don_kessinger_was_good

Baldelli isn't any good. Bad idea.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071031/news_1s31padres.html No way the Cubs could put together a competitive package to get him, but wow.....just thinking about Cabrera in RF for the Cubs and batting cleanup gives me chills.

Fukudome isnt going to hit more than fifteen HRs a year hear. He's probably more Mark Kotsay than Grady Sizemore. The money would be better spent on a quality SS: Miguel Tejada. An OF of Jones - Soriano - Pie would be good defensively and would be serviceable offensively. Our money would be better spent getting the out-enigma that is Ryan Theriot out of the lineup. HRs aren't everything--and I agree, Fukudome in the big leagues could easily be no more than a 10-15 HR guy. Big deal. Kenny Lofton hit that level of HRs at the peak of his career, too. OTOH, Fukudome has everything the Cubs need, he is a PERFECT fit for this team. He hits for lower BA than Ichiro (300), but has much better plate discipline, so the OBP is just as high (400). He has gap power, so his SLG is strong (500) despite the modest HR totals. He can run some, and by all accounts has a cannon for an arm. Who will be dumb enough to run on the Cubs with an OF of Soriano, Pie and Fukudome? And finally, he adds balance to the batting lineup with a LH bat, and he doesn't strike out much, either. GET HIM.

No offense to Mr. Fukudome, he may turn out great. But I'd be fairly disappointed if the Cubs committed their entire payroll increase to a mystery man from Japan. I know numbers are good, but that is far from a guarantee as we have seen with others. I don't think DKWG is suggesting they spend $15m on Fukudome. I would imagine the rest would be spent upgrading pitching and or bench help. Fukudome + Kuroda is what I'd like to see. Dump Dempster and Jones and see if the Cubs can recover half ($5MM) of their combined 2008 salary commitment. Cubs will also need a lefty reliever (I assume they want to get rid of Ohman), and a 7th inning man if Wood isn't brought back. They have Murton, Marshall and one of Theriot or Cedeno to use in trades to fill these remaining holes. If the Cubs do bring in Fukudome, I'm more than content to let Felix Pie learn on the job in CF while batting 7th or 8th. The last piece could be Tejada, but that would push the budget beyond where I think it could reasonably go. About the only hope there would be if someone like Marquis or Eyre could be moved. I don't think there's any chance the Cubs will be out-bidding the two LA teams for A-Rod.

$15MM payroll bump.....sounds to me like my #1 target would fit in nicely with the Cubs plans. Sweet. FUKUDOME Bat him LEADOFF, move Lee up to SECOND, then hit Aramis 3rd and Alfonso 4th. They'll have a field day driving in runs. Bat Soto and DeRosa 5th and 6th behind them, decent protection from those bats. I like it.

Schilling > Marquis Schilling > Marshall Schilling > Hart Schilling > Gallagher Schilling > Wood Schilling > Injured Mark Prior Looks like he's better than all our in-house options at #4/#5 starter. I'm game.

Scott Linebrink is on your list--he struggled in Milwaukee, but he has a strong track record. He will be in demand by a number of teams, you can count on that. If the Cubs are unsuccessful in bringing back Wood, maybe they could look into Linebrink to fill that spot in the bullpen.

Your 1 and 2 are mutually inconsistent of course. The answer is 2. Tigers package is equivalent to the Cubs offering Sean Marshall and Felix Pie. Would you do that for one year plus an option on Edgar Renteria? To play him where, 1B in place of Lee? Because that's where Guillen is headed, to 1B. His knees won't let him play SS anymore. You can't "sign" Abreu, as the Yankees have already picked up his 2008 option.

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-071029cubs,1,3333302.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

Unless they are going to move Johnson to center, escobar to 2b and play ARod at short OR move Chipper back to the OF again, it ain't happening. Both of those scenarios seem very unlikely to happen. They have options and young talent. They also are pretty creative when it comes to deals so this quick deal makes me wonder why they made this trade so early, unless they are going young I can't think of a reason why they would sell Renteria so quickly. Renteria could be on Mitchells list I suppose and this was a chance to sell high. You have to remember that Atlanta traded for Tex at the deadline last year, which increased payroll rather than reduced it like they've been wanting to do for years. They have Yunel Escobar and Brent Lillibridge to step in at SS. I don't see Atlanta making a play for A-Rod. They just don't want to hang on to players too long that they clearly want to move. Each player that they don't trade right away hampers their future offseason decisions. Atlanta will supposedly bring back Glavine for one more go-round, too--that's another $10MM they'll need to come up with. Braves don't have the $$ to go for A-Rod.

I really want A-Rod on the Cubs. I can see the new town bully Red Sox signing him. But really, I'd be shocked if A-Rod doesn't end up on either the Angels, Dodgers or Phillies. He makes so much sense for either of those three teams. Each needs a 3B, each has the money. And in the Angels case, they desperately need a bat to protect and complement Vlade. You want a scary thought? Rollins, Utley, A-Rod, Howard, Burrell batting 1-5. Yikes.

Trade Aramis to the Dodgers for Kemp and Billingsley, freeing up $13MM/year, and sign A-Rod.

Sounds good. Only 1 big problem-you just upped the payroll by 30-40 million dollars. Do the Cubs really have that much payroll flexibility? Are you sure? No Floyd, no Prior = $10MM. Barrett is gone, replace by Soto = $4MM. Let's be generous and assume Jones can be moved after eating $2MM. Finally, maybe Ohman gets moved to free up $1.5MM. Then if you sign Fukudome for let's say, $8MM/year, sign Kuroda for let's say, $4MM/year (re: Iwamura and Okajima money), and take on $8MM/year max in new salary with Tejada and your new LOOGY, then it looks like we're talking about a net increase of maybe $10MM max??

1. Sign Fukudome for RF/CF 2. Sign Kuroda for 4/5 starter 3. Trade for Tejada 4. Trade for a LOOGY 5. Soto full-time catcher 6. Buy out Kendall and Floyd 7. No thanks to Monroe or Trachsel 8. If Murton is traded, sign a veteran RH bat for the bench (position doesn't matter) 9. Convince Ward to re-up 10. Replace Mike Quade Done.

Derrek Lee, Sean Marshall and Tyler Colvin to the Dodgers for James Loney, Matt Kemp and Chin Hu.

I'd rather have Blevins or Rapada back so the Cubs could dump Ohman once and for all. :-(

An earlier post made an excellent point. Furcal is on the last year of his deal in 2008. He was a big disappointment this year in LA; granted, he wasn't 100% all year, but he didn't do squat until the last six weeks of the season. He's not a fan favorite at all, and Hu is ready. Hendry may yet get his man, if he can figure out what to deal LA for Furcal that would interest them. And that's the problem. They already have too many OFs and too many IFs, especially with their prospects all hitting the majors at the same time. They could probably use a #4/#5 type starter and a middle reliever, but I don't think Sean Marshall and Mike Wuertz gets you Rafael Furcal. But if the Cubs did get him, he can bat leadoff, allowing Soriano to be dropped to #5 in the order where he'd be a much better fit. DeRosa hits 2nd in this scenario and Soto 6th, what's not to like?

If A-Rod ONLY goes for the money, his options are a bid greater. Toronto and Baltimore could afford him, and both could desperately use him. Detroit could be a remote possibility (Domino's Pizza money). A return to Seattle? In the NL, maybe Drayton wants to make a splash in revamping the Astros. Philly could afford him. Dodgers, yes. Shudder the thought, but maybe even St. Louis. So I think it's a bit too early, even if/when A-Rod DOES opt out, to immediately say it's the Angels, Red Sox, Cubs or Mets. After all, if he wants to play on a winner, then all of the other teams above other than Houston, St. Louis and Baltimore were over .500 ballclubs. My crystal ball says the Mets won't move Reyes to 2B for him. Boston will choose not to rock the boat and re-sign Lowell. Dodgers will go further along the youth movement track and give the job to LaRoche. Seattle won't be able to move Beltre, the losing ballclubs are nixed by A-Rod. Best bets then: 1. Angels, 2. Cubs, 3. Philadelphia

I would love to take advantage of the messy situation and incompetent management in LA and land as many of their young players as possible. Loney, Kemp, and Ethier are all there for the taking. Billingsley hasn't been involved in the controversey, but up until very recently was clearly undervalued by the team. Its been mentioned before, but we should offer up Lee + for Loney, Kemp, and whoever else we can get. Kershaw isn't realistic, but DLee still is a big name and signed to a fairly resonable contract. We could not only clear out a lot of money, but also improve the team if we take advantage of the situation. Lee + Dempster for Loney + Kemp, count me in. For CF, Pie clearly isn't ready yet, unless something unexpected happens over the winter. He just can't hit ML pitching to this point. Would there be any interest in David DeJesus to bridge the gap? KC is ready to move him for help elsewhere and turn CF over to Joey Gathrait. DeJesus is no world beater, but he's a very acceptable average player. Consistent 350-360 OBP, OK speed, good defense, consistent 100 OPS+ guy. Cubs could likely get him straight up for Sean Marshall, IMO. Cubs could then (finally) dump Jones and let Pie play a full season in AAA to try and get his bat to mature some.

I just don't see any hope for this Cubs offense unless they can swing the A-Rod signing. He sure would solve MANY problems. Absolutely, I agree Soriano doesn't hit leadoff anymore. Awful. Theriot--good kid, nice role player. Not a starter. Pie--he's young, great. But I haven't seen ANYTHING about his plate appearances that doesn't scream Corey Patterson to me. Because he's young, let him develop more in AAA if you must, but I want a CF that can hit. Jock Jones--outta here. Seriously. Just go. Derrek Lee--can we admit 2005 was a fluke? If so, Lee is a fine nice bat, but I don't want him as my #3 hitter anymore. His BA and OBP are fine, and he can still run a little. I want him as my #2 hitter. This would look good to me: 1. New CF--trade options that can leadoff include Coco Crisp and David DeJesus. Can free agent Aaron Rowand leadoff? 2. Lee, 1B 3. A-Rod, SS (let me dream) 4. Ramirez, 3B 5. Soriano, LF 6. Soto, C 7. DeRosa, 2B 8. Murton or whomever, RF Finally, I really hope the Cubs bring back Ward for the bench. Cedeno showed some pop in September, I'm fine with him as my reserve IF (he can play 2B, SS and 3B). And Wood looks like a good reliever to keep, IF his price is reasonable. On the bye-bye side, I do not want to see Monroe, Trachsel, Ohman, Jones or Kendall ever again. Floyd seems like a nice guy, but I don't want him around either. Go to the AL Cliff, it's where you belong. And I sure wouldn't cry if the new GM managed to get rid of Eyre and Marquis, but I'm not holding my breath. Siggy updated for posterity.

I'd certainly take Khalil Greene for Prior were it possible. Maybe include Theriot so they get a SS back in exchange, and they include a young mid-level minors pitching prospect.

People should relax. Brandon Webb has been the best pitcher in the NL over the last two years combined. Z matched him inning for inning, then our good setup man got hit while their's didn't. Big deal, it was a good game. We match up better for games 2 and 3, still confident.

shouldn't be a problem freeing a spot by 10/15 if they make the playoffs - Cotts - Novoa - Mateo - Ohman add Floyd, Trachsel, and Monroe if they don't You can add Trachsel anyways, no way he makes the playoff roster. He's done (thankfully).

Why would they need a catcher? Ronny Paulino doesn't work? Also, why wouldn't Sanchez move back to 3B and have them take E-Patt? Ever seen Paulino hit when the Cubs aren't the opponent? Well, neither has the Pirates organization. Also, Freddy Sanchez doesn't hit like a 3B. It only makes sense to keep him there if you have Chase Utley or the like at 2B. I do think the Pirates could have interest in Eric Patterson. They have been looking for a leadoff type hitter for a while. EP can play 2B (moving Sanchez to SS) or CF. I'd offer Patterson, Gallagher and Marshall for Bay and a P prospect. Actually, Omar Minaya has some kind of relationship with Ronny Paulino, I'm not sure of the details, but there are already rumors in NY that the Mets will try to trade for him this winter. LoDuca is a free agent and the consensus is there's no way the Mets want him back. Pittsburgh should try to pry away Humber or Pelfrey from the Mets and offer up Paulino and a prospect to try and get him. If Minaya truly has a chubby for Ronny, Pirates should use that to their advantage if they're smart.

They could have if they wouldn't have given away Scott Moore for 4 lousy starts from Steve Trachsel. I bet Pittsburgh would have found someone like Clay Rapada of interest, too. These types of trades get a pass from the sportswriters when they happen, but it is examples just like this when they come back to look really bad in hindsight. A trade with a team like Pittsburgh, desperate for QUANTITIES of young players with upside, is exactly where you could get some value for a Scott Moore or Clay Rapada. Instead of giving them away for players that will not be here on November 1st.