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Once the ownership situation gets settled (hello Mark Cuban!) the Cubs should make the coup of the offseason and sign the big 3 of: Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada.

Yes, it would cost a ton, but Cuban can do it, it would be worth it, and would put Chicago inot position to win the World Series!

I would even bring out Bartman to throw the opeing pitch of the season!

Couple things wrong with this plan.

- Cuban is never going to own the Cubs unfortunately
- The Cubs sale likely won't be completed until next offseason

Now, this doesn't mean the Cubs can't spend this year. Last offseason our ownership was in limbo and we spent $300 million on FA's and extensions. But I don't think Rivera and Posada are wise investments.

First, catcher is one position where we have an above-average player who is cost-controlled. Soto is years away from arbitration, his incredibly cheap salary frees up money to spend elsewhere. Posada is likely better now, but that may have been a contract year performance, Soto is better defensively and I like Soto for $300k rather than Posada for possibly $10 million.

Rivera, I could get more onboard with. Personally though, if we wanted to sign a closer (which I don't think is neccessary), I'd go after Cordero. He's younger and it would hurt our biggest division rival. They can't afford to lose him.

Of course, getting A-Rod would be amazing. But if we were going to target any other Yankee, I'd go after Abreu. He plays a position of need and gets on base unlike most of our team. This is assuming we don't get my #1 target, Japanese RF Fukodome.

Cubs biggest needs this offseason in terms of position players is a new SS and a new RF. Getting great players at both positions would give us the best offense in the NL.

GYBE wrote:Couple things wrong with this plan.

- Cuban is never going to own the Cubs unfortunately
- The Cubs sale likely won't be completed until next offseason

Now, this doesn't mean the Cubs can't spend this year. Last offseason our ownership was in limbo and we spent $300 million on FA's and extensions. But I don't think Rivera and Posada are wise investments.

First, catcher is one position where we have an above-average player who is cost-controlled. Soto is years away from arbitration, his incredibly cheap salary frees up money to spend elsewhere. Posada is likely better now, but that may have been a contract year performance, Soto is better defensively and I like Soto for $300k rather than Posada for possibly $10 million.

Rivera, I could get more onboard with. Personally though, if we wanted to sign a closer (which I don't think is neccessary), I'd go after Cordero. He's younger and it would hurt our biggest division rival. They can't afford to lose him.

Of course, getting A-Rod would be amazing. But if we were going to target any other Yankee, I'd go after Abreu. He plays a position of need and gets on base unlike most of our team. This is assuming we don't get my #1 target, Japanese RF Fukodome.

Cubs biggest needs this offseason in terms of position players is a new SS and a new RF. Getting great players at both positions would give us the best offense in the NL.

theres this guy i wanna tell ya about, JD Drew. . . .

Geovany Soto is above average? Since when?

Since he was the PCL Player of the Year, posting a 1.076 OPS for the season. Then he was called up, and put up a 1.100 OPS in limited starts. He's also great defensively.

Geovany Soto rules. Posada is old. Save your 15 million dollars a season.

Rivera is a reliever. Save your money.

Go after A-Rod. He's the best player in baseball and you have no SS (why does everyone love Ryan Theriot?). Other options include going after Edgar Renteria who is blocking two very good SS prospects and could easily be traded.

The Cubs have the best team in the NL Central if they just stay put. Adding A-Rod makes them the best team in the NL with ease.

Why do you need a new RF? What's wrong with Soriano-Pie-Murton-Jones? I'd rather go after a starting pitcher. Who is there after Zambrano, Lilly, Hill? Go after Koji Uehara.

Bleeding Green wrote:why does everyone love Ryan Theriot?

Scrappy white guys without a lot of true talent are loved. David Eckstein, Chris Burke, Aaron Miles, Adam Kennedy, Craig Counsell etc.

I personally hate them because I've seen 4 or 5 in one lineup following the Brewers the past 15 years.

Bleeding Green wrote:Geovany Soto rules. Posada is old. Save your 15 million dollars a season.

Yes.

Rivera is a reliever. Save your money.

Yes.

Go after A-Rod. He's the best player in baseball and you have no SS (why does everyone love Ryan Theriot?). Other options include going after Edgar Renteria who is blocking two very good SS prospects and could easily be traded.

Yes.

The Cubs have the best team in the NL Central if they just stay put. Adding A-Rod makes them the best team in the NL with ease.

Yes.

Why do you need a new RF? What's wrong with Soriano-Pie-Murton-Jones? I'd rather go after a starting pitcher. Who is there after Zambrano, Lilly, Hill? Go after Koji Uehara.

No. A Jones/Murton platoon in RF doesn't cut it. Murton is below-average and Jones is horrific. Have you read much about Kosuke Fukudome? He's a plus defensive RF with patience and power, perfect for the Cubs. It sucks, but Jason Marquis is locked in for two more years. He's a serviceable 5th starter in the NL, and Sean Marshall pitched well for most of the year. Cubs had pretty good pitching for the season, I'd put our efforts into getting Dome to help the underachieving offense if I could only add one player.

What's wrong with Murton? Jones most definitely sucks, but Murton is decent.

Just get someone who can platoon against righties with Murton. Eric Hinske for instance. Or Matt Stairs.

Fukudome just had elbow surgery and I don't think he has much power. Although he's a lefty, so maybe he could platoon with Murton.

He had bone spurs removed from his elbow, it's nothing too serious. And he hit over 30 HR's last season in the Japanese league.

He's the same age as Matsui was when he came over and they seem like very comparable players. Except da Dome has better defense. Murton is alright, but he's nothing special and is probably only a 4th OF on a good team.

GYBE wrote:He had bone spurs removed from his elbow, it's nothing too serious. And he hit over 30 HR's last season in the Japanese league.

He's the same age as Matsui was when he came over and they seem like very comparable players. Except da Dome has better defense. Murton is alright, but he's nothing special and is probably only a 4th OF on a good team.

What would you realistically want from the Brewers for Murton?

I dunno, I'd probably prefer some mid-level prospect. I don't think there's anyone on the Brewers in the majors that can really help, besides players the Crew would never deal for him.

why would they add arod, mo and posada???

i thought the idea behind this was to put a team out there that WOULDNT choke. . . thats the last thing the cubbies need. . . however, Arod is pretty much mr. cub if ya think about it

I've been having wet dreams ever since ARod opted out.

OF:

Soriano LF; Pie CF; Murton RF

IF:

Ramirez 3B, ARod SS, DeRosa 2B, Lee 1B, Soto C

I highly doubt Arod can play SS anymore. He's a bit mechanical at 3B due to his added weight right now, it would be even worse at SS. I would imagine that he's a third basemen for the rest of his career now.

Bleeding Green wrote:What's wrong with Murton? Jones most definitely sucks, but Murton is decent.

Just get someone who can platoon against righties with Murton. Eric Hinske for instance. Or Matt Stairs.

Fukudome just had elbow surgery and I don't think he has much power. Although he's a lefty, so maybe he could platoon with Murton.

I know Jones is gone and he really isn't anything special anymore, but he is worlds better than Eric Hinske....lets get real.

cmaff051 wrote:Geovany Soto is above average? Since when?

He played well in September and he hit that 2 run homer in Arizona in the playoffs they gave us false hope. Soto is going to be great and a definite Rookie of the Year candidate alongside Justin Upton.

SportsWorld wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


He played well in September and he hit that 2 run homer in Arizona in the playoffs they gave us false hope. Soto is going to be great and a definite Rookie of the Year candidate alongside Justin Upton.

Soto is not going to be great and you're setting yourself up for disappointment if you think that. The guy was in his 3rd year in AAA and he FINALLY put up monster numbers. His first two years there he wasn't very good.

SportsWorld wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


He played well in September and he hit that 2 run homer in Arizona in the playoffs they gave us false hope. Soto is going to be great and a definite Rookie of the Year candidate alongside Justin Upton.

and thinking he is ANYWHERE near Justin Upton is crazy....

wichmae wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




and thinking he is ANYWHERE near Justin Upton is crazy....

Geovany Soto's career will be nowhere near Justin Upton's career when it is all said and done but I am talking about next year. Upton is still young and not ready to bust out next year while Soto is ready.