Cubs Sign So Taguchi

For just under a million bucks, the Cubs have signed ex-Philly (08)/ex-Cardinal (06) So Taguchi. Taguchi, who is 39, hit a laughable .220/.283/.297 in 103 ABs last year. While Taguchi is little more than a late game defensive replacement, it seems like a waste of payroll for a team to cheap to sign Jake Peavy. Why do we need Taguchi, who can't hit, when we have Pie, who is out of options, can't hit and has potential? I smell a Pie trade in the wind. Also, is Taguchi -- a fifth string back up utility outfielder -- worth $900M??

So chalk up the Cubs offseason moves:
-Cubs re-sign SP Ryan Dempster, who is 32 and had an uncharacteristic career year, to a $4 million, four-year deal.
-Cubs trade super utility man Mark DeRosa (and his $9 million '09 salary) for 3 grade B- prospects.
-Cubs sign SS/2B Aaron Miles to a two-year, $4.9 million deal
-Cubs sign OF Joey Gathright to a one-year, $800K deal
-Cubs get trade SP Jason Marquis (to free up payroll and migrains) for RP Luis Vizcaino.
-Cubs sign injury/temper-tantrum prone Milton Bradley (who plays great when he actually plays) to a three-year, $30 million deal that has an injury protection clause (3rd year is a vesting option based on his health in 2009)
-Cubs sign So Taguchi to a one-year deal worth $900K

So far, I can't say anything other than the Bradley move has been an improvement for the Cubbies. I think we overpaid Dempster (whose 2008 seemed more like a statistical aberration rather than a sustainable level of production based on his career numbers) and I would much rather have Peavy on the team leading the roation. Hell, I might even prefer Kerry Wood.

This offseasons looks worse and worse every day. At least the Padres got to David Eckstein before us...I wish we had a new GM :(