Cubs Offseason Acquisitions

The Cubs are coming off of one of their more frustrating years in recent memory. Inconsistencies across the board lead them to a 5th place finish in the very strong NL Central. Shedding some payroll seems to be the main goal for Chicago this offseason, as they know they will not compete next year. Like always, though, rumors about potential signings for the North Siders are running rampant.

Needs:
Starting Pitching- Doug Davis, Casey Coleman, and Rodrigo Lopez should not be starting pitchers on any Major League baseball team. That lethal combination combined for a 10-22 record in 2011, and ended with the releases of Lopez and Davis. Some exception can be made for Coleman, as it was his fist attempt at pitching in the majors. Adequate pitching has to be at the top of new GM Theo Epstein's priority list for the 2012 club. With the strength of the 2011 free agent pitching market, there is no excuse for Chicago not to make a signing this offseason. Top tier pitchers hitting the market include the Rangers C.J. Wilson, Yankees C.C Sabathia, and White Sox Mark Buehrle. Slightly farther down the list, but still  good, are Angels Scott Kazmir, Phillies Roy Oswalt, and Red Sox Tim Wakefield. None of these options would come particularly cheap, and each is aging. At the same time, the Cubs could use the club house leadership and experience that any of these pitchers would bring. Also, the Cubs have the financial resources that would allow them to sign any of these pitchers. A pitching rotation of CC Sabathia, Matt Garza, and Andrew Cashner would be envied by every team in baseball.  

1st base- Carlos Pena was only on a one year deal with the Cubs, and even with decent numbers during the 2011 season, the team is unlikely to resign him. With top tier free agents such as Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder entering the market, the potential to make a gigantic investment is there if Epstein wants to make it. If he decides to take a low risk, decent reward singing, 1st baseman such as Brad Hawpe and Russell Branyan are candidates. Another intriguing option is David Ortiz, though it is unlikely that he would be interested in playing a position.

3rd base- Aramis Ramirez and his agent have decided that they will look for opportunities elsewhere. Ramirez has been the discussion of trade rumors for the last several years, though has been adamant about staying in Chicago. On Monday, Ramirez elected to decline the mutual option that he had with the Cubs (worth approximately $16 million), and will lead a seemingly weak core of free agent 3rd baseman. Among the better candidates to fill the hot corner vacancy for Chicago could be Casey Blake. The Dodgers recently declined his option for next year, and he could be an adequate temporary replacement for Ramirez. Among other 3rd basemen, former Cub Mark Derosa will test the waters. The super utility man is coming off of a season in which he played only 47 games, but would be another cheap, solid pickup until Josh Vitters is able to begin his Major League debut.

2nd base- Is Darwin Barney the long term answer for at 2nd base, or is he just another Mike Fontenot? Barney was a hot name in Rookie of the Year voting before the All-Star break, but his numbers declined in the second half of the season. Still, Barney finished out his rookie campaign with a decent .276 average. Power is not expected from a 2nd baseman, which bodes well for Barney as he hit only two home runs. If the Cubs want to add some pop to their lineup (due to the losses of Pena and Ramirez), Kelly Johnson could be of great value. Johnson has crossed the twenty home run threshold in each of the last three seasons, and would come at a low rate. No other free agent second baseman are worthy of being everyday starters, so the decision will likely come down to Barney or Johnson.