This Offseason from a Long-Term Perspective

[Sammys Boombox]

Simple question.

 

Would you rather the Cubs take a very conservative approach to this offseason and maybe even the next offseason to try to put themselves in a position to rule the central? Or, do you think it would be better to continue to try to piece together a winning team, especially since the division is so weak anyway?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Smart organizations don't have to choose.

[circlecitycub]

Honestly I don't think much is needed this off season. If in fact they can move Theriot and Marmol for Granderson as well as shipping Bradley for Cordero that would be just about enough. Bring back Harden, Grabow and Johnson.

 

CF-Granderson

RF-Fukudome

1B-Lee

3B-Ramirez

LF-Soriano

2B-Baker

C-Soto

SS-Blanco

 

Z, Harden, Lilly, Wells, Dempster, Gorzo/Marshall fills in for Lilly to start season.

 

Pen- Marshall/Gorzo, Guzman, Cordero, Stevens, Grabow

 

Bench- Hill, Johnson, Fox, Fontenot, Hauffpauier, Fuld

[C.C.]

Smart organizations don't have to choose.

 

Right, but lets stay on the subject of the Cubs. Which would you choose?

[loukycub]

combination of the two. because the division is so weak, 83-86 wins could win the division. up until st. louis got hot at the end of the year the top teams could have been thrown under the same blanket. granted by going conservative we are essentially giving up on the wild card before the season even starts.

 

get one or two cheap parts and we still can contend for the central and after that see what happens. the advantages of going conservative for the next year is that should we be pretty good that year, we are that much more attractive to the better free agents in 2011. the disadvantages are we finish third or worse and we start overpaying for free agents in the attempt to win, in other words exactly where we are right now. the way i see it nothing lost.

[davell]

I'd go conservative myself. Spend a little more money in the Dominican, Pac Rim, and on the draft. The farm is on the right track for sure already, go ahead and beef it up some more. Get the right front office guys you want in place, and don't spend a lot on the major league team until that is done. Whoever takes over for Hendry and Co. will already be inheriting a pretty large mess as far as contracts go.

 

The good news about this though, is with our current payroll, we should be competitive within the division anyway. Sign a couple of low price guys to short term deals to fill out the roster and we could very possibly head into 2010 as the Central Division favorites, basically because the division sucks.

[IlliniGuy99]

It's unfortunate that it appears we don't have much to spend this offseason. With all of the teams that are looking to cut salary, Hendry could do some of his typical fleecing of the poorer teams looking to cut salary.

[Sammys Boombox]

I would like to see a conservative approach. I don't want them to mail it in next year though. I really don't see Holliday going back to St. Louis. The division will be weak. I just don't want them to overextend their bounds in hopes that everything will work out in 2010 (like they have recently).

[Cubswin11]

Stay conservative. Kick the tires on some trade possibilities and see if we can make some moves to free up cash/get a little younger. Don't bring in any new long term contracts. Next year we could potentially lose Lee, Ramirez, and Lilly. So try to stay more flexible for next offseason to try and bring maybe one of those guys back (preferably Ramirez) and we still should have room to add some FA next year.

[A New Era]

Worry about keeping the best of the best. And if you can get some really good young talent, you can let one of your better guys go. I vote for the conservative route. I say it's time to start focusing on making this a solid team. Which could take a few years but that's ok. Don't sign anyone to any more super large overpaid contracts just because you can (cough soriano cough).

[Little Slide Rooter]

If we were really building a team for the long term, John Grabow wouldnt have just been given a 7.5 million dollar contract.

[Guest]

If we were really building a team for the long term, John Grabow wouldnt have just been given a 7.5 million dollar contract.

Other than the potential loss of draft picks for letting him go, signing Grabow really doesn't impact the long-term plan for the club.