If the Cubs for some reason did do this move it would be pretty much a salary dump. It would probably also mean we won't go after Kazuo Matsui, because the Cubs don't need two back up middle infielders.

I wouldn't mind keeping Jones for center, but when you think about it the Cubs have four young guys who are options in center. You would think out of Pie, Pagan, Fuld and Patterson one of these guys will be able to hit decent enough to give us decent production in center.

I don't like Jones for Infante, but if their doing it to save money to bring in a Fukudome or another starting pitcher, I'm all for the move.

Who on the free agent shortstop market, is a better bet then Matsui?

Any trade for a better shortstop then these guys is going to cost top notch minor league talent.

People need to stop overreacting to these "rumors". If you guys want a good laugh go to Northsidebaseball.com message board. If those guys hear a "rumor" that doesn't sound good they bash Jim Hendry like the move already happen. They get all worked up about it and complain how horrible it is and other junk. I can't believe some of those posters(on NSBB), they act like they know it all, and most of them are clueless. The overreaction on that board is just insane.

Were going to hear alot of rumors this time of the year, and half of them are not true. So please don't think these rumors are all going to come true.

David Eckstein will make more money then Matsui, and isn't really better then Matsui.

If I had to choose between the two, I would take Matsui because there is much more upside with Matsui. Eckstein is probably going to get worse on what he did the last few years, while Matsui could get better if he's healthy. Not to mention Matsui is ALOT more talented then Eckstein.

Infante wouldn't be starting over Theriot, he would be playing off the bench, and giving Theriot rest here and there to keep him fresh.

If we are to believe Piniella, he wants OBP guys added in the future. Infante and Matsui are neither.

Matsui was a shortshop his whole career until a few years ago, and did have better numbers then Theriot last year.

I agree though these are just rumors, and Cubs fans need to stop acting like these moves already happen.

But I think we could use the money to upgrade in right or the upgrade the pitching. I say go into camp with a four man battle for the starting centerfield with Pie, Pagan, Patterson and Fuld. Pie, Patterson and Fuld all hit pretty well in the minors, and you would think one of them would be able to figure it out in the majors.

Pie/Patterson have a ton of potential, and even though many don't think highly of Fuld, he still has a chance to become a solid regular. Who knows Fuld could possibly be this years version of Ryan Theriot. You know the guy nobody expects much from besides a bench player and he hits his way into the line-up(and has solid numbers the first five months of the season). But even if all four of these guys struggle, we could still be ok.

My reason is if say we sign Fukudome, he could play right and center, so if we aren't getting any production from center, we can shift Fukudome to center, and start Murton in right.

It will be interesting to see if they try to hold off on this deal until Fukudome is signed, because if they don't, it could really drive up fukudome's price.

a valuable trade chip, which we crap all over and end up with a no-hit, average glove, MI

and now we likely have to cut Cedeno, who could actually have a decent ceiling as an average major league SS.... and makes less money

man this is frustrating

last year the Jones deal with FLA was atleast rumored to include a decent prospect in return

If Hendry signs Fukodome, and gets something of decent value for Cedeno, then this isn't a horrible trade.

But, at this point, the Cubs are worse off, and that makes me nervous, though there is still plenty of time obviously.

Now this move opens a spot for Fukudome, and gives us around 4m to use towards getting him. Fukudome also can play centerfield. So the Cubs could plan on Fukudome in right, and Pie in center. But If Pie struggles, the Cubs could always move Fukudome to center, and use Murton in right.

So if the Cubs get Fukudome it could be like this

Soriano
DeRosa
Lee
Fukudome
Ramirez
Soto
Pie/Murton
Theriot/Infante

I would consider it only if they moved Soriano down in the line-up. I believe Fukudome is more of a run producer then DeRosa would be batting 5th. Fukudome OBP probably will be around 400 in the majors, but DeRosa is in the 370s so we won't lose much with DeRosa batting second.

So overall it's more important for the team if Fukudome was batting in the middle of the order.

The Cubs will bring him in as a run producer, especially when Soriano is the leadoff hitter. DeRosa had a 371 OBP last year, Ramirez had a 366 OBP, Lee had a 400 OBP and Soriano had a 337 OBP. Name me many teams that had their top four hitters, with much better OBP then the Cubs? Believe it or not, not many teams did. So the top four hitters OBP wise is fine the way it is, we just need to get a better line-up as a whole.(having Fukudome/Soto 5th and 6th will do that)

The Cubs won't bat a second baseman with limited power 5th(didn't even bat 5th last year), or a rookie catcher 5th. I'm sorry if some fans disagree but there's no way Soriano/Fukudome bat at the top of the order and they have DeRosa/Soto batting 5th. So the only way Fukudome bats in first or second is if Soriano gets moved down in the order.

Fukudome either bats 1st(with Soriano moving down to 5th), or in the middle of the order. There's just no way he bats second.