hmmmmmmm....

"Will the upcoming week see any additions, or subtractions, to the Cubs roster?"

things I'd like to see:
Subtractions- Dempster (trade), Marquis (trade), Ohman (trade), Fontentot (sent down/traded), Jones (traded), Floyd (not signed), Pagan (cut b/c he can't stay healthy), Blanco (traded/cut)

*that would leave 8 spots open on the 40 man roster

Additions- (in order for replacing the above) Fransisco Cordero, Kuroda, Affeldt, Eric Patterson,
Fukodome, Hoffpauir, Milton Bradley, Tony Ritchie

3 of the 8 can be taken care of in-house. For all of our players that I suggested should be traded, I think we need to re-stock our minor league system with some high-ceiling guys.

I guess for Affeldt, maybe you could take a leap of faith and insert Veal into the pen to get him experience....maybe even Samardzija. Instead of Kuroda, we could have Gallagher or Hart in the 5th spot. Instead of Cordero, we just give Wood the keys to the closer's role, or possibly Marmol. In that case, you'd have a pen like this: ?, ?, Wuertz, Eyre, Howry, Marmol, Wood

So I definitely see us getting an experienced reliever. As for the OF position, if we fail to land Fukodome, I bet we make a strong play for someone like Dunn, or maybe offer a huge one year deal to Andruw Jones. I'd say the OF and one bullpen position are the ONLY holes we can't fill in-house.

I hope we land Fukodome, because if we don't, we're going to be hurting pretty bad with an OF of Soriano, Pie, and Jones. Maybe Kroeger is the real deal, and can display things that made the D'Backs so high on him a few years ago?

WTF? Milton Bradley..Oo;

Milton Bradley??? No freaking way!! what do you have against Fontenot? Wood needs to go as well...

Cordero isn't worth the $40 million over 4 years that he's going to get (he's unlikely to stay healthy and effective for 4 more years) ... some team will be hating themselves for that signing within 2 years. I hope it's not us. I'd much rather go with Wood, Marmol or Howry and use that money to get Fukudome.

if you look at Bradley's 162 game average, he had about this:

.275 avg, .360 OBP, 20 hr, 75 rbi, 16 SB, 75 BB, 115 K's

That's a pretty good line, and for his versatility, I think it's well worth it. He had issues in the past, but the Cubs looked into him last year for sure, and even before that, so obviously they saw something in him...He's a FA, so it won't cost us anyone, and he'd make a very good reserve if we sign Fukodome, or perhaps he can play everyday if Pie can't handle CF.

I don't think that's a bad signing at all.

Scott,

As for Wood....Do you not understand what he's meant to the team, and to the fans? He's a tremendous asset to the team, and guys should take a lesson from his work ethic just to get back to playing. Dude had Tommy John, one shoulder surgery, and almost another, and came back to throw 98 mph.....Dude is ridiculously talented. For a 2 year 10 million contract to be a reliever, and possibly closer or even starter at some point, wouldn't you rather sign him, then say, Ron Mahay for $5 million plus each year...much less a Cordero for even more?

Furthermore, I say give Prior arbitration and sign him to an option for next year, which gives you the ability to have a former ace that could develop into a Carpenter-type signing for only $3 million. Marquis got $7 million, and he's nowhere close to the talent Prior has

Aaron I read somewhere that Milton Bradley was in the Cubs radar, but I see he is allways gettin' hurt. [The guy argues with some excitment and gets thrown out of the game and totally ruins his knee???] You can't have Kerry Wood and Milton Bradley on the same team...It is forbidden! LOL Those two united with a little of Marky Prior on the side could be catastrophic....NOOOOOOOO! It could ignite the 7th sign.

Seriously I would not mind him if the Idea was to have a spot where he could be platooned with some of the kids...[because he is unreliable and has attitude issues]

Dempster and ohman will have minimal trade value. I agree with parting with ohman, but not so sure how easy that will be. I would like to see if Dempster has starting stuff before exploring a trade,

Other than the fade, Marquis still one 12 games. there is not a 12 game winner that will not cost us a bunch of talent we don't have. Therefore we will need to make the best of Marquis. Maybe it was fatique and we will have to look at him as a fifth starter, limit his innings, and skip his spot when necessary.

I would like to trade:

Cedeno, Marshall, Murton, and Eric Patterson. Why? Because these guys may be enough to land the talent we need to aquire via trade.

I would like to see (staying realistic hear):

Kas Matsui, Carl Crawford, Wood resigned (will flourish as a setup man, and remained healthy last season after his comeback), Prior tendered a contract only with a guarantee of 2009, and finally that guy Fuck-you-Dome.( sorry someone had to write it).

Samardzija?? Veal?? What?? We are trying to win NOW. Not give guys in A/AA important roles in the big league club. No Way. Bradley: Clubhouse Cancer. Forget him. Keep Fontetnot, Pie, and the other kids, but in their right places. What value does Jones have on the market? We would be better to keep him, unless we get Fukudome and Crawford.

Forget Cordero, we have Marmol, Howry, and Wood. There is a good closer somewhere in there. And why are we giving rotation spots to guys like Hart and Gallagher? What happened to Marshall and Marquis? Marquis is not THAT bad, I mean, I would rather give him the ball than trust Gallagher in 08 for a full season, I just dont think he is ready. Give Dempster a shot. Or Marshall.

I mostly agree with Jeff in AZ in his trade candidates and realistic hopes: Crawford, Fukudome, Wood, and make a trade for a solid bullpen arm. We have enough good young position players that shoudnt be traded, because they can help. Not Veal of the ND Product though, let them get better. Too soon.

What's with this "we want to win now"? The team's waited 99 years (and counting).

The Cubs need to build around a youth movement, not adding more attitude and retreads like Milton Bradley. What are some of you guys thinking?

I agree with Aaron to potentially subtract the 8 as mentioned (though I do like Fontenot as a bench guy). Then bring up some young arms and fresh legs/speed. Add just a couple pieces like either a Fukodome, Crawford or Rowand, announce Wood as the closer, get one more live arm in the starting rotation, and get going. I also agree soundly that Prior should be resigned with a 2009 option. Minor dollars invested here in the big scheme folks.

Bottomline is we don't need more Floyd's and Jones' who's careers are tanking, and are really just playing for the paycheck. This team needs a chemistry/attitude adjustment, and need players that'll do whatever it takes to win. It's called finding "character" players.

Besides Milton Bradleys attitude, didn't he tear his ACL? Seems like he wouldn't even be ready to play until at least May or June. Also, I would hope that Lou and Hendry learned their lesson about platooning guys like Floyd who are used to being starters for their entire carreers. If you are going to get guys like that, play them everyday and get the young guys to fill in.

Definitelly sign Wood. The guy has guts and was the only one I saw in the NLDS that didn't look completely overwhelmed.

As for the outfield, Soriano obviously is a lock. I still don't know if Pie can hit ML pitching. I guess you could start him in CF everyday and bat him 8th. RF is really anyones guess at this point. I think if he can ship Jones he will. Maybe for starting pitching. If we sign F-dome, that solves 1 problem.

I don't see Jeff-ND in the bigs this year, unless he completely tears it up in the minors. Last year was the first year in his life where he played baseball full time all year. Another season in the minors and he may be ready come '09.