There are a LOT of remaining "quality" free agents out there

[cubswin2009]

Sign Joe Beimel so we can get troyfromwv on our side.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The Dodgers have offered Manny a 1-year, 25 million dollar deal.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The Dodgers have offered Manny a 1-year, 25 million dollar deal.

 

If they hold on to him, I still say they are the best team in the NL.

[champaignchris]

I could see spots for Dunn, Cabrera, and Sheets on the Cubs. If they could be had for cheap, they'd be great pickups.

 

But then, if they could be had for cheap, they wouldn't still be free agents.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

According to SI, Dunn has an offer on the table from the Nationals but hasn't accepted it yet.

[Cubswin11]

The Dodgers have offered Manny a 1-year, 25 million dollar deal.

 

If they hold on to him, I still say they are the best team in the NL.

They don't have the starting pitching

 

Billingnsley-Ace potential but young

Kershaw- Unproven at ML level, wasn't great last year in his time

Kuroda- solid 2/3, 2nd year in the majors will teams get a book on him or will he remain effective?

?

?

[BigbadB]

The Dodgers have offered Manny a 1-year, 25 million dollar deal.

 

If they hold on to him, I still say they are the best team in the NL.

They don't have the starting pitching

 

Billingnsley-Ace potential but young

Kershaw- Unproven at ML level, wasn't great last year in his time

Kuroda- solid 2/3, 2nd year in the majors will teams get a book on him or will he remain effective?

?

?

 

Sophomore slump time for Kuroda and Kershaw.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The Dodgers have offered Manny a 1-year, 25 million dollar deal.

 

If they hold on to him, I still say they are the best team in the NL.

They don't have the starting pitching

 

Billingnsley-Ace potential but young

Kershaw- Unproven at ML level, wasn't great last year in his time

Kuroda- solid 2/3, 2nd year in the majors will teams get a book on him or will he remain effective?

?

?

 

Being "unproven" doesn't sway me much. Those three are all quality pitchers. Those three plus the remains of the bullpen make up for a pretty good pitching staff in my book, plus they have Dodger stadium to cover up for their worse pitchers. Meanwhile, their offense is full of guys in their low 20s with good breakout/improvement potential.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Rosenthal is suggesting that the Angels have interest in Dunn or Abreu.

 

Link

 

Earlier this week, Angels general manager Tony Reagins emphatically denied interest in Manny Ramirez, telling ESPN.com, "I can make this very brief and very clear. We are not in on Manny — and will not be."

 

Reagins was far more open-minded Friday when I asked him about the Angels' possible interest in two other free-agent outfielders, Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu, on one-year deals.

 

"I would say we'll continue to look at different ways to improve the club," Reagins said. "If something makes sense for us, we'd look at it. We'd have to see what the parameters are, how that player fits."

 

He's also reporting that either one might sign for a 1yr 8 million deal. That would be a steal!

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Oh...and another thing.

 

In the article I linked above, I found this interesting.

 

One way for right-hander Juan Cruz to get his desired salary would be to sign with a Japanese club for one season, then become a free agent again next winter without being attached to a draft pick.

 

Cruz, perhaps more than any player, bears the burden of a Type-A free agent who was offered salary arbitration. Teams are reluctant to lose a high pick for a middle-inning reliever — even one who had the highest strikeout rate among National League relievers last season, ahead of even Brad Lidge.

 

Japanese teams rarely sign major leaguers this late in the offseason, and many are already at their payroll limit. Then again, such teams rarely get a shot at a pitcher as accomplished as Cruz.

[mcgoobs]

Article on ESPN.com about Ray Durham still being available. The knocks on him are that he turned 37 and his defense is questionable. The positives are that he's put up an OBP above .350 in every season but 2 going back to 1998. He would have been a nice option for backup middle infielder if we hadn't already signed Miles.

[Chuck_Cubs1]

Big Andrew Jones could be our answer this year. i like his moves in that outfield, and he could give us just the right amount of juice were looking for as an extra guy.

[rocket]

i think you may have something there, chuck.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Big Andrew Jones could be our answer this year. i like his moves in that outfield, and he could give us just the right amount of juice were looking for as an extra guy.

 

 

Jones could be an interesting option, but the rumor is he's about to sign a minor league deal with the Rangers.

[dew1679666265]

Article on ESPN.com about Ray Durham still being available. The knocks on him are that he turned 37 and his defense is questionable. The positives are that he's put up an OBP above .350 in every season but 2 going back to 1998. He would have been a nice option for backup middle infielder if we hadn't already signed Miles.

 

Durham's had three years worse than Miles' best year. Almost every year he's been significantly better than Miles' career year.

 

Durham, over his career, has also hit lefties better than Miles in his career year. If he does sign a cheap deal, he most certainly would have been a better option from what I can tell.

[dew1679666265]

Big Andrew Jones could be our answer this year. i like his moves in that outfield, and he could give us just the right amount of juice were looking for as an extra guy.

 

 

Jones could be an interesting option, but the rumor is he's about to sign a minor league deal with the Rangers.

 

Man, I would've liked Andruw on a minor league deal. He's almost certainly completely done, but for extremely cheap, it's a risk I'd take.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Big Andrew Jones could be our answer this year. i like his moves in that outfield, and he could give us just the right amount of juice were looking for as an extra guy.

 

 

Jones could be an interesting option, but the rumor is he's about to sign a minor league deal with the Rangers.

 

Man, I would've liked Andruw on a minor league deal. He's almost certainly completely done, but for extremely cheap, it's a risk I'd take.

 

 

Yeah. I said the same thing about Richard Hidalgo a few years back. :(

[Outshined_One]

Joe Crede's name vaguely interests me. I know he's probably looking for a starting gig and it's unlikely he'd want a bench role. Still, if he'd be willing to play some 1B, he wouldn't make a bad backup option.

[dew1679666265]

Big Andrew Jones could be our answer this year. i like his moves in that outfield, and he could give us just the right amount of juice were looking for as an extra guy.

 

 

Jones could be an interesting option, but the rumor is he's about to sign a minor league deal with the Rangers.

 

Man, I would've liked Andruw on a minor league deal. He's almost certainly completely done, but for extremely cheap, it's a risk I'd take.

 

 

Yeah. I said the same thing about Richard Hidalgo a few years back. :(

 

Eventually we've got to get one right. :D

[SouthSideRyan]

Seriously, if we didn't sign the awful Aaron Miles when we did, would he even get a major league deal at this point?

[dew1679666265]

Seriously, if we didn't sign the awful Aaron Miles when we did, would he even get a major league deal at this point?

 

Shockingly, I think yes. He was getting offers from the Cards and somebody else at the time.

 

With guys like Ray Durham and Orlando Hudson still on the market I'm shocked he's employed, though.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Hudson had some pretty large demands at the start of the signing period, if I recall correctly.

[SouthSideRyan]

Seriously, if we didn't sign the awful Aaron Miles when we did, would he even get a major league deal at this point?

 

Shockingly, I think yes. He was getting offers from the Cards and somebody else at the time.

 

With guys like Ray Durham and Orlando Hudson still on the market I'm shocked he's employed, though.

 

Well yeah, at the time he had offers. The FA market has tanked since then and I can't imagine Miles could compete in such an oversaturated market.

[mcgoobs]

Article on ESPN.com about Ray Durham still being available. The knocks on him are that he turned 37 and his defense is questionable. The positives are that he's put up an OBP above .350 in every season but 2 going back to 1998. He would have been a nice option for backup middle infielder if we hadn't already signed Miles.

 

Durham's had three years worse than Miles' best year. Almost every year he's been significantly better than Miles' career year.

 

Durham, over his career, has also hit lefties better than Miles in his career year. If he does sign a cheap deal, he most certainly would have been a better option from what I can tell.

 

Yep - we're saying the same thing. My quote regarding Durham being a quality option if we hadn't signed Miles wasn't regarding who is the better player as much as who Hendry has already gotten for the 2009 team. If the money was comparable I'd rather have Durham next year.

[dew1679666265]

Article on ESPN.com about Ray Durham still being available. The knocks on him are that he turned 37 and his defense is questionable. The positives are that he's put up an OBP above .350 in every season but 2 going back to 1998. He would have been a nice option for backup middle infielder if we hadn't already signed Miles.

 

Durham's had three years worse than Miles' best year. Almost every year he's been significantly better than Miles' career year.

 

Durham, over his career, has also hit lefties better than Miles in his career year. If he does sign a cheap deal, he most certainly would have been a better option from what I can tell.

 

Yep - we're saying the same thing. My quote regarding Durham being a quality option if we hadn't signed Miles wasn't regarding who is the better player as much as who Hendry has already gotten for the 2009 team. If the money was comparable I'd rather have Durham next year.

 

Sorry, I was intending to agree with you on that one. :D