Why not Bobby Abreu?

[TrueBlueCubFan]

He does have a no trade clause, as does Jim Thome. Word out of Philly is they may move Howard to LF,Micheals in CF & Burrell in RF. This makes Abreu expendable. If Brian Giles isn't interested in Chicago & either resigns with SD, or goes some were else via FA, this may be another option. With a weak FA market this year, the trade route may be the way to go.

 

Hypothetical line-up for 06':

CF Hairston

RF Abreu

1B Lee

3B Ramirez

2B Walker

LF Murton

SS Cedeno

C Barrett

 

Abreu's a career .303/.411/.512

LY's #'s 162 GP,24 HR's,102 RBI's,117 BB's, 134 K's, 31 SB's, 9 CS,

.286/.405/.474

 

Bobby Abreu: 5 years worth 64M , will make in 2003-8.5M plus 3M signing Bonus, in 2004-10M, in 2005-12.5 and in 2006-13M, in 2007-15M, and in 2008- Team Option worth 16M ;or 2M Buyout- + Salary Can increase 275K the next year for MVP 1st place finish or 150K 2nd place in voting or 100K for 3rd place- + the deal includes Complete NO-TRADE Clause- + BONUSES he has received: 50K in 2004 for Silver Slugger, 50K for 2005 All-Star selection Agent: Peter Greenberg Service Time: 7.165

 

 

Any thoughts on what it might take to get this guy??

[USSoccer]

We don't have the ML ready or young ML impact firepower it would take to land him. It's the same story with Abreu as with Manny-Boston and Philly will look for impact ML players or near ready blue chip prospects. The Cubs don't have any ML impact talent, unless you want to trade Aramis, Z, Prior or Lee for him (which you wouldn't, since it would end up being a letral move) and our minors have lost of good talent, but very little great talent.

 

It would probably take Pie, Nolasco, Pinto and Sing to land Abreu if we were just trading prospects.

 

If we took Thome and tried to send him to another team, you could probably halve that cost and just trade Pie and Pinto. But then you'd have to make sure you found a taker for Thome, and that might be difficult.

 

In other words, I don't think it's worth ditching the best players left in our system to try and get him.

[Outshined_One]

I had a post on this in an earlier thread. Here it is:

 

Abreu is a big-name money guy for Philly. Believe me, the idea of having him in RF would be a dream come true at this point in his career. He's one of the most productive guys you can find in baseball today and is a hard worker. But, considering that is the case, Philly will want a lot to get him.

 

From what I can surmise, Philly will be looking for a CF next season. My gut tells me Lofton won't be hanging around there for much longer. They have a few guys who could compete for the spot (Michaels, Victorino, and Bourn who will likely be in AAA next season), but none of them will either be ready or as productive as they would like them to be. If we're talking about them trading Abreu, they will need to fill a hole in RF. So, theoretically in this trade, they could be looking for a CF (either full-time or a fill-in until one of the young guys steps up) and a RF (unless they move Burrell to right, in which case a LF would be welcome).

 

The other positions they might look to fill are 3B and C, depending on the health and contract status of David Bell and Mike Lieberthal. They might need some one who can step in and spot start next season and potentially take over down the line.

 

They play in one of the most prolific HR parks in the majors. That makes groundball pitchers a complete and total priority. They don't exactly have a pitching staff that is consistent and stable, either. Injuries are problematic for their staff (Wolf won't be back until July at the earliest after the dreaded Tommy John disease struck) and their top pitching prospects have not produced the way the Phillies have hoped. They need starting pitching with experience, success, and youth in a bad way.

 

Plus, if Wagner's leaving, their bullpen will be shot to hell. In that respect, we might be of some assistance.

 

So, the Cubs have options here. A deal involving some of the following players might garner some interest:

 

Jerome Williams (1.31 career GB/FB ratio, young, still getting back in shape)

Sergio Mitre (Doesn't seem to have a future with the Cubs, but that sinker is awfully tempting for many teams)

Scott Moore (not much pressure on him to move fast and take over for Bell, good ceiling)

Todd Wellemeyer (very nice ceiling as a reliever or a starter)

John Leicester (ditto)

Geovanny Soto (Cheap backup that can be groomed as Lieberthal's heir)

Renyel Pinto (doesn't give up many HRs to lefties...much less anyone)

Felix Pie (1st guy any team asks for in a trade with prospects)

Roberto Novoa (a bit of a spazz on the mound, but a nice upside)

Matt Murton (2nd guy any team asks for in a trade with young players)

 

That's not an all-inclusive list, but it's a decent start.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Ryan Howard is not being moved to the outfield, there is zero probability of that--because it's already been tried. And discussed at length in the Philly press. Howard is completely incapable of playing the OF, he was a disaster out there, he is another David Ortiz. He hits a ton, but he can only play 1B, and he's not very good at that even.

 

Frankly, I know Philly loves him, he's young and he's cheap, but his future is in the AL. They should sell high and move him this offseason for pitching help, and since they're stuck with Thome's contract anyway, put him back at 1B for now. What if you could trade Howard to Anaheim for Ervin Santana and Scott Shields? Or to Minnesota for Justin Morneau (who CAN play the OF) and JC Romero?

 

These are the kind of things the Phillies should be thinking about, especially if they are committed to re-signing Billy Wagner. I don't think Abreu is going anywhere.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Why would Philly trade Abreu? :?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I don't think we have the players to get Abreu. I'd love to have him, but I think they're going to want a bit more than Jerome Williams and minor leaguers.

[imb]

Ryan Howard is not being moved to the outfield, there is zero probability of that--because it's already been tried. And discussed at length in the Philly press. Howard is completely incapable of playing the OF, he was a disaster out there, he is another David Ortiz. He hits a ton, but he can only play 1B, and he's not very good at that even.

 

Frankly, I know Philly loves him, he's young and he's cheap, but his future is in the AL. They should sell high and move him this offseason for pitching help, and since they're stuck with Thome's contract anyway, put him back at 1B for now. What if you could trade Howard to Anaheim for Ervin Santana and Scott Shields? Or to Minnesota for Justin Morneau (who CAN play the OF) and JC Romero?

 

These are the kind of things the Phillies should be thinking about, especially if they are committed to re-signing Billy Wagner. I don't think Abreu is going anywhere.

 

What makes you think Morneau can play the OF? You say it with such certainty, but he's never played the OF in the majors.

[mg420]

We don't have the ML ready or young ML impact firepower it would take to land him. It's the same story with Abreu as with Manny-Boston and Philly will look for impact ML players or near ready blue chip prospects. The Cubs don't have any ML impact talent, unless you want to trade Aramis, Z, Prior or Lee for him (which you wouldn't, since it would end up being a letral move) and our minors have lost of good talent, but very little great talent.

 

It would probably take Pie, Nolasco, Pinto and Sing to land Abreu if we were just trading prospects.

 

If we took Thome and tried to send him to another team, you could probably halve that cost and just trade Pie and Pinto. But then you'd have to make sure you found a taker for Thome, and that might be difficult.

 

In other words, I don't think it's worth ditching the best players left in our system to try and get him.

 

i dont see hendry trading pie for anyone. perhaps the phillies would take harvey, sing, pinto & hill.

[Illini Iceman]

We don't have the ML ready or young ML impact firepower it would take to land him. It's the same story with Abreu as with Manny-Boston and Philly will look for impact ML players or near ready blue chip prospects. The Cubs don't have any ML impact talent, unless you want to trade Aramis, Z, Prior or Lee for him (which you wouldn't, since it would end up being a letral move) and our minors have lost of good talent, but very little great talent.

 

It would probably take Pie, Nolasco, Pinto and Sing to land Abreu if we were just trading prospects.

 

If we took Thome and tried to send him to another team, you could probably halve that cost and just trade Pie and Pinto. But then you'd have to make sure you found a taker for Thome, and that might be difficult.

 

In other words, I don't think it's worth ditching the best players left in our system to try and get him.

 

i dont see hendry trading pie for anyone. perhaps the phillies would take harvey, sing, pinto & hill.

 

Hendry may just be playing up Pie's value in the press so he can get more for him if decides to include him in a trade.

 

The only reason I can see that the Phillies would want to trade Abreu is if they decide they want to upgrade pitching and need to free up salary to go after a guy like Millwood or Burnett.

 

To get a player of that caliber I would have no problem seeing the Cubs trade Williams, Hill, Pie and Pinto if necessary. With the added production in RF (and probably LF with Murton) they could gamble on giving CPatt another chance in CF. Mitre or Rusch could plug into the 5th spot in the rotation and probably either would produce at a pretty similar level to Williams.

[BigbadB]

We don't have the ML ready or young ML impact firepower it would take to land him. It's the same story with Abreu as with Manny-Boston and Philly will look for impact ML players or near ready blue chip prospects. The Cubs don't have any ML impact talent, unless you want to trade Aramis, Z, Prior or Lee for him (which you wouldn't, since it would end up being a letral move) and our minors have lost of good talent, but very little great talent.

 

It would probably take Pie, Nolasco, Pinto and Sing to land Abreu if we were just trading prospects.

 

If we took Thome and tried to send him to another team, you could probably halve that cost and just trade Pie and Pinto. But then you'd have to make sure you found a taker for Thome, and that might be difficult.

 

In other words, I don't think it's worth ditching the best players left in our system to try and get him.

 

i dont see hendry trading pie for anyone. perhaps the phillies would take harvey, sing, pinto & hill.

 

Hendry may just be playing up Pie's value in the press so he can get more for him if decides to include him in a trade.

 

The only reason I can see that the Phillies would want to trade Abreu is if they decide they want to upgrade pitching and need to free up salary to go after a guy like Millwood or Burnett.

 

To get a player of that caliber I would have no problem seeing the Cubs trade Williams, Hill, Pie and Pinto if necessary. With the added production in RF (and probably LF with Murton) they could gamble on giving CPatt another chance in CF. Mitre or Rusch could plug into the 5th spot in the rotation and probably either would produce at a pretty similar level to Williams.

 

If the Cubs were to give up all of that for Abreu, then the Phillies better be ready to eat more than half of Abreu's remaining salary too.

[HoopsCubs]

Ryan Howard is not being moved to the outfield, there is zero probability of that--because it's already been tried. And discussed at length in the Philly press. Howard is completely incapable of playing the OF, he was a disaster out there, he is another David Ortiz. He hits a ton, but he can only play 1B, and he's not very good at that even.

 

Frankly, I know Philly loves him, he's young and he's cheap, but his future is in the AL. They should sell high and move him this offseason for pitching help, and since they're stuck with Thome's contract anyway, put him back at 1B for now. What if you could trade Howard to Anaheim for Ervin Santana and Scott Shields? Or to Minnesota for Justin Morneau (who CAN play the OF) and JC Romero?

 

These are the kind of things the Phillies should be thinking about, especially if they are committed to re-signing Billy Wagner. I don't think Abreu is going anywhere.

 

I still like the Thome and Bell (combined $48M) to Seattle for Beltre ($47M) rumour. It would be an even money deal over the lifetime of the contracts, and allow Thome to be a full time DH and Beltre to play 81 home games in a decent hitter's park.