Little Slide Rooter

Guess whose bringing up the rear in this weeks MLB power rankings... http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/powerRankings?GT1=39010 The rest of the Fecal League better be taking notice. We are not to be taken lightly Twins and Astros.

Pirates DFAd Jose Ascanio.

Steve Clevenger Ryan Flaherty Marwin Gonzalez Rebel Ridling Brett Jackson Matt Spencer Blake Lalli DJ Lamahieu Marco Carillo Rafael Dolis Rob Whitenack Trey Mcnutt Obviously, McNutt, Whitenack, and LaMahieu wont be able to play for one reason or another, and I dont know about Carillo whose in Iowa but thatsa pretty big haul.

3 mil ought to do it.

I remember reading at one point that there would be money available come the deadline to aquire the right players. Well, that clearly wont be necessary. Spend here.

So is Maples on of those guys who if we dont get him signed, in 2-3 years he'll be a top 5 pick and in 4-5 years, a perenial Cy Young winner?

I know nothing about Maples, but judging by the NSBB love, I say shell out.

Yikes, I was thinking in the 1.5 at most 1.75 neighborhood. [expletive] it, take a chance. I bet if he was a golden domer we wouldnt be able to keep Hendry off of him.

At least its someone with a family history of greatness.

There has to be something, but I still want the Cubs to take the chance. Can't hurt to roll the dice on one or both of these guys in these earlyish rounds, especially considering Wilkens ability to pick out signable gems in the later rounds.

What an ugly video. I'm pretty sure this guy is in my softball league. Very stiff swing. I like the concept of an actual corner bat though. Any idea of signability? didn't look stiff to me. looks pretty free and easy. in one of the highlights he takes a swing and fouls one off, less than 3 second later he was ripping a line drive. I hope we can sign him. Quite intrigued by the kid.

I won't complain, not that Kingman looked like a grown up version of the fat kid from The Sandlot.

Miggy would definitely be the kind of gouy who could help get us where we want to be, but DUIs or not, moving him would take the Tigers from a perenial contender in their division to the celler, so I don't see that happening. As for Kemp, Wright, or Butler, all would be a good start for a rebuuilding process, but it wouldn't be a particularly quick one without a lot more help.

So if I am to peak in check in on our picks throughout the day, Im assuming this would be the thread to do it in?

I just hope its that simple. I know that as a businessman, Ricketts knows that you have to spend money to make money. I also know that the farm system seems to be built around players who can be used to build around a big star or 2, and not guys who will be able to sustain a winning team on their own. I really hope that he choses to go after them now, because if their is a time to strike, this is most certainly it. I also hope that nobody convinces him otherwise and its wiser to build a team that will be ready compete in 3 years or so, because weve all seen what happens when they try to go that route.

Im not saying they wont spend, but what if we miss out on Pujols or Fielder, be it the price, or were simply outbid? Whats next? Theres Jimmy Rollins, Jose, Reyes, and Carlos Beltran, all whose price might not be worth their injury histories. Maybe Sabathia will opt out, but I really dont see us outbidding the Yanks their, nor would I want to considering the money and years that Boras will likely demand. Other than that, flipping through my 2012 free agent catalog, I see Kelly Johnson, Ryan Ludwick, Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer, Edwin Jackson, Scott Kazmir, Coco Crisp, and a handfull of other guys who might make decent stocking stuffers, but arent exactly going to give us a holly jolly christmas on their own. Basically, in the current state iof this team, if they are going to spend money, they better make it count, because another Jacque Jones or Jeromy Burnitz will do nothing for us. Im definitely willing to say that the Cubs will be OK IF they sign Pujols or Fielder, but we just cant say they'll be OK WHEN they sign them.

This. I dont mind going after high ceiling high schoolers in the later rounds, but as far as the 1st round, the Cubs should have no more business around high schoolers than a 38 year old with a mustache and a 6 pack of Michelob Ultra playing Skid Row out of his windowless van.

Basically a meteor is heading for Earth as we speak and we have at most 36 hours left to live. Now this guy was far from a sane person, but it was depressing to hear nonetheless. yeah basically. the cubs are a big market team with lots of revenue streams; anyone who thinks their payroll will be dropping to $75 million is a moron who should be catapulted into the surface of the sun. Yes, I understant this, and I like to think it as well. My problem is that pretty much everything Ive heard on the radio and read in articles seems to point to this drastic cut in payroll. 75 mil is very unlikely, but 90-100 is possible. Yeah, the likes of Rosenthal, Olney, and the Sox friendly WSCR people are easy to pass of as meatballs, and do like to paint a drastic picture to lure people into reading their garbage, but everyone out there seems to think that the Cubs wont be going the big free agent rout, and the only people who seem to think they will are here on NSBB. I see my self as level headed enough to know that while there is a decent chance that they open up the checkbooks in the off season, its far fom a guarantee, and looking at what this team and system have going for it right now, as is, it would easily be 2015 before we can compete with our small market rivals. Theres really no reason to flame this post, because to state as fact that The Cubs are going to sign a Pujols or Fielder is no more rational to state as fact that they wont. This team needs a lot of help in the offseason, and I sincerely hope that they can get that help, but at the same time, we should be bracing ourselves for a few more years like this if they dont.

I have to say, I'm pretty shocked about this. This isn't hitting .230something and OPSng in the low .700s, which id expected to be Colvins floor. Obviously, as everyone said, his start last year wasn't sustainable, but I don't think that even the biggest doubters would have predicted him to bottom out this bad.

Details? Basically that the Cubs will suck for the next 3-5 years if not longer. We should trade Marmol because a team like the Cubs has no use for a closer. Also, that team is broke and will probably be lowering payroll to 90-100 mil if not 75 and then farm system sucks and the "pipeline is dry". These guys are far from experts, and anything they say is to be taken with a grain of salt, but its depressing stuff to hear none the less.

Wilkens "shocker" will come later this week when we learn that the 23 year old Cuban defector never existed and was a device developed to leave Cubs fans feeling relieved when he selected some decent but far from awe inspiring high schooler.

shoulder, two ankle injuries I don't care if he spends the next 3 years in a full body cast, if we get him, I'll be thrilled.

If anyone wants to hear an incredibly depressing outlook on the next 3-5 years of Cubs baseball, turn on The Score right about 5 minutes ago.

At least that would probably get us a compensation pick next year, so losing the dud would be better than getting the dud.

No, but while he's here it's probably best that he plays. If/when a better option emerges then send him back to AAA. If we were anywhere near contention, Id agree, but as is, may as well let him play it out and decide if he belongs in the future plans. I dont think there are many other players out their, aside from pitchers with avg. below .100.