Levine: Hendry secure but firesale could begin

[SouthSideRyan]

There is 0% chance Starlin Castro is traded. He's the only thing the organization is pushing right now, to trade him would be suicidal.

[Men in Blue]

There is 0% chance Starlin Castro is traded. He's the only thing the organization is pushing right now, to trade him would be suicidal.

 

I pretty much agree with this. That said, it looks like they are obviously trying to blow this whole thing up. You never know.

[jersey cubs fan]

The 2005 Red Sox won 95 games and were one year off from a world series title. They could afford to trade off stud prospects and were in a completely different situation than the Cubs.

[MWV]

Levine is Hendry's mouthpiece

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/cubs-to-hold-meetings-on-clubs-future.html

 

The writer argues that the Cubs should eat salary if necessary to move Soriano because "he is a symbol of what Cubs fans don't like about this club", only to then continue that Hendry should take "a page out of Kenny William's book" and pursue players like Peavy and Rios--not because those deals worked out, but because they demonstrated "outside the box thinking". Weird.

[SouthSideRyan]

And Boston is lying if they said they knew he'd be a star.

[CubColtPacer]

And Boston is lying if they said they knew he'd be a star.

 

Yeah, if they knew he would be a star then trading for Beckett was incredibly short-sighted. They would have much rather had Hanley than Beckett the last 6 years, and that isn't even accounting for the money they would have saved to use on another pitcher.

[erik316wttn]

Seriously, I hope they just blow the damn thing up and get as much good young talent as they can. Castro is untouchable, don't trade Soto or Marmol (edit: or Garza) unless you get the moon in return, but everyone else can be had. There's no need to try to compete this season when nothing is going to happen. Prepare for the future. Again. Edited June 23, 2011 by erik316wttn

[Sammy Sofa]

"Blowing a team up" is typically resigning yourself to several years of being a really, really bad team. The Cubs don't have to do that.

[erik316wttn]

"Blowing a team up" is typically resigning yourself to several years of being a really, really bad team. The Cubs don't have to do that.

 

No, but they have a ton of money coming off the books next year and can fill holes via FA. If you can get something for Rammy right now, go for it. Or if someone is dumb enough to eat most of Soriano's contract, do it in a heartbeat. Re-stock the farm and sign who you need.

[jersey cubs fan]

And Boston is lying if they said they knew he'd be a star.

 

Yeah, if they knew he would be a star then trading for Beckett was incredibly short-sighted. They would have much rather had Hanley than Beckett the last 6 years, and that isn't even accounting for the money they would have saved to use on another pitcher.

 

I was under the impression that Hanley was widely considered to be a star in the making at the time of the trade. Maybe they didn't think he'd be as good as he ending up being so soon, but he was star material nonetheless.

[erik316wttn]

And Boston is lying if they said they knew he'd be a star.

 

Yeah, if they knew he would be a star then trading for Beckett was incredibly short-sighted. They would have much rather had Hanley than Beckett the last 6 years, and that isn't even accounting for the money they would have saved to use on another pitcher.

 

I was under the impression that Hanley was widely considered to be a star in the making at the time of the trade. Maybe they didn't think he'd be as good as he ending up being so soon, but he was star material nonetheless.

 

Yeah, I think he was like a top 10 prospect in baseball at the time.

[MWV]

If they are intent upon rebuilding, trading Castro would be about the stupidest thing they could do. Analogies to the Ramirez-Beckett deal don't function well; the Sox had won 98 games and a WS the season prior to trading Hanley. They were a dominant team looking for one more piece. Additionally, Ramirez had only 2 ML plate appearances when he was traded at age 21. He was still a prospect. Castro has compiled 830 ML plate appearances of .771 OPS baseball at the same age. He is a very affordable budding all-star SS. Both the idea of trading him and the comparison to the '05 Sox are ridiculous.

[sneakypower]

Hendry should take "a page out of Kenny William's book" and pursue players like Peavy and Rios--not because those deals worked out, but because they demonstrated "outside the box thinking". Weird.

yeah, why didn't we ever pursue Peavy, anyway?

[Prizefight]

/Cubs pessimism on

 

 

I don't like Hendry being trusted to try moving assets. Why trust him to do this when he is hopefully going to be let go at the end of this year? In the words of Terry Boers, it makes my ass weary about the possibility of him being here next year

 

/pessimism off

[erik316wttn]

/Cubs pessimism on

 

 

I don't like Hendry being trusted to try moving assets. Why trust him to do this when he is hopefully going to be let go at the end of this year? In the words of Terry Boers, it makes my ass weary about the possibility of him being here next year

 

/pessimism off

 

On some level I am worried that he'll try something desperate to save his butt.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If/when Hendry keeps his job and we aren't all that interested in Pujols or Fielder, this place is going to be soooo cranky.

[erik316wttn]

If/when Hendry keeps his job and we aren't all that interested in Pujols or Fielder, this place is going to be soooo cranky.

 

I think that would be the equivalent of NSBB civil war.

[CubColtPacer]

And Boston is lying if they said they knew he'd be a star.

 

Yeah, if they knew he would be a star then trading for Beckett was incredibly short-sighted. They would have much rather had Hanley than Beckett the last 6 years, and that isn't even accounting for the money they would have saved to use on another pitcher.

 

I was under the impression that Hanley was widely considered to be a star in the making at the time of the trade. Maybe they didn't think he'd be as good as he ending up being so soon, but he was star material nonetheless.

 

He was rated as the #30th best prospect in baseball at the time of the trade after being the 10th best the year before (he had a .720 OPS at the age of 21 in AA the year before the trade which dropped him a little bit). Boston didn't have SS blocked though-they ended up putting Alex Gonzalez there the next year. If they had any confidence at all that he was going to be a star, they shouldn't have made the deal. They could have gone out and bought a pitcher in free agency instead. It looks more like they tried to sell high while Hanley's value was still good and it ended up biting them pretty badly.

[BeerHere]

I think Marmol has very good value right now. I would trade him in a heartbeat if someone offered a couple stud prospects. Same goes for Kosuke. Zambrano, Soriano and Ramirez would be more difficult but if the Cubs are serious about retooling for the future then I think they'll be more willing to eat a little salary to get good prospects in return. Someone mentioned it earlier in this thread, we don't need any more mid-level prospects, the system is full of them. The Cubs need stud, blue-chip prospects to consider moving the likes of Marmol. Edited June 23, 2011 by BeerHere

[jersey cubs fan]

If they had any confidence at all that he was going to be a star, they shouldn't have made the deal. They could have gone out and bought a pitcher in free agency instead. It looks more like they tried to sell high while Hanley's value was still good and it ended up biting them pretty badly.

 

That's kind of a ridiculous claim to make. You should never trade any potential star for a Cy Young caliber pitcher? They got a very young stud arm. It's not like they traded him for an innings eater.

 

Sure, they probably weren't expected 950 OPS seasons out of him, but pretending they had no inclinations that he was going to be good is just wrong.

[Sammy Sofa]

"Blowing a team up" is typically resigning yourself to several years of being a really, really bad team. The Cubs don't have to do that.

 

No, but they have a ton of money coming off the books next year and can fill holes via FA. If you can get something for Rammy right now, go for it. Or if someone is dumb enough to eat most of Soriano's contract, do it in a heartbeat. Re-stock the farm and sign who you need.

 

Trading players with expiring contracts isn't the same as "blowing a team up." "Blwoing a team up" means you're moving guys like Marmol and Zambrano and Soto as well. And nobody is taking Soriano unless the Cubs pick up most of the tab.

[erik316wttn]

"Blowing a team up" is typically resigning yourself to several years of being a really, really bad team. The Cubs don't have to do that.

 

No, but they have a ton of money coming off the books next year and can fill holes via FA. If you can get something for Rammy right now, go for it. Or if someone is dumb enough to eat most of Soriano's contract, do it in a heartbeat. Re-stock the farm and sign who you need.

 

Trading players with expiring contracts isn't the same as "blowing a team up." "Blwoing a team up" means you're moving guys like Marmol and Zambrano and Soto as well. And nobody is taking Soriano unless the Cubs pick up most of the tab.

 

Then I was not clear as to what I wanted.

 

I'm open to trading anyone on the team, save for Castro, and if you trade Soto, Garza, or Marmol you'd better get a haul in return. Anyone else on the team can be had for a fair price, so shop just about anyone because we're not doing jack this year.

Edited June 23, 2011 by erik316wttn

[Sammy Sofa]

"Blowing a team up" is typically resigning yourself to several years of being a really, really bad team. The Cubs don't have to do that.

 

No, but they have a ton of money coming off the books next year and can fill holes via FA. If you can get something for Rammy right now, go for it. Or if someone is dumb enough to eat most of Soriano's contract, do it in a heartbeat. Re-stock the farm and sign who you need.

 

Trading players with expiring contracts isn't the same as "blowing a team up." "Blwoing a team up" means you're moving guys like Marmol and Zambrano and Soto as well. And nobody is taking Soriano unless the Cubs pick up most of the tab.

 

Then I was not clear as to what I wanted.

 

I'm open to trading anyone on the team, save for Castro, and if you trade Soto, Garza, or Marmol you'd better get a haul in return. Anyone else on the team can be had for a fair price.

 

But that's setting the team back even further. Why would they spend money on big FA after creating gaping holes in addition to the ones they already have to deal with by moving the likes of Garza, Soto or Marmol?

[CubColtPacer]

If they had any confidence at all that he was going to be a star, they shouldn't have made the deal. They could have gone out and bought a pitcher in free agency instead. It looks more like they tried to sell high while Hanley's value was still good and it ended up biting them pretty badly.

 

That's kind of a ridiculous claim to make. You should never trade any potential star for a Cy Young caliber pitcher? They got a very young stud arm. It's not like they traded him for an innings eater.

 

Sure, they probably weren't expected 950 OPS seasons out of him, but pretending they had no inclinations that he was going to be good is just wrong.

 

Well, there's a big difference in believing somebody's going to be good and knowing they are going to be a star. You don't trade your 21 year old SS if you know they're going to be a star because that is the most valuable piece you can have in baseball. 25 year old pitchers like that don't come on the market very often either (although Beckett was only 2 years away from free agency at the time) so I understand why they did it but they clearly undervalued Hanley by a lot.

[imb]

I remember public perception of Hanley being down before the trade, like people were saying "the tools are there but not the production." But I just went and looked at his line and he was putting up solid numbers and he was really young at every level.