Official Cubs Thread

[Hermy]

His broadcast stuff is already finished Glenn, we are safe.

[Glenn]

Why couldn't the Cubs have acted sooner?

[Tahoe]

LOL Glenn on Lyons.

I thought Lou would hang out for a year and take over for Torre next year. Wrong again.

[Black Dynamite]

great pick up for the cubs. we'll win or he'll cuss us the fuck out if we fuck up which will be entertaining either way.

[UxKa]

im really not sure how i feel about this. i suppose i should be happy, but for some reason im not.

[H1Man]

I think that the Cubs should've gone after Girardi.

They will probably win a few more games with Piniella as the manager but I suspect that it will have more to do with guys being healthy and the Cubs increasing their payroll. But the organization will be still be as bad as ever because rather than trying to rebuild their farm system and increasing the talent level they will try to get the most out of the talent that they have right now.

[H1Man]

Piniella aims for Trammell

DETROIT - Former Tigers great Alan Trammell, whose unfortunate post-playing career legacy is that AL record 119-loss season as Detroit manager in 2003, will make his first appearance at Comerica Park tonight since being fired at the end of the '05 season, joining his own former skipper Sparky Anderson in throwing out the ceremonial first pitches.

Next stop for Trammell: Chicago, where he is about to be tapped as Lou Piniella's bench coach with the Cubs. According to sources, Trammell had been approached by a couple of other clubs about a coaching position, but was given a full-court press by Piniella after "Sweet Lou's" longtime bench coach John McLaren declined to join him in Chicago, instead choosing to return to Seattle as bench coach for Mariners manager Mike Hargrove. McLaren was given what sources called "a really nice contract" by Seattle and, although all the principals are denying it, he's now in line to replace Hargrove at the first sign of faltering by the Mariners next season. "The bottom line is Mac wants to manage and he needed to sever the cord with Lou," said a source familiar with the situation. "The people in Seattle all like him and he's probably got a better chance of managing there than he would if he'd followed Lou again to Chicago."

[Fool]

Mo Evans > The Cubs. BRING DOWN THE WTF TYRANTS!!

Also, good for Tram.

[Vinny]

Good for tram indeed. Tram is still my favorite Tiger ever, he was just a terrible fit as manager in the D. I wish him all the best.

[H1Man]

Report: Cubs agree to $136M deal with Soriano

The Chicago Cubs' ownership is showing new manager Lou Piniella that they are serious about winning.

Chicago radio station ESPN 1000 reported Sunday that the Cubs have agreed to an eight-year contract worth approximately $136 million with outfielder Alfonso Soriano.

The move would clearly mark the highlight in an already busy offseason for the Cubs, who have signed free-agent infielder Mark DeRosa and have re-signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez and righthander Kerry Wood.

But the biggest prize is Soriano, who is coming off an outstanding all-around season for the Washington Nationals in which he hit .277 with 46 home runs and 95 RBI. The 30-year-old ranked third in the National League in homers and also stole 41 bases -- the sixth-highest total in the circuit.

After complaining in spring training about having to move from second base to left field, Soriano blossomed in his new surroundings. He led the league with 22 outfield assists, six more than his closest competitor, and displayed respectable range for a converted infielder.

Soriano became the first player in baseball history with 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 20 outfield assists in a single season. He also became the first member of the 40-40-40 club, which encapsulates homers, stolen bases and doubles.

An All-Star in each of the last five years, Soriano owns a .280 average with 208 home runs and 560 RBI in eight seasons with the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and the Nationals.

Soriano finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting with the Yankees in 2001, when he hit .268 with 18 homers and 73 RBI. He finished third in MVP voting the following season, when he increased his average to .300 and collected 39 homers and 102 RBI.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2668465

17 milllion for Soriano?????