If you ask me...

... The American Music Awards were horrible last night. Then again, my expectations weren't great ...

Jimmy Kimmel was comical, the opening numbers by Beyonce and Carrie Underwood were entertaining, and it was good to see the Black Eyed Peas take the trifecta. But aside from that, I could hardly wait for the thing to be over ...

Lional Richie's AMA comeback with "All Night Long" and John Mayer's "Waiting For The World to Change" were by far the performances of the night in my mind ...

Gwen Stafani's and Nelly Furtado's performances were dissappointing and annoying. Barry Manilow's spot had all the potential to be as great as Richie's but came off flat and appeared to have the audience yawning. I rolled my eyed when Rascal Flatts came on to play their lame cover of "Life Is a Highway." And don't even get me started on the Pussycat Dolls ...

* * *

So the Cubs got Alfonso Soriano ...

I don't know whether I should be jumping around the house and clapping, or shaking my head in disapproval ...

Ok. I'm thrilled that Soriano will be playing for the Cubs. He's got skills and I always did enjoy watching him with the Yankees ... I can only imagine how powerful the Cubs might be with Soriano, Lee and Ramirez in the lineup ...

... But did we have to pay him so much over such a long period!? $136 million over eight years!? Seriously!? Eeeesh ...

Truthfully, I was huge fan of Juan Pierre. Yeah, he didn't have a powerful bat. But he always seemed thrilled to be on the field and he could make things happen in the leadoff spot and with his legs. ... Now you're bringing in a guy who's a hyped-up, highly touted free agent just because he's coming off a 40-40 season, and he hasn't exactly earned a reputation as a team player the last couple years thanks to his griping about playing the outfield ...

In my perfect world, the Cubs would've kept Pierre at leadoff and in centerfield, batting Soriano high in the order and playing him at second base, a position that hasn't been good for the Cubs since Ryne Sandberg left and a position that comes naturally for Soriano ...

Instead, we get Soriano and Mark DeRosa, who actually may not be so bad ...

He's just not Juan Pierre ... At least, now Pierre's with the Dodgers. I like the Dodgers.

At least the Cubs managed to hang on to Aramis Ramirez. If the team only signed Ramirez this offseason, I would've been pleased. Not thrilled, just pleased ...

I can't say I'm pleased, however, about the Cubs hanging onto Kerry Wood for one more year. Does he even have an arm left?? ...

UPDATE 12.15.05...More on Soriano and the Cubs offseason...
a Soriano's $136 million deal with Cubs filled with perks
a Ramirez staying put after all
a Going Rates Have Doubled in Baseball ... and it's a sad, sad trend.