Lilly & Theriot to the Dodgers for DeWitt, 2 Minor Leaguers

[jb10194]

I can't believe this trade. Ryan Theriot was the best player on the team. He always gave it 150%. Sure he wasn't a long ball hitter but usually he got on base. Then send your big guns in to move him. The team is the worst I've ever seen. Why didn't you trade Soriano, he trotts outfield like a deer & really doesn't give it his all. He has a major attitude problem to. Then keeping the new short stop is crazy to. Sp what he had a great 1st game but how many errors has he made which costed how many runs??? I think I could do better!!!!! The players have lost all the fun that comes with the games to. Ar the new owners that clueless???? If your going to clean house, what about management??????

 

Are all baseball fans this stupid? Or just Cubs fans? People are comparing this deal to the Lou Brock and Greg Maddux trades. It just doesn't compare.

 

That is beyond ridiculous. Are you sure that's not a fake FB account? I doubt that anyone could be that dumb.

 

It wasn't on FB. For a laugh I occasionally read responses to the articles on cubs.com. A lot of them were bad, but this one stood out. I'm just hoping it was a troll.

[Burtonbell]

The reaction by idiot fans to Theriot being traded is great. Do the Cubs have a creepy fan like the Cards fan who posts drivel on You Tube? I would love to see that reaction!

 

Theriot...goodbye! :yahoo:

[erik316wttn]

I'm glad we got a good return, but I'm not as ecstatic as most people on here are. There were times I disliked Theriot, but not with the passion of 90% of the people on this board. I wish him well.

[Bruno7481]

Keith Law crapped on this deal on ESPN Insider.

 

In short, DeWitt can't run or hit. Wallach's velocity hasn't improved and he can't be taken seriously until it does. Also thinks he is too old for his level. Thinks Smit could be a capable middle reliever fairly soon.

[NCCubFan]

It makes zero sense to me to say that someone is too old for his level when he's in low A ball in his first full professional season.

[hawkeyecub]

Keith Law crapped on this deal on ESPN Insider.

 

In short, DeWitt can't run or hit. Wallach's velocity hasn't improved and he can't be taken seriously until it does. Also thinks he is too old for his level. Thinks Smit could be a capable middle reliever fairly soon.

 

Yeah I don't know about this paragraph:

 

The Dodgers also acquired Ryan Theriot, who can run and fill in all over the infield but shouldn't be trusted with too many at-bats, as he has no power and pitchers seem to have figured out that they're better off challenging him than risking a walk. Unlike Blake DeWitt, who goes to the Cubs, Theriot offers defensive value and flexibility at a small cost at the plate.

 

Theriot offers defensive value at a small cost at the plate but DeWitt does not?

 

Or this one:

 

In exchange, the Cubs get DeWitt, who can't run, can't play short and isn't a good enough hitter to play every day at second or third. He's young and at least has a chance to improve, whereas Theriot has already peaked, but DeWitt wasn't a great prospect even before he exhausted his eligibility.

 

I don't know about the declaration that he can't hit well enough to play every day at second. At least in his prime. As far as not being a great prospect he was at least a first round pick and was ranked #82 by BA in '06.

[Guest]

I have to say that's a perplexing review by KLaw.

 

I've read that both Hendry and Colletti said the trade broke down as Theriot for DeWitt and Lilly for the 2 minor leaguers. If that's the case, the Cubs clearly won the Theriot-DeWitt swap.

 

With Wallach, I think a guy who pitched twice in HS and sparingly in college with his size and athleticism is more likely to gain velocity than most pitchers.

[KaiserCesar]

One thing I like about this deal is that it is continuing a trend towards a younger lineup. Going into the season, Soto was the only starter under the age of 30, but now we will probably see Dewitt, Soto, Castro and Colvin in the opening day 2011 lineup with Brett Jackson waiting in the wings to take CF and the possibility of a trade for a 1B like Adrian Gonzalez. Of course, this plan all hinges on success, particularly for Colvin and Dewitt, but at least there's some cheap options for production.

[abuck1220]

i don't get law's criticism of the trade at all. dewitt is younger, better and cheaper than theriot. win. period.

[jersey cubs fan]

i don't get law's criticism of the trade at all. dewitt is younger, better and cheaper than theriot. win. period.

 

I don't love the guy but going from Theriot to Dewitt seems like a good enough move on its own to not bother thinking too hard about the pitching prospects.

[Guest]

i don't get law's criticism of the trade at all. dewitt is younger, better and cheaper than theriot. win. period.

 

It seems to be predicated on "Theriot is bad at playing SS, but he's played there before so he's more valuable". Theriot probably is a slightly better defender than DeWitt, but he wouldn't be that much worse if a team decided to play him at SS.

[RynoRules]

Sounds like Law is just down on DeWitt in the same way Dodgers fans are/were. I think their expectations may have been too high. He never projected as Chase Utley, did he?

[Guest]

i don't get law's criticism of the trade at all. dewitt is younger, better and cheaper than theriot. win. period.

 

It seems to be predicated on "Theriot is bad at playing SS, but he's played there before so he's more valuable". Theriot probably is a slightly better defender than DeWitt, but he wouldn't be that much worse if a team decided to play him at SS.

 

Yeah. DeWitt has no time at SS because Rafael Furcal was there; Theriot's ability to play SS is pretty meaningless now for the same reason. And DeWitt's inability to play SS is pretty meaningless with Castro on the Cubs roster. I think his ability to play 3B is far more valuable with Aramis' durability a big question.

[UMFan83]

Sounds like Law is just down on DeWitt in the same way Dodgers fans are/were. I think their expectations may have been too high. He never projected as Chase Utley, did he?

 

I remember Dodger fans being pretty excited about him around the time of our playoff series against them 2 years ago. It wasn't as much "He's the next Chase Utley" as much as it was "here is another reason why the future is bright with our club, he should be our starter for the next 10 years".

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Sounds like Law is just down on DeWitt in the same way Dodgers fans are/were. I think their expectations may have been too high. He never projected as Chase Utley, did he?

 

I remember Dodger fans being pretty excited about him around the time of our playoff series against them 2 years ago. It wasn't as much "He's the next Chase Utley" as much as it was "here is another reason why the future is bright with our club, he should be our starter for the next 10 years".

 

If DeWitt can grow to be similar to a Todd Walker type player with slightly better speed and glove than he is a very solid player at 2B.

[Geech]

Oh, man. I just realized that I have to change my signature.

[javy knows my name]

Oh, man. I just realized that I have to change my signature.

Why? His next set of coaches don't believe in numbers, either.

[erik316wttn]

Sounds like Law is just down on DeWitt in the same way Dodgers fans are/were. I think their expectations may have been too high. He never projected as Chase Utley, did he?

 

I remember Dodger fans being pretty excited about him around the time of our playoff series against them 2 years ago. It wasn't as much "He's the next Chase Utley" as much as it was "here is another reason why the future is bright with our club, he should be our starter for the next 10 years".

 

If DeWitt can grow to be similar to a Todd Walker type player with slightly better speed and glove than he is a very solid player at 2B.

 

I'd be all for that. I loved Todd when he was here.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Sounds like Law is just down on DeWitt in the same way Dodgers fans are/were. I think their expectations may have been too high. He never projected as Chase Utley, did he?

 

I remember Dodger fans being pretty excited about him around the time of our playoff series against them 2 years ago. It wasn't as much "He's the next Chase Utley" as much as it was "here is another reason why the future is bright with our club, he should be our starter for the next 10 years".

 

If DeWitt can grow to be similar to a Todd Walker type player with slightly better speed and glove than he is a very solid player at 2B.

 

I'd be all for that. I loved Todd when he was here.

 

I liked Todd, never loved. He was a super sub, and if thats DeWitts ceiling, we still need us a 2 bagger. As for Walker, I was always a bit surprised that after being let go by the Padres, and the A's after a short time he never caught on anywhere else. I remember hearing at one point that he was kind of a negative guy in the clubhouse, so that could have contributed to it.

[Geech]

I liked Todd, never loved. He was a super sub, and if thats DeWitts ceiling, we still need us a 2 bagger. As for Walker, I was always a bit surprised that after being let go by the Padres, and the A's after a short time he never caught on anywhere else. I remember hearing at one point that he was kind of a negative guy in the clubhouse, so that could have contributed to it.

 

I think you're underrating Todd. His career line was .289/.348/.435 for a wOBA of .339. He was certainly worthy of being a starting second baseman, and if his defense had been better than he would have been a very good middle infielder indeed.

 

We should be so lucky as to have Blake DeWitt develop into a similar offensive player.

 

As far as being a negative clubhouse presence, has anyone but Steve Stone ever made that claim?

[Banedon]

Just had a co-worker come tell me that he can't believe the Cubs got rid of Theriot. "He's the only guy on the team that hustles!"

[fromthestretch]

Just had a co-worker come tell me that he can't believe the Cubs got rid of Theriot. "He's the only guy on the team that hustles!"

 

Somewhere, Marlon Byrd just died a little on the inside.

[Sammy Sofa]

Just had a co-worker come tell me that he can't believe the Cubs got rid of Theriot. "He's the only guy on the team that hustles!"

 

Somewhere, Marlon Byrd just died a little on the inside.

 

Real fans know that black players can't hustle, d'uh.

[fromthestretch]

Just had a co-worker come tell me that he can't believe the Cubs got rid of Theriot. "He's the only guy on the team that hustles!"

 

Somewhere, Marlon Byrd just died a little on the inside.

 

Real fans know that black players can't hustle, d'uh.

 

My bad.

[Guest]

These fans that are upset with Theriot being traded would have been really mad when he walked at the end of this year. There is no way he was getting tendered a contract for 2011. That the Cubs got someone like DeWitt in exchange gives them a few more years to either get semi-adequate performance from DeWitt until Lee is ready or DeWitt improves enough to hold down the position.

 

I certainly wouldn't call this a good haul for Lilly and Theriot, but I wasn't expecting Hendry to get a good haul to begin with, so it's not a shocker.