AGRI Biz

Despite their early-season struggles, the Chicago Cubs have plenty of reasons not to be afraid just yet. From the revamped minor league system, to a smarter Jim Hendry, to the twenty-fifth man on the roster (and the fortieth in September), the Cubs organization and their ever-loyal fans have no reason to worry about the 2010 season.Begin Slideshow

Amongst the minor league free agents the Cubs have signed, two names stand out: Kevin Millar and Chad Tracy. Millar helped the Boston Red Sox break their World Series Championship curse, and Tracy was once considered one of the elite young corner infielders in the game, but both these things were half a decade ago. Since then, both players have gone from stardom to obscurity. Millar's batting average has begun to ...

With spring training on the horizon, the Cubs have a need for a solid starter until Ted Lilly can return, and for a veteran right handed setup man for Carlos Marmol. John Smoltz could fill both needs, while adding a solid veteran presence to the clubhouse. As a starter, Smoltz has had success in limited appearances in the National League the past two years, going 3-4 with a 3.45 ERA ...

Not since the days of Corey Patterson have the Cubs had a clear cut center fielder. This search is finally over, with the Cubs singing 32-year-old Marlon Byrd to a 3-year, $15 million deal. Byrd was arguably the top center field option on the free agent market this year, and at a cost of only $15 millionáover threeáyears, could wind up being a great bargain. Yes, he's coming off a career ...

Over the past year or so, Cubs GM Jim Hendry has been doing a lot of trading. And with the exception of recent deals for Aaron Heilman and Carlos Silva, they've all been major leaguers being swapped for prospects or young major leaguers. Here's a quick recap of these trades: - Mark DeRosa traded to the Cleveland Indians for Jeff Stevens and minor leaguers John Gaub and Chris Archer. - Aaron Miles ...

Now that the trade of Milton Bradley is said and done, Cubs GM Jim Hendry can focus on making the Cubs look like a team that has had winning records in six of their last seven seasons, and an organizational resurgence. Unlike most years, however, Hendry does not have the ability to spend his way out of his mistakes. Instead, he will have to get creative to make the team competitive ...