The Chicago Cubs are going to be dumping players like it’s out of style this week. With the Cubs willing to absorb most, if not all of Alfonso Soriano’s contract, I see him getting dealt this week. Carlos Pena is another one of the really solid trade chips the Cubs have with the Yankees and Pirates likely being the most interested. Marlon Byrd, Kosuke Fukudome and Geovany Soto are other starting players that could be on the move by this coming up Sunday. Blake DeWitt, Jeff Baker and Reed Johnson are reserve players who are wanted by other teams and the Cubs will likely move them if they get a decent prospect in return for them. The most likely pitcher to be dealt this week will be lefty reliever John Grabow. Starters Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano and Rodrigo Lopez are all available for trade also. Righty reliever Kerry Wood doesn’t want to be traded but the Cubs could get something nice for him. The Cubs need to tear the roster down and rebuild it so that they can get back to winning in the future.

It’s been another lost year for the Cubs that will result in at the very least, a mini firesale this month. I think the Cubs will call the Yankees and play poor with them. I think the Cubs will offer Carlos Pena and John Grabow to them for a pittance as long as the Yankees pick up the check. Rookie 2B David Adams, 2B/SS Ramiro Pena and righty reliever Lance Pendleton could be what the return is like if the Yankees are paying Pena and Grabow. The Braves will be looking at outfielder Reed Johnson and the Cubs would likely deal him for rookie lefty starter/reliever Richard Sullivan. Finally, I could see the Rockies having an interest in acquiring both Jeff Baker and Blake DeWitt. The Cubs would likely want something back like rookie 1B Ben Paulson and infielder Jonathan Herrera. The Cubs want to deal many more players than the ones I mentioned but the trade market could be flooded with action this year.

With the trade deadline less than a month away, the Cubs could decide to start dealing any time. It appears to be another lost year for the Cubbies due to all of the injuries they have endured this year. I think the Cubs are going to put Geovany Soto, Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood on the trading block. On the smaller type deals, I see Jeff Baker, John Grabow, Blake DeWitt and possibly James Russell all being available. I think the Cubs need to make sure they get a good return for all of these players as they have a long way to go before they become a good team again.

The Cubs have two free agents heading into this winter and I think the decisions on those players are going to be easy ones. Here is how I think the Cubs are going to handle these two guys:

Aramis Ramirez: 32-year old righty swinging 3B Aramis Ramirez played in 124 games for the Cubs last season and he was 112 of 465 (.241 avg, .745 OPS) with 61 runs scored, 25 homers and 83 RBIs. Ramirez has a player option valued at $14.6 million bucks for the 2011 season. VERDICT: Ramirez’ isn’t nuts so he will exercise his option and take the Cubs’ money in 2011.

Xavier Nady: 31-year old righty swinging 1B/OF Xavier Nady played in 119 games for the Cubs last season and he was 81 of 317 (.256 avg, .660 OPS) with 33 runs scored, 6 homers and 33 RBIs. VERDICT: I see the Cubs letting Nady walk.

If I were running the Cubs I wouldn’t be having a firesale. But I would be making some deals with an eye on the future. First off I would deal Derek Lee and Jeff Baker to the Angels for 1B Mark Trumbo, OF Chris Pettit and righty relievers Kevin Jepsen and Francisco Rodriguez. I would then deal 2B/3B Mike Fontenot to the Phillies for righty relievers Scott Mathieson and David Herndon. Finally I would pay Kosuke Fukudome’s contract and deal him to the Padres for shortstop Lance Zawadzki. These deals would help the Cubs rebuild the bullpen quickly and it would open up RF for Tyler Colvin and 1B for Mark Trumbo. Make the moves Cubbies.