Signing teams don’t give up supplemental picks. The Cubs would just get an extra pick between the first and second round.

and maybe Johnson. Harden will likely decline, Grabow will likely accept.

I think there will be hesitation on Gregg, as he may accept.

Johnson is an interesting case because he’s expensive for a 1/4 time player (especially with Fuld doing solidly as a defensive sub and spot starter and Fukudome having a strong year). If he’s a Type B, the team may decide not to risk paying $3 million to a backup.

But shaving the salaries of Harden, Gregg and Johnson would free $14 million to help offset salary increases for some of our big contracts next year.

Theriot signed a one year re-up in Feb of 09 for only 500k, so do we need to re-sign him this year, and how much could he ask for?

I’d offer Harden, and that’s it. I think you run with it and hope that Kosuke can perform at the same level, and have Fuld/Fox as depth OF’s. That saves you 3 million on Reed. I’m not sold Gregg is tradeable without eating money, and I’d let him go as well. I feel fine with Marshall/Gorzelanny fighting for the 5th job/main pen lefty role, with John Gaub getting called up. By letting the other 3 guy, you give yourself some financial flexibility. If Harden accepts, that flexibility is limited, but you get Harden. I just don’t think the other three are critical enough to the 2010 Cubs chances to take up that financial flexibility as of now.

It’s too risky that Gregg will accept it, and he won’t be easy to move. RJ just doesn’t have a role on the 2010 team unless somehow either Soriano or Bradley gets moved.

if I am the GM I talk to Grabow, Harden and their agents between the end of the season and the deadline for offering arbitration. Give them an idea of what I can give in terms of years, money, incentives. Get an idea of what they want, willing to accept and their desire to stay in Chicago. If the talks are positive then I offer arbittation and work on getting something done before the hearings.

With Gregg I probably don’t offer anything and just say good bye to the picks. It’s not like I could count on the scouting system is going to come up with good advise on players to draft. But, if I decide to offer arbittration, not sure this would be within the rules, I would make sure I see him (Gregg) as a long man/6th inning guy in the bullpen. This should be enough to convince him to turn down the arbitrtion offer and I get to the draft picks to blow next June.

With Johnson…..told everyone I knew that his pickup last year was a good thing when they wondered why the Cubs signed him…..I honestly don’t think he would be worth the amount of money he could get through arbitration as a 4th OF. So sadly I would let him go.

via mlbtr (since espn stuff is protected) and he loosely guesses 20 million on Harden in the market. I’d imagine that he’s suggesting, say, 2 years/20 mil (because 3 years/20 mil sounds a bit low). If that’s the case, I offer arb but try my best to bring him back. It’d take some juggling, but if we clear out Grabow/Gregg/Reed Johnson, that should give us enough flexibility to sign Harden at that price and maybe add a veteran pen arm.

Of course, a long way to go before seeing what the market is actually like.

we should offer Grabow arbitration (or otherwise try to keep him). I think he’s a Cub next year.

Gregg’s gone, and I think Reed Johnson will be, too. He’s too expensive for what the Cubs need him for — especially considering all the money on the books for next year.

I’d try to sign Harden to a three-year extension, with a low base salary in 2010. After next season, the Cubs finally have some money freed up, by way of Lilly and Lee. Unfortunately, those are two of our expensive players I wouldn’t mind keeping, but they’re the only two high-priced players who are free agents after next season.

I don’t want Gregg back, in any capacity. Next year the rotation will look like Zambrano-Lilly-Dempster-Wells-Harden.
I trust Guzman and Marmol at the back end of the rotation, so a third reliever should cost less than the 4.2 Gregg will get. Hopefully Samardzija or one the kids we got from the DeRosa deal will be ready for sixth or seventh inning relief next year. Marshall and Gorzelanny can be the primary lefties, allowing Grabow to leave, or come back for less than his 2+. Fuld can be the next Reed Johnson, and may be even better, as he’d be a better base-running replacement late in games.

I can live w/o the rest. Harden will reject the Cubs offer, so we should be okay w/some picks. Grabow will take. Don’t even waste time w/Gregg. It will only prevent the Cubs from preparing for next year. Johnson probably will be priced out of town, and he gives us nothing Fuld doesn’t as a reserve outfielder.