While the baseball world readies for a start of another Fall Classic, the Cubs have a lot of work to do before the end of the World Series when they can announce any deals or changes to the team. The first step will be locking up Aramis Ramirez, or will it? Ramirez is gaining more and more press on a daily basis in the Chicago area and in other Major League cities that is not New York. The Yankees and the Mets are probably the only big league, major market teams that can afford Ramirez that are not interested. Face it, as much as the Pirates would love to have Ramirez back, there is not any way they will be able to afford him. According to an article in Saturday morning’s Chicago Tribune, there are 7-10 teams interested in Ramirez and his agent, Paul Kinzer, says that Ramirez “will be the hottest free agent on the market”. The longer Jim Hendry waits to end this soap opera that he created the better. The Astros are apparently interested in Ramirez….great the Cubs will get to see their former star 19 times a year until 2011. This should have never been allowed to go this long. The Cubs decided to keep him at the July 31st deadline when they could have dealt him to Angels and helped rebuild their Minor League system with some of the most promising talent around but instead they chose to keep him and now could lose him….with nothing to show but a bunch of cancelled checks.
According to the article by Paul Sullivan the Cubs will have to add a few years and a few million dollars to the $33.5 million they still owe him and the new contract will “lock him up” until 2011. The Angels have made him their primary target this off-season.
Julio Lugo’s name joined the list of former players under Piniella that could join the Cubs next season. (Note: the CCO is going to help the mainstream media….if a player that ever played for Piniella and had little if any success….that player (insert name here) will be mentioned this off-season as coming to the Cubs).
The Miguel Tejada rumors are starting up again and with the World Series starting tonight, the Cubs organization is able to watch a few players that could have been in blue pinstripes.
Alex Rodriguez….enough said.
Let the push for Ron Santo begin and a note from the CCO to the Veteran’s Committee….Please do not allow the same to happen to Mr. Santo that just happened to Mr. O’Neil. As human beings we are supposed to learn from our mistakes, not continue to make the same ones….over and over again.
Have a great Saturday and enjoy Game One…