Backtobanks

You'd probably also have to get another starter after losing Hill or Z in a trade for ARod. That's exactly my point. ARam can be replaced but it would involve a trade which would cost players which then causes more holes. Even if we traded prospects for ARod or Tejada, the Cubs wouldn't have those prospects to make trades to fill the other holes on the team. Signing ARam is a must.

Why? After being swept they needed a good chuckle. they probably lost because they clogged the bases with walks.

I don't think there is any chance of the Cubs contending next year if ARam walks. Hendry could replace ARam with ARod or Tejada, but that would use up the resources (money and players) needed to fill the other holes. The Cubs need a big bat in addition to ARam not in place of.

I can't see any team taking Prior (let alone a deal featuring Prior) until they have some sort of assurance that he's healthy. If he was making less than $1 million, somebody might take him in a package deal as a project.

I'm all for Matsuzaka, but $90 million is a pretty steep price for a pitcher who has yet to prove himself in the major leagues.

That's what I would think. However, this guy implied that no one in the organization seemed to feel that way. From what he said, it sounded like the Cubs see it as a choice between ARod and Aramis. Of course, I have no idea how connected he really is, vs. how much of the conversation was just opinion presented as fact. It wouldn't surprize me one bit. They could have had Nomar this year in RF this year. I think the world of Nomar, but Nomar in RF would have been really ugly.

That shows why Santo isn't in the HOF.

I agree with you on this one. Often I have tried being somewhat supportive of Hendry and usually been attacked by many posters. I do think Hendry gave too much decision-making power regarding personnel to Dusty, probably because of Dusty's reputation as a winner. One of Hendry's faults is that he had trouble being Dusty's "boss" and allowed him to be a consultant. I think a lot of people will go back to seeing Hendry's potential as a GM after this offseason.

I think a lot will depend on how the Nats plan to rebuild. While Bowden may be the GM, I firmly believe Stan Katsen is calling the shots. I'd look to use some pitchers from the minors or a package built around Marshall. So much depends on which free agents the Cubs have a shot at. If you go all out for Soriano, what position does he play? I think it would really be interesting being Hendry this offseason and trying to make all of the pieces (free agents, trades, budget) fit together.

After learning on the bench from Lou, he might be ready to take over especially if the Cubs manage to build a winner in the next 3 years.

Could be Lou's heir apparent after 3 years.

Of the names being rumored, Carl Crawford is the player that intrigues me. He is very young with a tremendous upside of speed and power, bats left-handed, and is still cheap. He could be a mainstay for a decade in the OF. I realize an OF of Crawford, Murton, and Pie might not be perfect for 2007 contention, but it might be great for 2008-2015. I wonder which youngsters the Cubs would have to trade to get him.

I don't think ARam is going anywhere, but obtaining ARod or Tejada is a step backward because ARam matches them in production and the Cubs don't have to give up players for him. The only thing with that is that Ramirez's money will come off the books as well, which will allow the Cubs to sign another big-time FA. Don't get me wrong-I'll be very disappointed if the Cubs don't re-sign Ramirez. I definitely think it is a big priority that the Cubs sign him. Right now, the team is looking at signing or trading for one big hitter. If Ramirez leaves, they will hopefully just take the money and go get two big hitters instead. The free agent class doesn't have anyone who produces like ARam AND they will have to lose players to trade for a 3B.

That's why I can stay somewhat optimistic. If you can win your division and get into the playoffs, anything can happen so you don't have to build the best team in baseball, just the best team in your division and hope somebody on your team gets hot at the right time. Not "having" to build the best team in baseball is no excuse to not try to build the best team in baseball. Setting your sights simply on winning your division is a good way to miss your goal. Set your goal at best team in baseball, then if you miss, you can still be in the playoffs. Andy had 12 years of "contend within the division" and it took this team nowhere. This is evidence that the Cubs can win next year. They aren't years from contending. But, they cannot simply say, "well, we could have won 84 games if healthy, maybe with a little luck and another arm, we could win 89". Sometimes 90 isn't even enough. You don't know when you go into the season. Baseball is all about increasing your odds. The better you are, the better you chances of making the playoffs, which is the only way you have a chance to win in the playoffs. Build the best team you can afford without bankrupting the future. Of course you try to build the best team in baseball, but when your up against the Yankees who have no payroll limit, it is almost impossible. So in reality, you build the best team possible given the constraints (usually money) that are imposed on you by ownership. Hopefully that assembled team is good enough to get into the playoffs within their division and from there you pray for health and someone getting hot at the right time.

I don't think ARam is going anywhere, but obtaining ARod or Tejada is a step backward because ARam matches them in production and the Cubs don't have to give up players for him.

They don't seem to have any sense of ugency getting him back, so I have to wonder... I don't see why you said there's no urgency to get him back. Hendry is negotiating with his agent and negotiations involve give and take on both sides. I'm sure he would be signed by now if Hendry offered him an extension of 5 years and $100 million, but that's not how it works. Hendry is trying to keep the number as low as possible, while his agent is trying to get as much as possible.

That's why I can stay somewhat optimistic. If you can win your division and get into the playoffs, anything can happen so you don't have to build the best team in baseball, just the best team in your division and hope somebody on your team gets hot at the right time.

Let's get back to reality here. DLee isn't going anywhere and neither is Zambrano, Barrett, or ARam (if re-signed). Depending on who they would get in a trade, trade bait on the Cubs consists of any of the young pitchers, Prior, Jones, Cedeno, Murton, Dempster, Eyre, and their minor league players. Looking at that list explains why a trade for someone like ARod would need a 3rd or 4th team because there isn't enough of what the Yankees want or need to make a straight deal.

Hill is the most realistic option in any trade scenario. Prior has a lot of question marks, Zambrano isn't going anywhere, and the other young pitchers (Marshall, Mateo, Guzman, Marmol, etc.) have shown that they can be solid major league pitchers yet. Hill packaged with Murton/Cedeno/Jones/Pie/etc. would get the attention of most baseball GMs. In addition to the ARod rumors, I'm sure he would be asked for in any deal involving Dunn, Tejada, Crawford, or Andruw Jones all of which have been speculated.

Yea, but he doesn't pitch. Having an All-Star lineup with lousy pitching won't get you too far (see the Yankees).

All of the rumors and speculation I have read involves Hill being traded. I don't have a problem with that except, at this point Hill is the #2 starter in the rotation. If Hill is traded, I would think Hendry has to acquire a #2 and a #3 starter with the assumption that the #4 and#5 starters can come from Prior, Miller(?), Marshall, Guzman, Mateo, etc. I would think that the Cubs can't go into the season with one of the group I mentioned above as a #3 starter and expect to contend.

Carlos Lee would be a good fit in Houston. Depending on the money, I would think the Astros would be very serious about him.

I keep wondering how big Lou's coaching staff will be. I have heard rumors of McLaren, Elia, Quade, Rothschild, and Spier so far. I hope the Cubs aren't going to blow their payroll on the manager and a ton of coaches.

There is NO way that you trade Zambrano for ARod. Didn't anybody learn from the Yankees mistakes? Having an All-Star lineup with mediocre pitching doesn't get you very far. Also, I would think the Cubs would like to find a way to keep ARam and put ARod at SS since they have an offensive hole at SS, but not at 3B. As many of you have posted, there needs to be a third team involved for the Cubs to have a shot at ARod.