Neuby

Let's hope that heater comes back.

The Cubs have one major advantage Arod has a no trade clause will want nothing more than to be reunited with Lou Piniella. Chicago is also a shorter Jet ride to Miami.

I think the Cubs and Piniella know they need Prior and I don't see him being included in a deal for Arod. Jones Dempster Pie Marmol Cubs- Arod?

i have a feeling there is going to be a lot of peolpe proven wrong next season by Dempster when excels again with regular work. He is a converted starter who rusted away last season after a good first run as a closer and doing well as a reliver. Wuertz Eyre Howry Wood Dempster crazy good. Spending $20M on the bullpen is a serious misapplication of funds unless your overall budget looms around $200M. Basically, I can't find any way to believe that a bullpen represents more than 15% of any good team's value. Take the standard breakdown of the contributions into offense, defense, starting pitching & bullpen. How many you score is roughly 50% of the game (I've read some decent arguments that it represents slightly less than that, though). That leaves 50% to split amongst the pitching and the defense (components of preventing runs, of course). Let's be generous and say that pitching accounts for 40% of the 50%. The question that remains is the allocation of value between starting pitching and relief. Now, on a pure innings basis, starting pitching in baseball these days accounts for around 2/3 of the innings (a touch more than that, last I looked). So a straight division of the pitching value would put the relief core at 13%. Some would argue that number should be higher because dollars allocated to late inning relief can be used in higher leverage situations. But I would argue the opposite. ** warning -- gut feel, unsubstantiated claim alert ** My guess is that teams post a really good winning percentage in general if they 1) score first and 2) hold a two run or better lead coming out of the sixth inning. In other words, my claim is that more games are won and lost in the first six innings than in the last three. I wish I had more time to delve into this claim to find whether it is true or if I'm off on my thinking here. But to get back to the original point, there's no way I'd spend more than 10-13% of my budget on relief unless I was getting a WHOLE bunch of really cheap, really good production somewhere else. But another reason I wouldn't blow that percentage on the pen is that I think that's one of the easiest areas of the team to get some quality, cheap production. Oh yeah, and big money relievers are among the most unpredictable investments in the game. Pitchers in general are the most unpredictable things in the game. If the Cubs payroll next season reaches 115 million which seems likely to happen next season they shouldn't have a problem filling holes with the money left. Murton and Hill most likely will be part of next seasons team and are good vaules. Barrett is also a steal at his current salary. The Cubs next season have a chance to have a dominating bullpen along with a very strong rotation. Zambrano Schimdt/Zito/DM Hill Miller Prior Too me it doesn't matter where you spend the money as long as you get results. Last year Howry and Eyre got results and thats why so many teams came calling July 31 looking to see if the Cubs where willing to deal. Dempster was almost perfect his first stint as a closer and has the stuff to rebound next year when he should be seeing regular work. Wood is a huge luxury to have next year if he can prove he's healthy out of the pen.

i have a feeling there is going to be a lot of peolpe proven wrong next season by Dempster when excels again with regular work. He is a converted starter who rusted away last season after a good first run as a closer and doing well as a reliver. Wuertz Eyre Howry Wood Dempster crazy good.

Boras' speciality is playing one team off another to escalate the price. How's he going to do that in this instance? Isn't his other specialty driving up the price by saying his draft picks will just wait until next year? In Japan a player in general shows more respect for there team and the Lions need the posting money they are going to get for DM so I can't see him letting Boras tell him to wait until next year.

$115M dollar payroll is a dream come true and should make for a fun offseason. Piniella might not be the boards choice for a manager but it shows there serious about winning. Hopefully Rusch will retire giving Hendry even more flexability. After Hendry gets Ramirez and Wood done let the free agent shopping begin!!!!!

I would take a gamble on a guy like Huff if we lose Aram in a deal for AROD.

Rusch retires. Wood signs a cheap deal to stay. Hendry finds takers for Jones and Izzy. Hendry with a 115 million payroll which it should be wil be more then enough to improve this team enough. I want a to start a season on paper to be favorites to win the NL pennant. I know papers doesn't matter but there's no reason the Cubs should continue to put out anything less than that.

Anyone else hoping that Kevin Towers can come with Bochy shifting Hendry back to help with the farm?

Bellhorn is worth an invite to spring training I still think he's a great weapon to have off the bench to go along with The Riot.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1159950792194190.xml&coll=2&thispage=1 Iztuirz could fill the roles Shapiro is looking for to improve his infield defense at second base or shortstop. It's a lot easier to hide a guy like Izzy in your lineup with the benfit of the DH in AL lineups. The Indians were second last season in the AL in runs scored. If Hafner plays more 1B next season and Indians find some outifled/DH help this offense will l become even more lethal . There's fews team that can afford to have Izzy in there lineup it's the Indians. The Indians other offseason needs are outfield and a closer. Cordero's option has been picked up.Dotel had a 10.80 area last season and struggled to regain velocity. A nice gamble for some teams but with Larry Dolan giving the Shapiro a nice boost in payroll he'll expect more. They might see Dempsters struggles as being magnified by his erractic use this offseason and a vaule at 4.5 million considering that 37 year old Bob Wickman just got a 6.5 million one year deal. Jones who if reports are true might want out might make a attractive option for a replacement for Blake who would be sent the Cubs in this deal and might welcome a chance to return to the AL central. Dempster/Izturis/Jones/ 2 million in cash in Exchange for Casey Blake/Trevor Crowe/ Young arm Year Team Lg Age Org. Level Pos G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO HBP IBB SH SF DP AVG OBP SLG OPS 2003 Arizona NCAA 19 NCAA 53 187 34 59 14 2 2 35 13 4 9 32 1 1 3 3 .316 .345 .444 789 2004 Arizona NCAA 20 NCAA 58 203 53 71 13 9 5 33 26 1 21 39 2 1 0 7 .350 .416 .576 992 cws-as, as 2005 Arizona NCAA 21 NCAA 60 263 83 106 25 15 9 54 27 6 36 30 4 0 3 4 .403 .477 .715 1192 mvp, as, amer Mahoning V NYPL 21 Cle A- of 12 51 9 13 2 1 1 6 4 3 6 8 1 0 0 0 0 .255 .345 .392 737 Lake Cty SAL 21 Cle A of 44 178 18 46 8 2 0 23 7 5 18 25 1 1 0 2 4 .258 .327 .326 653 Akron East 21 Cle AA of 3 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 .100 .100 .100 200 2006 Lake Cty SAL 22 Cle A of 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 000 Kinston Caro 22 Cle A+ of 60 219 51 72 15 2 4 31 29 6 48 46 2 0 1 3 6 .329 .449 .470 919 Akron East 22 Cle AA of 39 154 20 36 7 2 1 13 16 6 20 24 0 1 0 2 6 .234 .318 .325 643 Minor League Totals - 2 Season(s) 160 617 99 168 32 7 6 73 56 20 92 107 4 2 1 7 16 .272 .367 .376 743 Trevor Crowe is a former first round pick and #10 on Baseball America's Indians prospect. A guy that projects to be good top of the order hitter that will allow the Cubs in the future to slot Pie further down in the oder Casey Blake 3.75 million Blake makes for an expensive utility guy. 1B/3B/RF/LF/PH/DH AVG .282 | HR 19 | RBI 68 | OBP .356 | SLG .479 If he can give the Cubs similar production in limited time next season he will be worth it. 4.5 Jones /4.5 Dempster/ Izzy 4.25/ 13.25 M - 5.75 = 7.50 in freed up payroll. It looks like Rusch will retire and the Cubs will have another 3.25 million. Sign Wood to a one year 3 million dollar deal with incentives and Sign Miller to a 2 Million dollar with a mutal option for a second year. The extra six million along with depatures of Pierre ,the midseason deals Maddux/Williamson/Walker/Nefi/Mabry and Wood's contract off the books and the payroll expected to be at least 100 million Hendry can make a push. Signing Schmidt and Soranio will be a major step in the right direction. With the options of exploring Carlos Lee, Edmonds, A.Jones/M.Ramiez/ Arod/Tejeda Hendry might have the youngs arms and cash to explore signing or trading for another big bat.

Jones contract is overpaid for what does but he does provide okay production in the right offense. If the Cubs add A.Jones in center field or V.Wells in a trade along with signing Soranio for 2b you can hide his bat lower in the order.

The only thing that really worries me going into this season that the Cubs will not be able to add Payroll due to the Tribunes stock troubles. If the Cubs spend big on two free agents and make a trade for an impact bat. This Cubs team can make a run in the weak central.

I wonder if the Cubs new Prez with his marketing background how much of a marketing cash cow this guy could be in Chicago.

I think we are not as bad off on pitching as some might think, but we need a dependable innings eater who can keep us in ball games for sure. With Hill looking like Zito, Zambrano being Zambrano, one of Marshall, Mateo, and Guzman being good enough to be a back of the rotation starter, and Prior possibly healthy for 07, someone like Padilla would be enough to satisfy me if we spent alot on offense. The Cubs need another horse like Schmidt. I want to win in the next two years and Prior can not be counted for anything more than a fifth starter. There's no reason the Cubs can't afford to sign Schmidt and Soranio. If Rusch retires and Hendry manages to peddle Izzy, Jones or Dempster the Cubs should have enough wiggle room to go and trade some young arms for A. Jones.

I just don't see how the Tribune a company that might be up for sale soon can justify spending 15-20 million just to talk to Matsuzakas about a contract. I would sink that money into Soranio and Schmidt. Then trade some arms for A. Jones. Suprized you guys left out that Crawford is one of the Cubs favorites but Rogers doesn't see how Hendry will have pitching trade. If Hendry can lock up one of the big free agent pitchers along with a guy like Wade Miller or Mark Mulder to battle some of the young arms for the final spot and provide insurance in case Prior isn't ready again.

Mcdonugh might be the guy to lean on the Tribune to open those pocket books.

John Mcdonough is not the answer.

I would think having Piniella in the fold would give us a better shot at getting A-Rod to waive his no trade clause this offseason.

I really want Soranio at second and unless Hendry finds a way to dump Izzy on some other team I don't think Theriot is gonna find a home at second. Theriot should get a plenty of playing time next year all over the diamond .

Dempster has more vaule than Sanders or Brown. If he rebounds and is joined by a healthy Kerry Wood the Cubs bullpen could be huge strength next year. If Dempster struggles through Spring training you have the option of having him return as a starter or shopping him at the deadline. Brown and Sanders both make overpriced spare parts. If he struggles as the closer next season he can fill the long man role.

Or should I have asked what should next years payroll be? I am assuming Rusch will retire and the Cubs will end up sinking his money right into Ramirez's new deal. Last years payroll was 94 million. I am hoping it will be raised 100 million. 110 would be ideal. I know large payrolls doesn't always equal results but it's easier to win when you can spend to get the talent you need to win.

I want Wood back next year he's saying all the right things right now hopefully we can bring him back cheaply.

The Red Sox could take Manny's Money and add Carlos Lee and if they decide to move Lowell they can put Youlkis at Third. Any chance the Red Sox go after Gary Sheffield , Frank Thomas or Barry Bonds to play first base?