Re: What would you deal Garza for?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Yeah, Harrison doesn't inspire me in the slightest. I'd really love to see the Royals get involved. As great as their young offensive core looks like it can be, their pitching is brutal. I know they don't want to come out of Wil Myers, but I'd they want any chance to compete while they have most of their players are under team control they'll need better pitching than Luke Hochever and Bruce Chen and I really don't see them in the Cain or Hamels sweepstakes next winter.

 

Is Garza and Vitters for Myers, Moustakas, and 2 lower level guys from their top 10-20 be realistic? I'd love Hosmer but I won't even go there, although if they want to send him instead of Myers and then something else instead of Moustakas, I wouldn't complain. After all, they have both Butler and Gordon to take back 1st if they moved Hosmer.

 

I agree they need pitching, but I doubt that they would move Myers for a pitcher when they are quite ready to contend.

 

Maybe not, but maybe they would move Hosmer since they have two other good young hitters whose natural position is 1st. However, if they did get Garza and then signed Kuroda or Oswalt they might not be as far from contention as you think, especially seeing as they play in the AL Central.

[davell]

We need pitching. KC has some solid pitching prospects, but supposedly Montgomery is off limits and Detroit, Toronto, and the Yanks have better pitching prospects anyway. You want a bigtime power hitter in the OF? Jorge Soler says hello and we don't have to trade Garza to get him.

[CP_414]

If Jacob Turner is really on the table, it'll be tough for another team to beat Detroit's offer. If the Cubs can get Turner and a 2nd piece like Smyly for Garza, I'd be thrilled.

[davell]

Toronto has guys with 1/2 ability, they're just further away from the majors. If I'm taking one guy, I'd take Turner for sure. But, if I can get 2 of Syndergaard, Nicolino, or Sanchez, I'd take Toronto's deal. Especially since the other pieces Detroit has, don't match up with what Toronto does.

[CUBZ99]

If Jacob Turner is really on the table, it'll be tough for another team to beat Detroit's offer. If the Cubs can get Turner and a 2nd piece like Smyly for Garza, I'd be thrilled.

 

Turner and 2 out of (Smyly, Crosby, Castellanos and Oliver) and that would get it done for me. So far though, Turner seems to be the best prospect on the table as of now.

[davell]

If Castellanos or Porcello could be had with Turner, I'm not sure there's a realistic package elsewhere I'd take over it. But, the A's were turned down when they offered Gio for Turner/Castellanos. Not sure who else may have been in the package though. If the packages are Turner/Smyly/Oliver vs Nicolino/Syndergaard/Marisnick it's awfully close for me and I think I'd take Toronto.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The thing is that the ball is fully in our court. We're not trying to dump a salary, an expiring contract, or an unwanted player here. We're trying to load up on young talent so if nobody wants to give us what we want we take our ball and go home.

[Clem Fandango]

They wouldn't move Myers for Gonzalez. I know Garza is the better pitcher, but if they wouldn't move him for Gio, they definitely wouldn't move him AND Moustakas for Garza. Vitters doesn't quite compare to Moustakas, that's a very one-sided proposal.

 

While KC would make an ideal trade partner for us, I'm not so sure we'd be a fit from their perspective, as they likely know Garza would require a haul of players they likely aren't willing to give up. As much as they would probably like to have Garza on their team, they don't NEED Garza on their team. We need to find the team who has the need, and then pilfer them of their most prized possessions during their desperate attempt to win now. The Royals don't fit that mold, and they likely know it

[Backtobanks]

The thing is that the ball is fully in our court. We're not trying to dump a salary, an expiring contract, or an unwanted player here. We're trying to load up on young talent so if nobody wants to give us what we want we take our ball and go home.

 

That's the one thing that everyone (especially the FO) needs to keep in mind. Don't settle for anything less than a perfect package because Garza is an ace and is still young enough, cheap enough, and under team control to help us build for the future.

[KingCubsFan]

The thing is that the ball is fully in our court. We're not trying to dump a salary, an expiring contract, or an unwanted player here. We're trying to load up on young talent so if nobody wants to give us what we want we take our ball and go home.

 

That's the one thing that everyone (especially the FO) needs to keep in mind. Don't settle for anything less than a perfect package because Garza is an ace and is still young enough, cheap enough, and under team control to help us build for the future.

While I agree, he's only under team control for two more years, and he's coming off (by far) his best season in the majors. Now may be the best time to trade him. If you wait another year, you could end up in the same position as the White Sox were with Danks where you're not getting great offers for him. Although if he signs the same deal Danks signed, I wouldn't mind giving him an extension.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The thing is that the ball is fully in our court. We're not trying to dump a salary, an expiring contract, or an unwanted player here. We're trying to load up on young talent so if nobody wants to give us what we want we take our ball and go home.

 

That's the one thing that everyone (especially the FO) needs to keep in mind. Don't settle for anything less than a perfect package because Garza is an ace and is still young enough, cheap enough, and under team control to help us build for the future.

While I agree, he's only under team control for two more years, and he's coming off (by far) his best season in the majors. Now may be the best time to trade him. If you wait another year, you could end up in the same position as the White Sox were with Danks where you're not getting great offers for him. Although if he signs the same deal Danks signed, I wouldn't mind giving him an extension.

 

But by the time he does become a free agent hopefully things will be shaping up the way we want, so we can extend him. There's no rush to do it now and we can do it next offseason and enter the Cain/Hamels sweepstakes assuming they make it to free agency. He'd be 29 this time next year and if the near future's looking bright I'd be happy to give him a 4 year extension with a vesting or mutual option or 2. Unless we're getting a potential front end starter and/or a young impact bat, he's more valuable than settling on anything short of it.

[CP_414]

If Castellanos or Porcello could be had with Turner, I'm not sure there's a realistic package elsewhere I'd take over it. But, the A's were turned down when they offered Gio for Turner/Castellanos. Not sure who else may have been in the package though. If the packages are Turner/Smyly/Oliver vs Nicolino/Syndergaard/Marisnick it's awfully close for me and I think I'd take Toronto.

 

When I read this the other day I thought to myself "No way! I'd much rather have the top 10 prospect than 3 guys in A ball" (That's me quoting a conversation I had with myself). The more I researched Marisnick, Nicolino, and Syndergaard, I think I agree with you. The thought of a power/speed/defense potential of a Marisnick/Brett Jackson/Soler outfield would be crazy. I hope Toronto feels like they are loaded enough in the minors, and close enough to the playoffs in the majors to make that deal.

[davell]

Yeah, those guy are a ways a way, but all 3 have top 10 prospect potential. With them being as loaed as they are, the hope is they'd be more ready to go for it now, in this case. Marisnick is probably top 50ish right now, but I don't know that either of the other 2 will be top 100 at this exact moment. If they are, it'd be pretty low. Levine hinted at a McGuire/Marisnick/Nicolino package last week and unless Montero and one of the Yankee guys are packaged together, I really think Toronto matches up best with us. But, I'd love Syndergaard instead of McGuire, even if it close to certain McGuire is a 3 as soon as 2013.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Looking over potential contenders, I wonder if we could get Cleveland interested. They have some interesting options. They currently have Jimenez, Masterson, Carmona, Tomlin, and now Lowe. Not sure what the time table is on Carracos return and they have David Huff for a 5-6 starter, so they have decent depth but could use a front end guy. As far as what they have to offer. We could start with one of their 2 top pitching prospects Jason Knapp (21) or Scott Barnes (24). Also, they have 3 big league ready guys who can play 2nd or 3rd base win Chisenhall, Kipnis, and Cord Phelps. I'd happily take one of those 2 off their hands as well. They seem ready to move Carlos Santana to 1st base, potentially leaving Matt LaPortain the cold, and if Fielder isn't to be I wouldn't mind giving him a look, although he's not a big on base guy which could keep Theo away, but as a 3rd piece in the trade, he'd be a better option than LaHair of any of the other 1st base options, at least the realistic ones(Pena, Kotchman, Loney).

 

Could we send them Garza and soemthing else, be it a spare big leaguer(Byrd, Baker, DeWitt, Russell) or a decent prospect for:

 

Knapp/Barnes

Kipnis/Chisenhall/Phelps

Laporta

 

These are all guys who could help as as early as 2012, 2013 at the latest.

[davell]

Kipnis is excellent, but they have no reason to trade him. Chisenhall has lost some luster. LaPorta has lost damn near all of his, Jason Knapp had shoulder surgery last year and will probably miss half of 2012 at least. Scott Barnes is a slightly better version of Chris Rusin. A back end lefty starter is his upside. In other words, I wouldn't deal Garza to them. We need pitching prospects and they don't have them. Hell, and other than Kipnis, I don't like any of their hitting either.

[Shilzzz]

it's funny. as if exchanging our former front office for the current one inverted the usual winter trade hype; instead of dealing for _____, it's become dealing away garza; instead of win or hendry should be fired, it's we expect you to lose and total free pass of acceptance; rather than shouts for increasing payroll, things are being apparently scaled back... it feels like a Pynchon novel.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

it's funny. as if exchanging our former front office for the current one inverted the usual winter trade hype; instead of dealing for _____, it's become dealing away garza; instead of win or hendry should be fired, it's we expect you to lose and total free pass of acceptance; rather than shouts for increasing payroll, things are being apparently scaled back... it feels like a Pynchon novel.

 

Isn't it great to see the Cubs finally do things right?

[Shilzzz]

well, I am a big fan of Pynchon.

 

 

 

 

 

and "the Red Sox's model"

[Clem Fandango]

Well if we're gonna go down in flames I don't think I could be more happier with the pilot the Cubs have chosen to help right the ship.

 

I shutter to think of what kind of firesale deals Hendry would have made.

[Shilzzz]

it's just funny how precise the inversion is. like the seinfeld episode when costanza went oppo on everything in his life and stuff got exactly as good as had been bad.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Matt Garza Talks Heating Up

By Tim Dierkes [December 28 at 12:53pm CST]

Trade talks for Cubs starter Matt Garza are heating up, writes David Kaplan of Comcast Sportsnet Chicago. Kaplan says the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Red Sox are involved, but the Cubs' asking price is "incredibly high."

 

[Conky]

Awesome. Can't wait to see the haul they get from one of those teams.

 

Cue sexual innuendo for 3 pages.

[treebird]

it's funny. as if exchanging our former front office for the current one inverted the usual winter trade hype; instead of dealing for _____, it's become dealing away garza; instead of win or hendry should be fired, it's we expect you to lose and total free pass of acceptance; rather than shouts for increasing payroll, things are being apparently scaled back... it feels like a Pynchon novel.

 

awwwwwwwwesome

[davell]

Hendry's offseason would have been this: Sign Pujols for 10/275. Extend Aramis 3/39. Give Dempster 2 more years at 12 per. Trade everything in our system for Gio. Add a couple of high risk relievers. Unload Z for nothing and pay 75% of his deal. Contender in 2012? Yeah, probably. Definite division winner? Nah, but possible. How's the team outlook a few years from now? Same situation we're in now. If I look top to bottom of every organization in baseball from major leaguers to what's in their systems, I'm honestly not sure how many teams I'd put underneath the Cubs at this exact moment. Maybe the Twins, White Sox, Houston, and Mets? There may be others close, but as far as talent top to bottom, I think this is about where we're at. So if Theo wants to blow it up and get as many potential assets as he can, I don't really see any reason to question him.

[ScrubMD]

it's funny. as if exchanging our former front office for the current one inverted the usual winter trade hype; instead of dealing for _____, it's become dealing away garza; instead of win or hendry should be fired, it's we expect you to lose and total free pass of acceptance; rather than shouts for increasing payroll, things are being apparently scaled back... it feels like a Pynchon novel.

 

I was lead to believe your post would be funny.