Master Cubs Plan

First, this a 300 million dollar offseason. WoWeeee!!! I could not have fathomed spending all that, but I guess given the impending sale of the TRIBUNE, they are making the team worth enough, or worthy of a WORLD SERIES run to increase market value.

At the corners, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez are locked into to long term deals. Probably worthy of All-star mentioning...

I think at SS they figure Izturis (27) and Cedeno will have to do - you can't solve every problem in the one off season. Izturis has a decent glove, but no bat (or low OBP.) Cedeno..is still relatively young (24) for the Cubs. This will work itself out over the course of the season.

2B: Ryan Theriot and DeRosa. I prefer Theriot, to start with. DeRosa can spot start, back up in the OF (We got like 6 OFers, but not one natural CF...)

In the outfield, newcomer Cliff Floyd will not platoon, per se. But let's do this:

You figure you got 486 games in the outfield.
1)Soriano - 150 (CF:80, LF:70) 1st season in Center.
2) Jones - 110 (CF:80, RF:30) He Played CF for the Twins back in 1999 for 60 games.
3) Floyd - 90 (RF:86, LF:4)
4) Murton - 110 (LF:90,RF:20)
5) DeRosa - 26 (RF:26)
6) Ward - backup in LF/RF/1B
7) Felix Pie - if he comes quick, it makes this moot. AND allows for a trade or two..1984 Cubs style.

Why? First, none of these dudes are premier outfielders. So fielding isn't their reason for being in there. Second, this Cubs team is going to have to learn 'flexibility.'

1990 Reds Flexibility Plan:

1B Morris/Benzinger, 2B Mariano Duncan/Ron Oester, 3B Chris Sabo, SS Larkin.

OF Billy Hatcher 69CF-76LF, Eric Davis 66CF-56LF , Herm Winningham 58CF-5LF, Glenn Braggs 20RF-13LF, Paul O'Neil playing the most at 141 games in RF.

Granted, Davis, Hatcher and O'Neil were really good. But Pinella shifted them around...

DeRosa can play either corner infield too. Making them 'deeper' than what shows. Don't expect to see players in just one place this year. The Cubs have plenty of bench to manuever around.

The 2007 Cubs Batting Order:

1. Theriot 2B - speed and OBP might be a logical reason to do this
2. Soriano CF/LF - power bat, speed will terrorize the NL
3. D. Lee 1B - best 1B in 2005
4. Floyd/Jones LF/RF/CF - combo
5. Ramirez 3B - Protection of Floyd
6. Jones/Floyd RF/LF
7. Barrett C - depth in the order, could switch with Theriot
8. Izturis/Cedeno SS
9. Pitcher

Starting Staff: Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill, Prior(Marshall)

Bullpen:Dempster, Wood, Eyre, Howry, Cotts