Rotoworld Offseason Free agent predictions

[goonys evil twin]

This team won't compete for anything called the playoffs until 2009 at the earliest. There are way too many holes to fill

 

I think they could contend for the NL pennant as soon as next year with just a handful of moves. There are lots of holes that could be filled. But even the best teams have a couple holes. They could build a 90 win team by next season and be right there. If Hendry stays on his present course, that's unlikely, but it's entirely possible if the right moves are made.

[CuseCubFan69]

This team won't compete for anything called the playoffs until 2009 at the earliest. There are way too many holes to fill

 

I think they could contend for the NL pennant as soon as next year with just a handful of moves. There are lots of holes that could be filled. But even the best teams have a couple holes. They could build a 90 win team by next season and be right there. If Hendry stays on his present course, that's unlikely, but it's entirely possible if the right moves are made.

 

I don't think they have the starting pitching to contend along with the fact they might lose Ramirez. I don't believe signing a Zito or Schmidt would even make a difference other than to get 73-80 wins instead of 65-72.

[Sammy Sofa]

one bright spot imo is theroit, but who knows if he's ever going to get that chance? he could be our ryan freel.

 

The hell he is.

 

Pardon my bluntness, but the guy is just going through a hot streak right now. If he ends up amounting to more than a backup infielder for ANY team, I'll eat my hat and the hat of the person next to me. Theriot isn't the answer for any of the IF spots any more than Izturis, Cedeno or Bynum are.

[Magnetic Curses]

assuming ramirez doesn't opt-out, hendry must absolutely throw all the money he can at schmidt and zito.

 

anything else can be acquired via trade.

[fibro]

This team won't compete for anything called the playoffs until 2009 at the earliest. There are way too many holes to fill

 

I think they could contend for the NL pennant as soon as next year with just a handful of moves. There are lots of holes that could be filled. But even the best teams have a couple holes. They could build a 90 win team by next season and be right there. If Hendry stays on his present course, that's unlikely, but it's entirely possible if the right moves are made.

 

I don't think they have the starting pitching to contend along with the fact they might lose Ramirez. I don't believe signing a Zito or Schmidt would even make a difference other than to get 73-80 wins instead of 65-72.

 

Have you looked at the stating pitching of the teams contending in the NL? Look at the Reds, Mets, Padres, LA none of them have great starting pitching. The NL is terrible anyone who makes a couple good moves could compete.

[CuseCubFan69]

This team won't compete for anything called the playoffs until 2009 at the earliest. There are way too many holes to fill

 

I think they could contend for the NL pennant as soon as next year with just a handful of moves. There are lots of holes that could be filled. But even the best teams have a couple holes. They could build a 90 win team by next season and be right there. If Hendry stays on his present course, that's unlikely, but it's entirely possible if the right moves are made.

 

I don't think they have the starting pitching to contend along with the fact they might lose Ramirez. I don't believe signing a Zito or Schmidt would even make a difference other than to get 73-80 wins instead of 65-72.

 

Have you looked at the stating pitching of the teams contending in the NL? Look at the Reds, Mets, Padres, LA none of them have great starting pitching. The NL is terrible anyone who makes a couple good moves could compete.

 

I agree. It's just that I don't have faith in Mr. Hendry to be the one to make those few good moves.

[wastra]

jim hendry has to have the greatest offseason of all time in order for the cubs to contend for a championship next season.

 

I think Hendry needs to sign a starting pitcher (Schmidt) and make a trade for an impact bat for the Cubs to be in contention next year. With Hill, Marshall, Mateo, Guzman, and Marmol all showing some major league potential, the Cubs have what a lot of teams want (young pitching). Put a couple of those pitchers together with Cedeno and you might get someone like Tejada if Angelos finally wakes up to the status of his team. I dream about the Cubs putting together a good enough package to get Cabrera, but that probably won't happen. I am assuming that Prior can come back and be a decent #3 starter. Finally, let's not forget that the Cubs are in the NL Central where contending might mean winning 88 games.

 

 

I think it takes more than an arm and a bat to take us from 25 under to contending. I don't think people realize how bad this roster is top-to-bottom with only about 4-6 bright spots.

 

Of our entire roster, there are only really a few position players who aren't drags on our ability to score, and most have some large caveats next to their names:

 

Lee (returning from injury, and it's possible he'll never be the 2005 Lee again even if healthy, because that's hard to do).

Ramirez (won't do squat the first month of any season)

Barret- good offensive catcher, no real issues there.

 

Everyone else is easily replaceable/forgetable at the moment, or just not good.

 

On the pitching staff, you have Zambrano and Eyre who are the only real definite solid pitchers we can count on. howry isn't a major problem either.

 

everyone else is questionable at best.

 

I'm sorry, but no team with only 5-6 guys you can expect to be solidly above average is goign ot cotnend by adding a pitcher and a big bat, I don't care how weak the division or league is, because our competition isn't exactly going to be standing pat this offseason either.

 

 

This roster is fundamentally flawed on a pretty serious level, and the fact that we've (Hendry) created this mess in a two-year stretch of weak-at-best overall free agent crops is devastating. I don't know that there are going to be enough good free agents to build a real contender even if we got everyone we wanted and didn't have to worry about moving the dregs of our own roster in the process. Jim Hendry has dug a deep and daunting hole for this team.

 

This roster should have been blown up over a month ago to collect trading chips and free up roster spots. Instead, we added commitments in guys like Izturis, and added few, if any, actual prospects. So now, we're forced to spend money on a thin FA class, or trade some of the very few blue-chip prospects we haven't already fettered away on stiffs like Pierre.

Edited September 1, 2006 by wastra

[CubColtPacer]

jim hendry has to have the greatest offseason of all time in order for the cubs to contend for a championship next season.

 

I think Hendry needs to sign a starting pitcher (Schmidt) and make a trade for an impact bat for the Cubs to be in contention next year. With Hill, Marshall, Mateo, Guzman, and Marmol all showing some major league potential, the Cubs have what a lot of teams want (young pitching). Put a couple of those pitchers together with Cedeno and you might get someone like Tejada if Angelos finally wakes up to the status of his team. I dream about the Cubs putting together a good enough package to get Cabrera, but that probably won't happen. I am assuming that Prior can come back and be a decent #3 starter. Finally, let's not forget that the Cubs are in the NL Central where contending might mean winning 88 games.

 

 

I think it takes more than an arm and a bat to take us from 25 under to contending. I don't think people realize how bad this roster is top-to-bottom with only about 4-6 bright spots.

 

Of our entire roster, there are only really a few position players who aren't drags on our ability to score, and most have some large caveats next to their names:

 

Lee (returning from injury, and it's possible he'll never be the 2005 Lee again even if healthy, because that's hard to do).

Ramirez (won't do squat the first month of any season)

Barret- good offensive catcher, no real issues there.

 

Everyone else is easily replaceable/forgetable at the moment, or just not good.

 

On the pitching staff, you have Zambrano and Eyre who are the only real definite solid pitchers we can count on. howry isn't a major problem either.

 

everyone else is questionable at best.

 

I'm sorry, but no team with only 5-6 guys you can expect to be solidly above average is goign ot cotnend by adding a pitcher and a big bat, I don't care how weak the division or league is, because our competition isn't exactly going to be standing pat this offseason either.

 

This roster is fundamentally flawed on a pretty serious level, and the fact that we've (Hendry) created this mess in a two-year stretch of weak-at-best overall free agent crops is devastating. I don't know that there are going to be enough good free agents to build a real contender even if we got everyone we wanted and didn't have to worry about moving the dregs of our own roster in the process. Jim Hendry has dug a deep and daunting hole for this team.

 

How many can a team like the Cardinals count on? By that criteria, 1 or 2 more maybe? I'd like to see the list of who is good in their lineup, rotation, and bullpen. They really don't have all that much more than we do.

[Brian]

If the Cubs are interested in retaining center fielder/leadoff hitter Juan Pierre, they probably need to sign him to an extension before the end of the season. If they don't do that, he'll likely test the free-agent market in the offseason.

-- Daily Southtown

 

I hope he tests and gets offered a ridiculous deal by someone else.

[CuseCubFan69]

If the Cubs are interested in retaining center fielder/leadoff hitter Juan Pierre, they probably need to sign him to an extension before the end of the season. If they don't do that, he'll likely test the free-agent market in the offseason.

-- Daily Southtown

 

I hope he tests and gets offered a ridiculous deal by someone else.

 

After the Perez deal I feel that maybe good things may start to happen to us Cubbie fans like the Pierre free agent test.

[Backtobanks]

"I think it takes more than an arm and a bat to take us from 25 under to contending. I don't think people realize how bad this roster is top-to-bottom with only about 4-6 bright spots.

 

Of our entire roster, there are only really a few position players who aren't drags on our ability to score, and most have some large caveats next to their names:

 

Lee (returning from injury, and it's possible he'll never be the 2005 Lee again even if healthy, because that's hard to do).

Ramirez (won't do squat the first month of any season)

Barret- good offensive catcher, no real issues there.

 

Everyone else is easily replaceable/forgetable at the moment, or just not good.

 

On the pitching staff, you have Zambrano and Eyre who are the only real definite solid pitchers we can count on. howry isn't a major problem either.

 

everyone else is questionable at best.

 

I'm sorry, but no team with only 5-6 guys you can expect to be solidly above average is goign ot cotnend by adding a pitcher and a big bat, I don't care how weak the division or league is, because our competition isn't exactly going to be standing pat this offseason either.

 

 

This roster is fundamentally flawed on a pretty serious level, and the fact that we've (Hendry) created this mess in a two-year stretch of weak-at-best overall free agent crops is devastating. I don't know that there are going to be enough good free agents to build a real contender even if we got everyone we wanted and didn't have to worry about moving the dregs of our own roster in the process. Jim Hendry has dug a deep and daunting hole for this team.

 

This roster should have been blown up over a month ago to collect trading chips and free up roster spots. Instead, we added commitments in guys like Izturis, and added few, if any, actual prospects. So now, we're forced to spend money on a thin FA class, or trade some of the very few blue-chip prospects we haven't already fettered away on stiffs like Pierre."

 

Nobody likes to hear excuses, but injuries have killed this team the last 2 years. One free agent pitcher (Schmidt or Zito) and one impact bat obtained in a trade along with some long overdue luck in the health area could make this team a contender in the NL Central. The Cubs have been terrible, but how many teams could lose the equivalent of Prior, Wood, DLee, Nomar, etc. and stay in contention. I agree that there needs to be a much better off season by Hendry, but it won't matter much who he acquires if 2 of your top 3 starters and your best hitter go down for most of the season.

[neely crenshaw]

dave roberts for 5.5 mil a year for 2 years sounds like hendry's kind of deal except he will offer him 3 years even though no one else would even go 2...

can you say 16 for 3!

 

the sad part is i could see hendry actually signing guillen and roberts to multi year contracts and of course that would devalue murton..much like izturis had devalued cedeno...so hendry ships them off for a couple of class a long shots....just to completely seal the deal on the hendry administration!

[neely crenshaw]

i also have to say that although injuries have taken it's toll on this team..this is the third year in a row that injuries have come about. it is no surprise to anyone that wood and prior were hurt this year. it is no surprise that nomar was hurt his 2 years here. there is a reason that boston gave up on him despite being in the middle of a world series run.

hendry a team that was ENTIRELY dependent on pitchers with a history of serious injuries not only being healthy but also be very,very good.

he also built our pffense ENTIRELY around the hope that lee and aram were both healthy and both had very good years. now most of us thought it would be aram that got hurt...it's still a very poor plan.

no, not many teams could survive losing all of these guys...also not many teams base their season on a core of very injury prone players.

 

knowng our potential problems, i said from september on that we needed to find someone to take wood for anything. we could not afford the risk. 12 mil is too much tied up in a pitcher that will be hurt. we could have signed someone for that money or whatever we didn't need to eat.

we also could have bulked up the offense but instead we went defense and speed, which without pitching hurts! i'm sorry but an outfield that does not hit 40 hrs combined in wrigley had better have a stud pitching staff!!!!

if we could not forsee the potential trouble that's even worse!