CincyCubsFan

And that's even before we dump Garza.

Most of have long since discounted 2012, welcome to the club. My hopes for 2013 are well eroded at this point, as well.

That sure as [expletive] is something to get worked up over. Why? The new guys don't know Campana. Reed is a decent backup OFer. It's doubtful we'll have both Soriano and Byrd by spring training and they've already said Brett is starting the year in AAA. But how do they know Reed Johnson? After all he wasn't in the Boston or San Diego system last year, and those are clearly the only players they could know anything about. This is the exact same fritter away a million here, a million there idiocy that Hendry was the worst at. Give Hendry credit - in addition to passing out money to the Grabows and Koyies, he did mix in giving contracts to actual baseball players once in a while.

That sure as [expletive] is something to get worked up over. How else is Theo going to spend the money he's savings by not signing/overpaying Fielder, Darvish, Wilson, or anyone else that can actually help us win?? Johnson seems to fit right in with the other placeholders he's acquired so far this offseason.

That's because Dusty will use him strictly as a situational lefty. I feel bad for Marshall if Dusty does indeed decide to use him as a LOOGY.

Who cares? We're not signing anyone of substance this year anyways. It's not as if there isn't plenty of money to go around to fill the roster with garbage.

Honestly, the best offer 29 other teams could muster for Sean Marshall is Travis [expletive] Wood? This reminds me of a Hendry trade. Awesome. the Epstein/Hoyer tandem is looking solid so far.

If you consider each decision they've made in isolation like this, then there's nothing wrong with it. But the whole picture is getting a little less impressive. It's a combination of the talent we're missing out on this year, the (questionable) talent we've acquired so far this offseason, and the (lack of) talent that's projected to be available next season. I thought the notion of $140 million payroll teams needing to "rebuild" was ridiculous. Or at least it was when the Rogers and the Rosenblooms or the worldwere asking for it. Now that it looks like Theo's plan, it's not such a crazy idea.

Before Theo came along, this board overwhelmingly believed that "$140 million dollar payroll teams don't rebuild." My, how things have changed.

Do you even know what a write off is? But *they* do. And they're the ones writing it off.

It's a great point, I may be way off on this, but I have a hunch he is working to get Garza moved for a 1B (perhaps Rangers, Moreland) and or even Yankees and take on Tex so Yanks can get Fielder?? Hopefully something similar is in works so we don't have the next 5 years of less than .500 ball. If Theo and Jed trade their ace for a first baseman, they deserve to be run out of town.

Wow, Milwaukee just got themselves a steal. And the Cubs weren't even interested. Not even an iota. Oh well, at least we have Ian Stewart...

If you didn't call that person on his racism and tell him to go [expletive] himself, you have chosen poorly. No, but I did say, "So, what about Felipe Lopez, Ronnie Belliard and Sidney Ponson?" I should have gone with your plan. Molina???

We really need an NSBB HOF forum where threads like this can be archived. Just so they can be easily accessed anytime you're having a shitty day and need a good laugh.

Exactly. It's the nature of the beast. It's not as if there is a laundry list of 23-25 year old future star free agents that we're going to be able to sign to the ideal contract. Part of the deal you have to live with is that you may get a couple of less-than-elite years at the tail end of a contract.

When all these guys start getting offers for 5-6 year deals, are we going to have to look elsewhere because of a fear of "overpaying?"

This. Let's not sign Fielder, and we'll just stand pat and wait for the perfect situation which may never come. If Fielder's not worth a couple of possibly mediocre years at the end of a seven year deal, who is? He's 27 years old and entering his prime. We are likely to get at least 4-5 years of elite production out of him. I've seen a lot of bellyaching about how we shouldn't sign him because 1-2 mediocre years at the end of a contract are going to somehow cripple the Cubs in the future, but no alternate suggestions. If not Prince, who is going to pop up in the next few years as the long term solution at first base? I also find it interesting how the general attitude on this board toward getting Prince changed as soon as Theo took over. it changed because people thought theo was going to draft a million elite players and we wouldn't need to sign free agents. it goes back to the meatball idea of "building a team the right way", which is closely related to "playing the game the right way". sure, any team that's in contention year after year is going to have some home-grown starters, but if you are a big market team, you have the luxury of signing elite talent for elite money. Agreed. I cannot understand this new mindset that has developed of eschewing improving the team through free agency. Building the farm system and signing quality free agents are not mutual exclusive. And then re: signing Prince...how is it that 30 year old Carl Crawford is enough of an impact player to warrant 7/142 but Prince isn't worth the money that he's going to paid? Instead, let's just toil for the next couple years with LaHair at first and hopefully we can develop a long-term internal solution at first base that we don't have to pay any more than league minimum. Is that the goal? To pat ourselves on the back for not "overpaying" for top talent, and then get annihilated by our competition because we had to settle for the 4th or 5th best option at a given position? But hey, at least we didn't overpay, right?

This. Let's not sign Fielder, and we'll just stand pat and wait for the perfect situation which may never come. If Fielder's not worth a couple of possibly mediocre years at the end of a seven year deal, who is? He's 27 years old and entering his prime. We are likely to get at least 4-5 years of elite production out of him. I've seen a lot of bellyaching about how we shouldn't sign him because 1-2 mediocre years at the end of a contract are going to somehow cripple the Cubs in the future, but no alternate suggestions. If not Prince, who is going to pop up in the next few years as the long term solution at first base? I also find it interesting how the general attitude on this board toward getting Prince changed as soon as Theo took over.

I guess this shows that the regime expects to contend in the next 1-2 years, otherwise they wouldn't have bothered with signing DeJesus. Maybe this points to the Cubs putting in a real offer on Pujols/Fielder.

Something tells me this move wouldn't be getting universal praise around here if Hendry was still at the helm. I echo whoever said it's like having two Marlon Byrds on the team.

So we're going to be stuck with either MacKanan or Alomar? Swell.

Maybe this has been covered, but why hasn't Dave Martinez been interviewed yet? I thought he and Maddux were said to be the favorites?

With Vandelay Industries? Matches. Long matches.

I have the entire '03 playoffs on VHS somewhere in my mom's house. I need to dig those out one of these days and relive some of these memories...

Barney and Campana are the only two I recognize...