Sammy Sofa

Man, I don't even know if this team even cracks the top 10 of worst teams I've seen in my lifetime. I'm sure as [expletive] not going to be thinking it after they lose 2-0 to Greinke. You delicate flowers are acting like they just got shut down by someone's batting practice pitcher.

Soft-tossing middle reliever. As good as he is, the Cubs aren't likely to get enough of a return because he isn't a proven closer to justify trading him. In short you're proposing trading him just for the sake of trading him. If the ideal deal is out there, but again, there's zero reason for the Cubs to be in fire sale mode. As bad as they are they can easily compete again next year, and trading Byrd likely leaves a very large hole in the OF that can't be filled until 2012 since Fukudome will also be gone and potentially you're going to have to deal with a useless Soriano. See Marshall. A useful player, but ultimately too limited (in this case by actually ability, or the lack thereof when it comes to hitting righties, as opposed to lack of a reputation). No reason not to trade him if the right deal is there...but it's very unlikely to be there. Give the Cubs' questions at 2B and potentially at 3B he likely holds much more value on the team than via a low-level trade. Wait, what? I was probably the biggest Barney basher here, but he's turned out to be useful, young and cheap. Why ship him off when he's all of those things and the Cubs have no obvious answer at 2B? A Baker/Barney platoon at 2B next year has the very real shot of being very productive AND cost-effective. You'd be creating another hole in the rotation. Cashner and Wells both have big question marks right now, so subtracting a good pitcher from the rotation without an obvious replacement isn't a good idea. Yes, there's McNutt, but as we've seen this year you don't go shedding your pitching options just because you can. Besides, Dempster's player's option and his price tag likely preclude the Cubs getting a decent return short of them picking up too much of the tab.

It's OK; you're apparently only 8 so there's a lot on your mind.

Wait, what? The only reported instance of the bold part of your post is this Yankees rumor, and we have no idea what the details are. What's far more likely than your theory is that Cubs offered to pay a lot of the money owed for him in exchange for someone like Montero and the Yankees said no. The Cubs "eating big bucks" when it comes to trading Zambrano almost certainly means they're looking to get a good return. You're conflating trading him with dumping Soriano.

And even dumber fans.

Because it's not blocking anything important? I don't know, maybe I'm just used to it, but I'm not sure what it's preventing you from seeing.

You're blaming Bud Selig... ...for the umpiring "system"... ...that was established well before he was even born. ... Let's ponder that one for a brief moment, shall we?

The more money the Cubs offer the more they likely want back in return in terms of a prospect or prospects. Zambrano is in that middle ground of not being worth the money he's being paid, but also not worth the level of prospects the Cubs would expect if they pick up a big chunk or most of his salary (especially moving from the NL Central to the AL East). I find it difficult to believe that you honestly think the Yankees wouldn't take him if the Cubs were essentially offering to pick up a big part of the tab and not wanting much in return. That's exactly what I believe. I believe the Cubs don't even want any great or good prospects back from the Yanks and are still willing to pay a lot of his salary. I believe the Yanks don't want him because they view him as a declining pitcher and a headache, both of which may or may not be confirmed by the pitching coach that worked with him for years. Whether we would want them to or not, I think the Cubs just want to get rid of him and start purging themselves of the players they feel are becoming stale in Chicago. I'm sorry, but this is just absurd. Rothschild is an excellent pitching coach, but he'd have to be a [expletive] prophet to talk the Yankees out of trading inconsequential parts for Zambrano AND the Cubs picking up a ton of his contract. Even factoring in a decline he's still young enough and has shown enough talent even throughout various times of this very season for a team to pass on a deal that heavily in their favor. He'd basically have to be a threat to murdering someone in terms of being a "headache" for a team to not take such a sweet deal...which is why it's tremendously unlikely that's not what happened.

Baker can actually really help us next year, especially in a platoon at third if we don't bring Aramis back. I agree that saying what Hendry did and then appearing desperate to dump Z doesn't make any sense. Yep, Baker can help the Cubs finish 5th again. He is a BENCH player, none of them are so valuable that they can't be traded if a team like Boston wants to give up a young player. Stellar logic. In your sweaty hurry to slam Baker as merely being a "BENCH player" you effectively torpedo your own argument that he can be traded for anyone of significance.

Marshall wouldn't net you those kind of pieces. Ramirez could, but he won't allow himself to be traded. And thus, here we are. Though really, those reason for a team like the Cubs to ever go into full rebuilding mode (which is effectively giving up for the foreseeable future). The fact that people here think that is unavoidable or even ideal is just baffling to me. The Cubs can easily both build for the future AND contend next year with a team capable of both taking advantage of a weak division and decent enough to challenge the arguably or obviously better teams in a short playoff series.

The more money the Cubs offer the more they likely want back in return in terms of a prospect or prospects. Zambrano is in that middle ground of not being worth the money he's being paid, but also not worth the level of prospects the Cubs would expect if they pick up a big chunk or most of his salary (especially moving from the NL Central to the AL East). I find it difficult to believe that you honestly think the Yankees wouldn't take him if the Cubs were essentially offering to pick up a big part of the tab and not wanting much in return.

You've changed, man.

Yeah, this seems like desperation on the Giants' part if that's what they're giving up. How tough is their schedule the rest of the way vs. the Diamondbacks'? And how realistic is it that the Diamondbacks will pull off a deal that will help them take the division?

Watch CPatt become the next Lou Brock. GOOD CALL, BRO.

Are they looking for corner OF or CF?

Buster_ESPN Buster Olney The trade: Colby Rasmus, Trever Miller, Brian Tallet and P.J. Walters for Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski, Dotel and Corey Patterson.#trades Nice win here for the Jays. Rasmus>>>>>>Cpat WHOA, SLOW DOWN NOW.

Once?

There's very good arguments as to why trading Byrd this year WOULD be stupid.

Kenny Williams = great GM or greatest GM?

Yeah, it's like night and day in terms of potentially trading these two guys. Can we use this thread as some kind of honeypot? Like anyone who comes in and is all for trading Zambrano just to get rid of him is mercifully banned?

You realize they can do that without forcing a ridiculously lopsided trade, right?

http://deadspin.com/5824988/a-dejected-tom-ricketts-rides-the-train/gallery/1

http://deadspin.com/5824988/a-dejected-tom-ricketts-rides-the-train/gallery/1

Perry and Jaramillo ultimately had or have little impact on the performance of the lineup on a game to game basis. And if you bought the "smart player" garbage AT ALL you're a chump. Barney always has been a tremendously impatient hitter.

HE SHOULD BE IN BASEBALL JAIL, EH, BALLGAME64?!??