2010 Chicago Cubs

[Dan Michler]

Bradley gone!  Thank god.  Maybe we'll go after a new outfielder now.

It sounds like the Cubs are actually getting $9 million in cash along with a worthless overpaid pitcher Carlos Silva from the M's.  All-in-all, the Cubs actually end up saving about $5 million dollars total on the deal AND get rid of Bradley.  Sounds like a good deal to me.  I don't care how terrible Silva is or how awesome Bradley is next year with Seattle.  The Cubs HAD to get rid of him this offseason.  Hendry should still probably be fired for signing Bradley 1 year ago.

Should be interesting to see if the Cubs go after somebody now in free agency.  You would think they'd have to acquire an OF and maybe a middle infielder.  Not sure who the 5th starter would be either.

[dana]

Silva would look good on the Bears O-line. 

[Chainmeister]

Great deal for the Cubs.  It really does not matter what Silva does.  An expensive nothing is much better than an expensivve negative (Bradley). I am going to have to start following the Mariners. I am waiting for the first time Ichiro, in Japanese, tells Bradley what he is going to kick.and then proceeds to kick it.

[Mike Clark]

Hendry did a good job fixing a huge mistake. This doesn't excuse his poor choices over the past couple of years. But at least he made the best of it. Got far more than I ever thought he would. I thought they were going to have to eat the contract completely.

Considering what is available for the outfield I wouldn't mind seeing them give Sam Fuld a shot. Orlando Hudson or Felipe Lopez would look good at 2nd base. Lopez is younger
The bullpen is a mess.

[Dan Michler]

Agreed on Orlando Hudson.  I think Orlando Cabrera would be a good free agent pickup as well at SS.  Even though they are both a little over-the-hill, they'd be nice 2 or 3 year fillers in the middle infield. They both are huge upgrades defensively and moderate upgrades offensively.  Need a CF though.  I heard they were talking to Johnny Damon who might not be back with the Yanks after they signed Granderson.

[Dan Michler]

Xavier Nady signed with the Cubs today.  This is a good deal.  He's coming off Tommy John surgery and is an injury risk, but its only a $3.3 million deal.  There is no downside here like with the Bradley deal.  If Nady sucks or gets hurt, we won't be paying $10mill/year for the next 3 years.  He's a sleeper to produce big at a bargain price.  The Cubs are due to get lucky with a free agent pickup.


Nady missed virtually all of 2009. He's played in the cold spring weather (Pitt. and NY) and produced.  He's 31 years old, still in his prime.  Hitters typically come back unaffected from Tommy John surgery.

2008  .305  25 HR  97 RBI
2007  .278  20 HR  72 RBI
2006  .280  17 HR  63 RBI

I'm guessing that Lou will use some sort of platoon to start out between Fukudome and Nady in RF.  Kosuke is due $12.5 million next year and has slugged .379 and .421 in his 2 seasons.  Nady has slugged .450, .475, and .510 his last 3 full seasons.  Good move by the Cubs to give us an extra bat and some depth at a weak position.

[Mike Clark]

There is nothing wrong with Nady. If there is someting wrong with his elbow he will not be signed. He still has to pass a physical.

I just do not know where he fits on this team. If they wanted a 4th RH hitting outfielder why didn't they just keep Jeff Baker, [font=Verdana]I meant Jake Fox[/font], I must have still been irrritaed about Baker being the 2B at the moment. He is cheaper. He has more power, can catch, and play 1B.

I wish it would have been a bullpen pitcher or an infielder. Bullpen= Joke. They have lost 2 pitchers from last year and have added nothing. Jeff Baker is the everyday 2B = Joke. The injury prone positons on this team are the corner infielders. Still no real backup infielders which are a lot harder to find then outfielders. Bench = Joke. This team has alot of holes at the moment and a limited budget. They just spent most of what they saved in the Bradley trade on Nady. I think the money could have been better spent.

[Dan Michler]

Wow! You make the team sound like we're the Pirates.  This team has been in contention for 3 years straight and will do so again.  We didn't make drastic improvements, but the offseason isn't over and I haven't seen other teams in the division making huge acquistions.  As a Cubs fan since 1980, this is the best 3 year stretch I've witnessed.  I can't wait for the new season to begin.

[Mike Clark]

They are not the Pirates by any stretch. They are not even close. But they are also not even close to be contenders for a World Series as currently constructed. The team has admitted they do not have a lot of money to spend. Hendry has the team wrapped in bad long term contracts. We have never had a farm system worth speaking of. So where is the talent to win a World Series going to come from. They will contend for the Division. They might even win it. But for me that is not good enough. Just like all the Pro Teams I like I expect them to contend for a Championship. In my opinion the is no other objective in Pro sports except Championships. This has been true since Free Agency began. There is no rebuilding anymore. Maybe a year but other than that its win or lose. We live the second largest sports market in the country. If we do not compete every year I think it is a shame. I think it is a shame my home teams suck in the so called 3 Major Sports. If it was for the 2005 Sox it would be an embarrasment. Wow, that hurts a little to say out loud.  

The Blackhawks this year are awesome. Unfortunatly for Hockey it is the redheaded stepchild of so called Major Sports Teams. But I like to watch it.

Back to The Cubs. Just like I have said for the past 2 years. They have talent but they are a poorly constructed baseball team. They have enough talent to win a division. The division is weak. That means they have a shot at the World Series. I do not think they will get to a World Series this year. They have too many holes and I do not see how they can fill them all with no little money to spend and spending what you have in the wrong places. They do not have the talent in the farm system.

[Dan Michler]

Clark,

Any team that makes the playoffs in baseball has a chance to win the World Series.  Nobody gave the '05 White Sox or the '06 Cardinals a chance heading into the playoffs, but guess what?  You just need to play well for 11 games at that point which requires getting a few players hot.  Its much more difficult to play well over the course of 162 and make the playoffs.

[pdga#7648]

you wont see Dan and myself agree to often, but this time we do. The Cubs have talent,(man that hurts) and that division is weak. If they can get to the playoffs, and actually win the 1st round, they do have a World Series shot. But can they get by the 1st round is the true question. I would count on 102 years though. 

But on a different note...
Dan? Are you crazy?? No team in the Central made any big moves?? Signing Holliday in St. Louis for that many years was HUGE! And how do you think those pitchers will like seeing Pujols, Holliday, Ludwick??

And I would say more like 2 and a half years in contention for Chicago. After July they were never in contention. 

[Dan Michler]

I said nobody made made huge acquisitions.  The Cards had Holliday last year, hence its not a new acquistion.

[Mike Clark]

I know that anyone has a chance when they make the playoffs.  That is simple Baseball 101.

But the Cubs have proved 2 years in a row that this lineup gets owned by good pitching in the playoffs. How have they changed except for getting rid of Edmunds and Derosa? I am not trying to say they were saviors or anything. But they put up good numbers and those numbers were never replaced. They have gotten worse not better. This Cubs team is really no different then the 2 teams that got swept out of the first round of the playoffs 2 years in a row. If anything they are more right handed, have a weaker bullpen and bench. Overall they are not as good as those 2 teams. If you think that is a plan for success so be it. I disagree.

I would also have to disagree with no one making big moves. I believe the Phillies think they got better. I do not even agree with the move. But does it get any ballsier or bigger than what they did.

I do not care how many division titles the Cubs win. They need to win a World Series. This is not the way to do it. I personally think it is pathetic to stand pat and think the rest of MLB got worse.

[stpitner]

didn't see a lot of people mentioning the Cubs picking up Marlon Byrd to play CF.  With the exception of Soriano's hops - the outfield looks pretty good defensively.  At least if Soriano botches the play he has a rocket arm that is deadly accurate.

Soto showed up at the Cubs convention 40 pounds lighter.  I'd say that he's ready to perform.

I really like the Cubs signing Chad Tracy to a minor league deal.  I guess he has been bitten by injuries, but I think he's a better random attempt at a backup at 3rd than Corey Koskie was last year who had to retire again after feeling more side affects of his concussions.

The bullpen does scare me - and the two people that I heard as prospective veterans that the Cubs were interested in (Chan Ho Park and Kiko Calero) don't woo me any.  Grabow/Marmol should be a good 8/9th inning, but they need someone reliable for that 7th.

At least the hitting coach is someone that is known to be good, not some guy that who knows how he's going to be or if he'll be able to help.

I'm not fond of Jeff Baker at 2nd base, but to me that's the only position player that leaves me wanting more.  I have no idea how he's going to turn out.  I really wish we could have kept DeRosa.

Let's hope Lilly misses minimal time with no ill affects, and this should be a good year.

[Dan Michler]

I
I would also have to disagree with no one making big moves. I believe the Phillies think they got better. I do not even agree with the move. But does it get any ballsier or bigger than what they did.

Again, I said nobody in the DIVISION made any huge acquisitions.  I don't believe the Phils switched to the NL Central this year. 

[Dan Michler]

I heard Soto was 40 lbs lighter and that shocked me. Either he was way fatter than I realized or he was on steroids.  Lets hope he was just a fatass.

The key this year is staying healthy overall and getting Soriano and Soto to bounce back to 2007 form.  We were 5 above .500 last year and had 3 everyday guys (Soriano, Bradley, Soto) have unusually long stretches where they were just automatic outs.  Aramis missed half the year and did not get to 500 AB's for only the 2nd time in his last 9 seasons.  He's 31, he should be fine this year.  It seems likely that we'll improve on last year offensively.

[Mike Clark]

Dan,
My mistake. I did not read carefully. I am coming from the point of winning a World Series. I think just looking at the division is a little short sighted. This teams needs to win very soon. They are not getting any younger. I do not hink they have gotten any better and others teams have. They have actually gotten worse over the past 3 years.

Maybe they are not in the division. If they make it far enough the Cubs are more than likely going to have to play the Phillies to get to the World Series.

I guess we just have different expectations from the team. Don't you want them to do everything they can to win a World Series as soon as possible? Its not they have a good farm system and are building for the future.

Pitner,
Soto losing 40lbs is kinda scary to me given the recent PED history in baseball. I hope he just got his fatass in shape like Dan said.

Byrd - I would rather the Cubs have spent that money on Orlando Hudson instead of Byrd. Switch hitting, 4time-Gold Glove, All-Star, 2B. Not much power but I do not think the Cubs are lacking power except from the left side of the plate. Bryd doesn't address that issue just like Bradley didn't. Maybe they can still get him. But they have a lot of holes to fill with very little money according to the Cubs.

[pdga#7648]

I said nobody made made huge acquisitions.  The Cards had Holliday last year, hence its not a new acquistion.

I see your point, but Holliday was only signed thru the end of the season. To resign him, long term was a big acquistion, to Cardinal fans. As long as Pujols doesn't get mad that Holliday's contract was bigger than his, and want out. But being that everyone that goes to St.Louis, sees the greatest fans in baseball everyday, and most are content on finishing their careers there.  

[Dan Michler]

I said nobody made made huge acquisitions.  The Cards had Holliday last year, hence its not a new acquistion.

I see your point, but Holliday was only signed thru the end of the season. To resign him, long term was a big acquistion, to Cardinal fans. As long as Pujols doesn't get mad that Holliday's contract was bigger than his, and want out. But being that everyone that goes to St.Louis, sees the greatest fans in baseball everyday, and most are content on finishing their careers there.  

There is no way Pujols will ever leave St. Louis in his prime.  The mere fact that I want it to happen so much will stop it from happening.

[pdga#7648]

lol. That's not nice Dan. Why would you want him out of St. Louis? He has said he wants to play his entire career there, but he has to be a little upset that Holliday signed the highest Cardinal contract of all time. Being that Pujols is 1 of the best ever, 1 would of thought nobody would touch his last contract. But this just proves St.Louis wants to win now. Pujols said go get players to help us win, or he would want to go elsewhere.
Could you imagine him playing 81 games at Wrigley as a Cub? He would hit 90 HR's, with probably 50 landing on the road out there.