The Cubs currently project for the seventh overall pick in next year's draft. Once that is determined, things should get interesting on the North Side. The latest:
- The Reds will discuss the idea of signing third baseman Aramis Ramirez if he reaches free agency, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. I think signing Ramirez would really push the Reds' payroll to the limit, assuming they also pick up Brandon Phillips' club option. The Cubs must decide between Ramirez's $16MM club option and a $2MM buyout within five days of the end of the World Series, so the team's new GM may not yet be in place. After the Cubs decide, Ramirez has five days to make his choice on the option (declining would mean forfeiting the buyout). Ramirez wants to stay, but he recently told ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine he desires a two or three-year deal.
- One scenario raised during informal discussions (presumably ones including owner Tom Ricketts) has the Cubs hiring current Reds GM Walt Jocketty, which could then lead to the team snaring Tony La Russa to manage and Albert Pujols to play first base, writes Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Jocketty declined to comment, saying that he's happy in Cincinnati, but also lavished praise on the Cubs job and noted that the team extending farm director Oneri Fleita "shouldn't be" a hindrance. Wittenmyer says the Cubs are gathering information on Andrew Friedman, Billy Beane, Dan Evans, and Ned Colletti so far. Ricketts has yet to ask permission to speak to any GM under contract, writes Levine. In a chat conducted yesterday, Levine guessed Rick Hahn would be the next Cubs' GM.
- Also in that chat, Levine wrote that Ricketts has identified the Cubs' primary need to be two or three starting pitchers. The beat writer does not think the team will spend their money this offseason on position players. He predicts a payroll in the $120-130MM range.
- Numerous Japanese teams have been scouting and are prepared to make offers to Cubs first baseman Bryan LaHair, reports Levine. LaHair is intrigued but hopes to remain in the Majors. The 28-year-old snagged Pacific Coast League MVP honors by hitting .331/.405/.664 with 38 home runs in 523 plate appearances, and he's carried that success to the bigs in an eight-game stint. Former Cubs first baseman Micah Hoffpauir went the Japan route a year ago, but is hitting .245/.325/.429 for the Nippon Ham Fighters this year.
La Russa would drive Cub fans crazy with his quirks, but give him credit the man WINS.
More like WHINES
… going to have the most wins of any manager of all time that did not own the ball club he managed
The idea of the Reds showing interest in Ramirez is laughable.
Agreed. The Reds have Rolen back next year. Francisco has been mashing since getting healthy, and they also have Frazier and Alonso in the mix. He’s not even close to a fit.
Didn’t Rolen turn back into a collapsed old man again this year, though?
Why would the Reds want Aramis Ramirez? Aren’t they already covered at the corners?
Well c’mon… they could always use an upgrade from that Votto guy.
Cubs aren’t going to spend any money. Owner is way over is head.
You guys heard it from Tom Ricketts yourself ^ haha
Were you under a rock for draft/signing process?
Geeze I don’t understand the Reds. Please NO on Ramirez
Somewhere Ramirez is reading this saying Hell NO Im not going to the REDS.
Don’t believe everything you read
At this point I wouldn’t mind Jocketty leaving the Reds. He is another baseball guy that is obsessed with Vets.
I agree. I like some of the moves Jocketty made but the fact that he just sat on his hands when we needed a pitcher and/or a big bat when we were still very much alive during the deadline soured me on him. We have way too many pieces in the far system that will never see the light of day due to other young players blocking them.
From what I’ve read Jocketty was in talks with all the big names that were traded this year. The asking price was just too high. Would you be happier if Jocketty got rid of Mesoracco and Alonso for Beltran for half the season? I’m glad Jocketty didn’t sell the farm for a rental player. Other than Beltran and Bourne,(who is more of a lead off hitter) who was out there? So far, Jimenez didn’t turn out great for the Indians. Beltran hasn’t been spectacular, and the Giants had to give up there top pitching prospect. They’re not even going to make the playoffs. I understand when your losing you want someone to blame, but I don’t think Jocketty should be catching all the flack.
Jocketty, LaRussa, and Pujols to Chicago would be horrible with a capital whore.
No on jocketty.
No on larussa.
Yes on pooholes and give him the 23 mil per year that he wants but only 7-8 yrs.
why are people seriously even considering the cubs still in the mix for pujols? they should be rebuilding.
were you a fan of Hendry’s, by chance?
You do realize if Pujols is only gonna get 23 million over that amount of time, he will not be going to Chicago but will stay in StL. If you haven’t seen the standings, the Cards can actually win and that is Pujols main priority when it comes to where he signs. I find it funny how the Cubs live in some dreamland where they think they can sign anyone.
I find you in dreamland thinking that the cards will make the post season this year.
I hated Jim Hendry for the record.
Pooholes will go where he wants that is where the money is and it may very well be chicago so ya better prepare yourself for pooholes leaving STL and potentially heading to the cubs.
1 the cards dont even have a chance of beating the brewers this year.
2 the cards dont have a chance of beating the braves for the wild card spot.
So how are they going to win this year? Pooholes is getting older while he waits for STL to get it together. Cubs team can spend money and get 2 starters this year and have money for pooholes. In the comming months the headlines may read…………
Cubs sign Pujols
Cubs sign C J Wilson
Cubs resign Ramirez
And
Cubs sign Yu Darvish
Where did I say anything about Post Season? If you can find it, i’ll pay you…I just said that the cards can actually win. If you look at the standings, the cards are 13 games over .500 unlike the Cubs who are well below .500. I know the headlines could say that, but the realism is that Wilson will stay in Texas, Pujols will stay in StL, and Ramirez will stay with the Cubs…Yes money talks, but Pujols won’t put himself through 6-7 years of losing baseball in Chicago…lets be honest, the Cubs are a mess. BTW, you just backed up my point with your headlines below about signing people.
The cubs are a large market team, and large market teams rarely rebuild their teams from the farm they retool them from free agency and some from the farm. They wont wait for the farm to repopulate the big league team, heck they dont have to with their payroll. That was the point in my listing of potential free agent signings THIS winter. I know down deep inside of yourself you are scared ,scared that you will be seeing you franchise player end up with your biggest rivals. Then that 13 games over 500 thing that you are so proud of will be atleast on the cubs side and the cards will be around 500 only with berkman at 1st base. Hey for the money I would much rather see the cubs sign berkman and sign 2 pitchers this winter and 1 more next 2012 winter that is ace quality like a cole hammels for example.
Winning to me is making the post season BTW and having over a 500 team is very nice but its like kissing your sister if you arnt in the playoffs compared to the phillys kissing a supermodel.
Before you even try the slam I wouldnt kiss my sister she likes girls anyway.
What? So what your saying is that 13 games over .500 is not a success this year for the Cardinals who have had so many injuries and has pieced together a team for most of the year? No Waino, Pujols was out 3 weeks, Holliday has been hurt 3 or 4 times this year, Freese went on the DL two separate times, and Franklin blew so many games. IMO, I never had very high hopes for this year when Waino went down with Tommy John, but they have found a way to overcome that plus all the other injuries. And yes, the Cubs do have a very high payroll but, they cant seem to do it with even a high payroll so why would you not try rebuilding. Every large contract has blown up in their face so why not try something different. Yes Pujols may leave, but I doubt for the Cubs, and yeah I’d hate to see him leave, but it’s not the end of the world. I like the guy and he is a great player, but it’s not worth blowing your team salary on one player no matter how good he is. The Cards, Pujols or not, will find a way to win, they always do. But honestly if I was Pujols and the Cards offered me 25 per year and the Cubs offered 28, I would take the 25, because the Cards offer a better chance to win. Yes, that would be losing 21 million if the contract was for 7 years, but he would still be making 175 million, so whats 21 million at that point, its not like the dude wont be able to survive because of it. Tell me if I’m wrong here.
Dan Evans and Ned Colletti. Ugh! How are either different than the man they would be replacing? No please.
This is Not a suggestion, but a question. When a Japanese team posts a player, can a team offer one of there own players as part of the posting fee? Say the Ham Fighters want LaHair. Can they, or would any Japanese team, accept a player as part of the posting fee in addition to money?
only if its ichiro, dice k or fukudome
who would know that?
No. No player(s)-to-player(s) exchange in any form.
Before posting, Irabu was acquired for two minor leaguers in the Padres organization. Part of the reason the posting system was established after Irabu is to ban such exchange.
Thank you!
IMO Ben Cherington is the man the Cubs need to be hiring as the next GM. Also, Bryan LaHair needs to be playing somewhere on the Cubs starting roster next year. Japan can have Colvin!
No on getting rid of Colvin for atleast 1 more year.
Yes on cherrington but only if beene wont leave the A’s.
Colvin needs more at bats and some patients.
Colvin had shaky hands with the bat this year. I don’t like the idea of giving him patients… 😉
We don’t have to get rid of him, per se, but Colvin definitely needs to earn his playing time. He has simply been mediocre this year — before his demotion, in AAA, and after his call-up. We might be able to chalk it up to a bad year if not for the fact that it is a continuation of his 2010. After a scorching start to the season, his numbers declined almost every month and kept going south all of 2011. It seems to me that the league his figured him out and thus far he has proven incapable of making the adjustment. A fastball in the zone he can crunch, but that’s about it.
LaHair, on the other hand, has turned in a huge year at AAA and a really nice start to his time in the Majors and earned at least a backup role on next year’s team. Right field is open, so giving him a legitimate chance there isn’t out of the question. (First base wouldn’t be out of the question either, but the Cubs seem inclined, at least so far, to bring Pena back.) Part of me would like to see Brett Jackson, but with the Cubs deciding not even to give him a September call-up I don’t see him making an appearance until at least the second half of 2012.
Colvin can stay on the team. He can be a fourth or fifth outfielder, but any ABs he gets will have to be earned. At which point you have to ask yourself, is the Majors where he’s going to get the opportunities he needs to fix this?
tony wont take the cubs job because he will no longer have his power hitting pitcher batting 8th
Those boys at the Chicago Sun-Times sure like to dream, don’t they?
It almost sounds like they just named a Rival team and picked their favorites and think that they can get them…while your at it, you may as well get Hanrahan from Pitts, Braun from Mil, and lets be honest, no one wants anything from Houston
I’d like a lot of the guys from Houston….. for my AA affiliate. Feel bad for their fans though.
candidates beane, cashman, epstein, and byrnes here to see you sir
NOPE. I’VE MADE A DECISION. WALT JOCKETTY AND TONY LA RUSSA. WE’RE GONNA TURN THIS SHIP AROUND
I don’t know if my fragile Cubs fan psyche could handle that.
No to any manager who considers himself more important than the team and his players.