Tony Clark says he is willing to waive his no-trade clause..

[Danny82]

But at some point, you need to start making moves for the now.

 

Yeah, Williams might be a guy worth keeping around because someday he might come through with all that potential. But, the Cubs also need more help out there in the lineup right now while Lee is out. I'm hoping that Hendry gets proactive and if he can get Clark for Williams, I think he has to do it. Clark will be a great guy to have on the bench and a nice DH option for interleague play. Plus, he is crazy cheap.

 

If the injury forces you to make a move, then make one that has positive effects in the short and long term. Make a run at Jonny Gomes, Craig Wilson, or the like. If that fails, then make sure the person isn't confined to first base in your acquisition. Wilson again, Dmitri Young, Hinske, these guys serve a different purpose and may come at a cheaper cost. I guess I don't see much upside with paying a quality young player to get 2 months of a 1B only 34 year old, then guaranteeing that player money for '07.

1) What makes you think there is any way in this world that the D-Rays would be willing to (or for that matter, have any reason AT ALL to) move Gomes? The dude's making $360K and has 10 bombs. He isn't going ANYWHERE.

2) Guaranteeing him one million? Big whoop.

Edited April 27, 2006 by Danny82

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If that fails, then make sure the person isn't confined to first base in your acquisition.

 

If the cost is low, I don't see why people have such a hangup about versatility. It is legal to have guys on your bench whose primary purpose is to swing a bat. You don't have to double switch in every pinch hitter. And every bench player doesn't have to play 5 positions. The Cubs have an abundance of versatile players on their bench now, and it still sucks. What they don't have is bats, and they need them desperately.

 

Well yeah, I'm not saying that they forego production in lieu of versatility, but Clark isn't a fantastically productive player, there's not going to be a lot of difference between him and Young or Hinske.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

1) What makes you think there is any way in this world that the D-Rays would be willing to (or for that matter, have any reason AT ALL to) move Gomes?

2) Guaranteeing him one million? Big whoop.

 

Tampa has a glut of outfielders, and Gomes doesn't rate above Crawford, Baldelli, Young, or Upton/Cantu(if either is moved there). They know they aren't going to compete, and like Wilson in Pittsburgh they undervalue his abilities in their distribution of his playing time. Gomes himself isn't the point though. Go after a solution for RF, whether that's Gomes, Wilson, or whoever.

 

Guaranteeing Clark a roster spot for next year is far from a flippant thing. Last year he was great, but it was the first time he put up a .300+ OBP since 2001. He'll be 35 next year, and he's limited to a position where we have a guy who plays just about every game, and we have someone in AAA(Sing) who will have a pretty decent shot to do the same things with the ability to play the OF for a cheaper price and more upside next year.

[Danny82]

1) What makes you think there is any way in this world that the D-Rays would be willing to (or for that matter, have any reason AT ALL to) move Gomes?

2) Guaranteeing him one million? Big whoop.

 

Tampa has a glut of outfielders, and Gomes doesn't rate above Crawford, Baldelli, Young, or Upton/Cantu(if either is moved there). They know they aren't going to compete, and like Wilson in Pittsburgh they undervalue his abilities in their distribution of his playing time. Gomes himself isn't the point though. Go after a solution for RF, whether that's Gomes, Wilson, or whoever.

I think the comparison of Gomes' situation with the Rays to Wilson's situation with the Pirates is quite misplaced (considering he has started pretty much ever game as their 3 or 4 hitter), but I understand your point.

[jtownie]

1) What makes you think there is any way in this world that the D-Rays would be willing to (or for that matter, have any reason AT ALL to) move Gomes?

2) Guaranteeing him one million? Big whoop.

 

Tampa has a glut of outfielders, and Gomes doesn't rate above Crawford, Baldelli, Young, or Upton/Cantu(if either is moved there). They know they aren't going to compete, and like Wilson in Pittsburgh they undervalue his abilities in their distribution of his playing time. Gomes himself isn't the point though. Go after a solution for RF, whether that's Gomes, Wilson, or whoever.

I think the comparison of Gomes' situation with the Rays to Wilson's situation with the Pirates is quite misplaced (considering he has started pretty much ever game as their 3 or 4 hitter), but I understand your point.

 

Couldn't Gomes just end up as the DH?

[Pistolcub42]

I'm probably alone on this, but I wouldn't trade Wuertz. I think his early performance this year was an aberation, and that he's a future closer in the making. Maybe I'm just a homer though...

I totally agree with you. When he's on he's got absolutely electric stuff. I'll never forget the Houston game where he threw 15 straight sliders and made them all look like total fools.

 

Williams is solid too. If we trade either, I'd rather it be for someone who has a more involved role than "stop gap for Lee and PHer when he gets back".

 

I'd imagine that's about the max you'd get for either of them. We have a lot of pitchers who are right around their level, I don't object to dealing one to fill a glaring hole for 2 months.

 

It sucks to lose Lee, but acquiring Clark or the like is only going to be a marginal upgrade over Hairston. Unless you're getting a defensive whiz too like a Mientkiewicz, the difference over only 2 months isn't worth giving up players of Wuertz's or Williams's caliber.

 

 

Clark had an ops of 1.003 last year and 30 homers in 349 abs. And from what I've heard there are no problems with him defensively. Plus he gives you that big target at 1st that Lee was. I think thats a more than a "slight" upgrade over Hairston...

[Andy]

This thread begs one major question:

 

How the hell did Tony Clark get a no-trade clause?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

It sucks to lose Lee, but acquiring Clark or the like is only going to be a marginal upgrade over Hairston. Unless you're getting a defensive whiz too like a Mientkiewicz, the difference over only 2 months isn't worth giving up players of Wuertz's or Williams's caliber.

 

 

Clark had an ops of 1.003 last year and 30 homers in 349 abs. And from what I've heard there are no problems with him defensively. Plus he gives you that big target at 1st that Lee was. I think thats a more than a "slight" upgrade over Hairston...

 

Again, he was great last year, but the 3 years prior to that he was terrible. I'm not sold that the guy suddenly found/regained the ability to put up outstanding numbers at age 34. It would be foolish to count on similar numbers this year, especially when he hasn't been that hot to start out with.

Edited April 27, 2006 by Transmogrified Tiger

[Ding Dong Johnson]

This thread begs one major question:

 

How the hell did Tony Clark get a no-trade clause?

 

He asked politely?

[Danny82]

This thread begs one major question:

 

How the hell did Tony Clark get a no-trade clause?

 

Because he gave them a STEEP hometown discount after his great year last year. 2M total over 2 years was worth it for him if he was able to guarantee he could play where he lived.

[Pistolcub42]

It sucks to lose Lee, but acquiring Clark or the like is only going to be a marginal upgrade over Hairston. Unless you're getting a defensive whiz too like a Mientkiewicz, the difference over only 2 months isn't worth giving up players of Wuertz's or Williams's caliber.

 

 

Clark had an ops of 1.003 last year and 30 homers in 349 abs. And from what I've heard there are no problems with him defensively. Plus he gives you that big target at 1st that Lee was. I think thats a more than a "slight" upgrade over Hairston...

 

Again, he was great last year, but the 3 years prior to that he was terrible. I'm not sold that the guy suddenly found/regained the ability to put up outstanding numbers at age 34. It would be foolish to count on similar numbers this year, especially when he hasn't been that hot to start out with.

 

I agree it would be foolish to expect him to match his numbers of last year but he would provide that power bat that we are desperately missing in this lineup right now. We've been fortunate enough to skate by with Hairston/Neifi but that's not going to last much longer. It only took Hairston 2 days to show that he may be the dumbest player in MLB. Tony Clark is probably the best option out there and he provides everything we need in a replacement. Maybe he can even play some OF when DLee does eventually come back. He has played out there before even if it was for only 2 innings back in '03....

[SouthSideRyan]

If Clark were making some real money, I could understand the objections, but he's making peanuts.

 

If he reverts to the Tony Clark of '02-'04 then you cut loose and eat the 1M. It's not much of a cost to give up a replacable part like Wuertz for a chance to get better than a 700 OPS for the 2 months Lee is out.

[Geech]

If Clark were making some real money, I could understand the objections, but he's making peanuts.

 

If he reverts to the Tony Clark of '02-'04 then you cut loose and eat the 1M. It's not much of a cost to give up a replacable part like Wuertz for a chance to get better than a 700 OPS for the 2 months Lee is out.

 

It would be hard to replace Wuertz's stuff, but Clark of 03-04 would be pretty damn replacable. I really don't like our odds of coming out ahead on a trade like that.

[Mark_R]

Let's sign Hee Seop Choi. This board would crash in delight if that happened.

 

Still a mystery why he can't find a job though...

[goonys evil twin]

Let's sign Hee Seop Choi. This board would crash in delight if that happened.

 

Still a mystery why he can't find a job though...

 

Isn't he on the Red Sox roster? He has a job.

[Laura]

He's on their 40-man and is on the 15-man DL.

[Mark_R]

Yeah, I need to stop posting for awhile.

[jtownie]

Well according to Bruce Levine, Jeff Conine is a possibility and he says he would be that power bat we desperately need.

While his .304/.374/.403 would be decent I wouldn't exactly call him a power bat. although those were last years numbers and were put up in FLA. He did have just 20 2B and 3HR in 140 at-bats. not exactly the power you'd like to get.

[Joe_Cub]

I'd rather have Clark. And I want a righty bat with some pop and make it somebody dusty will actually play in RF against LHPs please.

[SouthSideRyan]

If Clark were making some real money, I could understand the objections, but he's making peanuts.

 

If he reverts to the Tony Clark of '02-'04 then you cut loose and eat the 1M. It's not much of a cost to give up a replacable part like Wuertz for a chance to get better than a 700 OPS for the 2 months Lee is out.

 

It would be hard to replace Wuertz's stuff, but Clark of 03-04 would be pretty damn replacable. I really don't like our odds of coming out ahead on a trade like that.

 

You value Wuertz far more than I do. I don't see him as anything more than an averageish reliever, which certainly has value on the right team, but to the Cubs he's pretty worthless.

[Geech]

You value Wuertz far more than I do. I don't see him as anything more than an averageish reliever, which certainly has value on the right team, but to the Cubs he's pretty worthless.

 

Wuertz is already one of the best in the game at missing bats. I don't know if he'll make the adjustments to become consistantly good, but I like his odds of being good a lot more than I like Tony Clark's odds of repeating is good year.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

If Clark were making some real money, I could understand the objections, but he's making peanuts.

 

If he reverts to the Tony Clark of '02-'04 then you cut loose and eat the 1M. It's not much of a cost to give up a replacable part like Wuertz for a chance to get better than a 700 OPS for the 2 months Lee is out.

 

It would be hard to replace Wuertz's stuff, but Clark of 03-04 would be pretty damn replacable. I really don't like our odds of coming out ahead on a trade like that.

 

You value Wuertz far more than I do. I don't see him as anything more than an averageish reliever, which certainly has value on the right team, but to the Cubs he's pretty worthless.

 

I think many on this board over-value Wuertz.

[Geech]

I think many on this board over-value Wuertz.

 

His ability to miss bats is not irrelevant. I don't have those links handy, but TT or BK might.

[Mark_R]

I think many on this board over-value Wuertz.

 

His ability to miss bats is not irrelevant. I don't have those links handy, but TT or BK might.

 

Are you just referencing K's or BB's as well? Because the walks are very much a concern.

[XZero771679666304]

I think many on this board over-value Wuertz.

 

His ability to miss bats is not irrelevant. I don't have those links handy, but TT or BK might.

 

Are you just referencing K's or BB's as well? Because the walks are very much a concern.

 

As his his inconsistency. If I though trading Wuertz would contribute at all to the Cubs keeping their heads above water until Lee returns, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.