More Cub's signing

Sorry for the delay people in writing about the Cub’s recent signings had been finishing up a school project and now that it is out of the way I am here to write.

First let’s start with the big signing. Aramis is back with the Cubs after agreeing to a 5 year deal for 73 million dollars. I know he would have gotten more to sign with Anaheim (I won’t ever call them their new name), but that doesn’t change my mind that the Cubs gave him too much money. Maybe Lou will light a fire under him and get him to hustle and not have those lapses of hustle he is well known for. Also Aramis needs to get off to a good start this year because if he doesn’t I have a feeling he will get booed mercilessly by the Cub fans this year (for opting out for more money). My logic is if the Cubs are paying him more money than he was scheduled to originally earn, than he better play a lot better than he did last year.

The next signing is Kerry Wood. His one year 1.75 million dollar deal is not a bad risk, but I haven’t been able to find out the exact details of what the incentives are. The reason I say that is because he can earn up to 6 million dollars and for a relief pitcher, unless you are successfully closing games is too much to pay for a relief pitcher. The Cubs have continuously said that he is going to the pen this year, so that is why I am assuming he isn’t going to start for them.

The next signing to take place was yesterday when the Cubs went out and signed Mark DeRosa for 3 years 13 million dollars. That is a nice contract to get for 1 career year, and in Texas, a hitter’s park dream. Looking at his past years, he has only one other time batted over 300 times in season (2004, Atlanta Braves) and hit a paltry .239/.293./.320. I know last season he batted .296/.357/.456, but he only hit .200 in September and he also struck out 102 times. The Cubs don’t need any more non-contact hitting players, and I hope he does not bad in the top of the lineup. I know they will say he has a .357 OBP, but those strikeouts will hurt if the lead-off guy gets on and doesn’t get moved over. My thinking is he should bat 8^th, with Izturis batting 2^nd (not that he is a great hitter) because of the contact Izturis makes and hopefully it will translate in moving leadoff batter over.

The last signing to talk about is “Hammerin Henry” (a name my wife gave him at the Cincinnati game we were at on June 9^th, 2006, he was batting .089 when she gave him that name) Blanco. He re-signed a 2 year for 5.25 million dollars with an option for a 3^rd year which could be as high as 4.5 if all performance levels are met. I know he is Carlos Zambrano’s favorite catcher and hopefully this move appeases him, but I also hope that it doesn’t mean the Cubs are running out of money to spend.

All in all, I might not agree with these signings, but at least the Cubs are trying to improve. They really need to make a big push for Carlos Lee or Alfonzo Soriano and then sign 2 starters. Rumors have it one of the 2 starters will probably be Gil Meche, a pitcher that Lou had in Seattle and has turned into a workhorse. Before Gil had surgery on his labrum he was a highly touted prospect and hopefully he can become more of a 3-4 sp than a 5, if the Cubs decide to sign him.