MLB: Fixing the Cubs

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AIT

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May 29, 2008
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A Quick Guide To Realistic Options To Fix The 2009 Cubs - Bleed Cubbie Blue

This blog has a list of suggestions for fixing the 2009 Cubs, which quickly summarized are:

1. Release Aaron Miles
2. Trade Rich Harden
3. Trade for Mark DeRosa
4. Leave Kosuke Fukudome batting 2nd
5. Leave Milton Bradley alone
6. Give Angel Guzman some 8th inning responsibilities
7. Give Micah Hoffpauir some starts in LF

My thoughts:

I don't think they need to flat out release Miles. If he's hurt, put him on the DL and leave him there until he's better, keep him out for the rest of the year. If he's not hurt, someone should be willing to give up a minor prospect for him and take on part of his salary. But Miles needs to get off the roster right now.

I'm okay with trading Harden, but I don't know what they could get in return that would help. They don't have room for another outfielder, 1b and 3b are set (assuming Ramirez comes back this year), and it's too early to give up on Soto at C. They'd have to add another middle infielder to the team, and there aren't a lot of hard hitting MIF out there. Maybe moving Soriano to 2b would open a position for an OF who can hit and play good defense.

Getting DeRosa would be good if he comes at a reasonable price.

Go ahead and bat Kosuke 2nd. See if he starts hitting again. If he's still not hitting after a couple of weeks, he needs to be dropped in the lineup.

Bradley is starting to hit, so leave him alone and hope he keeps it up.

Guzman deserves more responsibility. In fact, I'd be interested to know what Marmol could get on the trade market. If the Cubs can get a decent lefty reliever and a prospect, it might be worthwhile to trade him and put Guzman in the setup role.

I don't know if Hoffpauir is the answer, but something needs to be done to get Soriano out of his slump.
 
I was actually thinking of Freddy Sanchez the other day. We have always had good luck trading with the Pirates and he always seems to hit the heck out of the ball at Wrigley.
 
instead of argueing what to do with the cubs, i would just become a cardinals fan. Its less stressfull and they actually do win :biglaugh:

sorry for the hijack but had to do it
 
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instead of argueing what to do with the cubs, i would just become a cardinals fan. Its less stressfull and they actually do win :biglaugh:

sorry for the hijack but had to do it

Don't be a DB. If I was a Cards fan I would be equally worried about how that team will hold up.

Every team in the Central has some holes they really need to fix.
 
Don't be a DB. If I was a Cards fan I would be equally worried about how that team will hold up.

Every team in the Central has some holes they really need to fix.

:biglaugh: not being a DB but this might be the third or 4th thread on this in a week. Am i worried how the cards will hold up yes, but with this division this year its up for grabs.

btw if i had started this thread being a cards fan i would have been ripped by all cubs fans on here, who are the majority
 
Don't be a DB. If I was a Cards fan I would be equally worried about how that team will hold up.

Every team in the Central has some holes they really need to fix.

:biglaugh: not being a DB but this might be the third or 4th thread on this in a week. Am i worried how the cards will hold up yes, but with this division this year its up for grabs.

btw if i had started this thread being a cards fan i would have been ripped by all cubs fans on here, who are the majority

so Db no, you need to take a joke
 
:biglaugh: not being a DB but this might be the third or 4th thread on this in a week. Am i worried how the cards will hold up yes, but with this division this year its up for grabs.

btw if i had started this thread being a cards fan i would have been ripped by all cubs fans on here, who are the majority

I.C. Because some Cubs fans are dumbasses it's ok for you to be?
 
Unload Soriano!!! I only say that because the guy is the biggest jerk in Major League Baseball. Plus, he doesn't hustle, plays poor defense, and acts like he has other places to be half of the time.

Need some help in the bullpen. Hell Jenny Finch throwing underhand softballs would be an upgrade.

Now is probably the best time to make some moves with all of the prospects just sitting at Triple A or on the bench at Wrigley (Hoffpauer, Fox, etc.)
 
Trading Harden would be a BAD idea. Your not going to get value for him and I don't want to mess with the starting rotation. The one thing we can rely on right now.
 
I wouldn't really mess with the bullpen either right now. We need a LHP but thats about it. The BP has been pitching very well as of late and Gregg has an ERA of 1.50 since the middle of May.
 
Bullpen is not a strength but it's not our number one need. We need offense. We need someone who can get on base consistently and someone who can drive in runs. Ramirez coming back will fill the driving in runs part. Trading for DeRo or a guy like Freddy Dirty Sanchez would be ideal as well.

And unloading Soriano is not going to happen.
 
Good luck unloading Soriano. That's why most people criticized the deal when it happened.

I don't follow the logic with trading Marmol. Isn't that making a weakness even weaker? Bullpen arms are normally available at the break, and it normally doesn't take much to get them.

Regarding Harden: I haven't thought about the Cubs possibly moving him, but it is at least intriguing. The Cubs have the best ERA of SP in the bigs, right? And that's with Harden spending a lot of time on the DL? Harden is a great 5-6 inning pitcher, but in order for those to translate to wins, he needs a strong bullpen, which the Cubs do not have.

I'll get flamed to all hell for this, and I know it wouldn't happen this year, but Rich Harden in the bullpen could be really interesting. It worked with Wood.
 
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Unload Soriano!!! I only say that because the guy is the biggest jerk in Major League Baseball. Plus, he doesn't hustle, plays poor defense, and acts like he has other places to be half of the time.

No other team in baseball would be willing to take on his contract.
 
He also has a No Trade Clause.

They gave him a no trade clause? Refresh my memory because it's been a few years. What other teams were offering him a deal that was even close to that length and size? A contract of that length is incredibly risky no matter who the player is, but to throw in a no trade clause on top of it? He would have had no trade protection after five years of the deal, anyway.
 
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