A-Gone traded to the Red Sox for prospects

[Clem Fandango]

Also, why are the Red Sox so quick to push Papelbon out the door because of one off year? He's been one of the most dominating closers prior to 2010, but he has one bad year and they're willing to ditch him already? Seems a like they're overreacting with him, and it doesn't seem like it's about money since they were willing to sign Rivera for $15 million a year

[Guest]

Also, why are the Red Sox so quick to push Papelbon out the door because of one off year? He's been one of the most dominating closers prior to 2010, but he has one bad year and they're willing to ditch him already? Seems a like they're overreacting with him, and it doesn't seem like it's about money since they were willing to sign Rivera for $15 million a year

 

It's probably partly because he's trending the wrong way. His WHIP has increased each of the last three years as has his OBPA. Excluding his very first year in the majors in 2005, he posted career highs in WHIP, H/9, HR/9, BB/9, K/BB (career low, though that's due to the walks), BAA, OBPA and SLGA. The one thing that has remained the same (outside of what appears to be the outlier of 2007) is his K rate.

[ctcf]

Seeing as it appears to be super close now, I'm curious to know just how much better the Sox's system is than the Cubs.

[UMFan83]

Seeing as it appears to be super close now, I'm curious to know just how much better the Sox's system is than the Cubs.

 

What I'd rather know is how Boston can compete and win 90+ games in the hardest division in baseball every single year, have a good farm system and be able to afford a significant big name FA/trade target every single year. I know their payroll is like 50 million higher than ours but still.

[TruffleShuffle]

50 million is not chump change.

 

they have a good farm system because they spend a lot of money in the draft and in int'l free agency every year. you know, things that the cubs should be doing.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I hate this offseason.

[Southpaw191679666239]

Players have been agreed upon, and Boston is discussing extension and scheduling a physical. This could be done later today. *sigh*

[Little Slide Rooter]

Players have been agreed upon, and Boston is discussing extension and scheduling a physical. This could be done later today. *sigh*

 

Havng a good GM must be pretty sweet.

[Southpaw191679666239]

Now that I think about it; I wonder what exactly constitutes "passing a physical"? If Adrian can't swing a bat until late March, how in the world does he pass?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Reading this from last night after the fact makes me even sadder. Stupid Cubs. stupid Hendry.

 

Cubs, Other Teams Also Pursuing Adrian Gonzalez

By Mark Polishuk [December 3 at 9:31pm CST]

The Red Sox aren't the only team in the hunt for Adrian Gonzalez. "Multiple teams besides [the] Red Sox," including the Cubs, are interested in the Padres slugger, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. This isn't the first time we've heard about Chicago's interest in Gonzalez, and the Cubs' search for a big-hitting first baseman may have intensified now that Adam Dunn has signed with the crosstown rival White Sox.

 

Two big obstacles stand in the way of a Cubs/Padres deal: the Cubs' ability to provide the blue-chip prospects that San Diego desires in any Gonzalez trade, and whether the Cubs can afford the long-term extension that Gonzalez wants after 2011. One obviously impacts the other, since it would be foolish for the Cubs to move several prospects for just one season of Gonzalez. With the Carlos Silva and Kosuke Fukudome contracts coming off the books after this year, Chicago has about $63MM committed to their 2012 payroll.

 

Besides the Cubs, Rosenthal lists the Angels, Blue Jays, Orioles, Nationals, Rangers and Rays as having a "possible interest" in a Gonzalez trade. All of the teams could potentially afford a Gonzalez extension except Tampa Bay, and all of the clubs have intriguing minor league prospects to interest the Padres (though it might be hard for L.A. to acquire Gonzalez without giving up star prospect Mike Trout). Dan Hayes of the North County Times tweets that it's the Cubs and Red Sox, however, who are the "main focus" of San Diego's trade talks

[fiver]

wow, sounds like the red sox are very close to completing this deal.

[rawaction]

Done deal to Red Sox according to ESPN.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Well this really sucks... Just go all out for pitching now, trade Wells, McNutt, Lee, Dolis (Something around there) for Greinke, sign Webb.

 

Z

Demp

Greinke

Webb

Silva / Coleman / Archer / Whoever

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Boston radio station stating its Iglesias, Kelly, Rizzo and 2 high quality lower minor leaguers.

 

What would be comparable from us? Jackson, Archer, Vitters, Dolis, and another?

 

If thats what it takes I would almost pass. I know its Agon but the Cubs are going to need to fill some positions from within. Keep an eye out for Fielder next year and possibly Morneau in the future(providing concussions do not end his career).

[Sammy Sofa]

Fielder will be traded to the Yankees this year. Don't hold your breath waiting for him.

[Sammy Sofa]

Also, why are the Red Sox so quick to push Papelbon out the door because of one off year? He's been one of the most dominating closers prior to 2010, but he has one bad year and they're willing to ditch him already? Seems a like they're overreacting with him, and it doesn't seem like it's about money since they were willing to sign Rivera for $15 million a year

 

Because relievers and closers typically don't have long careers of success and tend to fall off of a cliff. The Cubs damn well better be listening to offers for Marmol or including him in any offers they make to try and bring in an impact player.

[NeifiIsMyHomeBoy]

Well, this is unfortunate. I would have loved to have seen AGonz as a Cub, but in the end I guess we just didn't have the juice. I wouldn't have such a huge problem with this if Hendry was not still running the ship. Looks like Berkman, Pena, and possibly Lee look like our best options at 1B next season.

[Outshined_One]

Joy.

[NewUserName]

I hate this offseason.

 

What I hate even more is that Hendry has a team that only only won 75 games and a payroll that allows no room for improvement, and yet he does not even appear to be on the hot seat. It would be one thing if he had a WS victory or even an appearance to hang his hat on, but with his record and the state of this team I find this truly amazing that his job appears to be completely safe.

 

As for the Cubs involvement in the AGon trade talks, I wonder if they would have had to unload some money before they could commit to extending AGon. I also dont think cleaning out the farm to get AGon would have been a great move.

[JoshiQ]

If anybody actually thinks the Cubs are going to sign Prince Fielder next year, they're nuts. It's probably time to stop looking at 1B as a way to provide major production for the next few years, and try to find it elsewhere. What a waste.

[KingCubsFan]

Boston radio station stating its Iglesias, Kelly, Rizzo and 2 high quality lower minor leaguers.

 

What would be comparable from us? Jackson, Archer, Vitters, Dolis, and another?

 

If thats what it takes I would almost pass. I know its Agon but the Cubs are going to need to fill some positions from within. Keep an eye out for Fielder next year and possibly Morneau in the future(providing concussions do not end his career).

In reality, it shouldn't take that much. Kelly is another overhyped Red Sox prospect, Rizzo is nothing special and Fuentes is too far away to know how he'll turn out. The Red Sox had an advantage because the Padres front office probably overrates the Red Sox system, similar to what the Orioles did with ours. This really sucks. It's entirely possible first base becomes a huge black hole for this team for the foreseeable future, given that our scouting director refuses to draft players who project to hit more than 15-20 homeruns a season.

[Guest]

It shouldn't take a whole lot more than a couple overhyped prospects to get Gonzalez anyway. The big value at one position is worth something, but to give up multiple top prospects in addition to paying him 20 million a year is a misuse of resources.

[davell]

This pisses me off to no end. Kelly, Rizzo, Fuentes and a PTBNL? Unless that player is Ranaudo, we could have matched this deal with ease. Kelly and Archer are fairly comparable from a prospect status standpoint. Rizzo is someone we don't have in our system(1B) but he's a top 75-100 guy is all he is, in prospect terms. So, maybe try sending them Colvin and Lee instead possibly? Fuentes? I thought he was a disappointment last year personally, so maybe even Vitters is considered a MUCH better prospect than him.

 

Bottom line is we easily could have matched this package in terms of talent given up. The question becomes whether or not we had the specific needs that the Pads wanted. The only thing we couldn't send them it appears would be a 1B, unless they would have taken Colvin.

 

At any rate, I'm sure it helped that the Pads front office was extremely well acqainted with the Red Sox system. But, I'm pissed anyway, as this once again does nothing to change the fact that our team is sitting comfortably on their hands and it's not clear whether it's because of Ricketts or not. But, the more this happens, the more clear it is to me that Ricketts doesn't care about the ballclub as much as he does the damn ballfield.

 

Edit: Also just read that Heyman said A-GON preferred to go to the Red Sox(who could blame him) but if that's the case, the Pads could have been asking for a ton more from us or anyone else in order for them to make a move that didn't accomodate his wishes.

Edited December 4, 2010 by davell

[KingCubsFan]

Hendry should be on the phone with the Royals, trying to pry away Butler before Moore gets fired or the Royals become so good that they won't trade him away.

[KingCubsFan]

At any rate, I'm sure it helped that the Pads front office was extremely well acqainted with the Red Sox system. But, I'm pissed anyway, as this once again does nothing to change the fact that our team is sitting comfortably on their hands and it's not clear whether it's because of Ricketts or not. But, the more this happens, the more clear it is to me that Ricketts doesn't care about the balclub as much as he does the damn ballfield.

I don't get why the new thing is to blame Ricketts every time something goes wrong. By all accounts, Hendry was in on this until the end, meaning they weren't just "sitting on their hands." It's not Ricketts' fault he inherited a bloated payroll full of mediocre players and an old, small stadium that was falling apart. Long-term, he's doing the right things by trying to improve Wrigley (and maximize revenue) while diverting resources to the farm system. Of course, he's totally responsible for not firing Hendry.