman

Williamson

 

I suppose you can always argue about whether the trades would of been accpted but what you can't argue about is that our team would be much better without having to take a videogame approach to trades.

[CubFanPhilly]

1. A-Ram and Williams to Philly for Abreu and Bell

2. Re-sign Nomar to play 3B.

3. Sign Lofton to a 1-yr deal.

4. Platoon Patterson with Murton in LF.

5. Pick up Walker's option.

6. Sign Eyre skip Howry.

7. Sign Perez 1-yr $1.5 mil.

8. Sign Rusch to a 1-yr extension. Pass if he won't do one year.

 

Also approach the Nats about a deal for Vidro, Harris & some cash - offer Patterson, Hairston, Nolasco & Mitre.

 

Lineup

 

Lofton

Walker

Lee

Abreu

Nomar

Barrett

Murton/C Patt

Cedeno

 

Bench

Hairston

Perez

C Patt/Murton

Bell

Mabry

Blanco

 

 

Zambrano

Prior

Maddux

Rusch or Mitre (later Wood)

Hill

 

Dempster

Eyre

Ohman

Novoa

Wuertz

Williamson

[BigbadB]

Ink Nomar for 1 year on a make good deal.

 

Extend Walker and announce him as my starting 2b immediately.

 

Overpay to sign Giles.

 

Give Neifi a 1 year deal to be my 2nd utility guy with Cedeno.

 

Wood would have had surgery right away last year, so his health would not have been in question going into 2006. Would not re-sign Rusch.

 

Trade from our prospect corps to get Mike MacDougal and Jeremy Affeldt for the pen.

 

Add bench depth by picking up Sweeney and keep Patterson.

 

Trade for Milton Bradley or sign free agent Kenny Lofton. Preferably Bradley.

 

Line up: Bradley, Walker, Lee, Giles, Ramirez, Nomar, Barrett, Murton

 

Starting Staff: Zambrano, Prior, Wood, Maddux, Williams

 

Pen: Dempster, Williamson, MacDougal, Affeldt, Wuertz, Ohman, Hill

 

Bench: Blanco, Cedeno, Perez, Sweeney, Hairston, Patterson

 

Cedeno and Perez can have rare starts, Cedeno gets regular starts for injury, both can be used as late defensive replacements. Wow! What an offense! Weak defensively up the middle with Nomar and Walker. But, there is Perez and Cedeno as protection.

[JeffH]

I know he's a favorite whipping boy, but I'm surprised that not many people would have re-signed Rusch.

 

In a market where Brett Tomko gets $8+ over two years, I'm quite happy to have Rusch.

[BigbadB]

I know he's a favorite whipping boy, but I'm surprised that not many people would have re-signed Rusch.

 

In a market where Brett Tomko gets $8+ over two years, I'm quite happy to have Rusch.

 

I'm not sure why Rusch was so quick to sign with the Cubs, honestly. He should fire his agent. My reasoning for not signing Rusch as the "fake GM", is that with a healthy Wood, I felt the Cubs had enough protection in the rotation with guys like Pinto, Nolasco, Guzman, Hill, Mitre. It would be blocking all of these guys completely to have Rusch. One or some might have been gone in a deal that brought relievers or an outfielder in trade, but if this Hill guy is so good that he can't be included in trades, let's see what he's got. Let him do that spot start, long relief role. It will keep his innings to a minimum in 2006 while preparing him for a potential starting role in 2007. If Guzman is healthy, he'd be a guy I want getting major league service in 2006 to see if he's worth hanging onto.

 

Let me also add that I like Rusch. Goony and I have argued about Rusch plenty of times. I don't like what he's making and I don't like that he's blocking the prospects. Of course, some of those prospects are gone now, so Rusch is more needed now anyway. But, I am more in agreement these day with Goony that this probably wasn't one of the better moves this offseason. My apologies if I'm mis-speaking (sp?) on Goony's behalf.

[goonys evil twin]

I know he's a favorite whipping boy, but I'm surprised that not many people would have re-signed Rusch.

 

In a market where Brett Tomko gets $8+ over two years, I'm quite happy to have Rusch.

Let me also add that I like Rusch. Goony and I have argued about Rusch plenty of times. I don't like what he's making and I don't like that he's blocking the prospects. Of course, some of those prospects are gone now, so Rusch is more needed now anyway. But, I am more in agreement these day with Goony that this probably wasn't one of the better moves this offseason. My apologies if I'm mis-speaking (sp?) on Goony's behalf.

 

Whether or not some other team was dumb enough to pay Tomko what he got has no bearing on how the Cubs should have treated the Rusch situation. The bottom line is he's not good. He might give you 2 very good starts a year, with 5-8 decent ones. The rest of the time he sucks. An inconsistent unrproven kid with upside could easily give you that for the minimum. Rusch would be valuable to a team with no AAA or AA pitchers capable of throwing a few games. His role is much better suited for a guy you can stash in AAA half the year, as opposed to a guy with a guaranteed contract and full-time roster spot. He's exactly not what this team needed in the pitching staff. They have lots of questionable arms who may or may not be any good. What they needed was a good arm, and he doesn't have it. But his salary makes it more difficult to afford one.

[Magnetic Curses]

-signed howry, left eyre for the sox. not offered new contract to rusch, let him excercise option.

-offered 3 years, 40 mil to giles-if rejected, gone to 45 mil. told him that he could keep his house in san diego, airplanes were invented a long time ago.

-pick up walker option.

-give hill spot in rotation.

-sign mabry.

-re-sign neifi to smaller deal, tell dusty trap door to be installed in dugout with sea bass wearing lasers on heads.

-trade patterson, hairston, williams for bradley.

-NRI Branyan

 

1. Walker 2b

2. Bradley CF

3. Lee 1b

4. Giles RF

5. Ramirez 3b

6. Murton LF

7. Barrett C

8. Cedeno SS

 

Neifi

Mabry

Blanco

Greenberg

Branyan

 

 

1. Z

2. Prior

3. Wood

4. Maddux

5. Hill

 

Wuertz

Ohman

Howry

Williamson

Rusch

Novoa (let dusty keep 12 pitchers, to keep him happy despite neifi-trap-door in dugout)

Demspter

[cubsva]

I do not post on the boards very often, but I am a constant reader and am officially addicted to this amazing community. Yet, once I saw this thread, I felt the need to throw out what I would have done with the Cubs. Most may not agree with these moves and I would love to hear your opinions.

 

My first move as GM would have been to fire Baker and hire Leo Mazzone by sending a prospect to Atlanta. However, working for the Trib, I know that they will never eat Dusty's contract. Therefore, I set out to make sure that no one on the Cubs roster has the prototypical "just good enough" player to step into the role of "Dusty's boy" just because the "dude can catch the ball."

 

Next, I would have offered Nomar G. an incentive laden deal with a base of 6.5 million dollars with a mutual option for 2007 worth 9 million dollars before the arbitration deadline. His role on the 2006 Chicago Cus would be to platoon in RF with Murton and at SS with Cedeno.

 

I would have non-tendered Jose Macias, Jeromy Burnitz, and Neifi Perez and offered Glendon Rusch arbitration.

 

Todd Walker - 2.5 million dollar option exercised.

 

Trades:

Cubs -

Todd Wellemeyer

Jermaine Van Buren

 

Colorado -

Larry Bigbie

________________________________

 

Cubs-

C. Patterson

Brandon Sing

John Koronka

 

Dodgers:

Milton Bradley

________________________________

 

Cubs

Jerome Williams

Angel Guzman

Felix Pie

 

Phillies

Bobby Abreu

________________________________

 

Free Agents

Bobby Howry - 2 years at 3.5 mil.

Chad Bradford - 1 year at 1 mi.

John Mabry 1yr. at 1 mil.

Abraham Nunez 1 year at 1.3 million dollars

Jeff Weaver 3 years at 10.5 mil

 

 

Lineup:

Milton Bradley

Todd Walker

Bobby Abreu

Derrek Lee

Aramis Ramirez

Matt Murton/Nomar G.

M. Barrett

R. Cedeno

 

Bench

J. Hairston

L. Bigbie

A. Nunez

N. Garciaparra

Henry Blanco

 

 

Rotation

M. Prior

C. Zambrano

Greg Maddux

Kerry Wood (if healthy)

Jeff Weaver

Alt. Rusch/Hill

 

Pen

Michael Wuertz

Will Ohman

Bobby Howry

Chad Bradford

Ryan Dempster

Roberto Novoa

 

My final and most important move of the off-season would be to file a restraining order against Marquis Grissom to prevent him from even coming close to becoming a starter at any position.

 

What do you think. Is this a "dusty proof" team?

[BigbadB]

Yeah, it's Dusty proof. But, I'm not sure these moves would fit within the budget. If it does, I give your offseason a very big :cheers:

 

Of course, going over budget a bit when you feel like you have a World Series caliber team assembled shouldn't be completely tossed out the window. :wink:

[marc_foust]

I bring back Dempster, Rusch, Neifi, and Walker.

 

I see if Nomar is willing to stick around for a 3 mil plus incentives with a mutual option for a second year. If so he spells ARam, and platoons with Jones kind of, murton moves over when Nomar plays. Also I only carry 6 in the pen if he stays.

 

I do the trade for Bradley but Im not sure that it was entirely possible with them not wanting to deal with us. If not I like the Pierre deal.

 

I go hard after Furcal like we did but do not go over 10 mil per year.

 

I give Giles a run but that appears to never have been an option. I dont mind Jones but 2 years would have been prefered.

 

I go hard after Tejada, but not Prior hard.

 

I keep walker when Furcal, giles, and bradley all fall through.

 

I sign Eyre and Howry with the thinking that if one busts we still have a tough pen. I have Rusch as long man until either Willaims fails or Wood goes down and Hill is another option if Willaism or Rusch arent cutting it.

 

I sign Mabry. And I keep Patterson as a 4th outfielder.

 

CF- Pierre

2B- Walker

1B- Lee

3B- ARam

C- Barrett

RF- Jones/(LF-Nomar possibly)

LF-Murton

SS- Cedeno

 

Hairston

Mabry

Blanco

Neifi

Patterson

Nomar possibly

 

Z

Prior

Maddux

Wood

Williams

 

Rusch (Till Wood goes down then Hill)

Howry

Eyre

Williamson

Wuertz/Novoa

Dempster

Ohman

 

----------------------------------

 

I really dont mind the offseason, I think we upgraded a number of positions in a very weak free agent year. We over payed and went too many years on a couple of players but overall I think Hendry did comendable. If he is able to pull another fleecing at the break for a starter if our 5 is having trouble or when Wood goes down or perhaps to pick up someone like bradley or a platoon partner for jones.

 

We have some players that could either bang or bust such as Pierre, Jones, Murton, Cedeno, Williams but I like their chances of at the very least being an upgrade over last year. In the best case Murton becomes a solid player, Cedeno provides excellent defense and hits at a decent rate, Jones goes back to being a 300 hitter, Pierre regains form, and Williams becomes a solid number 3 pitcher for us next year.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

What do you think. Is this a "dusty proof" team?

 

No such thing. You could give him a team made up of Pujolses and Cabreras with a staff of Zambranos and Santanas, and he'd find a way to turn it into an 85-win team. :lol:

[BigbadB]

I do the trade for Bradley but Im not sure that it was entirely possible with them not wanting to deal with us. If not I like the Pierre deal.

 

You're the GM, so you wouldn't have a bad relationship with Coletti, therefore you were able to work a deal. :wink:

[jmajew]

I would have first resigned Nomar. Then would have traded Aramis for Manny and some cash, roughly 15-20 mil. I would have traded for Pierre and I would have signed all the relievers. The bench I would have signed Nefi to be a utility player(note at only 1.5 mil a year) and I would have signed Mabry and kept Patterson.

 

Pierre

Walker

Lee

Manny

Nomar

Barrett

Murton

Cedeno

 

Bench:

Hairston

Nefi

Patterson

Blanco

Mabry

 

Rotation:

Zambrano

Prior

Wood

Maddux

Williams

Rusch

 

Bullpen:

Dempster

Howry

Eyre

Williamson

Ohman

Wuertz

[CubsInNC]

1.) DFA Jose Macias on the first day possible

2.) Inform Neifi Perez we would no longer be in need of his services

3.) Pick up Todd Walker's extension

4.) Sign Eyre and Rusch to 2yr deals.

5.) Offer Weaver (1yr 9mil) and Washburn (1yr 7mil) contracts.

5a.) Should both have signed, traded Williams, Mitre, Nolasco, Pinto and Sing to the Devil Rays for Crawford and Lugo.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Should both not have signed:

6.) Resign Nomar to a 1yr contract with 2.5mil guaranteed, up to 3 mil more in incentives based on PAs and games played, and a mutual option in 2007, or 75k buyout.

7.) Trade Mitre, Nolasco, and Pinto to Phillies for Michaels

8.) 3 Way deal with The nationals who had acquired Soriano, Cubs get Roberts and Markakis, Orioles get Soriano, Patterson, and Sing, nationals get Dopirak, Hill, Brownlie, and 1-2 Pitchers from Balt.

9.) Trade Walker to Boston for minor league P.

10.) Sign P. Wilson to a 1yr 4.5mil contract for RF.

11.) Sign Mabry, Restovich, Grissom, Hocking, J. Hernandez, Durazo, Higginson, and Branyan to minor league deals and invite to ST.

 

Lineup:

C: Barrett

1B Lee

2B: Roberts

SS: Nomar/Lugo

3B: Ramirez

LF: Murton

CF: Michaels/Crawford

RF: Wilson

 

SP: Prior, Zambrano, Maddux, Wood/Williams, Williams/Weaver, Willams/Washburn

RP: Eyre, Dempster, Williamson, Welly, Rusch, Wuertz

 

BN: Blanco, Cedeno, Hairston, 2 of Mabry/Jose/Branyan/Markakis/Durazo/Restovich/Hocking/Higginson

 

Mid season, I would then trade a performing Nomar/Lugo to a team like the Braves for Francouer.

 

Honestly, this is an incredibly weak bench, but we as a team lack many substantial internal candidates to fill it, and the FA class was weak this season. I preferred to use my farm to upgrade a position where we had essentially no one, and upgrade a position both offensive and defensively.