Reports have surfaced that the Chicago White Sox have signed free agent first baseman Adam Dunn to a four-year, $56 million deal. After reading that statement, a collective sigh may have been audible on the other side of town, though each individual may have had a different reason for joining the chorus.
On the one hand, Adam Dunn is a consistent left-handed power hitter that would have looked great in the middle of the Cubs lineup. On the other hand, Dunn is not exactly known as great defender at any position and will not only cost the Sox a reported average ...
This is the final part of a series of articles outlining the decisions that the Cubs will need to make this offseason. You can read part four by following this link.
Jim Hendry has already said that he's more concerned about making "two or three really good moves" than relying on the splash factor of one move. So, for those of you looking at the big name free agents with large price tags, or even a potential trade for Adrian Gonzalez, don't get your hopes up too high.
Instead, look for the Cubs to get guys that fit the team and their ...
This is part four of a series of articles outlining the decisions that the Cubs will need to make this offseason. You can read part three by following this link. After Aramis Ramirez exercised his $14.6 million player option, the Cubs' only true free agent was Xavier Nady. Since then, Brad Snyder was outrighted off the 40-man roster and opted to join Nady in the pool of free agents, leaving the Cubs with only 15 position players. That's obviously a number that will need to increase, but most of the spots on the Opening Day roster will probably be filled by players ...
This is part three of a series of articles outlining the decisions that the Cubs will need to make this offseason. You can read part two by following this link.
Ryan Dempster, Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Jeff Samardzija, and Carlos Zambrano are all pretty safe bets to break camp with the Cubs when they finish up in Mesa next year.
Marmol and Marshall did more than enough to earn whatever salary raise they end up getting this offseason. Dempster didn't have his best season, but he put in 215.1 strong innings with 208 strikeouts (one less than his career high) and a 3.85 ERA.
Samardzija, who ...
This time it's official. Mike Quade is the manager, not interim manager, of the Chicago Cubs.
Reactions so far have been nearly dichotomous. Either it's a refreshing move that rewards experience over celebrity, or it's a horrible move that spurns a legend. It should come as no shock that I find myself in the former camp, but I do understand the reservations of those who question the perspicacity of such a move.
Quade has only managed 37 big league games and, although the team performed well under his direction, those games came when wins and losses were basically meaningless. Also, having spent his entire playing ...
This is part two of a series of articles outlining the decisions that the Cubs will need to make this offseason. You can read part one and introduce yourself to their current situation by following this link. The Chicago Cubs have technically been without a manager since Lou Piniella stepped down on August 22 and without a manager for 2011 since he announced his intention to retire a month earlier. Several names have been thrown about since then, including bench coach Alan Trammell, Triple-A manager Ryne Sandberg, announcer Bob Brenly, Joe Girardi, Fredi Gonzalez, Eric Wedge, Bob Melvin and Pat Listach. ...
I'm sure that there are more than a handful of Cubs fans who are under the impression that the organization will acquire a few impact players this offseason, much like the post-2006 and post-2007 offseasons. However, the fact of the matter is that the team's current 40-man roster will need to be tweaked quite a bit before any additions can be made. To begin with, only two players on the team's final 40-man roster can leave on their own volition: Aramis Ramirez and Xavier Nady. Since Ramirez has already made it clear that he will be exercising the $14.6 million player option on ...
On August 17, 2007, it was difficult to see exactly how stable the Chicago Cubs would be in the long-term.
There were still seven years left on Alfonso Soriano's contract, four left on Aramis Ramirez's, and three on Derrek Lee's and Ted Lilly's, but Soriano, Lee, and Lilly were all heading into their age 32 seasons. Young players like Rich Hill, Sean Marshall, Carlos Marmol, Angel Guzman, and Ryan Theriot had shown some promise but weren't far enough into their careers to even approach status as a known quantity.
Michael Barrett, who was eventually traded, and Jacque Jones were having much ...
With the athleticism that made him an All-American wide receiver, a frame suitable for a future workhorse, and an arm that's both live and fresh, he fits the physical standards for your prototypical major league pitcher. With a focused demeanor on the mound that could become a formidable presence in the coming years and the kind of work ethic that can only come from within, he has the intangibles you wish for too. The only thing that Jeff Samardzija has always needed more of is experience. Of course, that's just how it is when you ...
Lou Piniella began his career in professional baseball in 1962 as an 18-year-old outfielder for the Cleveland Indians' Class D affiliate Selma Cloverleafs of the Alabama-Florida league.
After 23 seasons playing professional baseball (including 18 big league seasons), another 23 seasons managing in the big leagues, and a few seasons as a general manager or broadcaster, "Sweet Lou" likely put on a big league uniform for the final time Sunday.
It was just over a month ago that Piniella made public his intention to retire, so we all knew this day was coming before too long. What we didn't expect was that ...
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