I’ve been reading serveral Cubs Blogs and Cubs News sites and figured I would write up a general report on some of the Cubs Rumors that are floating around on the Internet.

Maddux Back to the Cubs?
Could Greg Maddux be headed back to the Chicago Cubs for a third go around?  Maddux has hinted he would be open to talking with Jim Hendry about it so that tells me he would probably do it for a decent salary.  If the Cubs strike out with Schmidt, Lilly, or Zito expect Hendry to have some serious talks with Maddux.

Have the Cubs offered Barry Zito a 4 year $60 million contract?
This is one rumor that has been going around on more then one Cubs site.  I haven’t seen anything official about this but a 4/60 contract will not get Zito in my opinion.  I’m thinking it will take more of a 4/80 contract to seal up Zito.  But how well will Zito pitching in Wrigley? I’m betting not very good considering he is a fly ball pitcher.  I would welcome Zito to the Cubs but I’m just not sure how it would work out unless he changed something to keep the flyballs down.

Hendry still looking at Bip Roberts or J.D. Drew?
Hendry would love to pick up a left hitting outfielder that can play right field or centerfield.  Roberts fits that mold but it has been said that Hendry does not want to offer Roberts more then a one year contract and Bip is looking for a multiple year contract so I don’t think that is going to happen unless Bip will accept a one year deal.  One thing Hendry can do is look at J.D. Drew but that is going to cost quite a bit more money and probably involve a trade down the line to free up some money.

Will Jacque Jones get traded?
I have seen this also on more then one site.  Mutiple sites have said that the Cubs are looking to move Jones and his contact to make another push at J.D. Drew.  Drew doesn’t comes to Chicago unless Jones and his football spiking throws leves Chicago.

What else have you guys been hearing?  Leave some comments and lets get some Cubs chatter going!

Juan Pierre is headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing a 5 year, 45 million dollar deal with the team yesterday.  I’m not sure if Hendry ever made a contract offer towards Pierre but with the way he has been spending money I really doubt that Pierre was near the top of list of free agent priorities.

It was being rumored that the Giants had offered Pierre a contact for four years and 32-34 million.

Look for Soriano or Jones (please not with his weak arm) possibly to play CF.  People are talking about Soriano also batting lead off for the Cubs but I dont’ want to waste his power and RBI opportunities by batting lead off.

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MLB.Com’s Jim Molony posted a great article today about the Cubs signing Alfonso Soriano and how it affects the National League.  Molony wrote how the Cubs signing as helped out the Cubs but also hurt the chances of the Astros and Phillies who both were hot after Soriano.  Could the N.L. Central be looking up to the Cubs if Jim Hendry is able to grab a starting pitcher or two? 

With Soriano, the Cubs will have a 2007 lineup with at least three players who hit 38 or more home runs and drove in 95 or more runs in their last full seasons. A Cubs offense, which ranked 28th among MLB’s 30 teams with 716 runs scored and 677 RBIs last season, could have an Opening Day starting eight that combined for 651 RBIs in their last full season.

Soriano and a healthy Cesar Izturis (or the newly acquired DeRosa) will give Piniella an extremely potent 1-2 punch at the top of the lineup. Adding Soriano in front a healthy Derrek Lee, Ramirez, Jacque Jones and Michael Barrett gives the Cubs a batting order with a formidable blend of power, speed and on-base ability, and one that has enough of a lefty-righty break to make life difficult for opposing pitching staffs.

It looks like it will be a great off season for the Cubs, and we can only hope that it carries over into the regular season.  The key thing of course will be starting pitching, and staying healthy.  If the Cubs can get good starting pitching and keep the injuries and a minimum I see no reason why they will not be a playoff team next year.  Oh wait, I’m a Cubs fan, I say that every off season!

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Alfonso Soriano is finally headed to the Chicago Cubs!

Jim Hendry has tried to trade for Soriano for the past 3-4 years and today he finally got his man.  I don’t agree with the contract but I am happy that they did get him.  

Soriano signed a 8 year, 136 million dollar contract ESPN 1000 is reporting.  That coms out to 17 million per year.  I wouldn’t mind if this was a 3-4 year contract at 17 million, but 8 years is crazy.  You never know what will happen with Soriano, and 8 years is a very long time.  Say the Cubs don’t do good, and the Cubs want to trade Soriano, how are they going to trade a player that contract?  No matter what, they will be eating it over the years no matter if Soriano stays in a Cubs uniform.

What do you all think about the signing?  We still need some pitching and Hendry better work on that the rest of the season.  Leave us some comments and let your opinions be heard!

Jim Hendry kept busy today as he pulled off a trade with the rival White Sox.  Hendry traded David Aardsma and minor leaguer Carlos Vasquez to the White Sox for vetern bullpen reliever Neal Cotts.

Cotts made a career-high 70 appearances for the White Sox last season, going 1-2 with a 5.17 ERA. He was 4-0 with a 1.94 ERA in 2005.

Personally I love this trade, it is basically Aardsma for Cotts and I would rather have Cotts who has played for a winner and is left handed.  Left handed bullpen help is hard to come by and is already needed.

Mark your calendars: The Cubs announced Wednesday that individual game tickets for the 2007 regular season will go on sale Feb. 23.  Information on individual game ticket prices, methods of purchase and rules governing the sale will be announced in early February. 

I have mention on the blog that season ticket holders have already been selling tickets online.  We have access to these great Cubs Tickets, so you had better buy them now before prices go up!  Cubs Tickets make great holiday presents!

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Vetern backup catcher Henry Blanco has decided to return to the Chicago Cubs and signed a new two year contract.  Blanco batted a career-high .266 with six home runs and 37 RBIs in 74 games this past season, and overcame a slow start. After going 2-for-21 in the first month, he batted .283 in the final month of the season when he filled in for injured Michael Barrett and subbed at first base.

Blanco is a top notch BACKUP catcher and handles the staff well when he does get a start.  Don’t look at his offensive numbers, he is a catcher and means his defense is good.

Jim Hendry has signed his second basemen for what he hopes is the next three seasons.  Mark DeRosa signed a three year deal today worth 13 million.  He had a career year last year batting .296 with 13 homeruns and 74 RBI.

It is an average move for Hendry and the Cubs at this point.  I don’t think he is an everyday second basemen or worth almost 4 million per year.  I also dont’ like signing a free agent that is coming off their best year of their career, more times then not they will not replicate those numbers.

With this signing, I wonder if the Cubs are going to continue looking at Alfonso Soriano to play a corner outfield position.  If not, they better go hard after J.D. Drew to have that power hitting outfielder.

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Finally, Jim Hendry has locked up his start third basemen with a new contract.  Aramis Ramirez has agreed on a new 5 year deal through 2011 and a mutual option for 2012.  Earlier reports stated that Ramirez was going to play the free agent game and take offers from other teams like the Dodgers, Angels, and Phillies but Hendry did not let it get that far.

With Ramirez locked up, look for the Cubs to get in on the action for Jason Schmidt or Barry Zito, and a nice corner outfielder like J.D. Drew hopefully.

The Cubs have also signed injured pitcher Kerry Wood to a new 1 year deal.  Look for Wood to come out of the bullpen for the Cubs all year long.  As long as he is healthy that is.

Cubs fans are buying their tickets at a fast pace this offseason, make sure you get your tickets early so you don’t end up paying ridiculous prices.  Cubs Tickets make great christmas presents also.  Click here to see what seats are available for home and away games.

Carlos Zambrano now has a hitting trophy to go along with his pitching rewards!  The bigtime pitcher that loves to swing the bat was awarded a Silver Slugger award on Friday.  The Cubs pitcher batted .151 (11-for-73) in 37 games, but six of his 11 hits were home runs. He tied Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins’ team record for most home runs by a pitcher in a single season, set in 1971.

Congrats Carlos, you are a better home run hitter then most on the Cubs roster.