I don't see why one or two years of Calero would be terrible. He's aging but unlike Capps, he's had nothing but solid years during the decade.

He's a solid option.

Capps was overpaid for a guy coming off a plus-five ERA..

Jim used to get suckered by these agents. Maybe it's good he's on a payroll leash this offseason.

oye=BTW

Feliz Navidad a todos en el CCO!

=Merry Christmas to all in the CCO!

Jaime Enrique mama=Jim Hendry sucks

jajaja=lololol

we're not signing Calero for 8 years like Soriano...Matt Crapps is not arbitration eligible and Calero is 34 So why would age matter on a 2 year contract between theese two? Please Calero is absolutely better than Crapps and the dude is Puertorrican which means, he is crazy and digs the Cubs. An ERA under 2 is impressive in any league, Crapps is good but Kiko is better and cheaper.

What other company/organization would piss away 30 million on a worthless project over 3 years and no heads would roll.I guess we can say: Jim Hendry was born with a Silva spoon in his mouth.

I have not been making many comments this off-season, just sitting back and waiting for the season to start.

I am in full agreement with the comments made by Joe S. in this section.

Just a few observations: give Silva a chance, remember he is one of us now!...Don't be thinking that all these young guys that other teams have will all be world-beaters...Remember -- we don't know what restraints Hendry is under, I am not happy with what he did last year but give the guy a chance -- we all make mistakes!... and most important of all... MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! And remember to stay classy Cubs fans!

few things driving me crazy:

1. capps chose the nats to close; which he could not do for the cubs. stop the JH hating on this one; perhaps the monies saved (calero or dotel for 2M or so) can be used to get reed johnson back.

capps had better hope the nats are in enough games to close; that is defense does not make errors, etc for him to get enough saves ops.(and be stuck on a losing team)

2.STOP the talk about cheaper younger players---unless that means a world series championship---younger doesn't mean squat. this team is built to win now; which tommy ricketts should of known based on the very long time it took to buy the team; so if the payroll has to go up 10M this year and next to win; so be it. 2012 is when the majority of big contracts(except Z and sori) are off the books. REPEAT--it's been 101 yrs(i.e.almost no one ALIVE today has seen the cubs as champs) and counting....there is NO grace period ricketts family...........so start your re-building program w/ a 19 yr old SS(are u kidding me.......look that one up...no WS champ had a teenager at SS) after we are chammps.....at least once in the past 100 yrs.

3.the ricketts family has to make interest payments; boo hoo; where's the pity party..........let's not forget the 14.48M the 4.82 tix price increase just netted them or the 2M est the LF bleachers will get them......OR the fact there are NO tribune shareholders to pay out........what does that save? or the fact no one has seen a chicago national league ballclub inc tax return to know what the cubs made..........( and even that number will be a lie as i'm sure the bean counters at tribune tower were instructed to "cook" the books a little w/ all the related entities of tribune news, WGN tv and radio, the 25% share of comcast, etc to know what the cubs really made....suffice to say no shareholders alone will cover much of the interest pymts...........

let's give JH some time...........there are about 230 plus FA still unsigned.....better to wait it out; get more for your money......i doubt any of the major leaguers want to become part of the 10% plus unemployed in the country and sooner or later will have to accept whatever they can get........better than a real job.

merry x-mas...........go cubs......

I like this non-move my Hendry. $3.5 million a year is too much for a set up man. Yes, he would have been insurance for Marmol, but an era over 5 have had me worried. Sign this Kiko guy for half the money would make more sense. I like that this year Hendry is not just going out and handing out contracts to the top free agents. That is how the Cubs got in this situation. Ricketts is putting a leash on the contracts it seems like, and I like that. I think we have to let our young guys get a chance to play... Merry Christmas!!!!

Its not so mucch giving big contracts to the big free agents: if you're going by that, then the Red Sox, Dodgers, Braves, and Phillies should be horrendous teams unable to make moves as well. You do have to go out and spend a lot of money on great players to maintain a playoff caliber team (otherwise you get a team like the Rays that can get a playoff caliber team once in a decade, but wind up failing the other 9 years out of the decade), that's every sport, and that's why there's so many people who stay active in athletics for so long nowadays.

What killed the Cubs is Hendry doesn't know how to spread it out. The Soriano deal was a necessary evil, but other contracts could have been done with larger, PERFORMANCE BASED incentive deals to create big bucks (as opposed to the Bradley deal where the sole incentive was "stay healthy" and not "produce").

Now, if Rickett's philosophy is going to be standing pat during the offseason, develop players, and keep the guys who perform, then I guess we can go ahead and skip baseball 9 years out of a decade.

Boseph...In the long run...we will be better than that. Ricketts opening philosophy is a necessity due to the high payroll/large nut he has started with re interest expense.

In addition to that...the Cubs have been

sorely laking in player development(position players) and talent evaluation.

Philly and Boston can do what they do because their farm systems are deep...

and in Boston's case their revenues are large.

The Cubs will need to be retooled soon

as we are aging fast. So I have no problem with Ricketts tightening the payroll now...so Hendry can't create any more MAJOR miscues...until we can create more flexibility with younger, cheaper players.

Paul,

I dont think Hendry is necessarily prioritzing a late setup man over a solid 2B. I think he is just waiting it out so he doesnt overpay a guy like Hudson (who signed really late last year too)

As far as a late setup man, the man who I hate the most would be the best setup/closer option...Valverde. He is a stud and I swear every game the Cubs ever lost to Houston or Arizona was closed out by him, his price will have to go down as stated by mlbtraderumors and I know its very unlikely but he would be the best addition we could make for the pen. Calero is a definite plus to the pen as well (minus his age factor)

All in all, I am just getting to the point where I wanna see hendry add someone just to add someone...I am getting very anxious and having waited this long is very uncublike. I think we have a very solid group of prospects for the future as well but just do something, anything to give us something new to talk about haha

Something tells me the Cubs' biggest offseason move this year will be Kiko Callero...to an overpaid 3 million dollar contract with a $500k incentive for appearances.

This isn't a bad thing. Hendry has prioritized a late set up man over a second baseman is a little strange, plus this guy had an era over 5. I was seeing flash backs of Heilman who was another 5 era guy. I thought Guzman did a great good last year in that roll. Why throw that much money away on middle relief. fill your biggest needs 1st then work on improvements from there.

Paul, I agree with you...but the question is WHY is Hendry so focused here? Is Guzman in trouble...healthwise?

At the beginning of the offseason, one would have thought the pen would be a strenth in the coming season:

Marmol

Guzman

Caridad

Gaub

Grabow

Marshall or Gorzelanny

(Cashner on the way)

(That's a pretty good pen...and might only need one established power arm from the right side to settle it in.)

Now we have Gray and a negative wild card

in Silva...(either starter or reliever).

Silva will screw up either the rotation or pen.

Then there's Stevens/Atkins/Diamond as question marks...I expect Diamond could have a huge upside and impact on either the pen or rotation.

If I'm the Cubs, I make a "Good for the organization decision" to eat up to 70%

of Silva's contract NOW...package him with one of the lefties...FOR a BAT...

(Can be almost mlb ready...but we're going to need offense.

Then I sign Sheets or the like....for this season.

My target for 2010/2011 is Josh Johnson

to replace Zambrano as the ace...and I focus my efforts on aquiring the type of prospects the Marlins might covet in a Johnson deal...(Maybe A. Chapman?).

It appears the only upgrades available to the Cubs at CF/2nd/SS....might have to be by trade or the scrap heap.

(and I do revisit Pie for a center platoon...trading Colvin and arms like Atkins or a lefty to get him.)

Sign Snyder again...(Replaces Colvin)

Your outfield is better defensively.

LF Soriano/Snyder

CF Pie/Fuld

RF Fukodome/Snyder

Note: That's 5 outfielders where most teams carry 4. But I kind of view Fuld

like Rowand...I expect him to crash into a wall and hit the DL at some point.

Snyder should be good for 20 HRs and a .275/.280 average first year.

Pie... .260-.270 ave with 10-20 HRs.

But Pie/Fuld have the defensive range to cover for Soriano in the field.

Snyder is definitely ready for an mlb opportunity and may fill in for a few years until our other outfield prospects

(low minors) are ready.

Thoughts?

But my real focus is not on 2010...that die is already cast.

This is dissapointing. I really thought Capps could have ended the bullpen conversation for this offseason...NOPE.

Now we get to bandy around names like Kiko Calero, Joe Biemel (Who I liked a few years back) and Danys Baez YUCK. Or overpaying for Jose Valverde (Which,if not over paid would be OK). My goodness!

The rotation is questionable with Lilly being down, and even then Silva as #5 gag gag hack hack, sorry just threw up a little.

Who is our CF??? Fuld/Colvin platoon. See some real offensive production coming from those 2.

Baker/Fontenot at 2B?

The bench is straight silly as currently constructed.

Hendry is showing that when he can't just overpay for someone he can't get em. How the heck do you have a hard time selling someone on coming to Wrigley???

So far, the Cubs Major acquisitions this offseason are...drumroll please....Jeff Gray...HUH! Carlos Silva...HUH? That's it folks...that's the list. And what's worse. They are both pitchers. A supposed strength of this team...ha ha ha ha.

I guess we have to give some credit to Jim, he has managed to purge us of his 2008 offseason debacle. Remember Hendry, Remember what you had on your roster last year at about this time???

RP-Wood

2B/OF-Derosa

#5 SP-Marquis

CF-Jim Edmonds (Left Handed BTW)

3B-Casey Mcgehee

Freaking shocking that those positions were our biggest holes in 2009, and they are our biggest, and still yet unfilled, needs in 2010.

Merry Christmas Cub fans. And a happy new year! Mr. Hendry has prompted me to take a week off from this rumor mongering, hopes up, hopes crushed roller coaster that is the baseball offseason.

See ya all in 2010, where I hope the roster looks a little more impressive...

Go Cubs Go!!!!!!!

Reading his comments at Cub.com,

Capps probably made the right decision

for himself.

Kenney and Hendry did not really resolve the Milton Bradley problem...they just changed the face of the right choice of a difficult decision...to eat a large contract.

Until the Cubs come to terms with that...

they still can't move forward.

Milton's financial noose...(along with

Fukodome/Soriano/Zambrano) is still hamstringing the team.

And...I don't think any GM would be able

to fix this team given current circumstances...It seems to me that this really starts with Crane Kenney.

Yes, absolutely...sign Brad Snyder...But

in the scheme of things...it's only a minor move...that would indicate the Cubs are starting to go in the right direction.

So far, we have seen no evidence of this.

In no way does this mean that I don't want the Cubs to win...and am hopeful of a better day...it just doesn't appear to be in the cards for 2010.

This team needs to be revamped from the bottom up AND the top on down.

I do expect to see substantial evidence of this by the end of the season.

I agree Matt did what was best for him. He wanted to close. The Cubs only wanted him to be the "insurance" closer. I don't like that idea anyhow. Give Marmol the keys and let him drive without looking over his shoulder. If he fails then you look to find an available closer. Also, as someone stated, his price was way to expensive for a set-up role.

Why so many people are fascinated with Brad Snyder is beyond me. The guy hit .278 with 14 homeruns. Sure that was in 237 AB's...but he also struck out 68 times in those same number of AB's. His track record in the minors suggest average power and lots of strikeouts. Yet many people keep talking about gettng him resigned. I don't get it.

I'm very happy with the Bradley move. Got rid of a cancer AND saved a few million at the same time. If we get ANYTHING from Silva, then we really come out good. Who knows if a switch back to the NL will work or not, but if it does...GREAT.

I don't think the team is in as much trouble as people think. I'd be MORE than happy to stick Sam Fuld in CF and re-sign Reed to platoon. I think Fontenot and Baker will be fine at 2B if thats what we need to do. Then we have to hope that having Ramirez for the whole year, and having Soto and Soriano bounce back makes a difference.

All that aside.....

Merry Christmas to all the Cub Fans here at the CCO!!

Joe, re Snyder...it's a cheap move for a decent player with a little pop in his bat. For most of the season he hovered at the .300 mark and tailed off when Colvin was brought up over him.

Snyder is better than Colvin...that's all. The Cubs are berift of power in the UPPER minors...and it is something

this team could use more of.

I don't lust after him (in the baseball sense) like EY Jr....It just seems like a no brainer to give him a shot if no

major acquisition is on the horizon.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all the faithful...and...prayers/thoughts

well wishes for those suffering tougher years...like the family of JimK.

Oh and one more thing...SIGN BRAD SNYDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rip, that staff scares the hell out of me.

Let's hope the offense can return to form and catch up with the runs the arms give up.

I like Capps, but we couldn't afford him. We have to approach things this year like the Pittsburgh Pirates. We cannot afford Matt Capps. Looks to me like the Pirates should have tried to deal this guy rather than just non-tender him. I sure wish we had not traded Aardsma for Cotts. Aardsma had 38 saves last year and a 2.52 ERA, 80 k's in 71 innings.

Starting five:

Z--let's hope he is over his Milton Bradely disease.

DEMPSTER--throw strikes, will ya?

WELLS--nobody doubts this now. We have to use him. He has gone from a "maybe he won't even make the starting staff" to " he's a 3 until Lilly returns."

LILLY--we'll see how this works out.

GORZELANNY--by default.

The 'Pen

Marmol

Grabow

Guzman

Marshall

Berg

Gray--with this staff, he's a lock to stick.

Silva--makes opening day roster if he's even breathing. Some more deserving youngster will be sent down to make room for this sizeable has been. But it says right here that he'll be gone before May 15--DFA'd, released, DL, or minors.

CARIDAD--most impressive in last year's late call up. Either Berg or Caridad will most likely be the victims of the Carlos Silva experiment.

These will probably be up and down to the Cubs this year, but certainly are not ready or for some, even ML talent:

SAMARDZIJA--unless he developes another pitch, forgetaboutit. Ever.

STEVENS--not ML talent, imo.

PATTON--not yet convinced he'll even be on the Cubs' 40 man after ST. I could be wrong about it, though.

COTTS--for crying out loud, are we still talking about him? FORGETABOUTIT.

It is now easy to see that JHendry has no confidence in these bullpen arms--OR ELSE HE WOULDN'T BE TRYING TO GET ANOTHER BULLPEN ARM. (He's been stockpiling AAA arms. So now he needs a FA pickup to finish the bullpen):

Gray

Caridad

Berg

Silva

Patton

Stevens

Cotts.

Excellent evaluation of the staff. Good job.

I do not trust anyone in the starting rotation except Lily. The Bullpen will have ups and down but if Carlos Marmol stop walking people I think the back end of the bullpen will be good. Patton and Stevens I think we should convert them to starters. Neal Cotts walks to much people. Guzman need to be healthy. I believe that our offense need to score a lot of runs or we might be talking about having worst record in the major leagues.

The money Capps got is way to much to pay a set up man, espicially with as many needs as the Cubs still have.

It's a bad day in Chicago when we lose out on a guy to the Washington Nationals. I am not saying Capps would be the bullpen saver or anything like that, insert any above average reliever in the league and he could do a lot better than Gregg or Heilman for us last year.

But now what's going to happen is Hendry is going to go sign Kiko Calero and add even more age to this team. When instead we could give Gaub or Cashner or Diamond, etc a chance in spring training.