Williamson to be traded?

[NCCubFan]

According to a Yahoo report (crediting the Sun-Times as the source), the Cubs may trade Scott Williamson. Considering that he was picked up from the scrap heap, if he can be traded for some offensive help that would be a pretty good return on the investment. At the same time, however, it would increase the pressure on Eyre and Howry to produce because there would be less wiggle room for one of them to struggle.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Offensive help where? LF or SS? Awesome.

[Geech]

I think Williamson has a better shot at being good than either Eyre or Howry. That would certainly be another poor Hendry move if true.

[Jehrico]

According to a Yahoo report (crediting the Sun-Times as the source), the Cubs may trade Scott Williamson. Considering that he was picked up from the scrap heap, if he can be traded for some offensive help that would be a pretty good return on the investment. At the same time, however, it would increase the pressure on Eyre and Howry to produce because there would be less wiggle room for one of them to struggle.

 

I don't see how we can get any offensive help from trading Williamson, which is very sad considering how our offense currently looks. 1B, 3B, and C are set, and it'd be extremely difficult to improve those. Pierre isn't going to be replaced in CF, Jones would have to go to open up RF, which isn't going to happen with his 3 year contract. There's no better alternative on the market at SS than Cedeno. That leaves LF and 2B. You could argue that if we traded Williamson and Walker, we might net Soriano, but I would contend that our offense would not be improved by that move. That leaves Murton. Can Murton and Williamson net a big outfield bat? I don't think there's any big corner OF bats on the market that would justify trading Murton out there. Nor do I think there are any big corner OF bats that weren't available before that would be available if Williamson became part of the package.

[katway]

Williamson is unlikely to have much value until he proves his health issues are behind him. So, really don't see any reason to trade him at this point after we sunk a lot into the investment and are waiting for the payoff.

[seanhopper]

According to a Yahoo report (crediting the Sun-Times as the source), the Cubs may trade Scott Williamson. Considering that he was picked up from the scrap heap, if he can be traded for some offensive help that would be a pretty good return on the investment. At the same time, however, it would increase the pressure on Eyre and Howry to produce because there would be less wiggle room for one of them to struggle.

 

I started a thread a few weeks back speculating that Williamson may be the odd man out in the pen and one of Hendry's bargaining chips in a trade. Almost everyone disagreed with me at the time. To date, I rarely hear his name mentioned by Hendry and until recently by Baker as a guy in the pen for the Cubs this year. If the Cubs decide prior to the season that they need some more offense--in a platoon situation for Jones-- I believe Williamson may be the one to go.

[erik316wttn]

I'd wait till at least May to try to trade one of our bullpen guys.

[MPrior]

Unless Williamson nets someone REALLY nice for our offense, then I think this is a terrible idea. If he's healthy, he's definitely the best arm in our bullpen, bar none. And he's much less expensive than Dempster, Eyre, or Howry.

[imb]

ditch him if you can get value. he has the some of the worst mechanics i have ever seen in a mahor league pitcher. If he makes it through the year without his arm falling off, ill consider it a small miracle.

[mhuber92211]

You know where a good fit for Williamson is and has been a rumored partner for the Cubs? Tampa Bay. A Williamson, Cedeno & Prospect for Lugo is a possibility. Even Huff is still available.

[NorthsideAvenger]

You know where a good fit for Williamson is and has been a rumored partner for the Cubs? Tampa Bay. A Williamson, Cedeno & Prospect for Lugo is a possibility. Even Huff is still available.

 

Did I hear.......OVERPAY? Lugo is "arugably" a slight better version of Cedeno. But not enough to justify trading three players for him Lugo would be worth more like two solid pitchers (Novoa and Berg) instead of Wililamson, Cedeno, and a prospect. And no, I'm not ALL that interested in Huff....who is SO MUCH A DH at this stage in his career, that it isn't funny.

 

Stick with Cedeno, and he WILL have a better season then Lugo.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Mike Kiely opines this morning that Williamson is likely to be traded.

 

Link.

 

The article also indicates that Williamson wouldn't mind going somewhere he would have an opportunity to close.

 

"I'd like to get back to the ninth inning again, where I have had a lot of success. There are a lot of teams out there still looking for closers. I pitched so well against Chicago in my [Reds] career, but the people here haven't really seen what I have. Hopefully, I can show them.''

 

Hendry had opportunities to trade Williamson during the offseason. He chose to go into spring training with an overloaded pitching inventory and decide what to do with his bullpen in March. Chances are, he will make one or more trades in the next month that involve his relievers.

 

 

If Williamson proves he's healthy, here is my run-down of possible trade scenarios.

 

1. Atlanta. The Braves need a closer. Currently their options are down to Chris Rietsma, Joey Devine, and Blaine Boyer. There may be some others in the mix there, but none have the experience or success in the role.

 

2. Boston. The Red Sox are hoping that Foulke bounces back, but if he doesn't, the Red Sox could be looking for a closer or else will use Timlin. Williamson pitched well for the Red Sox and could fit their need.

 

3. Cleveland. The Indians brought back Wickman for the role, but if Williamson is healthy, he might be a better option.

 

4.Reds. Coffey or Weathers look to handle the duties, but Williamson could be better than both of those options.

 

5. Orioles. Is Chris Ray ready? Would you trust LaTroy there if he isn't?

 

6. Phillies. How much does Tom Gordon have left? Williamson might be an option for the Phillies if Gordon is done.

[frostwyrm]

Other than Lugo, who the heck would the Cubs be after? All the slots are filled. I suppose 2B could be upgraded, but first the glut there would have to be broken up. A Williamson/Walker package would make sense.

[wade]

According to a Yahoo report (crediting the Sun-Times as the source), the Cubs may trade Scott Williamson. Considering that he was picked up from the scrap heap, if he can be traded for some offensive help that would be a pretty good return on the investment. At the same time, however, it would increase the pressure on Eyre and Howry to produce because there would be less wiggle room for one of them to struggle.

 

I started a thread a few weeks back speculating that Williamson may be the odd man out in the pen and one of Hendry's bargaining chips in a trade. Almost everyone disagreed with me at the time. To date, I rarely hear his name mentioned by Hendry and until recently by Baker as a guy in the pen for the Cubs this year. If the Cubs decide prior to the season that they need some more offense--in a platoon situation for Jones-- I believe Williamson may be the one to go.

 

I thought about that thread when I read the Suntimes article this morning. My fear of trading Williamson is that the club won't get back enough talent to offset what he potentially could provide. His contract is only for this year, and only for two million. If he pitches at all like he used to that's a good deal.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The smarter move could be to hold on to Williamson past spring training, even if the Cubs plan to trade him.

 

Given that Dempster, Eyre, Howry, and Ohman are locks for the pen, the Cubs still have room for two or three more. Wuertz likely gets one of those spots. Keeping Williamson takes up the other. Williams and Rusch likely take up starter's spots until mid april when Wood comes off the DL. Wellemeyer will have to be traded. Novoa could be sent to Iowa until an opening is created.

 

When Wood returns, Williams or Rusch could be shifted to the pen. That's likely when a decision on Williamson will need to be made. By that time, some other teams situations may be shaking out a little more clearly. Trading Williamson at the end of April or middle of May could bring a greater return than trading him in March.

[frostwyrm]

I suppose we could use another OF who can play CF. If Pierre gets hurt there's nobody who could step in right away. Possibly Hendry wants more of a sure thing than Grissom as a platoon option with Jones.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Williamson could likely net Langerhans from Atlanta.

[JWCUB]

Hey Vance, play GM again. You have listed potential suiters for Williamson, now can you rack your brain and come up with potential package deals with maybe Williamson, Walker, Welly, ect...to those suiters and what we could get in return.

 

P.S. I still think you could be an excellant GM.

[frostwyrm]

Williamson could likely net Langerhans from Atlanta.

 

Hendry would probably want an RH bat instead. The more I think about it we actually do need a decent backup CF. Grissom is acceptable as a specialist to face LHPs, but he would be a terrible injury replacement for Pierre.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Hey Vance, play GM again. You have listed potential suiters for Williamson, now can you rack your brain and come up with potential package deals with maybe Williamson, Walker, Welly, ect...to those suiters and what we could get in return.

 

P.S. I still think you could be an excellant GM.

 

I'm not sure a package deal would work in many of those instances, but as time allows, I'll take a shot at some deal.

 

I think part of the difficulty right now is that it's impossible to know how situations in other team's camps will sort themselves out.

 

Take Boston for example. Assume Foulke is still stuggling, and Williamson is pitching lights out, and the Cubs are prepared to go with Hairston at second, then maybe a deal Williamson for Graffanino could happen.

 

Atlanta to me would be the place I'd look most intently to deal him. They could have the largest need for a closer and look to contend.

[rjchapma]

Personally I don't deal him at least not right now. I say wait tell after Spring Training and then see who wants him. If we can get another solid bench player I make the deal.

[JeffH]

Trading a reasonably healthy Scott Williamson for a bench player would be pretty dumb, even by Cub standards.

[rjchapma]

Well who are you expecting to get. You also have to be realistic about who we could get. Unless we package a deal I don't think well get anything worth while.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I personally don't like the idea of dealing him at all until the deadline. Having a quality arm in the pen like his could prove invaluable.

 

If he's putting up closer-like numbers, he can give Dusty the option of resting Dempster on days he's pitched consecutively. He'd also give us a fourth quality late inning arm.

 

At the deadline, we'll have a better guage of what the team needs and other teams may be getting more desperate for bullpen help and be willing to offer up a higher level prospect or a quality major leaguer for him.

[SCCubbieFAN]

Would anyone do a package like Williamson, Walker, and Murton for Pat Burrell?