Cubs Hot Stove Buzz

The Cubs have plenty of needs on their wishlist for this offseason.  One of the biggest is the left handed first baseman, preferably with power.  Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano said earlier in the season that the Cubs should focus on pitching needs this offseason and that they can handle the offense, but they haven't proved that at all over the last two seasons.  In 2009, Derrek Lee led the offense by far.  In 2010, the offense sucked for the most part.  In the first baseman market for the Cubs so far is, above all, Adam Dunn, then Victor Martinez or Aubrey Huff, then Lance Berkman.  I really do see Dunn coming to Chicago the only question is if the Cubs are willing to pay that much for a guy probably looking for $10 million.

Before the Cubs can get too excited about spending money, they need to trade Kosuke Fukudome.  Fukudome is owed $13.5 million in 2011, so it will be tough considering Fukudome's awful value relative to salary.  Jim Hendry has a lot of critics, but everyone can agree that the one thing he has done best is dump bad contracts (see: Milton Bradley).  He only has one year left on his contract and has been a huge bust offensively but great defensively.  He will never sniff that kind of money for the rest of his baseball career.  On the pitching side, the Cubs are interested in Jon Garland who expressed interest in the Cubs last offseason.  Other mid-level starters are what the Cubs are looking for, and could find that in a guy like Carl Pavano or Javier Vazquez.  Cliff Lee is out of the Cubs price range.  Kerry Wood, who would like to return to Chicago, will have to take a pay cut if he is to do so because there is no way the Cubs will pay him $10 million that he was making last year.  I don't see the Cubs wanting to pay him more than $2 million.  The hunt for a veteran middle reliever continues.