Best case scenario?

[LuckyPup]

I for one believe Ramirez is gone- It breaks my heart, but i dont think it cripples us- (of course if we dont add anyone it will most definitely do that) i think with the right moves we can be competetive even if we lose Ramirez- if he leaves that frees up another 12/13M next year-

 

Sign Schmidt-4/50 with option( 12,12,13,13)

Sign Padilla-3/26(8,9,9)

Sign Lowell-2/14 w/ mutual option(6,8)

Sign Lugo-3/21(6,7,8)-basically Pierre's money

Sign Lofton-2/9(4,5)

Re-sign Wood-1(2) w' incentives

 

trade Izturis(4.3)+Prior(5)+Marshall+Marmol to Orioles for Tejada- this frees up money for them to pursue Soriano-we only take on 3M next year with tejada on the books-

 

at this point we have spent 41M- now estimates are with Ramirez off the books we have close to 50M to spend leaving us another 9M to work with.

 

Trade Jones(5)+Dempster(5)+Novoa to Dodgers for Drew(11)+Broxton-

this deal saves the dodgers alot of money in the long run- cuts a year off the Drew deal as well as adding strong bullpen help and adding Jones in RF stills gives you production close to drew's( more power, less OBP, also less of an injury risk)-Cubs add minimal money to the payroll-

 

spend big money on your bench with Branyan, Helms, Theriot, Pagan, DeRosa, Blanco and go-

 

Cf-Lofton

2B-Lugo

1B-Lee

RF-Drew

SS-Tejada

3B-Lowell

C-Barrett

LF-Murton

 

Z-Scmidt-Padilla-Hill-Mateo/Guzman/Veal

 

What would be your plan assuming Ramirez walks? I know many will say "blow it up" but that isn't an option with the Piniella hire and Hendry in the hotseat-

[USSoccer]

If Ramirez walks, your only hope is that you can swing a deal for Alex Rodriguez and one for Pat Burrell, sign Soriano, Padilla and Matsuzuka, and pray that Hill is really going to be good and that Z's arm doesn't fall off.

 

The problem is that the odds of all of those things happening are next to none. If ARam walks your best option really would be to blow it up.

[LuckyPup]

oh, i agree blowing it up would be the best option but it really is not an option for Hendry-realistically he just cant-

[Outshined_One]

What would be your plan assuming Ramirez walks? I know many will say "blow it up" but that isn't an option with the Piniella hire and Hendry in the hotseat-

 

If that is the case and I'm Hendry, I make an end run at every single player who can contribute now that I could get my hands on. If the Tribune is really giving him $115m to work with, he will have the resources he needs to sign quality free agents and to pursue pricey trade options.

 

I would also sell the farm for any of the top hitters I can get my hands on. While I would keep some guys for rotation purposes, I'd be fine with trading just about anyone in the system if it got me Miguel Cabrera, A-Rod, Jason Bay, or whomever. I would not overlook guys who might be a touch older or whatever, but I would definitely focus on guys entering their prime who are incredibly productive.

[BigbadB]

With 29 other teams out there, Hendry won't come close to bringing in that kind of talent.

 

If Aramis leaves, there is zero interest for a guy like Jason Schmidt to want to climb on board a sinking ship. It would be worth it for him to take less money to play for a contender.

 

I could see Padilla and Lowell types being added, only because they will likely be paid handsomely and they aren't the guys that every team will be drooling over.

 

Get Aramis locked up right away, and Hendry "might" be able to lure a top free agent here. I use the term "might" very loosely. A last place team that hasn't won anything in nearly 100 years that just lost one of their best players, the pitching staff is currently a shambles and a GM that hasn't improved the team at all is not exactly a great resume' to draw free agents.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If Aramis stays, I think the best case scenario is Daisuke + Padilla/Lilly for the rotation, Durham/Iwamura for 2B, and trading for Drew in RF. A slightly different version is Schmidt + Kuroda for the rotation, Durham/Iwamura, and trading for Burrell.

 

If Aramis leaves, going after A-Rod is a necessity, and going after Burrell(which is a less ideal situation than Drew because of OF defense) should be more of a target because he'll come cheaper than Drew or other RF targets. SP and 2B targets should remain the same.

 

If he stays, best case scenario:

 

Durham/Iwamura

Murton

Lee

Drew/Ramirez

Ramirez/Burrell

Barrett

Pie

Izturis

 

If he goes, best case scenario:

 

Durham/Iwamura

Murton

A-Rod

Lee

Burrell

Barrett

Pie

Izturis

[rjchapma]

I dont think we have a chance for a-rod, zito, schmidt! I think our free agency pick ups will be a bunch of close to or 40 yr olds. I think Lowell rather than Rameirez, Roberts in center, and picking up like padilla and Bautista.

Did I mention im depressed about next year if im right! yey :D

[Backtobanks]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

[rjchapma]

agreed

[SoonerCubFan]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

 

Losing ARam can only be smoothed over if we get Cabrera and sign him to a Pujols-like contract. Other than that, I see little hope for this offseason if ARam is lost.

[Rob]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

 

Losing ARam can only be smoothed over if we get Cabrera and sign him to a Pujols-like contract. Other than that, I see little hope for this offseason if ARam is lost.

 

We could get lucky taking a risk on a guy like Ensberg.

[baseball7897]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

 

Losing ARam can only be smoothed over if we get Cabrera and sign him to a Pujols-like contract. Other than that, I see little hope for this offseason if ARam is lost.

 

We could get lucky taking a risk on a guy like Ensberg.

 

What makes you think Houston would trade him to a divison rival?

[Rob]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

 

Losing ARam can only be smoothed over if we get Cabrera and sign him to a Pujols-like contract. Other than that, I see little hope for this offseason if ARam is lost.

 

We could get lucky taking a risk on a guy like Ensberg.

 

What makes you think Houston would trade him to a divison rival?

 

They might not.

 

On the other hand, they have grown so disillusioned with him that I wouldn't be too terribly surprised if they non-tendered him.

[baseball7897]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

 

Losing ARam can only be smoothed over if we get Cabrera and sign him to a Pujols-like contract. Other than that, I see little hope for this offseason if ARam is lost.

 

We could get lucky taking a risk on a guy like Ensberg.

 

What makes you think Houston would trade him to a divison rival?

 

They might not.

 

On the other hand, they have grown so disillusioned with him that I wouldn't be too terribly surprised if they non-tendered him.

 

Do you really want him though? He seems like a guy who lives off minute maid park. I am not a fan of his.

[Mark Priors Calves]

The next question is: What if ARam leaves AND ARod really isn't going to be traded? Most of the speculation revolves around getting ARod to replace ARam. Maybe they're serious about not trading him.

 

Losing ARam can only be smoothed over if we get Cabrera and sign him to a Pujols-like contract. Other than that, I see little hope for this offseason if ARam is lost.

 

We could get lucky taking a risk on a guy like Ensberg.

I've thought about Ensberg as a replacement if Ramirez walks as well. My problem with the scenario is Hendry would look at his traditional stats from this past season and think he's not good, but if you take into account the rest of his numbers, he's still a productive 3B.