Now that Tom Ricketts and family are running the Cubs I feeling of excitement that things are going to change for the better.  I have read a few articles this last week and listened to Tom on Mike&Mike this morning on ESPN radio.  The guy just gets it.  He's a fan, but he's not Al Davis, Jerry Jones or George Steinbrenner.  He already understands what his role is.  I hope it stays that way.  He's mentioned that his family is going to be a long-term owner.  That's great news to my ears.  He plans to increase the player development budget each year and is considering moving the team to Naples, Florida for spring training.  I hope he does move them so I can see them play in the spring.  It's easier and less expensive for me to go to Florida than Arizona.  Another huge positive is the fact that the Ricketts family plans on reinvesting profits back into the team and Wrigley Field.  What a wonderful idea!  Imagine, all the money this franchise generates and reinvesting it back into the team.  That could lead to some really great things in the years to come. 
I am excited that the Cubs are finally owned by someone that wants to win as bad as I do.  It's about time!

I know the World Series is going on and I am actually rooting for the Yankees.  Joe Giraradi is a former Cub if you didn't know.  So, I will root for him, Jeter and the Yanks.  I guess my loyalty to the National League isn't that great, but that's fine with me.  Don't get me wrong....I have nothing against the Phils.  They have some great talent on their team and may win the Series easily.  But enough about the World Series for now.

The future of the Chicago Cubs has started a new chapter this month.  The Ricketts family are now officially the new owners of my beloved team.  They inherit a team with some great ball players and some that are way overpaid.  Here's the guys that I think are overpaid and/or don't produce for the amount of money they are paid.  Carlos Zambrano, Alfonso Soriano, Milton Bradley and Kosuke Fukudome.  There are a few other guys that I think the Cubs could easily part with too.  Aaron Heilman, Aaron Miles and Kevin Gregg are the main ones I am thinking of.  They aren't paid as much as the first four mentioned, but the Cubs could fill their roster slots with players already in the Cubs farm system for a lot less.  So, the money situation the Ricketts Family inherits is a mess, but hopefully they can start cleaning it up this winter. 

I believe the real future of the Cubs is easily found in the minors.  We have some guys that I think will be the foundation for this franchise in the next 2-3 years.  Starlin Castro, Josh Vitters, Tyler Colvin, Andrew Cashner and Jeff Samardzija.  Here are five guys that have the abilities to succeed at the Major League level.  Samardzija and Colvin each have had some big league experience already and know what they need to do.  Castro and Vitters are still young.  Cashner is making the conversion from college closer to starter.  I see Vitters as a corner infielder known more for his bat than his glove. Castro has the potential to be an all around solid player.  Colvin may be the center fielder of the future for the Cubs.  Overall, I think these are five guys to keep an eye on and let's see what they do for us in the future. 

"Lovable Losers".  It's something I hear all time describe the Cubs and it drives me nuts!  I can't stand it!  This week the Cubs have been in the news a bit due to the bankruptcy and sale of the team.  CNN, FOX, ABC and even NPR all referred to my team as the "Lovable Losers".  There were probably other media outlets that did the same thing, but I can't watch, listen or read all of them. 

I understand why the Cubs are called this, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.  In fact, I would dare to say that no one on the team likes it either.  I think it's going to change though.  Over the next few years, I see the Cubs turning into a contender every year.  The transition is going slower than I want, but we do have three consecutive winning seasons right now.  That is something to build off of and I think guys like Dempster, Lee and Ramirez were disappointed with the way the team finished this year. 

I can't wait to say good riddance to the "Lovalbe Losers" description and hello to World Series Champions!  I know, I know....it's not going to be this year, but soon friends, very soon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally!  Tom Ricketts, pictured above, is going to be the owner of the Chicago Cubs.  From what I have read, Ricketts will take over completely by the end of this month.  That's great news for Cubs fans.  I know it will take a while, but I think he will transform this team into a winner. 
When it was first announced that the Cubs would be sold I wanted Mark Cuban to be the owner.  Yet, now that Tom Ricketts owns the Cubs, I am convinced that he is the man for the job.  Anyone who meets their wife in the bleachers at Wrigley Field is destined to bring the Cubs a World Series Championship! 

As for Mark Cuban, I still think he deserves a chance at owning a Major League Baseball team.  I honestly feel that he would be a great fit for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  That is an organization that needs someone like him to get them back to winning. 

But enough about Cuban.  Ricketts is now the man and I have high expectations.  I cannot wait to see what the Cubs do this off-season!

The Cubs 2009 season is over.  There is no doubt that it was a disappointing and frustrating season for the fans, players, coaches and front office.  The "tweaks" the team made in the off-season last year backfired.  So, I have a couple of new ideas that are a little bit outside the box.

First idea I have is to make Rich Harden and incentive based offer.  One that could potentially pay him a lot of money.  The craziness of my idea is to make Harden a closer.  Let's face it, he's never going to be a durable starter for an entire season.  He's got great stuff and maybe he would thrive as closer.  I like him on the Cubs, but there is a definite need in the closer's role.  Kevin Gregg didn't get the job done this year and Marmol struggled all year to throw strikes.  With Marmol's control problem I don't trust him as our closer.  There's no doubt he possesses the tools to close, but he walks too many guys.  Harden may be a flop as a closer, but I think it's worth considering.

Next, we need to trade Bradley, obviously, even if we have to eat almost all of his contract.  That's not thinking outside of the box very much, but it's something that needs to be done.  I would also suggest trading away Carlos Zambrano.  Big Z has tons of talent and oozes potential, but for whatever reason he never seems to live up to my expectations.  We are paying him good money and he's putting up numbers comparable to a number 2 or 3 starter.  We need a legitimate ace for that kind of money!  Trade him to the Mets and move on! 

Finally, I cannot wait until the sale of the Cubs is complete and we can start a new chapter in the history of the Chicago Cubs.  Tom Ricketts strikes me as the perfect fit as owner for the Cubs.  It should be a fun ride once he takes over!

Well, Milton Bradley has most likely seen his last days playing for the Cubs.  What a sad waste of talent.  Players have bad seasons.  Yet, Bradley just didn't seem to get it.  If you play the game the right way, act the right way and say the right things the fans will still support you even if you aren't producing the way you are capable of.  I wonder how much of his salary the Cubs will have to eat in order to trade him?

 

Next, we have the sale of the Cubs.  How many years is this thing gonna take?  Sam Zell is a crook and I can't wait for the Ricketts family to finally take over.  I am tired of watching Cubs games on WGN and seeing commercials for the L.A. Times.  It's ridiculous! 

 

I read the last night that Lou said 2010 would be his last as the Cubs manager.  Well, I think that's perfect.  Give Ryno one more year in the minors or make him a bench coach on the big league team next year.  Either way, I want Sandberg to be the next manager of the Cubs.

 

Just a few things on my mind this morning as the season winds down.  The Cubs won 3-2 last night against the Giants thanks to Jeff Baker's 9th inning blast.  Too bad I was already fast asleep.   

 

 

When the season began I was looking at this weekend and the 3 game series versus the "Arch" rivals as an opporortunity for the Cubs to clinch the central division.  Even as late as July I thought this was possible.  Then August came around and the Cubs wilted faster than a weed sprayed with RoundUp.  But not only did they wither in August the Cubs have disappointed me all season. Last nights game winning homer by Matt Holliday didn't shock me at all.  When Aaron Heilman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth I was ready to turn off the tv.  But being the ever loyal and stubborn Cub fan I kept watching.  He fell behind 3-1 to Holliday and the rest is history. 

Not only did the Cubs lose to the Cardinals last night, but they lost out to them all season long in many ways.  The Cards go out and get Mark DeRosa, Matt Holliday and John Smoltz.  The Cubs added Grabow and Gorzelanny, both pitchers that I like, but it doesn't compare to what the Redbirds acquired. 

The Cards have played great ball this season and when you have Albert Pujols in your lineup you always have a chance to win.  The Cubs will need to do something this off-season to counter the team the Cardinals have now surrounding Pujols.  Hopefully, the sale will be approved by the owners soon and the Ricketts family can go to work.  Lord knows there is a lot to be done. 

Maybe the Cubs can take today's and tomorrow's games and we can finish the season strong. 

In my part 1 post about being GM I selected 3 former Cubs as the manager, pitching coach and a bench coach.  It wasn't tough for me either.  Maddux and Sandberg are my 2 favorite Cub players from the 80s and 90s.  Jody Davis was my other pick and I love him too. 
Now comes the hard part.   How would I build my team into a championship caliber team.  I could go the route of "buying" a championship or try to build from within the organization.  I think I will compromise for the sake of this post and do both.  It should be fun.

The first thing that needs to be done is to trim the fat.  We can do that by getting rid of several players that we are having to pay too much money for and that we can replace using our own minor league players. 

First on my list is Aaron Heilman.  The Cubs are paying him $1.625 million this year.  Next is Aaron Miles, who is being paid $2.2 million this year and is due $2.7 million next year.  Kevin Gregg is being paid $4.2 million this year and hasn't produced as I hoped.  The next one pains me because he is one of my favorite players and that is Reed Johnson.  The Cubs are paying Reed $3 million this year.  These four guys would be the easiest to part with in my opinion and would save the Cubs over $13 million this year and next year.  That may not sound like much, but it's definitely a start in the right direction.  Here's a list of some names that could fill their roles.  Jeff Samardzija could take over Heilman's role and do just as good.  Miles could be filled by Bobby Scales.  Johnson could be filled by Sam Fuld.  We also have Jake Fox, Micah Hoffpauir, Jeff Baker and pitcher David Patton that could fill in for these guys.  So far, we have trimmed over $13 million from the outrageous team salary.  I suggest we use that money and try to sign a top notch closer.  The only one out there that I think we could sign is Billy Wagner.  Only if he is healthy though.  If not, let Carlos Marmol have the role and use the money somewhere else. 

The big problem is all the money we have tied up in our outfield.  Between Bradley, Fukudome and Soriano the Cubs will have a $40 million outfield.  Only $9 million for Bradley, $13 million for Fukudome and $18 million for Soriano.  I don't see us being able to trade any of these guys without having to take on some of their salary.  So, I won't even go there. It's too treacherous of a slope and I don't want to even ponder it.

My next goal is a reach, but why not, I am gonna have fun with this.  Trade for 25 year old sensation Hanley Ramirez.  It's apparent that he's had some trouble in the Marlins club house this year.  It's also apparent that he is a stud.  He hits for average, power and has great speed.  Plus, he's improved on his defense.  We could get him and move Theriot over to second base.  With D.Lee and Aramis at the Corners the  Cubs would have an awesome infield.  I know it would take a lot to get Hanley and I wouldn't flinch at trading Josh Vitters in the deal.  I know it would take more than that and I wouldn't trade the whole farm, but he's only 25 and and great player that the Cubs could use.  But this is a "fantasy" trade and I know it would be very unlikely. 

So there is a quick summary of what I would like to do if I were GM For a Day.  Use the minors to fill my bench and bullpen and try to sign an elite closer and trade for one elite bat.  I know if I were GM for the Cubs I would allow my heart to lead me more so than my head and that would get me into trouble.  That's why I am a fan and sometimes can't understand why the Cubs make the moves they make. 

Here's hoping the Cubs finish this season strong and that we make some smart moves this off season.

Okay, I am going to have a little fun with this post.  I am going to be GM for a day.  My first objectives are the coaches.  I love Lou Piniella and he has brought a winning attitude to the Chicago Cubs.  This season has been a disappointment for the fans because we expect to win now.  That's not something we have been able to say in the past.  However, it is not guaranteed that Lou wants to come back in 2010 to my knowledge.  So, with that said, I would like to go ahead and announce that Ryne Sandberg should be the new manager of the Cubs next year.  Ryno has worked in the Cubs minor league system the last couple of years and has proven to be successful.  I think it's time to let him take over the big league team.  There are two coaches that I would like to see accompany him to the bigs too.  Jody Davis is another former Cub that has worked with the Cubs minor league system and I think would be a great addition to the coaching staff.  The final piece that I would want to add to the coaching staff is Greg Maddux.  Let him be our pitching coach.  His brother is the pitching coach for the Rangers this year and look at how well they have done.  I get the feeling he could do the same for the Cubs. 
So, as GM for a day my first objective would be to bring in 3 former Cubs to be the manager, a bench coach and pitching coach.  Sandberg, Davis and Maddux would be the start of something special in my biased opinion. 

Here's some of my ideas for the Cubs.  Start with Soto.  He needs to
lose weight.  In the minors, he struggled with his weight and never was
much of a consistent hitter until slimmed down.  That translated into a
ROY award for him last year.  Evidently, he forgot that eating  a bunch
of twinkies would hurt his game. 
Next, Soriano has got to stop trying to play hurt.  They finally did an
MRI on his knee yesterday despite the fact that it has been hurting
since May.  I appreciate a guy trying to play through the pain, but he's
hurting the team more than helping them.  Keep him down in the order too.
His power bat is dangerous in the 5 or 6 hole. 
As for 2B,  I really like Fontenot, but I realize he's probably best
suited as a 250 at bats a year guy.  For now, we can platoon him with
Jeff Baker. 
Keep Jake Fox in the lineup in LF, RF, 3B or 1B.  Let him become the
utility corner infielder/outfielder and use his awesome bat as much as
possible.  If they do get rid of Bradley then put Fox in RF.  You can
always put in Reed Johnson or Sam Fuld as a defensive replacement late in games.   
Go sign a legit closer.  If Billy Wagner is available this off season
and healthy I say go for him.  Use Samardzija in the bullpen.  Can't be
any worse than Aaron Heilman.  Cubs need to stop wasting money on guys
like Heilman, Miles, Freel and Gathright.  They can fill those positions
internally using their own minor leagues.  It's a waste of money that we
could use to sign someone legit. 
Keep Guzman, Marmol, Grabow and Marshall without a doubt for the pen.
Throw Samardzija into the mix too.  Get rid of Gregg.  Put Zambrano on
Ryan Dempster's weight loss program.  Remember how he lost a lot of
weight making the transition from closer to starter.  It's paid off.
Keep Harden if possible.  I like Wells at the back end of the rotation
and Lilly has been one of the best signings by Hendry in quite some
time.  Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden and Wells as my starting 5.
Keep Gorzellany too.  So, here's my pitching staff for next year.
1. Zambrano
2. Dempster
3. Lilly
4. Harden
5.  Wells

Gorzellany (LHP) middle/long relief spot starter
Marshall (LHP)  middle/long relief spot starter
Samardzija  (RHP) middle relief
Guzman  (RHP) middle relief/setup man
Marmol (RHP) setup man/ spot closer
Grabow (LHP) setup man/ situational lefty
Wagner (LHP) Closer

Just a few rambling thoughts going through my head.  This has been a frustrating season.  I still love it though.