Backtobanks

Some other team might be willing to see if he reaches his potential, while the Cubs have plenty of young pitchers with more potential and smaller contracts. every team has those. such a big deal is made about his NTC, but nobody wants to trade for him and his contract. NOBODY. he has zero trade value. All of the talk about trading him would have him in a package deal with other prospects probably for someone making more money. Including him (instead of all minimum contract prospects) would be a way of leveling out some of the financial obligations.

Heaven help us with a bench that includes Perez and Hill. Zambrano might get a lot of pinch hitting opportunities.

Some other team might be willing to see if he reaches his potential, while the Cubs have plenty of young pitchers with more potential and smaller contracts.

I keep hoping the Cubs could talk him into waiving his NTC and use him in a trade package at some point. His $3 million contract would look good on another team.

Pretty much. No teams playoff hopes have ever hinged on a backup catcher. Its good to have the better bat on the bench, but they rarely go to the backup catcher to pinch hit. After Soto hopefully proving that 2009 was the fluke and not 2010, I cant imagine that they would platoon him with anypne anyway. However, Max Ramirez is an intriguing, out of options player, and Id prefer that we keep him up as backup with Castillo in AAA. Moot point since Koyie "Babe Ruth" Hill will be the backup catcher.

MLBTR is reporting that the Nationals could be shopping IRod, who is owed $3 million for this year. Obviously he's pretty far over the hill, but what about: Silva plus $4-5 million for IRod and then cut/trade Hill. Maybe throw in a prospect both ways to make it work.

I thought we only owed him 6 mil this season, after the Mariners picked up 5.5 of his 11.5 salary? If I had to guess how this plays out, Hendry is probably trying to trade him right now but wont find a taker. He'll probably push Cashner into the pen and let Silva start a few times. Those starts wont go well, we'll cut Silva, and try to move Cashner back into the rotation but probably give him a minor arm injury in the process of stretching him back out. We'll watch Coleman get pounded for a few weeks until Cashner is ready to start pitching again. Cashner will be ineffective and an MRI will show a tear in his elbow. He'll miss the next year after Tommy John surgery, and be stuck in the pen permanently after that, as he "couldn't handle a starter's workload." On the fringes of playoff contention at about 6 games back, we'll trade for Paul Maholm for the stretch run. We wont give up too much to acquire him, but Hendry will resign him to an overly expensive contract in the offseason. Probably about 3 years, 18 mil. Forever the optimist.

From MLBTR: Rangers Still Asking A Lot For Michael Young By Tim Dierkes [March 14 at 9:34am CST] The Rangers still want top prospects in return for infielder Michael Young, reports ESPN's Buster Olney, and "don't want to eat as much of the $48 million still owed to Young over the next three years." Olney's sources view Young as a $6-7MM player (presumably per year) as opposed to the $16MM per year he's owed. The Diamondbacks reportedly expressed interest in Young in the first week in March, and other teams have come up in a speculative sense, but there seems to be a gulf between the Rangers' perception of Young's value and that of possible suitors. The Rangers are delusional.

No to the first one, unless the Rangers add something else to it. Yes to the second. Getting rid of Silva and Grabow would be nice. And I feel like the Rangers would be way more inclined to do the second one. Silva and Grabow in Arlington? Yikes. Young is a player that would definitely be huge in the Cubs lineup, assuming he would be able to make the transiton to 2nd. However, hes 34 years old and making 16 mil each of the next 3 years. Maybe if we sent them Kosuke, DeWitt, and one of Randy Wells/Jay Jackson/Chris Carpenter/Casey Coleman it would work as long as they thre in a bit of cash. I know theres a lot of Kosuke love, but whether NSBB likes it or not, Colvins going to be given every opportunity to win the full time RF job from him, so we may as well get something for Kosuke. Giving up Fukudome and a young pitcher for Young is way too much. The bottom line is that the Cubs aren't really a fit unless the Rangers are going to eat a lot of salary.

He's a lot like Theriot's situation IMO... He's good through his first 3 years as it's cheap. Next year, if it's goes to 3-4 mil in his 1st arb, while it's not bad and I would be willing to pay Wells that much. It's going to be his 2nd and 3rd arbs that's going to be a problem. If he gets 3-4 mil next year, then he's probably gonna get like at least 5 mil-ish (lets use Garza for example: 3.35 mil in his 1st arb and 5.95 mil this year) in his 2nd arb and that's probably too much for a guy like him and probably lose most of his trade value by then. I would rather have Coleman/Cashner/JJax/Carpenter instead of paying Wells 5 mil. I kinda wouldn't be surprised if Wells is going to be the guy teams looking at or Cubs shopping him around the trade deadline, just like Theriot was last year (I believe Cubs were shopping him around or teams had interest in him unless I'm just dreaming about that part). I would think if he continues to pitch pretty well for the next two seasons that $5 million wouldn't be a problem as trade bait. A very solid #4 and possible #3 starter for $5 million is a good deal for most teams.

Seriously. We grumble about Soriano's contract, but Young's is godawful as well (albeit with one fewer years remaining). Outside of Arlington he's probably about league average as a SS or 2B, and below average as a 3B. What would the trade offer has to be in order to be worth it? Would something like this do it??? Carlos Silva (Rangers pay all 11.5 mil this year plus the 2 mil buyout next year) + Baker (or DeWitt since either one would be expendable with Young coming, but rather trade Baker) + junk prospect(s) for Michael Young + intriguing prospect(s) (not sure what type exactly, but someone like Hicks from the Gorz trade for example maybe?... basically what Cubs always get it seems like in their trades) + $20 mil??? (my thinking is Young has 48 mil owed still minus Silva's 11.5 mil (since Cubs are paying that anyway even with Seattle's 5.5 mil) equals 36.5 mil left... then minus 20 mil from Rangers is 16.5 mil Cubs still would have to pay Young for the next 3 seasons...) That 20 mil can be split something like 4.5/7.5/8 where Cubs aren't paying any extra this year (4.5 mil from Rangers + 5.5 mil from Mariners + 6 mil that Cubs were paying anyway if it was Silva or Young) then paying Young 8.5 and 8 mil the next 2 years or it can be like 10 mil each the next 2 years where Cubs has to pay an extra 4.5 mil this year, but would only pay 6 mil each the next 2 years... I'm not sure if you will be able to get more than 20 mil or even get that much, but I think you can't ask for anything less than that really (8 mil a year is the max I would pay Young, but rather it be like 4-6 mil a year). Cubs paying 16.5 mil for 3 years for a guy like Young isn't that bad IMO (well actually it would be 22.5 mil cuz they're paying 6 mil this year to Silva that would go to Young). That's basically 7.5 mil a year for Young. I think I got all of this right. Is that enough or would you want more money or a better prospect or player like O'Day or Chris Davis instead of a prospect??? Of course the trade wouldn't be as simple as that, but just an idea... I agree with you guys that Rangers gonna have to do a lot in order for me to take him... I was thinking about this kind of deal, but it certainly wouldn't match the rumors about Blanton + Polanco for Young.

Most people are way down on Wells, it seems. Shouldn't be, but they are. He's had a great spring, so maybe that will change.

Everything I've read claims the Rangers aren't interested in eating much (if any) of his salary.

You're the only one on NSBB that would hold out for an "intriguing" prospect for Silva. Most of us would be happy if we don't have to send the other team an "intriguing" prospect to take Silva. :yahoo:

Also, it bothers me that writers keep mentioning all of these candidates for the #4 and #5 rotation spots. It seems to me that Wells has always been a lock for the rotation.

Rogers was explaining why he thinks the Phillies aren't a lock to win the East. He may very well not pick them, but you're stretching things using that article to complain that people aren't picking the Phillies when they should. Besides, it's ridiculous to act like someone is "wrong" if they don't pick the Phillies. Do you expect everyone to pick who makes the playoffs solely based on the teams on paper without weighing other factors like age and regression and injury? I didn't "stretch things" to complain that people aren't picking the Phillies when they should. This was strictly about Rogers having doubts about the Phillies and not picking them in the NL East. To answer your question, yes I would expect everyone to pick the best teams on paper at this point (preseason) since age, regression, and injuries (except Wainwright) haven't appeared yet.

My point in posting this is that Rogers hinted that he wasn't going to pick the Phillies when he makes his predictions. I totally understand how injuries and/or age can affect a team, but until either one shows up the Phillies are the best team in the NL East.

Of course a lot can happen, especially injuries. My point is that I can't see anybody not picking the Phillies in the NL East at this point. If Halladay and/or Lee gets seriously injured, then obviously I might reconsider.

In today's Tribune, Phil Rogers (yeah, I know) expresses his opinion that the Phillies may not even win the the NL East because of their aging and declining hitters. I guess he doesn't remember what the no offense/great pitching Giants did last year. Compared to the 2010 Giants, the Phillies offense looks like the 1927 Yankees. Short of some major injuries, I can't see how you can't pick the Phillies to rule the East. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/sc-spt-0306-notes-rogers-baseball--20110305,0,7811217.column

If this is true, I hope the Twins are asking for a ton because they would be trading away "the closest thing they have to an ace at the moment" and they're expected to be a serious contender in the AL Central this year.

I checked in yesterday just to see what was going on and I was randomly selected to purchase tickets immediately. Bought 3 pairs of tickets to value dates. I was surprised to discover that Labor Day (9/5) vs. the Reds was a value date. Usually the value dates are middle of the week vs. mediocre teams.

Wow, he's going to be seeing a fastball to the head at some point this season. Dusty probably gets something thrown at him from the dugout too. Whether it may help your team indirectly or not, saying it's great news is nothing short of classless. And to me, a manager should be held to higher standards than players to begin with. I'm not even sure Ozzie would have made those remarks. Ozzie would say the same thing, but it would have a couple of fbombs in it.

2-3 years. Quick Hendry get Mozeliack on the phone and trade the Cards Silva! Silva + Pena for Pujols :yahoo:

Ramirez would probably have to be injured or have a terrible year to settle for $8-$10 million. Beltre (granted coming off of a great year) just signed for $96 million over 6 years and has career numbers less than Ramirez.

Together they're making over $44 million this year, so $30 million in 2012 is a reasonable estimate. :-k