Do we need more moves?

[HoopsCubs]

I agree the Cubs should get another starter. As I said in another thread, I am not comfortable with the rotation after Zambrano, Lilly and Hill.

 

If the Cubs don't get a left-handed middle infielder (e.g. Roberts) and leave DeRosa as the starting 2B, I would like them to get a better bench player (from a power hitting standpoint) to go along with Ward. For example, if the money was reasonable, I wouldn't mind seeing Mike Sweeney signed, if he's willing to accept a reserve role.

 

Hoops

[rawaction]

I agree the Cubs should get another starter. As I said in another thread, I am not comfortable with the rotation after Zambrano, Lilly and Hill.

 

If the Cubs don't get a left-handed middle infielder (e.g. Roberts) and leave DeRosa as the starting 2B, I would like them to get a better bench player (from a power hitting standpoint) to go along with Ward. For example, if the money was reasonable, I wouldn't mind seeing Mike Sweeney signed, if he's willing to accept a reserve role.

 

Hoops

 

Me either. Marquis and Marshall have to be considered question marks even with the good season Sean had. Dempster, Gallagher, Hart and the rest are even bigger ?s. I'd like a solid starter, leaving just 1 ? in the rotation.

[CyHawk_Cub]

soto dropped a lot of weight last off season and the hard work paid off. I doubt Soto was ever 'training' inotherwords taking steroids ala Roger Clemens. If anything he stopped hanging out with Cecil Fielder at the buffet line.

 

Yeah it's not often a guy drops 20 pounds and is accused of taking steroids that same season.

I'd take me some steroids if it would help me drop 20

 

But Bob, you're already plenty svelte!!

 

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6035/bobsanders1fs1.th.jpg

[craig]

"Do we need more moves?"

 

I would say no. We could certainly get better, of course. I hope we can. I'd love a good starting pitcher, a good CFer, a good SS, a good LH reliever, and an improved bench.

 

I like the possibility of adding Roberts, because I think he'd upgrade 2B somewhat and upgrade the bench a lot by moving DeRosa there.

 

But at the same time, I don't think we really *need* more moves. We could go with what we've got, and we'd have a pretty nice roster. I'd judge our roster as being the best in the central. Given the parity in the NL playoff contenders last year, I'd think we'd have almost as good a chance as anybody going with what we've got. The two teams that I think have improved significantly (or will) have been Dodgers and DBacks. And Dogers, DBacks, and Rockies all have young talent that could improve a lot internally, Brewers also. So while we've got as good a chance as anybody, there are probably 5-10 other teams that have as good a chance as we do (apart from the easier road to playoffs via central.)

 

But we've got a team that could be very good. Pie, Cedeno, Dempster, Gallagher, Hart, Ascanio, Marshall, Petrick, I think we've got a group of question marks a number of whom might work out well. No guarantees, that's for sure. But what if Pie did show up and hit .270 with 15 HR's and a .745 OPS? What if Dempster did show up and go 13-9 with a 4.35 ERA? What if Gallagher, Hart, or Marshall (or all three) did come to camp and impress from the start, bump Marquis to the bullpen, and whichever of them got the job post a 4.15 ERA? We could be very good.

 

For sure we've got a number of question marks. If many of them turn out favorably, we could be very good. Certainly if most of them turn out badly, we could be not very good at all.

 

But to some degree, it might work well to sit tight and let things work themselves out. Right now I don't know which pitchers will or won't be effective. If we trade now, we might trade the good ones, keep the duds, and regret it. If we make no moves, come July and for some years later we might be very glad that we kept Cedeno, Gallagher, and Marshall.

 

I think it's also possible that with we could let things shake out, hope that at least some of the Q's answer themselves satisfactorily, but then use some of the Murton/Cedeno/Gallagher/Marquis/Dempster/Hart/Marshall/Ascanio/Petrick/Roquet/Veal type tradables to address the spots that do prove to be problems later. Maybe Dempster will be fine and better than Blanton, but Pie will be awful. It may not be the worst thing if we end up retaining our trade chips.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't enthusiastically support certain trades. But I will be pretty hopeful even if we don't. We won't be the only team with question marks. And we've got some guys who might answer them favorably.

[jersey cubs fan]

"Do we need more moves?"

 

I would say no.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't enthusiastically support certain trades. But I will be pretty hopeful even if we don't. We won't be the only team with question marks. And we've got some guys who might answer them favorably.

 

Except the Cubs have no business merely being "pretty hopeful". There's no excuse for such a high payroll and such weak competition to leave you with anything short of extreme confidence that the team is great.

[nilodnayr]

"Do we need more moves?"

 

I would say no.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't enthusiastically support certain trades. But I will be pretty hopeful even if we don't. We won't be the only team with question marks. And we've got some guys who might answer them favorably.

 

Except the Cubs have no business merely being "pretty hopeful". There's no excuse for such a high payroll and such weak competition to leave you with anything short of extreme confidence that the team is great.

 

Also, Craig described the IDEAL situation where you should be improving. As you described, we are in the mix with the Dodgers, DBacks, Rockies, Brewers (and Mets). Right now there is nothing discerning any of those teams. That is the time to improve. Times not to improve are when you are far and away the best team in the division (Angels) or not close to the competition (Astros). The marginal gain from improving for either of those teams is very little. It doesn't have a huge impact on their possibility of making the playoffs. The Angels are likely going to win the division by at least 5 games. Bringing in a player that gives you a couple wins, big whoop, youre still in the playoffs. Houston is likely going to lose the division by at least 10 games. Bringing in a player that gives you a few wins, big whoop, youre still going to be on the couch in October. Its quite arguable if the Cubs are better than the Brewers as the teams stand right now. This is where you get the most bang for your buck by improving.

Edited December 18, 2007 by nilodnayr

[anabiono]

hendry should be pursuing silva...

 

z, lilly, hill, silva, marquis

 

i would love to have that rotation come april

[Wes Mantooth]

"Do we need more moves?"

 

I would say no.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't enthusiastically support certain trades. But I will be pretty hopeful even if we don't. We won't be the only team with question marks. And we've got some guys who might answer them favorably.

 

Except the Cubs have no business merely being "pretty hopeful". There's no excuse for such a high payroll and such weak competition to leave you with anything short of extreme confidence that the team is great.

 

This is Hendry's mode of operation. Put together a roster and hope everything works out for you. What is wrong with spending $120,000,000 and knowing you will be a contender?

[jersey cubs fan]

hendry should be pursuing silva...

 

z, lilly, hill, silva, marquis

 

i would love to have that rotation come april

 

Man, you sure do love Carlos Silva.

[TruffleShuffle]

carlos silva at 4 years, $45m? pass.

[mdwilla]

I would go high reward high risk with Colon then throw that kind of money at Silva.

[anabiono]

silva/colon/hernandez...whatever...

 

you guys do realize that dempster really isn't a good option right?

 

and even if we upgrade at short...we will still be lacking where it really counts?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm still in favor of giving Clement a 1 year deal with incentives.

[jmajew]

The Cubs should only look at two pitchers on the market right now. Colon and Clement. Both injury risks but hopefully we can sign them to the same deal we wanted Prior to take. If the pan out great if not we only waste like 3 mil. It is a low risk high reward proposition.