Backtobanks

Just curious but what would be your first option? I personally prefer this over the money/years Dunn got and over the prospects given up/money/years Gonzalez got. There is nobody in the system even close to being capable of playing 1B at a decent level next year. You are just going to have to go out and overpay another guy next year. If the Texas deal goes through, you have a year to groom Davis or Colvin for the future. They are baseball players. You can't really groom them into being something they are not. Neither of those guys is a decent bet to hit well enough to justify a starting 1B gig. You can work on the defense with Colvin. As for offensively, both are young enough to possibly put up decent power numbers in the future. Neither one is a sure bet for a good solid 1B, but both show some potential.

Just curious but what would be your first option? I personally prefer this over the money/years Dunn got and over the prospects given up/money/years Gonzalez got. There is nobody in the system even close to being capable of playing 1B at a decent level next year. You are just going to have to go out and overpay another guy next year. If the Texas deal goes through, you have a year to groom Davis or Colvin for the future.

Agreed. I think people put way too much emphasis on defense at first base. IMO, in some ways yes and in some ways no. Since athletic ability is not nearly as important and skills are more important (scooping the ball, footwork, reflexes) there are bigger gaps. There are certain first basemen who are naturally skilled at those things and that can be a big help. There are certain players who can't learn those skills whatsoever and they'll be a liability there. But 96-98 percent of players are around the same ability level at first base. It's not nearly the continuum that other positions are and first base defense is largely overrated. But at the extremes the differences get larger quite quickly. If they're just looking for a plug in for 1 year LaRoche isn't bad but he's absolutely not a guy you lose any flexibility over. My point, which I probably didn't explain clearly and which you pretty much addressed in your post, is that first base defense is largely overrated. I'm mainly referring to comments (not just on here) that Castro and Ramirez will commit 40 errors each with someone like Adam Dunn at first base. With a bad fielding 1B, 40 errors each from the left side of the infield might be a point of an over/under bet.

In a roundabout way. Washington is where the money is at nowadays. Lots of cash flowing for things like luxury boxes to be picked up by lobbyists, law firms and contractors. Didn't you hear that the Republicans and Tea Partiers are cutting back on everything in Washington. That's how they got elected.

I agree, I don't get it. Gorzelanny doesn't have any real trade value and some of the prospects look promising, but unproven. It might make sense if you put him in a package to get a 1B or better starting pitcher, but trading him alone doesn't make sense.

Are the Nationals getting TARP money from congress?

Not unless its a three team deal, which is now what ESPN is report is in the works. Would the dodgers flip Fielder to the Cubs without pissing off the Brewers? Maybe we would be the third team, but getting Loney for prospects.

I thought you would realize I was being sarcastic, but apparently not. Next time I'll post it in green.

If there are GMs willing to spend that kind of money on Werth, maybe we can find a taker for Soriano instead of Fukudome for saving money.

Justin Upton... Undervalued???? :-k

Why? Sell me on it...because based on the numbers he doesn't look like a particularly good player. Decent power but no patience, he's been a negative with the glove in all 3 seasons he's been on the Rangers, and negative offensive numers 2 of the 3 years. He spent most of the year in the minors this year and didn't make the postseason roster for them this year. And now he's gonna the starting 1B for the Cubs? First, I'm not sure he will be the starting 1B. Secondly, what's not to like about trading for a player with some potential at a position of need for a player who's ceiling is 2nd-string catcher.

I shed a few tears the last two days, but reading all of these posts reminds me how old I'm getting. My favorite memories of Santo came as a player with Ernie (my favorite), Billy, and Fergie. It's a shame that he didn't get to see the Cubs in the WS or his induction into the HOF.

I don't really see the point with Baker, Dewitt, and Barney around.

The only way Dunn is worth $56 million over 4 years is with an AL team because he will be a DH for the last 2 years. As someone else posted, the WS can have him for that money and those years.

Assuming DeWitt is on the team, they ought to be able to limit his at-bats againt righties.

I understand wanting to sign Dunn, but I don't think you should use the "cheaper than others" argument. The "available" free agents next year that will cost more are Pujols and Gonzalez who are miles ahead of Dunn offensively and defensively.

I think you're exaggerating the money and the years by quite a bit.

From MLBTR: Cubs Looking At Several Veteran Starters By Mark Polishuk [November 27 at 5:54pm CST] The Cubs have five starters tentatively pencilled into their 2011 rotation, but given the number of question marks on that staff, it's understandable that the team is looking to add a veteran innings-eater to the fold. ESPN.com's Jason A. Churchill reports that Chicago has "shown interest" in Jeremy Bonderman, Aaron Harang, Kevin Millwood and Javier Vazquez, and also cites a Chicago Sun-Times item connecting the team to Vicente Padilla. Churchill says the Cubs "kicked the tires on" Jon Garland before the right-hander signed with the Dodgers. All five starters would make sense as low-cost additions; Vazquez has reportedly turned down a two-year, $20MM offer but it seems like he's more likely to end up in Florida or Washington than in Chicago. The Cubs are probably looking for a short-term deal, and Garland's $5MM pact with L.A. would likely be a good comparison point. That $5M salary (plus incentives and a 2012 vesting option) would likely be enough to land Millwood or Harang, and Bonderman would leap at that offer given his injury-riddled recent history. Padilla is coming off the most solid season of the group and could command a bit more money or a second year, though he made only 16 starts in 2010 due to various nagging injuries. Churchill cites the Mets, Padres and Pirates as other teams that could use a starter that fits Padilla's profile. Bonderman, Millwood and Vazquez all landed on Luke Adams' list of free agent pitchers that could benefit from a move to the NL, though pitching in a hitter-friendly park like Wrigley Field might not be what they had in mind. As we saw with the Garland signing, teams that play in pitcher's parks will have an advantage in finding extra arms for their rotation, especially when it comes to a pitchers like Bonderman or Harang who are trying to rebuild value. Speaking of rebuilding value, there's also a chance that the Cubs could look at a higher-ceiling starter such as Brandon Webb. Fanhouse's Ed Price (via Twitter) hears from a source that Chicago has been "in talks' with Webb, who has also drawn interest from several other teams. Chicago is relatively close to Webb's home in Kentucky, which could help the Cubs in the bidding process.

That's Hendry, though. He "respects" people and wants to try and do good by them. There's certainly positives in that, but there's been a couple moments in recent years where I wonder if that has hurt the Cubs (off the top, namely, the decision to let Kerry test the market because he deserved it, or whatever the stated reasoning was). At the time Kerry Wood was about to receive a ridiculously high contract. As much as most of us love Kerry, it was a good move by Hendry.

Not at these prices (or anywhere near these prices) : From MLBTR: Edwin Rodriguez Met With Javier Vazquez Today By Mike Axisa [November 20 at 2:54pm CST] 3:33pm: Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post reports that Vazquez is "said to be seeking" a three-year deal worth $33MM, almost identical to his last contract. I guess there's no harm in asking.

I guess there isn't any real hard evidence. A HOF pitcher without size or extraordinary stuff (except control) and being noted as a smart student of pitching while willing to share insights with others seems to suggest he would be a good pitching coach.

With all the budgetary discussion, I'm guessing the new pitching coach would be someone coaching in the minors for the Cubs. I can't see them spending top dollar for a coach when they went cheap for the manager and are pleading poverty to fill the holes on the team.

I totally agree. Keep looking for a 1 year-deal on someone like Pena and make this deal to strengthen the bench and to give him time to work with Rudy. The bottom line is we're not giving up anything of value for him.

Sandberg only has a connection with Chicago and Philadelphia and doesn't have the resume to impress anyone into hiring him immediately. As for a ML coaching position, most managers pick people they've worked with or their friends to be their coaches. He probably picked the best job for a shot at eventually getting a ML position.

Correction: THE ENTIRE infield will be atrocious defensively. We would have to go after some fly ball pitchers. =D>