Time to land Aubrey Huff?

[Butterscup1679666578]

Season stats: 80 games, .265, 8, 45, .328 obp, .399 slg, .727 ops

 

Stats on 6/1: .237, 3 hr, 18 rbi, .318 obp, .349 slg, .667 ops

 

Stats on 7/1: .255, 6 hr, 39 rbi, .322 obp, .374 slg, .696 ops

 

Past 9 games: 14-for-36, .389, 4 hr, 10 rbi, .444 obp

 

 

 

It seems like Huff is finally seeing the ball better and starting to produce. If I were Jim Hendry, I'd make landing Huff and Baez my number one priority right now because lets face it, landing Dunn is improbable right now, and I'd rather have Huff over Lawton. Do you think Tampa Bay would want more now that Huff is finally heating up?

[ZZ Thorn]

I'd be pretty freakin thrilled if we shipped out CP, Dubois, Holla, and a bunch of pitchers and got back Huff, Baez and Kotsay. That'd really be quite a change for the better - that'd put us right back in the race. A fella can dream....

[RockTheIvy]

I'd be pretty freakin thrilled if we shipped out CP, Dubois, Holla, and a bunch of pitchers and got back Huff, Baez and Kotsay. That'd really be quite a change for the better - that'd put us right back in the race. A fella can dream....

 

Hell yeah! Plus it'd help out next year's team too!

[AAApittsburgh]

I still don't understand the Baez love. I've seen him pitch a lot. His numbers look decent, but look at them away from Tropicana. Cubs should just go after a SU man instead of overpaying for a mediocre closer like Baez.

[Rooftop Bum]

I'd be pretty freakin thrilled if we shipped out CP, Dubois, Holla, and a bunch of pitchers and got back Huff, Baez and Kotsay. That'd really be quite a change for the better - that'd put us right back in the race. A fella can dream....

 

Hell yeah! Plus it'd help out next year's team too!

 

I think this year is almost hopeless. However, it could help for the beginning of next season. I do hope we get rid of Patterson and replace him with Kotsay. Yes, the LF situation needs to be addressed now. Please get Huff or someone better than Holly and DuBois. Let DuBois be a super star with some other team because it's not happening with the Cubs.

 

To be honest I would get rid of Kerry Wood while he still has some value left in him.

[ZZ Thorn]

I still don't understand the Baez love. I've seen him pitch a lot. His numbers look decent, but look at them away from Tropicana. Cubs should just go after a SU man instead of overpaying for a mediocre closer like Baez.

 

I don't think he's an upgrade over Dempster, so I'd be shocked if they annointed him closer instead of Ryan. But I think he'd be a very good set up man - he's dealt with pressure with decent results. He's a good arm with experience - is he great, no, but everyone wants relief help and if we can get him he'd improve our pen. Wouldn't trade a blue chipper for him tho certainly.

 

Getting Huff and Kotsay would be great for next year, they're both contracted thru 2006, as is Baez. Do we really have any OF that are planning to be better than these guys in 2006 in the minors? Nope, Murton and Pie both need minors time.

 

There's no one in our current crop of OFs that couldn't be upgraded. Burnitz is the only guy I'd be totally fine with keeping, which certainly is something I'd never thought I'd be writing back in November.

[YearofDaCubs]

Huff def yes, but I would say no to Baez.

[shnsajax]

How long have I been saying to go get Huff. He i getting hot, will get close to his carrer avg's. Once he gets out of Tampa he is going to explode. He is the type of professional hitter we need to get in Chicago.

[NCCubFan]

To be honest I would get rid of Kerry Wood while he still has some value left in him.

NO TRADE CLAUSE

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

To be honest I would get rid of Kerry Wood while he still has some value left in him.

NO TRADE CLAUSE

 

Thank-you. I don't know why it takes so much for that little phrase to sink in.

[Roast]

 

To be honest I would get rid of Kerry Wood while he still has some value left in him.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/KingJME/punish3lu.gif

[Mizzou]

Players who have a no trade clause DO have the option of waiving it, ya know. I don't understand why people keep bringing it up as if Wood's no trade clause meant that he wont consider waiving it.

[ZZ Thorn]

Very true Mizzou.

 

Can we really go with a youth movement? We have all this great starting pitching, and finally a closer too.

 

Guys like Huff, Kotsay and Baez would be great pickups IMO. They're signed thru next year, so they aren't rentals and if they tank we can dump them quick. They're still young enough that they'll be in their prime for at least several years. They aren't going to demand huge contracts either.

 

They'll help the team now too, and this team needs help now. They may cost us a blue chip prospect and a couple very good prospects, but Christ, this team needs some quality players like Kotsay and Huff. If we gotta pay we gotta pay.

 

Since 2003 I've been wondering when Hendry was going to trade from his stable of prospects. He's given up Jones and that's about it. I sure hope this year he cuts the cord and gets us some solid players. I wanted him to trade some blue chippers for Mike Lowell back in 2003 - Huff and Kotsay are of that mold: it's worth trading a blue chipper for guys of this quality and of such a need for us.

[brindelin]

Didn't we trade someone with a no trade clause in the not so distant past?

[Wendy City]

To me, all trades are pointless unless Dusty is fired as well.

 

Lineup on August 1 Backups in ()

 

Manager- TBD - maybe Jim Leyland (I'd take Bobby Valentine at this point)

 

CF Kotsay (Hairston)

2B Walker (Perez/Hairston)

1B Lee (Holla/Walker)

3B Ramirez (Macias)

LF Huff (Holla)

SS Nomar (Perez)

RF Burnitz (Holla)

C Barrett (Blanco)

 

 

Can't blame me for dreaming - it's all I have left this season.

[St.Paul Cub]

If Wood waived his no trade clause, would you consider trading him for someone like Zito?

 

Zito's had a rough stretch, but a change of scenery might do both good. Plus we'd have a LHP to put in between Prior and Z.

 

Not sure if I would, but I thought it was an interesting idea that I had read a few years ago.

[minnesotacubsfan]

If Wood waived his no trade clause, would you consider trading him for someone like Zito?

 

Zito's had a rough stretch, but a change of scenery might do both good. Plus we'd have a LHP to put in between Prior and Z.

 

Not sure if I would, but I thought it was an interesting idea that I had read a few years ago.

 

no. for as bad as Wood has been, Zito has been worse the last few years

 

Maybe Wood for Zito + Kotsay

[XZero771679666304]

If Wood waived his no trade clause, would you consider trading him for someone like Zito?

 

Zito's had a rough stretch, but a change of scenery might do both good. Plus we'd have a LHP to put in between Prior and Z.

 

Not sure if I would, but I thought it was an interesting idea that I had read a few years ago.

 

no. for as bad as Wood has been, Zito has been worse the last few years

 

Maybe Wood for Zito + Kotsay

 

The A's wouldn't want Wood. They'd probably give us Zito for minor league talent because this is the last year of his contract and they want to get something for him before he walks. Maybe Hill, Mitre and others.

[10man]

Getting a player like Huff would fit in Hendry's statement that he is looking for a player that will help the Cubs for years to come (as opposed to a rental).

[HoopsCubs]

The A's wouldn't want Wood. They'd probably give us Zito for minor league talent because this is the last year of his contract and they want to get something for him before he walks. Maybe Hill, Mitre and others.

 

Not true XZero77. Barry Zito is not a free agent until after the 2006 season. While the A's do not have to pick up his $7.2M club option for 2006, they would still control his rights for the 2006 season. That's not to say that they won't attempt to trade him, but it will require a high price in return. With Dotel, Durazo and Hatteberg all free agents (and none expected back), that clears $12M in payroll right there. That will easily pay for the $1.7M raise if they pick up Zito's option. True, they are a low budget team, but they don't need to give Zito away, and should and will hold out for excellent talent in order to unload him.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

To me, all trades are pointless unless Dusty is fired as well.

 

Lineup on August 1 Backups in ()

 

Manager- TBD - maybe Jim Leyland (I'd take Bobby Valentine at this point)

 

CF Kotsay (Hairston)

2B Walker (Perez/Hairston)

1B Lee (Holla/Walker)

3B Ramirez (Macias)

LF Huff (Holla)

SS Nomar (Perez)

RF Burnitz (Holla)

C Barrett (Blanco)

 

 

Can't blame me for dreaming - it's all I have left this season.

I might have just wet myself a little thinking about that lineup.