My Thoughts for 2010.

[Rob]

All of these assumptions are based on Ricketts acting similarly to the Tribune in regards to payroll... meaning a slight bump for next season. If he decides to start giving us a $200,000,000 payroll, toss all this out the window.

 

On the homefront

 

Offer Harden arbitration. Be willing to work on a two year deal if that's what it takes to keep him here, otherwise let him walk and pocket the two draft picks. Likewise, offer Grabow arbitration... but for god's sake don't offer him a multi-year deal. Just let Gregg walk.

 

We can realistically listen to offers on DLee, with a Fox / Hoff platoon of sorts being perfectly adequate at 1B. But if we can't get enough to justify trading him (or he isn't willing to waive his NTC) it's not a big deal. He'll be worth 2 picks after next season. In that case, we should examine the market for Fox and Hoff.

 

Zambrano is probably overpaid, but doesn't want to trade his NTC and, more importantly, we don't have enough pitching waiting behind him to fill in. If we want to compete next season, Zambrano is a part of that.

 

Likewise, Bradley was a disappointment, but is an excellent bet to rebound in the power department next season. He's not near enough of a problem to justify paying his contract to play elsewhere, especially considering we have no options. No, Jake Fox is not an option. He's atrocious in the field. To my knowledge there aren't any better RF on the trade market... and the only FA options likely to be better are Holliday and Bay. Unless Ricketts goes crazy with the payroll, they aren't really options. One of my biggest fears is that we pay Bradley to play elsewhere, and then sign Vlad or Abreu, who are just as bad as Fox in the field.

 

See if Reed Johnson is willing to give us a hefty discount to stay Fukudome's platoon partner. Don't get suckered into paying him like a starter though. This is an easy place to lose some payroll if we're tight.

 

Re-sign Chad Fox. Call him up in mid april and then put him on the 60 day DL after a week... just for some added roster flexibility for the playoffs.

 

Looking outside the organization now

 

Pay attention to the Figgins sweepstakes until it gets past 3/24, at which point bow the hell out. He's not worth near the money he'll be getting... and signing players whose value is so wrapped up in speed to long expensive contracts after age 30 is just a stupid idea.

 

Our middle infield situation has a lot of options. The big move I support is making a run at Stephen Drew. I've heard the DBacks front office may be looking to rebuild next season, and this could be huge. Jose Reyes may be available as well, and would potentially be a very good pickup if we have the pieces. Check out Orlando Hudson and Akinori Iwamura as well.

 

Ideally, we could kick the tires on some potential upgrades over Koyie Hill. Varitek, Zaun, Benji Molina, Yorvit Torrealba. But they probably want too much money to make it worthwhile.... and even if they didn't, I don't think we could trust Lou not to play these guys way too freaking much.

 

Give Rocco Baldelli a jingle and see if he's willing to platoon with Fukudome.

 

Bedard, Duchscherer, Escobar, Schmidt, Sheets, and Smoltz will all be available, and should all be fairly cheap. Obviously some would need to be extremely cheap to justify the investment (Schmidt would probably need to be on a minor league deal as well as extremely cheap), but they're all worth taking five minutes to find out their asking price as rehab projects.

 

I know the urge to overspend for middle relievers will be very strong this offseason, but I'd be content to not make any moves in the pen at all if that's the case. If we really need to make some moves though, Billy Wagner and JJ Putz may be cheap enough to warrant the investment.

 

Summation:

 

We're locked in with most of the roster, as all the backloading contracts doesn't leave us with much to do but tweak. It sucks, but we aren't far from being a decent team.

[BCVM22]

A two-headed beast of Fox/Hoffpauir at first base would not prove "perfectly adequate" by any means.

 

Inserting Reyes or Drew at shortstop would be huge (preferably Reyes; bat him leadoff and end that debate for the next five years or so), but I'm not sure either would quite be worth the cost they'd require in trade.

[grassbass]

Give Rocco Baldelli a jingle and see if he's willing to platoon with Fukudome.

 

I was thinking about this yesterday. He's younger than Johnson, and probably has some more upside offensively. He'd most likely get more at-bats with this club than he would with the Red Sox.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I really dont want to trade Lee. Hes far too valuable offensively and defensively. Id be willing to live with a Foxpauir paltoon in RF if we could get enough salary relief for Bradley, but not if it meant getting rid of him for no reason. I mentioned in another thread, I wonder if the Marlins would swap Uggla for Bradley, Sure, it would be a brutal defensive middle infield, but wed have Andres Blanco as a late inning defensive sub if needed. I could see the Cubs opening day roster looking like

 

CF Fukudome

LF Soriano

1B Lee

3B Ramirez

2B Uggla

RF Fox

C Soto

SS Theriot

SP Zambrano

SP Lilly

SP Dempster

SP Wells

SP Gorzalanny

Bench

1. Hoffpauir

2. Baker/Fontenot

3. Blanco-need a backup SS

4. Fuld/Reed/maybe even Colvin-need a backup CF

5. Hill

Pen

Heilman

Marshall

Gaub

Stevens

Caridad

Marmol

Diamond/Berg/Grabow

 

Maybe we aquire another starter, pushing Gorz to the pan.

Assuming we hang on to Bradley, and keep the Font/Baker platoon at 2B, either Fox or Hoffpauir is likely gone. Id love to have a spot for Scales, but unless theres an injury, I dont see it happening. Hopefully hes been showcased enoguh at enough positions that some low level team would offer him a spot as utility player. Theres much worse out there.

[biittner77]

Wells should be the 5th starter which means either re signing Hardern or someone like Sheets.

 

Piniella wants a LH bat with enough power to "protect" Ramirez in the 5th spot. That player will have to play 2nd base or RF. Not sure who that will be but I'd guess it won't be Bradley or Hoffpauir.

 

Assuming they extend Grabow (they seem intent on bringing him back) they fill the rest of the BP spots with in house candidates or NRI during ST.

 

The Yankees will otubid for Figgins and the Cubs will have to "settle" for Hudson.

[davell]

The Marlins will be able to trade Uggla for prospects without taking on any salary. They almost definitely won't be an option for Bradley.

[davell]

What I'd like to do for 2010 would be something like this:

 

C Soto, Hill

1B Lee, Fox

2B Hudson 2-18, Baker

SS Theriot, Blanco

3B Ramirez

LF Soriano

CF Fukudome, Fuld

RF Bradley

 

SP Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster, Bedard 1-8 with options for lots more(both in years and money) Wells

Offer arb to Harden and get the picks(someone will sign him for more than a year)

BP Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Gorzelanny, Gaub, 2 of Stevens, Berg, Shark, Parker and Caridad

 

 

Let Grabow walk, get the picks(a bottom 15 team will sign him and not lose their own 1st)

Nontender Heilman and Johnson, DFA Miles and let Gregg walk without offering arb

 

Trade Hoffpauir and Fontenot for whatever you can get, unless they have an option left(unsure?)

 

Make a run at Reyes.....Offer Lilly, Theriot, one of either Carpenter or J Jackson and one of Burke or Colvin and see if they bite...... If they did, move Gorzellany or Marshall to the rotation, and use 3 of the 5 relievers I had mentioned earlier.

 

Go ahead and shop Bradley, but don't trade him unless either (A) someone pays almost his whole salary(we wouldn't get anything in return) or (B) we get something solid in return, meaning a RFer, 2B, or SP that is an upgrade for us. Since both of these situations is doubtful, I'm assuming he's our RFer next year.

[illiniguy]

All these posts make too much sense. You gotta Jim Hendry it. Smash your head into a wall a few thousand times and then see what you come up with. Oh and Aaron Miles will be on the team. Can't admit we screwed the pooch on that signing.

[shnsajax]

Zambrano for Peavy.

[inari]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

[illiniguy]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

Gotta go with Dennis Quade. he's pitched in the bigs and he's won a National title while helping break down racial lines. He's our man for player manager.

[Sammy Sofa]

I WILL SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS THAN ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD AND MARV FROM HOME ALONE AS THE PITCHING COACH.

[Serge]

This team really can't, and probably shouldn't, make many changes for next year. We need a starting caliber MI and maybe a reliever and that's it. For the MI, I'd rather not do free agency. Odogg, Figgins, and those guys are all going to make a good deal more than they're actually, worth, and we probably won't have a ton of salary room to overpay for a guy. I'd look to Tampa bay, since they have about 67 middle infielders who are all better than anyone we have.

 

Then in the bullpen, we'd be alright if we just went with what we've got, but I'd really rather bring someone in. A bullpen of something like Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Heilman, Shark, Caridad, Gaub would probably be alright. Although with Marmol sucking this year, and Guzman being an enormous injury risk, I'd feel a lot safer if we brought someone in. Even just a decent 8th inning guy like Fernando Rodney or something. Or maybe Billy Wagner would come cheap if we promised he could close.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

Gotta go with Dennis Quade. he's pitched in the bigs and he's won a National title while helping break down racial lines. He's our man for player manager.

 

How about James Gammon? In 1989, he took a rag tag bunch of misfits and made them into a contender. imagine what he could do with this kind of payroll. Of course we might need to sign Tom Berenger as a club house leader, and even back then, he looked like he was toward the end of his career.

 

bullpen of something like Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Heilman, Shark, Caridad, Gaub would probably be alright. Although with Marmol sucking this year, and Guzman being an enormous injury risk, I'd feel a lot safer if we brought someone in

 

I want Shark nowhere near a major league mound, at least for the Cubs until he proves he can do something other than give up runs at a comical rate. As for Marmol, hes actually been steller in actual save situations since he became the closer.

[illiniguy]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

Gotta go with Dennis Quade. he's pitched in the bigs and he's won a National title while helping break down racial lines. He's our man for player manager.

 

How about James Gammon? In 1989, he took a rag tag bunch of misfits and made them into a contender. imagine what he could do with this kind of payroll. Of course we might need to sign Tom Berenger as a club house leader, and even back then, he looked like he was toward the end of his career.

 

bullpen of something like Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Heilman, Shark, Caridad, Gaub would probably be alright. Although with Marmol sucking this year, and Guzman being an enormous injury risk, I'd feel a lot safer if we brought someone in

 

I want Shark nowhere near a major league mound, at least for the Cubs until he proves he can do something other than give up runs at a comical rate. As for Marmol, hes actually been steller in actual save situations since he became the closer.

 

I don't know if the whole naked owner thing will work with Ricketts though.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

Gotta go with Dennis Quade. he's pitched in the bigs and he's won a National title while helping break down racial lines. He's our man for player manager.

 

How about James Gammon? In 1989, he took a rag tag bunch of misfits and made them into a contender. imagine what he could do with this kind of payroll. Of course we might need to sign Tom Berenger as a club house leader, and even back then, he looked like he was toward the end of his career.

 

bullpen of something like Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Heilman, Shark, Caridad, Gaub would probably be alright. Although with Marmol sucking this year, and Guzman being an enormous injury risk, I'd feel a lot safer if we brought someone in

 

I want Shark nowhere near a major league mound, at least for the Cubs until he proves he can do something other than give up runs at a comical rate. As for Marmol, hes actually been steller in actual save situations since he became the closer.

 

I don't know if the whole naked owner thing will work with Ricketts though.

 

Plus we got rid of Willie Mays Hays back in May.

[NCCubFan]

Re-sign Chad Fox. Call him up in mid april and then put him on the 60 day DL after a week... just for some added roster flexibility for the playoffs.

A whole week? He won't last that long before getting injured.

[Serge]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

Gotta go with Dennis Quade. he's pitched in the bigs and he's won a National title while helping break down racial lines. He's our man for player manager.

 

How about James Gammon? In 1989, he took a rag tag bunch of misfits and made them into a contender. imagine what he could do with this kind of payroll. Of course we might need to sign Tom Berenger as a club house leader, and even back then, he looked like he was toward the end of his career.

 

bullpen of something like Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Heilman, Shark, Caridad, Gaub would probably be alright. Although with Marmol sucking this year, and Guzman being an enormous injury risk, I'd feel a lot safer if we brought someone in

 

I want Shark nowhere near a major league mound, at least for the Cubs until he proves he can do something other than give up runs at a comical rate. As for Marmol, hes actually been steller in actual save situations since he became the closer.

 

So you don't want Shark to pitch in the majors until he....proves he can pitch in the majors? With regular use, instead of being the 7th guy in the bullpen, he should be fine for next year. And Marmol has not been stellar in any situation this year. His walk rate is atrocious, his K's are down, and when his HR rate normalizes his ERA will balloon up.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Denzel Washington was an awesome coach in Remember the Titans. We should bring in Denzel Washington in some capacity.

Gotta go with Dennis Quade. he's pitched in the bigs and he's won a National title while helping break down racial lines. He's our man for player manager.

 

How about James Gammon? In 1989, he took a rag tag bunch of misfits and made them into a contender. imagine what he could do with this kind of payroll. Of course we might need to sign Tom Berenger as a club house leader, and even back then, he looked like he was toward the end of his career.

 

bullpen of something like Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, Heilman, Shark, Caridad, Gaub would probably be alright. Although with Marmol sucking this year, and Guzman being an enormous injury risk, I'd feel a lot safer if we brought someone in

 

I want Shark nowhere near a major league mound, at least for the Cubs until he proves he can do something other than give up runs at a comical rate. As for Marmol, hes actually been steller in actual save situations since he became the closer.

 

So you don't want Shark to pitch in the majors until he....proves he can pitch in the majors? With regular use, instead of being the 7th guy in the bullpen, he should be fine for next year. And Marmol has not been stellar in any situation this year. His walk rate is atrocious, his K's are down, and when his HR rate normalizes his ERA will balloon up.

 

Yes. Theres no reason the keep the guy around as a mop up man when we have better options. He looked nearly untouchable when he first came up in 2008, but since then he cant so much as check the mail without giving up 3 runs. If you have a guy who you only trust with a 5 or more run lead, that guy shouldnt be on the team, its that simple. Id give him 2010 to get ti together, and if he doesnt show any improvement, its time to cut the damn chord.

[E.J.]

It's difficult to hypothesize the offseason without knowing what Ricketts will do once he owns the team. I'm very interested to see what happens once he finally takes over.

[muntjack]

Yeah, not knowing whether the payroll will stay as is or swing 30% in either direction kinda makes it pointless to speculate on trades and signings and such.

[jersey cubs fan]

Yeah, not knowing whether the payroll will stay as is or swing 30% in either direction kinda makes it pointless to speculate on trades and signings and such.

 

I have a hard time believing it will decline by 30%. Contrary to popular opinion, Wrigley doesn't sell-out every season win or lose, and tv ratings are directly correlated to success. It wasn't hard to sell hope in 99 and throughout much of the early 2000's, as a young emerging team with an expanding payroll, new acquisitions and newfound marginal success got hearts beating. They need to sell tickets this winter, and I'm guessing they will add enough payroll to add one fairly intriguing player.

[SouthSideRyan]

Yeah, not knowing whether the payroll will stay as is or swing 30% in either direction kinda makes it pointless to speculate on trades and signings and such.

 

I have a hard time believing it will decline by 30%. Contrary to popular opinion, Wrigley doesn't sell-out every season win or lose, and tv ratings are directly correlated to success. It wasn't hard to sell hope in 99 and throughout much of the early 2000's, as a young emerging team with an expanding payroll, new acquisitions and newfound marginal success got hearts beating. They need to sell tickets this winter, and I'm guessing they will add enough payroll to add one fairly intriguing player.

 

Yeah there's no chance it drops 30%. Even if they wanted to, it'd be tough to pull off with all the guaranteed money and no trade clauses.

[SouthSideRyan]

Yeah, not knowing whether the payroll will stay as is or swing 30% in either direction kinda makes it pointless to speculate on trades and signings and such.

 

I have a hard time believing it will decline by 30%. Contrary to popular opinion, Wrigley doesn't sell-out every season win or lose, and tv ratings are directly correlated to success. It wasn't hard to sell hope in 99 and throughout much of the early 2000's, as a young emerging team with an expanding payroll, new acquisitions and newfound marginal success got hearts beating. They need to sell tickets this winter, and I'm guessing they will add enough payroll to add one fairly intriguing player.

 

Yeah there's no chance it drops 30%. Even if they wanted to, it'd be tough to pull off with all the guaranteed money and no trade clauses.

 

What I'm interested to see is what kind of crowds they'd draw without a big splash. They had to spend a [expletive] load of money in '07 because nobody was at those September games in '06. Even the bleachers were half empty. It's not quite as bad this year, but there were still an embarrassing # of empty seats when I went Wednesday. With the last 2 years you have to wonder if the bar was raised yet again, and fans will stay away next year if roughly the same team is brought back.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It seems as though every off season, no matter how their season went the Marlins have the philosophy that no player is untouchable. Well, lets see ifn they'll back that up and offer them the keys to the farm for Han Ram. Maybe a package of Vitters, Castro or Lee, 2 of Cashner/Jax/Carpenter/Coleman and maybe someone like Colvin or Burke could do the trick. Thats a lot of prospects, but were talking about 1 of the 4 best position players in the game.

 

While this is a pipe dream, and I highly doubt it happens, I do get the distinct gut feeling that we not only aquire Dan Uggla, but end up well overpaying for him, possibly with a similar package as that I mentioned above.