The free agent bargain bin...

[Derwood]

could the lack of signings be a cohesive drive by the owners to create desperate feeling among the players to sign at a lower price?

 

Wouldn't that be called "collusion"?

 

it's the dictionary definition of collusion, yes

[Little Slide Rooter]

I guess we can take Livan off the list.

[DonnieD]

I know the bullpen is pretty full right now, but would anyone have some interest in Bob Wickman if he came cheap? I haven't heard much about him this offseason so I don't know if he has been linked to anyone. If there isn't much interest out there from other teams, and he would come for ~ $1 million I think he would be a good addition. Am I missing something about him? I know his stats aren't elite, but they are pretty good and I think he would be a good fallback option if one of our closer options doesn't work out.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I know the bullpen is pretty full right now, but would anyone have some interest in Bob Wickman if he came cheap? I haven't heard much about him this offseason so I don't know if he has been linked to anyone. If there isn't much interest out there from other teams, and he would come for ~ $1 million I think he would be a good addition. Am I missing something about him? I know his stats aren't elite, but they are pretty good and I think he would be a good fallback option if one of our closer options doesn't work out.

 

Is he really any better than Dempster? And Dempster's our 5th best right handed reliever. I could see us buying low on a LH reliever(if possible with how much GMs love them), but I don't see it from the right side.

[DonnieD]

I don't think there is any doubt that he is better than Dempster. Their last three years of ERA+ is this:

 

Wickman

'05 - 170

'06 - 168

'07 - 121

 

Dempster

'05 - 141

'06 - 96

'07 - 99

 

I'll even throw in Howry's #s who is probably one of our top 2 relievers:

 

Howry

'05 - 170

'06 - 146

'07 - 140

 

Not saying I would take Wickman over Howry at all, his WHIP, K/9, & K/BB are all worse although he seems to keep the ball in the ballpark a little better. I know there is almost no chance that he could be a Cub with the bullpen situation being what it is, but I would much rather have him at a reasonable price than try to hide a Rule 5 pick on the roster all year.

[BigbadB]

I don't see a reason to add another bullpen arm. Especially if it means spending a portion of what is left in the budget that needs to be used to make upgrades elsewhere. Also, would Wickman be satisfied with a 6th inning role? Right now, you have Marmol, Wood, Howry in the mix for the back 1/3 of a baseball game. Couple that with Eyre, Wuertz a long reliever and possibly trying to hide Lahey as a mop up reliever and there just isn't room for Wickman. I didn't even mention Dempster, who could find his way back to the pen if he doesn't lock down a rotation spot.

 

Since we are listing ERA+, here is what the Cubs have from last year:

 

Wood- 140

Howry- 140

Marmol- 326

Wuertz- 134

Eyre- 113

 

Hart- 569

Guzman- 131

Cotts- 96

Piggy- 103

Lahey- ??

 

Also competing for spots in some form of relief are Ascanio, Petrick, Gallagher, Campusano, Mateo and Marshall.

 

The one thing this team has plenty of depth in is the bullpen. If I add Dempster back to the bullpen (Zambrano, Lilly, Lieber, Hill, Marquis), that's a lot of depth. Wickman's addition only complicates things further.