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Carlos Pena has been a terrific bargain for the 2011 Chicago Cubs. He has saved untold errors for the infield defense, driven the ball well at times and demonstrated what perfect baseball makeup is even during a lost season.But Pena ought not to be back in 2012. This is one thing about rebuilding a ball club: Sometimes even successful one-year solutions have to remain so. In fact, Pena is just one of perhaps a dozen Cubs who should not be back in 2012. The team needs to start afresh, and while senselessly shoving off talent would be foolish, so, too, ...
Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano will be receiving $18 million a season for this year and the next three years. His total contract was for $136 million over eight seasons.At times, Soriano has shined. More often though, the Cubs outfielder has been an example of failure.Soriano was actually not a bad player before he arrived in Chicago. Before his first season in Chicago, Soriano batted .277 with 46 home runs, 95 RBIs and 41 stolen bases during his single-season stint with the Washington Nationals. No wonder he received the contract he did.I don't think Jim Hendry initially was making a mistake ...
Since firing GM Jim Hendry on August 19, the Chicago Cubs have played amid a constant swirl of rumors about who will stay and who will go as the team prepares for 2012.After the New York Yankees claimed Carlos Pena off revocable waivers, there were major whispers that the team would deal Pena and move on with the intent of pursuing Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols this winter.But the new GM is not yet in place, so it's too early to ponder those decisions closely. Moreover, savvy trades and free-agent moves represent just one component of success. The other, often ...
The Chicago Cubs will be doing something for the first time in nine years.This upcoming offseason, the Cubs will be exploring new options for their general manager position. As the Cubs are a high-profile franchise, they have many top GMs looking to possibly make the move to Chicago's North Side.One of the more notable candidates is longtime Yankee's GM Brian Cashman. The four-time World Series-winning GM would certainly know a thing or two about building a championship contender. The thing is, though, the Ricketts would have to be willing to open their wallets like the Steinbrenners have over the years.If ...
When the Chicago Cubs went up for sale, there were many bidders as expected.There was one bidder that stood out from the rest.Mark Cuban.The eccentric Dallas Mavericks owner was not only extremely interested in owning the franchise, but the fans were extremely fond of the idea also.Ultimately, we all know what happened. The Ricketts bought the Chicago Cubs, and even though they are Cub fans, they are no Mark Cuban.What if Cuban had won the Cubs though?Begin Slideshow
The Chicago Cubs season has not gone close to how the team hoped it would. As a result of their struggles, the Cubs September call-ups may get a decent amount of playing time in September.With the Cubs looking for a new general manager, a strong September performance could put a prospect in a good position to make the Opening Day roster next year.Begin Slideshow
It's that time of the year, again.Cubs fans everywhere are telling themselves, the person next to them or anyone who will listen that "next year is the year."The Chicago Cubs have once again failed to complete their ongoing 103-year World Series drought, but that doesn't stop fans from leaving hope for another year to come.So, as I always do at this time of the year, I would like to announce that next year is the year. Is that not what I am supposed to say, right now?Honestly, next year is not the year. And neither is the year after that ...
The Chicago Cubs are bad.Starlin Castro, Geovany Soto, Darwin Barney and Brett Jackson form a formidable up-the-middle core around which to build, but oof, do Tom Ricketts and company have much building to do.The team will win 75 or fewer games this season, as it did in 2010, and it might well do the same in 2012.Help is not close at hand. The high minors have been a tale of disappointments this season, from Josh Vitters still not really figuring things out to Trey McNutt scuffling with injuries and command problems. The parent club's injury problems have intruded on the ...
With the proposed renovations on Wrigley Field possibly shutting down the stadium for a season or two, the Chicago Cubs will be looking for a new place to call home during that time.The Cubs obviously would need to stay close to keep the crowds coming in. I know the Cubs have a huge following coast to coast, but they would need to stay within the area.There are a few options that Tom Rickets and the Cubs can take a look at, but I don't know if some of these locations would settle well with the hometown fans.The stadium owners will ...
In a gloomy season on the North Side of Chicago, many point to rookie second baseman Darwin Barney (in addition to Starlin Castro and Matt Garza) as a bright spot.Barney's ability to hit for average near the top of the order (not that he belongs there, Mike Quade) and adequately field second base have drawn praise, and the consensus among fans and analysts seems to be that Barney fits into the Cubs' future puzzle. He may even be a key piece.I rise in objection.Let's deconstruct the things for which Barney has garnered so much attention:
He ranks among the top ...
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