Re: Peavy High on Cubs Wish List

[17 Seconds]

Seriously though, I can't believe I'm the only one who isn't sold on the rotation as is. What happens if Harden goes down (and he will) and Dempster goes back to the way he's pitched his entire career? Suddenly that rotation looks pretty awful, and those 2 things are not unlikely to happen.

 

No one would rather have Randy Johnson than Jake Peavy. But a rotation of Zambrano, Harden, Lilly, Dempster, Johnson with Marshall as the 6th starter looks pretty good to me.

 

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

[davearm2]

Seriously though, I can't believe I'm the only one who isn't sold on the rotation as is. What happens if Harden goes down (and he will) and Dempster goes back to the way he's pitched his entire career? Suddenly that rotation looks pretty awful, and those 2 things are not unlikely to happen.

You may have missed my question yesterday when I asked if Churchill had provided you with specifics regarding player combinations asked for and offered.

 

Anything you can share on that?

 

He never said anything about that

Dude you're going to lose your messenger job unless you start asking the right questions ;)

[jersey cubs fan]

Seriously though, I can't believe I'm the only one who isn't sold on the rotation as is. What happens if Harden goes down (and he will) and Dempster goes back to the way he's pitched his entire career? Suddenly that rotation looks pretty awful, and those 2 things are not unlikely to happen.

 

If those two things happen (with Marshall sliding in for Harden for over 1/2 the season and Dempster pitching just as an average starter) the rotation would still be well above average.

 

Well above is a pretty vague statement. My guess is the lineup takes a step back, and if the rotation does to this team could easily miss the playoffs.

 

I'm not sold on anything about this team yet. The only thing they've done so far is take a step back.

[BigbadB]

DeRosa did great at the middle to end of last season. But he wasn't that great at the beginning or the previous season. I think Fontenot can slip right in and we wouldn't even notice a big of a difference.

 

Yes, because Fontenot's career 68 OPS+ against LHP borders on Mark DeRosa production.

[davearm2]

I think Hendry is seeing what he can get for DeRo to maybe snag Hermida or at least that is my hope.

If he could turn DeRosa into Hermida, that'd be a great trade. Could happen, depending on a few things.

[17 Seconds]

Seriously though, I can't believe I'm the only one who isn't sold on the rotation as is. What happens if Harden goes down (and he will) and Dempster goes back to the way he's pitched his entire career? Suddenly that rotation looks pretty awful, and those 2 things are not unlikely to happen.

 

If those two things happen (with Marshall sliding in for Harden for over 1/2 the season and Dempster pitching just as an average starter) the rotation would still be well above average.

 

Well above is a pretty vague statement. My guess is the lineup takes a step back, and if the rotation does to this team could easily miss the playoffs.

 

I'm not sold on anything about this team yet. The only thing they've done so far is take a step back.

 

The bullpen looks pretty questionable as well

[RyneDawson]

That's why you get a player like Rich Aurilia to platoon with him against lefties. Or you sign Furcal and have Theriot platoon with him. Either way, I don't care what the problem is... deal with it AFTER you get Peavy.

[Rob]

Wow, I'm truly impressed. I predicted mass hysteria... but once everybody saw Deuce really go crazy, they just started mocking him.

 

Good work today, NSBB.

[RyneDawson]

I think Hendry is seeing what he can get for DeRo to maybe snag Hermida or at least that is my hope.

If he could turn DeRosa into Hermida, that'd be a great trade. Could happen, depending on a few things.

 

So now we're willing to trade DeRosa to get Hermida but not Peavy. So if we make that trade, then we end up trading DeRosa like we don't want to do, we get our RF in Hermida, but no Peavy. Whereas if we trade DeRosa in a deal for Peavy and then sign Milton Bradley whom right now is better than Hermida, aren't we looking way better?? With so many LH RF options out there in FA, I think our best bet is to sign one of them and trade for the pitcher we need. Instead of leaving our rotation as is and trading our starting 2B for a RF.

[BigbadB]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

[abuck1220]

roast has a girlfriend, everybody.

[jersey cubs fan]

I would love to trade Derosa this year to get younger.

 

He's a 34 year old coming off a career year and while the manager is willing to play him everywhere, he's not particularly good at any of his positions (the Macias effect). Plus, he's about the most replacable starter on the team.

Edited December 11, 2008 by jersey cubs fan

[fromthestretch]

DeRosa did great at the middle to end of last season. But he wasn't that great at the beginning or the previous season.

 

DeRosa by month

 

2008:

April .297/.416/.451

May .310/.364/.471

June .279/.374/.465

July .195/.317/.310

August .378/.448/.733

Sept .234/.310/.438

 

2007

April .267/.345/.520

May .231/.359/.385

June .337/.382/.457

July .303/.382/.355

August .289/.337/.371

Sept .309/.412/.433

[Rob]

roast has a girlfriend, everybody.

 

And I was just congratulating everybody on avoiding mass hysterics... way to blow that one.

[David]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

lol so basically it's like... if two of our 3 best starters suck and/or get hurt, our rotation is questionable.

 

cool..

[17 Seconds]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

Instead of using a smiley how about you tell me how that's wrong

[jersey cubs fan]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

lol so basically it's like... if two of our 3 best starters suck and/or get hurt, our rotation is questionable.

 

cool..

 

Except one is a lock to get hurt and the other is a very good bet to take a significant step backward.

[soonercub]

Agent: 'Padres asked for too much' for Peavy

 

By Phil Rogers

 

LAS VEGAS -– Barry Aexelrod, the agent for Jake Peavy, doesn't sound like a guy who wants his client to stay put.

 

His take on the Cubs' decision to break off talks is that San Diego Padres' general manager Kevin Towers was unrealistic in his trade demands. He reportedly wanted top prospect Josh Vitters and pitchers Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman, among others, from the Cubs.

 

"Objectively understanding where you stand with your negotiation position helps you to be successful," Axelrod told Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "The Padres asked for too much."

 

More Axelrod: "There might have been four or five total teams in baseball [that could assume Peavy's contract]. ... The powers that be are going to have to be a little more objective about their strength in negotiating."

 

While Towers is saying that Peavy will open 2009 with the Padres, Axelrod expects more trade talks this winter. He has mentioned the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees as other possibilities, in addition to a possible renewal of talks with the Cubs.

 

Cubs GM Jim Hendry had been asked earlier about the possibility of the talks being revisited after the end of the winter meetings.

 

"No idea," Hendry said.

 

The ball's clearly in the Padres' hands.

 

Towers is a greedy SOB! lol

[MSG T]

So say the deal was the Cubs giving up Vitters, DeRosa, Pie, Hart, and Marquis (while eating 5 million), you guys wouldn't do that to get Peavy??? This deal would basically even out in terms of money. And we're rumored to have about 10-15 million to spend. So we'd still be able to get Bradley. So by not doing this trade our team is going to be something like this: Assuming we get Bradley either way.

 

1) Soriano LF

2) Bradley RF

3) Lee 1B

4) Aramis 3B

5) Soto C

6) DeRosa 2B

7) Fukudome CF

8) Theriot SS

Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly, Marquis

 

Instead of (which will cost the same amount of money):

 

1) Soriano LF

2) Bradley RF

3) Lee 1B

4) Aramis 3B

5) Soto C

6) Fontenot 2B

7) Theriot SS

8) Fukudome CF

Peavy, Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly

 

So basically it is Fontenot and Peavy or DeRosa and Marquis. I choose Peavy.

If that of course was the deal on the table....

Oh yeah, and we lose Vitters, Pie, and Hart.... Vitters of course being the only one who might turn out to be good.

 

OK. Say we do that. Then what do you do when Bradley or Soriano or Harden or Peavy get hurt and end up on the DL? Or Fuku sucks again? Or Theriot plays bad the whole year, instead of just half of it? Or Fontenot puts up a .520 OPS against LHP? Or Dempster pitches like 2001-02 Demp instead of 2007 Demp?

 

My point being, if you trade every tradeable asset you have for one guy, what do you do when you need a call up or need to make a deal midseason? Then your stuck with what you have instead of being able to add a piece later.

 

Again, I would love to have Peavy, but trading everything of value the Cubs have for him is not a good idea. Trading 5 or 6 guys for one, just to go from being a 97 win team to a 100 win team, and going from Lilly to Peavy in the playoffs? If Peavy was the difference between Wild Card contention and Division Champ, I could see it. But without Peavy they're still probably the favorites to win the Central again.

 

Honestly, I'd probably be happier if they used some of those guys and got Hermida, traded Marquis(to clear salary) and signed Johnson for one year. Get a good young hitter and basically trade Marquis(who'll be gone after 09 anyway) for Johnson.

[fromthestretch]

I think Hendry is seeing what he can get for DeRo to maybe snag Hermida or at least that is my hope.

If he could turn DeRosa into Hermida, that'd be a great trade. Could happen, depending on a few things.

 

So now we're willing to trade DeRosa to get Hermida but not Peavy. So if we make that trade, then we end up trading DeRosa like we don't want to do, we get our RF in Hermida, but no Peavy. Whereas if we trade DeRosa in a deal for Peavy and then sign Milton Bradley whom right now is better than Hermida, aren't we looking way better?? With so many LH RF options out there in FA, I think our best bet is to sign one of them and trade for the pitcher we need. Instead of leaving our rotation as is and trading our starting 2B for a RF.

 

Again, where did anyone say with certainty that Hendry wasn't willing to deal DeRosa in a trade for Peavy?

[BigbadB]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

lol so basically it's like... if two of our 3 best starters suck and/or get hurt, our rotation is questionable.

 

cool..

 

Except one is a lock to get hurt and the other is a very good bet to take a significant step backward.

 

Are you advocating the 8 for 1 trade of Peavy?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

lol so basically it's like... if two of our 3 best starters suck and/or get hurt, our rotation is questionable.

 

cool..

 

Yes. And one has a history of sucking and the other has a history of getting hurt. But I'm sure 2008 was their *real* ability level.

[abuck1220]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

lol so basically it's like... if two of our 3 best starters suck and/or get hurt, our rotation is questionable.

 

cool..

 

you say that like there's not a good chance both of those things happening.

 

i can't believe people are concerned about giving up stupid derosa for peavy. unreal.

[haubrich91]

The title of this thread is depressing. Just sayin'.

[17 Seconds]

A ton of question marks in that rotation. If Harden goes down and Dempster starts sucking, we suddenly have one high 3's ERA guy and a bunch of low to mid 4's ERA guys. Unimpressive.

 

#-o

 

lol so basically it's like... if two of our 3 best starters suck and/or get hurt, our rotation is questionable.

 

cool..

 

You're acting like those 2 guys are extremely likely to stay healthy and perform like they did last year

 

What are the chances of Harden missing significant time?

 

What are the chance of Dempster pitching like he has his entire career?

 

Yeah, it's not at all unlikely. It's not like I'm saying "What if Brandon Webb gets hurt and Dan Haren starts sucking?". No. Don't even try to deny that Harden and Dempster are huge question marks, and we're relying on both of them to be healthy and good.