davell

The one time I get to use the power and I used it on that [expletive]. I deserve mocking and scorn.

Tseng was a late scratch.

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2014/7/6/5874633/the-cubs-and-asset-management-arrieta-samardzija-hammel

I really doubt we're these guys for pitching. Theo had some quotes yesterday talking about the volatility of younger arms and not seeing even value with them. There was much more to it, but the gist to me sounded like older guys provide more value and to expect FA to be the answer.

Someone needs to ask Theo how many guys are in our core now.

The last I heard, he was opening in the 93-94 range, dropping velo every inning, winding up in the upper 80's by the 5th. Maybe he's built up some arm strength since then.

We just need one of these upside guys to develop.

I'm perfectly fine keeping these guys. We don't need Stanton.

After hearing Theo's comments, I have serious doubt we'll trade for pitching. At least not with our elite guys. Spending in FA seems the more likely avenue. For one of our 3 SS from the Mets? With Niese involved? Syndergaard and Montero added in is in line with what I'd think anyway. Due to success ratios of hitters vs pitchers. Still, the Mers likely turn that down and I seriously question we'd even offer it.

I wouldn't trade Valbuena alone where the top piece is something from the bottom half of the Yanks top 10. In fact, unless one of Sanchez, Severino, or Clarkin were involved-I'd have a hard time dealing him to them. I had Clark and Severino in the back half of the Yankees top ten. I love Sanchez just not sure the Cubs could put together a package for him not that did not include Wood. I kind of think Valbuena and Ruggiano hold extra value to us, as guys that CAN be starters or excellent bench pieces. We aren't likely to find guys as good as them on short term deals while we wait on our youngsters for a few weeks, month, however long til they're up next year. I'd like to see what kind if return we could get for Wood, but I'd need to be overwhelmed to move him. Because it just gives us an additional hole to fill. But with the market, I can see getting good enough offers to move him. The Yankees and Dodgers are scavengers. They don't like to give value in trades, they prey on teams needing financial relief. As a general rule, I don't expect any major dealings with them moving forward.

I wouldn't trade Valbuena alone where the top piece is something from the bottom half of the Yanks top 10. In fact, unless one of Sanchez, Severino, or Clarkin were involved-I'd have a hard time dealing him to them.

minor league box score awesomeness and watching rizzo and castro (and possibly winning some games in the process)? that should get me to training camp at least. Oh, it's more than enough. I love the deadline and whether we make a big move or not, it's a lot of anticipation. Just gone too soon for me. If we did nothing all month, then did this on the last day, I'd be thrilled for the rest of the season. Yeah, it's weird, I know.

At any rate, while the deal is awesome, we've got nothing else to look forward to all month now.

Yeah, as far as Jackson goes, you're right. And those guys being on one year deals likely appeals more. I can see some teams looking at Wood as a legit upgrade from that group. Cheaper, extra control, etc....

McKinney realistically is/was top 150 at worst. And not in my personal Cubs top 10. Which is just fun.

Are we sure that each of our other 3 starters are still on the team on August 1st? Arrieta? I'll be beyond shocked if he's moved. Can't say that about Wood or Jackson NOW though..... Yes, Friedman is loving life with all the attention Price will get. Funny that the centerpiece won't be as nice as ours, by the way. But who else is getting dealt? There just aren't that many sellers and there are plenty of teams in true need of pitching. Boston may sell-but they're not dealing to the Jays, O's, or Yanks. And I doubt they deal Lester if they want to re-sign him, which I think they do. Tampa has Price and no one else. White Sox? No pitching they'll deal other than Danks maybe and that's not much. Twins-No pitching to deal. Astros-Same as Twins Phillies-maybe they deal off Lee or Hamels, but who out of the buyers can afford them? Dodgers, Yanks, who else? Mets-Colon? I've read they actually like him as a vet presence and they want to keep him. Rockies-have no pitching Pads-Kennedy. Cashner isn't healthy. That's it. Diamondbacks-Miley, I guess? They're in dire need too, so maybe not. Bottom line is this:We just traded 2 of the top 3 pitchers on the trade market to a team very few even considered a possibility. Now, all the others are still in need and the options look pitiful. If Edwin pieces together 3-4 good starts, he could garner serious interest with what's out there. Travis Wood, if made available could/would bring us back an extremely nice return. I think it's 50/50 one of those 2 are moved now. Our deal with a team not truly considered a legit landing spot just made these other teams options dwindle like a [expletive]. I think it's very possible we can see an overpay on one of those 2 now.

I think the best deal to compare this to is the Myers/Shields swap. It was Shields and Wade Davis for Myers, Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery, and Patrick Leonard. Honestly, Shields was a bit more highly thought of than Shark at that time. To me, Wade Davis and Hammel are hard to gauge. Davis was coming off a very solid year in the pen, Hammel just had the best 3 month stretch of his career. Davis had much more control and was hopeful of becoming a starter again. All in all, I think Tampa's pair had slightly more value than ours. Myers versus Russell? Myers was slightly closer, but SS trumps OF. Still, a wash? It's easier to say Straily and Odorizzi are comparable than it is to try and put McKinney in the mix. At any rate, both were/are considered decent back of the rotation options that were ready to go. That leaves McKinney and a PTBNL versus Montgomery and Leonard. Montgomery had lost all of his luster, Leonard was a top 20-30 org guy. I'd much rather have McKinney than that pair. Even at the time of the first deal. They were throw ins. As I suspect the PTBNL to be as well. All in all, it seems like the value is directly in line with the Royals/Rays deal that everyone went gaga over the Rays return.....

I wouldn't get hopes up on the PTBNL. Oaklands press release mentioned it OR cash. Which basically says its not important.

He was kind of scary to me. And I wanted to keep him. I truly hope he pitches like an ace for Oakland now.

Wada is 33 and not a long term option. Is he even signed for 2015? Pretty sure we've got control of him. But while not a long term fix, it's certainly possible he could give us a year or two....

Truly top end prospects are pretty rare to see dealt at this point. I've got serious doubt Shark would have landed Russell by himself. I think Hammel was needed to balance things out there somewhat. Again, getting a top 10 type is definitely better than getting 3 top 100's or 2 top 50's. Especially in our case of already having a ridiculous system.

Is there a mid 20s Cuban we can help escape?

Sleeping on it, it's just sooooo [expletive] hard to add top 10 type guys. I mean damn, serious [expletive] impact. I'd rather get that than 3 top 100 types. As for it being another hitter? Screw it, bats are so needed throughout baseball it's not even funny. And it's entirely plausible to say we've got an embarrassment of riches. I don't want to trade a SS, we've got room for them all. I'm not sure what this means for 2015. We need one of Hendricks/Beeler/Wada/Straily to become a true option. Arrieta/Wood/Jackson/one of those 4- I'd sign a big name, but I get trying to find another Hammel as well. Anyway, we can contend next year with no trades, a solid FA SP and an OFer without making any trades. Still think 2015 is the start of everything for us. Geez, what a [expletive] lineup we've got coming......

I get what you guys are saying. It makes sense. But Kyle, with all the cheap offense we've got coming, very few spots we can even spend at, why not spend on the best we can with pitching?