Soriano is awful

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.

[Destined]

Dempster and Soriano are only going to get worse. Soto, Fox, Fukudome, and even Bradley can really only get better from this season. Trade Dempster for prospects if and only if Harden is resigned. Harden and Lilly have been awesome for stretches this year, along with Wells and Z, having those four stay intact would be huge. Say what you want about Harden, but I really like the guy and he's been dominant the last month now that he's healthy.

Miles can be released. Baker can stay, Fontenot can go. Theriot should stay, but not start at short.

My FA targets: John Lackey, Mike Gonzalez, Jack Wilson, Chone Figgins and Chad Cordero

Who to trade: Dempster, Hoffpauir and Mike Fontenot

[Destined]

<!--quoteo(post=59399:date=Aug 21 2009, 03:18 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 03:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. <b>It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bingo.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=59399:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. <b>They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. </b>You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't want to trade just Lee and Lilly. I want to trade everyone. Z, Ramirez, Soto, Fukudome, etc. Everyone.

Burning it down and rebuilding from top to bottom would show me that they are committed to winning. Anything else is putting a band-aid on an axe wound.

[Destined]

<!--quoteo(post=59402:date=Aug 21 2009, 03:24 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 03:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59399:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. <b>They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. </b>You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't want to trade just Lee and Lilly. I want to trade everyone. Z, Ramirez, Soto, Fukudome, etc. Everyone.

Burning it down and rebuilding from top to bottom would show me that they are committed to winning. Anything else is putting a band-aid on an axe wound.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ramirez and Soto are irreplaceable, even with tons of prospects. I don't see how we get better at those positions, trading them only adds time to potentially winning. I may be naive, but I see Ricketts following the John Henry model. When he got to Boston, they already had most of the chips. All they did to win the first title was tinker a little now on the big club, and rebuild the organization. David Ortiz was the only major acquisition for the that Henry brought there. Guys like Bill Mueller and company were just part of the small tinkers.

We're very much so in the same position as they were in 2002. They had tons of talent, but couldn't piece it all together. They had a core of Pedro, Manny and Johnny Damon. We have Zambrano, Aramis and Lee. It's very similar, we don't need to do much. Of course Soriano is an eyesore, but we can still try to add talent around him. Would I love to trade him? Yes, but it's impossible, so we have to try other things. Bradley is probably the only outfielder that can be moved right now in my mind. Fukudome means too much to this team, and it's hard to trade a Japanese player.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=59402:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:24 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59399:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. <b>They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. </b>You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't want to trade just Lee and Lilly. I want to trade everyone. Z, Ramirez, Soto, Fukudome, etc. Everyone.

Burning it down and rebuilding from top to bottom would show me that they are committed to winning. Anything else is putting a band-aid on an axe wound.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These things don't happen in professional sports. And trade like Soto? Seriously? Why the hell? Good luck finding a better young catcher than him.

Bradley, Soriano, and Soto will be much, much better next year. Book it.

And this team has a 94-win pace when Aramis Ramirez plays. Just saying.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=59405:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:45 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59402:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:24 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59399:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. <b>They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. </b>You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't want to trade just Lee and Lilly. I want to trade everyone. Z, Ramirez, Soto, Fukudome, etc. Everyone.

Burning it down and rebuilding from top to bottom would show me that they are committed to winning. Anything else is putting a band-aid on an axe wound.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These things don't happen in professional sports. And trade like Soto? Seriously? Why the hell? Good luck finding a better young catcher than him.

Bradley, Soriano, and Soto will be much, much better next year. Book it.

And this team has a 94-win pace when Aramis Ramirez plays. Just saying.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm just not feeling it with this group anymore, Clapp. Maybe I'm just bummed right now because the season is pretty much over...but I don't see it happening with this core. 2008 should have been the year.

[jeffy]

I have to agree with Clapp. The core is fine, but we just had too many injuries and slumps this year, but if we at least had Ramirez healthy all year, things would've been much better. For next year, it would be nice to have a better bench and a stronger bullpen, and more strength at second base would be great as well.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=59407:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:48 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59405:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:45 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59402:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:24 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59399:date=Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 05:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59398:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Aug 21 2009, 04:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=59396:date=Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 21 2009, 04:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Why the hell would we trade Lee and Lilly? This is a 90+ win team that had every freaking thing go wrong this year. Go back at it with mostly the same group next year. Christ, look at our record when just Aramis plays even. Honestly, it's a minor miracle that we're over .500 with 85% of the team playing either below career averages(some well below: Soriano) or missing a lot of time with injuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know if I could stomach bringing back the same team for another try next season.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So you want to just trade Lilly, Lee, and company for blah prospects? They have 1 year left on their deals, we're not going to get much for either of them. Where's that going to get us? This team is built to win now still, you don't blow it up. Whenever you have a team that's on paper very capable of winning a championship, you take your shot. ESPECIALLY when you haven't won in over 100 years.

If we had a Roy Halladay and had a mediocre or worse team on paper, then you deal the guy for a boatload of prospects. We don't have a player like that who is going to bring much in return anyway.

It's all just fantasyland. You guys are nuts if you think there's ANY chance of such a thing happening. It's a new ownership coming in and their first year on the job is the most important. <b>They have to show the fans they are committed to winning or they're going to get trashed immediately. </b>You have thousands of season ticket holders and fans around the world to please. A roster filled with a few very good players and a bunch of AAA players isn't going to do that.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't want to trade just Lee and Lilly. I want to trade everyone. Z, Ramirez, Soto, Fukudome, etc. Everyone.

Burning it down and rebuilding from top to bottom would show me that they are committed to winning. Anything else is putting a band-aid on an axe wound.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
These things don't happen in professional sports. And trade like Soto? Seriously? Why the hell? Good luck finding a better young catcher than him.

Bradley, Soriano, and Soto will be much, much better next year. Book it.

And this team has a 94-win pace when Aramis Ramirez plays. Just saying.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm just not feeling it with this group anymore, Clapp. Maybe I'm just bummed right now because the season is pretty much over...but I don't see it happening with this core. 2008 should have been the year.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Nobody's feeling it right now, trust me, I'm right there with you. But really, look where this team would be if players just play to their career averages and we don't have injuries left and right. Injuries happen, but they shouldn't be happening like they have to us and the Mets for example. And like us, the Mets shouldn't blow up their team either.

The only player I'd actually want to trade is Soriano, but that's not happening. And yes, he's very worth that 4/20 talk. He's the streakiest player in the game and this year he's just had more cold streaks than usual. He'll put up an .850+ OPS next year, unless he's now just a headcase which I don't think. He's cocky and doesn't care what anybody thinks in my opinion. That's why he swings for the fence every time.

Anyway, things I'd like to do...

Look into trading for a shortstop or signing a Jack Wilson. Light hitter for sure, but fine in the #8 hole and improves us defensively. Then move Theriot to 2nd base, if he can still play there well.

If you don't do that, sign Orlando Hudson, leave Theriot at SS. You're at least greatly improving one spot in the middle infield, and getting a solid bat that would be ideal in the #2 spot. He's had an OBP over .360 the last 3 years. You know what you're getting with him for sure every year. And after seeing this year, I'd LOVE some reliability. Plus, he signed this past offseason for just $3.38 million. His .795 OPS is the lowest he's had in in the last 4 years, and he'll be 32 when the season starts, so he shouldn't be much more expensive than he was for this year.

See what Jose Valverde costs. We haven't had a reliable closer like him, well, in a long time. I hate throwing that much money at a reliever, but our record would be quite a bit better if we had people holding the lead in the 8th and 9th innings. Anyway, who knows, maybe his price won't be too ridiculous considering most competitive teams are set at closer, and with the economy. He owns us unlike any pitcher in baseball, so if anything, I'd just be glad we don't have to face him anymore.

Unless they think the injury is the main reason for his struggles and that he'll be what he's been the last few years, eat Aaron Miles' $2.7 million. If not, just please keep him as a 25th man and nothing more.

Keep Jeff Baker. He's even hitting better than I thought he would, but he's basically a poor man's DeRosa. He's a valuable utility guy. He can play all but SS in the infield and hit enough.

And lastly, this one is probably nuts, but if we have more money to spend... just give JP a call and see what it takes to get Halladay. A real ace is something we could really use, especially with the Cards having Wainwright for a long time and Carpenter for a bit more. I'm a Carlos Zambrano fan, and I love the rest of our rotation, but there's no denying those 2 are going to be favored against us in any matchup. With a solid year in our farm system that really rose the value of some of our prospects, we might be able to have something that fits what the Blue Jays are looking for. Hell, even like Gorzelanny looks pretty damn valuable now. They'll have to settle for one very good prospect less than they would've gotten this past trade deadline too.

[Scarey]

Just to clarify, I don't want to do my proposed half rebuild. It's just fun to look into things like that.

However, I would be against Gracie's plan as well. The Cubs need to stop signing the big time free agents at least for now and start relying on the minor league system to crank out some winners. Next year they are going to have some good young relievers that will be ready for the big leagues and I do NOT want to see them spend any more money on Remlinger/Hawkins/Eyre/Howry type guys.

I'm looking at this team to compete again next year. I don't want to rebuild and the Cubs are not in a good position to rebuild anyway.

The team I would really like to see them put out there would look more like this:


C: Geovany Soto
1B Derrek Lee
2B Ryan Theriot
SS: Marco Scutaro
3B Aramis Ramirez
LF: Alfonso Soriano
CF: Kosuke Fukudome
RF: Milton Bradley

SP1: Carlos Zambrano
SP2: Ted Lilly
SP3: Ryan Dempster
SP4: Randy Wells
SP5: Tom Gorzelanny


Bench:
Koyie Hill
Mike Fontenot
Brad Snyder
Andres Blanco
Jake Fox

Bullpen:

Justin Berg
Blake Parker
John Gaub
Angel Guzman
Sean Marshall
Jeff Stevens
Carlos Marmol

[rok]

Yeah, that first roster looks rough. I was thinking more along the lines of 2 players traded, and not Lilly or Lee. I'd consider trading Fuk, Soriano, Dempster, even Marmol. See what that nets you, and if the return sucks, just bring back the majority of this team and try again.

[Scarey]

IMO, Hudson is going to cost a lot of money and a multi-year deal to land. This is his last chance for a big contract while he's still in the weening years of his prime. It's just not worth it especially considering our system is stacked with second baseman.

Jack Wilson would be a fine addition. If you think about it, he would hit better than our second base platoon did and would improve our defense dramatically. Scutaro wouldn't be quite as good defensively but would get on base quite a bit more than Wilson. That's why I would be in favor of him. The Cubs are going to have guys like Barney and Thomas ready in 2011 and Castro and Flaherty probably in 2012. I'm thinking Lee and Logan Watkins will be ready by 2013 or 2014. They have scores of major league capable middle infielders to look forward to. They just need to slap a bandaid on that spot and hope those guys turn out well.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=59414:date=Aug 21 2009, 06:44 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Aug 21 2009, 06:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Yeah, that first roster looks rough. I was thinking more along the lines of 2 players traded, and not Lilly or Lee. I'd consider trading Fuk, Soriano, Dempster, even Marmol. See what that nets you, and if the return sucks, just bring back the majority of this team and try again.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It wouldn't be a sure thing like the 2009 roster [looked like]. You just have to rely on a few guys figuring things out. Most MLB teams have to do it that way.

I still contend that the lineup and bullpen don't look too bad. It's the rotation that's rough around the edges and if Dempster can put his family tragedy to rest and throw a slightly sub 4.00 ERA next year, that team isn't too bad at all (although admittedly I have a lot of faith in guys like Parker, Gaub, and Stevens).

[Brock]

Jack Wilson is terrible. Just sayin.