Little Slide Rooter

Any word on the corresponding move? With Feldman officially on the roster, it's at 41, and that needs to change very soon. If the were simply to waive someone like Coleman or Clevenger, I'd assume it would have been done by now. Could they be working on something?

Not necessarily. The teams like Tampa Bay and Oakland who contend with small payrolls have been at work, building their foundations for years. Epstein and Co. came into a massive, graffiti covered, piss-stained colosus and are tearing it down, and at the same time attempting to build something similar to what those teams have in it's place. I'm not saying that this is what the Cubs need to do, but if you're looking it at it from that point of view, the Cubs are essentially the Devil Rays of the early/mid '00s. Long way to go. The difference is, once we do get there, we have a lot more cash to supplement the home grown assets.

If Epstein's still collecting fliers, Pelfrey and Acosta would be some good ones to look at.

Stewart is 27 and has a shot to be a difference maker. He should certainly get at least half a season before the fork comes out. Vitters should be next in line. I can't imagine another few months mashing AAA will do anything for him, but if Stewart falters he in the wings. I'd be fine with Keppinger as a utlity or super sub, but when I hear "agressive pursuit," it leads me to believe that we're talking more than we should pay. If what we're looking for is a utility guy, there's Valbuena with Watkins as plan B and then some AAAA depth behind them.

Not in November 2012, no. When at least 4 of the starting rotation spots are already taken? At the very least, Shark and Vizcaino should be above Wood. The front office is also showing they can pick up decent pitching on one year deals in most offseasons, too. You're missing the point. I'm not saying, gee I wonder what the 2014 roster will look like, it's that we're not building toward anything. If the 2014 rotation is Shark, Wood and one year flotsam we aren't going to try to compete until 2015 which is ridiculous. There's no way of telling what Epstein has in mind for 2012-2014, but with all of the money and effort put into assembling the FO, I can't imagine that we'll still look like the Pirates by the halfway mark in Epstein's contract.

Not in November 2012, no. When at least 4 of the starting rotation spots are already taken? At the very least, Shark and Vizcaino should be above Wood. The front office is also showing they can pick up decent pitching on one year deals in most offseasons, too. Beyond Shark and probably Wood, who have the other two spots locked down?

I don't have a problem with it, depending on the terms of the deal. Hes a decent hitter and it wasn't his only good season. He adds depth and versatility. He's a better Jeff Baker. My problem isn't with the Keppinger part so much as the aggressively pursuing part. We have Stewart, Vitters, Watkins, Valbuena, and Lake as options to round out the infield. If we we're a few pieces away from contention, then I'd understand paying a bit more for a veteran utility guy or backup plan for 3rd. In the current state of this team, I don't get why they wouldn't rather autition what they have. The exception would be if they have a fish on the line that's willing to overpay for Barney. I don't see the problem with a Keppinger addition. I have my doubts we land him, but maybe we can offer a better shot at everyday PT (Chris Johnson hit well enough down the stretch for Arizona). Here's the thing. Vitters/Lake aren't ready. Watkins shouldn't be at 3rd. That leaves last year's two options, but Stewart struggled and seems to be on the outs with the club. Valbuena is more of a utility or platoon type. While it's not that important, I think there still is some significance to providing some positive atmosphere/experience for our prime youngsters, Castro/Rizzo, and adding Keppinger can help in the short term. Furthermore, Keppinger is the type of guy that you could move at the deadline, if one of the above is ready for a look (or Villanueva). Look, we have money to spend. Much as I am not against tanking 2013 to try and get Rodon (assuming Rodon stays ... awesome), I'm not for it either. Two horrendous seasons in a row would really suck. Keppinger doesn't mean that we really give up our shot at a high pick in 2014, but it could make the season a bit more enjoyable at the start, give them some flexibility, offer them a mid-season trade asset, and the cost is what? Money that we have to burn? Don't see a problem with it. Let me start by saying that I'm 100% against starting a season with the following season's draft pick in mind. If things are looking ugly by early summer, that's when I start thinking in those terms. Keppinger alone is not going to make the season any more enjoyable. If we plan on adding a few guys who will give us a shot, then Keppinger's the type of player that you add to supplement it. If we're looking to add a RH 3rd baseman/utilty guy to the team we currently have, and may very well start the season with, I'd just as soon raid the bargain bins. Keppinger's in line for something like 3/10. Great if you're a contender, but not if the plan is to flip him for prospects in 6-18 months.

I don't have a problem with it, depending on the terms of the deal. Hes a decent hitter and it wasn't his only good season. He adds depth and versatility. He's a better Jeff Baker. My problem isn't with the Keppinger part so much as the aggressively pursuing part. We have Stewart, Vitters, Watkins, Valbuena, and Lake as options to round out the infield. If we we're a few pieces away from contention, then I'd understand paying a bit more for a veteran utility guy or backup plan for 3rd. In the current state of this team, I don't get why they wouldn't rather autition what they have. The exception would be if they have a fish on the line that's willing to overpay for Barney. Two words: Paul Maholm. Maholm was the opposite. Former top prospect with some degree of big league success and signed to a bargain bin price due to injury. Keppinger has had a respectable career as a utility guy and coming off of a career season, so he's likely to get a 2-3 year deal, certainly more than he'd have received after any other season in his career.

I don't have a problem with it, depending on the terms of the deal. Hes a decent hitter and it wasn't his only good season. He adds depth and versatility. He's a better Jeff Baker. My problem isn't with the Keppinger part so much as the aggressively pursuing part. We have Stewart, Vitters, Watkins, Valbuena, and Lake as options to round out the infield. If we we're a few pieces away from contention, then I'd understand paying a bit more for a veteran utility guy or backup plan for 3rd. In the current state of this team, I don't get why they wouldn't rather autition what they have. The exception would be if they have a fish on the line that's willing to overpay for Barney.

I like it as a low risk move, but I really hope that our quest for starting pitching doesn't end with Baker and Feldman.

Oh good, we're continuing Hendry's quest to find his next Mark DeRosa. Offering a multi year deal for a career journeyman utility middle infielder coming off of a career season couldn't possibly end poorly.

Our entire farm system and Tony Campana for Stanton, LoMo, and Turner. Overpay for Michael Bourn or BJ Upton. Extend Garza and Samardzjia. Sign Edwin Jackson or Brandon McCarthy. Trade Soriano and DeJesus for the best young pitching offered. Restock farm system with organizationals, reclamations, and depth. Be awesome for the next 5-7 years. Worry about what happens 5-7 years from now in 4-6 years.

Wow, that's a hell of an opportunity for a substitute teacher who spent about a decade floundering through various farm systems with a cup of coffee and a stint in Japan to show for it.

A PTBNL has to be named and traded in 6 months; neither Almora or Soler would be eligible to be traded in 6 months. 10-4 EDIT: Other tidbit relating to next year. Cubs stretching out Michael Bowden in the DWL... http://www.bleachernation.com/2012/11/25/michael-bowden-for-starter-in-2013-and-other-bullets/ May as well. If he's going to end up as filler, he's more valuable as a 5-7 starter than taking his turns through the revolving door that is 5/7 of the Cub's bullpen.

With Castro, Rizzo, and Stanton as a foundation, we could end up with a very good team for a very long time very soon. Just pulling this out of my ass, but maybe Baez, Vogelbach, Szczur, and any two trade-eligible prospects (even if they wanted Johnson or Blackburn as a PTBNL) for Stanton and Jacob Turner. Scratch that, just make it Baez or 1 of Soler or Almora (PTBNL) plus any 4 guys in the entire organization other than Castro, Rizzo, or the other 2 of the Baez/Soler/Almora group.

I often wonder how the people who are ready to cast Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson into the fiery depths of hell after having struggling through their first big league stints felt when we acquired Rizzo. Brett Jackson's struggles and Rizzo's 2011 struggles show some key differences. True, I also feel a lot differently about Vitters than I do Jackson. I really think Vitters will eventually figure it out and be a decent hitter at a minimum. Jackson on the other hand, at this point, I just hope he can make enough contact to not be awful. I see the opposite. Vitters is pretty much an all or nothing. If he's not going to hit, he's not going to do anything. Whithere certainly has a chance to improve on his defense, and plate dicipline, I can't imagine it ever reaching a point where it could make up for a lack of offense. With Jackson, even if he never breaks a .250 BA, he still has the tools to be a useful player ala Chris Young, Cameron Maybin,and Drew Stubbs.

I often wonder how the people who are ready to cast Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson into the fiery depths of hell after having struggling through their first big league stints felt when we acquired Rizzo.

With Hendry in charge, it's hard not to imagine the farm system not sucking. Our top 5 likely looks something like Baez, Maples, Vogelbach, McNutt, Szczur. Hard to tell what the 2012 draft would have looked like. I highly doubt we have Soler, Villanueva, or Paniaqua. We certainly don't have Vizcaino or Laux. As for the big league team, there's a good chance we have 1 of Pujols/Fielder as well as Aramis. Maybe Wilson or Darvish. Unsure about Zambrano. Perhaps Cespedes. Colvin's probably in RF. Edwin Jackson's another possibility judging by what he ended up signing for. God knows who our manager is. Big league team: 1. Cespedes 2. Castro 3. Fielder 4. Aramis 5. Soriano 6. Colvin 7. Soto 8. Barney Rotation: Garza, Wilson/Darvish, Dempster, Shark, Zambrano/Cashner/Jackson/? Pen: Marmol, Marshall, Cashner?, Russell, Dolis I don't think that too many people would complain about that team. But yeah, the farm would suck. This being said, Hendry would only deserve so much credit for this team. Any GM with a big market team, substantial payroll available, an open checkbook, and the desire to emerge from the sewer could put that team together. As for what Theo's doing, if all goes as planned, he deserves all the credit in the world. If it doesn't work out, either he gets an extension anyway because we still have a solid farm system and low payroll, or he moves on and gets another fat contract and whomever takes his place has a ton of payroll and some nice prospects and young players to work with. However, there has to be plenty of space in between whatever Frankenstein's monster Hendry would have created, and likely continued to duct tape ill-suited appendages onto and the The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades/Patience/Livin on a Prayer/Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor mega-mix we've got going in now.

[expletive], if this was last year, Garza could have been a potential match. Even sans questions about the elbow, I'll assume they're looking for more than one year out of a guy. Any chance they view Samardzjia as a front end starter? Arizona, Atlanta, Oakland, and TB are perfect matches. Especially Oakland and Arizona who could then turn around and flip Reddick or Upton to re-stock. If nothing else, hopefully Epstein puts us in position for that type of thing in the next few years. That article mentions Tampa, Arizona, Seattle, and Oakland as teams KC has spoken with. If they like Shields (as speculated), I would think they would like Samardzija. I don't think they'd give up Wil Myers for either though. The As and DBacks have mostly young arms available. Potential front line guys, but do they want potential or do they want someone that slots at the top of their rotation now? Samardzija may be more interesting, for that fact, than even those teams' best arms. I'd imagine though, they're very interested in Felix Hernandez, and are probably holding out to see if the Ms will budge on him. I wonder what the Cubs would have to add to Samardzija to get Hosmer, Gordon, and Odorizzi? Soriano? Barney? prospects? Trading Gordon would open a spot for Myers in LF. They could still find a 1B/DH (or can have Soriano) to pair with Butler. Odorizzi would be expendable with the pitching depth at the ML level and they still have a few guys in the minors. I honestly think they'd love to get a SP like Shark and be able to keep Moustakas, Myers and Butler. I could definitely see a blockbuster based on Myers+Butler for Price deal. There's also Bauer from Arizona. I can't imagine us being able to put together anything more desireable than that even if it meant they'd keep Myers.

Regardless of how awful of a pick, Wilken will always get a Mulligan on Simpson due to the mono. Golden's the one that I always seem to forget about when looking back at the the 2010 draft. Just turned 21, and if I were to rank the my personal top position player prospects based purely on offensive upside, I'd go Soler, Vogelbach(though I'm doubtful that he'll be a Cub if/when he reaches it) Baez, Almora, Candelerio, Golden

But if the topic at hand is the NL Central 3 years from now, that puts them in a pretty good position despite their aging leaders and pitchers. Not to mention, they have their share of young, big league contributers.

New plan: Sign all of the Bryan LaHairs we can get our hands on to minor league deals and sell them off to Japan for $750,000-1,000,000 per.

[expletive], if this was last year, Garza could have been a potential match. Even sans questions about the elbow, I'll assume they're looking for more than one year out of a guy. Any chance they view Samardzjia as a front end starter? Arizona, Atlanta, Oakland, and TB are perfect matches. Especially Oakland and Arizona who could then turn around and flip Reddick or Upton to re-stock. If nothing else, hopefully Epstein puts us in position for that type of thing in the next few years.

If not, Ryan Chaffee looks very intriguing, and he's only 24.

There's also the whole Cardinals have one the top 5 farm systems thing to take into consideration.