Rebuild or Compete...How About "Commit"

As I sit on the pot, I can't help but wonder what exactly the Cubs are going to do this season, in preparation of next season. By signing Carlos Pena and trading for Matt Garza, the Cubs showed they were going to make an attempt to compete this season. Hendry and Ricketts believed the 2011 NL Central to be a winnable division for the Cubs. I'm begining to think not.

Rather than a half-assed attempt, I would have much rather seen the Cubs play Soriano in right and at second in hopes to improve his trade value to an AL team in need of a DH with some versatility. And i certainly would have liked to have seen more playing time for Tyler Colvin. Why not play the guy as much as possible and see what production you can get out of him. It worked for Starlin Castro and is working for Darwin Barney.

I understand that the contracts for Fukudome and Soriano are so bad that they are unmoveable. Now, this is partly Hendry's fault and partly the player's fault. At the time of each contract signing, I was pumped and excited thinking about what these two could help bring the Cubs. What I (and Hendry) didn't expect was for Soriano and Fukudome to both be so damn awful at times that it could actual cost the team wins.

Granted, the Cubs organization has made some bad moves over the past few years and alot of fans are calling, and have been some time, for Jim Hendry to be fired. I don't agree. Hendry cannot predict if a player is going to live up to his contract. Everything Hendry has done for the Cubs has been with the purpose of creating a winning team. He put together the back to back division champs a couple of years ago. First time the Cubs went back to back since the 1907 and 1908 seasons. Hendry has commited to winning.

Ricketts, on the other hand, had committed to rebuilding. And yet, he gives Hendry to green light to sign Pena and trade for Garza. Please fellas, agree on one thing. Win now or rebuild. Don't half ass this Pujols/Fielder free agency period.

I'm starting to wish the Reds or Brewers would just run away with the damn division so the Cubs can start working in these younger guys. We need to see what we have left for 2011 that can help ultimatly bring a championship to the north side in the coming years.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Recent Pulls and Finds

By: Guido

Topps needs to work on their photo shop skills next time around. These few cards from their 2010 Opening Day set look atrocious.










Let the Tyler Colvin era begin. 2010 Topps Heritage rookie


2010 Topps Finest Tyler Colvin Auto letter patch 11/217. The only card in this post that I didn't get from a pack. Good ol' EBAY.


Pulled this Topps Opening Day Daniel Bard Auto from a dollar pack at Wal-Mart.

Soriano Situation

By: Guido

I'm hearing alot of Cubs fans bitching about Lou not playing Tyler Colvin over Alfonso Soriano. Well what the hell? They are paying Soriano too much dough to just put his ass on the bench. Soriano may indeed be on his last legs as a professional ball player but he still has five years left on his contract. Thats $18 mil per year too. You really think the Cubs are gonna sit an $18 mil a yer guy on the bench?

They have to play him. They have to get whatever is left in the tank. Hendry could try and trade him but who would want him? He has an expensive contract, he can't hit or field and he has an attitude. Who I ask you? Who?
Seattle did fall for it earlier this year when they trade Carlos Silva to the Cubs for Milton Bradley but I doubt that would work again. Unless it's Bradley for Soriano but that just seems worse to me.

And it may be to early yet in the season to jump the gun on Colvin. Every organization has their top prospects that fans salivate over. Just because Jason Heyward hit a dong on opening day doesn't guarantee he will ever be worth shit. Marty Cordova...Ben Grieve...Scott Williamson...Jason Jennings just to name a few. Hell even Kerry Wood ended up never being the type of player he was anticipated to be.

So, let's just play Soriano in left and hope to hell that he will start to hit the ball. That's all we need. Colvin isn't going anywhere soon. And we'll need him to back up center and right if Nady can't.