Soriano probably would be well advised to spread the money out over time which is plenty to support a very affluent lifestyle. One way to reduce the pain of Hendry's ill-advised signing would be to pay the balance out over 20 years. If it is 72 million that is less than a meager 4mm per, inflation adjusted of course. If the Cubs can get a GM that knows how to save just 3% of the annual payroll or if the Ricketts put just one more advertising board at the park or sell "Cubbie Beer" for a buck more a glass the situation is resolved. But give him another year...Rudy will bring us a World Series in 2010!

Neil, Have you heard anything more about Nady?

Hey Suzy.

Nady is on the Yankees' radar as a backup plan to Damon according to a report and tweet from Jon Heyman.

I have not heard anything new on the Cubs interest.

Of the four options (Nady, Johnson, Gomes and Dye), I like Nady better ...

Me too...That's why I asked.

neil, i know this is off topic but i was wondering where Rebel Ridling will start the year. he might be a sleeper in our system that could slide into lee's position in a few years. i know he is a ways away but if we could extend lee for another year with an option it might work out just right. people do not talk about this kid much. he is not any younger than castro and everyone has annointed him the next ernie banks. why not anoint Rebel Ridling the next gracie?

Bo, I would think Daytona at the least ... possibly with the Smokies but I doubt it.

Last year he did a good job in Peoria (.310/.357/.466/.823 with 34 doubles and 16 home runs in 136). Rebel struggled with his promotion from rookie ball the year before.

Last year was his first full season in pro ball (25th round pick in the 2008 draft).

As far as time table, I would think two years. Maybe a Sept 2011 call-up

Yes, But $90,000,000.00

This is off subject, but I really like how well Brad Snyder is playing. Hopefully he gets a shot eventually at the major league level but he seems to be in line behind Fuld.

That's not off subject...I love Snyder right now...I could see him starting off the season in a platoon situation and taking over the starting CF position...moving Byrd to the platoon with Fuko.

The problem is...Aducci/Colvin are on the 40 man roster and Snyder is not.

Aducci is essentially the same player as Fuld...But I love Fuld.

All things being equal...The Cubs best outfield (player's talent only)...

Soriano LF/Snyder CF/Byrd Rf....Bench

Fuko/Fuld/Baker.

It's getting a little crowded up there

right now

Actually if I had my way I would bench Soriano, especially if he gets off to another slow start. At least Fukudome can play defense and get on base. Then platoon Soriano and Fukudome. I know this will never happen given the contracts of both players and both will see the majority of starting time this year but personally I think this is the better outfield.

LF Byrd

CF Snyder

RF Fukudome

Against lefties Soriano plays left and Byrd plays right.

Before we throw Soriano out to pasture and the $90 million over 5 years left on his contract, lets let Jaramillo work with him, see if he can find a way to get him to lighten his bat, stay back on the ball longer so he can pick up that slider that ends up 5 feet outside the strike zone. If his legs are healthy, I believe Soriano will have a decent year. We will never get a $18 million dollar season out of him, but I still say that his signing is what changed the culture of the Cubs and has produced 2 division titles and 3 winning seasons and a unsatifaction of not going all the way. I for one, enjoy that this team should be competitive every year, looking forward and not have the seasons where we win 60-70 games and are starting another rebuilding phase.

Unfortunately for us, Soriano is widely regarded around the league as not being truthful about his age, and could be as old as 36 right now according to some. Having said that, one of the first things players lose as they get older is their legs, then their reflexes slow down, and finally, their other muscles like the arms, etc. start slowing them down. It's why older pitchers struggle so badly----their legs fail them before their arms do in most cases, and in some cases, they're inter-related as you put more strain on your arm when your legs aren't as strong, etc., and conversely, when your arm tires, you put a lot of strain on your legs/hips, etc.

What I'm trying to get at, is not only is Soriano a likely fraud, and really older than he says he is, but his legs have already started to fail him multiple seasons in a row. It was also suggested by Piniella, and both Perry and Joshua that Soriano needed to switch to a lighter bat, inferring that he was no longer quick enough with his arms/hands to catch up to fastballs up and out over the plate that he used to obliterate (yet another indication that he's in decline). Soriano isn't the only player to experience this decline with his legs failing him. Andruw Jones is yet another classic example of this, and you can see it more pronounced with him, because he has added weight that Soriano was not carrying around. Jones went from 51 hr to 41 to 26 to 3, and then to 17 under the tutelage of Jaramillo (in just 281 AB's). While Soriano has a higher lifetime batting average, their peripheral stats are pretty similar, and they both strikeout a ton. Therefore, I think you can start expecting Andruw Jones-like stats, instead of him reverting to previous form.

I predict that Soriano, in 2011, will be nothing more than an $18 million bench warmer just like Jones has become. Funny how Jones was also overpaid, isn't it? Funny how he actually made MORE than Soriano, then found himself in the streets looking for work. After next year, there will be $72 million left on his ill-fated contract. It would be unprecedented to eat that much money, and so the best Cubs management and the fan base can hope for is a career threatening injury to Soriano, where insurance would most likely pick up the tab, and he'd be on the DL, thus giving the team room to add a young outfielder to the fold like a Brett Jackson, Kyler Burke, or Colvin in 2011, provided they're ready.

""the best Cubs management and the fan base can hope for is a career threatening injury to Soriano""

Actually the best management and fans can hope for is that Soriano ruturns to prior form!!!!

36 YEARS OLD!!! is pure speculation.

Again I'll ask the question????

Why all the negativity????

Is Soriano overpaid????

Maybee????

Does he strike out to much????

YES, but we knew that when he was signed.

But one bad year and everyone thinks he's done.

Lots of baseball stars have bad years throughout their carrer.

I for one say he deserve's the benefit of the doubt from Cub's fans.... as do a few other player's that some people are so down on!!!!

I am with you on this one Scott.

Scott, I'm sorry, but Soriano was just plain exasperating last year. Time after time reaching for air. No adjustments... wouldn't consider a lighter bat...Too many missed or dropped balls.

I hope he does well, I really do...but absolutely no benefit of doubt.

He has to earn that.

3 straight years on the DL for leg/knee problems suggest he's on an irreversible

downward slide. I hope I'm wrong...but I don't think so.

The problem with Soriano as a bench warmer is Lou will stay with him way too long if he isn't producing...like he did last year. He should have hit the DL by Jube 1. Not late Aug/Sept.

Lou has to wag the dog...not the dog wag Lou.

One thing for sure is that Soriano will not play out his contract. At some point, either by the miracle of an injury that will let insurance pay the contract or the Cubs finally eating the contract, Soriano will be cut or traded. In any form the Cubs will be paying this contract over the next 5 years and the roster spot will at some point be more valuable than his production.

My only hope is that Jaramillo can work his magic and get another year or 2 of decent production.

Another thing in my opinion is that the Cubs have never truly rebuilt. The Cubs have never had a quality farm system so unlike the Twins and Rays which just keep churning out young players the Cubs have never been as fortunate. Instead of building a corps of young players and adding veterans via trade or free agency we have exclusively relied predominately on trades and free agency to compete. This is why the Cubs have never been able to compete for prolonged periods because they cannot afford to keep all their players.

The real culture that needs to change is how we handle the farm system and develop and scout young talent and evaluate young talent around the league. There has been some improvement but if the Cubs want to remain competitive for the long term this is where all the improvement needs to occur and continue. The Cubs are on the right path but have a long way to go.

Diehard...you're right on the money

as to talent evaluation/development/

scouting and coaching at the minor league

level to build the organization.

I believe it has gotten better...but it is just in it's infancy.

It's why, when we submitted possible questions for Ricketts at the Cubs

Convention...I had just one 2 part

question:

Last year, The Cubs were among the bottom

spenders in signing free agents.

How do you plan to address this?

Also..."Do you plan to allocate additional resources, (similar to the

Toronto Blue Jays) to scouting and

development?"

I'd still like to get an answer to that question.

As far as the Cubs completely rebuilding,

It will never happen that way.

Ricketts has too large a nut to pay down.

He has to keep the $$$ flowing.

But a rebuild on the fly...similar to the White Sox is doable.

What makes this more interesting, that with newer scouting department we've had the last 4 yrs, is what they've signed with a limited amount of funds.

If you would actually look at my post from just a couple of weeks ago and since I have been very supportive of Soriano and as you just mentioned I too hope that Jaramillo can somehow turn him around but Soriano is not going to be an easy fix and I think that it will take at least until the later part of May before we can see any sort of progress.

As for the changing of the culture I will disagree with you somewhat there. The meltdown in 2003 against the Marlins and the subsequent losing seasons after changed the culture. I think the Cubs actually tried to change too drastically all at once leading to the rash of free agent signings after the 2006 season. As a result of all those contracts this has really limited now what JH can and cannot do.

I like Snyder too. I think he'd have more success than Gomez ... and a lower price tag as well!

David, but Snyder's a lefty...This is where Fuko being a platoon player screws everything up.

Gomes is a terrible idea. if you can't get Dye, bring back Reed.

Do you really want another guy who can't run, can't play defense, and strike out a ton ?

jeez

and we traded Fox, for nothing.....just shoot me now.

If Nady we knew Nady's throwing arm would be OK...he's definitely my choice with Lopez.

The thing is...I really think Hendry is down to @ 3 mill total availability...depending upon the outcome of our 3 arb players.

So Dye/Nady would have to really play on the cheap...and Gomes looks like the guy...salary -wise.

Personally, I'm not a Tejada person...so

6 mill for him is easy for me to turn down.

Publicly, The Yanks have promised ownership they would keep payroll

at 200 million...so they only have 2

mil left to offer Damon.

It will be interesting when Jeter comes up for extension.

I'm not in favor of signing Park, but Tatis is intriguing. He can play 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF and RF and still has a decent bat. Interesting that Tatis and Park are mentioned in the same clip as one of my favorite baseball trivia questions has both of them in the answer.

Who is the only MLB player to hit 2 grand slams in one inning and who was the pitcher that gave them up?

Tatis hit them off of Park

That's a great trivia question, David.

So many names have flashed in front of us...without anything happening...my brain is starting to hurt.

I guess we could add Tatis to that list.

There's going to be a ton of cheap options this season...I just really hope Hendry & company do it right.

Here's a question for you guys...

would you consider going a little over budget to insert Johnny Damon's bat in the line-up?

Cubs have been looking for a RH bat to

go with Fuko...Damon's a lefty.

Rather than post the possibilities...I'll let you guys have fun with this one.

I'm guessing he can get 1 year at $7-8 million from the Yanks. I like Damon, but at those numbers, I rather pick up Lopez plus Dye or Nady (we could prob land that package for the same price).

Would the Cubs fans that wanted Tejada have been willing to give him the one year deal he received from the Orioles for $6 million base plus incentives? I wouldn't, but I can see the argument for such a move.

Another outside the box-er: Saw a little rumble on espn.com about how Philly had spent so much this off season that a guy like Jayson Werth might now be out of their budget and that its possible they could look at trade offers? He's a FA after 2010.

Now there'd be an outfield upgrade. But who would they ask for in a trade? They've got a pretty solid system / roster as is.

You what's Werth Worth???

Philly likely won't have the budget to retain Werth beyond 2010, but I don't think they'd deal him this season unless they are out of it in July. In that case, Werth down the stretch (assuming his 2010 looks like his 2009) is probably worth one top 5 prospect (plus two low level guys) or two top 10 prospects (plus one low level guy).

For those wanting the Cubs to sign Miguel Tejada ... it appears he's heading back to Baltimore.

Gee Neil, I know you're devastated.

Sorry :) :)

lol! I think Jim Hendry is not signing any of the FA because he doesn't want to create controversy at the CCO. Sorry Jim...no mrs. Tejada or mrs.Dero in the stands this year. We hope some rookie mrs. steps up too.

I meant "RH prospect". My bad. My Alex Gordon love got in the way of my typing fingers.

Here's another one of those so-far-outside-the-box-it'll-never-happen kind of things...

The Royals appear to have zero LH pitching. The Cubs have a bit of a surplus there.

The Royals have a surplus of 1B/3B/DH candidates (Kaaihue, Butler, Gordon, Fields, Callaspo). The Cubs have productive corner infielders in their 30's with 2 years left on their current deals.

The Cubs have 1 strong corner infield prospect - the RH hitting Josh Vitters who appears to be headed for 1B, and a strong crop of pitching and middle infielders.

How about offering a package including Marshall and Cashner for Alex Gordon?

Gordon will be a strong LH hitter in this league, and he can play both corner infield positions. Although he hasn't played the OF, I'm guessing he's also athletic enough to be adequate in left. In the short term, he can back up Lee, Ramirez and Soriano (a nice LH alternative) and in the long term, he can take over at 3B when Aram's time is up. With Vitters at 1B and Gordon at 3B, we'd have nice balance at the corners.

Some will say - why trade Cashner and Marshall when you can sign Blalock or Gomes or someone of the like and not have to give up anybody? The angle here is you'd acquire talented youth who can contribute now and become a cornerstone player in a year or two. Blalock et al can't offer that kind of ceiling.

This move gives KC a LH for the rotation or the pen, and a LH prospect who may be ready to join the rotation later this year. It also allows them the opportunity to use Kaaihue at DH, Butler at 1B, and Fields at 3B while Callaspo platoons with Getz. They might rather keep Gordon (potentially to platoon with Fields) and deal Callaspo, but they wont get a Marshall and Cashner for Callaspo.

So say it...I'm crazy right?

Great thinking Whatupbr. Those are the kind of deals I love...But I gave up on those type of deals while Jim H. is GM.

EYJr.

Moreland/Davis etc. etc. etc.

For the spirit of JimK...it would be nice if we acquired Seth Smith. But this is purely fantasy.

Suzy -

You're right - Smith is a fantasy. At 26, he's already putting up impressive offensive numbers. With Gonzalez, Fowler, Hawpe, Smith and EY, they should be GIVING Spilborghs away. And by the way - I have zero interest in Spilborghs and dont understand why Hendry would.

Tony -

My bad on Lee's contract, but to me that makes my proposal even more sensible.

We ARE building up the farm, but remember - the value of a good fram system is in what it provides to the big league roster - and that includes what you can acquire with those prospects via trade. Even the best prospects have a pretty small chance of a successful MLB career. Cashner may become a CY Young winner, but he is far more likely to fail. That's not my opinion about him as an individual - it's a statistical truth.

And Gordon hasn't set MLB on fire yet, but at 25 he's already proven he belongs (55 extra base hits in 2007 at the age of 23, 52 in 2008) and he was the #2 prospect in all of baseball just 3 years ago. His numbers will improve with maturity and would probably improve even more in the NL.

I agree about a prospect is just that, a prospect. Unfortunately, we have held on to the wrong ones and traded far to many and in turn have been a lower ranked farm system. We are just getting back to the middle and with most of the talent at A or AA, we should be higher on the ranks a year from now. That is how the farm will help the major league team. High ranked systems have higher ranked prospects, that return better major league ready players.

I also like the thinking of what teams have what we want and need what we have. Most peoples trade thoughts don't match-up, I am just not that high on Gordon.

what good does our farm club rankings do our pro team, if our prospects dont turn into good pro players. IF we can add a good young player for some prospects, it makes waaaay more sense then trading prospects for an aging veteran at the trade deadline, doesnt it? I would have absolutely no problem giving prospects for guys like Gordon, Kahui, Carlos gonzalez, Seth Smith, etc.

First of all, Lee's contract is up after this year (I hope that JH doesn't extend him and overpay) and ARam can opt out after this year. We could very well have openings at both positions after 2010.

Second - DON'T TRADE ANY MORE PROSPECTS AT THIS TIME!!!! We need to build the farm up. Cashner will be on a MLB team either as a bullpen/closer or, if converted successfully, as a starter.

Alex Gordon stats don't look that great by the way and he is coming off of a hip injury. He might turn out great, but I wouldn't want to give up Cashner and Marshall for him.

I sure don't mind that Contreras and Ankiel were snatched up. I wasn't in favor of either of them. I still think Nady is the most athletic and versatile of the outfield crop. Might as well get some decent defense when you're subbing for Soriano when his "knee" acts up again.

As for pitching, its Sheets or Garland for me, because they're both upgrades. I wouldn't put it past Sheets to sign a one year incentive-laden deal with the Cubs, It would be the perfect opportunity to start for a contender and once he proves himself his stock will skyrocket and he can cash in next year. He's already familiar with the NL central and he's seemed pretty cocky when talking about the shape he's in.

As far as Sheets goes...I think the Mets

will outbid everyone else...they are desperate for pitching.

Garland may be an upgrade...but he'll block our young guys. Unless a pitcher has "Ace" potential...we should just stay in house.

Same deal wit the pen...unless Guzman can't pitch at all.

If the Mets are that excited about Sheets, then there must be something wrong with him. The Mets are the one team with more money that makes worse decisions than the Cubs.

As for Garland, the only one I can think he might be blocking is Cashner, and that's a big IF considering how young and inexperienced he is. Unless Shark figured some new mechanics out in the winter league, I just don't see him as a successful starter. He's been "throwing" all this time, not pitching. What about grooming him to close or set-up?

Joed...The Mets have reportedly made Sheets their #1 priority...with the Dodgers not that far behind.

I agree with you re Shark...I hope he shows something...but I'm very doubtful.

The guy I think might take a huge leap forward is Thomas Diamond...he did well

ib winter leagues...and appears to finally be healthy.

The former #1 draft pick from Texas is the guy I think can win a spot.

This could be the impact player we all wish comes out of nowhere and become the rookie of the year along with SS Castro.

I think Diamond is the best prospect as of today in the organization...better than Cashner and Jackson...but he is a delicate dude. Anyway not to make this guy my new hero...but I have followed him quite a while and I think;when healthy, he is better than any of the pitchers in our rotation. Including Z

Of course he has done Nothing at the MLB level...so he needs first to make the team

Diamond would be nice. In addition to him, I think you need to be looking for the following players from our system making debuts this year:

Snyder

Castro

Barney

W. Castillo

Jay Jackson

Cashner

Gaub

LaHair

Dolis

Tony Thomas

Spencer

Camp

Russell

Maestri

Papelbon

These guys are in addition to guys like Fuld and Colvin who already have been called up.

The reason all these guys are listed is because of injuries/likely ineffectiveness, and I'm assuming all of this as it relates to the Cubs current roster. If the sign Gomes or Lopez, or a reliever or another starter, that will change things.

The most likely guys to be replaced are: Fontenot, Koyie Hill, Samardzija, Berg, Silva, Patton, Stevens, Fuld, Blanco, and Hoffpauir. Of course, some of the players mentioned will be September call-ups.

Here's a good gauge of where we're at right now in comparison to the bad guys:

WHITE SOX

Staff: Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, Floyd, Garcia

Pen: Pena, Linebrink, Putz, Williams, Thornton, Nunez/Marquez, Jenks

C-Pierzynski

1B-Konerko

2B-Beckham

SS-Alexei Ramirez

3B-Teahen/Viciendo

LF-Pierre

CF-Rios

RF-Quentin

bench: Flowers, Nix, Andruw Jones, Vizquel, Kotsay

Aside from ARAM, Lee, and Theriot, and possibly Soriano, our lineup/bench looks pretty averagea. The White Sox, on the other hand, are absolutely loaded. When you have Konerko, Beckham, Alexei Ramirez, Quentin, Pierzynski, and Kotsay on your team

Sheets needs to reprove his value by pitching this year. If he does show he can still pitch at an elite leve, and he signs with a team with no real playoff thoughts, he will be traded by the trade deadline, to a contender. If he wants to stay in the same spot all year, he will need to take an incentive laden deal, to get a contender to sign him.

Get Sheets! Pitching wins championships! Move the Shark back to the pen and you have your right-handed set-up guy. Instead of Gomes, Dye or any other righthanded platoon partner, tell Mr. Fukudome to go practice hitting lefty pitching! He's making 13 mill this year. He shouldn't need a platoon partner! And please, if there is anyway possible, get Felipe Lopez! I bet he could play the outfield too.

Samardzija is going to start this year, either in the majors or AAA.

How much someone gets overpaid, has nothing to do with weaknesses in their game. Fukudome will not start very often against leftys, regardless of whether they sign an aging veteran (or Gomes).

The comment above was one of emotion, hence all the exclamation points. I realize Fuky is well below the mendoza line against lefties. I also realize that it is a situation that the Cubs must address. I am just frustrated that the Cubs are in this predicament.

My overall point is that, if you have a little more cash to spend, spend it on one diffrence maker instead of two average dudes. Sheets or MAYBE Garland could be that guy as far as pitching is concerned. Or they could go offense and get Lopez. Let him sub for Fuky against lefties where he batted over .320 against them last year and sub for Baker against Righties.

Lou's Lefty Bat Options:

Active Roster:

Fukodome

Hill (switch)

Blanco (switch)

Fontenot

Fuld

Hoffpauir

40 Man Roster

Colvin

Adduci

Additional

Snyder

Suzy,

Lou's lefty bat options are very few. Face it: Hill, although lefty, is not a bat. Same with Blanco and, for the most part, Fontenot. That leaves a middling Funko, a powerless Fuld, and a despised (by Lou) Hoffpauir. Not much there by these standards.

Sign both Dye and Gomes. Two more right handed bats will be alright by me!

Rip, I was tired when I started the lefty post...it was an incomplete post:

Look at the list of lefties. My thought is that no matter what the company line is right now...Lou is an old school manager, versed in the balanced line-up

theory.

He will get very frustrarted with this lineup and the Cubs will trade for a lefty bat before mid season....

If I were to guess.

They traded Jake Fox and now they want to sign a right handed power hitting outfielder with questionable defensive skills?

eGaryM, I totally agree with you. I am STILL pissed about getting rid of Fox, to unload the piece of garbage Miles. I don't believe in getting rid of a......well, I'll call him a hitter, just to clean up a horrid mistake like Miles. I'll be watching Fox this year and making myself sick. That's been the story of the Cub's front office for the past 2 years now.

Yeah they kinda needed to include Fox, in order to unload the bad contract of aaron miles that went with him. If not for that, we wouldnt be able to do much of anything this offseason. Because without including a cheap guy with value, the A's wouldnt have taken Miles off our hands.

Chan Ho Park is an interesting name to come up. He converted to the bullpen last year, and was successful in the switch. 2.52 ERA in 38 appearances as a reliever. The big problem though is he is 36 years old. Him and Calero should not even be considered because of their age alone.

Tatis should not even be an option either. Hendry finally stumbled upon the right fourth outfielder in Gomes. Get it done Jim Hendry.

Leave the bullpen and rotation alone. Let the kids get a chance to prove themselves there. As Aaron suggested take the remaining money and sign Blalock. Let him know he will get plenty of playing time. Even if by some miracle that Rami or Lee don't end up on the DL at some point this season, they will be rested plenty against some right handers giving Blalock plenty of more playing time. He gives us some left handed pop off the bench, and Rudy might be able to help recruit him along with Byrd.

What makes you think Blalock is ready to sign to be a back-up. He will go to an American League team so he can play everyday.

The DH gives AL teams an advantage filling their bench as it helps get AB's to guys like this.

I saw Blalock played a little 2B back in the day. Any chance he could be convinced to add the corner outfield spots to his resume and become a super utility a la Mark Derosa? I'm positive he would play everyday on the Cubs in that role. He only hit .234 last year and there aren't many 3B spots available. But he did smack 25 homers......

Just read that Mariano Rivera will be 40

this year...and had won of his best seasons last year...so age is not always the determining factor...especially if we are talking a 1 year deal in the pen.

The right fit to me is key...and none of the relievers we've looked at so far

inspire me. If it isn't there...I hope Hendry doesn't force it. Better to give the kids a chance...then waste money on the wrong guy.

Gomes is OK...his KO's concern me...but maybe Rudy can help there. He's probably the best option at the moment...at the $$$ the Cubs are willing to commit.

We do need a power threat.

At some point this season, no matter

the current party line...Lou will bemoan

the RH line up...and a trade for a lefty bat may occur. (It's probably why Ankiel

might have been a better choice than Byrd.)

While I agree Blalock might be good insurance for ARAM/Lee...I don;t think he's on the radar.

just make a move already dye and sheets hendry is just saying he passing up sheets so sheets will bring price down

Matt - why do you want Hendry to "just make a move already" there are options out there that would fit the 4th of position and prices are starting to come down. Ankiel would never of signed that contract earlier in the offseason and probably not at the beginning of this month (still alot of $$ for a 230 bat). Ankiel went to KC for playing time, to now have to put up a good year to get the contract he wants. That's the way it is suppose to work.

1) Gomes

2) Dye

3) Nady

4) Reed Johnson

I think all would fit the need, I have them in order of preference. I have no desire for another bullpen arm. The only starter I would want is Sheets (at the right price of course), because he could be a difference maker. I would rather use young guys for the 5 spot than add Garland.

It's a buyers market, let's hope JH gets it, and doesn't just get something done. To get something done you up the ante and overpay!!

Soriano

Bradley

Miles

Grabow

Gregg

Heilman

Dempster

The list can go on and on.

because this is getting ridiculous with all these names dye calero nady ankiel contreras sheets gomez reed jnohnson list goes on just get someone already

What is ridiculous about a process where players, as much as teams, have to decide what they want to do, where they want to sign, what amount of playing time is available, and how much is being offered in years and dollars.

Teams sign, drop, trade players all season long. Also remember that the rumors are spread by sports writers!! The team's public comments, sometimes are part of negotiating tactics. Have some patience!!