The Cubs have a handful of free agents to deal with, many of differing status.  Seeing as how this site has no shortage of armchair general mangers, here's your chance.

To whom would you offer arbitration:

Type A:

RIch Harden...$7mil

Kevin Gregg...$4.2mil

John Grabow...$2.3mil

Type B:

Reed Johnson...$3mil

Definitions:

Arbitration is a funny game, even if you know the rules, but here are the basics:

1) Players may sign contracts prior to arbitration (obviously) or may reject arbitration and become free agents.  But once they sign elsewhere points 2 and 3 are enforced.

2) If a Type A player is offered arbitration and signs with a different team, the losing team gets the signing team's first draft pick and a supplemental draft choice.

3)  If a Type B player is offered arbitration and signs with a different team, the losing teams gets a supplemental draft choice.

All that said, the Cubs have a Hendry History of avoiding arbitration so what would you do as GM?

Obviously, if I were listing a top 5 for 2009 it would look like this:

1) Win

2) Win

3) Win

4) Win

5) win

However, with Wait 'Til Next Year growing in intensity, what are 5 things you want to see done to prepare for next year -

1)  Shut Down Wells - Let him have a couple or three more starts over the next few weeks, but when the futility of the battle becomes obvious, pull the plug.  That's basically 10-15 days down the road and the playoff picture will be far clearer.  If it remains the way it is, shut him down.

2)  Surgery for Aramis - If, as has been suggested, Ramirez needs surgery to repair his shoulder, DO IT NOW.  Don't wait until December and hope he's ready for Spring Training.  And even if he doesn't need surgery, I'd still install Fox at 3rd for the rest of the season and let Ramirez heal on his own.

3)  Marmol stays closer for good - He has to be tested and if the Cubs get half a dozen more save opportunities it'll be a good indication of whether to count on him for 2010.

4)  Cut Miles, bring back Blanco, deal Baker and move Theriot to 2nd base.  Theriot is a second baseman, he just doesn't have the arm or range to play a good defensive shortstop.  I'm not a Theriot basher like some around here as I like his game.  But I love his game when it's batting 8th and playing 2nd base.  Get him used to his new position and work up a plan to fill this hole at short.

5)  Get Soto a dietician and a personal trainer.  I want to see him in the tightest shape of his life when he reports for Spring Training.

Well, what say you?

When the Fukudome shirts first came out, I think it's safe to say that there was an awful lot of people here that found them offensive - and Fukudome himself didn't know what to make of them:  "''I don't know what the creator of the shirt meant this to be, but they should make it right,'' Fukudome said through his interpreter after being shown one of the shirts Thursday. ''Maybe the creator created it because he thought it was funny, or maybe he made it to condescend the race. I don't know.''

So, with the Cleveland team coming to town for the weekend, I'm curious what you think.

Do you think Chief Wahoo is offensive?

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It's all coming together

Since I need some words, I'll just expound on a pet theory of mine whose basic premise is that Americans love to destroy their athletic heroes.  They build things up to unimaginable heights because it gives them a cheap vicarious thrill and then enjoy the ride down to humanity - or below - as much and actually find more meaning in the destruction of the things they revere than the original ascension....

75 words?