BeerHere

From the BA Hot Sheet, Helium Section Marco Hernandez, ss, Cubs: The Cubs have added a wave of Latin American talent to the lower levels of their farm system. As a result, the organization now faces a dilemma, albeit a good one, in trying to sort out playing time for Hernandez and Gioskar Amaya with its Rookie-level Arizona club. Amaya, an 18-year-old from Venezuela, has played mostly second base, though he's also spent time at shortstop and third base, while Hernandez, an 18-year-old Dominican, has been the primary shortstop but also has played a bit at second. At the plate, they have both excelled in their U.S. debuts. Amaya is hitting .390/.427/.476, showing advanced baseball instincts for his age. Hernandez is the better athlete with a more lively, projectable body (6 feet, 170 pounds) and has hit .310/.355/.410 through 24 games. Hernandez has good bat speed from the left side and shows good bat-to-ball ability, though he projects more as a doubles hitter than a power threat.

Because winning the division shouldn't be the goal. If the goal is to win the WS, the division will come. This attitude drives me crazy.

No idea how that moron keeps his job. Assuming the plan was to let Aramis walk at the end of the year, Id definitely take Morel in a trade for him despite his offensive struggles in the bigs, but I dont see why we want broken down Jake Peavy over Matt Garza. Ramirez's value is a lot higher than Brent Morel. Considering results and payroll, Garza is a much better fit than Peavy. So glad that deal didn't go through.

No idea how that moron keeps his job.

Agreed. I'll admit I was a supporter initially but his decision making, the way he handles the pitching staff, the double-standards all have worn thin. He was (and still is) a batter choice than Ryno but this needs to be his only year.

Actually, the Cubs are in a position to do both. Guys like Brett Jackson, Trey McNutt, Ryan Flaherty, DJ LeMaheieu are on the brink of making the majors and while none of them will be stars, all of them could be average major leaguers fairly soon. Add in the $60 million the Cubs have coming off the books this offseason and they can make a serious run at (and really have no reason not to get one of) Fielder or Pujols and then CJ Wilson if rotation depth is needed. Add those two FAs, plus the young guys producing cheaply and the Cubs would be in a pretty good position to compete in the division (at least) next year and continue improving from there. The $60M you quote doesn't include the fact that you're keeping Aram. Also, as I have said in other threads, that $45M isn't guaranteed to be thrown right back into payroll. Attendance is down which means that concessions are down. The payroll was reduced going into this year and the players leaving need to be replaced. It is too presumptive to assume that the payroll next year will remain the same, or even increase. It is a business. I'm not trying to be combative, I'm saying that the team needs to consider trading while someone's value is at it's highest. I wouldn't let him go for "a couple prospects", the deal would have to include some very good major league ready talent. Maybe a team is willing to do that, maybe not but I think it's worth investigating either way.

Major market teams don't trade away cornerstone players for prospects. Teams that consistently put winners on the field build from within and use free agency to fill the holes that the farm cannot. The Cubs are in a position to do neither. They have a high payroll with limited flexibility and they have a farm that isn't ready to contribute. Getting a stud prospect or two while Lamahieu or Flaherty play could be a good start to turning things around. The payroll flexibility could be used on a starting pitcher or 1B etc.

In a team full of holes, trading away one of the solid contributors (perhaps THE solid contributor) is a pretty good way to retool. Aramis is very good and he's having a good year, but he can bring a couple blue-chip prospects in return I would do it in a second. Same goes for Marmol, Soto.... A 2012 team with Aramis and no other changes will be terrible (again). Trade him while his value is highest (for once). Let the slamming begin.

Ortiz? Doesn't this screw up the rotation? Why not bring in someone for mop up duty like Grabow, Smardz or Wood? Or has Ortiz been relegated to the pen?

3IP 7H 3BB 6ER Nice game Dempster.

I don't get the Barney hate. Sure I love to see more OBP, maybe some pop but he's making the league minimum, plays good defense and hits .300 I would love to get more production out of 2B but with so many other glaring issues and aging/high priced turds with this club I'm not going to hate this kid.

According to this article, his option vests if he's traded. Why is this so hard to figure out? I don't understand why the media can't get it right. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-ramirez-not-interested-in-being-traded-right-now-20110718,0,4929224.story

Nolasco, Piggy and Willis for Pierre, right? I forgot about that one. No, Willis was in the Matt Clement trade in 2002. It was Nolasco, Pinto and Mitre for Pierre. Right, forgot about Pinto.

Nolasco, Piggy and Willis for Pierre, right? I forgot about that one.

I'm pretty sure that the Cubs did draft Hamilton in the R5 draft, then immediately sent him to the Reds for basically nothing. Jacque Jones has to be higher on the list IMO. I also disagree about "drafting like crap" - Castro, Hak Ju Lee, Cashner is a pretty good haul and his picks contributed to Derek Lee and Garza among others. I completely agree that Hendry has been crap though and should be gone along with the rest of this garbage team. Hamilton was never a Cub. Hamilton was never slated to be a Cub. The Cubs never had interest in Josh Hamilton. There was a deal in place from the get go that we drafted him for the sole purpose of sending him to the Reds. We can debate what would be if the Cubs did draft Josh Hamilton for the purpose of playing for the Cubs until were blue in the face, but it was never to be. But the point remains, the Cubs did in fact draft in in the 2006 R5. His BR page says he was "purchased by the Reds from the Cubs". I agree that he was never in the plans though.

Again, I'm not defending Hendry but Castro and Lee were international signees. They weren't drafted per se, but they became Cubs during Hendry's tenure when they were signed as amateurs, which was the original point that I was trying to refute.

I'm pretty sure that the Cubs did draft Hamilton in the R5 draft, then immediately sent him to the Reds for basically nothing. Jacque Jones has to be higher on the list IMO. I also disagree about "drafting like crap" - Castro, Hak Ju Lee, Cashner is a pretty good haul and his picks contributed to Derek Lee and Garza among others. I completely agree that Hendry has been crap though and should be gone along with the rest of this garbage team.

I hope you're right and I would add in one of Dempster and Zambrano.

Sounds like Vogelbach is signing for close to $1M over slot. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-110716-mlb-whispers,0,4634980.story

Look more walks!

Marmol: 2 outs 2 hits 1 walk 1 run 27 pitches

Marmol is killing his trade value.

117 pitches for Dempster. I wonder if Quade wanted to pull him after 7 but left him in there so he didn't have to hear him complain about it.

(I'm not watching) Can you tell if he is missing with the FB or slider?

Strikes please