The Chicago Cubs' Four Things To Do This Offseason

The Hot Stove League is nearly upon us in the world of Major League Baseball. Several big-name players, including Matt Holliday and Huston Street, have already found new homes, and a new crop of free agents is primed to be harvested.

The biggest name out there, however, is not one belonging to a free agent. In fact, it belongs to a gentleman who still has four years left on a five year contract, and is being seriously shopped to open up payroll space.

His name is Jake Peavy, and he is a former Cy Young winner with a great arm and tremendous upside for the team lucky enough to take him home, if the price is right.

The Padres seem to have narrowed down their options to two teams: the Braves and the Cubs. The Braves seem to have the inside edge, with their deep farm system and plenty of homegrown talent, but would Peavy accept a trade to a team that doesn't yet know which direction it is going?

The answer to that question is unclear, but what is certain is that the Cubs, more than likely, do not have the prospects to fit what the Padres are wanting, and would likely have to involve a third team in any deal to get Peavy.

Assuming that the Cubs don't end up with Peavy, there are four things I would like to see the team do this offseason in order to make a strong run at a World Series championship next season.

1. Platoon Johnson and Fukudome in center

Reed Johnson was a Godsend after he came over from the Blue Jays at the end of last year's spring training. He did everything the Cubs could ask of him and more, and was an integral part of a team that won 97 games.

Kosuke Fukudome, on the other hand, was not as reliable. He struck out far too much the last two-thirds of the season, and his tremendous defense was still not good enough to cover how much of a liability he was with the bat.

In this, the second season for Fukudome and the second season in Cubbie blue for Johnson, the time has come to combine their powers and have them platoon in center field.

Fukudome seems more open to the idea of center now, considering he is more comfortable with the U.S. style of baseball now and will be working with a new Japanese hitting instructor. His speed and laser arm will spell doom for those teams who choose to foolishly run against him.

As for Johnson, his gritty attitude and decent numbers are a welcome addition to a clubhouse that has been viewed by some as "soft" in their approach to the game, and he deserves a spot on this team.

2. Sign either Derek Lowe or Ryan Dempster

If the Cubs cannot get Jake Peavy, they are going to have to intensify their search to bolster their already strong rotation. While in-house options like Kevin Hart, Jeff Samardzija, and Sean Marshall are definite possibilities, there is the high likelihood that GM Jim Hendry will want to have an experienced arm start the season off, and keep the young arms fresh in case they are needed down the road.

In this vein, I think that the Cubs should sign either Mr. Lowe (more beneficial) or Mr. Dempster (less beneficial).

I think that Lowe's playoff experience would be a boon for a team sorely lacking in positive postseason experience of any kind, and his quiet demeanor will make him less of a lightning rod for attention that Ryan Dempster was. That being said, if Dempster is willing to take less money and one fewer year, I would not object to the Cubs re-signing him.

If Dempster is unwilling to budge on his demand for at least a fifth year, then I think the deal should be taken off the table and I think that we should discuss other possibilities. Derek Lowe's playoff experience and consistent approach the last couple seasons would be beneficial to this team, and I think he should be pitcher No. 2, behind Jake Peavy obviously.

3. Trade for a left-handed hitting outfielder

The Cubs' last season suffered from a common case of "too many right-handed batters". This season, they could rectify this problem by trading with the hated Florida Marlins. Just like we got Derrek Lee for a mere pittance, so too can we expect the cost to be lower than it would be if we were dealing with other teams.

With this in mind, the Cubs should pursue Florida RF Jeremy Hermida. Last season, he had a down year by his standards, hitting 17 HR and 61 RBI. He also had a career low average of .267. According to his career statistics, he has 341 hits in the first 386 games of his MLB career, which is quite impressive considering the town and team he played for.

Jeremy Hermida would fill two holes immediately. For one, he would obviously be helpful in transitioning Fukudome from right field to center. Secondly, he is a lefty hitter with some pop who can really help the Cubs at the top or in the six or seven spot in their batting lineup.

Personally, I think that of all the possible candidates to play RF for the Cubs, Hermida would be the option that would fit the team best.

4. Get a new defensively capable SS

Last season, in the NLDS, the Cubs became the first team in history to record errors by all four major infield positions in one game. This dubious distinction should not belong to a team of the caliber and ilk of the Cubs, but with this in mind, "The Riot" needs to go, and the Cubs should make a serious offer for Rafael Furcal.

Now, I know that the team has been hurting at SS depth lately, so adding Furcal to the roster without having to trade anyone would be fantastic. He would bring switch-handed power to the ballpark everyday and is a Gold Glove caliber defensive player on top of that. If he can stay healthy, the Cubs could possibly be in even better shape than ever before if they can get him.

If the Cubs can perform these four feats, then I would almost guarantee you a third straight trip to the playoffs, and maybe even possibly getting past that first round. With the help of some new faces and old faces in new places, the 2009 season should be one hell of a year.