CNM's Current Cubs viewpoint.

cubsneedmiracle

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With the Cubs on their way to potentially adding another year to the drought. It's time for some perspective on the current roster.

Realistically, this team was built for 2008. Anything in the playoffs after that with some of the core from those teams were just gravy.

Unfortunately this core isn't going to do it anymore.

It's time to move on.

I'm sure some of you are gonna rail this.. That's just fine. I expect it.

Do we need a massive firesale? Some would say we do need it. I don't, but I do think we need to make a sell off.

The problem is we don't have any young players to fill out positions as of right now. Sure if we were in this position in 3 or 4 years I would say do wholesale changes.

The other problem is bloated contracts. Sure one great year was probably worth some trying years being hampered by bad contracts in Cub terms.

The problem is.. These contracts REALLY REALLY hamper most player movement from a severely under performing team.

So here is my solution. Over this season and the upcoming offseason there are players that need to be off the books.

Right now.. for this current season we need to move a few guys.

Grabow must be released. He is just horrid.

Lee or Ramirez need to be traded. Odds are we won't be able to move both in a similar time.

If Ricketts is ready to back up his promise by re-working the Cubs farm system.

We need to be utilizing the Type A-B arbitration system in the offseason. Even if it risks retaining players that aren't useful to our success. This is something that Hendry has continually refused to do. Which I'm sure most would agree with me that it has hampered our farm system up until recently.

Now the next issue is Manager and pitching coach.

As far as I've seen this season. Lou has already checked out. Rothschild is piss terrible. He's ruined a stable of pitchers in the early part of the last decade which should have forced his departure then.

My solution for this.

Ryno is not the up-and-coming direct answer. Even though I'm damn sure Ricketts wants him as the next manager.

My suggestion is Bob Brenly. Gosh I know I really enjoy his broadcasts with Len.. It has to be done.

With pitching coach. Anyone that knows me knows that I would love to get Duncan. Unfortunately that's probably not happening. Nor are there any "Duncan-ites" (Belichick disciples) that are similar. So this would be a matter that Brenly would handle.

As of the off season. Hendry's leash runs out. I would love a GM like Billy Beane. That's not going to happen though. Our best chance may actually come from in-house options. Oneri Fleita may be the answer. Seems to have a good eye for our younger talent.

As for anything else.. It's too early to tell.
 

waldo7239117

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First move needs to be cut cords with Hendry and Pinella. Then it would be way different.
 

X

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I don't care who is GM or Manager. If the two players you count on for offense have a combined avg around .200, you're not going to win.
 

CODE_BLUE56

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^^this....i think if lee and a ram were hitting about .260 each and had combined 10-15 HRs by now which is usually what i would expect..we would be in much better shape
 

waldo7239117

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Well the Cubs won't win until Pinella is gone and Hendry gets into a bond with his players and won't trade them like Lee fo instance.
 

CubbieBlue

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I don't care who is GM or Manager. If the two players you count on for offense have a combined avg around .200, you're not going to win.

Agreed.

Lee is gone after this year anyway, and I still have a feeling A-Ram won't pick up the option on his contract. It would be nice if he didn't anyway. Depending on how Fukudome does the rest of this year he might be easy to move with only one year left.

The only problem is we are going to go through some more losing seasons as we rebuild the team.
 

derosabomb

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Agreed.

Lee is gone after this year anyway, and I still have a feeling A-Ram won't pick up the option on his contract. It would be nice if he didn't anyway. Depending on how Fukudome does the rest of this year he might be easy to move with only one year left.

The only problem is we are going to go through some more losing seasons as we rebuild the team.

why wouldnt he. if he doesnt pick it up who the hell else is going to want him. unless he retires?
 

CubbieBlue

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I'm sure he could latch on to another team. Other than this year he has been a decent player. Of course with his age it's hard telling. I'm just hoping he doesn't to get more salary off of the payroll.
 

cubsneedmiracle

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Somebody would take Rami..

He has too much of a track record for someone not to bid on him.
 

CODE_BLUE56

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Somebody would take Rami..

He has too much of a track record for someone not to bid on him.

see thats exactly what i was thinking....

its not like he is going to stay this bad too
 

Jntg4

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Wait until July 31st, knowing Hendry won't want to give up, we'll have to be about 10 games out for him to be a seller rather than a buyer.
 

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