2008 winter meetings: YOUR ideas of what to do

[Transmogrified Tiger]

With their fans, interest, suckage and market, do you think they are going to come out and publically say "Yes, Zack Greinke can be had."

 

What's their incentive? He's not a FA until after 2010 and is the only pitcher with any ability on their roster save Soria.

[Banedon]

From Jon Heyman's CNNsi.com article:

 

Hendry expressed great faith that free agent pitcher Ryan Dempster will return to the Cubs. "He likes it here, and we like him,'' Hendry said. "We haven't lost free agents we wanted to keep in the past.''

 

If you can get him a good price, awesome. But please Jim, don't get 1999 disease.

[CubinNY]

I down with Tim's suggestions.

 

If the Mets don't make the post season (and as of now they're down 4-2 in the bottom of the 9th), they are going to make some big changes in the off-season.

 

I hope Hendry sees if they're willing to give Beltran up and at what cost. I'd give up PIe, plus Samardjzia (sp?) if they payed some of his salary.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I down with Tim's suggestions.

 

If the Mets don't make the post season (and as of now they're down 4-2 in the bottom of the 9th), they are going to make some big changes in the off-season.

 

I hope Hendry sees if they're willing to give Beltran up and at what cost. I'd give up PIe, plus Samardjzia (sp?) if they payed some of his salary.

I don't see Samardzija waiving his NTC to move to NY

[CubinNY]

I down with Tim's suggestions.

 

If the Mets don't make the post season (and as of now they're down 4-2 in the bottom of the 9th), they are going to make some big changes in the off-season.

 

I hope Hendry sees if they're willing to give Beltran up and at what cost. I'd give up PIe, plus Samardjzia (sp?) if they payed some of his salary.

I don't see Samardzija waiving his NTC to move to NY

It's a big stage for the big guy from ND.

 

Stupid NTC.

[XZero771679666304]

With their fans, interest, suckage and market, do you think they are going to come out and publically say "Yes, Zack Greinke can be had."

 

What's their incentive? He's not a FA until after 2010 and is the only pitcher with any ability on their roster save Soria.

 

I have to believe that if they were going to trade Greinke, that would have done so at the deadline.

[Mephistopheles]

Rocco can get a 2 out clutch hit in the playoffs to knock in a run.

 

Im jes sayin'...

[B]

Rocco can get a 2 out clutch hit in the playoffs to knock in a run.

 

Im jes sayin'...

His MD will be setting in by next season though.

[obcubs]

I think the clearest way to upgrade is to sign Furcal and bat him leadoff. Push Soriano down to 5 in the lineup.

 

1. Furcal SS

2. Derosa 2B

3. Lee 1B

4. ARAM 3B

5. Soriano LF

6. Soto C

7. Fukudome RF

8. Pie CF

 

One major key is can we replace Dempster's production internally with either Jeff S. or Rich Hill. That would would free up some cash to make a splash with Furcal.

[Mephistopheles]

you cant count on hill or samardzija. and you cant insert marshall

[Guest]

I'd go after Jeremy Hermida.

[AAApittsburgh]

I think the clearest way to upgrade is to sign Furcal and bat him leadoff. Push Soriano down to 5 in the lineup.

 

1. Furcal SS

2. Derosa 2B

3. Lee 1B

4. ARAM 3B

5. Soriano LF

6. Soto C

7. Fukudome RF

8. Pie CF

 

One major key is can we replace Dempster's production internally with either Jeff S. or Rich Hill. That would would free up some cash to make a splash with Furcal.

 

I don't believe Lee is a #3 hitter anymore, and he never really was with the exception of 2005. Rather than spending a ton of money on Furcal, I'd rather use it towards signing or trading for a big bat who can play an OF position. Move Fukudome over to CF if necessary. Although, I do agree that Soriano does not belong in the leadoff spot. I hope Piniella/Hendry realize this.

 

Also, if you don't bring back Dempster, you need to at least sign another #2 starter to replace him. As was mentioned earlier in the thread, Hill and Samardzija can't be relied upon. The fact that Dempster waited until the final year of his contract to put up the kind of numbers he did, makes me weary of signing him.

[Backtobanks]

3-Way Deal:

 

Cubs send: Cedeno, Marshall, Pie, Ceda to Marlins

Marlins send: Hermida, Uggla, Gregg to the Mets

Mets send: Beltran to the Cubs

 

Marlins shed 3 arbitration-eligible players and get Cedeno to play 2B (replacing Uggla) plus young and cheap CF, SP, and relief pitcher.

 

Mets get Uggla (replacing Beltran's power and Castillo's position), corner OF, and closer.

 

Cubs get power-hitting, speedy CF.

[JeffH]

3-Way Deal:

 

Cubs send: Cedeno, Marshall, Pie, Ceda to Marlins

Marlins send: Hermida, Uggla, Gregg to the Mets

Mets send: Beltran to the Cubs

 

Marlins shed 3 arbitration-eligible players and get Cedeno to play 2B (replacing Uggla) plus young and cheap CF, SP, and relief pitcher.

 

Mets get Uggla (replacing Beltran's power and Castillo's position), corner OF, and closer.

 

Cubs get power-hitting, speedy CF.

 

I don't think you could make that a worse deal for Florida if you tried.

 

Unlike most of the Cubs leadership team, Larry Beinfest and his associates are not stupid.

[Cubswin11]

I would float Theriot/Derosa's names out and see what type of talent we could get back. If we trade one of them sign Furcal and put the one we don't trade at 2B. The trade I think we should do assuming we can sign Furcal is

 

Cubs get: Beltran, Minor Leaguer or Mets pay some of contract

Mets get: Theriot/Derosa (they need a 2B), Marshall or Gaudin, Ceda, Wellington Castillo, and possibly another player Cedeno/Ascanio/Pie.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think we can "get by" with what we have on offense (if bringing back the league's best offense is "getting by.") We'll just have to hope that Pie and Fukudome can be productive lefty hitters.

 

I really, really want to see some starting pitching depth. Good starting pitching depth. I am very worried about the arms of Zambrano and Harden.

[anabiono]

it won't happen, but i think the best plan is to let demp and wood walk

 

sign burnett

[XZero771679666304]

3-Way Deal:

 

Cubs send: Cedeno, Marshall, Pie, Ceda to Marlins

Marlins send: Hermida, Uggla, Gregg to the Mets

Mets send: Beltran to the Cubs

 

Marlins shed 3 arbitration-eligible players and get Cedeno to play 2B (replacing Uggla) plus young and cheap CF, SP, and relief pitcher.

 

Mets get Uggla (replacing Beltran's power and Castillo's position), corner OF, and closer.

 

Cubs get power-hitting, speedy CF.

 

I don't think you could make that a worse deal for Florida if you tried.

 

Unlike most of the Cubs leadership team, Larry Beinfest and his associates are not stupid.

 

 

The Mets aren't trading Beltran to the Cubs in a deal where Marmol is not going to New York.

 

I don't think that Beltran is going anywhere, but if we're talking proposals between those 3 teams:

 

Cubs get: Beltran

Mets get: Marmol, Gregg, Hermida, W. Castillo

Marlins get: Marshall, Ceda, Pie

 

And that probably doesn't work because the Mets would want Soto as well, unless they're desperate to dump Beltran.

[17 Seconds]

3-Way Deal:

 

Cubs send: Cedeno, Marshall, Pie, Ceda to Marlins

Marlins send: Hermida, Uggla, Gregg to the Mets

Mets send: Beltran to the Cubs

 

Marlins shed 3 arbitration-eligible players and get Cedeno to play 2B (replacing Uggla) plus young and cheap CF, SP, and relief pitcher.

 

Mets get Uggla (replacing Beltran's power and Castillo's position), corner OF, and closer.

 

Cubs get power-hitting, speedy CF.

 

haha

[B]

it won't happen, but i think the best plan is to let demp and wood walk

 

sign burnett

You can't sign people away from other teams.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

it won't happen, but i think the best plan is to let demp and wood walk

 

sign burnett

You can't sign people away from other teams.

Burnett can opt out of his contract

[17 Seconds]

And probably will. He was lights out in the second half, so I think there will be a pretty big market for him. The fact that he actually stayed healthy will outweigh his bad first half in terms of terms of what kind of deal he'll get.

 

I don't want him though. We'll already have one injury prone guy in Harden, we don't need another...especially at a high cost.

 

I doubt Hendry does anything for the rotation other than re-signing Dempster. I don't really expect any FA signings, actually. All the money is going to have to be spent of Dempster and Wood. I'd let Dempster walk, but apparently JH won't let that happen. I wish we could make a run at Lowe, depending on how many years he wants.

[UK1679666180]

I'll update this:

 

What I would do as far as FAs:

 

Josh Bard as the backup C (injured most of last year, injuries impacted his numbers), fall back option would be Dave Ross.

 

Milton Bradley assuming passes physical for RF, I didn't get much of a look as far as his range, but if reasonable enough range, fall back option would by Bobby Abreu.

 

I'd bring back Dempster, despite concerns of the one year drop-off after a significant increase in workload, there's enough there to justify bringing him back for a 3yr deal.

 

Bullpen: I had mentioned going after Mark Hendrickson as a cost-effective lefty who for some reason does much better out of the pen and has always done well vs. lefties, comapred to someone like Affeldt will save on years and money with little production difference. I'd go after a project in the pen as far as Brandon Lyon or Chad Cordero, if they get the 2nd tier closer salary of around 5 mil per, I'd look into someone like Mike Lincoln for the 7th. I've always loved Juan Cruz as many of you know, but between the Class A FA as well as his suspect control, the difference between him and the 3 I just mentioned, isn't worth it.

 

I have no clue how they intend to keep this payroll under 145 mil.