The Cubs are dealing.

[chuckywang]

Let's cap the offseason moves for the Cubs.

1) Resign Kerry Wood to a 1-year contract.
2) Resign Aramis Ramirez to a 5-year contract.
3) Sign Mark DeRosa.
4) Trade David Aardsma and a minor leaguer for Neal Cotts.
5) Sign Alfonso Soriano to an 8-year contract.

Hopefully a starting pitcher is next.

 

[drum]

good. Cubs win world series, making my Tribe next in line!
go Cubs!

 

[akshatp]

8 years??? HOLY CRAP. Where will they play him, corner outfield or back to 2nd?

 

[NeoV]

wow, that's a long contract

I'd imagine he'll play LF, they got Derosa to play 2b, Lou is a big fan

I'd like to see Wood end up as a closer

 

[thejnaitor]

Heck yeah! Aramis for another 5 years? Maybe we will take the World Series after all! Thanks for the info, OP. I've been too busy to keep up on Cubbies news during the off season, so I really appreciate it

 

[Kerouactivist]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
Let's cap the offseason moves for the Cubs.

1) Resign Kerry Wood to a 1-year contract.
2) Resign Aramis Ramirez to a 5-year contract.
3) Sign Mark DeRosa.
4) Trade David Aardsma and a minor leaguer for Neal Cotts.
5) Sign Alfonso Soriano to an 8-year contract.

Hopefully a starting pitcher is next.

Yeah it doens't really matter though because they still can't change the fact that they will always be the Cubs...
Soriano is highly overrated anyway..... His OBP=:thumbsdown: big mistake....

 

[drum]

with the state the cubs are in, you have to take some more risks i guess. what are you going to lose? more games? seasons? Cubs - Tribe - Giants.


Go tribe

 

[cubby1223]

Soriano may be overrated, and now overpayed, but he's a definate upgrade over who's leaving, Juan Pierre. I don't like the Mark DeRosa signing, he's a utility player, not a starter. DeRosa doesn't fit on a team rebuilding, as the Cubs would start Theriot - and he doesn't fit on a team hoping to make the World Series. I don't get it.

Only thing I can think of is, maybe Hendry is about to make a trade involving Murton & Theriot and maybe one young pitcher, for a proven starter. That's all I can think of. And if that happens, the Cubs have a definate shot at winning the division. 84 wins, I think the Cubs next year can do that.

 

[cubby1223]

And, Soriano had 40+ home runs last year in a pitchers ball-park. Imagine what he could do at Wrigley when the wind is either still or, *gasp*, blowing out!

 

[drum]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
And, Soriano had 40+ home runs last year in a pitchers ball-park. Imagine what he could do at Wrigley when the wind is either still or, *gasp*, blowing out!

I'm only worries about October VS the tribe and that doesn't concern me too much.

 

[jpthomas]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
And, Soriano had 40+ home runs last year in a pitchers ball-park. Imagine what he could do at Wrigley when the wind is either still or, *gasp*, blowing out!

He played in a very hitter-friendly park in Texas too. I would be surprised if he matches or even surpasses his homerun total from last year. There's a lot to be said about a player having a career year in a contract year...

 

[cubby1223]

And Sammy Sosa is talking he wants to come back and play, possibly on the Cubs... Though in typical sellfish Sosa fashion, he said straight up in an interview he wants to come back just to get his 600th home run...

 

[Cuhulainn]

:disgust:

8 years?!

The guy batted .277 with 46 hr and 95 RBIs. Not bad by any means, but worth $136 million? Not to mention he'll be 38 and still eating $17mill of your payroll by the time this monster contract is up.

I only know of one player worth signing to that kind of a contract, Albert Pujols.

This signing will only make watching the Cubbies lose that much harder for the faithful at Wrigley.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: Cuhulainn
:disgust:

8 years?!

The guy batted .277 with 46 hr and 95 RBIs. Not bad by any means, but worth $136 million? Not to mention he'll be 38 and still eating $17mill of your payroll by the time this monster contract is up.

I only know of one player worth signing to that kind of a contract, Albert Pujols.

This signing will only make watching the Cubbies lose that much harder for the faithful at Wrigley.

Not worth it? In the history of baseball, there have only been three other players in the 40-40 club. Two of them made it only by massive steroid usage, and the 3rd is the current highest paid player in the game.

Soriano might end up being exactly what the Cubs need to win. Many have said the ballpark plays a huge factor in the Cubs dreaded history - with such short power alleys, the Cubs need big sluggers. But when the wind is blowing in half the time, sluggers are nearly useless and now you need the fast speed to manufacture runs. Soriano could fit in very well in both situations, and I believe it is a great signing. You give up some defense in the outfield, but hey, if the Red Sox can win with Manny in left...

Besides, I like having Pujols on the opposite side, I think the Cubs pitchers held him to like a .200 BA in '06. I'll take a healty Derek Lee over Pujols anyday. It really helps having a gold glove first baseman. Yeah we all know the worst player gets put at first - but we've been fortunate to watch Mark Grace all those years, and now Derek Lee, it really does make a difference. It was a very sad day at Wrigley when the Cubs replaced Grace for Matt Stairs... what a disaster that was...

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: chuckywang
Let's cap the offseason moves for the Cubs.

1) Resign Kerry Wood to a 1-year contract.
2) Resign Aramis Ramirez to a 5-year contract.
3) Sign Mark DeRosa.
4) Trade David Aardsma and a minor leaguer for Neal Cotts.
5) Sign Alfonso Soriano to an 8-year contract.

Hopefully a starting pitcher is next.

Can you say Barry Zito?

 

[cubby1223]

I get the feeling a bid for Zito is not in Hendry's plans. Cubs may go for possibly Dontrelle Willis or Ted Lilly next.

 

[yowolabi]

As for people talking about his OBP, I wouldn't worry about that too much. The cubs are still looking for another outfielder who can leadoff like a Gary Matthews Jr.

My mind blows looking at a NL lineup with a decent leadoff hitter followed by Soriano, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Jacque Jones, and and Michael Barrett

 

[jpthomas]

Originally posted by: cubby1223

Originally posted by: Cuhulainn
:disgust:

8 years?!

The guy batted .277 with 46 hr and 95 RBIs. Not bad by any means, but worth $136 million? Not to mention he'll be 38 and still eating $17mill of your payroll by the time this monster contract is up.

I only know of one player worth signing to that kind of a contract, Albert Pujols.

This signing will only make watching the Cubbies lose that much harder for the faithful at Wrigley.

Not worth it? In the history of baseball, there have only been three other players in the 40-40 club. Two of them made it only by massive steroid usage, and the 3rd is the current highest paid player in the game.

Soriano might end up being exactly what the Cubs need to win. Many have said the ballpark plays a huge factor in the Cubs dreaded history - with such short power alleys, the Cubs need big sluggers. But when the wind is blowing in half the time, sluggers are nearly useless and now you need the fast speed to manufacture runs. Soriano could fit in very well in both situations, and I believe it is a great signing. You give up some defense in the outfield, but hey, if the Red Sox can win with Manny in left...

Besides, I like having Pujols on the opposite side, I think the Cubs pitchers held him to like a .200 BA in '06. I'll take a healty Derek Lee over Pujols anyday. It really helps having a gold glove first baseman. Yeah we all know the worst player gets put at first - but we've been fortunate to watch Mark Grace all those years, and now Derek Lee, it really does make a difference. It was a very sad day at Wrigley when the Cubs replaced Grace for Matt Stairs... what a disaster that was...

Derek Lee over Pujols anyday!?!??! Ha! You really are a Cubs fan aren't you. BTW, Pujols won the gold glove at first this year...

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: jpthomas
Derek Lee over Pujols anyday!?!??! Ha! You really are a Cubs fan aren't you. BTW, Pujols won the gold glove at first this year...

That's because the actual gold glove voting is largly based on offensive performance, despite the true intentions of the award. Rafael Palmeiro won the gold glove in '99 when he was a DH and played only 28 games at first! Gold glove awards usually are where they take the top 5 or so in defensive statistics and pick the best hitter out of the bunch. If Lee can come back in '07 with the same offensive production he had in '05, I'd keep him over Pujols, no question.


Anyways, back to the point why I'm bumping this thread - seems the Cubs are actually going after Jason Schmidt, having an offer out there of 3 years & $45 million. And apparantly he & Mark Prior are neighbors down in San Diego and Prior is trying to talk Schmidt into signing with the Cubs.

There's still some doubt around Chicago if Schmidt will join or not - as a high fastball pitcher if he loses a few mph, at Wrigley that could turn into a major disaster. But I just think back to the day two years ago when he absolutely dominated the Cubs in a 1-hitter at Wrigley. Unfortunately for Schmidt, hardly anyone remembers that game because it just happened to be the same day the Big Unit pitched his perfect game...

 

[cubby1223]

And things keep getting funnier - LeTroy Hawkings just signed with the Rockies. That's a sure sign your washed up when you sign with the Rockies. No offense Rockies fans, but that's just the reality playing in such a high altitude.

 

[Al Neri]

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: chuckywang
Let's cap the offseason moves for the Cubs.

1) Resign Kerry Wood to a 1-year contract.
2) Resign Aramis Ramirez to a 5-year contract.
3) Sign Mark DeRosa.
4) Trade David Aardsma and a minor leaguer for Neal Cotts.
5) Sign Alfonso Soriano to an 8-year contract.

Hopefully a starting pitcher is next.

Can you say Barry Zito?

SPIDER

THE METS ARE GETTING BARRY ZITO



by the way, everything the cubs touches turns to shht. the alfonso signing will blow up in their face.

lets go mets!

 

[Al Neri]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
And things keep getting funnier - LeTroy Hawkings just signed with the Rockies. That's a sure sign your washed up when you sign with the Rockies. No offense Rockies fans, but that's just the reality playing in such a high altitude.

the humidor kept balls kept the numbers a bit more on par this past season.

the rockies, though, will never ever be anything to reckon with.

they have talent with that shortstop, i forgot his name, and guys like brad hawpe, matt holliday, brian fuentes, but they still will never amount to much

 

[cubby1223]

I forgot the humidor does help them a lot. But after what happened to Mike Hampton & Pedro Astacio's careers, I still think it's going to be a long time before the Rockies ever sign or keep another quality pitcher. They made a tremendous run several years ago, but it was just an all-star packed hitting line-up where the pitching staff could put their team down 4-5 runs and the Rockies could slug their way back to victories at home. But they haven't even been able to bring in sluggers anymore.

 

[Al Neri]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
I forgot the humidor does help them a lot. But after what happened to Mike Hampton & Pedro Astacio's careers, I still think it's going to be a long time before the Rockies ever sign or keep another quality pitcher. They made a tremendous run several years ago, but it was just an all-star packed hitting line-up where the pitching staff could put their team down 4-5 runs and the Rockies could slug their way back to victories at home. But they haven't even been able to bring in sluggers anymore.

astacio would have been a superstar if he stayed healthy.

he couldnt ever stay healthy.

 

[cubby1223]

Ryne Sandberg is the new manager of the Peoria Chiefs. And Hendry is shopping around Jacques Jones for a trade. I say good, I want to see what Murton can do. But the downside is I think Hendry has screwed the team over by committing to Izturis at short and DeRosa at 2nd. If you get someone with some pop at either position, or even give Theriot the fair chance to produce the numbers he did last year, you can give up some power in a corner outfield position to keep Murton, because he can become a really solid offensive hitter one of these days. But can't really let Murton develop when the team has a career .259 hitter with no power at short and a career .273 hitter with little power at 2nd.

And if Jones is traded, you just gave away the last remaining left-handed bat in the starting line-up. That's never good. We certainly can't go into next year with Pagan & Bynum as our left-handed threats... I can't even type that with a straight face...