Dempster To Start Opening Day

By: Clay

Cubs manager Mike Quade has named Ryan Dempster the opening day starter. As of now, Zambrano and Garza will follow Dempster in the rotation. As my friend Ritz says, "I like that because Big Z always takes beatings on opening day".

There are two reasons I like this. For one, Zambrano doesn't deserve it. He has been a complete jackass the past couple years and the Cubs don't owe it to him to name him the opening day starter. My other reason is that Matt Garza simply hasn't had the opportunity to prove himself in a Cubs uni so by defeault, he cannot be the opening day starter.

As for the other two rotaion spots, they have yet to be named. There are a handful of guys competing. I, for one, hope we can move Randy Wells and either Jeff Baker or Blake DeWitt to Colorado for Eric Young, JR. This, assuming Michael Young gets traded to Colorado AND EY JR isn't involved in that transaction. Then I would put Carlos Silva and Andrew Cashner in the rotation.

I'm The GM: Cubs Edition June 2010

BY: Guido

Well, if I'm the new GM then that means Hendry has been shown the door. Excellent.

My first move would be to declare the Cubs as sellers for the trading deadline. A-Ram, Soto, Marmol, Colvin, Byrd, and Marshall are untouchable in my book. Soriano, Zambrano, Fukudome, Silva, Dempster, and Lee are virtually unmovable and, unfortunately, the ones that need to be moved. Here's what I do:

I hang on to Lee. His contract is up at the end of the 2010 season so I would try and resign him. He isn't having a good year so he would be a cheap option. Of course this all depends on what Lee wants.

Soriano's contract is awful. There isn't anyway he can be moved. I would immediately start working him at second base in hopes that he will be comfortable enough to start the 2011 season there. Plus, when Soriano is hitting the ball, there isn't anyone better in baseball.

I'm keeping Castro at short and A-Ram at third. Castro is a building block for the future and we can chalk up 2010 as a fluke season for Aramis.

I would try and move Baker, Fontenot, and Tracy. I know I couldn't possibly get rid of all these guys, but I could try. Theriot would make for decent trade bait and he's only getting $2.6 mil per year.

The outfield will go Colvin in left, Byrd in center and Fukudome/Nady in right. This is a supreme outfield. Byrd is just in his prime and Colvin is realizing his potential. The other two...well you can't have three complete badasses.

The rotaion is gonna be the worst part to get a grip on. Dempster's contract isn't up until after the 2011 season. So he is locked down. Zambrano is under contract until after the 2012 season. Stuck with him. Lilly is in his last year of his 4yr $40 mil contract. He won't be cheap. I'd like to resign him but let's say he goes elsewhere. Silva will be a Cub until the end of the 2011 season. I don't resign Randy Wells. My rotaion would go: Lilly, Zambrano, Silva, Dempster and Cashner. I'd work Gorzelanny, Russel, Samardzija and Caridad out of the pen. Let Marshall work as the set-up man and Marmol as the closer.

I would not bring back Lou Piniella. I would not bring back Larry Rothschild. I would not name Ryne Sandberg as the new manager. I would do everything in my power to sign Joe Girardi as the manager. If Girardi doesn't want it, I'll go after Bob Brenley. I would move Greg Maddux to pitching coach. Rudy Jarimillo and Alan Trammell will stay on in their respected positions. I would make Steve Stone the Resident Bad Ass of all Baseball Matters.

Now, I'm not saying instant World Series or even success. It may take a couple years. But in the end, the rewards would be bountiful.