I’m just not as optimistic there is going to be enough offense.

Let’s hope Aram can pick up the slack, and Soriano rebounds, if that’s possible!

DeRosa circa 2006 and Byrd, 2009

of three problems (Bradley’s attitude, Miles ineptitude and Fox’s lack of a position) and got one player more inept than Miles (Silva) and another solid but unspectacular player in Byrd with too long a contract. I’d like to say we’re going to miss Rich Harden next season, but we missed him last season. We’re also praying that Randy Wells fairy godmother doesn’t show back up and chime midnight. I’m very worried about the back end of our rotation. Maybe Samardzija or Jay Jackson will step up—or maybe even Casey Coleman.

Still, it’s not like the Cardinal, Brewers or Reds are any great shakes. And the Astros and Pirates are just bad. So we’ve got a chance. But this off-season has been spent cleaning up last off-season’s mistakes—and we still haven’t completely recovered.

But seriously, even if you put a warm light on the moves since the end of the season, my gut feeling just isn’t sooo good. If everything goes well we should do better than last year, but if the injury bug pops up again, then we might end up seeing how “lucky” we were in 2009, and somehow the current trades don’t make me feel very optimistic right now. Imho, the only really highly positive move is MB is gone.

Have a Happy New Year, keep the faith and maybe this will be The Year!

You project the Cubs to win 85-87 games, but that’s not really worth much. I’m pretty sure last years Cubs were projected to win more than 83 games. Projections don’t account for the human aspect of the game, like the injuries the Cubs dealt with and guys under performing.

I take projections with a huge grain of salt.

All that said, I’d take 87 wins…might get them in. Plus, to expect more from this group would be unfair.

regarding your opening question, that sounds like a horrible trade to me.

Let’s be honest here, this offseason has sucked to this point. Fortunately we’re in the NL Central, and we underachieved quite a bit last year, so a huge offseason wasn’t exactly necessary in order to compete in 2010.

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with CF done, I think another move may do the trick. I was thinking of picking up someone in spring training like we did with Reed Johnson. That worked out well. If nothing happens before we break camp, I would search for a piece that may help. Or, just trade/sign next week. ANYTHING PLEASE!

The Cubs don’t need to be burned by another cash deal for a closer. Who’s to say Marmol hasn’t developed to the best of his ability? They’ve already signed set-up help. Let’s try to keeps costs down with a home-grown closer.

If Valverde can be acquired at a discount, go ahead. The Padres have always assembled a bullpen to compliment Trevor Hoffman with spare parts. Heath Bell was a spare part and became a closer. They realized they didn’t have to spend millions and millions on Trevor Hoffman.

I’d have really liked Kelly Johnson, and would be really happy with Uggla, but I don’t know if the Marlins need to move him this season, or if they can afford to wait. Uggla would really make the lineup that much nicer, and it would also really improve the bench, and therefore, depth for 2010. Acquiring Uggla would likely make for a very nice offseason (depending on the price, of course).

I am still nervous about the back of the rotation, and I was really hoping that Hendry landed Capps because Grabow does not instill confidence, and while Marmol isn’t going to get shelled, he’s likely to pitch himself into trouble a ton. I think a gamble on Bedard / Sheets would be a good idea at the right price, but I don’t think picking up Tejada would really be beneficial.

I don’t hate the Byrd signing, it could certainly be much worse. But I echo DMC’s sentiment that it would really be nice to see the organization emphasize an actual philosophy, particularly one that didn’t involve investing in middling FAs to fill holes. FA should really be used to sign elite players and/or players that “put you over the hump”. While I think Hendry and the Cubs will get reasonable value out of Byrd, it is all to similar to the signings of recent years. Byrd and Grabow are certainly not moves to get excited about.

Is this the time for the Cubs to see what it would take to get Dunn? It seems to me that the Cubs still seem to need some serious middle of the order power, and preferably from the left side. I’m sure that the Nats are more than willing to move Dunn, but what could the Cubs offer to make it happen?

I wouldn’t mind to see Fukudome included in that deal, but I think that would just complicate matters. However, if the Cubs were to keep Fukudome, he could be used as a platoon partner with Byrd and a defensive replacement for Dunn.

I’m a lot less emotional about this team going forward, and I’d like to think they’ll be slightly better than last year, but I’m content to watch the moves play out some before I get too invested.

I’m actually excited to see the emerging crop of youngsters continue their climb through the minors almost more than I’m looking forward to the MLB club at this point. Given the current state of the economy, I’m probably more likely to go watch some of our farmhands in action than the big league club anyway, and I suspect I’ll have a lot of company.

Also: Good post, Shawn.

He’s underrated and could probably come cheap.

This is the extend of the Cubs major moves

ITYM “extent”. HTH.

I’m of the mind that we definitely need another OF pick up. I wouldn’t mind Reed Johnson back, but there may be better options.

I also would love to take a risk on Ben Sheets or Bedard, as I suspect that their asking price has to come down given the market. We’ll see I guess. But either would be a great pickup with high pay-off potential. (I’d prefer Sheets I think)

At this point, I still don’t see us contending unfortunately, but there’s still time to add some pieces and of course we may have some rebound performances next year.

Oh, and lastly I did get a lil chuckly out of this:

Fox will get a lot less playing time with the acquisition of Byrd and trading of Bradley

I imagine you’re correct and Fox will have trouble getting playing time with the Cubs…unless we can get some sort of special arrangement with Billy Beane. :)

Is/was this Byrd’s market value? Or was this another case of JH bidding against himself again? It’s a solid signing, but the length wasn’t necessary based on his age.

I think he ends up with the Cubs all said and done. The Mets need to shed off payroll after the signing of Bay.
Fukudome, Castillo, Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, Byrd, Soto, Theriot, pitcher …. not bad

If Holliday signs with the Cards, we’re screwed.

A poster at BCB (Suburban Kid) suggested looking at Ankiel as a 4th OF. With his solid D, good left-handed bat and high upside I think that would be an excellent move, assuming he doesn’t cost much most than a couple million.

#3. The Cubs trade Milton Bradley for Carlos Silva.
GM Jim Hendry fouled up this one from the moment of conception. It’s unwise to sign a player like Bradley — mercurial, complicated, in need of care and feeding — if you’re going to subject him to suffocating media coverage and a fan base that’s increasingly hostile. It’s just a poor fit, and any sensible operator should be able to foresee the troubles ahead. Suffice it to say, Hendry was unable to do that.
The best (i.e., least damaging) thing would’ve been to release Bradley, absorb his remaining contract and thereby treat him as a sunk cost. Instead, Hendry flipped him for a pitcher — Carlos Silva — who’s demonstrably and significantly worse than Bradley and, like Bradley (but less famously and less often), something of a problem child. On a pure numbers level, Hendry swapped a right fielder with a .378 OBP in his down year of 2009 for a starting pitcher who has one season in the last four that can’t be described as awful.
Of course, Hendry could’ve released Bradley and given him $50 million in gold bullion, and Bradley still would have been less damaging to the Cubs’ hopes than Alfonso Soriano, who’ll be around for another five years and another $90 million

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/five-worst-deals-of-mlb-offseason

Mistakes made last season that never should have happened. Like MB, for instance.

The corrections so far have been good off-season moves by a GM who should not be here under stable and experienced ownership. Once the Rickett’s fascination and rookie attitude goes away I predict new management (another GM in a few years).

In any case, let’s hope for more good moves and a playoff contender for 2010. Happy new year, everybody!

for a very sane and rational post.

and on anothercubsblog.net

THe one thing i disagreew with you Shawn is about Marmol.

I THINK he will be effective and reliable. Just my opinion. I think he was pissed when he didnt win the job after I believe outperforming Gregg last year. He shouldnt have sulked but for that type of position you need to be the guy.

Hopefully 2010 is better than 2009 in Cubville…

The only way this offseason looks like a win is from an Cubs front office sycophant who has some kind of sick need to have their blind loyalty abused while the Cubs counts the millions they make off of you.

The team has done the same thing they did last year… make the team worse on paper from the year before while saving themselves money.

Carlos Silva, (over-paying and over-committing to) Marlon Byrd and prospects for Milton Bradley, Aaron Miles and Jake Fox(!) is a horrible, horrible result for this offseason when they needed to put a lot of work in just to keep pace with the Cardinals, with or without Matt Holliday, and stay ahead of the Brewers.

If the team isn’t going to go all out and act like the big market team they are, I’d rather they stop trying to placate with these half-effort, peace-meal signings such as Marlon Byrd, just so they can say, “hey, look, we spent some money. Happy now?”

I’m done drinking the kool-aid… but thinking of dumping the team I’ve loved my whole life because of they way they’ve drowned the dreams I’ve had of seeing them win… has me thinking of taking up drinking other beverages.