Cubs Rumors: Hendry, Payroll, Ibanez, Roberts

Well, whenever new ownership takes over, good luck, because that team will be a complete mess. This is what you get when you try to buy a championship and fail.

2008 was their shot, and from here their window closes quickly.

Isn't Brian Giles a 10/5 player now? So he can veto any trade.

who thinks it might be time to send D Lee out?? Cubs need to get a speedy SS (Furcal). Put the riot at 2B. Put Mark Derosa in RF or LF. Soriano in CF (also hits lower in the lineup), and then sign a corner outfielder (Abreu, Pat Burell (SP),Giles, or even Dunn. Leave pitching alone. What yall think?

Crisp makes no sense in my opinion at all.

Lee isn't your problem...and by the way, hit something like .545 in the LDS. Moving Soriano down in the order has to be priority #1. Maybe hit Sori 3 and Lee 5, depending on what they do about a left handed bat.

The problem is, I think this will all get magnified because of 3 games.

The Cubs are still a solid team. And for those who think they are only buying a world series title, realize that they still have some key players who were developed by their minor league system (Soto, Theriot, Marmol... Zambrano and Wood were developed by the Cubs but are now established, well payed veterans). They aren't simply a free agent team at all.

As an organization, I have no doubt they make enough money to move their payroll up into Red Sox or Yankees area. There is no excuse for them not to do it. They do have a window of oppurtunity that is about 3 or 4 years wide and they need to do what they can to bring this city and their fans a world title.

I like the idea of Milton Bradley, though I worry about his injury history and his desire for a long term contract. I like Bobby Abreu and Rafael Furcal would be fine but I wonder what that means for Ryan Theriot. Adding Furcal and Abreu would also allow them to stick Fukudome in center field and into the low pressure 8th spot in the lineup. Theriot could be flipped to a team needing a shortstop (Detroit?) for middle releif help (Fernando Rodney?).

Here is the lineup if they make those moves:

1-Furcal
2-Lee
3-Abreu
4-Ramirez
5-Soriano
6-Soto
7-Derosa
8-Fukudome/Johnson

I like it. Even better than this team's lineup. Lee in the two hole is just a suggestion, there are several ways they can go.

Go Cubs! Let's win in 09!

I would rather win a World Series than just a division title and then get swept in 3 games AGAIN. Maybe some Cubs fans are oaky with just winning the division but i want a WS title. We are overacting? WE GOT EMBARSSED! WE SUCKED! and i know i am talking about a lot of cubs fan!

"Maybe hit Sori 3 and Lee 5, depending on what they do about a left handed bat."

They definitely need a lefty big bat, but if Lee stays he should be batting in the top three. The guy has the most hits on the Cubs (and it would be nice if he could hit homers again). Somebody like that needs to be given as many AB's as possible. The Cubs just need to put him in a place where his penchant for the DP can be avoided and his hits can at least be rewarded w/one or zero out sacrifices.

Here is what I would love to see the Cubs do!

Trade Derek Lee, Ryan Theriot, Sean Marshall, and Jason Marquis to the Padres for Khalil Greene and Jake Peavy.

We would than sign Mark Texeria to play first.

We could look at Abreu if not play Hoffpauir in RF.

Our Lineup:
Soriano (RF)
Greene (SS)
Texeria (1b)
A-Ram (3B)
Hoffpauir (RF)
Soto (Catcher)
DeRosa (2b)
Johnson / Pie (CF)

Our pitchers: Peavy, Zambrano, Lily, Dempster (Re-sign), Harden (Exercise option)

We would finally have the left handed power hitter that Pinella so desperately wants.

I think going after either Rafael Furcal or, dare I say it, Brian Roberts, would be the ideal solution for the Cubs. This is a team that desperately needs an elite spark plug at the top of their lineup, because they have the power and patience to produce huge numbers.

If they could sign Furcal, platoon Theriot and Fontenot at second, move DeRosa to right and move Fukudome to part time in center.

The other option would be to go back to the Orioles and see if they can get a deal done this time around. Would the Orioles bite if the Cubs offered Jose Ceda, Ronny Cedeno, Tony Thomas and Kevin Hart? Obviously the Orioles need some middle infielders, so that would be priority number one, as well as quality power prospects and pitching. The Cubs could definitely get a deal done if they want to enough.

"Put Manny in LF, move Sori to RF, (bad defensive moves acknowledged), platoon Johnson and K-Suk in CF. Keep DeRosa at 2nd, sign Furcal for SS, move Theriot to the bench...he takes the spot of Cedeno who is sent down or out and is never heard from again..."

If the Cubs manage to sign Manny, then there is no way in hell they'd have enough to sign Raffy Furcal too. But then again if they signed Manny, who would even care who's batting leadoff?

RF- Soriano
SS- Theriot
LF- M. Ramirez
3B- A. Ramirez
1B- Lee
C - Soto
2B- DeRosa
CF- Fukudome/Johnson

Not sure if the Cubs would be better off adding Manny and keeping Soriano in the leadoff, or moving Soriano down (maximizing his value) and leading off Roberts. And then there is the whole thing about how Soriano hits better when leading off.

This is going to be a very interesting offseason in Chicago, when you consider that this team has such a solid core, and yet there are still questions about whether or not this is the right core to win it all. Obviously they won't overhaul, but if I were them I would at the very least look into moving guys like Lee, Soriano and Zambrano. And this is coming from a Cubs fan. I just have my doubts.

"Trade Derek Lee, Ryan Theriot, Sean Marshall, and Jason Marquis to the Padres for Khalil Greene and Jake Peavy."

See this is what makes me sad about fellow Cubs fans. I mean like, this are the type of homer-centric deals that will just simply never, ever happen, and I don't see the logic of even bringing them up outside of how great they'd make your favorite team.

The Padres would want a freaking massive haul for Peavy, and it would definitely not include a bunch of expensive veteran players, when the only reason they would move Peavy is because he's expensive. If he gets moved it'll be for extremely talented, cost-controlled young players.

And I don't know why the Padres would want D-Lee, they already have a first baseman who is already a superior player in Adrian Gonzalez.

How about Geovany Soto, Felix Pie, Donald Veal and Jose Ceda for Peavy and Nick Hundley?

If DeRosa is able to handle a full year in right, then do it. That way you can focus on signing/trading for either of the middle infield spots. Whatever spot you get, move Theriot to the other one. With that said, I still wouldn't mind seeing Fontenot get a crack at a full time spot at second.

Fukodome needs time to rebuild his confidence. A platoon with Johnson in center is a great idea, and would allow him ample time to do so. 400 OBP players are not abundant, so since the money is already spent, they ought to put in some effort to hopefully get him back to that kind of player.

D Lee is obviously starting to slip. The power is gone, and the defense just isn't what is once was.

I guess my offensive prognosis would be to go all in after Furcal, throw DeRosa in right, let the bayou boys battle it out at second, Fukodome/Johnson platoon in center, and leave the rest as is.

As long as Dempster is resigned, no changes needed with the rotation, as they are flush with in house options. I just wouldn't give him more than 12-14/year.

The only real need for the bullpen is a lefty. Resigning Wood would be nice, but it's very hard to tell what he would command on the open market.

Problem is, after all that, this team will still lack power, and that key cluth player. That and there are some huge ugly contracts already on this team. Money will be an issue.

"Everyone is overeacting because of how we played in 3 games in October. We were the best team in the NL for 162 games, and most of the team is returning. Not a whole lot of tweaking is really needed."

You need to start watching the games a little more critically, for the cracks in the Cubs foundation were there to be seen the whole season (and I never thought they would win the WS this year--I was just hoping they'd finally get a pennant). The Cubs, as they are now, are a feast of famine team, whose "feasts" usually coincide w/the other team's lack of pitching, and whose famines come from facing good pitching. The Cubs need some batters and stars who have the ability to face a great pitcher and up their game instead of choking. The Cubs need some guys who can hit OVER .300. The Cubs need a MVP caliber stud (and Hendry should've looked at Soriano's post-season numbers before thinking he could fulfill this roll). Until the Cubs can get some guys who can thrive in the face of adverse pitching instead of wilting, it will always be "wait till next year".

What the Cubs also need to do is build a better middle-relief part of the bullpen. GET RID OF HOWRY, FOR GOD'S SAKES (and how Pinella continues to go to him--and how he put him on the playoff roster--completely blows my mind). How about getting rid of Ward as well? Daryl Ward is a waste of space. Either he pops up the first two pitches, or he fouls off the first ten and then goes down swinging--and afterwards all the announcers says what a great, focused batter and pinch-hitter he is! Why the hell would Pinella put this chump on the Playoff roster and not Hoffpauir???

Oh, and I think you have to include Soto and Marmol in any deal for Peavy, which is why there is no point. But, since I'm bored, I'll throw out what I think they might look at for 4 years of Peavy for below market value:

Soto, Marmol, Vitters, Pie.

Thats why I don't want anything to do with it.

What the hell would the Padres do with D. Lee? We have a 1st base man, and a good left handed hitting one. Plus we have Blanks and Dykstra in minors not that far away. 1st base is that last place SD needs to improve.

Airman, please ignore the Dlee trade that was thrown out. Its embarassing...

Lee is a stud. I would sign him in a heartbeat.

Soto is honestly the only guy in the entire Cubs organization I would deem as completely untouchable. Marmol is very close to untouchable, however, if you can get a good everyday position player in return for him and another player, it MIGHT be worth it.

"cubs need to listen to all offers and take the no tag off of everybody. Lee has to go, he isnt the old Lee."

The prob is that Hendry, in his infinite wisdom, gave Lee, Ramirez, Soriano, and Fukudome all No Trade Clauses, so the Cubs can't take the "no tags" off everybody. If the Cubs can't trade Lee, they should find a way to work w/him on his power. He's not THAT old, and he's a pretty big dude. Why can't he hit homers anymore? Has he just shortened up his swing too much to compensate for diminished reflexes or has he taken the elevation out of it? It would be nice to see the Lee of old again.

As Tim noted elsewhere, and I agree with him, these NTC's usually aren't as big a deal as they are made out to be. You tell a guy there's trade interest in him from both sides, more often than not he'll be somewhat agreeable. It seems like Giles was the exception, not the rule.
That said, I think it's a little bit knee-jerk to start saying trade these guys. I think they lack the crap-your-pants-if-you're-the-opposing-team middle of the order bat, and were also very fortunate in their schedule. By that I mean they faced Oswalt once I think, they only faced Johan after they clinched, never faced Webb, Hamels maybe once. Granted, they beat C.C. twice, but Peavy's injury came against the Cubs and they never beat Lincecum. What does that mean? They are an above-average near elite team that doesn't have an intimidator in the 3-hole that beat up on weaker pitching, as they should have. I also don't think that player is available outside Manny, and he doesn't fit with the Cubs (no, no Soriano in RF.) Moving Soriano out of leadoff is priority one. You get a real leadoff hitter, one not so streaky, and I say Bobby Abreu to bat third, you are a better team for it. Here's my team:

Furcal/Roberts
Lee
Abreu
Ramirez
Soriano
Soto
Derosa
Johnson/Fukudome

Abreu still isn't scary enough for me, but he's better than the in-house options, and maybe you switch derosa with lee in the order.

another thought, something i don't really want to happen, but does anyone see the cubs pursuing Orlando Cabrera? He seems to have done an adequate job at leadoff for the white sox, and his glove is still there. Thoughts?

Hendry likes Cabrera. I don't see that one happening though. They need their dollars and upgrades spent elsewhere.

"2008 was their shot, and from here their window closes quickly"

No. and yes.

2004 was their shot.
and i remain convinced they blew it by being too cheap/scared to sign miguel tejada.

and i remain convinced that regret later manifests itself in overcompensation where a team overpays for mid-level guys (Lilly), overpays for pipedreams (Marquis) and overpays for a flawed superstar (Soriano).

It's obvious what the cubs need to do sign a big left hand bat, but what i don't understand is all the theriot haters. he's been our best hitter all year why would you want to get rid of him? I think Theriot can play 2b just as well as SS if we sign Furcal or Roberts move Theriot over to second.

I think the Cubs should sign Orlando Hudson. He is a switch hitter with some power so he would fufill the lefthanded bat they are looking for.

He is a gold glove second baseman and also has the leadership qualities it seems they are lacking. While the Cubs have leaders, Hudson has a different personality the most of the Cubs and I think he would be a positive in the playoffs to keep everyone loose.

Just for the record the Cubs have the pieces for a Roberts trade, but most of the names that were linked to him last year have regressed a bit. Tony Thomas struck out a quarter of his ABs at what should be an easy level for him age-wise and college experience-wise. Ceda would be an attractive piece. The Os are collecting arms to a deep pitching system and Ceda might end up being ranked their #10 pitching prospect. If 2007 it was up for debate, Cedeno has only re-affirmed that he is a part-time player. I still think he is a solid player and might bloom if given a F/T chance. Though to trade for him, you're betting on it. Colvin had a solid year with good months that flashed his promise but if the Os have one position locked up and crowded, it's OF. CF and RF are called for and right now I don't see Colvin upending Reimold in LF. If the Cubs have strong INF prospects esp. at S, 3B, 2B that might interest the Os. The Os have shown a proclivity tho of seeing the 2B position as one that's easy to replace unless it's a special player like Roberts. SS is a position that Baltimore always covets.

This years lineup was fine for winning the Division but there is alot of work to be done. The lack of left handed bats is apparent, especially if Edmonds leaves. I like the rotation and the back end. If Samardzija and Marshall improve the bullpen should still be decent. We need a real leadoff guy. I never have bought into Soriano as a leadoff guy. Alot of wasted homers if you ask me. I would go after a Roberts or Furcal type guy up the middle. I think Hoffpauir and Derosa platoon in RF. Fukudome and Johnson in CF,Soriano in LF. Ramirez at 3B, Theriot at 2B or SS. Cut D-Lee loose and try to get Teixeira with Soto catching.

1 Roberts/Furcal
2 Theriot
3 Teixeira
4 Ramirez
5 Soriano
6 Derosa/ Hoffpauir
7 Soto
8 Fukudome/Johnson

First of all why is everyone giving up on D-Lee??? He is our 1st baseman the next few years.

Second I agree with signing a Power hitting Right Fielder. I like the idea of Manny Ramirez. I hear he can be a good clubhouse guy when he wants to be.

Third, I would love to go after CC, if we could convince him to come here (which is not very likely). I think Samardzija needs one more year in the Bullpen.

Lineup:
Soriano
Lee
A. Ramirez
M. Ramirez
Derosa
Soto
Theriot
Johnson/Fukudome

Rotation
Zambrano
CC
Dempster
Lilly
Harden

What do you think?

"soriano, lee and ramirez for A-Rod!!!"

Yeah. Because A-Rod is just CLUTCH in the playoffs. Stop it with these stupid assinine trade proposals that are either A) just a bad idea, B)would never happen in a million years or C) both. You make real Cubs fans look like idiots. Thanks.

"Yeah. Because A-Rod is just CLUTCH in the playoffs. Stop it with these stupid assinine trade proposals that are either A) just a bad idea, B)would never happen in a million years or C) both. You make real Cubs fans look like idiots. Thanks."

Here, here!

The rotation is fine.
What they need to do is get Brian Roberts for the leadoff spot who is a great switch hitter. Move Derosa to right and platoon Johnson and Pie in centerfield.

Roberts
Theriot
Lee
Ramirez
Soriano
Soto
Derosa
Johnson/Pie
Pitcher

i'm thinking they probably bring in someone from the outside to play right that can at least handle the position, i.e. abreu. he's by no means great defensively, but he has played it regularly and that's better than the other options. i agree that there's no way manny ends up here. he'd make that lineup pretty frightening, but him asking for 5 years is downright ludicrous, and i cringe thinking of him playing right at wrigley. all those day games doesn't seem manny's style, either, does it?
i'd like to know what kind of interest there'd be in marquis? he actually had a good second half, but his salary goes up to i believe 9 million next season. do teams think he may have figured out how to have an effective full season, or do they see it as a flash in the pan? i'm guessing the latter.

Horrible deal for the cubs.

Lose their ace.

Where would you play Magglio?

I would like to see Granderson but it will never happen

Its just a thought.

I do believe Z has a no trade clause, if I am not mistaken

I'd like to see the Cubs give Pie the same opportunity as Fukodome had.He can't do any worse.If I'm not mistaken we were one of the top scoring teams in the majors in spite of Kosuke.Send him to triple a for some seasoning.Get a leadoff man (preferably an infielder) in the meantime(I'll leave it to all the trade experts here as to who),bat Pie 8th and let him get some abs.Play him in right or center.At least we'll finally get an answer about him.Derosa is not an outfielder(remember Keith Moreland in right).I love Derosas bat but where do you play him besides 2nd? So someone will have to go.

Zambrano does have a full no trade claus, so those rumors are just talk. Certain names are not able to be moved. Guys like DeRosa and Lee can be rumors as they don't have full no trade clauses. I don't believe Soriano has a full no trade claus, either. I'm not sure on that one. Ofcourse, with his contract, he almost does have one. I think he has a list of non traded teams as do some others.

100, I saw the same thing. I thought Lee had a partical no trade. I do think they might entertain trading him. I am not totally opposed, either. I am not against Lee or anything (his GIDP was way too many) but I can see the point. He is 33 and do you trade him now or wait until it is too late. That is a tough question and I am on the fence here.

"I still say with one acquisition of a good leadoff hitter, the Cubs are a world series contender. I think they are probably a world series contender as is though, also. They are not the powerhouse that they were this year, meaning I don't see them dominating the NL like they did in 2008, or like the Mets did in 2006. I still see them as a really good team and still the best team in the Central, with the losses Milwaukee is expected to face."

You're right in this. The prob w/the Cubs, though, is...well, the prob is that THEY'RE THE CUBS!!! If Murphy's Law applies to any group of ppl on the planet, it applies to the Cubs. Of all the games for Dempster to walk 7 guys in 4.5 innings, it just has to happen in the playoffs. Of all the games for the Cubs to have 4 costly errors, that game has to happen in the playoffs. Of all the games for the ball to go through the first baseman's legs (1984), that game has to be in the playoffs. Of all the games for a team w/the second most runs scored in the majors (a team where pitchers bat and not a DH!) to freeze up, those games have to happen in the playoffs. Yada, yada, yada.... Simply put, if the Cubs really want to win in the playoffs, they can't just have the adequate ingredients necessary for victory that would be just fine for all other teams. They need a surplus. If the Cubs want to win the WS, they need OVERKILL. Of course there is no logical reason for this, yet that's the way it is. If the Cubs want to go to the playoffs in the next couple of years and actually succeed instead of choking, the new ownership is going to have cough up majors dollars for even better pitching and MVP caliber hitting. Anything less than this, unfortunately, ain't gonna do the trick. I hope I'm wrong in this, and hope that maybe the Cubs could go all the way w/just a little tweaking, but life as a Cubs fan (and seeing them perform their WORST playoff choke in modern times just a few days ago) tells me different. Maybe after the Cubs win one WS, they could start winning like "normal" teams. Until then, though, the Cubs are going to need all the power, pitching, and fielding they can get in order to compensate for the inevitable playoff "screwjobs" they are bound to run into (and, indeed, create themselves).

GO FOR BROKE, CUBS (it's your ONLY chance)!!!

crash im not saying that that i wouldnt want a rod it is just extremely dumb bc the cubs would have to fill all of those positions and that would just make the cubs worse. Arod is a great player but he is a right handed bat and that is the last thing we need, and that is a way bigger stretch than just signing a guy. And i know that putting dunn in left will be a very bad d but i am willing to get a guy that can hit 40 hrs and drive in 100 people. So really shut up about bringing arod in bc it IS THE DUMBEST THING IVE EVER HEARD. any others agree?

Some of you just don't get it. Good righties are gonna eat us up if we continue to run the same lineup out there. Some of you must have missed the last 3 games!! A lefty orswitch leadoff and a lefty power hitter are a must to make this team complete. Someone will have to go and it seems to me that D Lee is the most logical choice.

we need to get the man who just killed us in the postseason, manny. And fukudome needs to get his ass out of the lineup.
We should get manny and thats about it, with some other minor tweaks

rF-fonz
1b- Lee
lf- Manny
3b- aram
2b- dero
c- soto
ss-theriot
cf- pie

same rotation as this year with maybe rich hill instead of marquis if he gets his act together. im as dissapointed as anyone else in this postseason and downright pissed that soriano didnt even care while we were getting swept, but theres not much a gm can do that determines how people play in the playoffs, i mean jesus christ derosa might be the worst choker on the team, he strikes out in crucial situations, botched a dp that cost us game 2, and hit into a double play that got us swept last year, but he had a career year so what are we gunna get rid of him, and im not against trading lee to free up some space for manny and jusst starting hoffpauir at first, we need a lefty and hoffpauir wont be that much worse than lee, we should focus on winning the division again next year, its like the playoffs, the cubs should have taken it one game at a time, but each batter swung for the fences as if they could change the series with that swing, winning a division is a hard ass feat in baseball, and even though we choke lke crazy in the playoffs id love to be back in october next year

I would go after Abreu for right field and let Fuky, Reed, and Pie fight over center

There is no chance that the cubs get Manny.

I would love to see Marshall in the 5th spot of the rotation and he has proved himself in the major leagues.