KingKongvs.Godzilla

So you want to add Beltran, Wilson, and one of Fielder or Pujols? That seems pretty optimistic. Like I said one of many routes they could go...they have the ammo to make a big trade if they wanted....RF would be a spot to do it.

Based purely on age...to be completely honest I just see him as an elite player trying to age gracefully and win.

I'd actually be fine with a band-aid in RF (by that I mean specifically Carlos Beltran) if and only if: One of the 1B is brought in A TOR starter is added I wanted to include trading Byrd and starting Jackson so that there's freed up money for such a move, but I really couldn't care less about pretending to know their budget for next year. To me it's just one of many possible ways to field a contender over the next couple seasons.

It has no other redeeming qualities. Even its promos irritate me. Everything about that network makes it seem like it's still the 90s. As a nj based fan though, it's the only place to catch a Cubs game consistently.

There would still be flops...many, many flops.

Me...Hendry's got one year left on his contract and the moves the Cubs have to make are fairly obvious one (signs a 1B, spend remaining money on pitching, maybe make a trade). I think Hendry can handle that. If I had a choice I think my top 5 candidates would be: 1 - Cashman - I do think his days with the Yankees are running short. 2 - Damon Oppenheimer - Background is very Hendry-esque as he's a farm system guy (which is why I'm not too big on Logan White here), but he's got a Yankee pedigree so he er..."knows how to win." No but really, he's a smart guy. 3 - Ben Cherington 4 - Rich Hahn - He's interesting. 5 - Kim Ng - Just to throw the baseball world for a loop. If she was a guy she'd have been a GM years ago (probably even the Dodgers job). If he's quality, he's quality regardless of scouting/statistical background, I'd rather have Atlanta's pedigree rather than someone like Purpura. Also, if you're talking about expiring current GM contracts, Friedman should be at the top of anyone's list. I like Friedman. I'd still take Cashman over him. This isn't to say that Friedman isn't a smart guy.

This with MAYBE a Pat Gillick good news announcement.

I'm stunned that the Pirates signed Bell. He's going to be really good, maybe.

Just to throw a name out there I thought Andrew McCutchen. Sadly, another name was Juan Pierre, but Juan Pierre wouldn't be a bad outcome for an 18 year old HS kid in the big picture...A purely LH Bernie Williams also came to mind. Anyway, he might be my favorite draft pick. For some reason I get the feeling his talent got overshadowed by sheer numbers in this draft. Hopefully they sign him. This sounds like crazy talk, but I'd prefer signing him to Maples if it had to come to that. but does he remind you of any white players? :blush: Steve Finley maybe....wide range with Dunston. I'm actually thinking college might do him some good...The wide range includes guys who aren't/weren't all that good too. I heard the Cubs offered first round money for him...makes sense since thats what I thInk he'd be in 3 years easy.

Don't sleep on Scott...I think I like his arm as much as Maples. Perfect pitchers build IMO...And none of this short arm stuff that Maples does.

They're also paying A.J. effin' Burnett 16.5M per year. The Cubs have been burned by their last two mega deals, of course they're going to be concerned moving forward. I don't get the "do what ever it takes to sign them" mentality. The mentality is there because either one significantly improves this team. In Fielders case the Cubs would get his prime.

I would love to fill the hole at 1B with Fielder or Pujols as long as we can do it without signing either of them for 6+ years, but I don't know if that's very realistic. I was perusing a list of 2012 free agents, and saw some interesting names besides the turds you listed. I would welcome guys like Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer as cheaper offensive options assuming the Colvin experiment doesn't work out. I've seen a lot of talk about C.J. Wilson on here. He's a great pitcher, but since he's one of the bigger names available, he's going to get paid. Paul Maholm's overall numbers actually compare pretty similarly to Wilson's (minus the strikeouts) and I would assume he could be had much cheaper. Although, I would expect Wilson's numbers to improve with a move to the NL. I guess I'm just saying I don't think it's an absolute necessity to sign the sexy names this offseason in order to improve the team. It seems perfectly reasonable to me for the FO to have concerns about sinking big bucks into one player. Basically, the Olney tweet is pretty damn obvious. By the way, here's the list I was using. http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2001/04/potential-free-agents-for-2012.html If it's incorrect, or if I'm missing something, I apologize. To me, keeping Ramirez around for next season should be the top priority. 3B will be a [expletive] otherwise. I like Maholm enough. I think the Pirates will likely keep him. That said ... the strikeouts are gigantic factor. I just found it interesting that you would say they are similar minus the strikeouts. CJ's ability to get people to whiff is why folks consider him a solid mid-rotation starter, a 2, 2/3 type of guy. Maholm's more of a 4th starter type on a good squad, maybe a 3rd starter. It's not a gigantic difference, but there is a significant enough difference because of the strikeouts. It's quibbling but I think Wilson is more of a TOR 1/2 type than a 2/3 type. This is assuming the team doesn't have the all powerful "true ace," which most team's don't. He's the Rangers ace right now, and was their 2 last year only after Lee was acquired. His big peripheral improvements plus my amateur eye show a pitcher who's taken to the SP role extremely well. my concern is that he still walks a heck of a lot of people and his BABIP will rise considerably with a move to the cubs. Those two factors suggest that, all things being equal, he wont be as good here as with the Rangers. But then again he could move to the NL and just completely dominate. What I like is that he went a walk BB down and a full K up in his peripherals. His BABIP is actually .030+ higher than what it was last year, and he's pitching better. I'm more in the "he moves to the NL and dominates" camp...or close to dominates since that's a little over the top.

I would love to fill the hole at 1B with Fielder or Pujols as long as we can do it without signing either of them for 6+ years, but I don't know if that's very realistic. I was perusing a list of 2012 free agents, and saw some interesting names besides the turds you listed. I would welcome guys like Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer as cheaper offensive options assuming the Colvin experiment doesn't work out. I've seen a lot of talk about C.J. Wilson on here. He's a great pitcher, but since he's one of the bigger names available, he's going to get paid. Paul Maholm's overall numbers actually compare pretty similarly to Wilson's (minus the strikeouts) and I would assume he could be had much cheaper. Although, I would expect Wilson's numbers to improve with a move to the NL. I guess I'm just saying I don't think it's an absolute necessity to sign the sexy names this offseason in order to improve the team. It seems perfectly reasonable to me for the FO to have concerns about sinking big bucks into one player. Basically, the Olney tweet is pretty damn obvious. By the way, here's the list I was using. http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2001/04/potential-free-agents-for-2012.html If it's incorrect, or if I'm missing something, I apologize. To me, keeping Ramirez around for next season should be the top priority. 3B will be a [expletive] otherwise. I like Maholm enough. I think the Pirates will likely keep him. That said ... the strikeouts are gigantic factor. I just found it interesting that you would say they are similar minus the strikeouts. CJ's ability to get people to whiff is why folks consider him a solid mid-rotation starter, a 2, 2/3 type of guy. Maholm's more of a 4th starter type on a good squad, maybe a 3rd starter. It's not a gigantic difference, but there is a significant enough difference because of the strikeouts. It's quibbling but I think Wilson is more of a TOR 1/2 type than a 2/3 type. This is assuming the team doesn't have the all powerful "true ace," which most team's don't. He's the Rangers ace right now, and was their 2 last year only after Lee was acquired. His big peripheral improvements plus my amateur eye show a pitcher who's taken to the SP role extremely well.

Just to throw a name out there I thought Andrew McCutchen. Sadly, another name was Juan Pierre, but Juan Pierre wouldn't be a bad outcome for an 18 year old HS kid in the big picture...A purely LH Bernie Williams also came to mind. Anyway, he might be my favorite draft pick. For some reason I get the feeling his talent got overshadowed by sheer numbers in this draft. Hopefully they sign him. This sounds like crazy talk, but I'd prefer signing him to Maples if it had to come to that.

yeah. look, a GM can feel good about himself if he goes out and gets a marlon byrd or mark derosa and they play above the level of their contracts, but you're really not going to contend for a title with a bunch of 2 and 3 win players at every position. you do need a few guys like that, but you also need a true star. if you look at every team that's likely to make the playoffs this year, only one (braves) isn't going to have a player worth around 6 wins or more, and the braves are winning because they have crazy pitching depth. we have money to spend, a gaping hole at 1b, no decent solution in the minors, and two of the best 1b in the game are free agents after this season. big-market teams shouldn't be going after a michael cuddyer to fill that spot because they're afraid that albert pujols won't be ops'ing near 1.000 when he's 38. Candidates in this FA period to be that Derosa/Byrd/someone type: Aaron Hill Omar Infante Michael Cuddyer Conor Jackson Grady Sizemore

Exactly. Also, Wilson isn't thought of as elite because he's 30 and it's only year 2 as a SP. I wouldn't believe it either until last postseason opened up my eyes. He's another bulldog type on the mound. Cole Hamels 2013. It's not going to happen, but for now....

That Cole Hamels guy is pretty good? Notice how his two teammates are two of the best 30+ year old arms in baseball, and he's as talented as either of them. So begins the Cole Hamels for Cubs Rotation President in 2013 dream.

I'd be fine with that if the roster of players is better and preferably healthy, which I expect it to be.

by numbers i assume you mean ERA and WHIP, and only this season? maholm pitches half his games in a pitcher's park; wilson pitches his home games in one of the best hitter's parks in baseball. maholm was bad last year (ERA over 5); wilson was good. maholm isn't bad but he's nothing more than a #3/4 at best. let's not pretend that you're going to get roughly equivalent production whether you sign him or wilson. Plus K's are a pretty big deal when it comes to looking for strong TOR type SP...I actually consider Maholm more of a 4-5 on a very good team. CJ Wilson = stud. I would like to sign him as much as either of the 1B. I think that's precisely the direction they're thinking of going.

This is sarcasm, right? Only the best. I'm not that reactionary. I hope that family owns the team for 50+ very fruitful years.

Part of the piling on process. Superficially paint one image in the papers as another is being created in reality...Personally I see something big coming, one way or another.

See their thinking is..."they'll be back." You want the franchise to win. They want the franchise to win. You can leave until the franchise starts winning. They, OTOH, have to take on the task of making the franchise a winner. I do damn the Ricketts family pretty heavily for the 2+ years of losing they've brought upon the Cubs.

+1 And at the same time...meh. I'll believe it when they actually pass on one of the 1B. All this bad press doesn't have me as worried as I thought it might make me. I'm firmly in the "any press is good press" arena on this stuff. The way people are writing about the Cubs this year you'd swear they're the Pirates and haven't had a winning season since they lost the best player in baseball ~20 years ago. I just don't see that, even if 3 years is kinda sorta close to 20.

The Braves wouldn't touch that deal IMO. People have been underestimating Minor's talent for a while now, but an orginzation that knows pitching as well as the Braves won't give him up for a older mid tier OF. That would be great if t could happen though...and I suppose it's a little possible. Consider that he's the only lefty of their current crop and that he's a lefty with good stuff. I like him better than everyone not named Hanson there, and those are some big prospect names I'm skipping...

Universal manager complaint is universal.