Time to play GM

[1060Ivy]

Here some steps that a Cubs GM would probably have to work through in order or importance.

A) Find out what your budget parameters for 2010 and expectations for 2011 and 2012.

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif[/img] Move Bradley - Determine your outfield situation, still looking for a dependable, middle of the order hitter

C) Determine starting pitching situation

D) Move Miles - Determine infield situation

E) Trade Hoffpauir or Fox - Rework bench

F) Re-examine the bullpen - Get a dependable lefty sometime before July 2010

Overall, what the Cubs sorely lacked in 2009 was a consistent RBI producer. The team scored almost less a run a game less in 2009 than 2008. Cubs scored 707 runs in 2009 vs 855 in 2008. The OBP decreased from 354 to 332 from 2009 to 2008 which tells me that the team could still get on base at a near acceptable level - same as the White Sox and Phillies in 2008 both of which scored at or near 800 runs - but scoring 148 runs less than the previous year is appalling.

You can bitch about Gregg and the bullpen blowing saves but when it came down to it, the Cubs just couldn't score runs in 2009.