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In a move that is sure to inspire some (ever-so-slight) interest in Wrigleyville, the Chicago Cubs have locked 32-year-old David DeJesus into a two-year deal.DeJesus has been an above-average fielder his entire career, adding legitimate value to a position where the Cubs could sorely use it. Coming off a dreadful 2011 season, where he couldn't produce or stay healthy, DeJesus is looking to rebound to the nicer seasons of 2008-2010. Over those three years, he hit .300 with a .365 on-base percentage and averaged an OPS above .800. If he simply stays healthy and produces like he did those three seasons, he'll ...
In a previous article, I highlighted the abilities of Cuban phenom Yoennis Cespedes and how the Chicago Cubs should strive to win him over. I still feel this way, although it seems the 26-year-old will be wowed by the big spenders, which will continue to annoy baseball fans outside of the American League East.Last week, Chicago sent its top scouts to the Dominican Republic to watch Cespedes.However, the Cubs also looked at Jorge Soler, another Cuban defector who is the 19-year-old version of Cespedes. But with more potential. If Chicago's plan is really about building youth and a future for this ...
The Cubs are finally moving in the right direction in hopes of ending the “Billy Goat Curse” and winning a World Series. They currently have the longest title drought in professional sports, and they will do whatever it takes to win. The first move was the stealing of Theo Epstein from the Red Sox, who did a phenomenal job in breaking the Red Sox World Series curse. Then the Cubs fired manager Mike Quade and hired Dale Sveum from the Brewers, a tactic that that they hope to use to lure Prince Fielder. The Ricketts family are the new owners, ...
There is a new sheriff in town and it has been a long time coming. The Cubs have gone out and gotten themselves a brain trust. They went from having one of the worst GMs in baseball (Jim Hendry) to Theo Espstein and Jed Hoyer. They will need every last brain cell and IQ point to move the team into the first division.Hendry saddled the team with a ton of bad contracts. In the short-term, that means they will have to let players like Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena go. At least, they will have to to if they want ...
With Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer taking over this club, knowing that the path to consistent winning involves young players, there really should be no players on the current roster who are untouchable. Yes, that even includes Starlin Castro, although I would want a king's ransom for him. So, in effect, he is the only player who is almost untouchable. But if I were the Cubs brass, I would listen at least. But my main focus would be on players who may have value to other teams that are willing to move young pieces in return. Some have questioned the ...
Ron Santo played third base in the Major Leagues from 1960 to 1974, 14 of those years with the Chicago Cubs. In his career, he compiled 342 HR, 1,331 RBI and had a lifetime batting average of .277. He was in the top five voting for the Rookie of the Year. He was a nine-time All Star, a five-time Gold Glove winner and in the top 10 for MVP four times. Third base is the hardest position to play to get into the Hall of Fame. Third base has the fewest representatives in the Hall. Why is this? To understand ...
In January 2011, the Chicago Cubs acquired Matt Garza along with Fernando Perez and Zach Rosscup. Chicago sent Chris Archer, Hak-Ju Lee, Robinson Chirinos, Brandon Guyer and Sam Fuld to the Tampa Bay Rays in return. While the deal seemed steep at the time, after the season Garza had in 2011, he could be traded for even more this offseason.According to FanGraphs, Garza finished 2011 with career bests in ERA, xFIP and WAR. With a WAR of 5.0, Garza is among the elite in the National League and should attract trade offers comparable to what Kansas City got for Zack ...
Aramis Ramirez, who has manned third base for the Chicago Cubs for the last nine and half years, has declared that he will play elsewhere next season. But if the fish are not biting, could Ramirez return to the North Side in 2012?Without a doubt, Ramirez makes the Cubs a whole lot better. After hitting .306 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI in 2011, Ramirez has proven that he still can produce the numbers of an elite third baseman. While he isn't the greatest fielder in the world, his batting outweighs his poor fielding, and he is still the ...
With the Cubs attempting to make their way back into contention, many are calling for a culture change in Chicago. But what is Chicago Cubs culture, precisely?The Cubs are an old team, old enough to have its own legends and mystique. But it is time to separate fact from fiction. Here are three pervasive myths about the Chicago Cubs and their fans.Begin Slideshow
Prince Fielder. Albert Pujols. Chicago Cubs. The three have been interchangeable since the beginning of free agency, and rumors have run rampant about which piece is a good fit for each other. Simply put, neither Pujols nor Fielder are a good fit for the Chicago Cubs.Albert Pujols is 32 going on 34 (supposedly), and he has never been a serious part of the Cubs' free-agent discussion. Fielder has been put under a microscope for weeks and no one can get a good read on what the future holds for the left-handed power hitter. With the big-spending teams (Yankees, Red Sox ...
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