Aramis' New Deal?

Well this is not very suprising,
"I want to keep playing with the Chicago Cubs for a long time," Ramirez told The Associated Press on Thursday. "But for that to happen they have to sign me on before training ends, for at least for years and for a fair price." Ramirez, who could be a free agent after the 2005 season, said a fair salary would be similar to what his colleagues Scott Rolen, Adrien Beltre and Troy Glaus earn. Rolen recently signed an eight-year, US$90 million contract with St. Louis, while Beltre signed a five-year, US$64 million deal with Seattle. Glaus clinched a US$45 million, four-year agreement with Arizona.
"An agreement for four years that pays between US$10 million and US$13 million per season would be adequate," Ramirez said.

Aramis deserves every penny of the contract that he is asking for. He is a great player on the rise, who is the best Cubs third basemen since Ron Santo (the veterans commitee should elect Santo in march for the hall of fame) deserves 10 million a year for four years. Plus he is only 27,(he'll be 28 on June 25th). This would be a great deal for the Cubs to make before the season starts as to avoide any friction between Aramis and the Cubs. I believe the Cubs should also sign Carlos Zambrano to a multi-year deal before the season starts. He earned a 5 million per year contract in my opinion last year when he carried the Cubs pitching staff through the injury plagued 2004 season. The only thing that worries me about signing Zambrano to a multi-year deal is his weight(255 lbs.) But I am hoping that he has addresed that this off-season.

Okay boys and girls, it is time to give the preseason gold glove for Centerfield to....
CF- Corey patterson
In my opinion he should have won the award last year. With a .997 fielding percentange and only 1 error. He also had to make up for the decreased outfield fielding capabilities of aging stars Moises Alou and Sammy Sosa. With new outfielders on each side,( while I admit that Burnitz is not that much better than Sosa, he still can cover more ground in RF) Corey can now play CF, not CF, Right Center, and Left Center. This is the year that Andruw Jones is dethroned as CF gold glove king.