39-50 @ the ASB; the 'Magic 8 Ball' Says:

since we are pretty much out of it and the management of the team is thinking the same way I hope we suck even more in the second half. Get that #1 pick…make us proud Cubbies. Here is what I am hopeful for.

1. Lee gets moved for a couple “reach” prospects that the farm system can mold and make successful.
2. Ramirez gets super hot and is used to move Soriano.
3. Theriot gets hot and is used to move Fukudome.
4. Although if both of those guys get super hot wouldnt we start climbing back in it and then might not trade them.
5. Ok how about they get hot enough that we can move Soriano…I dont care that much about Fukudome, I have already given up on next season and he is gone for 2012…who knows we might be able to get a used, wet 16" softball for him. Oh yeah I am creating a list not a monologue.
6. Shoot forgot about Z – scratch the Fukudome trade stuff…use Theriot or Lee to move Zambrano…hopefully that is enough.

With all of that said…I think the only two Cubs gone are Lilly and Z at the deadline. The others you can chase after the deadline and wouldnt mind if someone grabbed Fukudome off of waivers.

This fanbase won’t wait that long. Plain and simple. They would need to get major league ready prospects, like how the Mariners got Justin Smoak. I’m also an optimist, and seeing as how bad this division is, I do think it is possible to win it if we win 45 second half games, bringing us to 84 wins.

…the traditional Mendoza Line for team performance. Z and DLee probably will be moved soon, Z most likely in a Silva-lining swap of bad contracts. There may be no takers for Dome, and he’ll stay here as a reserve outfielder to do the job Sam Fuld was born to do, only not as well, and at 60x the price. Theriot also will remain to fuel the TOOTBLAN rage at BCB.

Lou will resign one week before the end, in a traditional gesture to avoid any embarrassing final day images of defeat. This also will give Trammell a few more managing credits before Tram and the coaching staff, save for Rothschild, are fired after game 162.

Based on the positive reports from the minors, we may see some good September callups, unless the need to control future arbitration eligibility interferes. Another positive note will be a continued up-trend in Toyota sales, undoubtedly a by-product of the Sign of the Scion out in left field.

1) A piece or two is moved for prospects
2) September call ups do well in the big leagues
3) the team rallies with the callups to finish at 0.500

I know that we won’t get the best possible draft position that way, but I would like to see some success with the younger players and a means of building momentum going into 2011 and help management evaluate what we can do inhouse to avoid stupid free agent signings.

I don’t think that this team is likely to contend in 2011, but I fail to see the harm in keeping the band together for another year of mediocrity while we wait for the one thing that will give this team the opportunity to contend – horrible contracts expiring.

I’d keep my ears open for any bowl-me-over types off offers, like “Carlos Santana for Casey Blake”, or “We will take Z or Dome’s contract from you”. But those deals may not be in the cards.

So where’s the harm in offering Lee and Lilly arbitration? If they accept, you’re looking at an expensive and probably underperforming team in 2011, with a massive amount of expiring contracts after 2011 — Lee, Lilly, Dome, Rami, & Silva in the 8 figures, and Grabow’s $4.8M. If they walk, you get extra draft picks and immediate salary relief – while still fielding a plausible team in 2011 that you dont really expect to contend, but that won’t cause fans to turn up their noses.

Then, by the 2011-12 offseason, the team has all kinds of room to maneuver. Assuming that either Colvin or Jackson earns a starting OF spot by 2012, and that Cashner or Jackson can take a starting rotation spot, we suddenly have $20-odd million available to spend on an elite corner IF or 2B bat.

Things are going to get substantially better, and we don’t really stand to gain a whole lot through a fire sale. We just need time, and a more prudent use of the massive resources available to the team next time around.