Cubs' Harden, Johnson file for free agency

I don't think I've ever read anything quite as long and dull as what that Doug guy wrote a bit ago.

Funny how racists always find a way to make race into an issue. Yes, it's true, all Cubs fans are racists. We just pretend to love Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, and Andre Dawson. The Shauwn-o-meter was really a secret code for how much we hate black people. D-Lee is booed every time he steps out on the field, right?

Your baseless claims are just a way for you to project your own racism onto others. Please crawl back into the hole you came out of.

Cocoa Crisp is available. A solid lead off hitter and fielder. How about a Bardley for Piere trade with the dodgers. Of course we will eat a few million to even the numbers. Pitching and speed we have power. We coud use feilding

geeee, not much to be lost there. good luck reed johnson, may you hit 50hr and drive in 80 runs for your next team. thanks for telling everyone the players were spooked when the dodgers went ahead in game one last year. just what the cubs didn't need was new players feeling hexed.
maybe jermaine dye in right could be a good idea at least he knows the position.

First off, let's stop pretending that all the Cubs need to do is bring back Mark DeRosa and all will be well in Wrigleyville. DeRosa had just about the same number of plate appearances in 2009 as he did in 2008, and the only category he improved in was homers (23-21). He had 7 fewer doubles, 9 fewer RBI, 22 fewer walks, 15 more strike outs, and his BA dropped from .285 in 2008 to .250 in 2009. Plus he'll be 35 on opening day and he's going to have wrist surgery this off season. I liked DeRosa when he was here and I was stunned by the trade last off season, but we have to face the fact that DeRosa 2010 is not the same player as DeRosa 2008.

As for a few other things I saw on here...Aaron Miles was only signed for two years at 4.9 mil, not three for 9 mil. He could have been the worst offensive player in MLB in 2009, but he was just a backup so his suckiness only had a minimal effect on the 2009 Cubs season. Let's hope this year they either release him or just stick him in AAA and let Andres Blanco be the backup SS.

To the guy who suggested we get rid of everyone and start over, are you the GM of the Pittsburgh Pirates? That's what they've been doing for the past 17 seasons. How's that strategy working out for them?

To the guy who said Cubs pitchers and players don't improve on the Cubs, have you been paying any attention the past few years? Ryan Dempster sure did improve in 2008 (17 wins 2.96 ERA) and he improved in the 2nd half of this season over his not so great first half. Ted Lilly is a much better pitcher now than he was in Toronto. Jason Marquis stunk in his final year in St. Louis, but improved in his first season as a Cub in 2007. And Randy Wells sure looked pretty good coming out of nowhere in 2009 to be a main part of the Cubs rotation. We don't have a Tim Lincecum type pitcher, but our rotation is pretty solid, second only to the Cardinals in our division last season.

As for position players, Aramis Ramirez was an inconsistent hitter who couldn't field when we got him from the Pirates. Now he's an average fielder who is one of the best run producers among third basemen in all of baseball. And D-Lee has had his two best seasons in 2005 and 2009. I'd say both of those players have improved their game since joining the Cubs.

And finally, let's forget this notion that Joe Girardi should have been hired in 2007 to manage the Cubs. He had one season of MLB managerial experience in which he had a losing record. It was in small-market, no-pressure, play in front of less than 10,000 a night Florida. He was named Manager of the Year only because that Marlins team was expected to lose 100 games that year. They had Hanley Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, and Dan Uggla, so we know now they couldn't have been that bad. And if Manager of the Year awards impress you, then keep in mind that Jerry Manuel has won a Manger of the Year and Dusty has won 3 of them! Girardi's qualifications were questionable at best and I don't recall him being favored over Lou. But if it makes you feel better to rewire history, then who am I to stop you?

The Cubs management and manager are jokes. A 95+ - win team
was desperate enough to sign overrated and "has beens" like
Gregg, Heilman, Miles, & Bradley (a true cancer)? And giving away DeRosa, Blanco and Woods instead of stocking up on hard-nosed, good character, "gamers" like them and any of the Cardinals players, is ....well, the Cubs in a nutshell.

And to pass up on Girardi as manager is plain stupid. Also, finally this year the "experts" (Baseball Tonight, Game of the Week, Espn) are pointing out how the Cubs pitchers never seem to get better year after year. Those that are successful had success before they got here. Larry Rothschild is a horrible pitching coach. Said and done! Please get Dave Duncan from the Cardinals. He does so much with so little. Maybe trade M.Bradley, straight up for him. LOL

The Cubs did not win anything so let them all go and start over. The Cubs formula-overpay fan favorites-fill the seats--wait till next year--I have been a fan for 35 years and am tired of waiting-Winning is a way of life and so is losing-Falling on hard times for OVER 100 YEARS--Gimme a break--I hope the new ownership can do better--

Just get rid of the worst free-agent signing of the last decade, Aaron Miles (3 years $9 mil). I'd rather have Santo with no legs in the field and at the plate instead of Miles, who often looked like he had never played the game before.

"John Grabow, Kevin Gregg, and Chad Fox all the Cubs' other potential free agents."
Fire Bad.
Bread good.

Apex - really won't be happy about anything until then? Nothing at all? Really?? Jeez, what DID he do to you?

I, too, hope for DeRosa's return, and yes, his absence most likely did make a huge difference. It would be a really good start, I think.

Bring Mark DeRosa home.

The only thing bad about the Cubs trading DeRosa is no one can recall who they got in return.

Built to lose 80 games?!? Haha based on what? Go away

Christ. When are you guys gonna get over this DeRosa fixation? Do you really think his absence was the difference last year? How about the lack of the "best" pitching staff in the NL imploding time and time again and finishing with just over .500 records? The bullpen? If the Cubs offer DeRosa more than little over journeyman money then they are as overly-sold on themselves as their fans.

DeRosa filed?? For Gods sake sign him and correct a mistake that should never had been made!!