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What I would do in the OffseasonAs the non-waiver trade deadline just passed, I think it’s a good time to look ahead to the offseason and what moves I would make. I know players can still be dealt in the waiver wire period, but I’m going to put that behind me and go ahead into the offseason with what players the Cubs have on the team right now.
Going into the 2012 offseason, the players the Cubs will have on contract are…(no rookie contracts)
OF Alfonso Soriano: 18M
P Carlos Zambrano: 10M
3B Aramis Ramirez: 16M club option, 2M buyout
P Ryan Dempster: 14M player option
P Matt Garza: Arb 3
OF Marlon Byrd: 6.5M
P Jeff Samardzija: Club option
P Carlos Marmol: 7M
P Sean Marshall: 3.1M
U Jeff Baker: Arb 3
C Koyie Hill: Arb 3
C Geovany Soto: Arb 2
P Randy Wells: Arb 1
U Blake DeWitt: Arb 1
Now here’s the beginning of the offseason…Here we go! (Moves)
Players already on 2012 Cubs roster…moves:
1) Release Alfonso Soriano: He’s in a big decline and doesn’t look like it’s getting much better. All his stats are decreasing and the one that makes him a threat is his power and his home runs are down. He’s more injury prone and is more suited for the AL as a DH or coming off the bench. The Cubs would just pay his whole contract and go from there. The Cubs and Soriano have moved on. It’s time to play a young player over a slumping veteran.
2) Buyout Aramis Ramirez: Pay the 2 million and don’t give him 16M next year. His stats have been down but still productive with the bat and even in the field. He does have injury problems, but when he’s healthy…he’s a deadly hitter. I would decline his option, but try to sign him to a multi-year extension for less a year. He wants to stay a Cubs and that could possibly work.
3) Decline Jeff Samardzija’s option: He has not lived up to his contract and should not be a Cub next year. Coming over from football may have been the wrong decision. He would have had a good career in the NFL. Pitchers in the Cubs system can do the same or better for a cheaper salary.
4) Ryan Dempster’s option: It’s a player option, so it’s not up to the Cubs front office. But Ryan Dempster has already said he’s going to pick it up. So, he’ll make 14M next year. All said and done.
5) Trade Jeff Baker: Most teams will be interested in Baker and should be easy to trade. He’s a lefty killa’ and most, if not every team will like to have that piece off their bench. He’s cheap and can draw in a nice prospect or two. It would also save about 2.5-3M.
6) Trade Geovany Soto: He won rookie of the year, then had a down year, then had a pretty good season and this year, he’s having his worse season of his career. Teams will have interest in him and he would be able to be traded. He can start for teams and be a very nice back-up. Also, it’ll save the Cubs 4.5-7M.
7) Non-tender Koyie Hill: Do I have to say anymore? No, but I will. This move should of happen 2 years ago. But it didn’t and the time has come. He’s not a major league catcher and surprise he’s still in the majors. Thanks a lot to the Cubs. This will save the Cubs about 1M.
Trade Blake DeWitt: I thought he should have been traded at the trade deadline but he wasn’t and should be traded right when the offseason begins. He’s been an OK utility player with the Cubs but the Cubs have other player than can do a better job. He’s entering his first year of arbitration and the time isn’t better to trade him. The Cubs will save about 1-1.5M in the departure of DeWitt.
9) Re-sign Reed Johnson: Johnson is the kind of player you want in the clubhouse. He’s a team player, great guy and he’s an all out player. Meaning he takes nothing for granted. He’ll come back as the Cubs 4th OF and hopefully for a minor league deal.
10) Re-sign Kerry Wood: He’s a Cubs favorite and has to come back next year. He needs to finish his career with the Cubs. That means a lot. Try to sign him to the same deal, 1.5M with a no trade cause. That’ll be a perfect deal for both parties.
FA signings:
1) Sign 1B Prince Fielder (5/125M): The Cubs need a 1B and Fielder fits the position great. Not to mention, they need a middle of the order bat badly. More than anything. Fielder will hit the home runs and drive in runs. The average will be hit or miss, but the defense won’t be there as we have seen in recent years with Lee and Pena roaming 1B.
Contract: 12: 15M 13: 25M 14: 25M 15: 30M 16 30M
2) Sign IF Jose Reyes (4/65M): The Cubs will finally have their leadoff man who has tons of speed. He’ll fit nicely in a Cubs uniform. He has had injuries as of late but not major ones and when he’s on the field, he’s really good. His defense ain’t bad either. He will play 2B and that’ll move Barney to the utility role. Keep Castro at SS.
Contract: 12: 12M 13: 15M 14: 19M 15:19M
3) Sign 3B Aramis Ramirez (3/40M): Liked I said above, Ramirez coming back wouldn’t be a bad option and I think it’s the right move in the right direction. He’ll put the offensive stats if he stays healthy and I think he will for the most part. 3 years is not too much and would not come back to bite them in the ass. He would just add more pop to the soon-to-be powerful offense.
Contract: 12: 13.3M 13: 13.3M 14: 13.3M
4) Sign C Yadier Molina (2/18M): He would be the perfect replacement for Geovany Soto. He’s having a could be said best season of his career. And he’s not known for his offensive abilities. As we all know, it’s for his defense. …throwing out the baserunners.
Contract: 12: 9M 13: 9M
5) Sign P CJ Wilson (4/44M): He’s a pitcher the Cubs desperately need and would be a nice addition to their rotation. Him and Garza would be a nice 1-2 punch. He has good stuff and not too old, so his best is still in him. Well all can hope. Him with Garza, Zambrano and Dempster would be nice.
Contract: 12: 10M 13: 10M 14: 12M 15: 12M
Trades:
1) P Carlos Marmol, OF Ty Wright and a PTBNL to the Twins for OF Denard Span: A lot may hate to lose Marmol, me being one but I think it’s the best move to better the future of the ballclub. Marmol is a good closer but this year he’s been inconsistent and I’m afraid he’s going to get injured and the Cubs will be out with all options. Also, he’ll make 7M next year and to save any money would be huge. Ty Wright is putting up nice numbers in the minors but let’s be honest, he has no chance to make the majors with the Cubs. The PTBNL would be a low-level prospect from a list. In this deal, Span would be shipped off.
2) OF Denard Span and P Justin Berg to the Nationals for P Drew Storen and IF Ian Desmond: The Nationals have a lot of interest in Span and really want him and are willing to trade Storen to get him. Justin Berg would go to their bullpen and hope for success with them. Unlike with the Cubs. Drew Storen is younger than Marmol and cheaper. He’s been effective this year and will be nice in the Cubs bullpen. Desmond will also be used in the utility role and will be good at it. The Nats will trade Desmond because they have a minor leaguer who deserves the call-up, as he’s doing really well in Triple A.
3) OF Tyler Colvin and P Nicholas Struck to the Mariners for OF Franklin Gutierrez: Gutierrez will be the Cubs RF and I think the Cubs will be happy with him. He’s having an off-season but in the past, he’s been very good. Try to trade for him, while his stock is at an all time worse. Tyler Colvin doesn’t look promising right now and a change of scenery for both guys, may be for the best. Nicholas Struck may be a guy the Cubs don’t want to lose, but I don’t think it’ll be too bad of a loss. Also, Gutierrez only makes 5.5M next year and that’s not bad.
Other random moves…
1) Move current 2B Darwin Barney to the utility role.
2) Matt Garza arbitration: He’ll make around 8M in 2012.
3) Randy Wells arbitration: He’ll make around 1.5M in 2012.
4) Brett Jackson. He’ll be the opening day LF in place of Alfonso Soriano.
5) Welington Castillo: He’ll take Koyie Hill’s spot as the back-up catcher.
6) Chris Carpetner: He’ll take recently departed P Jeff Samardzija’s spot in the bullpen.
7) Ty’Relle Harris: He’ll take recently departed P John Grabow’s spot in the bullpen.
Tony Campano: He’ll make team as the 5th OF and primarily as a pinch runner.
Roster with 2012 salary:
1) C Yadier Molina (9M)
2) C Welington Castillo (Min)
3) 1B Prince Fielder (15M)
4) 2B Jose Reyes (12M)
5) U Darwin Barney (Min)
6) U Ian Desmond (Min)
7) SS Starlin Castro (Min)
3B Aramis Ramirez (13.3M)
9) LF Brett Jackson (Min)
10) CF Marlon Byrd (6.5M)
11) RF: Franklin Gutierrez (5.5M)
12) OF Tony Campano (Min)
13) P Matt Garza (8M)
14) P CJ Wilson (10M)
15) P Carlos Zambrano (18M)
16) P Ryan Dempster (14M)
17) P Randy Wells (1.5M)
18) P Andrew Cashner (Min)
19) ) Kerry Wood (1.5M)
20) P Sean Marshall (3.1M)
21) P Drew Storen (Min)
22) P Chris Carpetner (Min)
23) P Ty’Relle Harris (Min)
24) P James Russell (Min)
25) OF Reed Johnson (Minor league deal)
Other money to the payroll… 2M for Carlos Silva and 2M buyout for Aramis Ramirez. And 18M for Alfonso Soriano who was released. Also, I don’t know how much to the payroll it’ll be but I’ll put 5M to the minor league contracts.
Payroll for the 2012 season will be right around…144.4M. Honorable mention; the arb raises may be higher than they will get and 5M to the minor league contracts may be too much to. With all those moves, the Cubs payroll be back where it was a year from this year. Not too bad.
Lineup:
1) 2B Jose Reyes
2) SS Starlin Castro
3) 3B Aramis Ramirez
4) 1B Prince Fielder
5) CF Marlon Byrd
6) C Yadier Molina
7) RF Franklin Gutierrez
LF Brett Jackson
9) P Pitcher
Bench:
1) C Welington Castillo
2) U Darwin Barney
3) U Ian Desmond
4) OF Reed Johnson (4th)
5) OF Tony Campano (5th and pinch runner)
Starting rotation:
1) CJ Wilson
2) Matt Garza
3) Ryan Dempster
4) Carlos Zambrano
5) Randy Wells (can switch out with Cashner)
Relief pitching:
Closer-Drew Storen
Righty set-up: Kerry Wood
Lefty set-up: Sean Marshall
Righty RP: Chris Carpetner
Righty RP: Ty’Relle Harris
Righty RP: Andrew Cashner (can switch out with Wells)
Lefty RP: James Russell
Brief Summary of article: This team will compete with any team in the major league. They have power, speed, balance, pitching and all that goes together to make it one hell of a team. I did backloaded contracts on mostly all deals because after 2012, the only big contract that is guarantee is Alfonso Soriano, even though he was released, the Cubs will have to keep paying his contract. So, with the contracts being back-loaded, it makes the Cubs able to make more moves and it won’t hurt in years to come as the payroll will still be lower and don’t have to worry about adding more. So…at the end the contracts help the team and the players. And all will be benefit for the best. I have Brett Jackson batting 8th because I don’t know how he will adapt to major league pitching and hopefully batting in front of the pitcher, it’ll approve his plate discipline and hopefully his K’s will be down.
At the end, I know this will not happen…probably most too but it was fun to think of how clever the Cubs could be if they get their heads out of their ass. Also, some of these players may not even in the free agent market as their respected team can sign them before they hit the open market. But we’ll see….
Thoughts? Give me your opinions and if you have any questions, fell free to ask….don’t hesitate, please!
Thoughts? Sorry for the long post...
