Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

[rvd2kewl]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
PDex said:
The bullpen is the key. That will be overhauled. The only guys I expect back are Juan Cruz, Remlinger, Farnsworth, and Borowski.

We get a huge boost in having Corey Patterson back. He was the heart of this team in the 1st half of the season while Sosa was down.

I don't expect A-Gon back next year. Hendry seems to be in love with Tejada. I only see A-Gon back if the Tejada bidding gets out of control.

I expect Grudz back next year. He was mister dependable this year. If Corey was the heart then I would say Grudz was the lungs.

I have heard that Jim Hendry is looking into acquiring Richie Sexson of all people. With Karros gone, Sexson would fit right in with the Cubbies' swing and miss offense. I wouldn't be surprised to see Choi sent for him if these rumors are true.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I wouldn't have a problem at all with the Cubs picking up Tejada and Sexson. The more run producers they get in the lineup the more likely they are to make it back to the playoffs. I agree about Patteraon. He was huge for the Cubs when Sammy was hurt/suspended . Getting him back next year will definitely give them more pop in the lineup.

[GCrusher23]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

If Sosa leaves (which right now is highly probable), this is what I would do.

1. Sign Castillo

2. Sign Latroy Hawkins

3. Sign Miguel Tejada

4. Trade Gonzalez, Choi, and Kelton to the Athletics for Adam Melhuse and Scott Hatteberg.

5. This gives us a lineup of

cf - Lofton
2b - Castillo
rf - Patterson
ss - Tejada
lf - Alou
3b - Ramirez
1b - Simon / Hatteberg
c - Hatteberg / Melhuse

If Sosa stays, we will not sign Tejada or trade for Sexson. With that said, I would

1. Sign Castillo

2. Sign Latroy Hawkisn

3. Trade Kelton, Francis Beltran, and Josh Paul for A.J. Pierzynski.

That gives us

2b - Castillo
lf - Alou
cf - Patterson
rf - Sosa
3b - Ramirez
1b - Simon
ss - Gonzalez
c - Pierzynski

Yes, some of these moves seem to simple and obvious, but sometimes that's they way you gotta go. We must get another catcher, and the only teams with more than one decent catcher are Oakland, Minnesota, and Toronto. If we can't sign Hawkins, we may have to trade Choi and Gonzalez to the Dodgers for Quantrill and Martin.

[GCrusher23]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

If Sosa leaves (which right now is highly probable), this is what I would do.

1. Sign Castillo

2. Sign Latroy Hawkins

3. Sign Miguel Tejada

4. Trade Gonzalez, Choi, and Kelton to the Athletics for Adam Melhuse and Scott Hatteberg.

5. This gives us a lineup of

cf - Lofton
2b - Castillo
rf - Patterson
ss - Tejada
lf - Alou
3b - Ramirez
1b - Simon / Hatteberg
c - Hatteberg / Melhuse

If Sosa stays, we will not sign Tejada or trade for Sexson. With that said, I would

1. Sign Castillo

2. Sign Latroy Hawkisn

3. Trade Kelton, Francis Beltran, and Josh Paul for A.J. Pierzynski.

That gives us

2b - Castillo
lf - Alou
cf - Patterson
rf - Sosa
3b - Ramirez
1b - Simon
ss - Gonzalez
c - Pierzynski

Yes, some of these moves seem to simple and obvious, but sometimes that's they way you gotta go. We must get another catcher, and the only teams with more than one decent catcher are Oakland, Minnesota, and Toronto. If we can't sign Hawkins, we may have to trade Choi and Gonzalez to the Dodgers for Quantrill and Martin.

[GCrusher23]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

If Sosa leaves (which right now is highly probable), this is what I would do.

1. Sign Castillo

2. Sign Latroy Hawkins

3. Sign Miguel Tejada

4. Trade Gonzalez, Choi, and Kelton to the Athletics for Adam Melhuse and Scott Hatteberg.

5. This gives us a lineup of

cf - Lofton
2b - Castillo
rf - Patterson
ss - Tejada
lf - Alou
3b - Ramirez
1b - Simon / Hatteberg
c - Hatteberg / Melhuse

If Sosa stays, we will not sign Tejada or trade for Sexson. With that said, I would

1. Sign Castillo

2. Sign Latroy Hawkisn

3. Trade Kelton, Francis Beltran, and Josh Paul for A.J. Pierzynski.

That gives us

2b - Castillo
lf - Alou
cf - Patterson
rf - Sosa
3b - Ramirez
1b - Simon
ss - Gonzalez
c - Pierzynski

Yes, some of these moves seem to simple and obvious, but sometimes that's they way you gotta go. We must get another catcher, and the only teams with more than one decent catcher are Oakland, Minnesota, and Toronto. If we can't sign Hawkins, we may have to trade Choi and Gonzalez to the Dodgers for Quantrill and Martin.

[wes]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Wow there are a lot of people living in fantasy land here. Tejada is going to go to the Mets where he will probably play 3rd. He wants to play for Art Howe again and the Mets are more than willing to pay lots of cash for him.

Castillo will not be going to the Cubs, someone will offer more money because the Cubs just don't spend the cash to push them over the top. The Cubs aren't cursed by a goat, they are cursed by ownership that is unwilling to spend while the fans continue to support them no matter what.

And for the guy that said Castillo would go to the Yankees, where is he going to play? I think they are pretty content with Jeter and Soriano as their middle infield. I doubt they could move Castillo to another position and I don't think Soriano could play 3rd or outfield.

I don't expect the Cubs to make any major moves this off-season. They will probably try to improve the bullpen, which realistically might be all they need to do in order to make it to the World Series. Had the 'pen been better and if Dusty Baker had more faith in the 'pen the Cubs would be playing the Yankees right now.

[wes]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Wow there are a lot of people living in fantasy land here. Tejada is going to go to the Mets where he will probably play 3rd. He wants to play for Art Howe again and the Mets are more than willing to pay lots of cash for him.

Castillo will not be going to the Cubs, someone will offer more money because the Cubs just don't spend the cash to push them over the top. The Cubs aren't cursed by a goat, they are cursed by ownership that is unwilling to spend while the fans continue to support them no matter what.

And for the guy that said Castillo would go to the Yankees, where is he going to play? I think they are pretty content with Jeter and Soriano as their middle infield. I doubt they could move Castillo to another position and I don't think Soriano could play 3rd or outfield.

I don't expect the Cubs to make any major moves this off-season. They will probably try to improve the bullpen, which realistically might be all they need to do in order to make it to the World Series. Had the 'pen been better and if Dusty Baker had more faith in the 'pen the Cubs would be playing the Yankees right now.

[wes]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Wow there are a lot of people living in fantasy land here. Tejada is going to go to the Mets where he will probably play 3rd. He wants to play for Art Howe again and the Mets are more than willing to pay lots of cash for him.

Castillo will not be going to the Cubs, someone will offer more money because the Cubs just don't spend the cash to push them over the top. The Cubs aren't cursed by a goat, they are cursed by ownership that is unwilling to spend while the fans continue to support them no matter what.

And for the guy that said Castillo would go to the Yankees, where is he going to play? I think they are pretty content with Jeter and Soriano as their middle infield. I doubt they could move Castillo to another position and I don't think Soriano could play 3rd or outfield.

I don't expect the Cubs to make any major moves this off-season. They will probably try to improve the bullpen, which realistically might be all they need to do in order to make it to the World Series. Had the 'pen been better and if Dusty Baker had more faith in the 'pen the Cubs would be playing the Yankees right now.

[PDex]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
wes said:
Wow there are a lot of people living in fantasy land here. Tejada is going to go to the Mets where he will probably play 3rd. He wants to play for Art Howe again and the Mets are more than willing to pay lots of cash for him.

Castillo will not be going to the Cubs, someone will offer more money because the Cubs just don't spend the cash to push them over the top. The Cubs aren't cursed by a goat, they are cursed by ownership that is unwilling to spend while the fans continue to support them no matter what.

And for the guy that said Castillo would go to the Yankees, where is he going to play? I think they are pretty content with Jeter and Soriano as their middle infield. I doubt they could move Castillo to another position and I don't think Soriano could play 3rd or outfield.

I don't expect the Cubs to make any major moves this off-season. They will probably try to improve the bullpen, which realistically might be all they need to do in order to make it to the World Series. Had the 'pen been better and if Dusty Baker had more faith in the 'pen the Cubs would be playing the Yankees right now.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

The Yankees want Soriano to move to OF next year. I expect the Cubs to make many moves this year. They are getting rid of many dead contracts and Jim Hendry is one of the most aggressive GM in recent memory.

[PDex]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
wes said:
Wow there are a lot of people living in fantasy land here. Tejada is going to go to the Mets where he will probably play 3rd. He wants to play for Art Howe again and the Mets are more than willing to pay lots of cash for him.

Castillo will not be going to the Cubs, someone will offer more money because the Cubs just don't spend the cash to push them over the top. The Cubs aren't cursed by a goat, they are cursed by ownership that is unwilling to spend while the fans continue to support them no matter what.

And for the guy that said Castillo would go to the Yankees, where is he going to play? I think they are pretty content with Jeter and Soriano as their middle infield. I doubt they could move Castillo to another position and I don't think Soriano could play 3rd or outfield.

I don't expect the Cubs to make any major moves this off-season. They will probably try to improve the bullpen, which realistically might be all they need to do in order to make it to the World Series. Had the 'pen been better and if Dusty Baker had more faith in the 'pen the Cubs would be playing the Yankees right now.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

The Yankees want Soriano to move to OF next year. I expect the Cubs to make many moves this year. They are getting rid of many dead contracts and Jim Hendry is one of the most aggressive GM in recent memory.

[PDex]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
wes said:
Wow there are a lot of people living in fantasy land here. Tejada is going to go to the Mets where he will probably play 3rd. He wants to play for Art Howe again and the Mets are more than willing to pay lots of cash for him.

Castillo will not be going to the Cubs, someone will offer more money because the Cubs just don't spend the cash to push them over the top. The Cubs aren't cursed by a goat, they are cursed by ownership that is unwilling to spend while the fans continue to support them no matter what.

And for the guy that said Castillo would go to the Yankees, where is he going to play? I think they are pretty content with Jeter and Soriano as their middle infield. I doubt they could move Castillo to another position and I don't think Soriano could play 3rd or outfield.

I don't expect the Cubs to make any major moves this off-season. They will probably try to improve the bullpen, which realistically might be all they need to do in order to make it to the World Series. Had the 'pen been better and if Dusty Baker had more faith in the 'pen the Cubs would be playing the Yankees right now.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

The Yankees want Soriano to move to OF next year. I expect the Cubs to make many moves this year. They are getting rid of many dead contracts and Jim Hendry is one of the most aggressive GM in recent memory.

[GCrusher23]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Wes, everything you said except for the Cubs having a greedy owner is way off base. This is not a normal Cubs team; Hendry will make the necessary moves to get us to the World Series. I have confidence that he'll look back at his idiotic moves (not signing Pudge, adding 4 million to Alfonsucko's contract) along with his good moves (Hundley for Karros and Grudz, Pittsburgh trades) in order to figure out which moves will best suit this team. Of course, if he does that, we'll have Hawkins, Pierzynski, and Castillo next year.

[GCrusher23]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Wes, everything you said except for the Cubs having a greedy owner is way off base. This is not a normal Cubs team; Hendry will make the necessary moves to get us to the World Series. I have confidence that he'll look back at his idiotic moves (not signing Pudge, adding 4 million to Alfonsucko's contract) along with his good moves (Hundley for Karros and Grudz, Pittsburgh trades) in order to figure out which moves will best suit this team. Of course, if he does that, we'll have Hawkins, Pierzynski, and Castillo next year.

[GCrusher23]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Wes, everything you said except for the Cubs having a greedy owner is way off base. This is not a normal Cubs team; Hendry will make the necessary moves to get us to the World Series. I have confidence that he'll look back at his idiotic moves (not signing Pudge, adding 4 million to Alfonsucko's contract) along with his good moves (Hundley for Karros and Grudz, Pittsburgh trades) in order to figure out which moves will best suit this team. Of course, if he does that, we'll have Hawkins, Pierzynski, and Castillo next year.

[wes]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Well whatever, just don't bitch and moan when the Cubs don't get Castillo or Tejada. I think they might get Hawkins and they could get Pierzynski along with some other bullpen players. On the whole though I don't think they are going to do much else to improve. This club relies on pitching and it will continue to do so. They should have won the NLCS this year and they would have had the bullpen been better.

[wes]

Re: Grades on 2003 Chicago Cubs and possible FA moves

Well whatever, just don't bitch and moan when the Cubs don't get Castillo or Tejada. I think they might get Hawkins and they could get Pierzynski along with some other bullpen players. On the whole though I don't think they are going to do much else to improve. This club relies on pitching and it will continue to do so. They should have won the NLCS this year and they would have had the bullpen been better.