My answer to #1 is Rizzo.

More thoughts on the other 2.

2. Let’s face it 2012 at least isn’t going to be a barrel of monkeys. But if we come out at the end winning around 70 but some of the young players look good I’d rather do that than finish about 500 with aging veterans.

That’s why besides Fielder I was against signing any long term deals this offseason. Don’t commit to big money to win 80 in 2012.

I’d rather sit there at the last game saying “They won 70 but I really like this core of kids Theo/Jed has put together. I’m looking forward to next year.” Than “Wow we finished 500, all the good ones are over 30 and they spent 100 million to finish 4th”

3. I have confidence in Theo/Jed to put this together and it’s why I’m patient. But I also firmly believe especially once the big contracts are off the books, in a couple of years with a core they build of young players if they went to Ricketts and said “Tom we feel we’re a few players away. Our core is strong but we still need to go out and get some pieces. We have these guys in mind” Tom will open up the checkbook and put them over the top.

Also an offshoot of question 2.

Does anyone else feel that in 2012 it’s worth risking a few more losses for player development and some answers?

It would be nice to see some promise, hustle, desire and freakishly talented plays out of our young players and future. Give us something to get excited about.

Although it appears we won’t see Rizzo for a while, I think he may be the one to most look forward to.

To your last question I posted yesterday that after 3 years of posturing and sorting, we should be close to the spot where we only identify one or two weaknesses and go FA to fill them. Hopefully this will result in NL championships for a very long run.

And to puckish, development is going to be a must. I hope the fan base will give manager, coaches, front office all time to get this thing on the right track.

I still have this gut feeling that we will do good things in 2012.

Other teams have surprised baseball over the years. I try to minimize my cynicism as a Cubs fan, and I hope we can be a surprising team this year.

Some more pitching would help.

I like Rizzo. I think Castro can improve, however he has already had two years under his belt.
It will be tough with the ups and downs of 2012, but this is the course this team had to go.

1) Rizzo, but I hope several make every day player impacts.
2) If you are going to lose, lose young. How about the following in the lineup in September? (Jackson, Castro, Rizzo, Vitters, Barney, and Clevenger or Castillo)
3) When we are in position to win, they will do what is needed to win at that time, but not at the cost of the long term. While at the same time they will not trade the future for a one time shot.

1. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer.
2. I’d rather win 70 games with a young team than 71 games (2011 record) with an older team.
3. My confidence in Tom Ricketts has not wavered.

1) Rizzo (since Castro doesn’t count).

2) Yes, every time. But the win total is highly irrelevant.

3) Not sure. I’m excited to see what they do with the money, but I won’t really have a good grasp on what they’ll do until they really start doing it… and how much they’ll have to do it with.

Ok I’ll play.

1) The pitching prospects we get for Garza.
2) Not just you
3) Not just you, again.

1. Rizzo could be destined for greatness. Wood is a distant 2nd, Stewart a close 3rd.
2. I’m with you. I’d much rather watch development of promising youngsters. No question, this will be Theo/Jed’s team.
3. I’m with you. I thinks that’s been the strategy since day #1.

Just kidding

1. Rizzo
2. I like watching baseball.
3. I’m not sure I understand the question. There’s no way Theo and Jed are simply ruling out FA acquisitions permanently. They’ll build the best team they can using the tools they want to get, one way or another.

1 Rizzo, most likely
2 If the young players are good, it’ll be worth watching. If they are Felix Pie-like, then it’ll simply be depressing.
3 I can’t imagine that wouldn’t happen. If the young guys bust out, then they’ll need to spend a lot in free agency. In theory, at least, that’s something a small-market team can’t do. I hope we don’t have to find out.

What…is your name?
What…is your quest?
What…is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?