To Cubs fans,who would you like to see the Cubs get for next year?

Question

Someone they actually have a realistic chance of getting? Also, do you like all of the starting postion players going into next season?

You can name more than one player if you wish.

Answer 1

Resign Ron Santo and Ernie Banks!! It's the only chance they have!!

Answer 2

Let us be realistic. Zito is going to the Mets or Yankees and Schmidt is not the Jason Schmidt of 2-3 seasons ago. I would like Schmidt as a #2, but I cannot see him leaving the west coast. Realistically, I think the Cubs need to focus on re-working Ramirez's contract and then possibly look for an upgrade in RF via trade and get whatever you can for Jacque. Then the lineup would look something like this:

Pierre CF
Theriot 2B
Lee 1B
Ramirez 3B
Barrett C
Murton LF
Jones RF
Izturis SS

With a rotation like this:

Zambrano
Mussina
Hill
Prior
Mateo

The pen is a disaster and they really need to find a closer.
But NOT Benitez :)

Answer 3

Joe Girardi needs to be our manager first of all. He is a great manager and works well with young players. He would be a perfect fit here. Sign free agents Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt so we have a pitching rotation of Zito, Schmidt, Carlos Zambrano, Rich Hill, and Mark Prior. (This is a realistic scenario. It has been talked about frequently on Chicago talk radio.) Then all we need to get is a power-hitting second basemen via trade or free agency, re-sign Juan Pierre, and work out a new contract with Aramis Ramirez and the lineup will be set. Lee plays first, Murton in left, Jones in right, Barrett catching, and Cedeno or Izturis at short. If this happens, the Cubs are back in the playoffs!!!

Answer 4

Im a Braves fan but I feel for the Cubs so here goes.

Joe Girardi
Chicago needs to scream for him.

TRADE PRIOR

Sign Zito or Ted Lilly. Need a Lefty
Resign Kerry Wood.

Hunter, Soriano, or Pierre

Sign Tim Wakefield, Cory Lidle, Adam Eaton, or Miguel Batista.
Its for insurance in case Sp goes down--again.

Ramirez, Lee, Barrett, and Theriot should have good seasons next year, but another bat could help.

Answer 5

As far as starting pitching goes, I'd like to see them get Jason Schmidt. I just like the ideas of having two bulls like Big Z and Schmidt heading up the rotation. In any case, the No. 2 starter needs to be someone new and DEPENDABLE. Although probably not ideal, here's what I could live with going into next season:

1. Zambrano
2. Schmidt (or another free agent/trade; Zito would be nice but seems unlikely)
3. Wade Miller
4. Rich Hill
5. Juan Mateo or Sean Marshall (I'm a Marshall fan but I think Mateo's been more consistent overall; for the time being, I'm favoring Mateo as a starter and Marshall as a left-handed spot starter/long man, kinda like Glendon Rusch was supposed to be this year).

Another X factor here is Ryan O'Malley. He had only two outings but both were pretty good. He'll likely never be a top-of-the-rotation kinda guy but he shouldn't be forgotten.

Les Walrond, on the other hand, should be dismissed with our thanks. Angel Guzman? I don't know...send him back to AAA and see whether he can get dominant there. He's been a huge disappointment.

You might notice I left Mark Prior off the list. That's because I'M DONE WITH HIM. I'm tired of waiting around for this guy to come back and be the ace we all wanted/needed for the last TWO FRICKIN' YEARS.

Now I realize Wade Miller is a similiar player (experienced guy, who's recovering from injury), but Miller has showed me something his last two outings (which Prior never really did in the few games he pitched this year) and I *think* he's a safer bet.

If Prior can get rehabbed and make a comeback, fan-frickin-tastic. But he's got to prove it and the Cubs have to stop depending on him.

At least Kerry Wood has shown the common sense and courtesy to declare himself out of contention for the starting staff. If Wood is reasonably healthy, I'm all for giving him a spot in the bullpen -- though NOT the closer, at least not right aaway. Let him be a setup man for a while and see how he does. If he pitches lights out and seems to have the temperment to close, by all means...

I'd keep Howry and probably make him the closer unless a better one can be acquired via free agency or a trade. I'd keep Eyre, too. I have no strong feelings about the rest of the bullpen -- aside from losing Novoa, who's just too inconsistent to be trusted.

As far as position players...Soriano would be great. I think Carlos Lee could still prove valuable. He hasn't done much in Cleveland, but he's batting against AL pitchers and would probably do better batting at Wrigely against NL pitchers. Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions here.

Position players I'd keep: Lee (duh), Ramirez (ya just can't ignore those numbers and his defense has been better), Izturis (no choice), Barrett, Pagan (bench).

Position players I'm on the fence about: Pierre (huge fan but he could be better off traded to make room for a better defensive center fielder; he's gotten a lotta hits but his OBP as been less-than-stellar), Jones (he's done better than expected but his defense and base-running are liabilities), Theriot (love the guy but he may have trade value after his strong showing late this season; if he stays, he should ideally stay on the bench unless no one better is available to play second), Murton (love the guy but could prove valuable in a trade as well).

Position players/pitchers who need to go: Cedeno (sorry, Ronny, you just didn't earn it), Rusch (get well soon, but, no...), Bynum, Novoa, Dempster (this is a hearbreaker because I was a huge fan when he took over as closer but I've lost faith in him completely; I guess they could move him back to the pen if necessary).

Oh, and the manager (minor detail): Dusty's done. (Thanks, dude!) Either Girardi or Luis Gonzalez would be fine by me. Girardi is the obvious, emotional choice. But somehow I have a feeling Gonazalez could bring the same magic to the Cubs that Guillen brought to the Sox.

Last thing, the coaching staff: Fire all of their asses, including Larry ("Sweatshirt Boy") Rothchild.

Anyhoo, just some random thoughts that were fun to write down. Great question!

Answer 6

as manger Lou Pinella he is no softy like Baker he will lite a fire under you if you don't play fundamental baseball.numerous times the Cubs have had the bases loaded with 1 or no outs and couldn't score a run, that is uncalled for, we need a pitching coach that know how to...like a Greg Maddux and maybe he still has a year or two left in him..

Answer 7

Too much house cleaning and i don't want to take up all your valuable time. Need to find some pop for the offense, at least 2 reliable starting pitchers, a closer (Wood???), defense help and a wake up call to the coaching staff and administration (Hendry and McPhail).

Answer 8

Hopefully not Maddux because he needs to stay in LA where he has a chance of at least making the playoffs

Answer 9

as a giants fan you could take benitez
if i was sabean id pay u to take him