All I want for Christmas

[Little Slide Rooter]

If we were to give up what it would take to acquire Price, it would likely set the farm system back enough that they damn well better drop the there's always 3-5 years from now mentality and put together a team that can win sooner than later. They should also see how willing he is to sign an extension. When he hits free agency in 2016, he'll be 31, and looking at who known what type of contract.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Personally, I still think that we should be targeting James Shields. He'll be 31 in December, and if we plan to try and compete at some level in the next few years, he'd be a great addition. He's a free agnt after 2013, so a 3-5 year extension should follow, keeping through the remainder of his prime.

 

A lot of teams would be interested in Shields, but he'd would cost nothing close to Price. Not sure where we'd start. David DeJesus would be a good piece in the package, but I'll stress the fact that he'd be no means be the primary piece before someone brings up the "and Reed Johnson" nonsense. Perhaps have Volgelbach and/or 1 of Amaya/Hernandez in the mix.

[davell]

The Rays wanted a package close to what they got for Garza, for Shields.

[SouthSideRyan]

The Rays wanted a package close to what they got for Garza, for Shields.

 

A SS who can't hit, an erratic 4th starter/setup man, a 4th OF, and bits of string? We should be able to cobble that together.

[davell]

The Rays wanted a package close to what they got for Garza, for Shields.

 

A SS who can't hit, an erratic 4th starter/setup man, a 4th OF, and bits of string? We should be able to cobble that together.

Sure. Who's the erratic 4th starter in our system that's currently a top 50 prospect or the light hitting SS that's a top 100 guy? Sappelt, Campana, and Clevenger equal the 3 bits of string.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

the erratic 4th starter in our system that's currently a top 50 prospect or the light hitting SS that's a top 100 guy? Sappelt, Campana, and Clevenger equal the 3 bits of string.

 

Can we substitute CF for SS? Because that could be Vizcaino/Szczur and string.

[davell]

Szczur made an appearance last year on BA's top 100, no one else's and his star has dimmed quite a bit, to say the least. Lee was ascending at that time, Law and Piliere both had him top 50. Piliere may have even had him top 25. At any rate, the value is no where close to comparable. Not to mention, it's James Shields. He's decent, but I'd rather give up much more for someone much better, if we want to upgrade the staff.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The Rays wanted a package close to what they got for Garza, for Shields.

 

Garza came with 3 years of team control. We gave up 2 legit prospects, a fringe guy, and 2 fillers. We got back a fringy pitchig prospect and a filler as well.

 

Shields now has 1 year of team control and is going to be 30. DeJesus, 1 legit prospect, and a fringe or 2 should do it, and they can keep their fringe and filler.

 

I just think that Price is a pipe dream, especially with teams like Texas, Atlanta, Toronto, The Cards, and even KC and The Pirates likely to get in the mix with far more to offer than we could.

[toonsterwu]

I'd love to get Price, but that isn't happening. There's no way they are about to make that move without enough of a core to make a push in the next year or two, and without enough of a system to support it. I just don't see it. I'd love to be proven wrong ... that said, dreams are great.

 

As for Shields, I think he might draw a decent return on the trade market. I wonder how they play it - wait for the top arms to sign, or shop him early?

 

I don't really think the trade market can be compared to the Garza trade, due to years left and the fact that it happened in-season. I can't really think of a good recent trade to ponder a comp for it (the best that comes to mind is the Ubaldo trade, but that happened in season ... and that was two top prospects (Pomeranz/White) with 2 decent-solid guys) ... but since the recent posts compared it to the Garza trade, I guess I'll work with that. If the Garza trade was 2 top prospects, 2 decent-solid guys (and IIRC, Chirinos was a big part of the deal because they were specifically targeting a catcher prospect to develop), and 1 filler (Fuld), I imagine they could probably get at least 1 top prospect, and 1 guy maybe a tick below that, but better than the Chirinos/Guyer types, to build a Shields trade around. There'd be other parts to mix and match, but considering the value of top pitching, I'd be surprised if they couldn't get 1 top prospect and at least another very good prospect to build around. I'm not sure what they would need, but with Chirinos as a big unknown, I'd imagine they'd like a C prospect in return, and off the top, maybe a power hitting young OF?

 

______

 

As to what I'd "want for Christmas for the Cubs", it'd be a solid veteran arm on a 2 year deal, and wishing said arm, along with Garza and Shark, get off to good starts in 2013, giving us the flexibility to move them ... any of them ... if the right trade came along.

[SouthSideRyan]

Funny, my Christmas wish doesn't involve trading away good young players.

[TheClash]

for my christmas i want ryan theriot.

[CubInOK]

for my christmas i want ryan theriot.

I really think he's serious.

[Sammy Sofa]

I hope he is.

[TheClash]

i could do this to my little pet theriot.

 

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