A lot of people are throwing in the towel and giving up on the Cubs after they lost the first 2 games of the NLDS. So just for the heck of it-what would YOU do to change this team for 2009? Dempster, Wood, Edmonds, Reed Johnson and I think Howry, are all going to be free agents. Keep that in mind. I like the way Edmonds/Johnson performed in 2008, but getting a young everyday centerfielder like Granderson (I know the tigers are not going to trade him) would be ideal. Realistically, I would try getting Brian Roberts, as they still desperately need a leadoff hitter who can steal bases and manufacture runs. I would look around to see what Derek Lee would bring in a trade, as I really like Micah Hoffpauir and he needs a position to play. Lee has value, and could bring someone-say a pitcher capable of replacing Howry as the 7th inning guy, in return. I would see if Fukadome could be moved and if not, see if he would accept a buyout and return to Japan. I can't see him starting next year, after Lou sat him the last few weeks of the season and he has shown in the first 2 playoff games Lou was right to do that. I would not bring Howry back, even for the major league minimum.

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Go Cubs!!!!

OVER! Did you say OVER? I SAID OVER!

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""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

Shit can Jim Hendry.

If the Cubs lose this series, I see Lou retiring during the off season. New contract be damned, he won't be a manager in baseball anymore.

Three words:

GET. DUSTY. BACK.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

I think wood signed a 2 year contract last winter, so i am pretty sure he isnt a free agent.

edit: it was a one year contract.

Classic WYC material.
"A lot of other people are throwing in the towel"??
How optimistic are you by starting this thread?

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President of Blake Shetlon fan club

What a trifecta of threads: "How Would You Change This Team For 2009", 2008 Has Been A Great Year" and "The Curse".
A ringing endorsement for Cubs fans.

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President of Blake Shetlon fan club

Just a topic for discussion. I have NOT thrown in the towel by any means. I have made that very clear. But every team generally experiences a few changes each year. The Cubs will be no exception. What changes should/might be made are all we are talking about here.

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Go Cubs!!!!

do anything in your power to get theo epstein the best gm in baseball

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wishin u luv peace andddddddddddddddddddddddddd soul

I wouldn't change a thing. I love D-Lee. I love Fonsie. I love Woodie. I love Sweet Lou. I love Big Z. I love all of them. On second thought, we need more nicknames. Don't need better players, just more nicknames. Just more silly names to yell as the Chubbies strand more men in the playoffs.

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You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

Maybe its the cachaca talking, or maybe O. Kid Cairo's right about the humor in quotation marks

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I put this in another thread but:

Add Roberts
Move Fukudome to center
move DeRosa to right
Move Roberts to 2B.

If no roberts:
Add Lugo and move Theriot to 2B.

Pipe dream: Trade Soriano, aquire C.C.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

You want a pipe dream? Try this:

Trade Soriano to Yanks for you-know-who (HUGE contract for HUGE contract), move him back to SS, then put Theriot at 2B.

....and acquire CC (Come on COF, you know he dropped the ".." from his C.C.).

I'm gonna that pipe down and stop dreaming now.

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wow...there's a bigger Cubs dreamer out there than me, and it's not Elmhurst Steve...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Believe me, I know it's not realistic in any way - I was just following the "it will never happen" pipe dream theme.

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Except Arod's October stats aren't that much better than Soriano's

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You need a big lefthanded thumper in the middle of the lineup to break up the surplus of righthanded bats.

Texiera would be a perfect fit but my second choice would be Adam Dunn. Soriano and Ramirez may be difficult to trade but if you can find a taker for Lee, then you might want to think about Dunn. He has power and will take walks. He does strike out a lot and he won't supply the defense that Lee does but as we have seen the last two years the Cubs need a big left handed bat because a team like the Dodgers can pitch to them with their right handed pitchers.

1. Fire Jim Hendry (I may have mentioned this before)
2. Resign Ryan Dempster
3. Do not resign Kerry Wood*
4. Do not pickup Rich Harden's option.
5. Move Sean Marshall to the rotation
6. Sign Rafael Furcal
7. Acquire a left handed hitting CF. (Randy Winn, David DeJesus, Mark Kotsay)

* assuming there is not a never ending supply of money. If there is a never ending supply of money resign Kerry Wood and move Samardzija to the rotation.

huh?

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

if Furcal is a free agent, he's a Cub next year...but I don't think he is...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

The first thing I'd do is get rid of the mouth breathing (alleged) Cub fans.

Then I'd try to figure out how to market to Chicago to add on to the fan base of 12 remaining Cubs fans.

Tough decisions....

The value of the Cubs crashed almost as much as the Dow Jones over the past 6 days.

Idiotic statement.

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Hire who then. If there isnt a new owner in by december, he is staying

Yea, but not for stupid money.

Ok, Marmol to closer, who is the set up guy in the 8th then?

What, give up Matt Murton for nothing Harden will be back

No, he needs to be the lefty out of the pen, send Cotts back to the sox

A injury prone SS. I say ok at a 1-2 year contract.

I be happier with a dunn or switch hitting teixiera, with Lee leaving town

if the Cubs replace Lee with Dunn, they're fighting for the wild card next year...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Adam Dunn- 28 YEARS OLD
HR-40 RBI-100 OBP-386 SLG- 513

Derrek Lee - 33 YEARS OLD
HR-20 RBI-90 OBP-351 SLG-462

Yes, defense wise you are taking a step back, but Dunns upside far surpasses Lee's current contribution to the team. Dunn also takes walks had 122 this year, Dunn makes this team better even without Lee on it.

I disagree with you totally, but obviously the stats are good for Dunn. I think it comes down to something deeper with stats...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Also, with all the times Dunn strikes out, he can't hit into as many double plays

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Yet everyone else is the meatball.

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Instead of wasting time replying to a joke post here, why not try and defend your dumbass point again in the thread where you've repeatedly been taken to task by myself and Rick.

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