Cubs '06, start anew with a new team (some thoughts)

[polosprt009]

Okay, well, this season isn't quite over yet, though to most of us, it's starting to feel that way. Most of us are looking ahead to next year and thinking about what could and should be done to fix this fumbling clubhouse into playoff bound kings. For 2006, starting anew with a completely new team is a must.

 

First and foremost, out with Baker and in with a more aggressive, on-his-feet type manager. Someone who won't be sentimental and base decisions off of "feelings" instead of performance. A tactical manager. We have the talent now to do some magical things, though right now Baker isn't utilizing what he's got to the fullest extent. He was hired to motivate players to work to their highest potential, though right now I see him more as a father figure, patting players on the back saying "It's okay son, go get them next time", instead of putting a fire under their feet.

 

As for our lineup, we need a big change. Our offense could be strong, though for some reason it's not been this season. I was thinking about if I were to keep just 5 players from this lineup (not pitchers) and completely revamp the team from there, those five players would be the obvious Lee & Ramirez, with Hairston, Barrett and Walker. Those five are money. Hairston could work a 1 year stint as starting center fielder, while Felix Pie works his way on up in the minors. With players like Garciaparra and Burnitz on the market, we could perhaps acquire FA Furcal at SS, though OF free agent market is a bit weak at the moment. Hendry has worked great deals in the past though. It's still too soon to talk names in the trade market for next year, but I could easily see us with 2 if not 3 new names in the OF next year. A new lead-off hitter is an absolute must as well.

 

As for pitching, everyone talks about how Prior and Wood are the best killer duo on a team since Clemons & Oswalt, though lately they've been no better than an average starter. I'm always hearing all this talk about how if they injury free for a season, their numbers would be fantastic. Though I don't know if I fully agree with that. Prior, yes, though in my opinion Wood isn't consistent. Out of the two pitchers, I'd say one has to go, and I'd definitely choose Wood to leave for that matter. I'd keep Prior, Z, and Maddux, a strong possibly of Williams, depending on how well he finishes off this season. That leaves us with 1 slot open for a new starter. Burnett maybe? Who knows, still too soon to talk new names, though pitching is a huge problem on our team right now. Our relievers are a crap shoot right now. Big things need to be changed in our bullpen to even consider us a playoff bound team.

 

Each year we predict a spot in the World Series. With a few minor changes, I could easily see that happen in 2006. 2005, well, that's another story..

[ctcf]

Sounds good except I'd try to ditch Maddux before I went about getting rid of Wood.

[polosprt009]

Just came to my attention that Wood is in a 12 million no trade clause for next year, so he's goin nowhere. there ya go, newbie status established :)

[burnt out cubbie fan]

NO TRADE CLAUSE.

[UMFan83]

Other then the difficulty of getting rid of Wood given his contract and having Jerry for a full year at CF, I think thats a sound start. I agree with what you said about the type of manager this club needs. We got Dusty to turn lemons into lemonade. Now we have talent and don't know how to use it properly.

[Mark_R]

Anything but Maddux again next year...

 

Make me sit and watch the Royals if you must...

[Proven Veteran]

I want Cedeno to start at SS until he proves that he can't handle it.

[Coach C]

Anything but Maddux again next year...

 

Make me sit and watch the Royals if you must...

 

I wouldn't want to watch the Royals. It would just remind me of how bad the Cubs are doing right now.

 

But I agree. I think it's time for Maddux to call it after the end of 2005 season.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Right now everybody but Zambrano, Prior, Lee and Ramirez should be available for the right price.

 

Off the top of my head, something like this could happen:

 

Hairston 2B

Cedeno SS

Lee 1B

Dunn LF

Ramirez 3B

Burnitz RF

Pie CF

Barrett C

 

Bench

Hollandsworth

Dellucci/Mench

back-up middle infielder

back-up center fielder

back-up corner infielder

Back-up catcher

 

Zambrano

Prior

Wood

Williams

Hill

 

Wagner

Dempster

Wuertz

Van Buren

Ohman

Wellmeyer

Edited July 8, 2005 by LoneStarCubFan

[E.J.]

A starting rotation of Prior, Z, Wood, Williams, and Hill works for me. Keep Aram, Barrett, Lee, Cedeno, Dempster, and Wuertz. Everyone else can go.

[CubfaninCA]

The Cubs need to add power in left and rightfield.

 

First thing is go out and get Dunn and use Maddux as a piece to get a good prospect for Cincy. Something like Maddux, Walker, Rusch, Hollandworth and $2-3 million for X. Nady and Burroughs. Send Nady to Cincy along w/ DuBois, Dopriak and a pitching prospect or two for Dunn.

 

In the offseason ante up for Giles. If they keep Patterson, that's cool. Perhaps he can get back on track if Baker's gone and he bats 7th and isn't jerked around in the lineup.

 

Roster ~ 1b. Lee, 2b. Hairston???, SS. Cedeno, 3b. Ramirez,

LF. Dunn, CF. Patterson??, RF. Giles, C. Barrett

Starters ~ Wood, Prior, Z, Williams and ?????

[YearofDaCubs]

The season indeed is over if you ask me, but here are some things I personally would like to see:

 

Try whatever you can to trade Maddux and his contract. If this is done we would have enough money to sign a top tier pitcher like Burnett.

 

Try and trade for Huff. I think this should be a priority. I'm really high on Huff and he would bring the type of offense we need in the OF.

 

Resign Dempster. Having Demp and Williamson as closer and set-up would make our 8-9th innings solid. Some of our young guys have been promising, but other have been inconsistent. Maybe sign another solid veteran.

 

I'm iffy on resigning Nomar. Getting a Nomar that is healthy greatly improves this team, but if we are going to have a debacle similar to this year forget it. We need to try out Cedeno to see if he is our future SS, and if he pans out what's the point of resigning Nomar?

 

See if Matt Murton works out in the OF. If he does we have somebody to replace Burnitz in RF.

 

I think these moves/trades would improve this team and easily make us a playoff contender.

 

EDIT: Possible Lineup:

 

Hairston 2B

Cedeno SS

Lee 1B

ARam 3B

Huff LF

Murton/Dubois RF

Patterson CF

Barrett

PITCHER

Edited July 8, 2005 by YearofDaCubs

[CubfaninCA]

Nomar's too injury prone. The Cubs already have enough money invested in an injury prone player, Wood. Just go w/ Cedeno.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Fred and I were having a conversation during Tuesday's lenghty rain delay, and I'm going to summarize the thoughts I shared with him.

 

This isn't popular either.

 

I'm not sure it's a wise idea to try to make a run in 2006 either. I think it's time for management to take a step back and plan for a run in 2007. That doesn't mean we'll suck in 2006, but it does mean we don't mortgage anything to try to win in 2006 or have any expectations of doing so.

 

The Rangers made a similar decision two years ago and so far have stuck to it. Even with getting close last year and this year to some extent, they have held on to key components and have not been willing to trade away anything they felt critical to their abiltiy to compete in 2006.

 

We could do the same two year plan.

 

In 2007, we'd still have a core of Prior, Zambrano, and Ramirez. Hopefully, we'll have retained Lee as well. We could fill out the rotation with Williams, Hill, Piggy, Pinto or other farm hands or sign a FA if needed. We'd have all of 2006 to let the ones that we feel most ready to face major league hitting and separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

If we aim for 2007, we have a full season to let guys like Cedeno, Murton, Pie, and Fontenot prove or disprove that they could handle everyday jobs and then fill in the holes that we see the offseason prior.

 

If I'm not mistaken, there will be a number of premier hitters becoming FA in 2007 or becoming very expensive arbitration guys by that time. We would have the money to sign two or more of those guys to play along the kids we determine to be legitimate.

 

If I'm Cubs management, I look at the current state of this team and realize it needs to be rebuilt. This time I'd stick to the plan. 2003 fooled management and everyone else into thinking we were close. We mortgaged some of the future for a failed run in 2004. This year's team isn't fixable. There isn't one move that puts us over the top. The sooner we realize that and move along, the better.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Right now everybody but Zambrano, Prior, Lee and Ramirez should be available for the right price.

 

Off the top of my head, something like this could happen:

 

Hairston 2B

Cedeno SS

Lee 1B

Dunn LF

Ramirez 3B

Burnitz RF

Pie CF

Barrett C

Pie isn't ready. If you want Corey Patterson pt. 2, call him up now. If not, let him improve down at AA.

[Magnetic Curses]

wood has been a very good starting pitcher, consistently throughout his career. has he had injuries? yes, but when he's pitching, he's quite above average, and his statistics bear that out.

 

if you expect him to strike 20 guys out every time out there, of course you're going to be disappointed.

 

there's no point in trading wood, even if we could work something out, because there's no way we would get any kind of equal value for him.

[MustangMike]

Anything but Maddux again next year...

 

Make me sit and watch the Royals if you must...

 

I wouldn't want to watch the Royals. It would just remind me of how bad the Cubs are doing right now.

 

But I agree. I think it's time for Maddux to call it after the end of 2005 season.

 

If Maddux retires, do we owe him any money?

[CubinNY]

Vance,

 

Why not wait until 2008 then it will be a full one hundred years?

 

just kidding.

 

I think it is a good idea in genreal. I think that was the plan in 2003, then the unexpected happened.

 

However, I think this team can be good enough right now to compete. I think Dusty has completely mis-managed this team. Who knows what would have happend if Dempster was the closer at the beginining of the year. Or if Dusty wouldn't have handed Hollandsworth the starting job before ST even started. Or if Dusy would have actually used Hairston this year. Remember when Walker went down Neffi was the 2nd baseman until Nomar went down. We will never know, sadly.

[CubfaninCA]

Vance, with the Cubs pitching and money available in the offseason, they can rebuild and contend next year.

 

This team needs one more big bat and a manager who knows whom to bat 1-2, and a manager who gives young guys like Cedeno and DuBois a shot, instead of squashing them.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Why do I feel it is best to wait until 2007? Mainly because there is little out there as far as FA to really improve the team for 2006. What will compound the problem, is if we sign members of the weak 2006 FA crop, we will tie up positions and dollars that could be used to create a dominant team in 2007.

 

Let's look ahead to 2006 and see what we might do.

 

Our pitching should still be solid. Prior, Zambrano, Wood, and Maddux form a formidable front four. Williams or Mitre should be able to fill out the rotation.

 

We should be able to piecemeal a bullpen from the farm hands and add a veteran here or there. We would have our choice of closers in FA from Wagner, Dempster, or BJ Ryan.

 

Our line-up will be anchored by Lee and Ramirez. Barrett would still be under contract. We'd have decisions to make at SS, 2B, and all three outfield positions.

 

We won't have enough money to go after every position. Assume we keep Walker. So we need to get three outfielders and a SS.

 

If we're trying for 2006, the best FA OF we can get is Giles. He'll cost at least 8 million and want it for three years.

 

Now, if we could trade some farm hands and get an impact hitter in a trade rather than free agency, then I can be sold on the idea. But what I fear is that we'll go for the best available FA in this group, getting some, and then block what we could do in future years. I'd hate to have to pass up Adam Dunn in 2007 because we became married to Giles in 2006. Remember when we passed on Vlad because we were married to Alou and Sosa. The same situation can occur.

 

Now, if we approach 2006 with an eye toward 2007 we'll make different moves. It doesn't mean we won't compete in 2006...and maybe we'll get lucky and run with what we have. It does mean that we won't make any moves (ala signing Giles to a three-year deal) that will negatively impact 2007. So, we'll hang on to the core components and allow some kids to fill spots rather than signing guys who don't fit into the long term picture. If a trade comes along that makes us better in 2006 and 2007, take if for sure...but all moves would be evaluated with the 2007 plan.

 

This team, and I hate to say it, is flawed to the core. It has some wonderful assets, but it needs an overhaul and I don't see the quick fixes in this year's FA crop.

[CubfaninCA]

Why do I feel it is best to wait until 2007? Mainly because there is little out there as far as FA to really improve the team for 2006. What will compound the problem, is if we sign members of the weak 2006 FA crop, we will tie up positions and dollars that could be used to create a dominant team in 2007.

 

Let's look ahead to 2006 and see what we might do.

 

Our pitching should still be solid. Prior, Zambrano, Wood, and Maddux form a formidable front four. Williams or Mitre should be able to fill out the rotation.

 

We should be able to piecemeal a bullpen from the farm hands and add a veteran here or there. We would have our choice of closers in FA from Wagner, Dempster, or BJ Ryan.

 

Our line-up will be anchored by Lee and Ramirez. Barrett would still be under contract. We'd have decisions to make at SS, 2B, and all three outfield positions.

 

We won't have enough money to go after every position. Assume we keep Walker. So we need to get three outfielders and a SS.

 

If we're trying for 2006, the best FA OF we can get is Giles. He'll cost at least 8 million and want it for three years.

 

Now, if we could trade some farm hands and get an impact hitter in a trade rather than free agency, then I can be sold on the idea. But what I fear is that we'll go for the best available FA in this group, getting some, and then block what we could do in future years. I'd hate to have to pass up Adam Dunn in 2007 because we became married to Giles in 2006. Remember when we passed on Vlad because we were married to Alou and Sosa. The same situation can occur.

 

Now, if we approach 2006 with an eye toward 2007 we'll make different moves. It doesn't mean we won't compete in 2006...and maybe we'll get lucky and run with what we have. It does mean that we won't make any moves (ala signing Giles to a three-year deal) that will negatively impact 2007. So, we'll hang on to the core components and allow some kids to fill spots rather than signing guys who don't fit into the long term picture. If a trade comes along that makes us better in 2006 and 2007, take if for sure...but all moves would be evaluated with the 2007 plan.

 

This team, and I hate to say it, is flawed to the core. It has some wonderful assets, but it needs an overhaul and I don't see the quick fixes in this year's FA crop.

 

Hopefully we can get Dunn by July 31st. Sounds like if Dunn does hit free agency, he'll want to go to a Texas team.

[hawkeyecub]

I just don't think that's a good idea. I understand your reasoning for it, but there's no need for that to happen.

With a $100M payroll, some inexpensive options at multiple positions and a number of players with whom we have to do something before the Rule V draft, there's no reason we can't contend for a championship next year.

 

There are ways to improve this team outside of free agency.

[RynoRules]

IMO, we are in better shape in the OF than it may intially appear:

 

How about Murton, Pie and one big bopper via trade or FA? (i.e., Dunn or Huff)

[USSoccer]

IMO, we are in better shape in the OF than it may intially appear:

 

How about Murton, Pie and one big bopper via trade or FA? (i.e., Dunn or Huff)

 

I hope Pie isn't in Chicago until September of 2006 at the soonest.

 

I'd rather start Greenberg or Hairston everyday in 2006 than rish Pie, and go through the same thing we are going through right now with another 5 tool CF.

[USSoccer]

One othe, minor quibble: Ramirez can opt out of his deal after 2006, so I'm leery of any move that could give him reason to, ie: not improving the team this offseason.