Remember What I Wrote About Mike Cameron? Scratch That.

For those of you whose memories flee like a talented Cuban pitcher, here's a reminder.

1. Mike Cameron, CF.  There was once a time where Cameron was among the best center fielders in baseball.  The three-time Gold Glove winner was always spectacular in the field, making routine plays and making difficult plays look routine.  At the plate, he was serviceable at best, but was usually a threat on the base paths. Cameron has three 30-steal seasons and five more years of at least 22 swipes under his belt.


Unfortunately, at age 36, those days are behind Cameron.  Yes, he still has some pop in his bat (24 home runs, .795 OPS) but I'm not quite sure that He's hit at least 20 HRs in each of the last four seasons.

Yeah.  Um, can we pretend that never happened?  Good.  Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'll use this as a place where I will vehemently argue against bringing on Marlon Byrd.

Marlon Byrd should not be patrolling center field at Wrigley Field unless he is on an opposing team.  In 2003, Byrd finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting as he posted a .303/.366/.418/.784 line.  He would then procede to fall off the face of the earth from 2004-2007 where his slash stats got ugly.  We're talking a three year average of .225/.309/.349/.658.  Then he went to Texas and got hot (no homo) posting a .295/.352/.468/.820 line in his three years with the Rangers.

And after previous attempts to acquire Byrd in the past have failed, it looks like GM Jim Hendry is lookingo to make Byrd his new Bradley.

And everyone knows Hendry always gets his man.  It makes me wish CC Sabathia was his man last year, or that Carlos Beltran was his man a few winters ago.

With that said, Mike Cameron needs to be Jim Hendry's "man" to a certain extent this offseason.  It's not because of the .795 OPS he posted last year or the 70 home runs he has hit over the last three years.

It's because of his defense, stupid.

Remember when the Cubs couldn't compete on the road against the Rockies, Padres and Diamondbacks?  Manager Lou Piniella said it was because the Cubs didn't have the speedy outfielders that could go get balls hit in the gaps.  Kosuke Fukudome could not get those balls.  Neither could Crazy Uncle Milton.  I don't expect the rotund Byrd to be able to get them either.

Two of the Cubs' biggest problems in 2009 were the lack of team speed and the lack of team defense.  With Alfonso Soriano in left field and Fukudome in right, there's a gaping hole in center.  A hole big enough to drive a mack truck through.

If the Cubs are not going to get better on the offensive side of the equation, they need to do whatever they can on the defensive end.

That means saying no to Byrd, while biting the bullet for Cameron.

Hot Stove Tease: Roy Halladay

Two years ago, it was second baseman Brian Roberts.  Last year, it was Jake Peavy.  This year it will be Roy Halladay.

But unlike the last two offseasons, count me out of the Hot Stove's hottest topic.  Over the summer, Roy Halladay received more interest on the open market than a well-developed teenager at a R. Kelly concert.  The rumor mill will rotate more quickly this winter as there will be more teams interested that will not be battling stringent demands and a deadline at the same time.

Let's thank the Daily Herald prematurely for crushing our souls with the latest tease:

One interesting scenario has new Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos indicating he'd be open to trading ace pitcher Roy Halladay, who becomes a free agent next fall after he's scheduled to make $15.75 million in 2010. 

Halladay has a no-trade clause in his contract, but he's said he'd like to play for a contender, and the Cubs seem closer to getting back to the playoffs than do the Blue Jays. To get Halladay, the Cubs must move money.

Could Hendry package Bradley and prospects for Halladay? Bradley could thrive in the relatively quiet environs of Toronto, and Halladay would provide an instant jolt to the Cubs' rotation.

Cubs fans, you'll be let down this offseason when Roy Halladay is pitching in Toronto and Milton Bradley is starting in right field.  I won't be, for I have begun to prepared for the worse.

Some suggest Ted Lilly to be back in April after his offseason surgeryl, but recent history suggests if Prior Wood Lilly returns at all, it will be sometime in August.  So, I have prepared for 20 Tom Gorzelanny starts.  And thanks to the folks at HJE, I'll do so without getting alcohol poisoning.

As for Bradley, don't come crying to me if he enters spring training with the team.  Thanks to Jim Hendry's thoughtless season-ending suspension, teams should have no inspiration to acquire a malcontent coming off his healthiest, yet, least productive season.

Do I expect the Cubs to make changes in 2010?  Yes.  They have a new owner who is bringing a fresh philosophy to the table.  And even though Hendry is the GM that brought Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez through the trade market, he's also the same guy who bid against himself for Bradley and Aaron Miles while trading a once untouchable commodity that will be under team control for years to come for one shitty year of Kevin Gregg.

In Hendry I trust?  No.  In a real GM, I lust.

Ten Guys The Chicago Cubs Should Avoid Like The Swine Flu

Baseball's winter meetings kicked off today in Chicago, meaning after Jim Hendry guzzles a dozen donuts this morning, he won't have too far to go to meet with someone who will gladly take Milton Bradley off his glaze-covered hands.

In the Hot Stove League, it is easy to write about who you want on your team.  But it takes a real keen eye to identify the guys you don't want around.  Over the past few years, Hendry has identified those guys ... and proceded to sign those guys on the Cubs.

Here are the guys he should avoid like the plague swine flu.


1. Mike Cameron, CF.  There was once a time where Cameron was among the best center fielders in baseball.  The three-time Gold Glove winner was always spectacular in the field, making routine plays and making difficult plays look routine.  At the plate, he was serviceable at best, but was usually a threat on the base paths. Cameron has three 30-steal seasons and five more years of at least 22 swipes under his belt.

Unfortunately, at age 36, those days are behind Cameron.  Yes, he still has some pop in his bat (24 home runs, .795 OPS) but I'm not quite sure that He's hit at least 20 HRs in each of the last four seasons.

2. Rick Ankiel.  This is what I said at the A League Of Her Own blog about this season's scariest players on the open market.

"I fear signing Rick Ankiel. Lefty hitter. Power at times. Knows the division. Plays all 3 OF spots. Sounds like a Jim Hendry signing to me."

I still feel that way today.  Ankiel had a breakout season in 2008, hitting 25 home runs and driving in 71.  His production took a dip in 2009 as he hit only 11 home runs and had 38 RBIs in 404 plate appearances.  Funny how this turns out.  Ankiel had 11 homers and 39 ribbies in 190 plate appearances in 2007.  If that's not a red flag, I don't know what is.  Oh yeah, that whole HGH thing Cardinals fans always seemingly forget about when it comes to their own players.

But BOOOOOOOO Manny Ramirez!

3. Brett Myers, SP/RP.  One could argue that Myers hit a pinnacle in 2007 when he saved his season, and possibly career, by moving into the bullpen.  Myers racked up 64 strikeouts in a little more than 53 innings pitched with a 1.200 WHIP, 2.87 earned run average and 21 saves.  On the other hand, one could argue that his biggest hit came on a woman.

Myers wants to be a starter, a role in which he has struggled with in a hitters haven such as Philadelphia.  Doesn't sound like someone you want to throw into the pressure cooker on Addison and Clark.

4. Mark DeRosa, 1B/2B/3B/OF.  I made my argument here for why the Cubs shouldn't bring DeRo Your Hero back to Chicago.  And if you want to bring in a guy who will be 35 next year and is coming off a season in which he posted a .250/.319/.433/.752 slash line on a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal then you should probably get your priorities in line.

5. Gary Matthews Jr., OF  Over the last three years, Gary Matthews Jr. has posted a .248/.326/.379/.705 slash line.  In that same time span, Milton Bradley has posted  a .294/.405/.501/.906 slash line.  If you would trade Milton Bradley for Gary Matthews Jr., you are clinically insane.

6. Doug Davis, SP.  I've heard plenty of Cubs fans who want Doug Davis on the 2010 Cubs to fill the role of inning-eating, back-of-the-rotation guy.  But really, I think Cubs fans want him because he has tortured the Cubs (9-6, 3.20 ERA, 1.159 WHIP) throughout his mediocre career.

The only team Davis has more wins and a lower ERA against is San Diego.  Think about that.

7. Oliver Perez, P  Can you believe the Pirates acquired this guy in exchange for with Jason Bay? (Ed. My bad.) I still want no part of this guy being on the 2010 Cubs.

8. Carlos Silva, P.  Do you want to know why the Seattle Mariners are a bad baseball team?  Because they gave this scrub a four-year deal worth $48 million.  No thanks.

9. Willy Taveras, OF.  A possible non-tender candidate, Taveras is fast.  His $4 million option will likely be declined.  Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown could spend $4 million on blow and I would still think it is a wiser investment than giving it to Willy-T. (possible non-tender)

10. Eric Byrnes, OF.  Total douchebag, which is cool if you're into that thing.  I'm not.  Two years ago, Byrnes hit .286/.353/.460/.813 with 21 home runs and 50 stolen bases.  Two years ago, George W. Bush was our president.  Sometimes things change.  Shit happens.

Honorable Mentions: Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen, Vernon Wells, Aaron Rowand.

Building A Champion: The 2010 Cubs

Cubs fans would have a lot to celebrate if I could pull this off.

   

In mid-October, I was challenged by a friend/reader to rebuild the Cubs.  It’s not as if that is a new concept to me, seeing that I’ve played this game on PlayStation, PlayStation3, XBOX and XBOX 360 many times before. However, the catch was to do it fairly, so not to take advantage of dumb computer GM’s that don’t appreciate young talent.  

Starting Point: The Cubs’ Opening Day payroll was $134,809,000, and I was given the opportunity to bump the payroll to $150 million after negotiating out of the original $145 million projection.

When building this team, my goal was to patch some holes with long-term solutions without spending too much money.  It was a difficult task, and one that will likely go unrewarded.

When you're done, I'd appreciate your criticisms in the comments section.  Thank you.  And without further to do, the 2010 Cubs, as pieced together by yours truly using The Hartwig Plan.

Lilly Has A Bum Shoulder ... And It's Not Even 2010 Yet

I nonchalantly dismissed Ted Lilly's shoulder surgery after initial reports of it being a minor scope.  Then I read on, minor scopes don't take pitchers down through April.

Yep, you've got it Cubs fans.  Less than one day after the baseball season comes to an end, the Cubs are already screwing themselves out of next year's pennant race.

Rage after the jump.

This Week Inside Carrie's Box: Tom Ricketts & Good Questions About the '10 Cubs

So, why the picture of Carrie Underwood?  Only because her album comes out one day after a Carrie Muskat inbox is released.  Coincidence?  I think not.


My inbox looks something like this.  Bill, bill, with love from mom, bill, "Do you want to be LARGER?", bill, "Do you want to meet cute singles in you're area??????, "#&$% you %^&*@" ... then there's Carrie Muskat's correspondence with her fans.

Her questions.  My answers.  Your remarks in the comments section.  Everything else after the jump.

Ricketts (Finally) Gets The Keys To Cubdom

In April 2007, I voiced my excitement upon hearing the announcement that Tribune Co., a long-time nemesis (and hopefully one day, future employer) was going to sell the Chicago Cubs.  For a long time, I had compared TribCo.'s ownership of my beloved baseball team to a bad relationship.  Sure, guys like Andy MacPhail and Larry Himes tried to run the franchise into the ground, but in the end, they were always there for you.  For better or worse.  Always.

And after a two-year courtship, Tom Ricketts, whose family founded TD Ameritrade, is (officially) the Cubs' new partner in crime.  Ricketts will make a statement to the media Friday.  But as happy as this news makes me, I have already been warned about getting too giggly over the situation.

Older Cubs fans have been through this before, like in 1981 when ownership last changed hands.  They thought the Tribune Co. would save the Cubs after the Wrigley family had turned a once proud franchise into a hobby.  And after three years, it looked like they had done the trick.  But after getting a 2-0 lead in the NLCS over the Padres, the Cubs collapsed.

The 1980s and 1990s should have been much better to the Cubs.  Dallas Green had a plan, but never got to see it blossom thanks in part to TribCo.'s mismanagement of the team.  Young talent came through the system as player such as Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace and Greg Maddux should have been franchise cornerstones.  They would go on to add Sammy Sosa, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior, each of whom had a share in why the Cubs have become one of baseball's most popular and profitable franchises.

Under a proper management system, the Cubs should have made at least one World Series appearance between 1981 and 2009. And that's just according to the law of averages.

Instead, all the Cubs have to show from the Tribune Era is the following:

• 6 playoff appearances
  
• 5 division titles, 1 wild card
• A 9-22 postseason record
• 1 playoff series win
  
• 0 World Series appearances
• 0 World Series titles
  

The Cubs went 2,179-2,282 from 1982-2009.  They had more 90-loss seasons (7) than 90-win seasons (4) and have had 17 different managers in the same time span in which the Cardinals have had only five.  We're talking nearly three decades of disaster.

In short, Tom Ricketts has small shoes to fill.

Crank that offseason plan: Chicago Cubs

I started with the Chicago White Sox and now I move onto the Chicago Cubs and what they should do over the course of the offseason.

MUST-MAKE DECISIONS

1) Milton Bradley: To trade or not to trade?

Without question you got to trade crazy Uncle Milton right? Perhaps not. With his former hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo on board the Cubs may have a shot at fixing their confused and disoriented right fielder. Of course, the Cubs want to trade Bradley ASAP but they may have to try to restore a little bit of value because he doesn't fit on many teams due to his antics and inability to provide adequate defense. He did, however, stay healthy which should help his value out a bit. A straight salary dump doesn't make sense and I don't think the club has a viable option in right field to repalce him, either.

2) John Grabow: long term deal, arbitration, or not?

I think this should be the easiest decision the Cubs make all offseason. Of course they, at the very least, offer Grabow arbitration but if he declines you can't let him walk, even for his type-A compensation. The Cubs haven't had an even remotely capable lefty out of the pen since "Stevie" was on the team and it's always difficult to find a reliable lefty on the open market. My best idea would be to offer him arbitration only if a long term deal cannot be reached.

FLEXIBLE DECISIONS

3) Who's on second? Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, Aaron Miles or somebody entirely different?

This has been a huge area of concern for the Cubs with no in-house candidate capable of truly holding down the job. I thought the Miles signing last year was weird from the get-go but I didn't expect him to be as bad as he was either. At this point I think you can rule out the Fontenot era and Jeff Baker isn't anything more than an better version of Andres Blanco so it would seem the best solution is to go outside the organization for some help be it by trade or free agency.

4)Do you make room for Jake Fox on this team somehow or do you look to trade him?

Fox was one of the better stories of the 2009 season for the Cubs but he's best served as a designated hitter for an AL team. He could have some value as a first baseman as well but neither position is open for him on the current club. He could be a valuable trade chip along with Josh Vitters to get a second baseman or a closer (both are areas of concern).

FREE AGENCY

5) Which positions are in most dire need of an upgrade?

Without a doubt, second base and closer are in the most dire need of an upgrade with the potential that right field an area in need of an upgrade as well. The rotation appears to be in OK shape.

6) Name three (or more) free agents you’d consider, at a price.

Sign Chone Figgins for 3-years at $12 million-per-year. The Cubs are going to be in a bidding war with just about every team with money to spend for the versatile and speedy Angel. Beauty of it is Figgy can play positions where the Cubs need the most help (OF and 2B).

Sign Billy Wagner for one-year at whatever price it takes to be the highest bidder.

Sign Orlando Hudson for 2-years at $8 million-per-year. He brings good defense and switch hitting skills which helps the Cubs two-fold.

TRADES

7) Name three (or more) realistic trades that could improve the Cubs.

Trading a package of Jake Fox, Josh Vitters and Jeff Samardzija to the Washington Nationals for Adam Dunn, Christian Guzman and John Lannan.

Is this too much to give up Cubs fans? It would fix the Cubs need for lefty power by adding Dunn and fill the hole at second base with Guzman. Lannan has a career ERA under four and just posted 3.88 ERA in 2009. Fox doesn't have a position and as long as Aramis Ramirez stays healthy there's no room for Vitters either. The Nationals would be up for this deal because Dunn doesn't help them win in the future and Guzman is overpaid.

Option Two: Trading said package for Brian Roberts. It wouldn't be a Cubs offseason story without an attempt to trade for Roberts.

SUMMARY

Basically, the plan is laid out. The Cubs need to upgrade second base and find a closer. It's more important then trading Milton Bradley, trust me. The good news is that there are plenty of options from both a free agency and trading standpoint for both positions. It should be a relatively easy fix. I'm not too sure about the back end of the rotation but there's more important issues to address. The other key for the 2010 season? HEALTH. The Cubs should be neck and neck with the St. Louis Cardinals if everyone stays healthy. Aramis Ramirez wasn't 100 percent at any point this season and when you're missing one of your top-two hitters, it's bad news. The Cubs also never had a closer this past season, either. Kevin "Kelly" Gregg was a joke from the get-go and general half-ass playing did this team in (see Phonsi and Geo Soto). Bounce back seasons all around and the Cubs are contenders again with just minor tinkering needed. Here's looking at you Rudy J.

Inside Carrie's Box, There's More Mark DeRosa Stuff!

My inbox looks something like this.  Bill, bill, with love from mom, bill, "Do you want to be LARGER?", bill, "Do you want to meet cute singles in you're area??????, "#&$% you %^&*@" ... then there's Carrie Muskat's correspondence with her fans.

Her questions.  My answers.  Your look of disapproval as I mock the system.  Happy Friday, gang!

Is Jim Hendry Reading This Blog? If So, Please Continue To Do So

The Cubs offense is already putting new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to sleep.

A couple of years ago, my roommate and I were discussing the upcoming Major League Baseball offseason.  It started as a hot stove chat and turned into me analyzing who would go where and for how much.  Back then, I wrote a blog that was not TBDS and made predictions on a handful of players.

I was spot on in each prediction.  He would later suggest MLB execs were reading my blog. So, Jim Hendry, if you're out there reading.  Thanks.  Click a link and help some brothas get paid.  Oh!  And stay tuned for my offseason guide to not fucking up building a contender.  Maybe you'll see something you like.

There really is no denying this timeline:

• Alert Jim Hendry: Rudy Jaramillo (Not A Dozen Glazed Donuts) Is The Must-Have Item Of The Offseason (The Big Dead Sidebar, Oct. 6)
• Is Rudy Jaramillo On Cubs Radar? (Chicago Tribune, Oct. 14)
• Cubs are in contact with Jaramillo via@SI_JohnHeyman (via @bigdeadsidebar)
• Cubs to interview Jaramillo (Chicago Tribune, Oct. 16)
• Cubs to meet with Jaramillo next week (MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, Oct. 17)
  
• SI's Jon Heyman tweets: "hitting guru rudy jaramillo likely to join #cubs. expected to become baseball's highest paid coach at 800 G's per." (via @SI_JonHeyman, Oct. 19)
  
• Cubs hire Jaramillo to be hitting coach (Cubs.com, Oct. 21)
  

Hiring Jaramillo is truly a step in the right direction for the Cubs.

Rebuilding The Cubs: A Challenge Proposed, A Challange Accepted

I was recently challenged by a friend/reader to rebuild the Cubs.  It’s not as if that is a new concept to me, seeing that I’ve played this game on PlayStation, PlayStation3, XBOX and XBOX 360 many times before.

The catch is to do it fairly.  It won’t be like in video games where I can outsmart computer GM’s that don’t appreciate young talent.  Instead, I’ve been challenged to do so taking into consideration that I won’t be able to hold up opposing general managers at gunpoint and acquire Jose Reyes for Aaron Miles and Milton Bradley.

I have until Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. to post it.

Starting Point: The Cubs’ Opening Day payroll was $134,809,000.  The Cubs have $16.5 million coming off the books in 2009 when they wipe away Rich Harden, Kevin Gregg, John Grabow and Reed Johnson’s contracts off the books.  I’m also being given $10 million to work with as a $10 million payroll bump to approximately $144 million seems reasonable given how much money the Cubs bring in.

Those are the details.  What are the chances of this getting done?  Do the Cubs fans who read TBDS have faith in someone who has enough time on his hands to accept such a challenge?

Your Random Cubs Post: Sammy Sosa vs. Alfonso Soriano

It's Sunday.  I should be solely focused on football, beer and grilled meats.  However, last night's Yankees-Angels classic ALCS late-night, extra-inning showdown got me to thinking about the Cubs.

Specifically, Alfonso Soriano.  It all started from a Twitter post from sports blog(ger) Souvenir City (@SouvenirCity for those of you keeping up on the Twittersphere.) that read, "Why would you ever throw Vlad or Soriano a strike? Aren't they Sammy Sosa but 8 years later? #ishouldbeanadvancescout" during the Yanks-Angels game.

It was the reference to Soriano that got me thinking, "@SouvenirCity #Cubs fans in 2002: "Remember when Sosa was a 30-30 guy?" Cubs fans in 2009: "Remember when Soriano was a 30-30 guy?" Hmmmm..."

It's like in Ace Ventura realizes Finkle is Einhorn and Einhorn is Finkle.  Without that whole kissing a dude thing.

Hot Stove Hopefuls: Joe Nathan

Editor's Note: Nothing says playoff baseball like the MLB hot stove.  The only thing more amusing than fans playing GM is when beat writers do it.  Usually they do it with more pizazz and insight than Joe Blogger -- myself included.  Hot Stove Hopefuls highlights some of the hot names on the market and tries to find a spot for them on the Cubs.

Today's feature: Joe Nathan

Cubs Fans Continue To Mail It Into Carrie's Box

More mail in Carrie's box?  You betcha.  More snippy answers?  Oh, you know me too well.

Oct. 15, 2003: The Night Chicago North Side Baseball Died (And A Recipe How To Revive It!)

While Oct. 14, 2003 is a date celebrated in many baseball circles (see: Cardinals, White Sox fans), it was really one day later that marks the beginning of the end of the Dusty Baker Era.

Kerry Wood admitted he choked on the mound as he allowed seven runs on seven hits and four walks in 5.2 innings in the Game 7 loss.  It happened one night after Mark Prior's infamous collapse that was aided by a fan's hands, a shortstop whose hands disappeared and a manager who made talented young throwing arms disappear.

And at this point, I'm so glad I didn't have Twitter, Facebook or YouTube at my disposal.  It would have been ugly.

So, how do the Cubs get back to within five outs of their first pennant since 1945?

More Dumb Questions From Cubs Fans? Don't We Have Anything Better To Do?

Last time I did this, I had a lot of fun reading Cubs.com beat reporter Carrie Muskat's inbox where she answers people's dumb questions about the Cubs with remarkably dumb answers.

So here are some better answers to your stupid questions that you left in Carrie's box.

MLB Playoffs: It's LIke Deja Vu All Over Again

I know I was supposed to be on vacation, but...

Hot Stove Hopefuls: Curtis Granderson

Editor's Note: Nothing says playoff baseball like the MLB hot stove.  The only thing more amusing than fans playing GM is when beat writers do it.  Usually they do it with more pizazz and insight than Joe Blogger -- myself included.  Hot Stove Hopefuls highlights some of the hot names on the market and tries to find a spot for them on the Cubs.

Today's feature: Curtis Granderson.

Stereotype Continues To Plague Cubs Fans

Something called Spike TV ranked Chicago Cubs fans as the most annoying in all of sports.  Ranking ahead of Yankees, Knicks, Phillies, Red Wings and USC football fans -- none of whom made the list.  And also ahead of Duke fans, whose popped-collar image is right next to the definition of douchebaggery.

Among the reasons:

Spending every single offseason explaining why “this is going to be the year” they finally win their first World Series since Babe Ruth graduated the seventh grade is getting old. Clearly God hates you and it’s time to move on. It has literally been over 100 years since this team’s last championship, yet it feels much longer with the amount of time their fans have spent bitching about it. And what makes it worse is that they simply can’t accept that it might actually be due to the fact that they suck as a franchise.

So, let me get this straight?  Red Sox fans do it for 86 years and it's cute.  You can relate to them.  It made them endearing to them as they failed at their yearly plight to take down the evil Yankees.  The Cubs do it and they become kings of douche.

Wonderful double standard.  You can argue that Red Sox fans going from "oh pity me" to "bow before your master"  puts them in the catbird seat for the most annoying.

Yet, nothing says annoying douchebag like this haircut.

Stat Boy Presents: The Curious Case Of Ryan Theriot

 
Lee: "Seriously, how can a guy this short be our everyday shortstop?"

Did I call it or did I call it?  Again.  Ryan Theriot epitomizes everything that is Chicago Cubs baseball.

Fun to watch until September.