not for long.

The Cubs payroll for 2009 sits at $134 million. Just how much money can the Cubs afford next year?

Looks like another team that might go after Figgins. Doesn't seem likely the Angels will be able to keep him. I guess the Cubs would play him at 2B.

The Cubs payroll for 2009 sits at $134 million. Just how much money can the Cubs afford next year?

Worse, their 2010 obligation is already $120 M.

The bullpen needs fixing more than anything. And where would the Cubs play this power bat? They're already looking at an OF of Soriano, Fuku and Bradley with ARam at 3rd and DLee at 1st (and Soto at C who's as good a power bat as you're likely to find). Unless the Cubs have some miracle trade for Hanley in the works, they don't have any place to play a power bat.

So, yes, they might trade Bradley. But they'd have to eat a good chunk of money to do it which still leaves them little room to maneuver.

And I think the only "power" bats on the market are Bay and Holliday either of whom makes Soriano obsolete (that will be a fun contract to eat).

The really ridiculous part is Pinella asserting that one of the best leadoff options is Theriot. Assuming that 2009 wasn't the real Soriano (that his injuries destroyed this year, and that he's something between this and the guy Jim Hendry thought he was signing), I think Sori is actually a better leadoff option than Theriot. At least they would get a few extra base hits with their subpar OBP.

There's not much to do to fix this offense. They have to hope Soto returns to something closer to 2008's form (I wonder if he might have done that with anything like ordinary playing time since coming back from the injury), and they need to upgrade SS and 2B if the opportunity presents itself. That's it. They might as well stick it out with the rest of the lineup.

Just put in Fukudome in the lead off spot, and leave him there.

The Cubs payroll for 2009 sits at $134 million. Just how much money can the Cubs afford next year?

However much the new owner wishes to spend. New owner new toy. I could see the new owners eating some money and splurging to bring in some new players. Whether it will help or not I have no idea. The Cubs have some shiny young baubles they could package with say Bradley to make room without eating contracts but yeah the only way this team is getting better is a bounce back year or adding payroll.

I really don't think the Cubs need to do a lot to be in a position to go to the playoffs next year. This was a year in which a lot of things that could go wrong did go wrong and not a lot of things went right and yet the Cubs will still win about 85 games or so. I think this is a team that next year we can expect 90+ wins from with just aa little better luck and we should get that better luck with a healthy Aramis and possibly healthy Soto and Soriano. Who knows about Zambrano.

I'd really like to see Theriot traded this off-season, although I'd be very surprised if it happened. I think he's evolving into a player whose BA is the biggest part of his offensive ability, and this is not a good thing as you turn 30, striking out way more and walking way less. He's also pretty bad defensively. And eligible for arbitration.

This was a year in which a lot of things that could go wrong did go wrong and not a lot of things went right

Unfortunately, this isn't really true. While the Cubs didn't have as many breaks as they did last year, last year's team was the unusual one in that regard. This year the Cubs will get 25+ starts from everyone in their rotation -- that's excellent. We can complain all we want about Z, Harden and Dempster but they're sitting there with ERA+s of 116, 108 and 109 with 75 starts which most teams would consider a god-send from their top 3 starters. And Gorzelanny, Marshall and Hart were pretty good in their starts (by 6th+ starter standards). Their top 5 relievers are all over 60 IP with a ton of appearances -- they've been healthy all year. The Cubs will (probably) have 5 position starters pass the 500 PA threshhold (Bradley's the hold-out) which is still above-average for an NL team. Their late-season pickups (Grabow and Baker) have done better than we could hope.

It's certainly true that not a lot went right but the four big things have been pretty substantial -- Lee, Fukudome, Lilly and Wells.

So a good chunk (but not enough) went right and about the expected number of things went wrong. Most of what's wrong with this team was "by design" -- thinking Fontenot could play full-time (I had serious doubts), Aaron Miles (none of us thought this was a good idea), a sloppy bullpen (though this was somewhat unexpected), the dabbling with Gathright and Freel (none of us thought those were a good idea), BPJ and Patton (none of us thought those were a good idea), Lou's Koyie Hill man-crush (none of us think that's a good idea) and possibly his Fox disdain (I think the jury's still out).

I'd really like to see Theriot traded this off-season

Fine with me but I'm not sure what we can get -- a solid bullpen arm would be enough for me I think. Theriot would make a perfectly fine back-up MI though all his time as a starter means his arb award will be well above backup MI rates.

But neither is likely to happen. 2B is the big hole ... with Baker hopefully emerging as the new DeRosa. :-) And there are a good number of decent 2B on the market this year. Of course they're mostly older which is always a gamble with 2B. Anyway, trading Theriot only creates a second MI hole and it's tough to fill both in one offseason. True, the Cubs might be able to live with Blanco's bat.

The Cubs probably don't need a new leadoff man, but they could use some more team speed and smart baserunning. Soriano is not going to run anymore. Youngsters Castro and Vitters may be in the lineup in the next few years, but Josh is no burner. Baker may be an answer at second, but he doesn't run that well.

I don't know the answer, but I think it starts with dealing Soriano, if possible.

I think it starts with dealing Soriano, if possible.

Ooh! We could get Vernon Wells!