I think a good rule of thumb should be this:

Overpay for superstars. Acquire above average (and below) players only at a bargain.

I'm actually not too put off by this signing. DeRosa is a decent player who can solidify our bench, giving us options to rest Ramiriez every so often and to spell Jones against lefties. Personally, I'd love to see TheRiot starting at 2nd, but our track record for our minor league posistion players becoming capable major leaguers isn't very good. In that regard, I think DeRosa will be a valuable guy to have around just in case TheRiot tanks. When I read DeRosa was supposedly going to be the starter, I almost panicked, but as I was going out on the ledge I remembered that Dusty was no longer manager of this team. I still have hope that Uncle Lou is going to put people in the game based on merit and neccessity rather than on his relationship with said player. The season may prove me wrong, but I don't think we're going to see the same level of favortism on the 2007 Cubs that we witnessed during the Dusty years.

I'm not real crazy about overpaying for this dude, but career years do draw interest. Rumor was the Phills were interested in him and the Giants were supposedly thinking of making him their full time 3rd sacker.

At first I thought, well maybe we get this guy while he is coming on for what will look like a good price AFTER the 07 season. But then I realized that when any player has a great year they demand to re-negotiate anyway. Probably paid too much and got too little again. Is Todd Hudley still available?

Ugh what is it with our 2nd base issues? I don't feel one way or the other about DeRosa - like everyone else has said it depends on how Lou uses him - but its starting to feel like 2nd base is the new 3rd base...

But its not Neifi so we can rejoice in that at least.

DeRosa was signed to play 2B. If The Riot, that's if. he's a better player than DeRosa, and only time will tell, then the signing makes no sense. Three year contracts go to starters, not bench players. Evidently the Cubs feel that The Riot isn't proven enough to be the everyday second baseman. I don't know if The Riot is either. I'm not paid to make those decisions. I do know however that Izturis was not a free agent acquisition and was only acquired when the Cubs traded Maddux to LA. Since DeRosa can play SS, it still opens up 2B for The Riot if he's the real deal. I would've hoped the pick up of DeRosa could of been done for 2 years but once again, I'm not the GM. Overall, I think the addition of DeRosa is a push but should strengthen the bench and leave Pinella with a few more options.

Why so much? Was someone going to steal him away or something? Maybe he'll be a good clubhouse guy, he did say that he hopes he can provide leadership so maybe someone told him that's what we wanted from him or something, but this really doesn't make any sense. This guy does't seem like he should have been that hard to sign, I mean 7 mil for two years should have been enough so what the hell? UGH

I don't like paying what amounts to a utility man $4.33 million a year, but everybody's stuck overpaying in today's market, where many teams are hemorraghing cash.

This guy looks to be better than Neifi at least.

This isn't a great move, but I don't think it's a horrible one, either.

If he can get on base and keep up his defense, I'll be okay with it. I like his versatility, and it seems like he has a good deal of intangibles.

Theriot's earned some at bats, but I like having another capable option at second. If Theriot can earn 2B outright, fine. If he pulls a Ronny (great in a callup, horrible with a full-time gig), then having DeRosa will be great.

DeRosa can be moved around (I like the idea of right field getting Jones off the field as much as possible). I still want to see The Riot as a starter assuming he has a good spring or at least platooned. I just don't want to see him spend a year on the bench.

Mark DeRosa is nothing more than the 2007 version of Jeff Blauser. Fat Jim, your ride's here

Interesting conversation, all. I agree he is being overpaid to be a super utility type, but I really think he'll be a pleasant surprise for the Cubs next year and beyond. I want that on the record. Time will tell. The biggest key here is how sweet Lou uses him.

Rich - utility guys do not make more than 4 million a season. DeRosa will be a starter.

I think that as Cubs fans we have an inherent fear of utility guys for fear that they will always be used as Dusty used Neifi. We can all trust that Piniella will be smarter. On the other side though, if this gets in the way of The Riot's development, and doesn't have a big upside, then this is just another fuck up by big Jim.
What does everyone think about The Riot's future, I wouldn't be surprised to see hime dealt for some pitching, which would be a huge mistake unless its a great deal and we win the series because of it. big if.

Now who would have thought the first player changing teams would be Mark DeRosa? Giving an average player a three-year deal is ridiculous. A guy like DeRosa could have been picked up on the scrap heap.

Career numbers (I'm a stat freak.)
Player A: .288/.330/.393
Player B: .289/.349/.437
Player C: .273/.331/.404

These guys are pretty similar. Yet, one got a three-year deal while the other two will be sitting hoping to win a starting job.
A is Mark Grudzielanek, a gold glover at 36.
B is Todd Walker, a solid left-handed bat.
C is Mark DeRosa, who is a very lucky man right now.

This, like giving Jacques Jones three years when nobody offered more than two, is why Hendry should be fired. If Hendry wanted what is best for the organization, he would allow Murton, Theriot (or Cedeno), Hill, Marshall, Guzman, and Mateo to mature over the next year for a run in 08, not giving average players multi-year deals, like Perez, Hunley, Rusch, etc. or trading for "needs" like Pierre or Alfonseca (while luckily getting Clement as a salary dump) - two trades that have produced two-fifths of Florida's rotation.

I am not happy right now.

Durham is old and getting older. Durham *was* a good player, but he has always been injure prone and that's not going to be helped with age.

You're right, Mark DeRosa is not Ray Durhamn. He's a much worse ballplayer. Check the numbers.

Oh, Chuck. Here I am, on your side, and you call me out for a spelling error.

I take it back. This is a great signing. Go Cubs!

Who is "Gord"?

Oh. You mean "gourd."

The Cubs theoretically have/had three positions where they could improve - second base, shortstop, and center field. And they can't even improve at short unless they either eat Cezar's salary or find some sucker to take him in a trade. DeRosa's career numbers are craptastic. He's fine as a starter if you have a good offense and need an 8th hitter. But, as Byron points out, DeRosa is probably going to be our #2 hitter next season.

Danny, with all due respect, Jim Hendry hasn't been known in the past few years for making bold, intelligent moves. I suspect that many Cub fans will be entirely disappointed if DeRosa becomes our starting second baseman next year, and it seems that most pundits seem to think that Hendry is out of his freaking gord. To have a DeRosa signing, and to come here and say "see? haha!" ... well ... it really says everything.

On the other hand, if DeRosa is our starting right fielder against lefties, and if he splits time against righties in the various positions of the infield, he very well might be a huge asset. But, again, if this is our starting second baseman for next season, I hope your bib is on because we are about to eat a sh*t sandwich.

Well im going to maybe take a different approach to this. I kind of like this signing. Granted we over paid for DeRosa, but we also overpaid to keep Ramirez and overpaying for players is just part of the process today. Everyone overpays.

But i do like this signing, i think he is a good enough player that can help out. I like his versatility. He originally came from the Braves and they have a history of solid players.

Im not worried by his lack of power, i dont think power is something we need to be concerned with. Power is not the most important thing. Power is an overrated part of the game. Provided DeRosa can get on base, that is all we need. baserunners are more valuable than home runs.

This is not comparable to the Jones deal. Jones was below average for his position as well as being terrible defensively.

I will agree that they overpaid for DeRosa and that makes me sad, but it's not that big a deal. That is, assuming this doesn't hinder future spending.

Chuck - oh, right, the draft pick. Forgot abotu that. Yeah, losing that pretty much blows.

Well, if this DeRosa deal is good... then the Jacque Jones deal looks superb...

If DeRosa was signed to be a bench player, I wouldn't quibble... but if he is given the second base job and a regular spot in the lineup, I think we overpaid for yet another weak (bottom of the order) bat.

I also think that Hendry envisions him as a #2 hitter... which has me concerned. It also forces the issue. We must get a power bat for center field. We've already got Izturis in the lineup. Add in DeRosa, and we can't afford another non-power type of guy.

Comments: What kind of contact does DeRosa make? The .360 OBP looks good, but what about his career. I do like the versatility he offers.

Just to continue with the perspective, even if we take DeRosa's career .731 OPS, that would put him in the top half of last year's second basemen in the NL.

If we try to park-adjust his OPS and round it to about 775 or so, then that puts him in the top ten second basemen. Factor in the fact that he could hopefully hit for Jones in right versus lefties and you've got a play who probably doesn't deserve 4 million, but not that much less.

But for THREE YEARS??? One or two, MAYBE! The Cubs should be a destination for plaeyrs to want to come to! They should take LESS.

Jim hendry, the fuckstick he is, had to outbid in BOTH dollars per year AND total years for Jaqueshit Jones. Now he's outbid NO ONE for a guy who is going to cost a #2 draft pick.

Now, this is no big deal if the Cubs are going to $130mm in payroll. If not, 95 losses is in the offing.

Jason's right...we basically got a right-handed Todd Walker. I don't really know what to make of this...kind of like today's politics.

See grota, I'm not so damn crazy am I. They're going to give him a chance to start at 2nd base. Which most likely will happen. Later Cedeno. Like i've been saying. Now we get a guy here that has proven year in and year out what you can expect from him, albeit, I'd rather have someone better. Now if they can improve left field....

Dude, you realize it's not 13 year a year, right?

And that his career number (all of them) are more in line with Todd Walker than Neifi?

Look at the market and I think you'll find that this is not an overpay. He's hardly a superstar but he's also not Ray Durham.

This team has too many holes to fill to try to fill them all with superstars.

Are you nucking futs? $13 MILLION for a guy at age 32 coming off a career year? This team just unloaded the horrific Neifi Perez and his contract AND REPLACED IT!!!

This is what you get when the GM is wearing a noose -- panic moves.