Backtobanks

:-)) Despite that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the show? Yeah, he's not misunderstood. He's a loon. But he can be a successful loon if he stays somewhat healthy. Thankfully he only had to pass a physical and not a mental test.

I still think the Peavy deal is going to happen, but I can't see the Cubs signing any FA pitchers. Most are too expensive or worse than Marquis. My thoughts are that there has to be some kind of deal to correct the roster situation. There are too many players that have some value and some of them are out of options.

Reed is worthwhile. The other two leave enough to be desired that they shouldn't be considered viable options for a supposed championship contender to fill in 40 games missed by one of its 3-4-5 hitters. Hoffs 2009 Projections: Marcel: 287/351/449 ZIPS: 286/323/505 Hoffs 2008 MLE vs righties: 317/350/610 I'm not saying hes going to be great or anything (and he needs to work on his defense in the OF), but hes a guy that shouldn't hurt you filling in on the meaty end of a platoon for a bit. Although, that would leave you with a big dropoff for PH in high leverage situations. I know you have to take these kinds of predictions with a grain of salt, but those numbers are a hell of a lot better than anything Burnitz, Jones, FLoyd, or Ward ever gave us, and I'll take it more than happily. Too bad Hoff's numbers will be at AAA or for another team. Unfortunately, I can't see how they keep him on the roster. Gathright will make the team because of speed and defense.

I still think a Peavy deal is in the works. If that doesn't work, I would love to get Greinke. I do think there should be a decent pitcher available (barring a Peavy deal) using our many trade chips (Pie, Hart, Wuertz, Atkins, Castillo, Hoffpauir, eyc.).

You admit that he has had success (because of the larger checkbook), so how can you criticize him as a GM. A GM's job is to build a contender using the resources available. Hendry has done that.

Unfortunately, Hoff doesn't have a spot on this team. Pie (and Hill?) to the O's for Olsen. I think the Peavy deal will happen with Olsen, Stevens, Hart, and Vitters going to the Padres. Maybe we can get another mid-level pitching prospect for Viscaino and make the Peavy deal without including Vitters. Atkins, Castillo, Olsen, Stevens, Hart, and a mid-level prospect?

As I posted before, many of the transactions don't make sense standing alone right now, but if we get Bradley (likely) and Peavy (hopefully) everything will be great. I think we would have received something more valuable for DeRosa if the plan was to keep what we received. I'm as impatient as anyone on this site, but give it time to play out. I think Hendry is still working on the Peavy deal, but has told Towers to shut his mouth about the negotiations.

They dumped DeRosa for youngsters that almost certainly won't help this year (Stevens might). I don't think Soriano will be traded (unless BroLight has some insider information), but Hendry has already proven this offseason that he'll dump some of our offense for future minor league help. The stated reason for "dumping" DeRosa was to add offense (Bradley). I still think the secondary reason was to get prospects to add to the package to get Peavy.

I would love to keep Hoffpauir too, but there just isn't room on the roster for him. I'm sure they might want Aurilia for more versatility than Hoff. Also, there's the usual reason - He's a veteran.

That's not true. I think it's pretty safe to assume Cedeno is gone one way or another. That leaves Miles as the only backup IF. Need at least 1 more. Aurilia fills that role. Looks like the Cubs will once again assemble a bench full of 25th men. It certainly looks like Hoff is a goner too. I suggested Aurilia last year as a righty bat off the bench with some power.

I have trouble believing that the Cubs would trade Soriano since they are trying to add offense. Obviously it would make sense to try to get out from under his contract, but the Cubs are in a win-now mode and getting good youngsters for a big piece of your current offense doesn't help in 2009. As for the Peavy deal, I do think it will happen and I'm hoping we can exclude Vitters.

During one of Hendry's most recent interviews he stated Marshall as one of the bullpen arms. Someone's got to be the 5th starter. If it's not Marshall, then one of Samardzija, Gaudin, Hart, Wells, etc. will be the guy unless another starter is that next move. Last year they talked about Samardzija being a starter down the line. Gaudin has experience starting too. With the lack of leftys and a Marshalls ability to be a swing man, hes needed in the pen. He's also a lot better a starter than the alternatives I mentioned. I'll take my chances with the 6th inning guys to get a benefit in the rotation over 150+ innings. From today's Trib (Sullivan): The impending trade of Marquis to Colorado for reliever Luis Vizcaino opens up a rotation spot for either Sean Marshall or Jeff Samardzija, with Marshall the front-runner. The Cubs can still deal for Jake Peavy, though San Diego GM Kevin Towers said nothing has been discussed of late IMO, Marshall has to be the guy right now. I don't have a problem with Marshall. My initial point was that we seem to have a lot of excess baggage that isn't great, but is too valuable to release outright (Pie, Wuertz, Gaudin, etc.). Some of these guys are out of options and it would be nice to get something for them.

This could be bad news: From MLBTR: Buster Olney looks at the fallout for the Padres now that former D'Backs CEO Jeff Moorad has agreed in principle to buy the club with the help of some investors. Will the new ownership retain Kevin Towers? Moorad once interviewed the Padres GM for a job with the D'Backs and, as Olney points out, Towers has an "excellent reputation within the industry" so his chances of keeping his job seem good. The sale could give the Padres the financial stability to take Jake Peavy off the market. Peter Gammons wrote today that Cubs GM Jim Hendry "hasn't given up" on Peavy. New owners might decide to keep Peavy.

Assuming we sign Bradley and Bako and trade Marquis, I think there has to be another deal. I can't see the Cubs giving away Pie for nothing, but he certainly looks like he won't make the roster. In addition to Pie, it looks like there's a lot of excess in the bullpen with Vizcaino, Ascanio, Stevens, Wells, Guzman, Cotts, Marshall, Gaudin, Shark, Gregg, Hart, Marmol, and Wuertz. I agree that most of those names aren't HOF material, but most of them have some value. I don't know how many of them still have options. I'm hoping the Peavy deal gets done, especially if there is some way of keeping Vitters. I guess what I'm asking is: Can we make a deal for Peavy (or another valuable piece) without including Vitters? Pie for Olsen and then Olsen, Stevens, Hart, Castillo, Atkins for Peavy (they wanted young pitching)? What other decent pitcher might be available for young talent?

It came from the DeRosa savings, and they think he can contribute positively. If they were financially strapped, they had no business offering 10m a year for Bradley. How much savings is there from removing Marquis and DeRosa's contract, only to add Bradley, Miles, Gathright and Vizcaino? The Cubs had players to trade to get a lefty bat. Luke Scott, Hermida, Hawpe, Kubel, etc... And they could have made those trades without having to give up DeRosa. Unfortunately it's become painfully obvious they didn't want a lefty bat. They wanted multiple lefty bats at every position. They are going to struggle all year looking for right handed help. Finding another right handed bat will be for next off-season. Don't forget that Miles and Bradley are switch hitters, so if they're in the lineup you have plenty of righties.

That role is fine, but with Bradley likely in the fold, Hoff will likely get far more playing time than a 4th OF should get. Hoff won't be a 4th OF and will have a hard time making the team. Soriano, Fukudome, Bradley, Johnson, and Gathwright would be the first 5 OFs with Pie likely to be traded. I'm not sure where Hoff would fit in.

But Aaron Miles makes that less pathetic? DeRosa is much better at hitting RHP than Miles. But this isn't about Miles, it's about acquiring Milton Bradley. Look, I hate losing DeRosa, never said I didn't, but as Hendry said, they couldn't move Ramirez, Soriano, Fukudome, or Lee, so DeRosa was the next name on the list that Hendry considered expendable to make salary room for a Milton Bradley contract. 3yrs of Milton Bradley + the 3 prospects from the Indians V.S. 1 more year of DeRosa...I don't like it necessarily, but I understand it. There are ways to get a left handed bat into the lineup without moving DeRosa. Jeremy Hermida and Luke Scott are both available through trades - and with either we wouldn't have to downgrade from DeRosa to Aaron Miles. I don't have a problem with trading DeRosa - I'd have been in favor of it if it improved the team. This trade did not improve the team, all it did was allow Milton Bradley to play 90 games for us and give us Aaron Miles for second base. I'm hoping that the DeRosa trade is a precursor to a Peavy trade. I agree that making the DeRosa trade to free up money for Bradley without the Peavy deal doesn't make a lot of sense. As for your suggestions about Hermida and Scott, everything I have read sounds like the Marlins are asking a ton for Hermida. I have been advocating a trade for Scott (here and at OH), who could produce great numbers in a platoon. I would have traded Marquis (plus cash), Pie, and Hill for Scott and most of the posters were very receptive to the deal (unfortunately I didn't hear from AM :mrgreen: ). Splitting playing time in CF/RF/2B between Fukudome, Johnson, Gathwright, Scott, DeRosa, and Fontenot seems to cover all aspects of lefty/righty, speed, decent power, and defense while saving money.

Hendry was upset with all of the "leaks" about the Peavy trade speculation, so he probably told Towers to keep any discussions private.

If DeRosa goes to the Indians to team up with Wood, I'll have a team to root for in the AL Central instead of just hoping the White Sox lose.

Calling Soriano a 2B is like calling Dunn a RF. =D>

If someone offered $60+ million for him and he took it, we would have to trade for Peavy because we would be short a starter. Instead trading for Peavy is a luxury and it will give us an unbelievable rotation.

Surely you realize that signing Miles is a precursor to everything else happening. Trading DeRosa gets us the prospects we need to trade for Peavy and someone has to replace DeRosa. Also, Wood's deal is for $20 million (over 2 years), so that would limit options for 2009 and 2010.

No. All quotes are direct quotes. Well, here we go again...... Yes. It sounds like the Cubs are ready to trade DeRosa to a third team for prospects. Some of the prospects will go to the Padres. Levine thinks Vizcaino may be moved as well, and that the salary saved from Marquis and DeRosa will allow the Cubs to get Peavy. He was saying something about Fukudome getting another shot in RF or something to that effect but I was distracted. Where are the Cubs going to put Bradley if Fukudome is in RF?

A duet of Ozzy Osbourne and Mike Ditka.

I've been suggesting for awhile that the Cubs trade Marquis, Pie, and Hill to the O's for Scott. We would save money on the deal and the lefty-righty platoon of Scott/Derosa/Johnson/Fukudome/Gathright/Fontenot in RF/CF/2B would provide plenty of options for Lou.