vance_the_cubs_fan

Well I've been doing a little more number crunching to see what kind of team I can construct. Beginning with these players,(with salary or est salary in parenthesis) 1b Lee (13) 2b ? 3b Ramirez (11) SS Izturis (4.15) LF Murton (400 K) CF ? RF Jones (4) C Barrett (4.5) SP's Zambrano (10), Prior (4.5), and Hill (333K). Bullpen: Dempster (5), Eyre (2.7), Howry (4), Wuertz (500 K), Ohman (1), and Aardsma (333 K). Bench: Theriot (333K), Cedeno (333K), Soto (333K), and Moore (333K) That right there gives me a 66.765 million payroll with two rotation spots, 2b, and CF left to fill along with two bench spots. If I begin by signing Soriano for secondbase and pay him 15 million a year, my payroll jumps to 81.765. My next move is to add a starting pitcher. I'd prefer to add Matsuzaka for ten million plus the posting fee, but I'll add Schmidt for 11 million. That puts me at 92 million and change. My next bold move is to deal with the Braves. I'll offer Sean Marshall and Felix Pie for Andruw Jones and Tim Hudson. According to Cotts, Hudson is due only 6 million next season before jumping to 13 million. But with Jones and Hudson my payroll sits at 112.265. I'll have to work cheaply to fill out my bench, probably having to use players like Restovich and those like him to complete the task. However, my team will look like this: 2b Soriano LF Murton 1b Lee 3b Ramirez CF Jones RF Jones C Barrett SS Izturis SP Zambrano SP Schmidt SP Hudson SP Prior SP Hill (For pitching depth, I'd have Mateo, Marmol, Guzman, and Ryu) Bullpen: Dempster Eyre Howry Aardsma Wuertz Ohman (For bullpen depth, one of the starters or Novoa provides some insurance.) Bench: Soto C Theriot 2b/ss/3b Moore 1b/3b Restovich RF/LF Pagan RF/LF/CF Cedeno SS/2b The bench is young and weak, but with the current line-up I think we survive. That team could win it all.

TiVo!

Making the popular choice isn't always the best choice. I'm pretty sure when Baker was hired, he was the popular choice.

It may be Saturday before I get my pics in. I'm not ready to make them yet. I'll get them done.

I'd probably prefer Bochy to Brenly, but I'd prefer Brenly to Girardi or Piniella.

Weaver has pitched pretty well in the playoffs. His 04 and 05 years were pretty decent with the Dodgers. 04: 13-13, 34 Starts, 220 IP, 4.01 ERA, 1.30 WHIP 05: 14-11, 34 Starts, 224 IP, 4.22 ERA, 1.17 WHIP If he could return to his Dodger form, he would be an ideal 5th starter. I'd like to think one of our young starters (Marshall, Mateo, Guzman, Ryu, Marmol) could come close if not do better than those numbers. With Zambrano and Hill at the top of the rotation, the Cubs should sign one of the top starters, either the Japanese guy, Schmidt, or Zito. Then maybe add another veteran guy like Miller who could come on the cheap. But unless we trade some of the pitchers, Prior is still in the picture as well. Zambrano Schmidt or Zito Hill Prior is strong enough to have one of the young guys fill the fifth spot without wasting money on what Weaver or Suppan or Marquis would want. I'd spend on one big name pitcher and then try to pick up someone like Miller cheaply to add depth. However, we have a stable of young guys with major league experience who are all cheap. The only way I'd add a second expensive pitcher is if Prior or Hill is traded. Some money will be needed to upgrade the offense.

Get the best players possible. That's the way we should go and if the Trib will pay for it, I'm happy with buying a title. At this point, I don't care how we do it.

I've answered this 5-10 times already. Just look around.

The advantages of upping the payroll to that echelon are great. Yes, it's possible that Hendry could sqaunder it away on marginal talent. But as it stands right now, the Cubs have maybe 20-25 million to spend. With that amount they can likely extend Ramirez and add one premiere FA and another marginal one. It will be difficult to add a lot of talent with that amount. (See Soriano wanting an excess of 14 million as an example.) With an additional 15 million, the Cubs will have about 35 million to spend. That's probably as much as nearly anyone in the game. The Cubs could sign two premiere FA and also be free to make some other deals. Absorbing a bad contract to make a trade more palatable is easier with the additional dollars as well. If the Cubs had 35 million to spend, three of that could go to extending Ramirez, another 15 to Soriano, 11 to Schmidt, and then there is still a left over four million to fill out the roster with maybe Lofton or someone like that. If you don't like that scenario, 35 million might allow the Cubs to pursue two FA pitchers. It might let the Cubs go after Andruw Jones by taking Hudson's salary off the Braves' hands. It makes getting a player like Drew more likely as well. Would the Reds be more willing to trade Dunn if we took Milton's deal from them? Would the Yankees be more willing to trade Rodriguez if we take back Pavano? While it surely could be wasted, it definitely provides options that we don't currently have.

From Rozner's latest, there is this little line tucked deep within the article. A 115 million payroll would give the Cubs roughly 35-40 million to spend this offseason. Even if five million were eaten up in Ramirez's extension, there's still plenty to improve the team.

So you would have rather watched several seasons get cancelled or seasons played with replacement players because the PA would have never agreed to a salary cap. The players would have caved had they used replacements for a while, believe me they would have caved. I'm not so sure you are right there. Either way, I think preventing a work stoppage would have been better than having lost more of a season to replacement players.

So you would have rather watched several seasons get cancelled or seasons played with replacement players because the PA would have never agreed to a salary cap. The system we have was as close as it was going to get.

Man I need to gamble with you. Seconded.

I'd much prefer Bochy to any of the candidates mentioned thus far.

Why? Geoff Blum is a valuable Left-handed hitter off the bench. He can pretty much play anywhere on the field. He has some power in his bat, and he puts the bat on the ball. I love his versatility. hehe, no offense to your idea, but every phrase of your post is a "bad player" cliche. :) I said he has some power in his bat, and he puts the bat on the ball. When putting the bat on the ball results in an out over 70 percent of the time, it's not a valuable skill. Blum's OBP for the past three years: 293, 296, 266. He also doesn't have much pop either. Slugging over the last three years: 366,345, 348. For those numbers, we might as well let Cedeno have that spot. He's just as versatile as Blum. And the person who compared him to Macias was right on the money. Macias' OBP in his last three years: 274, 293,273. Macias' SLG in his last three years: 316, 376, 353. No Blum has no value. He's pretty worthless when it comes to evaluating a major leaguer.

He said earlier they would look at Schmidt or Zito.

That's what's going to happen IMO. Who was Lou's hitting coach in Seattle? Lee Elia has been his hitting coach for most of his stops. I think who would be his hitting coach is up in the air. Elia is likely going to stay in Baltimore with Polozzo. I think it's a given that McLaren would be the bench coach. Whoops, just asked this in another thread. Is that the Cubs ex Lee Elia or have I made a mistake in how it's spelled? the one and the same.

That's what's going to happen IMO. Who was Lou's hitting coach in Seattle? Lee Elia has been his hitting coach for most of his stops. I think who would be his hitting coach is up in the air. Elia is likely going to stay in Baltimore with Polozzo. I think it's a given that McLaren would be the bench coach.

I'll give Piniella a chance, just as I'll give any Cub a chance. I'm just not as optimistic about the Cubs' chances with Piniella at the helm.

Bruce, Why won't any team look at Dierker? Have you heard if he's just not interested or is there something else?

That may be the best offer he gets. I can't see anyone beating that by much. Maybe a 5/75 offer. This could have more to do with the fact that Soriano wants to play second base and if a team wants him for the outfield it will cost a premium to get him to play there.

Bruce, Are Schmidt or Zito in the plans? Would the Cubs take a chance on Bonds?

They've done a good bit of investigative work on Carlos Lee and Alfonso Soriano, whom they nearly got in 2000 in the Sammy Sosa traded that didn't happen. A lot of this will become more clear once a new manager is on board. What are their thoughts on Murton? They like him a lot, and believe it or not, they're well aware of the comparison of his second-half splits with those of Carlos Lee. What they may do is see if they can get more power in center field. They do believe Murton will hit more homers than he did this season. I believe that as well. He'd be a great option at about $400,000, allowing them to spend the money elsewhere. Bruce, Does this mean Andruw Jones is a trade target?

According to this, Hatcher will be back with the Reds next year. He may not be allowed to join Lou here. However, Chambliss was fired as the Reds hitting coach. Chambliss has worked with Piniella before and it wouldn't surprise me if Piniella brought him aboard as hitting coach.

If Hatcher was fired, my guess is he will definitely be part of the staff, but it might be at first or third base coach rather than hitting coach.