V.Wells a Cubs target this offseason?

[WrigleyField 22]

One of the bad things about Wells is that it is buying high.

[CP_414]

I would love to have Wells on the Cubs. He will be 28 next season, entering his prime. If he repeats his '06 numbers he would provide Aramis Ramirez-like production out of CF, and would be pretty cheap in 07.

 

Trade for Wells, Sign Durham for 2b, Sign or trade for a front of the rotation starter, and a back of the rotation starter, get a new manager. That team can win big in 07.

 

2b Durham

LF Murton

1B Lee

3B A-RAM

CF Wells

C Barrett

RF Jones

SS Theriot

 

Zambrano, New frontline starter (i.e. Schmidt), Hill, New back-end starter, Prior/Guzman/Mateo/Gallagher...

 

BP - Dempster, Howry, Eyre, Wuertz, Ohman, Wood

 

Bench - Moore (1B/3B, maybe LF/RF), Pagan (outfield), Soto ©, Cedeno (ss/2b), power hitting FA (LF/RF), FA

 

 

Hopefully Pie can contribute to the Cubs in 07 at some point as well.

[Balsa]

1. Trade for Andruw Jones or Vernon Wells.

2. Sign FA Alfonso Soriano.

3. Sign Zito or Schmidt, or trade for a front-line starter.

4. Get a back of the rotation veteran starter like Lilly or Batista or Lieber.

5. Bring back Wood for the bullpen.

 

Yeah, that'll happen. But if it did, problems are solved. I bat Theriot leadoff at SS and Murton 2nd in LF. Barrett is 8th (he actually hits well there), and then 3-7 of Lee, Ramirez, Jones/Wells, Soriano and Jock at 7th, what's not to like?

 

I could also see Murton slid down to 7 or 8 in favor of getting either Wells or Soriano more at-bats at 2.

 

Wood money savings alone would nearly cover Jones or Wells' salary. Pierre + Maddux money brings Soriano. If you can dump Izturis and/or Jock, the savings would cover item #4 above. The only new money the Cubs would need would be for Zito or Schmidt.

 

Oh well.....

 

I really, really, really, really like this plan. I would this this a HUGELY successful offseason.

 

I'd really like to get Wells, and I'd be willing to give up one of Guzman, Marshall, Mateo, Marmol and a second-tier and a AAA position player not named Pie.

 

Anyway, I like this MUCH better than resigning Pierre. The good news is that if we get Wells or Jones, that would mean Hendry would have to go after another "leadoff" hitter.....maaaaaybe Soriano? :D

[third eye]

I know that Durham has put up great numbers offensively this year, but historically, is he that much better than Todd Walker? A mid-teens HR hitter with and OBP in the mid 300s? What concerns me more about him is things like this from his scouting reports:

 

Hitting

There's no question about Durham's hitting when he's in the lineup. He hit the most homers since swatting 20 for the White Sox in 2001. Last year, he had a higher batting average from the right side, but more power from the left side. For a leadoff hitter, Durham strikes out too much. He struck out 60 times last year, three more than his walk total.

Baserunning & Defense

Once a threat to run, Durham's injuries have cut down his stolen-base totals. He is blessed with athletic genes, however, and the Giants once considered moving him to the outfield. That likely won't happen after Durham struggled so much to catch popups at his position last season. He had a horrible season in the field, with 16 errors. Furthermore, he was slow to turn what should have been easy double plays.

 

Would we really be upgrading from where we were at the beginning of this season with Durham? Soriano's defensive issues I could live with, because of the offensive production. But I'm not so sure about Durham overall. Andruw Jones and Loretta on the offense and Scmidt or Zito on the staff would look alot better to me.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

[RichHillIsABeast]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

 

Especially not if ppl want to keep Ramirez and extend Z.

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

 

Interestingly, Izturis will make about the same as Wells next season. If we would have traded Maddux for an inexpensive prospect, and assuming we have enough to pay for Soriano and Zito and Izturis, we could have just paid for Wells, Zito, Soriano.

 

Now I don't know if Joel Guzman is no longer viewed as a SS, but if he could play there, he would have been a great prospect to take from LA-but instead we accepted crap so they traded him to Tampa. If not we could have gone with Theriot/Cedeno who shouldn't be worse offensively than Izturis will be, and we'd have whoever the prospect was.

Our Lineup:

2B-Soriano

LF-Murton

1B-Lee

3B-Ramirez

CF-Wells

C-Barrett

RF-Jones

SS-Guzman/Theriot/Cedeno

plus, with Zito/Schmidt in our rotation

Zambrano

Schmidt/Zito

Hill

Prior/Miller/Guzman/Marshall/Mateo/Marmol

 

 

...

...

I loved that trade!

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

 

Interestingly, Izturis will make about the same as Wells next season. If we would have traded Maddux for an inexpensive prospect, and assuming we have enough to pay for Soriano and Zito and Izturis, we could have just paid for Wells, Zito, Soriano.

 

I don't just mean financially.

[Guest]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

 

Interestingly, Izturis will make about the same as Wells next season. If we would have traded Maddux for an inexpensive prospect, and assuming we have enough to pay for Soriano and Zito and Izturis, we could have just paid for Wells, Zito, Soriano.

 

I don't just mean financially.

 

what do you mean then?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

 

Interestingly, Izturis will make about the same as Wells next season. If we would have traded Maddux for an inexpensive prospect, and assuming we have enough to pay for Soriano and Zito and Izturis, we could have just paid for Wells, Zito, Soriano.

 

I don't just mean financially.

 

what do you mean then?

 

I don't think any GM is capable of simultaneously trading for a top trade target and signing the top 2 free agents available.

[Guest]

depends on the timing. if he can make the trade before the free agency period, I think he could get it done.

[biittner77]

Anyone that is leery of trading for Wells should consider the very real possibility that Hendry could instead give roughly the same money to Pierre to not be anywhere near as good.

[NCCubFan]

Shouldn't the title of this thread have a question mark at the end of it.

The question mark has now magically appeared. :D

[C.C.]

I don't think it's feasible at all to trade for Jones/Wells, sign Soriano, AND sign Zito/Schmidt.

 

Interestingly, Izturis will make about the same as Wells next season. If we would have traded Maddux for an inexpensive prospect, and assuming we have enough to pay for Soriano and Zito and Izturis, we could have just paid for Wells, Zito, Soriano.

 

I don't just mean financially.

 

what do you mean then?

 

I don't think any GM is capable of simultaneously trading for a top trade target and signing the top 2 free agents available.

 

When was the last top level FA we signed? And now we are talking about signing 2 of them? It's not going to happen.

[mg420]

Anyone that is leery of trading for Wells should consider the very real possibility that Hendry could instead give roughly the same money to Pierre to not be anywhere near as good.

 

you are not factoring in the impact the prospects the cubs would trade could have on the team. the blue jays would most likely want to be overpaid prospect wise for wells because of the season he had. i dont think the $ would be the issue here.

[biittner77]

what would it take to get wells though? i wouldnt want to see them give up pie, ep, veal or gallagher and hill is obviously not going anywhere.

 

I think it would take Marshall and Pie.....or if the Cubs weren't willing to trade Felix. Marshall, Cedeno, and Marmol.

 

If the Cubs trade Pie, wouldn't that suggest the Cubs think Harvey has a good chance of contributing in the majors? His arrival would coincide with the end of JJones' contract.

 

If the Cubs trade Pie I'd see that more as a sign that Hendry needs to save his job by winning now. They might be feeling better about Harvey or possibly moving Fox to the OF full time or maybe even Negron. It's more likely that they will burn that bridge when they come to it.

[the splendid splinter]

To make the trade for Vernon Wells it will have to come in a 3 team deal, we dont have the type of players the Blue Jays would be interested in.