Cubs offseason thread

[waldo7239117]

What?

I think he meant, who will make the majors for sure in there carrers. Because, none of them will make it this year. So, that's what I'm thinking.

 

[JustinTCB]

No way we see Archer or Lee this year. Jackson? depends on how he finishes IMO.

 

[waldo7239117]

No way we see Archer or Lee this year. Jackson? depends on how he finishes IMO.

The Cubs are not expected to call up Jackson as an September call-up. But, Darwin Barney will be the next Cub to be called up, as soon as Baker or Fontenot are traded.

 

[EnjoyYourTiger]

Also.. I don't see Fielder staying in the NL much longer.. He's an AL boy.

Fielder won't go to the AL without a fight. I'm fairly certain he wants to remain as a defensive player as well as a strong bat.

I'm kind of convinced Dunn is coming here this offseason. Now that he has shown he can play first base (we can debate how good he is at it, but he is better there than in the OF) Hendry will be all over him.

Even with a drop in payroll, Hendry will find some money for Dunn.

I would cream my pants if Adam Dunn became a Cub. He'd hit 30 homeruns in Wrigley alone.

 

[waldo7239117]

Fielder won't go to the AL without a fight. I'm fairly certain he wants to remain as a defensive player as well as a strong bat.



I would cream my pants if Adam Dunn became a Cub. He'd hit 30 homeruns in Wrigley alone.

30? You wish. More like 60, lol.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Also.. I don't see Fielder staying in the NL much longer.. He's an AL boy.

Not really. He is actually pretty athletic.

Pulling this out of my ass, but 3 years $40 million maybe for Dunn? I imagine that is about how long he has left passing as a NL player.



Hendry needs to win next year though. I agree with you on waiting, and would prefer to go after Fielder after 2011, but Hendry seems to be on his last chance (though he's had about 1,000 of them).

As for Reyes, sure he's a great player, but he's already having injury issues. How about we take our chance with the guy we have playing SS right now? He's pretty good.

I'm thinking closer to 3 years 50 million. Because Dunn is the best FA on the market this year. So he'll get the big bucks.

What's with all the bashing on Hendry? He's a top 10 GM and a top 3 when it comes to trades.

his current contract with the nationals is 2 years,20 mil which expires after this year IIRC

easy math 10 mil a year contract 3 yr 40 mil imo maybe be ok if the cubs can afford paying dunn that much although that is more than his current contract

dunn is 30 and has been hovering around a good average of 40 HRPG the last 5 or 6 years and he is on pace for another 40 HR season....i think he has about 4 or 5 good years left

If the Cubs can afford? Is that a joke?

 

[waldo7239117]

The Cubs can afford Dunn but I don't want the Cubs to sign him to a 2 year contract. 2 years at 15M would be nice but won't happen. The Cubs are having 30M off the books this year.

 

[JustinTCB]

3 years 50 is probably realistic as well, especially since a bidding war is likely to break out. He's worth way more now simply because he doesn't play the OF anymore, that is why he struggled to get a big deal last time he was a FA. Now that he has proven he can play first (like I said you can debate his skill there) I bet a lot of NL teams are after him.

as for the "hate" on Hendry. come on, this is a major market team with a $146 million payroll. They are likely to finish fourth or fifth in one of the weaker divisions in baseball. This will also be the second time under his watch that the Cubs have hit rock bottom bad. He was able to get a quick fix with money last time, but that option isn't out there this time.

He's gotten two chances to build a mostly dead roster, and both times failed to accomplish his goal of winning the WS. It's time for him to get "promoted" or let go.

 

[Captain Obvious]

3 years 50 is probably realistic as well, especially since a bidding war is likely to break out. He's worth way more now simply because he doesn't play the OF anymore, that is why he struggled to get a big deal last time he was a FA. Now that he has proven he can play first (like I said you can debate his skill there) I bet a lot of NL teams are after him.

as for the "hate" on Hendry. come on, this is a major market team with a $146 million payroll. They are likely to finish fourth or fifth in one of the weaker divisions in baseball. This will also be the second time under his watch that the Cubs have hit rock bottom bad. He was able to get a quick fix with money last time, but that option isn't out there this time.

He's gotten two chances to build a mostly dead roster, and both times failed to accomplish his goal of winning the WS. It's time for him to get "promoted" or let go.

I love how Lou gets no blame here. Considering he is the one who bats Geovany fuckin' Soto 7th on a day to day basis. He is the dumbfucker who played Koyie Hill over Soto. He is the dumbass who doesn't know how to manage a bullpen. He is the dipshit who bats Lee 3rd. He is the moron who bats Rami 4th when he is fucking injured. This falls on Lou. This all falls on Lou. Hendry put together a damn good team, a team I'm sure any manager would love to have. But Lou is a complete idiot. He plays Theriot over Fonty/Baker. I mean come on.

 

[EnjoyYourTiger]

as long as he's not signed to some 7 year 90 million Special person deal, i'd be fine with overpaying for a 2-3 year deal.

 

[JustinTCB]

I love how Lou gets no blame here. Considering he is the one who bats Geovany fuckin' Soto 7th on a day to day basis. He is the dumbfucker who played Koyie Hill over Soto. He is the dumbass who doesn't know how to manage a bullpen. He is the dipshit who bats Lee 3rd. He is the moron who bats Rami 4th when he is fucking injured. This falls on Lou. This all falls on Lou. Hendry put together a damn good team, a team I'm sure any manager would love to have. But Lou is a complete idiot. He plays Theriot over Fonty/Baker. I mean come on.

Oh don't get me wrong Lou gets plenty of blame, but who hired Lou? Who hired Dusty before that?

I also hesitate to call this a good team, even on paper heading into the season. Sure if you would have put Castro, Soriano, Soto, and Byrd's actual numbers in the preseason projections the Cubs would have been division favorites. We didn't know what those four would be going in.

This team has been built around Lee and Ramirez since 2005 and no amount of success from other players could protect us if they turned into what they have turned into.

Overall I don't know that I blame hendry for this team collapsing, the best plan given the situation going in was to keep the same core and hope for some over-performance. I blame Hendry for the overall direction of the franchise. He's hamstrung himself with high payroll, and even though there is a promising farm system (a system, btw, that didn't develop until Tim Wilken arrived) he has to eat a ton of money just to find them playing time.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Oh don't get me wrong Lou gets plenty of blame, but who hired Lou? Who hired Dusty before that?

I also hesitate to call this a good team, even on paper heading into the season. Sure if you would have put Castro, Soriano, Soto, and Byrd's actual numbers in the preseason projections the Cubs would have been division favorites. We didn't know what those four would be going in.

This team has been built around Lee and Ramirez since 2005 and no amount of success from other players could protect us if they turned into what they have turned into.

Overall I don't know that I blame hendry for this team collapsing, the best plan given the situation going in was to keep the same core and hope for some over-performance. I blame Hendry for the overall direction of the franchise. He's hamstrung himself with high payroll, and even though there is a promising farm system (a system, btw, that didn't develop until Tim Wilken arrived) he has to eat a ton of money just to find them playing time.

And who has led us to back to back division titles in 100 years? And who has gotten us within 7 outs of the World Series? Jimbo.

Soriano was hurt last year, and Soto had the worst BABIP luck in the history of ever.

Part of the problem this year is that Rami and Lee would not work with Rudy J, our 3 million dollar(I think) hitting coach. That doesn't fall on Jimbo, that falls on Lee and Ramirez.

How many teams have made the playoffs 2/3 years? How many have had winning records 5/7 years? I guarantee you the list is small. Jim has done a lot for this organization.

 

[Ryno4President]

Pitching wins divisions, pennants, and championships. It is proven. Look at the last ten world series champs. NYY, B-Sox, Cards, Marlins, etc. Bottom line, get Cliff Lee. If we are going to overpay, overpay on Cliff Lee. The guy is proven. Screw Dunn, he strikes out more than Soriano. Where has that got us?

 

[Captain Obvious]

Pitching wins divisions, pennants, and championships. It is proven. Look at the last ten world series champs. NYY, B-Sox, Cards, Marlins, etc. Bottom line, get Cliff Lee. If we are going to overpay, overpay on Cliff Lee. The guy is proven. Screw Dunn, he strikes out more than Soriano. Where has that got us?

We have good pitching. Pitching is not the problem. The problem is we have a lower tier offense.

And what in the flying **** do K's have to do with anything? Dunn gets on base a ton! A K is no different than a pop up or a fly out.

 

[Ryno4President]

Our pitching blows. What are u smoking to think are pitching is good. By the way KKK have everything to to with it. You can't drive in runs if your striking out . OH yeah. I am sure the whole national league is petrified to face our staff. WTF

 

[Captain Obvious]

Our pitching blows. What are u smoking to think are pitching is good. By the way KKK have everything to to with it. You can't drive in runs if your striking out . OH yeah. I am sure the whole national league is petrified to face our staff. WTF

We have a very solid staff. The bullpen in April messed up our ERA but they have been solid. We aren't the best, but we are one of the better staffs. Not to mention all the quality starts our starters get for us. You can't drive in runs if you pop up on the infield. An out is and out, it doesn't matter how you get out.