And I doubt Pagan is untradeable because of a stomach illness, even a nasty one like collitis.

Wuertz, Marshall and E-Pat to Cincy for Dunn -- assuming Sori could move to right.

Very Tradeable - good player, favorable contract
Ryan Dempster -  I disagree with the "good player"  part of this.  I would put him in the marginal value area.
Kevin Hart -- Not enough experience to say he's a good player.
Rich Hill -- I'd keep him.
Bob Howry -- His age and position don't make him all that tradeable.
Carlos Marmol -- I hope they keep him.
Sean Marshall -- I would hate to trade him, but he may be needed to get a valuable player.
Geo Soto -- The starting catcher.
Mark DeRosa - Yankees interested if A-Rod leaves.  I would trade him very quickly, especially if Soriano is going to move back to second.

Tradeable
Scott Eyre - Nah.  No one is stupid enough to take him (oh, wait, maybe the Reds..)
Ted Lilly -- I hope they can trade him, he will become a rock very soon.
Jason Marquis - healthy innings-eaters always have value.   They might.   Marquis doesn't have any real value and is paid far too much for his results.   He's going to be a Cub for the rest of the contract.  And its going to hurt the team.
Michael Wuertz I would put him in the "very tradable category".
Daryle Ward -  Lots and lots of one dimensional aging players are out there.  Ward's nothing special.
Jacque Jones - proven he can play CF
Matt Murton -- If Soriano is going to stay in LF, he needs to be traded.

Some Value - marginal players, good throw-ins
Neal Cotts
Will Ohman
Ronny Cedeno
Mike Fontenot
Ryan Theriot - Theriot's more than a marginal player, if you have Eyre and Ward as tradable, then Theriot belongs up there.  As for the rest, they are marginal or less.

Untradeable - I agree.
Angel Guzman - health
Carlos Zambrano - NTC
Henry Blanco - health
Derrek Lee - NTC
Angel Pagan - health
Aramis Ramirez - NTC
Alfonso Soriano - NTC

The guys who they shouldn't trade are Soriano, Zambrano, Ramirez, Lee and Marmol.  

The most valuable trade commodities are Hill (have to bring back a starting pitcher, if dealt), Pie, Marshall and Soto.  

Otherwise, we need young adequate players to take up spots that lower the overall average salary. As such, I can see Dempster on the way out along with Eyre. And unless we're comfortable with Pie having a big improvement next year, Jones is the only CF we have. Marquis could be gone but I doubt we get much more than AA prospects for him, if that. Two years in a row essentially demoted during the playoffs tend to diminish value.

I look at the free agent pool and see who is intriguing.  Aaron Rowand is one player that interests me.  He has put up some nice numbers in Philadephia, but are they inflated because of the bandbox ball park?  I also remember the catch inhe made in Philadelphia, running into the wall.  If he did that at Wrigley, they'd be calling the coroner.

He brings good defense and solid offense.  He would fit in very nicely into the number six spot in the order.

Now, if the Cubs would sign Rowand, Jones goes back to right.  If Pie is ready, great.  If not, another year in the minors won't kill him, he's still very young and has some holes in his game.  Maybe Corey Patterson could have used some more time in the minors.

Pitching?  Johan Santana would be great, but what would it take, and are the Cubs willing to give up that much?  It will be interesting to see what the Twins do with Torii Hunter and how that impacts other dealings.

One other thought that came up this week was Lou Piniella.  He was mentioned as a potential manager for the Yankees.  Currently, he is under contract with the Cubs for two more years.  

Now, let's say the Yankees really want him.  How badly do you want him?  Remember, Lou was traded to the Devil Rays by the Mariners (Randy Wynn?).  Any Yankee prospects that are intriguing?

I look at the current Cubs roster and seem some players that should go.  Jason Marquis is just too erratic.  You cannot have a rotation with Marquis followed by Sean Marshall.  They are bullpen killers.  Going to the pen in the fifth or sixth innings on consecutive days is brutal.  If the Cubs sign an Aaron Rowand, I just don't see room for both Daryle Ward and Cliff Floyd. That would also close out the DeRosa to right field scenario.

However, if Pie is ready, I'll take him him in a heartbeat over JJ in right.  Sorry, but .280 hitters with 5 HR's are easily replaced. That I can only take so many 4-3's on my scorecard.

I was very disappointed in Rich Hill's comments after the playoffs.  When the scouting report says don't throw a first pitch fastball to Chris Young, and you do, and say "I didn't think he would swing" is very disturbing to me.  He has shown a stubborn streak in the past, and I think that was what held him back previously.  

I also feel that a wild card could be "the employee."  He accrued zero days of major league service last year, and that will impact him when free agency comes around.  I figure he will cost somewhere around $3 million next year.  The Cubs have thrown that much at players in the past with less potential.  Plus, if his shoulder really is cleaned out, I'd like to see what he has before throwing in the towel.

Geovany Soto could be a Godsend.  Catching is always at a premium, and if we have one from our farm system, that's just gravy.

I have to admit, the one thing that gives me reason for optimism for the future is career years.  Teams that win have some players that have career years.  Did anyone on the Cubs have a "career year?"  Lilly had a nice year.  Marmol maybe.  Soto?  Still early.  Theriot?  Lots of intangibles.  Ramirez, Lee, Soriano, Jones, Hill Zambrano and Murton all had years that were near their career average or little below. And, we still won the division title.

Look at the Brewers.  Fielder hit 50.  Braun hit 34 in 4 and a half months.  Sophomore slump for Braun?  Career year for Fielder?  Let's see.  They also have their employee, Ben Sheets.  Great stuff, but always getting hurt.

Dusty to the Reds?  I have friend who is a Giants fan.  Everything he told me about Dusty Baker was true.  He said Dusty was good as long as Bons was hjealthy, but not a very smart manager.  He would drive you crazy.  I think the last two years of Dusty's reign in Chicago are more indicative of his abilities.  Could be a lot od solo HR's at GAB, with no one to clog the bases with those pesky little walks.

Astros are a mess.  Cardinals just fired the best GM in the division, and La Russa wants out.  The Pirates? Well, they're the Pirates.  BTW, who's out PTBNL for Cesar Izturis?

Hey, just 5.5 months to first pitch!!

Tampa needs pitching and really don't need position players in return.

Plus, I think the Cubs like DeRosa's leadership. That's not saying he couldn't be dealt, but I doubt -- given his price tag, good year and intangibles -- that he would be shopped.

Depending on what would come in return, trading DeRosa would create problems. Fontenot is not an everyday player, and Theriot might flounder next year. Anyone else want another second-base derby ala 2006? And a DP combo of Cedeno and Soriano is terrifying.

If I were Hendry, Murton and Marshall would be the two guys I shop -- because they're young, cheap, they have upside AND they have no real place on the team. Wuertz would be next, though I think he has more of a place.

That's not saying I wouldn't consider trading anyone else, but those three would be my top candidates.

Oh, and if anybody wants Marquis, pull the trigger.

The only reason we were doing poorly the first half was due to the bullpen (and Z partially) not playing well.  

We did still win the division and it looks to me that every other team will be getting weaker due to free agency (especially the Brewers probably losing Corder).

I have no doubt that unless we can get a FA upgrade, there's no need to do any trading.  Players like Hill, Hart, Marshall will be better with continued experience.  Soriano will be healthier.  Theriot will play better after being used to a full season in the majors and we have Soto as our starting catcher.  

Plus starting pitching will have Lilly strong, Z stronger, Marquis strong to start and Hill/Marshall as stated.  Plus, when Marquis falters, we know we can have a Hart do a spot start here and there as well.

This is a 90+ win ball club in 2008 in my opinion.  

The biggest key this offseason will be picking up a solid number 5 hitter.  Someone to take the RBI pressure off of Lee/Ramirez.  Sure, I'd love to get A-Rod, but lets get real.  We need an  everyday solid player.  I like Murton, but he is no number 5 guy.  Soto might be that guy down the road, but not yet.  

Right now is the time to trade Jones.  I know he came up big in the second half, I know he is a .280 career hitter, I know how woooonderful he is.  However, he is simply awful in CF.  He made some great looking plays, but (for the most part) they were plays that should have been far more routine.  His arm is horrible.  His baserunning is worse.  I don't doubt his effort, but we need a better player.  He is too good to have on the bench, but not good enough to play every day.  That, combined with the fact that his trade value is at its highest (great 2nd half and only one year left on contract), make him very tradeable.  Perhaps a reunion with Dusty in Cincy is in order?

With an offense that scores more runs, we won't need to do much with pitching (not that we could, anyway).  Still, 90 wins seems a stretch right now... even with A-Rod.

Infield: same Lee Derosa Theriot Ramirez  I can live with riot batting 8th.

Outfield: Leave Soriano alone. IF Pie is ready(which will be determined during Spring training) start him at Center, if not then JJ.
Sign Mr. Funnyname(Fukudome) to play RF.

First and foremost, and I wanted this during the trading deadline in July, is to get an Ace to put between Big Z and Lilly. Hill(he should be better next year, real solid 4th) and Marquis at 4 and 5 will be good.

Resign Ward and Wood, let Floyd go.

Bullpen: look to sign or trade for another lefty. Im okay with keeping Demps for middle relief(not as closer and def. not as starter) if you have to trade him, then trade him.
GET RID OF OHMAN BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

Trade Murton, Marshall and whatever kids needed to get an ace.

As for Arod, only if he falls on our laps. If he wants to play here with Lou and play for less than 20 mill, then great. Not ss only at 3rd, we can always trade Rami or a pitcher. It should be looked into slightly but not be a priority, we have other needs on which to spend the money.