Free Agent Predictions

[UMFan83]

Not sure if there was going to be a contest or something, but now that we have management in place, I am excited about hot stove season. Anyone want to take a stab at predicting where the top FAs are going?

 

Not a ton of thought put into this list as I'm sure there will be some awful player-team matches somewhere along the line.

 

Albert Pujols - Cardinals

Prince Fielder - Nationals

CC Sabathia - Yankees

CJ Wilson - Cubs

Jose Reyes - Phillies

Jimmy Rollins - Giants

Aramis Ramirez - Cubs

Carlos Beltran - Angels

David Ortiz - Red Sox

Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox

Francisco Rodriguez - Cardinals

Heath Bell - Padres

Brad Lidge - Reds

Joe Nathan - Blue Jays

Jonathan Broxton - Yankees

Ryan Madson - Phillies

Mark Buehrle - White Sox

Michael Cuddyer - Brewers

Carlos Pena - Cubs

Yu Darvish - Rangers

Edwin Jackson - Red Sox

Johnny Damon - Rays

[SABR Gamer]

I badly don't want to see Pena our first basemen again.

 

I wouldn't mind Aramis back, nothing crazy though, 3/39 is okay.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Albert Pujols - Cardinals

Prince Fielder - Blue Jays

CC Sabathia - Yankees

CJ Wilson - Cubs

Jose Reyes - Giants

Jimmy Rollins - Phillies

Aramis Ramirez - Angels

Carlos Beltran - Giants

David Ortiz - Red Sox

Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox

Francisco Rodriguez - Orioles

Heath Bell - Padres

Brad Lidge - Blue Jays

Joe Nathan - White Sox

Jonathan Broxton - Cardinals

Ryan Madson - Phillies

Mark Buehrle - White Sox

Michael Cuddyer - Tigers

Carlos Pena - Cubs

Yu Darvish - Does not come to US

Edwin Jackson - Cubs

Johnny Damon - Rays

[Backtobanks]

2 predictions having Pujols/Fielder signing elsewhere. I thought Theo was going to build a winner.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Albert Pujols - Cardinals

Prince Fielder-Cubs

CC Sabathia-Yankees

CJ Wilson-Red Sox

Jose Reyes-Mets

Jimmy Rollins-Brewers

Aramis Ramirez-Angels

Carlos Beltran-Giants

Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox

Francisco Rodriguez - Orioles

Heath Bell - Padres

Brad Lidge - Phillies

Joe Nathan - Cardinals

Jonathan Broxton - Mets

Ryan Madson - Phillies

Mark Buehrle - Marlins

Michael Cuddyer - PhillieS

Carlos Pena - Brewers

Yu Darvish - Rangers

Edwin Jackson - Nationals

Johnny Damon - A's

Ray Oswalt-Yankees

Jason Kubel-Twins

Kosuke Fukudome-Mariners

Pat Maholm-Cubs

John Grabow- Anyone but The Cubs

Casey Kotchman-Orioles

Jim Thome-Yankees

Juan Pierre-Marlins

Ryan Theriot-Indians

Wilson Betemit-Phillies

[UMFan83]

Theo doesn't need to throw a ton of money at a player right away to build a winner. That's not even why Tommy wanted Theo so bad.

 

That said, I'd love to have one of them.

[UMFan83]

Pat Maholm-Cubs

 

Paul

[MWV]

Pat Maholm-Cubs

 

Paul

I hope the cubs also make an offer to Ray Oswalt.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Pat Maholm-Cubs

 

Paul

 

LOL. For some reason I confused him with Pat Mahomes, who we also had at one point.

[biittner77]

Did I miss something? Why do people think Pujols will stay with the Cards?

[davearm2]

Put the Brewers down for Reyes or Rollins.

 

Pujols stays. Sabathia stays. Wilson stays.

 

Fielder to the highest bidder. Won't be the Cubs.

[davearm2]

Did I miss something? Why do people think Pujols will stay with the Cards?

I think he wants to stay, and when push comes to shove he'll take a discount to make that happen after nobody will go 10/$300 or whatever pie in the sky figure he has in mind.

[Guest]

Put the Brewers down for Reyes or Rollins.

 

With what money? They are at last year's payroll even if they don't bring back Fielder.

[Banedon]

Did I miss something? Why do people think Pujols will stay with the Cards?

 

Only team he's ever played for, has won a WS and is playing in his third with them. Tight relationship with TLR, supposedly. Having a historic game, and huge overall playoffs, the Cards might feel compelled to keep him.

[UMFan83]

Did I miss something? Why do people think Pujols will stay with the Cards?

 

Just think it will end up that way. The 2 biggest overspenders are unlikely to be part of the bidding, I get the sense that Theo doesn't want to make a big splash this offseason because the team isn't ready for it. So this leaves teams like the Mets (financial issues), Dodgers (still some financial issues), Angels (possible but they blew a lot of money on Wells), Blue Jays (I say this respectfully but, Canada), Nationals (no tradition or strong fan base, might not appeal to someone coming from BFIB).

 

I guess I just don't see a team offering significantly more than what the Cardinals are going to eventually offer him, and with similar offers out there, the desire to remain on the one team he has played for and is beloved will win over. Plus they indirectly proved that they could win with Pujols making a lot more money (my logic: Wainwright hurt all year, and signing Pujols would probably cause the Cardinals to have to let him or Carp go), so the issue about the Cardinals being able to afford him and still win is lessened. It just seems like all the pieces are in place for him to stay in STL.

[Guest]

I'm really bad at this, but here it goes:

 

Albert Pujols - Angles (the Cubs will be bidders)

Prince Fielder - Blue Jays (the Cubs will be bidders)

CC Sabathia - Yankees

CJ Wilson - Rangers

Jose Reyes - Cardinals

Jimmy Rollins - Giants

Aramis Ramirez - Angles

Carlos Beltran - Nationals

David Ortiz - Rangers

Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox

Francisco Rodriguez - Dodgers

Heath Bell - Padres

Brad Lidge - Yankees

Joe Nathan - Minnesota

Jonathan Broxton - Dodgers

Ryan Madson - Nationals

Mark Buehrle - White Sox

Michael Cuddyer - Brewers

Carlos Pena - Cubs

Yu Darvish - Yankees

Edwin Jackson - Red Sox

Johnny Damon - Retired

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Why in the hell are the Cubs "not ready" to go after and sign Albert [expletive] Pujols? What are the special conditions that have to be met?

[Backtobanks]

I'm really bad at this, but here it goes:

 

Albert Pujols - Angles (the Cubs will be bidders)

Prince Fielder - Blue Jays (the Cubs will be bidders)

CC Sabathia - Yankees

CJ Wilson - Rangers

Jose Reyes - Cardinals

Jimmy Rollins - Giants

Aramis Ramirez - Angles

Carlos Beltran - Nationals

David Ortiz - Rangers

Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox

Francisco Rodriguez - Dodgers

Heath Bell - Padres

Brad Lidge - Yankees

Joe Nathan - Minnesota

Jonathan Broxton - Dodgers

Ryan Madson - Nationals

Mark Buehrle - White Sox

Michael Cuddyer - Brewers

Carlos Pena - Cubs

Yu Darvish - Yankees

Edwin Jackson - Red Sox

Johnny Damon - Retired

 

Unless Theo has some interesting trades on the horizon, losing Ramirez and re-signing Pena doesn't look good for 2012.

[dew1679666265]

Why in the hell are the Cubs "not ready" to go after and sign Albert [expletive] Pujols? What are the special conditions that have to be met?

 

Apparently we have to be ready to win next year since Pujols either won't be a Cub after that or won't be any good after 2012. I don't understand that either.

[mookie]

I will eat a day full of boogers with a spoon if Carlos Pena is a Cub again.

[davearm2]

Put the Brewers down for Reyes or Rollins.

 

With what money? They are at last year's payroll even if they don't bring back Fielder.

Just a hunch they go big at SS to offset the loss of Fielder. They were terrible at that spot and still have a playoff-caliber roster returning. We've already seen them make bold moves for guys like Sabathia, Grienke and Marcum. I think they make their next splash at SS, even if it requires a boost in payroll.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Why in the hell are the Cubs "not ready" to go after and sign Albert [expletive] Pujols? What are the special conditions that have to be met?

 

Apparently we have to be ready to win next year since Pujols either won't be a Cub after that or won't be any good after 2012. I don't understand that either.

 

I want heavy blunt objects around next time someone shits their pants over signing an over 30 player simply for being over 30.

 

From what I understand the Cubs should only be signing/targeting young high end talent that they don't have to pay too much for. Go get em Theo!

[Banedon]

I will eat a day full of boogers with a spoon if Carlos Pena is a Cub again.

 

What is a day full of boogers? That sounds like a crummy day.

[mul21]

Why in the hell are the Cubs "not ready" to go after and sign Albert [expletive] Pujols? What are the special conditions that have to be met?

 

Apparently we have to be ready to win next year since Pujols either won't be a Cub after that or won't be any good after 2012. I don't understand that either.

 

I want heavy blunt objects around next time someone [expletive] their pants over signing an over 30 player simply for being over 30.

 

From what I understand the Cubs should only be signing/targeting young high end talent that they don't have to pay too much for. Go get em Theo!

 

It's not signing players over 30 that's the problem. It's signing players over 30 to asininely long contracts that are sure to bite you in the ass before they're over. Signing Pujols to anything more than a 6 year contract is a bad idea and there's no way he get less than 8. My perfect deal is to give Fielder the deal that Ryan Howard just got (5/$125) or maybe 6/$150 if you have to go that far.

[UMFan83]

I guess it depends on whether you think the Cubs can compete next year. I don't think Theo intends to compete next year unless the very short term moves he makes (while making the more important long term moves in the background) all pan out and everything works out well.

 

If you sign someone like Pujols it would be stupid to pay $20 million of payroll to one player on a team that's not as likely to win, especially because at the time you finally expect to be competing with a strong organizational philosphy in place, Pujols will be out of that "peak" age that Theo talked about today. Not to say that Pujols will all the sudden be Soriano part 2, as the early post-peak Albert is probably still among the top 10 hitters in the game but in terms of maximizing his value it doesnt make sense to pay someone for 8 years 200+ mil when the 2 years he will be in his self-defined peak will be the 2 years the Cubs are the least likely to compete.

 

I dunno, I can see your side too but that's the best argument I can make.