What Players Will Cubs Fans Obsess Over this Offseason?
by Ross on Sep 28, 2011 2:22 PM CDT
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It's nearly that time - when the lack of baseball at Wrigley Field causes Cubs' fans to begin to consider wild and fantastic trades. For them to scour the stats from the preceding season and determine with sage-like wisdom that "this guy.... this one guy" will make all the difference next season. They can be free agents, or they can be guys gotten in trade. You know the names from years gone by... Brian Roberts, Adam Lind, Jake Peavy.
Now, there are a couple of easy ones - the guys that everyone wants, Pujols and Prince. But I'm talking more the less obvious guys - the guys who will join the aforementioned trio in the pantheon of subjects of Cubs-fan obsession. Place your bets.
To start things off - Logan Morrison! The Cubs have to get him. He has a great bat and would be the answer in LR/RF for years to come. He's got Lind's bat, Roberts' smarts and Peavy's calves. Cubs need to trade for him! Zambrano for LoMo! Geterdone WhoevertheGMis.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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Gonna take more than Z to get LoMo, I'm afraid...
…but, if he’s there for the taking, they need to package whatever they can to get him. He’s the real-deal.
"When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team's dugout and they were already in street clothes." - Bob Uecker
Yeah.
This could work, if the Cubs could throw in some other players.
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Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier
As long as the Dodgers are in financial trouble, the suggestion will be out there that these guys are there for the taking. I think it’s unrealistic that the Dodgers will trade them, but this will be the subject of much discussion all winter long unless/until they sign long term extensions.
Yep...
…gotta pounce on other organizations when they’re down…and the Dodgers AND Mets are pretty down. Kemp, Eithier (LA) & Wright, Davis (Mets). Any one or combination of the 4 would be a BIG win this off season. Wishful thinking, I know.
"When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team's dugout and they were already in street clothes." - Bob Uecker
Kemp has said he wants to be a Dodger for life and Ethier is not for trade
I think people would do well to forget about the Dodgers regardless of what you read on Deadspin.
And yet...
both Kemp and Ethier are FAs after next season.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
Ethier.....
….. would love to leave. He’s a moody, petulant follower who plays very well when he’s happy. When he’s not happy, he sulks to the press his play falls off.
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It's true, I can't stop the speculation
And even though I doubt anyone will post any sort of reasonable trade ideas, these are probably two that will come up in conversations until they sign long-term deals somewhere.
I think the obvious answer is Prince Fielder/C.J. Wilson, since they would figure to be the most attainable.
But if we’re talking trades, I’ll say LoMo because he is cheap as ever, and young.
feet firmly nailed to the floor of the Tyler Colvin bandwagon...
by wrigleyrocker12 on Sep 28, 2011 2:46 PM CDT reply actions
David Wright, since you’re asking
Numbers may not lie, but they don’t tell the whole truth (and nothing but the truth), either. -- Doug Glanville
by leothelip on Sep 28, 2011 3:07 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
PV-LIND-ROBERTS-DERO
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
by daver on Sep 28, 2011 3:13 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Brandon Phillips.
Play him in LF.
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
Move Soriano back to 2b.
That’s where he hit better anyways….
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
Ah, I see where you're going.
Maybe we could trade for Yonder Alonso and put him in left field whilst Soriano is playing second. Good times await.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
dude
Phillips will be in left. Alonso can catch.
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
Oh, that's right.
Yeah, he can catch. Or, what the hell, just put him in right field. He’ll love the sun.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
Pablo Sandoval could play third and catch on occasion
We need a good backup catcher and third baseman, right?
Pablo Sandoval at catcher? Here's hoping the above was sarcasm.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Oct 1, 2011 7:57 AM CDT up reply actions
Let's move Marmol back to Catcher.
NO ONE would run on us!!!
"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run FOR Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray
DeRo!
Yeah, I know there should be an apostrophe in "Vails," but punctuation wasn't an option when I signed up.
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Sep 28, 2011 3:45 PM CDT reply actions
Well......
I think the Cubs should do what Al suggested this a.m. and lock up Ramirez to a 2-3 year deal. If Sabathia opts out, I’d make a run at him. Harold Reynolds had a good point on Dan Patrick this morning. Why wouldn’t he opt out? The Yankees are tied down with large contracts on guys getting much too older. It could be their window is fast closing, so since Sabathia is still young, he might go to a good young team. Why not the Cubs? he’d make them instantly better. Sabathia, Garza, Dempster, Cashner and Wells?
Matt Kemp isn’t going anywhere, but Andre Ethier wants out, badly. Anyone who gets him though is going to get a sensitive, moody guy whose playing is occasionally affected by his moods. He’s not anywhere near a leader, but a follower.
Unload Marmol for whatever you can get. Send Zambrano to the Marlins for anything you can get. Send Soriano anywhere for anything, but if you do, make sure whoever replaces him is actually better.
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The Yankees keep their window propped open with stacks of $1,000 bills
And Monteor will be a cost controlled source of offense. Sabathis isn’t going anywhere.
I think...
that the next season should be all for rebuilding. Try to get rid of Soriano somehow, Byrd has been good for us, but we have some youth to take over center. See if Ozzie will take his dinner buddy Zambrano for something.
Forget about loading up on another huge contract in either Pujols or Fielder, with the years they want, this has the potential to be bad after the first few years (look at left field).
What we need is an ace on the hill, and a number 4 or 5 starter, and that’s only if something happens to Cashner or Wells again.
"Hit a home run - put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more - a lot more important than the name on the back" - Ryne Sandberg
Pujols/Fielder are not equal to Soriano.
Much less risk.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
I know it's much less risk,
but it does have the potential to end up being alot of money tied up to an ageing/overweight problem.
All I’m saying is that money could be better spent elsewhere than just at 1st base
"Hit a home run - put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more - a lot more important than the name on the back" - Ryne Sandberg
Pitching, 3rd base, Right field....
"Hit a home run - put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more - a lot more important than the name on the back" - Ryne Sandberg
Agreed
This offseason is all about addition by subtraction.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 28, 2011 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't by that
Are you really saying that the Cubs would have been better without Soriano, Zambrano, or Ramirez this year?
In the last decade we have swallowed the addition by subtraction nonsense – after 2004 and after 2009. Let’s review how those worked out:
2004 Record: 89-73, good for 2nd place. 2005: 79-83 followed by 2006: 66-96
Hmmm… must have gone better after the 2009 house cleaning:
2009: 83-78, again, 2nd place. 2010: 75-87 followed by 2011: 71-91
Eamus Ursuli!
Past performance is no guarantee
of future results.
Yes, this team would’ve been better without Soriano.
Probably not without Z but that was because all the pitching depth disappeared or was traded away.
Obviously not without Ramirez.
Even so, what are you going to do? Add Pujols or Fielder to the mix and improvement from Marmol and they’re still just a .500 club. They need a whole new outfield.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 29, 2011 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Need a whole new outfield
I agree. However in my previous posts on other topics I was blasted for feeling that instead of getting the one superstar (Fielder, Pujols, or whoever), we should spread the money out and get several good players for the same amount of money. The reasoning was, a superstar is a superstar that can be a game changer, whereas three players like, say, Byrd won’t really truly improve the team that much.
My view is that we are a few years away from truly competing. As such, getting several “just good” players to shore up the team for a few years is preferable to getting a big superstar now (when we’ll be “wasting” a few of those high-priced years as a sucky team).
Several things here...
1. Whole new outfield. I doubt both Byrd and Soriano will be gone by next season. We do have BJax, who will be very valuable as a cost-controlled leave average center fielder with potential.
2. We’re a major market team. We have the capability for a quick turn around, especially with a lot of money coming off the books the next two seasons. I personally believe, with the right moves, we can be division favorites in 2013.
3. I’m very dubious of “just good” players. That seemed to be a major weakness for Jim Hendry. Signing “good” players to 3 year deals. They can hamstring a budget just as much as a Fielder signing could. Furthermore, I’d be interested in reading what players you have in mind.
4. The biggest problem I have with your take is that truly elite players rarely hit the FA market. We could pass on Fielder/Pujols now to save money, but there won’t always be superstars available. When the Cubs are closer to truly competing, there’s little chance we’ll be able to add such a premier bat. IMO, we do what it takes to sign Pujols/Fielder now, and build around them. It might be one or two years of wasted performance, but I’d take my chances, especially with a nice FA pitching class next offseason available.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
by Kansas25 on Sep 30, 2011 9:21 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
1-2 years of wasted performance
That’s where we differ. I think it’s more like 4-5 years before we’re definitely top in the NL Central. So I see us “wasting” 3-4 years of a Fielder/Pujols contract. That puts them 4 years older than they are now, and though I’m sure they’ll still be good, they may not be elite anymore. But I concede the point that elite players hitting the FA market is rare, so we might just have to try it.
We have a pretty weak farm system, so trading away minors for good MLB players will be hard. To compete in 2013, all of our top, touted minors players need to reach their high potential and perform ASAP. I’ve seen enough prospects falter from our system to be wary of more than 1-2 (after Castro) being MLB starters in the next few years.
We likely have no power hitter in the middle of our order going into the FA period. A-Ram is testing FA, and Pena is technically a FA (plus even if he comes back, we still need a high-BA hitter, not just someone who can hit 25+ HR and take walks). Our only option to compete for 2013 is to spend, spend, spend on free agents, and aside from the fact that I don’t like that approach, it doesn’t work well unless you’re the Yankees who can eat lots of bad money and/or simply afford eight elite contracts at once. We’re big market, but not that big, and not even as big as the Red Sox. To throw a lot of money
About several “good” players hamstringing a budget, you’re right that if they all bomb, it will hinder us. But what are the odds that 3 good players will all suck and be sunk cost? Plus, in terms of fixing that sunken cost, it’s a LOT easier to move those less-expensive, short-term players. What’ll we have to eat on Soriano or Big Z, 80% of their deals (and for Soriano, 3 years of it)? If we sign a guy at $10MM/3 yrs, and he’s bad the first year and we gotta move him, his contract is not so long and we don’t have to eat as much in actual cost, even at the 80% level. Eating 80% of Soriano’s contract is over $14MM per year; eating two years and 80% of a bad $10MM player is $16MM total.
The argument against me is that of course Fielder and Pujols are TRULY elite, whereas Soriano isn’t. But that’s at least partly hindsight. The Cubs would not have paid him that much for that long if they didn’t think/hope he could be an elite player, a cornerstone piece. If they really believed they wouldn’t get much out of him, they’d never have signed him for that money and years.
WAR (B-R) shows that Soriano was never truly elite, the Yankees, and Rangers knew this,
even in his best season (5.7), 2006 with Washington. The Cubs simply overpaid for a guy who cashed in on the last year of his contract. Pujols and Fielder are known quantities and have firmly established themselves as elite players. Fielder has likely not yet hit his apex. Opportunities to sign elite players entering their prime do not come along often.
And the Cubs recent track record of signing mid-tier FAs is not particularly inspiring: Fukudome, Bradley, Miles, Byrd, Pena. Although, a new GM could change that.
"You've got to get your damn shirts rolled up and go out and kick somebody's ass. That's what you've got to do. Period." -- Lou Piniella
I don't believe Soriano is elite.
But the Cubs clearly did, which is unfortunate. Haven’t we been saying how Hendry wasn’t a big fan of sabermetrics? So he wouldn’t have looked at WAR when signing Soriano. For what it’s worth, I bet his negative fielding in WAR detracts from his overall numbers. B-R lists his career offensive WAR as 28.8, and his career fielding WAR is -5.4. I think the Cubs looked mostly at his offensive numbers, his counting stats (“He hits HR and steals bases! Yay!”). That was a big problem with the old regime.
Byrd’s two seasons with the Cubs have produced a 4.2 WAR, higher than Soriano’s last two years at 3.9. Byrd is not amazing, but he costs a lot less than Soriano and got us a better WAR value. That’s my point for what I see as the next few rebuilding years: Why risk sinking big money into one player when you can get a few good guys to fill in until prospects are ready, or until the big money of Soriano is fully available to spend again?
A big part of the risk...
with Soriano was that part of his derived value came from his baserunning ability. Speed goes first in a normal player regression. Obviously that won’t be an issue with Fielder/Pujols.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
And Rangers knew it?
They traded A-Rod for Soriano. They traded FOR Soriano. Maybe that’s why they didn’t extend him after arbitration, but you can’t say they weren’t happy with his contributions (oWAR of 6.1, 2-year average of .274/90/32/98/24). He was awful on defense, but aside from issues with walks and strikeouts, he provided offense.
Trading A-Rod was a salary dump
The Rangers couldn’t afford the $25M and were already in the spiral that led to bankruptcy.
But why Soriano?
A-Rod was a great player, even if expensive. The Rangers wouldn’t just dump him for some Joe Schmo. They got a good offensive player in return. It’s not like they said to themselves, “Well, we somehow know Soriano isn’t truly elite, but we’ll get him anyway and get rid of A-Rod.”
At $25M/year, not many teams would take A-Rod
And IIRC, Texas had tried to move him to Boston and the deal failed. It was the Yankees or nowhere and the Yanks were willing to ship out Soriano because they had nowhere for him to play.
Not many options, fine
But c’mon, do you really think that people in baseball thought Soriano wasn’t a great offensive player back then? Forget about what he is now—-my original point here is that the Rangers weren’t just settling for a crappy guy, they were getting a power-speed hitter that they valued for two years.
Only 1 option and that was NYY.
They traded him to BOS, but the deal was blocked because A-Rod’s salary would be reduced. Nobody could afford him.
They were happy to get Soriano back, but the deal was all about saving money. They finished last in their division even with Rodriguez and couldn’t afford to build a team around him. Soriano was only making 5 million dollars a year. They still ended up paying part of A-Rod’s salary after he left, making it clear that getting rid of him was the top priority.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
As noted above...
Soriano isn’t, and wasn’t, considered on the same level as Pujols/Fielder.
I think you have front office expectations very low when you say it’s 4-5 years before we’re at the top of the NL central. It may be 4-5 years to have a top-tier farm system and for our international efforts to produce, but it certainly won’t take 4-5 years to have the ML club in a competitive mode.
Potential Cubs Lineup 2013 (optimistic, certainly not far-fetched; also, not in batting order)
1. Castro SS
2. Barney 2B (staying cheap here for reasons below)
3. Ramirez 3B
4. Fielder 1B
5. Soto C
6. Jackson CF
7. Soriano LF (or salary eaten, cost effective OF in place)
8. Josh Hamilton or B.J. Upton
Pitching staff
1. Garza
2. C.J Wilson
3. Matt Cain, possibly Shields
4. Wells
5. Cashner/League Avg pitcher
That’s the 2013 NL Central favorites. Obviously the FA names can be substituted. I hate repeating this mantra, but the Cubs are not the Pirates. We don’t need to wait for 4-5 years to build a winner. We have a top 5 payroll, will have a new competent GM, and a new manager. This thing can be rebuilt quickly.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
Can I have some what you are ingesting?
Fielder and Hamilton? Cain/Shields and Wilson? Who is in charge of the press printing counterfeit money?
Potential lineup??
Those guys would cost a HUGE amount of money. Even at their CURRENT salaries, you’re adding:
A-Ram = $16MM (might go down, but not by tons)
Fielder = $15.5MM (but going up for FA)
Upton = about $5MM (but going up for FA)
Hamilton = $13.75MM for 2012 (so under contract, gotta trade for him)
Shields = $7MM for 2012
Wilson = $7MM (but going up for FA)
Cain = $15MM for 2012 (so under contract, gotta trade for him)
All of those guys is about $80MM at current cost. Taking A-Ram/Fielder/Upton/Shields/Wilson, for cheaper options, is still $50MM but that will DEFINITELY go up when taking in arbitration and free agency.
We are NOT the Yankees. Getting Soriano off the books is one thing. But adding triple his yearly salary—-while he is still on our payroll in some way, in 2013!—-is absolutely insane.
I've got the name players on that list...
at about 115 million dollars for 2013. That’s including Soriano but without Zambrano. Adding 20 million dollars for arb raises to Jackson, Castro, Barney plus Wells and potential 5th starter rounds out the payroll to 135. Spend 20ish more on bullpen/bench and that’s 150-160 million dollar payroll.
I think a 150 million dollar payroll for 2013 is fairly reasonable, especially so soon to dropping the 18 million for Soriano.
I’m open to criticisms on this as guessing contracts and arb raises are not my specialty.
I went with 18-22 mil for Fielder, 18 to Soriano, 10-12 to Ramirez, 7-10 to Soto, 14-17 for big name OF, 10 to Garza, and 16-18 for Wilson and Cain/Shields (separately). Any problem with those guesses?
I haven’t a clue what to guess for Castro’s arb raises, but I’d imagine Jackson to be under 3 million, Wells around 5, and #5 starter at 5 or under. Scratch Barney and put in another league average guy under 2 million. All that should be under 150 million. Roll the dice on a young bullpen, maybe adding 1 proven arm or two and I think I’m talking in reality here. I don’t think main hindrance here is payroll, but rather competing with everyone else for the players.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
Not a chance...
Here is what signing those some fo guys would probably cost for 2013:
Fielder – $25M
Hamilton – $20M-$25M
Ramirez – $15M
Wilson – $16M
Cain – $15M
Garza – $12M-$15M
Soto – $8M-$10M
Castro – $8M+ (arb 2 or buyout deal)
Wells – $5M (arb 3)
That’s $130M+ on a team that still needs a LF, a 2B, a starting pitcher, a bullpen (Marmol $10M) and a bench.
Okay let me rework.
Fielder at 25.
I went with a conservative estimate on LF. Let’s sub Hamilton for Upton/Ethier and the original salary works.
I think 15 is too large for Ramirez. 3/40 sounds about tops. Up that to 13-14.
Wilson – I said 16-18
Cain – I said 16-18
Garza – I looked up estimates and found multiple sites suggesting 24-26 million for 3 years in raises. That’s put him closer to 12 than 15. We’ll say 13.
Soto – Went with 7-10.
Castro – Never put a number on. I’ll work with your 8.
Wells- Went with 5.
So the only payroll you added was Fielder to 25, Castro to 8, and subbing Hamilton for a slightly lower tier OFer. Fair enough.
That’s 93 million (using your #’s, including Soriano, with 15 million on a lower tier OFer) for our starting lineup.
Combine that with 50 million dollar rotation (using your #‘s again, with Garza at 13 and #5 starter at 2 mil or under) and that’s 143 million. Adding 10 million for Marmol is 153. I think we can scrape together a young bullpen and bench for 7 million and we’re at 160.
The holes you mentioned: LF (I counted Soriano at 18) 2B (I counted Barney/D.J./Flaherty at 2 mil) and was a bit conservative on the bench and bullpen for 17 million.
I think 160 million is a feasible payroll for this team in 2013. Is that where you disagree? Or is 17 mil for bullpen/bench too low?
Money could be saved by getting some minor salary relief on Soriano, dropping one of Cain/Wilson for a mid-tier option, or getting cheap at 3B too.
I think one strategy that will be used for a perspective group like this is backloading a few deals that will be cheaper while Soriano is still under contract. Maybe a 18/24/24/24/24/30 for Fielder. Maybe a 12/17/22 for Cain.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
$160+ million has never been reached by Cubs
Sure, inflation and things will get us there eventually, but we’ve NEVER had a payroll that high. How do you justify spending a new franchise high, when attendance is down, Wrigley Field needs renovations, et cetera? I’m not sure Ricketts is going to throw that much money down in 2012-2013.
I'd think with attendance dropping...
they’d want to produce a better product on the field.
My main thesis was that we are not 4-5 years away from contending, as you stated. That team above is the best team in the NL Central and the elite of the NL.
Forget the 160 mil. Sub Pena for Fielder and we’re still competitive. Knock 15 mil off and go cheap at 3B. Sign only one of Wilson and Cain/Shields/Haren and there’s 15 mil. Downgrade Upton/Ethier and save 15 mil. We can still maintain 140ish payroll and be a very competitive team while we are simultaneously rebuilding the farm and possibly beginning to reap some rewards for international activity.
Despite the negativity around here, this team is not as far off as some BCBers believe. Especially with a new and presumed successful GM in the mix.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
Wells would be arb 2
and Fielder will probably get a deal closer to 22 million.
I don’t see Hamilton getting close to 25 million considering his age and injury history.
Oh and varrys...
I think you missed my point that this is the 2013 lineup, not 2012. I didn’t include any trades. Hamilton, Cain, Shields, Upton are FAs after 2012. Other big name options include Kemp, Ethier, Greinke, Sanchez, Haren, and Granderson, among others. Shields, Haren, and Granderson have options; the others are unrestricted.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
You're right.
I was mainly looking at 2012 contract prices. And the guys I say need trades may not all be under contract for 2013, but I’m pretty sure one might be?
Like you said then, it depends on us competing for them in the free agent market. But let’s be realistic: When was the last time ONE TEAM got 1 of top hitters and one of top SP in one year (Fielder, Wilson for 2012) and then went out and picked up 2-4 more top targets (Cain, Shields, Hamilton, Upton in 2013)? Like I said, that’s a LOT of money to commit to a team within two short years. And what about contract lengths? Most of these guys will probably require 3+ years of commitment, maybe 5+ years. That’s a lot worse to me than having one big contract—-you’re talking about 5+ contracts of high value and long length.
Building from free agency is how the Cubs got here
And the only way to break the cycle is through development. I’d love for the Cubs to build like the Phillies have: find 3-4 hitters and a couple pitchers to develop internally and then build around. Then let’s talk 25 million dollar contracts.
It’s not like the Cubs need to suffer through 100 loss seasons but I would rather see more Carlos Pena style contracts and less Soriano style contracts until some of those internal options appear and it’s going to take 2-3 years to get to that point.
We want rings, we want a lot of them, and they way to get them is to stop putting all of the team’s faith into a few players who will start to suck when they’re 34 and are still being paid 15 million dollars.
by subtle on Sep 30, 2011 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
We have a big enough payroll to do both.
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
They would probably have been better off without Soriano and Zambrano
$36M buys a lot of alternative choices….
Would this team really have been better with Colvin, Coleman, and Baker/DeWitt?
I don’t really buy addition by subtraction when we have no viable replacements for our subtractions.
I am mostly referring to Soriano
And I would gladly hand that job to Reed Johnson. Also Byrd to be replaced by Brett Jackson. Given Fukudome is already gone they do need to find a replacement RF because Colvin is not the solution.
I have been one of Z’s most outspoken supporters. I have no problem having him back, although I think he would be more effective if he turned his conditioning up a notch or two. I think they are determined to move him, though. And Aramis can stay, but I won’t shed any tears if he leaves.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 29, 2011 9:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed on Z and Byrd/Jackson.
I’d be fine bringing Z back, but I’m not expecting it to happen. And Byrd is the main player I look at when I think addition by subtraction.
I think Byrd will be on the roster come April.
IF, and its a big if, the Cubs can move Soriano, they’ll need someone in LF and RF. If Jackson starts in CF, I can’t see the organization surrounding him with Johnson and Colvin or Campana. Maybe someone like LaHair could stick around as a LF option, but the best move would be to keep Byrd and play him in LF and perhaps bring in a new RF.
For some reason, I think Johnson is done here. He had a very good season (for him) and he might draw some interest on the open market.
"You've got to get your damn shirts rolled up and go out and kick somebody's ass. That's what you've got to do. Period." -- Lou Piniella
Big Z
More effective if he upped his conditioning? How many years has he been a big-league pitcher with little change to his overall behavior/attitude? I remember him having hydration issues, and it took him a long time to just remedy that. I seriously doubt that someone who is as mentally unbalanced as Big Z will suddenly decide to turn his whole conditioning attitude around and become “more effective.” You can’t expect people to make a 180-degree change in behavior/attitude. Just look at Milton Bradley.
Without Soriano they could have signed any number of outfielders
Over the past couple of off-seasons. Josh Willingham, for example.
And I picked Willingham because he was 1 WAR better than Soriano this season
And not because of some Beane fetish. Just sayin…
LoMo is a good guess
So’s Matt Kemp and of course, Fielder and Pujols. But I’m going to go with a long shot and say someone is going to get “King Felix” in their head and it will spread like wildfire.
Of course, there’s no chance of getting Hernandez, but that won’t stop anything. Perhaps we could offer Seattle something for Larry Bernandez, though. I know he’s a fan favorite in Seattle, but Seattle can’t afford to keep both him and Felix.
I'm now a Rays fan...
Until further notice. Absolutely phenomenal game. Wow.
"And Sandberg hits a long fly ball to left right center field..." -Harry Caray
Player to obsess over?
Some guys who’s middle name is “Better Starting Pitching”.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
Sandberg for manager, part 2!
Need I say more?
Evan Longoria. David Wright. Justin Verlander. And Joakim Soria for good measure.
"I'm not a broadcaster! I'm me!"--Ron Santo
Actually Soria had a mediocre season. I take it back.
Heath Bell?
"I'm not a broadcaster! I'm me!"--Ron Santo
You think Verlander wins the MVP and CY??
I hope so – absolutely unbelievable stuff.
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Cubs win....what a lucky break!!" ---Harry
He should - the Tigers would have dropped out of contention in mid-season without him
His starts carried that team until the rest of the team came to life. In the end they won big, but when it was close Verlander was the guy keeping the Tigers afloat.
Carl Crawford?
I get it that this post was mostly poking fun at all the trade proposals that hit BCB each offseason. But since you got us all thinking of that, it’s inevitable that this will morph into a thread in which we actually make those proposals. Instead of posting a whole new fanshot, I’ll just put the idea here: swap Zambrano + Soriano straight up for Carl Crawford. Each side inherits the remaining money on the other deals.
What this gets the Red Sox: By swapping Soriano’s 3 years at $18mm for Crawford’s 6 years at > $20 mm, this cuts their LF salary commitment by more than half. After Crawford’s season, and in particular the failure to catch the liner that ended their season, the anti-Crawford sentiment in Boston is going to be extremely high, making it an even tougher place for him to play in 2012. Moving him makes sense. Soriano can try to take his spot, though more likely, the scenario would be that Ortiz is not brought back and Soriano becomes the DH. Clearly Soriano is worth less at this stage of his career, but it gets the Sox out of what currently looks like a very bad contract mistake with only half of the remaining years/money they committed to. Zambrano, meanwhile, already slots in as the # 3 or # 4 pitcher in a rotation that needs upgrading.
What this gets the Cubs: Close to $16 million in 2012 salary relief by subtracting Zambrano and adding the difference between what Crawford and Soriano are owed; and, despite the higher salary and longer years, they spend the next three years getting the age 30, 31 and 32 yo seasons from Crawford instead of 36, 37 and 38 yo seasons from Soriano. Indeed, even after those three years they are STILL going to be getting a younger player (33 – 35 from Crawford) than they are about to get from Soriano. Crawford gives the Cubs better defense and base running, plus the potential that his struggles have a lot to do with being a bad fit on the Sox, making him a bounceback candidate after a change of scenery. Getting rid of Z saves money and a headache; and the $16 mm cost savings for 2012 would contribute to making a short-term deal for A-Ram revenue neutral such that they can still pursue whomever they otherwise would have in Free Agency.
by Orval Overall on Sep 29, 2011 4:20 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
Hmmm.
The money matches up, sure. But Crawford had an awful season. Horrendous. The one thing he used to do well — steal bases — he stopped doing.
His OBP was atrocious. Adam Dunn’s was higher.
No thanks on this one. I’d rather the Cubs ate the $ than brought Crawford here.
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Agree with all of that, except the conclusion.
He was 29 years old this year. He suffered no major injury between 28 and 29 that would account for this drop-off or make it more likely that he’s in permanent decline at an age when many of his peers would not be.
So the question you have to ask is: How likely is a bounce back? For Soriano I think it’s almost none. He is irreversibly on the decline. For Crawford it’s no sure thing either, but there are reasons to think this was a bad year instead of the beginning of the end.
1) He did manage to convert on 75% of his SB attempts last year. A big part of the reason his numbers were down was that his OBP was down so much, giving him fewer chances; and a second reason is that after spending his entire career hitting second for TB and being the team’s primary base stealer, he most often hit from 5th – 7th for Boston, and had two other guys (Ellsbury and Pedroia) who were expected to do more of the running. So a lot of this is about what Crawford “didn’t do” not necessarily what he “couldn’t do,” and part of that is the role he was being asked to play.
2) The reason his OBP was down so much is that his batting average was way, way down from his norms. After hitting between .301 and .307 in five of the last six years, he hit .255 this year. It’s possible that’s a sign of decline but 30 is pretty young; I have a hard time believing its more likely than not that this is a permanent decline, rather than an aberrational bad year.
(As an aside, and without getting into a debate about whether hits are really no better than walks, I’d note that your observation about Dunn’s OBP is because he walked 77 times; his BA was .159 and his OPS was more than 100 points lower than Crawford).
Anyways, I get it why the size of the commitment gives more than a little bit of hesitation. But faced with getting essentially nothing from Soriano for three years, I’d take my chances on Crawford for six.
by Orval Overall on Sep 29, 2011 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions
I would
trade Crawford for Soriano in a heartbeat without them even taking Zambrano. We know with absolute certainty that Soriano is not going to help us win the next 3 years. Crawford could. He is only one year removed (albeit a bad one) from being the top prize of free agency. He didn’t suffer any serious injuries to lessen his value.
DEJESUS!!!
But the Sox NEED Z!
Seriously, having the rotation fall apart killed them. And Z almost can’t be worse than Lackey is.
Counterpoints
Crawford walked only half as many times in 2011 as 2010. His OBP declined more than his BA did. And, his SB attempts also declined — from 57 to 24.
Some of that decline in SB attempts is probably situational, but again, speed is a skill that is among the first to go. Sorry. Do. Not. Want.
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I disagree
Crawford is too talented to have his career collapse at this point. So many trade proposals here are just so half-baked, this one actually is well thought-out and has some possibility of happening. Unlikely, but possible.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Sep 29, 2011 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Do you think Crawford's drop in SBs
has anything to do with Boston’s organizational philosophy? I doubt they wanted him running into outs with their lineup.
"You've got to get your damn shirts rolled up and go out and kick somebody's ass. That's what you've got to do. Period." -- Lou Piniella
Wasn't he hitting in the bottom of the order...
for much of the year?
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
Mostly because
he wasn’t getting on base.
by Josh Timmers on Sep 30, 2011 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
This
The Red Sox have no problem with letting their guys try to steal bases, but they have to get on base to do it. Jacoby Ellsbury stole 39 bases (with 15 caught stealings), and Dustin Pedroia stole 26. As a team, the Red Sox stole 21 more bases than the Ozzie-ballin’ White Sox did.
by Jody Jody Davis on Oct 3, 2011 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
Interesting - on net, this deal would be acquiriing Crawford for 6 years and $48M
Z and Soriano are owed something like $72M, and the Cubs will get no value from Z and very little value from Soriano as he continues to slow in the field.
But the Red Sox would probably want $ back to balance out the 2012 cost. That would complicate the deal.
And NO to Lackey to make it a 2-for-2 deal!
Haven't thought this through all the way
but how ridiculous is Soriano and Marshall to the Yanks for AJ Burnett & Rafael Soriano?
The money is similar and Burnett’s been OK but the fans hate him and Cashman never liked the Soriano signing.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 29, 2011 5:50 PM CDT reply actions
Pretty ridiculous
Burnett HASN’T been ok, he might not even make the post season roster.
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are you saying that's bad for us?
Because I would do that in a heartbeat. Burnett throws 200IP every year. If I could get that and move Sori without eating any salary? Done.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 29, 2011 10:05 PM CDT up reply actions
Burnett.....
….is signed for two more years at $16.5M per year, and his ERA has been well over 5 the last two years. No way I want him on the Cubs. Moreover the Cubs aren’t moving Soriano without eating money.
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He's overpaid, sure
But we also have a couple of overpaid guys I wouldn’t mind moving in exchange. It’s possible that ERA over 5.00 comes down to the mid or high 4’s in the NL. Along with close to 200 IP, that’s pretty good work for a #4, #5 starter. And if it means saving money elsewhere or overall, I’m for it.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 30, 2011 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions
That really sounds like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic
And won’t accomplish anything to make a real improvement in the Cubs. I’d rather see the team eat a lot of money on a straight salary dump.
When the toilet bowl is full, flush. Don’t exchange it for someone else’s full toilet bowl.
I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny Lofton's name come up
…only because there were a couple of people who kept mentioning his name as a must-sign free agent every off-season for several years, all of which were well after his prime. I’m sure there’s an armchair GM out there somewhere who still thinks he should be given a chance.
---
http://www.japanball.com/stats.phtml
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Cubs win....what a lucky break!!" ---Harry
on that note....
Yu Darvish?
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
I'd love to have Darvish.
But the posting fee alone is likely to be outrageous.
Prediction: he goes to the Rangers. They have a lot of $ now from their new TV deal.
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Not completely true
There have been many disappointments, but often that was because the players were older and had a lot of mileage. Some notable exceptions:
- Hideo Nomo was fantastic for several seasons, and won > 120 games in MLB.
- Kaz Sasaki was an elite closer for 3 years after coming over at age 32.
- Even Dice-K was a very effective pitcher his second season here (18-3, 2.90 ERA) at age 27, after being above average in his first season. I agree he wasn’t worth the money the Red Sox paid and hasn’t held up over the longer run, but it’d be more accurate to say the performance survived the trip across the pacific, but ultimately got worn out by the accumulated innings.
So I think it’s really a question of cost and years – Darvish will still be 25 when he gets here, slightly younger than Nomo and Dice-K were when they came over. If their history is any guide, you’d expect him to be effective for at least 2-3 seasons, and after that it’s anyone’s guess. If there’s a contract + posting fee combo that makes it worthwhile, it shouldn’t be ruled out.
by Orval Overall on Sep 30, 2011 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions
They cost too much money to bring over
but if they are FA’s I dont mind looking at them
by lshaffer_69 on Sep 30, 2011 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions
Blue Jays
are going to go nuts on his posting offer. I’m picking the Blue Jays.
by Josh Timmers on Sep 30, 2011 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions
Grady Sizemore.
Team option of $8.5M for 2012 after three straight sub-par, injury shortened seasons. Is he a lock to return to Cleveland?
"You've got to get your damn shirts rolled up and go out and kick somebody's ass. That's what you've got to do. Period." -- Lou Piniella
I was wondering what the thoughts of Mark Reynolds
This could be a good option my only worry is his AVG. he has good power number for a guy that has been in some of the toughest pitching division. AL East and NL west. I don’t want Ramirez but this guy could fit for a few years. Alo the cubs do not have a lot of trade bait but the O’s do not have a chance in the east. They just need to wait for MLB to realign
Other than the fact that Reynolds can't field at any position and posts more Ks than Nolan Ryan?
Just what the Cubs need!
Bill SImmons wrote during Wednesday's game...
(paraphrased) “Reynolds is a true double threat. He sucks by all the old-school baseball stats but also is horrible by the new statistics as well.”
D98 mistaken, a hyperbole as in a funny or revisionism as in trying to make a new fact to confirm a prejudice
as a caretaker 3B for one year, maybe
but that’s it. Reynolds is not the answer to any long term need of the Cubs.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Oct 1, 2011 8:00 AM CDT up reply actions
Don't sign anyone new, get rid of bad contracst, ride out 2012
This is all I am hoping for from this offseason. If the Cubs opening day roster for 2012 includes Pena and Ramirez but does not include Zambrano and Soriano, I will be so excited about this team because it means that 2012 is basically year 0 or at least year -1.
Me for GM...
To Boston:
Alfonso Soriano (from Cubs)
The pitcher formerly known as Leo Nunez (from Marlins)
To Florida:
Carlos Zambrano (from Cubs)
Daniel Bard (from Red Sox)
To Cubs
Logan Morrison (from Marlins)
Carl Crawford (from Red Sox)
I know there is no actual chance of GMtobeNamedLater of actually pulling this off, but I like it. (In my dream world, Colvin figures things out and plays 1b and Byrd is in CF until Jackson is ready.)
I think I speak for everyone here when I say, "Wait, what the hell are you talking about?"
Well, I like it from the Cubs' perspective.
But why would the sabermetrically-inclined Boston Red Sox give up on the 30-year-old Carl Crawford (as bad as he was this year) and replace him with the 35-year-old Alfonso Soriano?
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
theoretically, at least
because they would lose 3 years of $18 million dollar salaries. I don’t know. I could see Boston doing that, but the Marlins are getting robbed. They’ll have no shortage of offers for Morrison this winter. They may take Z from us, the likely not without serious $ changing hands.
And I’m not sure I want the 2015-2017 years of that Crawford contract. Likely in 3 years we’d be right back to where we are now with Soriano.
The sun is up. They sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you. Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play? ~Lennon & McCartney
by SouthWabashSoul on Sep 30, 2011 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Francona fired in Boston
If we didn’t have a good reason to fire Quade before, we should now.
Chicago Cubs - Arizona Cardinals 168 combined years and no rings
I guess I'm a masochist
Buy Low Candidates
These players have seen a dip in their value in the past few seasons, perhaps the new GM would be willing to roll the dice and acquire a player who has been a disappointment in recent years for one reason or another.
Francisco Lirano: He has never really returned to his pre-TJ form, but has shown flashes of his former dominance, as evidenced by his no hitter this year. The Twins are picking 2nd overall this year, and Liriano is going to be getting more expensive via his last arbitration season, maybe he doesn’t fit into a rebuilding year?
Travis Snider: The former top prospect has continued to mash in AAA, but has lacked in the majors. Maybe the Blue Jays could be convinced to move him for an improvement at another position, since he obviously won’t be displacing Jose Bautista.
Grady Sizemore: I think he is probably done, injuries have taken a big part of his game away, but he could provide good insurance for a slow start by Brett Jackson. The Indians hold an $8.5M option, perhaps a trade could be arranged in which they exercise his option and trade him to the Cubs.
Ricky Nolasco: There have been rumors about the Marlins front office being unhappy with him, he would definitely be a pitching upgrade for the Cubs.
Andre Either: He was discusssed above, I think he is only a realistic option if the Dodgers continue to be in ownership limbo and are forced to shed salary. I think its far more likely the Dodgers move Either, a corner outfielder with knee issues than Kemp, an MVP centerfielder.
Lastly, these are the longest of longshots: cornerstone players signed to big contracts with injury issues: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Hanley Ramirez. Normally these guys would be untouchable as superstars, but given their recent injury troubles and hefty contracts (Mauer has a monster contract, and Morneau and Ramirez aren’t cheap) perhaps their teams would move them to try and avoid a future albatross.
Its pretty unlikely that the Twins and Marlins would move the face of the franchise having just opened new stadiums, but nothing is set in stone.
The Twins won't move local hero Mauer.
If he bounces back, he’s worth the contract. If he doesn’t, why would the Cubs want it?
I wouldn’t touch Morneau — concussions are tricky, and he might be done.
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Agreed that they are very unlikely to be moved...
but from reading the Twins message boards it sounds like people are pretty unhappy with Mauer right now, but that might just be vitriolic message board types too.
Who is the bigger risk, Morneau on a two year, $30M deal, or Pujols/Fielder on a 6-8 year deal? Who knows what the Twins would want back for Morneau. Concussions are very tricky, no matter the sport, look at Sidney Crosby and so many NFL players who were never the same after a head injury. I still think he might be worth a look, considering the production he brings when he is healthy.
I like the idea of buying low on Liriano
I’m less optimistic about Snyder than I was before the year, but he wouldn’t be a bad lottery ticket to buy either.
As for Ethier, only if we can play him at 1B. He’s not a good outfielder.
Good stuff.
Liriano and Nolasco would be good gets. The Travis Snider idea is interesting, too.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
i'm all in for david wright..
i think he would be an excellant replacement for ramirez and i think he would fit in with the cubs as well . how cheap he would come would be another question . other players i would like the cubs to pursue would be eithier , edwin jackson , and mark buehrle . a starting rotation of garza , buehrle , jackson , dempster , and coleman would be a major upgrade . of course the cubs would have to use wells in a trade .
My obsession might be a bit of a stretch.
But if Billy Beane wants to stay in Oakland and if they get the San Jose deal done, he said he might totally rebuild the team. Gio Gonzalez in up for his first arbitration year and due for a healthy raise. Maybe Beane will figure that Gonzalez’s trade value may never be higher and deals him…somewhat unlikely I guess since he held onto Mulder-Hudson-Zito until later in ther careers. Still, Gio would be moving from the AL to NL and I would guess be making 6 million at tops next year, giving the Cubs a LH top-of-the-rotation starter that leaves money to spend elsewhere.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Oct 1, 2011 9:13 PM CDT reply actions
if they get the San Jose deal done
A big if, and it’s probably at least three years away, and that would be if they approved it today.
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why would it take three years if the deal was done today?
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Oct 2, 2011 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions
Could take that long ...
… for land acquisition and design and construction of a stadium.
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Land is already acquired
construction would take a year. Three years is way overstated.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Oct 3, 2011 7:56 AM CDT up reply actions
It would be a minimum two year project.
Even if the land is acquired and building goes perfectly, absolute best case is this being completed for the start of the 2013 season, 2014 is more likely because of all of the hoops they’ll have to jump through for the city and major league baseball.
Ryne Sandberg
We left the most obvious and immediate guy off the list. I mean I guess his playing days are behind him, but you can’t go 2 posts without his name coming up on BCB.
Ugh.
His OPS has declined four straight years. I think I’d take Jeff Baker over him.
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for good reason
the hitting starved A’s let him go … nuff said.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Oct 5, 2011 7:41 AM CDT up reply actions
I was interested in him...
…as a 3B backup a couple of years ago when Aramis went down. Fangraphs must love his defense because, up until this past season, he posted some good WAR numbers despite a pretty tepid bat. I think I agree with Al: There probably wouldn’t be much difference between him and Jeff Baker.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
I wouldn't mind taking a shot at Edwin Encarnacion.
feet firmly nailed to the floor of the Tyler Colvin bandwagon...
Why hasn't spring training started? Why hasn't spring training started? Why hasn't spring training started? Why hasn't spring training started? Why hasn't spring training started? Why hasn't spring training started? Why hasn't spring training started?
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
Sigh.
As soon as I find out when the first ST game is, I’ll post a second countdown clock.
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LOL - I was just obsessing a little...
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
Would the Yankees make a trade for Garza?
Do you think the Yankees would make a trade of Garza & Marmol for Phil Hughes and Jesus Montero? The Yankees would basically be acquiring a proven AL East starter and a useful, sometimes dominant reliever, while the Cubs would acquire a cheap 1B and a starter that would benefit from a move to the NL Central, with more cost controlled years. This would free up money for the Cubs to acquire more pitching, and would give the Yankees a better 2nd starter than AJ Burnett.
You know, that's actually a somewhat logical deal for both teams.
I’d consider that, presuming Hughes is 100% healthy.
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Definitely an interesting idea.
I’d be very, very excited to have Montero as our first baseman for years to come. Of course, we’d also be weakening our already pretty unstable rotation quite a bit. And I’m not sure what “more pitching” the Cubs could acquire aside from C.J. Wilson, who may not be worth the amount of salary he’s going to command. I also wonder whether we should look into getting the Yankees to take Zambrano (covering half of his salary or so) rather than Marmol. Still, I like the idea for discussion’s sake.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
Pitching
I was thinking along the lines of Ryan Dempster, Edwin Jackson, Roy Oswalt, Joel Pineiro types. They wouldn’t be elite pitchers, but they wouldn’t command more than a 2 or 3 year deal, and would eat innings.
There’s also the chance to use the payroll to allow the Cubs to acquire a Ricky Nolasco/Francisco Liriano type too.
by neifiisgreat on Oct 11, 2011 5:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, I'd like the Cubs to look into Edwin Jackson.
I know he’s bounced around a lot, but he’d probably be a good way to stabilize the middle of the rotation.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
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