| POSITION | SCORE |
| SS | 203 |
| RF | 132 |
| Starting Pitcher | 106 |
| LH Power Bat | 101 |
| CF | 90 |
| 1st Base | 78 |
| Relief Pitcher | 59 |
| LOOGY | 54 |
| Cubbie Fan NONSENSE | 54 |
| Bench | 26 |
| Scrap | 23 |
| Defense up the middle | 20 |
| hustle | 16 |
| innings | 14 |
| runs | 12 |
| Owners | 11 |
| rbi | 10 |
| guys who hit in the playoffs | 10 |
| postsesaon character | 10 |
| Fire Lou | 10 |
| Quit and Give up | 10 |
| Draft | 8 |
| Light Sox fans on fire | 6 |
| Kneecap Ryan Theriot | 6 |
| heart | 4 |
| solid defensive catcher | 4 |
| more savoring | 3 |
| finger tape | 3 |
| leadoff hitter with OBP of .349 or higher (unless rest of hitters are good, in which case it can be .339, but under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should it be .344) | 2 |
Cubs offseason priority list
Posted by Maddog on 10/07/08 at 03:04 PM • 57 Comments
2. — Oct 07, 2008 @ 04:25 PM
heart 4
solid defensive catcher 4
more savoring 3
finger tape 3
leadoff hitter with OBP of .349 or higher (unless rest of hitters are good, in which case it can be .339, but under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should it be .344) 2
only stat fags would have these attributes so low
7. — Oct 07, 2008 @ 07:27 PM
so, do they really need a better shortstop more than a better right fielder, or has Ryan Theriot just pissed off the statfag community so much that we’ve artificially inflated his standing as THE man to dump in this poll?
More seriously: these seem to be the two biggest holes according to our collective judgement, but if we only get to fill one of them, do we really need to replace theriot more than Fukudome? I don’t think so.
8. pmayo — Oct 08, 2008 @ 01:53 AM
Urk, my take on it is this: Which the more important defensive position, and which is currently occupied by the most defensively deficient player? To my mind, the answer to both is the SS position, but I would also say that upgrading the SS position (with Furcal or Cabrera) and the RF position are basically 1 and 1a in my book. They’re of almost equal importance.
Ryno, I’m interested to know what you think of giving Kroeger a shot at the RF job in ST. I know he’s oldish for a prospect (26), but he had a really nice line last year at Iowa: .307/.373/.514 with 38 2B and 15 HR in 430 AB. How’s his defense?
10. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 02:22 AM
Urk, I think you can most easily fix SS this offseason with Furcal being a free agent. I also think fixing shortstop provides a fix for right field (DeRosa) if an alternative option becomes hard to find. So you can really fix 2 positions by fixing SS whereas if you fix right field, you haven’t fixed anything else.
I’d like to see the Cubs bring in a RF better than DeRosa for sure, but it’s a nice option to have should the Cubs come up empty.
11. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 02:24 AM
There’s no way the Cubs can pick up the option on this guy. His shoulder is made of spun glass. He will never be right.
No, he probably won’t ever be right and that’s unfortunate. I think you have to pick up the option on him though because you risk paying him more in arbitration.
I think you pick up the option and trade him early on in the offseason.
12. pmayo — Oct 08, 2008 @ 02:30 AM
Perhaps, MD. I hadn’t considered the arbitration angle. It is too bad, though. The guy is one of the most incredibly dominant pitchers I have ever seen when he’s healthy.
Wait a tic. I’ve just had a wonderful idea. Harden can only give you a limited amount of innings, right? So, move F7 into the rotation (if you don’t trade him, which they should consider doing), and put Harden in the Norm Charlton swingman role. Harden gets 15-20 starts, and does some 2-3 inning relief work, as well. That’s if you can’t trade him.
Steve Stone is coming on the Score in 30 minutes to talk about Harden. I’ll post anything interesting he says.
13. — Oct 08, 2008 @ 02:41 AM
Steve Stone is coming on the Score in 30 minutes to talk about Harden. I’ll post anything interesting he says.
I bet he says that Harden needs to fix his mechanics or he’ll end up running car washes in a few years.
I am hoping he clarifies whether he THINKS Lee will get traded or if he knows he WILL. Paul Sullivan made reference to Lee possibly being asked to lift his no-trade clause to be traded for pitching help to a California team.
15. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 02:55 AM
oog, I got “all the way over there” very carefully.
16. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:04 AM
Colvin looked like shit yesterday. It’s a shame when the college guy we picked at No. 13 hasn’t played above AA and the high school guy picked at No. 14 has already hit a few homers in the bigs.
17. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:13 AM
18. — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:14 AM
What was the justification for taking Colvin over Snider? It still doesn’t make sense to me other than the Cubs hording money to throw JefF7.
21. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:27 AM
What was the justification for taking Colvin over Snider? It still doesn’t make sense to me other than the Cubs hording money to throw JefF7.
They insisted they weren’t saving money for JefF7, but I doubt they’d come out and say the did. The fact is that Colvin signed below slot and Snider did not. My guess is that Wilken would have taken Colvin in the second round if we had a pick there. My opinion is that it’s a combination of the the fact, my guess and that Wilken looked at Colvin and saw another Alex Rios.
22. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:29 AM
Perhaps, MD. I hadn’t considered the arbitration angle. It is too bad, though. The guy is one of the most incredibly dominant pitchers I have ever seen when he’s healthy.
I think when you consider he did what he did this year with 2 pitches (fastball and changeup) I have to say he’s the most dominating I’ve ever seen. Few starters can get by with 2 pitches. Unless one of them is a HEAVY sinker, it’s just not good for starters to have only 2 pitches. Yet he absolutely dominates with those 2 pitches.
In my lifetime, Pedro and Maddux have put together the best primes for a pitcher and when they were on, they were almost unhittable. Harden has just reached the age at which these 2 began to dominate like that and he’s already dominating like those 2.
I can’t imagine what he could do if he were to stay healthy the next 5-7 years. It would be fun to watch.
28. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:34 AM
Ryno, I’m interested to know what you think of giving Kroeger a shot at the RF job in ST.
It’s an interesting question. Kroeger was a highly-touted player in the ARI system for awhile. He and Quentin were the future corner OFs for that organization. He has a lot of talent, but I wouldn’t put too much stock into his Iowa numbers as everyone seems to hit well there. If our choices are Fukudome or Kroeger, I’d let them battle it out in the spring. Let the coaches get a good look at him and see if they think he can make it. I’d rather not let it come to that, though.
31. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:35 AM
I can’t imagine what he could do if he were to stay healthy the next 5-7 years. It would be fun to watch.
Isn’t Harden about to enter the “safe age” for pitchers?
34. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:39 AM
If it comes down to a battle for RF in spring training of Fukudome, Kroeger and Hoffpauir, something went horribly wrong this offseason.
Basically, the SS, CF and RF positions need to be addressed. I’d like to add/upgrade a rotation spot, but only once the first three are filled.
CF should be Pie and maybe Johnson.
SS should be Furcal, Cabrera or Greene.
RF is tricky. It could be a number of people, including Sorryano with a Burrell-type in LF.
37. pmayo — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:42 AM
CF should be Pie and maybe Johnson.
SS should be Furcal, Cabrera or Greene.
RF is tricky. It could be a number of people, including Sorryano with a Burrell-type in LF.
I don’t disagree with this, though I hope someone on the Cub staff can turn Greene around at the plate, because he was abysmal last season.
38. — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:43 AM
Dave van Dyck says Harden is likely going to have his labrum trimmed, which is the same procedure Prior had.I think Prior had his Labrum sewed back together. When I read that a player is having their labrum trimmed I think more along the lines of what Bedard just had performed.
39. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:43 AM
Dave van Dyck says Harden is likely going to have his labrum trimmed, which is the same procedure Prior had.
Too bad. He could have been a great pitcher. Like Prior. Oh well. He’s not the first to have his career ended by a labrum injury and he won’t be the last.
I hope the Cubs cut his roster spot so they have it open to add another player.
Rich Harden is D-O-N-E
40. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:44 AM
I think Prior had his Labrum sewed back together. When I read that a player is having their labrum trimmed I think more along the lines of what Bedard just had performed.
Really? I didn’t really know there was much of a difference with what they did to the labrum. I’ll have to look around later on. I’m sure Will Carroll will feed us nothing but the truth so help him, God.
41. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:47 AM
Oh yeah, go get Sabathia. If Harden had a similar procedure to Prior get Sabathia. If it’s like JMan said and similar to Bedard, stick with the offseason plan most of us have discussed.
If Harden is D-O-N-E, I’d let Dempster walk too. He’s not the kind of pitcher I want to throw that kind of money at unless you have 2 guys you know can be better than him.
43. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:51 AM
When I read that a player is having their labrum trimmed I think more along the lines of what Bedard just had performed.
This is just like 2004. What seemed like a minor setback after a disappointing end to a season is actually the closing of a window.
45. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:53 AM
Ronny Cedeno likely will be on the trade block again after yelling at trainer Mark O’Neal during a nasty exchange before a game in Milwaukee on the final weekend of the regular season.
—Tribune
46. Maddog — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:55 AM
This is just like 2004. What seemed like a minor setback after a disappointing end to a season is actually the closing of a window.
Depends on what they do. I’ve been an advocate of trading Harden this offseason anyway, but if you’re without him next year (and the Cubs most certainly will be based on this new information) they have to get another front of the rotation starter. Just give Sabathia what he wants.
49. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:56 AM
Was he yelling in Spanish?
Yes. He was also drunk and yelling at a baby.
50. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:57 AM
Ronny Cedeno, a known drunkard, likely will be on the trade block again after murdering trainer Mark O’Neal, who was in the press box, during a nasty exchange before a game in Milwaukee on the final weekend of the regular season.
—AZ Phil
Fixed.
51. — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:59 AM
This is just like 2004. What seemed like a minor setback after a disappointing end to a season is actually the closing of a window.The Cubs refused to admit that Prior was finished. I think they’ll plan more accordingly this time. The Cubs will more than likely go after another pitcher. Not Sabathia but maybe a guy like Lowe. I sure won’t be surprised if it’s Jon Garland though.
52. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 03:59 AM
Depends on what they do. I’ve been an advocate of trading Harden this offseason anyway, but if you’re without him next year (and the Cubs most certainly will be based on this new information) they have to get another front of the rotation starter. Just give Sabathia what he wants.
We’ll see. 2004 was supposed to be a playoff guarantee. It started with a setback in Woody’s injury. Then another in Prior. Then things just unraveled.
It’s starting with the mild setback with Harden. I’m waiting for the next injury and Dempster’s poor season.
54. Jame Gumb, editor-in-chief ® — Oct 08, 2008 @ 04:02 AM
Not Sabathia but maybe a guy like Lowe.
Hendry likes to model his teams after the team’s that bend his over. LA actually wasn’t too different from CHC this year, so we’ll see. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go after Lowe, though.
55. — Oct 08, 2008 @ 04:51 AM
Urk, I think you can most easily fix SS this offseason with Furcal being a free agent. I also think fixing shortstop provides a fix for right field (DeRosa) if an alternative option becomes hard to find. So you can really fix 2 positions by fixing SS whereas if you fix right field, you haven’t fixed anything else.
That makes alot of sense.
57. — Oct 08, 2008 @ 08:56 AM
Is it just me, of does it seem to make a ton of sense to put Harden in the KW role this year?(assuming labrum surgury is bunk rumor).
Let KW and Dempster walk. Try and sign one of the following in order.
1. Derek Lowe
2. AJ Burnett
3. Curt Schilling (kidding, sort of)
Check in on
Renteria
Furcal
Milton Bradley
Aubrey Huff
Adding 3 players and vastly improving next years fortunes.
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1. Maddog — Oct 07, 2008 @ 03:11 PM
I should clarify that some of you said “re-sign Dempster” and some of you just said starting pitcher. I combined both of them as starting pitcher. I thought about leaving out LH power bat because I assume all of us would really like one and would probably put it at the top of the list and most of us don’t care which position it comes from. I know I don’t.