The A-Ram contingency plan

[goonys evil twin]

IF Aram leaves we are left with a huge hole. However, it can be filled through either signing or players or trading for players. The problem I have is that Hendry did not see this coming,

 

Maybe Jim assumed he wasn't coming back, considering how bad he did the past two offseasons. In that case, he didn't really care about the 2007 Cubs.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I said it before, and I will say it again, ARam will be a Cub in 2007. No rhyme, no reason, just a hunch. Hendry isn't stupid (regardless of what some people think) and he knows how important ARam is. My guess will be they will come to a new contract (or extension) before November is out.

[frostwyrm]

If Aramis leaves and we don't get Tejada or ARod then it looks like a rebuilding year. Hendry won't allow that because he'll lose his job. Most likely Hendry will give Aramis whatever he wants.

[goonys evil twin]

If Aramis leaves and we don't get Tejada or ARod then it looks like a rebuilding year. Hendry won't allow that because he'll lose his job. Most likely Hendry will give Aramis whatever he wants.

 

Nah, he could let Ramirez walk, sign Nomar (or settle for a guy like Spiezio), resign Pierre, sign Lee or Soriano, moved Murton in a deal for pitching, and he'll think he's built a contender.

[frostwyrm]

If Aramis leaves and we don't get Tejada or ARod then it looks like a rebuilding year. Hendry won't allow that because he'll lose his job. Most likely Hendry will give Aramis whatever he wants.

 

Nah, he could let Ramirez walk, sign Nomar (or settle for a guy like Spiezio), resign Pierre, sign Lee or Soriano, moved Murton in a deal for pitching, and he'll think he's built a contender.

Eh, maybe, but I don't see Nomar coming back. If he got hurt again Hendry's job would be in immediate jeopardy.

[Derwood]

Seems like most of the offense's that Hendry has created have been pretty ugly though, I dont think he gets what it takes to build a competetive lineup.

 

2004 called and begs to disagree

[FergieJ31]

It's hard to imagine ARam looking forward to playing w/Piniella at the helm. It's like someone before was saying here: hiring Lou = kissing ARam goodbye.

 

Is this another "Aramis is a lazy oaf who doesn't want to work" post?

 

Lighten up Francis. No, it's not another "Aramis likes to loaf" post (and even if he did I subscribe to the "give me a lazy 900+ OPS guy over a 750 OPS hustler" philosophy).

 

I'd hate to see him leave but I'm getting the same feeling that others have expressed here - that ARam will not be back.

 

I should have phrased it better but I was only throwing out Piniella as a possible influencing factor if indeed ARam does walk. Some of the Cub players' public reactions to the Piniella hiring have been ... a little odd (Eyre).

Edited October 20, 2006 by FergieJ31

[beowulf28]

If Ramirez doesn't re-sign, they should probably just blow this thing up. The amount of money and/or talent they are going to give up to replace him is going to prohibit other necessary upgrades (both offensively and starting pitching).

 

They are not going to blow this thing up! Hendry's Cubs career is riding on this year. Also, McDonough promised to win a WS, and I don't think Lou Piniella would've signed a contract having to wait two to three years.

 

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, and I'm sorry if it will already be posted.

[CubinNY]

If Ramirez doesn't re-sign, they should probably just blow this thing up. The amount of money and/or talent they are going to give up to replace him is going to prohibit other necessary upgrades (both offensively and starting pitching).

 

They are not going to blow this thing up! Hendry's Cubs career is riding on this year. Also, McDonough promised to win a WS, and I don't think Lou Piniella would've signed a contract having to wait two to three years.

 

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, and I'm sorry if it will already be posted.

 

Well, then Hendry better look himself in the mirror and go get Aramis signed. Hendry is the one who gave him the out clause to begin with.

 

There is absolutely no reason the Cubs should let Aramis walk. None.

[USSoccer]

There is not a single FA that can match Aramis's production.

 

IF Aram leaves we are left with a huge hole. However, it can be filled through either signing or players or trading for players.

 

Keep in mind if you lose Aramis, you have to then aquire 2 above average offensive players to improve. That's much easier said than done.

[USSoccer]

It's hard to imagine ARam looking forward to playing w/Piniella at the helm. It's like someone before was saying here: hiring Lou = kissing ARam goodbye.

 

Is this another "Aramis is a lazy oaf who doesn't want to work" post?

 

Lighten up Francis. No, it's not another "Aramis likes to loaf" post (and even if he did I subscribe to the "give me a lazy 900+ OPS guy over a 750 OPS hustler" philosophy).

 

I'd hate to see him leave but I'm getting the same feeling that others have expressed here - that ARam will not be back.

 

I should have phrased it better but I was only throwing out Piniella as a possible influencing factor if indeed ARam does walk. Some of the Cub players' public reactions to the Piniella hiring have been ... a little odd (Eyre).

 

Sorry if it came off caustic.

 

I can't see Piniella being that big a factor. If the money is right, Aramis will likely stay.

[beowulf28]

If Ramirez doesn't re-sign, they should probably just blow this thing up. The amount of money and/or talent they are going to give up to replace him is going to prohibit other necessary upgrades (both offensively and starting pitching).

 

They are not going to blow this thing up! Hendry's Cubs career is riding on this year. Also, McDonough promised to win a WS, and I don't think Lou Piniella would've signed a contract having to wait two to three years.

 

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, and I'm sorry if it will already be posted.

 

Well, then Hendry better look himself in the mirror and go get Aramis signed. Hendry is the one who gave him the out clause to begin with.

 

There is absolutely no reason the Cubs should let Aramis walk. None.

 

I want Aramis back, too. But Hendry's job is at stake. Settling for blowing up the team won't work.

 

Actually, I really wish the Tribsters would've fired Hendry and started fresh. But that would've meant paying Jim for two more years along with paying a new GM. Darn that Andy the Clown!

[Backtobanks]

Ramirez should be priority #1 for Hendry and if this falls through, which I think it will, it's going to be a huge step back for the Cubs. Now, they have to trade players to get a guy to play third that they could have dealt for a Tejada/ARod type guy to play SS. IMO even if Hendry does everything right after losing Ramirez it'll only make the Cubs 10 to 15 games better which isn't near enough.

 

I don't think ARam is going anywhere, but obtaining ARod or Tejada is a step backward because ARam matches them in production and the Cubs don't have to give up players for him.

 

The only thing with that is that Ramirez's money will come off the books as well, which will allow the Cubs to sign another big-time FA.

 

Don't get me wrong-I'll be very disappointed if the Cubs don't re-sign Ramirez. I definitely think it is a big priority that the Cubs sign him. Right now, the team is looking at signing or trading for one big hitter. If Ramirez leaves, they will hopefully just take the money and go get two big hitters instead.

 

The free agent class doesn't have anyone who produces like ARam AND they will have to lose players to trade for a 3B.

[jmajew]

There is not a single FA that can match Aramis's production.

 

IF Aram leaves we are left with a huge hole. However, it can be filled through either signing or players or trading for players.

 

Keep in mind if you lose Aramis, you have to then aquire 2 above average offensive players to improve. That's much easier said than done.

 

I never said it was easy but it is possible. If Hendry can do it I'd be surprised I think other GMs would be able to fill the hole a bit better.

[USSoccer]

There is not a single FA that can match Aramis's production.

 

IF Aram leaves we are left with a huge hole. However, it can be filled through either signing or players or trading for players.

 

Keep in mind if you lose Aramis, you have to then aquire 2 above average offensive players to improve. That's much easier said than done.

 

I never said it was easy but it is possible. If Hendry can do it I'd be surprised I think other GMs would be able to fill the hole a bit better.

 

 

I think the odds of doing it are very, very long. Most GM's struggle to adequately fill 1 hole properly.

[soapy]

If Ramirez doesn't re-sign, they should probably just blow this thing up. The amount of money and/or talent they are going to give up to replace him is going to prohibit other necessary upgrades (both offensively and starting pitching).

 

They are not going to blow this thing up! Hendry's Cubs career is riding on this year. Also, McDonough promised to win a WS, and I don't think Lou Piniella would've signed a contract having to wait two to three years.

 

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, and I'm sorry if it will already be posted.

oh i agree that it won't happen, and i didn't say that it would. i'm saying that it should (if Aramis leaves).

[Bluescale]

Okay folks...take this with a huge bag of salt...

 

On Friday was on the phone with a customer who works in the Cubs organization. After we finished talking business, I asked him about the Ramirez situation. He has nothing to do with the baseball part of the business, and I have no idea how much he knows, but he sounded confident. So, with that glaring disclaimer in place, here's what he had to say...

 

After Lou was signed, the rumors about ARod started flying. The Cubs did their best to squash those rumors as quickly as possible. However, in the meantime, some damage was done to Ramirez's relationship with the Cubs. Most people now think of ARod as a 3B, not an SS, Aramis took this to mean the organization was moving on to a new shiny target before even giving him a shot to renegotiate. Additionally, according to this guy, Lou has made it very clear that he wants ARod, even if the Cubs aren't shooting for him, and Aramis doesn't want to be the consolation prize.

 

Even if this guy is correct in all of this, I feel it all comes down to dollars. If Hendry offers Ramirez the contract he wants, he'd be stupid to turn it down out of spite and hurt feelings. If he starts pouting, I'm sure his agent will do his best to remind him how important security and a guaranteed contract really are.

[CubinNY]

Okay folks...take this with a huge bag of salt...

 

On Friday was on the phone with a customer who works in the Cubs organization. After we finished talking business, I asked him about the Ramirez situation. He has nothing to do with the baseball part of the business, and I have no idea how much he knows, but he sounded confident. So, with that glaring disclaimer in place, here's what he had to say...

 

After Lou was signed, the rumors about ARod started flying. The Cubs did their best to squash those rumors as quickly as possible. However, in the meantime, some damage was done to Ramirez's relationship with the Cubs. Most people now think of ARod as a 3B, not an SS, Aramis took this to mean the organization was moving on to a new shiny target before even giving him a shot to renegotiate. Additionally, according to this guy, Lou has made it very clear that he wants ARod, even if the Cubs aren't shooting for him, and Aramis doesn't want to be the consolation prize.

 

Even if this guy is correct in all of this, I feel it all comes down to dollars. If Hendry offers Ramirez the contract he wants, he'd be stupid to turn it down out of spite and hurt feelings. If he starts pouting, I'm sure his agent will do his best to remind him how important security and a guaranteed contract really are.

 

Thanks for passing that along.

 

I hope Aramis is getting good council from his agent. He has to know that the Cubs getting A-Rod is the longest of long shots and will mean nothing regarding his status.

 

I really hope the Cubs don't lose Aramis.

[jtownie]

I would think that if the Cubs are pursuing ARod they would make explicitly clear that he would be used as a SS. I'm not discounting your post Bluescale just adding my two cents as to how i would think the situation would be handled logically.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The Cubs need one more bat. Replacing Aram with Arod doesn't accomplish that. Adding Arod to the trio of Aram and Lee does.

[Bluescale]

I would think that if the Cubs are pursuing ARod they would make explicitly clear that he would be used as a SS.

 

That's what I would think. However, this guy implied that no one in the organization seemed to feel that way. From what he said, it sounded like the Cubs see it as a choice between ARod and Aramis. Of course, I have no idea how connected he really is, vs. how much of the conversation was just opinion presented as fact.

[CubinNY]

I would think that if the Cubs are pursuing ARod they would make explicitly clear that he would be used as a SS.

 

That's what I would think. However, this guy implied that no one in the organization seemed to feel that way. From what he said, it sounded like the Cubs see it as a choice between ARod and Aramis. Of course, I have no idea how connected he really is, vs. how much of the conversation was just opinion presented as fact.

 

It wouldn't surprize me one bit. They could have had Nomar this year in RF this year.

[Backtobanks]

I would think that if the Cubs are pursuing ARod they would make explicitly clear that he would be used as a SS.

 

That's what I would think. However, this guy implied that no one in the organization seemed to feel that way. From what he said, it sounded like the Cubs see it as a choice between ARod and Aramis. Of course, I have no idea how connected he really is, vs. how much of the conversation was just opinion presented as fact.

 

It wouldn't surprize me one bit. They could have had Nomar this year in RF this year.

 

I think the world of Nomar, but Nomar in RF would have been really ugly.

[nilodnayr]

To get back to the thread subject, I don't mean to be too Japan crazy, but the best ARAM replacement would be Akinori Iwamura. I hope to God ARAM re-ups and think he will, but of all other options Iwamura is definitely the best. Anyone have any idea how much his posting fee is going to be? Or even if the Swallows are definitely going to follow through on their promise to post him?

[nilodnayr]

To get back to the thread subject, I don't mean to be too Japan crazy, but the best ARAM replacement would be Akinori Iwamura. I hope to God ARAM re-ups and think he will, but of all other options Iwamura is definitely the best. Anyone have any idea how much his posting fee is going to be? Or even if the Swallows are definitely going to follow through on their promise to post him?

 

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20061017TDY23002.htm

 

Guess they will let him go.