Funny to read this....I posted a comment last night in my community blog post about the Cubs and Braves both losing out on Peavy. Guess I was spot on....

I would definitely take a flier on Big Unit. I would like to see if he has anything left...and maybe he can work with Rich Hill and help him.

Let's see, Hendry wants to take a shot on a fragile starting pitcher with a 1 year deal but wouldn't do it for Kerry Wood who also would have accepted a year deal. This doesn't compute.

I still think Hendry is gonna get Peavy. Even if he doesn't though, Johnson is a bad second option. They freed up plenty of money not signing Wood to go after more quality in free agency than 45 yr old Randy Johnson. C'mon.....

Alot of it doesnt make sense...but one difference is Randy is a starter where as Woody is not.

Also, Randy will likely take a one year deal heavily loaded with incentives. That is why Arizona couldnt reach a deal, they have a policy that they dont do contracts with incentives.

The rumor is Wood would have accepted a 1-year deal....but who knows.... and even if he would.....let him go get a lucrative three year deal and make a chunk of change.

I think there is positive to taking a shot with him. Why not.

Right now we have under contract:

Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis and Harden.
We all know that Harden needs to be handled with care, Zambrano showed signs of wear and now Randy Johnson?

I wouldnt knock a 45 year old lefthander.....seems to me the World Champion Phillies had a 45 year old lefty on their team....and he certainly didnt throw as hard as the Unit.

If he is healthy....would be a nice addition....

The problem Joe S. --- is that like many Cub fans -- you are used to being fed crap, and thinking its gold. Other people's discards and injury-ridden oafs are suddenly gold for Cub Nation....

Don't get too high on Randy Johnson. He was washed up half a decade ago. He now has a 92 mph fastball with little movement on the slider. His low ERA was due to pitching to the Giants and Padres so damn often.

It always amazes me how Cub fans accept anything the GM does!!! 2008 off-season = Kevin Gregg!!! and yet the pyschophants kiss Jim Hendry's backside...

I think hes a big idiot who knows how to please a fan base with low expectations.

I understand your frustration Baron....I'm not all that excited for Johnson, I merely said I would take a flier on him. If we get him on an incentives contract--why not. I just said not to discard the notion based on the fact he is 45. I pointed out Jamie Moyer with the Phillies. And as I stated maybe just maybe he could influence Rich Hill. Two tall power throwing lefties? I gotta believe Randy could help him more than any pitching coach.

I agree about Kevin Gregg....but will wait to see what shakes out before judging.

I think Jim has however done a pretty good job as our GM. He's assmbled how many teams that got to the playoffs on his watch? That says something to me.

We're getting better....and hopefully sooner than later we take the next step.

If it is true that Wood would have accepted a one year deal that is truly stupid not to sign him.

Rumors, rumors, rumors. They usually are off a bit or a lot. Everyone knows Randy Johnson's age and capabilities or lack there of. Also, remember his agent is a local guy and a big Cub fan. That could also be the reason for this rumor.

Hey Baron,
Would you like to see the stats on past GMs for the CUBS and their ability to get us to the playoffs? Six outs away from a WS? C'mon Bro lighten uo on JH. He was not the problem..... For goodness sakes, we had how many All Stars? Soto NL ROTY, "Sweet Lou" NL MOTY, Rich Harden first four games with at least 10 SOs in 6 or 7 innings.....

Look guys, I can remember just two years back everybody arguing that JH depleted our Farm and it was going to take 5 to 6 years to get quality back into it but yet here we are and Josh Vitters, Pie, Rich Hill, The Shark.... Look I'm no Baseball executive and have perhaps 1/10th of the knowledge some of you guys have but I do know this and you all have heard this from me over the years, Jim Hendry has fielded more quality CUBS teams during his tenure than any other in recent history.

I will say this, BIG Z needs to chill and grow up. DLee needs to step up in the playoffs. Soriano should agree to work out of the number three spot in ST to facilitate a smooth transition for Brian Roberts!! Yes!! Freak'n go get this guy!!! He will win more games for us than Jake Peavey and Zambrano combined.

I think tweaking with the number one rotation in baseball is not the right strategy. We just laid an egg in the playoffs. As much as I love Lou, and I do Love Lou (lol) our performance in the NLDS the past two years is the Managers responsibility PERIOD!!

Randy Johnson would be a great pick up for an incentive laden contract for a year. Plenty of pitchers in their late thirites, early forties out their to make the experiment legit.

GO CUBBIES!!

I think this makes a lot of sense. I would much rather give Johnson a one year, 8 million dollar contract than give Burnett or Lowe (or Dempster?) the 4 or 5 year contracts they are going to ask for. Long-term pitching contracts rarely work out. Even if we get Peavy, this is still a good idea.

Let us not be so naive, that just because Wood said it means it's true. It was stated weeks ago that he wanted a multi-year deal, and the Cubs were not sure about that, which looking at his past doesn't seem too illogical.
Peavy needs to get done. Johnson, of course you would take him. Who else as a free agent would you prefer? "Like so many Cubs fans" I too want to field a team that can win the WS, thats it. And there are several ways to do that, Jim is trying to figure out that way. We do not simply accept anything that a GM does, but we also don't over analyze every move before the off season signing even really begin. A move up front can look sketchy at best right off the bat and then several months later look like a move of genius. Patients is the game of the off season information seeker. Let us watch, it looks like it may get interesting.

I think that we can't just accept that Wood said this and so it means he was actually going to do that. This is so common in baseball nowadays, that it is silly not to recognize this. It was stated weeks ago that Wood was seeking a multi-year deal, and if not, why did he file for free agency at all. Jim would have worked out a one year deal, not a 3 or 4 year deal, and I agree with him.
Peavy needs to get done, period, now that the Braves have given up. Johnson is a good plan B or even pick up both and get Marquis out of here. Johnson is a quality starter, have you seen most 4 and 5 starters in this league...and you wouldn't take Johnson.
"Like many cubs fans" I want to field a team that wins the WS, nothing less. And how Jim does this is a mix and match of puzzle pieces. We only hear the gossip and hear say, the talk in the junior high halls, we do not know all that is going on behind closed doors. This is what long standing cubs fans understand. The off season is also a looooong process. We have just begun, let us see what is to become before we over analyze each and every movement. Because when put into perspective, a small move at the beginning of the off season can come into view as a great move of genius over the course of many moves for the team.

Here's how I would approach this offseason.

1. Re-sign Dempster. If you can't do that, go after Lowe or Burnett.

2. Sign either Ibanez or Abreau

3. Trade for either Roberts or McLouth.

If JH can do those 3 things, we will have a team very capable of winning a world series. I had the honor of playing a few years of minor league ball with the Braves and John Shuerholz would come speak to us every year. He always used to say..."It is the GM's job to get his team to the playoffs, it's the players job to win the playoff games." I think Billy Beane said the same thing in his book. Bottom line is that the Cubs were the best team in the NL last year. We all know they got cold at the wrong time. A few additions is all we need.

Johnson for 1 year is better than Dempster for 4/$50 (if that is what it would take to sign him). Z, Harden, Lilly, Johnson, Marshall (with Marquis, Hill, and Samardzija competing for Marshalls spot) makes for a very good (albeit not excellent) starting rotation. Adding Peavy and Johnson would make it the rotation in the league.

Hey guys....

First I would like to apologize for the horrible weight loss ad that has been appearing on the site for the last several days. I do not control those ads, they are from Google. I have contacted them and asked them to 'block' that ad from the site.

This was not an approved ad for the CCO and I have seen 'Larry' all over the internet. The way they designed their ad is for it to hit baseball sites....I guess they figure all of us are overweight.

Blah Blah Blah, Get a Bat!!!

There is no way I sign the Unit. C'mon the guy is 45 years old and has a bad back. It's just so "cub" to sign a guy at the end of his career. How many times have we seen that over the years and it fail miserably. And comparing him to Jamie Moyer is apples and oranges. One is a power pitcher, and one throws 80 MPH. It's very rare to be productive at that age. And to think he's going to help Rich Hill is really reaching. C'mon.

Why do people get so enamored with other tem's stars when they are WAY past their prime ? That kind of stategy is the typical spin your wheels, try to catch lightning in a bottle crap that gets you nowhere. It's like when I hear people still wanting Griffey. I have read that for the last 3 years. OMG ! The guy can't run, is injury prone, and doesn't hit much anymore. Other than that he's awesome. What don't people get ? Did you see him on the Sox this year ? They couldn't wait to dump him this winter. Please.

Please no. Its just stupid.

Hey all - looks like the Braves may or may not be calling off talks with Peavy.

Re: Woody

I'm shattered to see him go - been a fan of his all the way back to his minor league days.

As for his comments though - I also happen to think it's naive to think his "I was willing to do anything to stay a Cub" comments are 100% truthful. If GM's can fold the truth, then so can players being coached by agents. Every report from every source said he was looking for 3-4 years - and those reports don't just evolve out of thin air. They come from somewhere. Plus Hendry knows full well the fan attachment to him AND that he's a better pitcher than Gregg (although Gregg's better than the CCOers seem to be giving him credit for)... and if he could have gotten Woody for 1 year and a hometown discount and NOT have to give away Ceda in the process??? Come on ya'll. I know some of you have a pretty low opinion of Hendry but this one seems pretty obvious that there's a whole lot more at play in this case than Woody is saying.

I love Woody and I'm always skeptical of anything a player agent or general manager (not just Hendry) says... but I think it's pretty obvious that Woody's probably not being 100% straight up either.

Re: Big Unit -

I agree that any normal 40+ year old player is a risk.... but Johnson is anything but normal. He actually had a pretty stellar second half last year. He's not goign to win a Cy Young, and he's not going to throw 102 anymore... but even at his age there's something left in the tank. Obviously he's going to just try a one year contract and try to get 300 wins, and it will comes down to how much he's asking - but he'd be a solid #3 or 4 for a year for $8-10 mil.

I'd rather see Demp, Lowe, or Burnett too - but Johnson wouldn't be a bad fall back.

...and a sub 1.1 WHIP and sub 2.5 ERA are not just the result of pitching against the Giants and Padres LOL

...and anytime I watch Johnson I think about that clip from spring training a few years back where that pigeon flew in front of home plate right in the middle of his pitch and it makes me smile every time :-)

Just a little to add today. As one GM said recently, this is the time of the year when the truth in remarks by GM's and agents comes in many shades.

I'm guessing that Woodie said something like, "If you can't consider 3 and
$30 mil, I will look at a 1 year deal for $12 mil." JH probably responded, in order to have the $36 mil he needs in a three year deal for a good left-handed bat he can't do a 1 year deal for that amount. So JH's comments about Woodie getting a 3 year deal elsewhere and Wood's comment of being interested in a 1 year deal both have some accuracy.

Re Johnson, I doubt we will sign him--but he still can be intimidating. He pitched well in the second half last season. The D-Backs offered J $4mil (I think) and Johnson said no. If he were to be of interest to the Cubs, he probably gets $4 mil and the chance to make $2 mil more if he wins 10 games or makes 25 starts and pitches 150 innings.

Unlike site friend, David F, I would sign D for 4 and $52 mil. There are no apparent health concerns, he pitches a lot of innnings with good stuff, he's a two time all star, he's relatively young and he's coming off a 17 win season.

Thanks Jim K - Didn't know about the $4 mil one year rejection from Johnson.... if that's the case I figure he gets around $6... but I like your $4 with incentives idea better :-)

Joe S, Yes, I'm fully aware that the sox were dumb enough to put Griffey CF, but the guy can't run anymore, so you would be ok with him in RF ? How dumb is that ? Why in the world would anyone want this guy who hasn't had a full season without getting hurt since 2000? Please tell me why ? You like paying $ millions to guys on the DL ? Smart !! And now he will be 39 next year. And just because an OF didn't make an error means nothing. If a guy can't get to 50%of the balls that fast OF's would get to, what good is he ? Would you consider him a good OF ?

As For Randy Johnson, I know he had a decent year last year, but the guy is still 45 friggin years old and has a bad back. In 2007, he got hurt and missed most of the year. In 2006, his ERA was over 5. He could easily revert back to that form in 2009. So don't make it out like you are going to get the hall of fame pitcher he was 10 years ago. Here 's a crazy thought ...how about giving a chance to an up and coming lefthander who is entering his prime years that now has some experience under his belt: Sean Marshall. Whatever happened to the idea of trying develop your own talent ? Or maybe Rich Hill rebounds ? But oh no, we want to pay millions to aging pitchers at the end of their careers. Remember Dave Smith, Goose Goosage ?? How did those work out ? Or how about signing Jon Lieber last year ? Just stupid. I knew that was a mistake.

I could care less what Johnson's numbers are at Wrigley Field, he racked up those numbers when he was a much younger and different pitcher. Now he's 45. It's irrelevant. Fergie had great numbers at Wrigley too, why don't we him suit him up ? WTF.

And just because a guy is lefthanded and is built the same way and throws with same way, doesn't make him a pitching coach for some other guy. You have to be kidding ?

Zambrano, Harden, Lilly, Dempster (hopefully), and Hill or Marshall for the rotation...If you can get Johnson or Peavy to add to that mix, great. (And if you can still get Kerry on that one-year deal, DO IT!)