Of Sandberg, next year and other stuff
It’s a day of shaking hands and saying goodbye. For some, it’s goodbye for good, and for others, it’s see you next year. Both Jim Hendry and Lou met the media this morning. Both seemed as enthusiastic about putting this year behind them as they are looking forward to next year.
Since it’s been in the news lately, Ryne Sandberg will be heading back to the minor leagues to manage next year. What happens beyond that is anybody’s guess, but look for him at Class AA Tennessee, where he led the Smokies to the Southern League championship series.
"Ryne will be back managing in the minor leagues,” Jim said. “He's doing a very good job of it. His final assignment will be up to Oneri (minor-league director Fleita), not myself. He'll probably be back right where he was if we don't have any changes above. He's doing very well. I admire him for the way he's gone about his business.”
Lou didn't get into endorsing any possible successor, saying only it's a lot harder to manage in the major leagues than it is in the minors.
Today’s lineup
Theriot, SS
Taguchi, LF
Lee, 1B
Fox, 3B
Baker, 2B
Johnson, RF
Soto, C
Fuld, CF
Dempster, P
Dempster needs 5 innings to reach 200 for the season, and he’d be the only Cubs pitcher to do so this year.
As far as the off-season goes, Jim says it may take “4-5 months” to put together next year’s club. That’s been more of the norm for everybody lately, as free agents linger well into the winter. Remember, the Cubs went all the way to the eve of spring training of 2004 before signing Greg Maddux.
Jim more or less talked around what would happen to Milton Bradley. The Cubs will trade him this winter, but Jim was asked if there was any chance Milton could come back.
"You deal with the cards you're dealt,” Jim said. “Right now, he's still a member of the Cubs. It will be a long process to get a roster that we think is better obviously than what we did in the standings this year. But until people come or go, you have to play the cards you have right now."
As for Lou, he didn’t want to speculate beyond next year, the final season of his contract.
“I don't want to talk beyond next year,” he said. “I’ve been very appreciative that I could come to a wonderful city like this, a wonderful franchise like this and get a chance to close out my career. It's been everything I've bargained for and even more, it really has been. This is a great city. The fans here, I mean gosh, how can you say anything but nice things? They come out here in numbers. They are patient.”
That they are.
Enjoy the game. We’ll keep blogging for much of the week, with a rundown on each of the players.
What do you realistically see happening this offseason? Assuming they can dump Bradley, and have to eat a LARGE portion of that deal, do you see the Cubs trying to improve via trade or free agency?
If by trade, who do you see as possible bait?
I don't know.....I can't see much of a turnover given the length of the deals, the money, and the NTCs. I think you will pretty much see the same team, and pray that guys live up to their "numbers".
Not good.....
I think they'll take a look at the market and see what the best avenues are. They haven't formulated that plan yet. There will be a taker for Bradley, and it might be that they don't have to eat all the money, especially if they can create a market of several teams for him.
As far as other trade bait, there aren't a whole lot of major-league players you can move, in part for some of the reasons you point out: contracts, no-trades and 10-5 rights.
You can get a lot for your young pitchers, but they need those guys to pitch for them, and they are low-cost alternatives.
What they've been saying the last couple days is they need their hitters who had bad years to bounce back, and with at least some of them (Soto, Soriano), they believe they will bounce back. Fontenot? Not so sure.
I hear you Bruce. I figured the turnover won't be as high as it should/could be for all the above listed reasons.
I can understand the thought process on Soriano of bouncing back using the injury, or whatever else as an excuse. However, I really think assuming Soto will bounce back could prove as a huge mistake. The guy hit all of 2008, and then maybe the league made adjustments on him and he just didn't adjust back, which happens with a young hitter. To assume he'll be the GEO of 2008 and hang your hat on that.....well....that's maddening. They better look into a decent backup who can contribute offensively.
A couple of things have me worried that 2010 might not be much different from 2009:
-RF: Assuming they do find a taker for Bradley, and don't use a ton of room to do so, do they plug Fukudome back here, or keep him in CF? What does the UFA market look like for CF or RF?
-2B: IF they give Fontenot another shot, I will not watch one game. The guy is not an everyday player. I see Miles is begging for a chance to prove that this year was a fluke which is hilarious.
I'm also not sold on Theriot as the SS as far as fielding goes. Hitting wise, fine. Glove wise? Not sold. Looks like his arm is below average.
Rotation: Who takes Harden's spot? Is Wells legit? If Zambrano doesn't win his share of games, who picks up that slack?
Lots of question marks loom, and that's not even touching the bench or bullpen.
Bruce - I want to put something out there for public consumption. Randy Wells had a fantastic year - so far exceeding any expectations the Cubs had on him coming into the year. That said - I do not trust that he will repeat the success he had next year if handed a starting job. His stuff is just too average, and his minor track record too ordinary to expect a repeat in 2010.
So - I ask the question? Are the Cubs 100% sold on Wells? They seem to be given the comments from Piniella and Hendry. If they chose to trade him, does he have the value needed to get that extra bat/ speed in the lineup that Piniella covets (ie - Carl Crawford as an example)?
I recall it was 10 years ago that the Cardinals turned the fluky 18 win season of Kent Bottenfield into 8 years of Jim Edmonds? I would hate the Cubs to depend on Wells the way they did Rich Hill in 2008 and wind up with nothing to show a year later.
What do you think Bruce?
As I stated in another post, if you can develop one of your own pitchers and you need guys to fill rotation spots they present a good option. Wells bounced back nicely from poor starts, and his control and composure on the mound were good. I don't see them trading him.
Thank you and all the other beat writers for all of your fine and hard work this season to bring us fans that latest! I hope you'll keep blogging over the winter!
Any ideas of how active the Cubs will be this winter?
Thanks Again!
Cubbiefan07
Yes, I will be blogging over the winter. I expect the Cubs to be busy this winter. I'm sure there will be a surprise or two along the way. Keep checking back.
Thanks to all you guys.
at least with the loss the Cubs draft in the 1st half of the first round so they won't lose their draft pick if they sign a Type A free agent.
And Soriano won't be leading off ever again.
Two good things going into the offseason!