OFFICIAL: 2012 Free Agency Thread

[X]

In FA we need to get a #2 pitcher imo (I'll be amazed if Zambrano lasts the rest of the month) and then look at the batting line-up from the top down.

1 - Speed + OBP (FA Cf)
2 - Speed + Average + OBP (Castro)
3 - Power + Avg (FA 1b)
4 - Power + Manageable Avg (FA 3b)
5 - Avg + OBP (Byrd?)
6 - Power - Avg (Soriano)
7 - Defense - (Barney?)
8 - Defense - (FA Catcher)
9 - Pitcher

I know money is finite, and if it was this easy "everybody would be doing it"...but something's gotta be done. This team currently is a flippin' train wreck.

 

[X]

From the way it looks, the only guarantees to come back next year are
Hendry
Quade
Byrd (signed through '12)
Soriano (signed through '14 :facepalm: )
Marmol (Signed through '13...though I still see him as a super-valuable trade chip if the right deal is offered)
Marshall (signed cheaply through '12)
Dempster & Zambrano (both signed through '12...though one or both could be dealt)

lot of holes to fill.

Obviously you can expect Castro, Cashner, probably Barney to be resigned through arb or straight up, but still.

 

[poodski]

Just so you know we have an obp over 400 in the first position.

 

[Jntg4]

In FA we need to get a #2 pitcher imo (I'll be amazed if Zambrano lasts the rest of the month) and then look at the batting line-up from the top down.

1 - Speed + OBP (FA Cf)
2 - Speed + Average + OBP (Castro)
3 - Power + Avg (FA 1b)
4 - Power + Manageable Avg (FA 3b)
5 - Avg + OBP (Byrd?)
6 - Power - Avg (Soriano)
7 - Defense - (Barney?)
8 - Defense - (FA Catcher)
9 - Pitcher

I know money is finite, and if it was this easy "everybody would be doing it"...but something's gotta be done. This team currently is a flippin' train wreck.

Except BJax will be manning CF next year.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

Except BJax will be manning CF next year.

we'll see

 

[Captain Obvious]

Do you want to win a WS? If you think Wells,Zambrano and Garza are going to be this insane top 3 you are delusional.

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Pitching isn't the Cubs' problem. It's the offense. Why are we going to go out and spend money on pitchers, when our offense is clearly the bigger problem? That makes no sense.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Pitching isn't the Cubs' problem. It's the offense. Why are we going to go out and spend money on pitchers, when our offense is clearly the bigger problem? That makes no sense.

our offense hasnt been too bad this year...though i feel that our offense may dip as the season progresses...part of the issue is not that our overall rotation is weak but we are hammered with injuries in that particular region...not to mention we really dont have an ace...zambrano is too inconsistent and a headcase...i have to hope that garza comes back and becomes our consistent go to guy...and he seems promising...but we do need a strong #1 guy....and demp has been awful this year

cubs are scoring 4.18 runs per game which is actually 7th in the NL

and get this, 4th in OBP at .323

cubs are last in the NL in ERA, 2nd in walks,last in the NL in WHIP,tied for last in # of shutouts,

again the w/RISP issue comes up again..this year it seems to be a huge issue on the defensive side of the ball....you can not underrate how important WHIP and RISP are...its one thing if you get on base..its another if you can consistently get on base when there are others on base as well...

now obviously there is still much baseball to be played and many players to come back from injuries...i believe our pitching will improve with returning players and i see our offense dipping as overachieving and underachieving players level out to their averages...

i wish we still had silva

 

[X]

Just so you know we have an obp over 400 in the first position.

I'm well aware. Also pretty sure pennants aren't won in June.

 

[Captain Obvious]

our offense hasnt been too bad this year...though i feel that our offense may dip as the season progresses...part of the issue is not that our overall rotation is weak but we are hammered with injuries in that particular region...not to mention we really dont have an ace...zambrano is too inconsistent and a headcase...i have to hope that garza comes back and becomes our consistent go to guy...and he seems promising...but we do need a strong #1 guy....and demp has been awful this year

cubs are scoring 4.18 runs per game which is actually 7th in the NL

and get this, 4th in OBP at .323

cubs are last in the NL in ERA, 2nd in walks,last in the NL in WHIP,tied for last in # of shutouts,

again the w/RISP issue comes up again..this year it seems to be a huge issue on the defensive side of the ball....you can not underrate how important WHIP and RISP are...its one thing if you get on base..its another if you can consistently get on base when there are others on base as well...

now obviously there is still much baseball to be played and many players to come back from injuries...i believe our pitching will improve with returning players and i see our offense dipping as overachieving and underachieving players level out to their averages...

i wish we still had silva

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Z has been inconsistent? He hasn't had an ERA over 4 since his rookie season. He has always been the same pitcher, people just expect him to be better than he is.

Who says we need an Ace? As long as all of our starters are solid, we're good. I don't find those pitching stats to be an indicator at all, considering that Coleman, Russell, Davis, and Lopez have gotten more starts than Garza, Wells, and Cashner combined.

Demp really hasn't been that bad. He has K'd more and BB'd less than his career averages. A lot of it falls on our shitty defense.

I posted this a while ago, but basically what it comes down to is that we don't take enough walks. We aren't patient enough. Yes, we will still get our runs, however, we will not get them in the situations that matter because we're a team of free-swingers.

 

[FirstTimer]

Yes, that's exactly what I said. Pitching isn't the Cubs' problem. It's the offense. Why are we going to go out and spend money on pitchers, when our offense is clearly the bigger problem? That makes no sense.

:smh:

The Cubs are next to last or last in in the NL in just about every major pitching statistic.

The entire team has been a problem.

 

[Captain Obvious]

:smh:

The Cubs are next to last or last in in the NL in just about every major pitching statistic.

The entire team has been a problem.

Did you miss the part where 3/5 of our rotation has been on the DL?

 

[FirstTimer]

Did you miss the part where 3/5 of our rotation has been on the DL?

1. Does it make anything I said untrue?

2. If 3/5ths of the rotation has been hurt how can anyone evaluate the staff? For better or for worse? If I can't say it's sucked, then there is no way in blue hell you can claim it "isn't the problem".

Dempster, Coleman, Russell, have all sucked.

Wells wasn't good before he went down. The bullpen has been shaky as well. Garza has pitched better as of late, Zambrano has been at least solid all year too. Who knows what you will get from Cashner.

The only thing this staff has done solidly all year that is good is strike people out.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

I think from what we have seen from Zambrano he is at least our Ace.

He is also proving to be a leader in the clubhouse too.

 

[FirstTimer]

I think from what we have seen from Zambrano he is at least our Ace.

He is also proving to be a leader in the clubhouse too.

Those are both terrifying thoughts.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

if zambrano is our ace...then,um, thats not good lol

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Z has been inconsistent? He hasn't had an ERA over 4 since his rookie season. He has always been the same pitcher, people just expect him to be better than he is.

Who says we need an Ace? As long as all of our starters are solid, we're good. I don't find those pitching stats to be an indicator at all, considering that Coleman, Russell, Davis, and Lopez have gotten more starts than Garza, Wells, and Cashner combined.

Demp really hasn't been that bad. He has K'd more and BB'd less than his career averages. A lot of it falls on our shitty defense.

I posted this a while ago, but basically what it comes down to is that we don't take enough walks. We aren't patient enough. Yes, we will still get our runs, however, we will not get them in the situations that matter because we're a team of free-swingers.

people expect him to better than he is because he is damn well capable of it...if he put his head on right he could really be a dominant pitcher...but i dont see that happening

i partly agree with you...thats what i said in my earlier post that part of the reason our pitching has been shit is our injuries, but still lets not pretend we have a monster starting rotation

6.32 ERA....lol sure he's been striking people out...but that is awful...lets not pretend that dempster is not mostly to blame here...i'm sure he'll level out but he has been unusually bad so far this year

if you want to continue to be a team that occasionally gets to the playoffs every once in a while and never wins anything...then be my guest...but if you want to be a great team you need an ace.period....think about recent world series winners..they had a great #1 guy...sabathia,lincecum,hamels(back when he was good),beckett,etc.

cubsneedmiracle is right...zambrano is technically our ace...but im not sure if he's good enough at the moment....i'm hoping our ace can be garza to be honest

valid point on the walks thing...cubs are last in the nl in walks easily...more walking comes with more discipline...which is surprising to be missing in some of our vets and hopefully can be gained in our younger guys who are still learning the tricks of the trade....