Fill out the 3rd FA acquisition.

[Lex L.]

In an earlier discussion with Cpt Obvious, he estimated that the Cubs budget would roughly be around 50 million. This came up in discussing whether we should keep Ramirez. I have no problem with keeping Ramirez, but let's say that he walks. Lets also assume that we make a big FA signing in either Pujols or Fielder and a pitcher, leaving 7-13 million for another FA signing.

In case that was confusing, Ill try to explain it another way. Fill in where there's a '?'.

1. Pujols/Fielder
2. Pitcher
3. ? (7-13)


Who would you sign at #3?

 

[85Bears4life]

3rd baseman...

 

[Lex L.]

3rd baseman...

Who?

 

[85Bears4life]

At this point looking at this list...Id resign A-Ram to a 2-3 year deal

Third basemen
Wilson Betemit (30)
Casey Blake (38)
Jorge Cantu (30)
Eric Chavez (34)
Craig Counsell (41)
Mark DeRosa (37)
Greg Dobbs (33)
Edwin Encarnacion (29) - $3.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jerry Hairston Jr. (36)
Kevin Kouzmanoff (30)
Andy LaRoche (28)
Felipe Lopez (32)
Jose Lopez (28)
Nick Punto (34)
Aramis Ramirez (34) - $16MM club option with a $2MM buyout; Ramirez can void
Omar Vizquel (45)

 

[Lex L.]

At this point looking at this list...Id resign A-Ram to a 2-3 year deal

Third basemen
Wilson Betemit (30)
Casey Blake (38)
Jorge Cantu (30)
Eric Chavez (34)
Craig Counsell (41)
Mark DeRosa (37)
Greg Dobbs (33)
Edwin Encarnacion (29) - $3.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jerry Hairston Jr. (36)
Kevin Kouzmanoff (30)
Andy LaRoche (28)
Felipe Lopez (32)
Jose Lopez (28)
Nick Punto (34)
Aramis Ramirez (34) - $16MM club option with a $2MM buyout; Ramirez can void
Omar Vizquel (45)

Are you really replacing a 3B or are you replacing a run producer? If they did let Ramirez walk, they could potentially get a left handed bat that is a run producer to make the line up more balanced. I agree with your thinking in that Ramirez is the best option at 3B (if you're looking at it as replacing a 3B). In fact, I think there's a decent drop off from Ramirez to the guys you listed. But looking at it another way, we could balance out the lineup and view it as replacing a run producer.

 

[X]

If we sign Prince, we won't need to worry about a LH bat...and Ramirez' power will have been replaced (plus some).

I'd just assume stick w/ DeWitt.

Soriano - Byrd - Jackson

DeWitt - Castro - Barney - Fielder

Molina

Pitching Staff
Garza
Dempster
Buehrle (???)
Cash
Shark/Wells

Trade Zambrano and Soto to Florida for a pocket full of sunshine.

seriously consider Brandon Phillips (2b) Grady Sizemore (CF) and Corey Hart (RF) if we can trade any semi-valuable assets (Byrd, Soto, etc.)

 

[Lex L.]

If we sign Prince, we won't need to worry about a LH bat...and Ramirez' power will have been replaced (plus some).

I'd just assume stick w/ DeWitt.

Soriano - Byrd - Jackson

DeWitt - Castro - Barney - Fielder

Molina

Pitching Staff
Garza
Dempster
Buehrle (???)
Cash
Shark/Wells

Trade Zambrano and Soto to Florida for a pocket full of sunshine.

seriously consider Brandon Phillips (2b) Grady Sizemore (CF) and Corey Hart (RF) if we can trade any semi-valuable assets (Byrd, Soto, etc.)

Which Molina are you referring to for catcher?

 

[daddies3angels]

Molina option will be picked up by STL...so he wont be option....

Honestly i go after only 2 FA hard

Fielder 27 y/o 1B

Edwin Jackson 27 y/o SP


Then i would resign A-Ram cause Fielder will need protection. So basically 3 FA

Then NEXT year i go after 2 STUD SP in FA named Hamels and Cain

So in 2013

Hamels
Cain
Garza
Jackson
Cashner

All be under 30 y/o :fap:

 

[85Bears4life]

Molina option will be picked up by STL...so he wont be option....

Honestly i go after only 2 FA hard

Fielder 27 y/o 1B

Edwin Jackson 27 y/o SP


Then i would resign A-Ram cause Fielder will need protection. So basically 3 FA

Then NEXT year i go after 2 STUD SP in FA named Hamels and Cain

So in 2013

Hamels
Cain
Garza
Jackson
Cashner

All be under 30 y/o :fap:

Cant forget about the Bullpen....it still isnt the greatest...questions about marmol still hang aroud

 

[Lex L.]

If I were the Cubs GM, I would go after Brett Gardner or Coco Crisp. I'd prefer Gardner though. We need speed and defense in CF. Crisp has been in the majors since 2002 and has never had an on base % below .300. Last year he had 49 steals to only 8 CSs. Gardner has a higher on base % than Crisp and only in his first year was it below .300. He's really fast and has been around 50 SBs more than Crisp.

Another thing I would do is move Castro to 2B. You know its coming. So just do it now and bring in someone who can flash the leather.

Similarly, we need some defense at catcher. I like Yadier too and thats why I was asking X to clarify who he was referring to. As far as catcher is concerned, I would either sign a stop gap (if we felt we could get Molina) or sign someone like Matt Wieters.

I would sign Pujols over Fielder. I know a lot of people like Fielder but even though Pujols is a few years older, I think he's a safer bet. I don't think you have to worry about dedication with Pujols. At least its less of a risk than it is with Fielder. In addition to Fielders weight raising concerns about his dedication (especially once he gets paid) but the weight also raises injury concerns as he reaches his 30s. Fielders weight and possibly injuries from his weight almost make the age difference irrelevant.

 

[X]

If I were the Cubs GM, I would go after Brett Gardner or Coco Crisp. I'd prefer Gardner though. We need speed and defense in CF. Crisp has been in the majors since 2002 and has never had an on base % below .300. Last year he had 49 steals to only 8 CSs. Gardner has a higher on base % than Crisp and only in his first year was it below .300. He's really fast and has been around 50 SBs more than Crisp.

Another thing I would do is move Castro to 2B. You know its coming. So just do it now and bring in someone who can flash the leather.

Similarly, we need some defense at catcher. I like Yadier too and thats why I was asking X to clarify who he was referring to. As far as catcher is concerned, I would either sign a stop gap (if we felt we could get Molina) or sign someone like Matt Wieters.

I would sign Pujols over Fielder. I know a lot of people like Fielder but even though Pujols is a few years older, I think he's a safer bet. I don't think you have to worry about dedication with Pujols. At least its less of a risk than it is with Fielder. In addition to Fielders weight raising concerns about his dedication (especially once he gets paid) but the weight also raises injury concerns as he reaches his 30s. Fielders weight and possibly injuries from his weight almost make the age difference irrelevant.

I was referring to Yadier...I think he'd fit perfectly.

And, one of the main reasons I want Fielder is b/c I'd really like to see us go after Phillips in FA...and we don't have many lefties in the line-up. Signing any RH 1b really prevents us from having any real threat from the left side of the plate.

 

[Lex L.]

I was referring to Yadier...I think he'd fit perfectly.

And, one of the main reasons I want Fielder is b/c I'd really like to see us go after Phillips in FA...and we don't have many lefties in the line-up. Signing any RH 1b really prevents us from having any real threat from the left side of the plate.

You seem like one of the more well-reasoned posters here but I disagree with this line of thinking. I think if you're going to spend 30 million dollars on a player, it should be based on who is better and not who is right vs left handed. I think if there is a player worth 30 million dollars, he is a cornerstone player and you put complimentary pieces around him. He's a cornerstone player, not a complimentary piece. I think the left-handed think comes into play more when deciding whether or not to re-sign Ramirez or going out and getting someone like Andre Ethier.

And I like Yadier as well. I think Pujols might increase our chances at signing him if they want to go after him.

 

[X]

You seem like one of the more well-reasoned posters here but I disagree with this line of thinking. I think if you're going to spend 30 million dollars on a player, it should be based on who is better and not who is right vs left handed. I think if there is a player worth 30 million dollars, he is a cornerstone player and you put complimentary pieces around him. He's a cornerstone player, not a complimentary piece. I think the left-handed think comes into play more when deciding whether or not to re-sign Ramirez or going out and getting someone like Andre Ethier.

And I like Yadier as well. I think Pujols might increase our chances at signing him if they want to go after him.

Yeah, I should have elaborated on that.

I wouldn't sign Fielder over Pujols b/c he's LH and Pujols is RH. I'd sign Fielder over Pujols b/c I think Fielder is the safer value long term, and him being LH simply allows us to be a little more flexible w/ other FAs.

Everything I've heard, tho, says Pujols may be Theo's top target...then we'll sign him, he'll break his fibula, and we'll find out he's actually 38.

 

[inactiveuser1]

I say we kill two birds with one stone by splitting the money on the third guy. Go for rickie week and a catcher. Now don't go off on me about how that's a terrible idea because Im not the greatest baseball expert so that's why Im proposing this... I want you experts :tongue: to tell me if this is good or bad idea and why

 

[Lex L.]

I say we kill two birds with one stone by splitting the money on the third guy. Go for rickie week and a catcher. Now don't go off on me about how that's a terrible idea because Im not the greatest baseball expert so that's why Im proposing this... I want you experts :tongue: to tell me if this is good or bad idea and why

Id rather get a great defensive catcher who is cheaper than a defensively mediocre catcher that you're overpaying for because he has a mediocre bat.

 

[X]

Id rather get a great defensive catcher who is cheaper than a defensively mediocre catcher that you're overpaying for because he has a mediocre bat.

What about Soto?

 

[Lex L.]

What about Soto?

How much do you think he would cost?

 

[X]

How much do you think he would cost?

more than he's worth...but the Catching FA market sucks harder than the 3b FA market.

 

[inactiveuser1]

Id rather get a great defensive catcher who is cheaper than a defensively mediocre catcher that you're overpaying for because he has a mediocre bat.

I'm not sure how cheap he is but is it worth going after russel Martin?

 

[Lex L.]

more than he's worth...but the Catching FA market sucks harder than the 3b FA market.

Thats kind of why I feel its better to put the emphasis on great defense. And when I say great defense, I don't mean passable defense and horrid offense (like Koyie Hill). I'd also be OK with a stop gap if they want to go after someone like Yadier.

One of the reasons we've been reliant on the catcher to produce is that we've had too many off years from Derrek Lee as a run producer. This is one of the reasons I want to pay the 30ish million on someone who is a REAL premium player in the middle of the lineup. It gives you flexibility to build your roster in other ways.

Along those same lines, Im curious to see what Brett Garnder is going to get. Have you seen his SBs and OBP over the past few years? He's a free agent this year. Similarly to what I said about looking for offense out of your catcher, I think the same could be said for CF. I'd rather get a good defensive CF who is a table setter instead of squeezing a non-CF into centerfield.