Soriano's power drop a concern?

[Captain Obvious]

i agree with dabs..soriano is really streaky....although at this point he definitely isnt worth his contract because he is not a great defender to begin with(except his range factor) his athleticism has declined with age...he can still hit for power tho i guess...but again, its streaky..one period of say like 2 weeks he'll hit maybe like 6 or 7 homers and have maybe 15 RBI and the next 2 weeks he'll be a lot more down..heck even in smaller intervals..he's really up and down..

but even when he is on a good streak, he isnt worth his contract

Right. Because that's what I said. I have never ever ever said soriano is even a good defender.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Well then he might be out of Cubs range then lol. I understand Wilson idea, i really do, im just tired of seeing Cubs 3 hole this consist of Castro, DeShit, and Baker. I just think Fielder production is by far more then Pena then what Cubs can find for another SP compared to Wilson. Now if there was an absolute ACE avaible i say hell ya but theres not. So go after the superstar this year and hopefully after Z and Demp are gone there will be an ACE avaible for 2013 FA

Starting pitchers
Scott Baker (31) - $9.25MM club option
Joe Blanton (32)
Matt Cain (28)
Fausto Carmona (29) - $9MM club option
Kevin Correia (32)
John Danks (28)
Jorge De La Rosa (32) - $11MM player option with a $1MM buyout
R.A. Dickey (38) - $5MM club option with a $300K buyout
Scott Feldman (29) - $9.25MM club option with a $600K buyout
Gavin Floyd (30) - $9.5MM club option
Zack Greinke (28)
Jeremy Guthrie (34)
Cole Hamels (29)
Dan Haren (32) - $15.5MM club option with a $3.5MM buyout
Tim Hudson (37) - $9MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Colby Lewis (33)
Francisco Liriano (29)
Kyle Lohse (34)
Derek Lowe (40)
Shaun Marcum (31)
Daisuke Matsuzaka (32)
Brandon McCarthy (29)
Brett Myers (32) - $10MM club option with a $3MM buyout
Carl Pavano (37)
Jake Peavy (31) - $22MM club option with a $4MM buyout
Anibal Sanchez (29)
Jonathan Sanchez (30)
Ervin Santana (30) - $13MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Joe Saunders (32)
James Shields (31) - $9MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout
Jered Weaver (30)
Jake Westbrook (35) - $8.5MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout if club declines
Randy Wolf (36) - $10MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout
Carlos Zambrano (32) - $19.25MM player option depending on Zambrano's Cy Young voting placement

Look at some of those guys who could be avaible. I realize some will resign with team but there are some really good SP that are better then Wilson and now look at 2013 projected 1B class:

Aubrey Huff (36) - $10MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Adam LaRoche (33) - $10MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Carlos Lee (37)
James Loney (29)
Mike Napoli (31)
Ty Wigginton (35) - $4MM club option with a $500K buyout


SO YES FIELDER IS A MUST THIS OFFSEASON

Thanks for doing the research on this. This is exactly what I've been saying.

 

[nwfisch]

To me this shows why cubs NEED PRINCE over Wilson..i see 9 guys on that SP list of 2013 FA list that would be better then Wilson

Yeah but those 9 pitchers aren't guaranteed to sign with the Cubs. The Cubs need pitching help now. Pena can suffice for another year at 1st.

 

[daddies3angels]

Yeah but those 9 pitchers aren't guaranteed to sign with the Cubs. The Cubs need pitching help now. Pena can suffice for another year at 1st.

If Cubs cant sign 1 of the 9 pitchers then there is a problem with Ricketts. Thats alot of pitchers that could be avaible for 2013 FA. The 1B FA is horrible and another year of Pena means 90+ losses. Why bring back the same horrible team?

 

[dabynsky]

No one is arguing bringing back the same team. The only argument we've been having is that if you can only get one big time high price FA what should it be. One thing you aren't including when talking about the FA class of 2013 is that the Cubs will need to add another 2 pitchers that year because Dempster and Zambrano leaving. So while there are more pitchers to be had that year we are talking about filling 3 spots that year if pitching is ignored this offseason.

 

[DewsSox79]

The cubs need to build their starting pitching before anything else, you arent going to be a contender with rolling out demp,garza,z, wells and whoever....a pretender? yes. contender? no

 

[daddies3angels]

No one is arguing bringing back the same team. The only argument we've been having is that if you can only get one big time high price FA what should it be. One thing you aren't including when talking about the FA class of 2013 is that the Cubs will need to add another 2 pitchers that year because Dempster and Zambrano leaving. So while there are more pitchers to be had that year we are talking about filling 3 spots that year if pitching is ignored this offseason.

Why i get Jackson this year. He can help next year and be one of the 3 guys you will need in 2013. Then Cubs can go sign 2 of those SP on that list. Im not saying you dont get a SP this year. Im saying you go get the SUPERSTAR and get a young MLB pitcher like Jackson who has just good of stuff as Garza.

 

[dabynsky]

Why i get Jackson this year. He can help next year and be one of the 3 guys you will need in 2013. Then Cubs can go sign 2 of those SP on that list. Im not saying you dont get a SP this year. Im saying you go get the SUPERSTAR and get a young MLB pitcher like Jackson who has just good of stuff as Garza.

I think Jackson is going to be more expensive than you think for all the reasons you just listed. I could be wrong, but with how few pitchers are on the market this year the bidding for him could get his price tag in the 14 million range. I mean Ted Lilly got 3/33 million last year. I would think that Jackson can expect to be above that.

 

[daddies3angels]

I think Jackson is going to be more expensive than you think for all the reasons you just listed. I could be wrong, but with how few pitchers are on the market this year the bidding for him could get his price tag in the 14 million range. I mean Ted Lilly got 3/33 million last year. I would think that Jackson can expect to be above that.

Your prolly right. I just have it in my head he a 8-10 mil ball player. With how bad the SP market is he prolly will get overpaid. Might be another offseason to trade for a SP.

 

[Chris J]

Cubs can not bring Pena back. He bats .220 and hits 30homeruns maybe 35 this year. We NEED Fielder. Build the offense this offseason then you can chase after pitching the following year. If anyone thinks we should bring back Pena this year instead of signing Fielder, you are mentally insane.

 

[nwfisch]

Cubs can not bring Pena back. He bats .220 and hits 30homeruns maybe 35 this year. We NEED Fielder. Build the offense this offseason then you can chase after pitching the following year. If anyone thinks we should bring back Pena this year instead of signing Fielder, you are mentally insane.

Depends on Fielder's price. I'm not for Soriano type of money for anyone anymore. That doesn't mean I'm against signing Fielder though.

It doesn't take away the fact Fielder is one of the most durable players, and a powerful slugger.

However, faced with the choice between CJ Wilson and Randy Wells, the gap between those two is much greater than the gap between Fielder and Pena.

I agree with Dabs that if the Cubs have to make a choice on who to get, the Cubs should get pitching over first base help. I wouldn't be doing a :crazydance: for Pena at first but I'd be

 

[Chris J]

But C.J. Wilson won't make the impact that Fielder will. Cubs can't sit around and have another 60 win season. Is it worth passing up on Fielder to get Wilson? I'd say absolutely not.

 

[Jntg4]

Cubs can not bring Pena back. He bats .220 and hits 30homeruns maybe 35 this year. We NEED Fielder. Build the offense this offseason then you can chase after pitching the following year. If anyone thinks we should bring back Pena this year instead of signing Fielder, you are Jim Hendry.

fify

 

[dabynsky]

But C.J. Wilson won't make the impact that Fielder will. Cubs can't sit around and have another 60 win season. Is it worth passing up on Fielder to get Wilson? I'd say absolutely not.

Have you looked at how bad our fifth starter is. There is a pretty compelling argument that upgrading that spot to CJ Wilson level production will have more impact than Fielder to Pena. You can argue that we are likely to get better fifth starter production next year than this year if they do nothing, but don't act as if the offense has been anywhere near the problem the pitching has been this year. I don't know why everyone continues to ignore this, but the Cubs are 9th in the league in runs scored. That isn't great, but it is a hell of a lot better than their rankings in ERA, starters ERA, quality start percentage, starting pitching innings pitched, game score average which is all dead last in the league (and most cases dead last in baseball).

 

[Chris J]

I'll comment back later tonight because I don't have time right now. But I'll leave you with this. What do fans like more

"Now batting for the Cubs, 1st baseman Prince Fielder"
"Now pitching for the Cubs, C.J. Wilson"

 

[Rice Cube]

I'll comment back later tonight because I don't have time right now. But I'll leave you with this. What do fans like more

"Now batting for the Cubs, 1st baseman Prince Fielder"
"Now pitching for the Cubs, C.J. Wilson"

Doesn't matter, both guys will be booed by mid-April :lol:

 

[dabynsky]

I'll comment back later tonight because I don't have time right now. But I'll leave you with this. What do fans like more

"Now batting for the Cubs, 1st baseman Prince Fielder"
"Now pitching for the Cubs, C.J. Wilson"

You really think that what fans would be more excited about determines what is better for this team?

 

[Rice Cube]

You really think that what fans would be more excited about determines what is better for this team?

This is a very amusing statement because what fans think is definitely driving what the Cubs do for the most part, or at least it seems that way to me.

However, I agree with you...what Cubs fans want for this team would ensure an entire team of Theriots, Campanas, Reed Johnsons and Koyie Hills and would definitely not be good for winning games

 

[Chris J]

Who buys the tickets? Who buys the Jerseys? Who buys every other piece of Cubs memorabilia?
Who sells more jerseys? Fielder
Who sells more tickets? Fielder
Who brings more excitment? Fielder
Who is C.J WIlson? IDK

 

[dabynsky]

Who buys the tickets? Who buys the Jerseys? Who buys every other piece of Cubs memorabilia?
Who sells more jerseys? Fielder
Who sells more tickets? Fielder
Who brings more excitment? Fielder
Who is C.J WIlson? IDK

So your argument is that you don't know who CJ Wilson is therefore they ought to get Fielder?

Let me ask you this which one of those questions you asked actually affects on the field results? What I have said is that if I can only get 1 big time 15 million or more free agent signing then CJ Wilson is the guy I want. You have yet to raise a single point or issue that says adding Fielder and leaving the pitching alone will raise the win total of this team more than adding Wilson alone and leaving the lineup alone.