….. thought Wittenmeyer’s article on saving Hendry was garbage, why give credence to this unsourced bit?

Does anybody like the idea of bringing in Jason Kubel to play RF? Completely revamp the outfield with Jackson in CF, Kubel in RF, and move Byrd over to LF.

…but I’ve been predicting that they’ll bring Pena back for a couple of months now, I’d love to be wrong but I just don’t see this organization going on another spending spree immediately after they’ve jettisoned the remains of the last one.

Of course, considering the Cubs’ success when it comes to signing big ticket free agents, maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Still, it’s beyond frustrating to even consider that their master plan is to simply maintain the status quo.

will be traded at the deadline and Brian LaHair will be the Cubs first baseman for the rest of the season.

that everyone other than the Ricketts family are likely to be gone next season. So who really cares if Jim Hendry wants to bring Pena back? He’s not coming back.

Having said that, I really like Carlos Pena as a person and a ballplayer. I just don’t think he’s the right guy for the Cubs first base job next season.

Hate to break it to everyone, but the Cubs are going to suck next year too…. too many of the same faces, just a little more grey in their beards. The downward swing has at least another year in it before they can start building back up with the young core.

So, it doesn’t really matter if “Ramzy” or “Carly” come back. The Cubs aren’t getting Pujols or Fielder, and even if they did, it might make a difference of a game or two. The team is a fourth place squad – third if everything comes together perfectly.

Maybe I’m wrong. To see Pena at first next year would signify a pretty weak off season, even if they do sign Wilson.

Hey, he has space to fill. “Growing sense” is completely out of Wittenmeyer’s potted plant in the corner of his office. He can justify this by Quade’s vague comment which can be easily ‘prove’ this assertion. Presto, there’s a story.

Quade essentially said we’ll either not keep Pena or we might keep him. Hell, he doesn’t know his own job status for next year.

The papers have to get eyeballs on-line or somebody to buy the damn sheets.

And I don’t see any knuckleheads here, just those who want to see change. However, to get worked up over a story Wittenmeyer pulled out of thin air is taking this throwaway piece too literally.

For all we know, Pujols will re-sign with the Cards and the amazing might happen and the Brewers keep Fielder, right? Then, the Cubs would need to keep Pena.

Needs to make a Fielder in the image of a savior picture ala Mark DeRosa with the lamb. It’s fitting cause once we sign Fielder, a thirty game turn around is inevitable. He will be the savior of this franchise!

Gee wilikers, I guess you got me there huh NBF?

How about you quit putting words in people’s mouth, that would be a great place to start a rational debate! Your condescending tone is getting really tiring and making it so that any sort of discussion on this site completely ruined thanks to you.

Nowhere do I say anything about Colvin, where do you come up with these delusions of yours? I compared signing Fielder to a long term contract as possibly being as disastrous as Soriano’s. It’s very possible that due to his size that Fielder within 2 or 3 could only be a DH, do you think that we’ll be able to sign him for only a 2-3 year contract? Probably somewhere in your clearly delusional mind you do think that.

Sorry that I don’t believe that signing a 28-tear-old with a weight problem to a long term contract is such a wise move for a team that is struggling to shed albatross contracts to begin with.

That way the Cubs will only be their ususal “two players” away from competing for the NL Central.

Really they need to trade more prospects to get bona fide major leaguers, or hit the FA market hard. My guess is they dabble with both and play it down the middle, lacking the vision or patience to do either of the extremes effectively.

I don’t think the Cubs have much of a chance at either Fielder or Pujols without tying 1/5 of their payroll for the next six plus years in one player.The problem for those who say, fine only if we don’t getPujols & Fielder is that Pena may well be gone by then. I am not saying don’t kick the tires on Pujols of Fielder but i don’t want the Cubs to be a team that just drives the price up for another team that signs them and ends up with some 2nd rate FA or trades really good prospects. Been there, done that with Furcal. Also should have learned something about tying up that much money in one player. Time to learn how to budget wisely and to me that works with Pena.

And that is with 14 to Dempster and 2 to Ramirez. Garza, Soto, Baker, Hill, Wells, and DeWitt are arbitration eligible which could add 20 million to the payroll. If they then resign Ramirez and Pena, that could add another 22 million. Which means essentially the same team will cost about 114 million to field next year. Unless the payroll is raised, the Cubs would essentially have Fukudome’s 14 million to spend this offseason.

Just another sports writer cliche. Sounds like hocus pocus gobbeldygook to me (imagines Gordon Wittenmyer hanging out in the Cubs locker room with a divining rod sensing the vibes about which player will be traded and who will be re-signed).