What do you want to see this offseason? (long)

[AAApittsburgh]

I have no confidence in Dempster. Take last night's game as an example: Wood comes into the game in the 8th and I KNOW nobody's going to touch him. THAT'S what you want in a closer.

 

Then Dusty trots Dempster out there, and I start sweating. He got the save, but he just as easily might have walked 2 or 3, if the Astro hitters had any plate discipline. And the flyout to CF was a screamer that, 10 feet to the right, would have been a double easy.

 

When Dempster misses with his fastball, at least lately, he misses high in the zone, and a good hitter's going to sit on that and hit it a million miles.

 

Think of it this way: would you rather have Wood as a starter for part of a season, or have him for the whole year as a positively lights-out closer? I'd take him as a closer--something the Cubs have been desperate for--anyday.

Yah, that one hit Dempster gave up was really scary. Seriously, every closer has games that keep you on the edge of your seat. It's just magnified because it happens to be the team you are watching. Cubs are 19-0 this season when he comes into the game in a save situation. He gets the job done and I wouldn't change a thing right now. Also, a closer should be able to pitch almost everyday and I'm not sure if Wood is capable of doing that right now.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

I have no confidence in Dempster. Take last night's game as an example: Wood comes into the game in the 8th and I KNOW nobody's going to touch him. THAT'S what you want in a closer.

 

Then Dusty trots Dempster out there, and I start sweating. He got the save, but he just as easily might have walked 2 or 3, if the Astro hitters had any plate discipline. And the flyout to CF was a screamer that, 10 feet to the right, would have been a double easy.

 

When Dempster misses with his fastball, at least lately, he misses high in the zone, and a good hitter's going to sit on that and hit it a million miles.

 

Think of it this way: would you rather have Wood as a starter for part of a season, or have him for the whole year as a positively lights-out closer? I'd take him as a closer--something the Cubs have been desperate for--anyday.

 

Wood walks entirely too many people to be a closer. He's been good lately, but he's only pitched in 7 innings. Dempster is doing his job, he's getting the outs. Doesn't matter how hard they're hit, as long as they're hit at someone. He's been a little shakier lately, but until he proves to everyone that he CAN'T close, we can't take that spot away from him.

[neely crenshaw]

what i want out of this offseason is for my team to make moves that let me believe we are trying to win a series!

i do not want my gm to spin his lack of replacing anyone they let go by saying someone has to win the rookie of the year...and then not play the rookie

i do not want him to tell me the reason he didn't get a closer is because the closer role will be competed for by guy who is immediatley thrown in the rotation.

 

there are many ways to approach this. if we want to go young because the free agent market is lean then go young. but don't spin it. AND THEN PLAY THE YOUNG KIDS! do not fill in with burnitz's, hollas', or perez's.

 

i would be much easier to take not reaching our goals if we had cedeno, pie, murton, dubois playing instead looking up and realizing that you have an outfield of hollandsworth,burnitz and hairston(or macias) and neifi is your everyday shortstop. these guys all have their place and some value but if you plan on winning now or in the near future they can not be your everyday guys!

[goonys evil twin]

Wood walks entirely too many people to be a closer. He's been good lately, but he's only pitched in 7 innings. Dempster is doing his job, he's getting the outs. Doesn't matter how hard they're hit, as long as they're hit at someone. He's been a little shakier lately, but until he proves to everyone that he CAN'T close, we can't take that spot away from him.

 

Without looking it up, I have to guess Dempster's walk rate is at least similar to Wood's, if not worst. I don't get why Wood can't close because he walks people, but Dempster can.

 

I agree that Ryan should stay there for now. Personally I think the swingman 7th/8th inning role is far more important than the closer.

[cubweiser03]

Outfield

1. Sign Giles

2. Resing Lawton

3. Greenberg (dont the Cubs need a backup CF on the roster especially if they dont resign Macias)

4. Murton

5. Patterson

 

Infield

1. Resign Nomar

2. Excersice Walkers option

3. Resign Macias, ugh. (i dont have a better idea yet)

4. Cedeno

5. Sign Brayan (mentioned before, i like this idea, dude can play some OF too)

 

Starting Ps

1. Prior

2. Z

3. Maddux

4. Wood

5. Williams or i like the idea of Millwood ( i dont think AJ will be an option)

 

Pen

1. Sign Wagner

2. Dempster

3. Ohman (bad ass loogy in the making, if he already isnt)

4. Novoa

5. Willamson

6. Gooz/Wuertz or JVB

 

I dont think Cedeno is ready for an immediate starting position, but i dont have a problem him backing up nomar and/or walker. Also even if they dont sign Wagner i dont have a problem with the pen only having one lefty, hell the angels dont have even one lefty in their pen this year. Even if they cant afford millwodd i think williams is better than what we are seeing this year. For a #5 i think he can post a 4.25 era.

[brinoch]

Wood walks entirely too many people to be a closer. He's been good lately, but he's only pitched in 7 innings. Dempster is doing his job, he's getting the outs. Doesn't matter how hard they're hit, as long as they're hit at someone. He's been a little shakier lately, but until he proves to everyone that he CAN'T close, we can't take that spot away from him.

 

Without looking it up, I have to guess Dempster's walk rate is at least similar to Wood's, if not worst. I don't get why Wood can't close because he walks people, but Dempster can.

 

I agree that Ryan should stay there for now. Personally I think the swingman 7th/8th inning role is far more important than the closer.

 

On an ideal team, your closer doesn't walk anyone; nor do your starters. Of course, we live in an imperfect world, and the Cubs are ... more imperfect than you or I would like. I happen to agree that the 7th/8th inning role is more important than the 9th. Far too often, there's a mess that need's cleaning in the 7th or 8th. Frankly, I think you should use your best reliever in the most difficult situations, rather than in some defined "closer's" role. It does you little good to have a Billy Wagner or Eric Gagne for the 9th if you can't keep the lead in the 8th.

[marc_foust]

Outfield

1. Sign Giles

2. Resing Lawton

3. Greenberg (dont the Cubs need a backup CF on the roster especially if they dont resign Macias)

4. Murton

5. Patterson

 

Infield

1. Resign Nomar

2. Excersice Walkers option

3. Resign Macias, ugh. (i dont have a better idea yet)

4. Cedeno

5. Sign Brayan (mentioned before, i like this idea, dude can play some OF too)

 

Starting Ps

1. Prior

2. Z

3. Maddux

4. Wood

5. Williams or i like the idea of Millwood ( i dont think AJ will be an option)

 

Pen

1. Sign Wagner

2. Dempster

3. Ohman (bad ass loogy in the making, if he already isnt)

4. Novoa

5. Willamson

6. Gooz/Wuertz or JVB

 

I dont think Cedeno is ready for an immediate starting position, but i dont have a problem him backing up nomar and/or walker. Also even if they dont sign Wagner i dont have a problem with the pen only having one lefty, hell the angels dont have even one lefty in their pen this year. Even if they cant afford millwodd i think williams is better than what we are seeing this year. For a #5 i think he can post a 4.25 era.

 

I agree with every move you listed. I just dont think it is realistic to think that we will get both Giles and Wagner. With such a weak FA class those two will command alot of interest and big money. I am not willing to throw that much money to aging above average players. Unfortunatly I see both of them getting superstar money this offseason. Giles will get an offer for a 4 year deal worth at least 10 million per year. Wagner will also get a nice chunk of change. Im not exactly sure who we can trade for to plug into a corner OF position. Maybe Ryan Church and Tony Armas Jr for Hairston, Mitre, Welly, and Sing.

[Nobody youd want to know]

Im not exactly sure who we can trade for to plug into a corner OF position. Maybe Ryan Church and Tony Armas Jr for Hairston, Mitre, Welly, and Sing.

 

If you want a guy like Ryan Church playing OF, you may as well keep Sing. Here are their respective lines, Sing's from this year, Church's from 2003, when he was in AA:

 

Church: 261/325/429

Sing: 284/396/556

 

Now granted, Church is producing in the Bigs this year (294/352/480) while Sing's still a prospect. But for all the overhype some spout about Cub prospects, Sing seems like the real deal. He's quietly put up some excellent numbers that seem almost sure to land him in Chicago in the near future. If I were Hendry he'd be untouchable.

[SwisherSweet]

What does Milwaukee need? I'd love to trade for Geoff Jenkins, although I doubt Milwaukee would trade to a division rival.

[marc_foust]

Im not exactly sure who we can trade for to plug into a corner OF position. Maybe Ryan Church and Tony Armas Jr for Hairston, Mitre, Welly, and Sing.

 

If you want a guy like Ryan Church playing OF, you may as well keep Sing. Here are their respective lines, Sing's from this year, Church's from 2003, when he was in AA:

 

Church: 261/325/429

Sing: 284/396/556

 

Now granted, Church is producing in the Bigs this year (294/352/480) while Sing's still a prospect. But for all the overhype some spout about Cub prospects, Sing seems like the real deal. He's quietly put up some excellent numbers that seem almost sure to land him in Chicago in the near future. If I were Hendry he'd be untouchable.

 

If it were just for Church I would agree. But Church is major league proven and the proposed deal would also land us a pretty solid major league proven arm in Armas Jr. A Rotation of Prior, Z, Wood, Armas Jr, and Maddux would be pretty tough to beat and relativly realistic to aquire. Plus Church is pretty young and so is Armas Jr I believe.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Im not exactly sure who we can trade for to plug into a corner OF position. Maybe Ryan Church and Tony Armas Jr for Hairston, Mitre, Welly, and Sing.

 

If you want a guy like Ryan Church playing OF, you may as well keep Sing. Here are their respective lines, Sing's from this year, Church's from 2003, when he was in AA:

 

Church: 261/325/429

Sing: 284/396/556

 

Now granted, Church is producing in the Bigs this year (294/352/480) while Sing's still a prospect. But for all the overhype some spout about Cub prospects, Sing seems like the real deal. He's quietly put up some excellent numbers that seem almost sure to land him in Chicago in the near future. If I were Hendry he'd be untouchable.

 

If it were just for Church I would agree. But Church is major league proven and the proposed deal would also land us a pretty solid major league proven arm in Armas Jr. A Rotation of Prior, Z, Wood, Armas Jr, and Maddux would be pretty tough to beat and relativly realistic to aquire. Plus Church is pretty young and so is Armas Jr I believe.

 

Armas isn't any good.