Constructing the 2012 Cubs

[brinoch]

Obviously, the Cubs are in a tremendous state of flux. A new front office is going to create "The Cubs Way" and instill a new way of doing things throughout the entire organization. They are going to invest in development and perhaps do a lot of scouting (in some cases paying attention to different things than they have in the past).

 

Still, there will be a 2012 Cubs and as we know from Theo's press conference, he's not going to just ignore next season as they move forward. What I'm interested in discussing is how they'll build the 2012 team -- what parts to keep, who might move up, which free agents will be pursued -- all within the context of "The Cubs Way" and building a competitive team quickly without mortgaging the future. Obviously, there are a ton of things they need to do, but we're a pretty smart group of guys and I'm curious what we can come up with.

 

Certainly, I expect we'll be mostly wrong, but with quite a long time until pitchers and catchers report, let's have some fun!

[Guest]

I think this is more or less what is being discussed in the 2012 Throwaway/go for it thread. But I guess it is sort of different.

[BeerHere]

Brett Jackson should be promoted and assume a starting OF spot assuming he does well in ST. I wonder if Dolis will be given a shot. Others?

[Guest]

Call up Brett Jackson and start him in CF.

 

Try your best to sign CJ Wilson.

 

Try your best to sign Albert Pujols.

 

If you fail, try your best to sign Prince Fielder.

 

Retain Carlos Zambrano.

 

Try your best to sign Aramis Ramirez to a team-friendly shorter term (max of 3 years) deal.

 

Try your best to sign Sizemore to a cheap deal and let him have a crack at one of the OF spots if he's healthy enough.

 

That's about all I got, off the bat.

 

Maybe see if there are takers for Marmol, as our bullpen is stacked and I hate having significant money spent on relievers. Especially ones that seem to be succumbing to the perils of a heavy work load.

 

 

C - Soto, 1B - Pujols/Fielder, 2B - Barney, SS - Castro, 3B - Ramirez LF - Soriano/Byrd, CF - Jackson, RF - Byrd/Sizemore

 

Garza, Wilson, Dempster, Zambrano, Wells/Cashner

 

Marshall, Smardz, Russell, Wood (?), Cashner (?), Marmol (?)

 

 

Probably not enough money to do it all without raising payroll a bit unless Marmol is dumped on somebody and Wood takes another cheap deal.

Edited October 27, 2011 by David

[BeerHere]

Did Grabow's deal expire after 2011?

 

edit: yes, he's a FA

[illiniguy]

Did Grabow's deal expire after 2011?

 

edit: yes, he's a FA

How great is it we dont have to worry about our GM signing him to an extension now?

 

My thoughts make Koyie Hill a hotdog vendor, he owes us a lot of money still for the past few years.

[C.C.]

What's up with Guzman? Is he going to play winter ball?

[C.C.]

Call up Brett Jackson and start him in CF.

 

Try your best to sign CJ Wilson.

 

Try your best to sign Albert Pujols.

 

If you fail, try your best to sign Prince Fielder.

 

Retain Carlos Zambrano.

 

Try your best to sign Aramis Ramirez to a team-friendly shorter term (max of 3 years) deal.

 

That's about all I got, off the bat.

 

Maybe see if there are takers for Marmol, as our bullpen is stacked and I hate having significant money spent on relievers. Especially ones that seem to be succumbing to the perils of a heavy work load.

 

Wood?

[bukie]

In order of priority:

1) 1B and SP: Go hard after Pujols for 8 years and CJ Wilson for 4 years. If either fails, go hard after Fielder for 5 years and/or Edwin Jackson for 3-4 years.

2) SS and SP - Sign Castro and Garza to extensions beyond their arbitration years, possibly Castro to a Longoria-like contract.

3) SP - Hang onto Zambrano unless someone offers something of value for him. Sign a FA back-end starter (Oswalt?) to a 2-year deal.

3) 3B - Offer arbitration to Ramirez. If he accepts, work out a contract and roll with him for a year. If not, take the compensatory pick and roll with a LeMahieu/Flaherty/Baker platoon

4) CF - Let Brett Jackson play. Shift Byrd to a corner OF position for a year.

5) LF - Explore trade options for Soriano, looking to salvage half his salary, and then use the savings to pick up a Grady Sizemore or possibly Jason Kubel.

6) RP - Sell high(ish?) on Marmol, pick up Capps/Broxton(?) on a one-year incentive-laden deal. Wood, Marshall, Samardzija, Russell, Cashner form solid pen.

7) 2B - See what Reyes wants, see if he fits into the budget on a 3-4 year deal. Let Barney be the backup utility IF.

8) Bench - Non-tender Hill/DeWitt, let Castillo be the backup C, let Colvin or LaHair be the 4th OF/1B backup. Campana can be the utility OF.

Edited October 27, 2011 by bukie

[Guest]

Call up Brett Jackson and start him in CF.

 

Try your best to sign CJ Wilson.

 

Try your best to sign Albert Pujols.

 

If you fail, try your best to sign Prince Fielder.

 

Retain Carlos Zambrano.

 

Try your best to sign Aramis Ramirez to a team-friendly shorter term (max of 3 years) deal.

 

That's about all I got, off the bat.

 

Maybe see if there are takers for Marmol, as our bullpen is stacked and I hate having significant money spent on relievers. Especially ones that seem to be succumbing to the perils of a heavy work load.

 

Wood?

 

If he's willing to stick around for cheap again and Theo wants him, I'm all for it.

[Guest]

The thing is, there are so many possibilities and so many moves that HAVE to be made that this offseason is going to be insanely interesting to follow, especially under new leadership.

[RammyFanny]

In order of priority:

1) 1B and SP: Go hard after Pujols for 8 years and CJ Wilson for 4 years. If either fails, go hard after Fielder for 5 years and/or Edwin Jackson for 3-4 years.

2) SS and SP - Sign Castro and Garza to extensions beyond their arbitration years, possibly Castro to a Longoria-like contract.

3) SP - Hang onto Zambrano unless someone offers something of value for him. Sign a FA back-end starter (Oswalt?) to a 2-year deal.

3) 3B - Offer arbitration to Ramirez. If he accepts, work out a contract and roll with him for a year. If not, take the compensatory pick and roll with a LeMahieu/Flaherty/Baker platoon

4) CF - Let Brett Jackson play. Shift Byrd to a corner OF position for a year.

5) LF - Explore trade options for Soriano, looking to salvage half his salary, and then use the savings to pick up a Grady Sizemore or possibly Jason Kubel.

6) RP - Sell high(ish?) on Marmol, pick up Capps/Broxton(?) on a one-year incentive-laden deal. Wood, Marshall, Samardzija, Russell, Cashner form solid pen.

7) 2B - See what Reyes wants, see if he fits into the budget on a 3-4 year deal. Let Barney be the backup utility IF.

8) Bench - Non-tender Hill/DeWitt, let Castillo be the backup C, let Colvin or LaHair be the 4th OF/1B backup. Campana can be the utility OF.

I know you're just spitballing, but do you really think there's a remote possibility to sign Pujols (or Prince), Wilson (or Edwin), Oswalt, Grady Sizemore or Jason Kubel, and possibly Jose Reyes, on top of extending both Castro and Garza?

[bukie]

In order of priority:

1) 1B and SP: Go hard after Pujols for 8 years and CJ Wilson for 4 years. If either fails, go hard after Fielder for 5 years and/or Edwin Jackson for 3-4 years.

2) SS and SP - Sign Castro and Garza to extensions beyond their arbitration years, possibly Castro to a Longoria-like contract.

3) SP - Hang onto Zambrano unless someone offers something of value for him. Sign a FA back-end starter (Oswalt?) to a 2-year deal.

3) 3B - Offer arbitration to Ramirez. If he accepts, work out a contract and roll with him for a year. If not, take the compensatory pick and roll with a LeMahieu/Flaherty/Baker platoon

4) CF - Let Brett Jackson play. Shift Byrd to a corner OF position for a year.

5) LF - Explore trade options for Soriano, looking to salvage half his salary, and then use the savings to pick up a Grady Sizemore or possibly Jason Kubel.

6) RP - Sell high(ish?) on Marmol, pick up Capps/Broxton(?) on a one-year incentive-laden deal. Wood, Marshall, Samardzija, Russell, Cashner form solid pen.

7) 2B - See what Reyes wants, see if he fits into the budget on a 3-4 year deal. Let Barney be the backup utility IF.

8) Bench - Non-tender Hill/DeWitt, let Castillo be the backup C, let Colvin or LaHair be the 4th OF/1B backup. Campana can be the utility OF.

I know you're just spitballing, but do you really think there's a remote possibility to sign Pujols (or Prince), Wilson (or Edwin), Oswalt, Grady Sizemore or Jason Kubel, and possibly Jose Reyes, on top of extending both Castro and Garza?

 

If Dempster doesn't exercise his option, they trade Z and Soriano (that's where the back-end SP/OF money would come from), and they expand the payroll to $150M like has been rumored, then it's possible, yes.

[C.C.]

Call up Brett Jackson and start him in CF.

 

Try your best to sign CJ Wilson.

 

Try your best to sign Albert Pujols.

 

If you fail, try your best to sign Prince Fielder.

 

Retain Carlos Zambrano.

 

Try your best to sign Aramis Ramirez to a team-friendly shorter term (max of 3 years) deal.

 

That's about all I got, off the bat.

 

Maybe see if there are takers for Marmol, as our bullpen is stacked and I hate having significant money spent on relievers. Especially ones that seem to be succumbing to the perils of a heavy work load.

 

Wood?

 

If he's willing to stick around for cheap again and Theo wants him, I'm all for it.

 

Yep. Everything on your list is realistic. Bukie's is kind of out there.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'd be very, very (pleasantly) surprised if the payroll went to $150 million.

[brinoch]

I also think Byrd has to either go, or sit on the bench. He's clearly declining and is barely serviceable at this point.

 

I haven't seen him play, but at least by the numbers, Jackson is ready for the Show. That covers CF. With Theo in charge, they'll give him the time and patience he needs to settle in (wow! think about that...). Soriano, unless we can clear that contract somehow, still occupies LF.

 

What to do about RF? Move Byrd to right and platoon him? Use him as the 4th OF? I'm curious if anyone would be interested in bringing in JD Drew on a one-year contract as a possible platoon player with, say, Reed Johnson. That gives you 5 OF -- Soriano, Jackson, Drew, Johnson, Byrd. Alternately, I would be interested in trading Byrd and bringing Beltran in for a short-term deal for RF.

[bukie]

This is the place for wish lists, no? Screw conservative realism, I'm shooting for the moon.

[C.C.]

Dammit! One more time. Does Guzman have a shot of being healthy this year?

[Rob]

I also think Byrd has to either go, or sit on the bench. He's clearly declining and is barely serviceable at this point.

 

I haven't seen him play, but at least by the numbers, Jackson is ready for the Show. That covers CF. With Theo in charge, they'll give him the time and patience he needs to settle in (wow! think about that...). Soriano, unless we can clear that contract somehow, still occupies LF.

 

What to do about RF? Move Byrd to right and platoon him? Use him as the 4th OF? I'm curious if anyone would be interested in bringing in JD Drew on a one-year contract as a possible platoon player with, say, Reed Johnson. That gives you 5 OF -- Soriano, Jackson, Drew, Johnson, Byrd. Alternately, I would be interested in trading Byrd and bringing Beltran in for a short-term deal for RF.

 

Byrd was almost exactly the same player this year as he was last year.

[jersey cubs fan]

I also think Byrd has to either go, or sit on the bench. He's clearly declining and is barely serviceable at this point.

 

I haven't seen him play, but at least by the numbers, Jackson is ready for the Show. That covers CF. With Theo in charge, they'll give him the time and patience he needs to settle in (wow! think about that...). Soriano, unless we can clear that contract somehow, still occupies LF.

 

What to do about RF? Move Byrd to right and platoon him? Use him as the 4th OF? I'm curious if anyone would be interested in bringing in JD Drew on a one-year contract as a possible platoon player with, say, Reed Johnson. That gives you 5 OF -- Soriano, Jackson, Drew, Johnson, Byrd. Alternately, I would be interested in trading Byrd and bringing Beltran in for a short-term deal for RF.

 

Byrd was almost exactly the same player this year as he was last year.

 

no he wasn't

[RammyFanny]

FWIW, the only time i've seen the 150 million mentioned was when it was referenced as the payroll + draft/international signings money, not simply major league payroll.

 

I mean i'd love it to happen (and it probably will in the future when more revenues come in), but I highly doubt it for 2012.

[Guest]

Dammit! One more time. Does Guzman have a shot of being healthy this year?

 

I don't think you can count on him as a bullpen cog, but I think he should be ready to give it a shot next year. If healthy, he should beat out the AAAA guys to get a middle relief role behind Marmol/Marshall/Wood/Samardzija/Russell.

[bukie]

Another random thought...would you trade Soriano straight up for Carl Crawford? No other money trading hands, just a straight player and contract swap.

 

EDIT: I'm intrigued by the idea because it works for both teams. Crawford's defensive value is wasted at Fenway, and Soriano's biggest defensive deficiency (range) would be nullified at Fenway. Crawford's a good bet to rebound, but his contract rolls on two years longer than Soriano's.

Edited October 27, 2011 by bukie

[Rob]

I also think Byrd has to either go, or sit on the bench. He's clearly declining and is barely serviceable at this point.

 

I haven't seen him play, but at least by the numbers, Jackson is ready for the Show. That covers CF. With Theo in charge, they'll give him the time and patience he needs to settle in (wow! think about that...). Soriano, unless we can clear that contract somehow, still occupies LF.

 

What to do about RF? Move Byrd to right and platoon him? Use him as the 4th OF? I'm curious if anyone would be interested in bringing in JD Drew on a one-year contract as a possible platoon player with, say, Reed Johnson. That gives you 5 OF -- Soriano, Jackson, Drew, Johnson, Byrd. Alternately, I would be interested in trading Byrd and bringing Beltran in for a short-term deal for RF.

 

Byrd was almost exactly the same player this year as he was last year.

 

no he wasn't

 

BB% - 4.9%, 5.2%

K% - 15.6%, 16.2%

ISO - .136, .119

BABIP - .335, .316

 

The batted ball profile is strikingly similar as well.

 

The difference between what he did this year and last year is tied up in that .20 points of BABIP. He was a bit lucky in 2010, a bit unlucky this year. It's that simple.

[Guest]

Dammit! One more time. Does Guzman have a shot of being healthy this year?

 

He finished the 2011 season healthy down in the minors. Not sure what that'll mean for 2012 but I'm sure he'll get an opportunity to make the squad if healthy.