Backtobanks

all because this guy cheated and juiced...thats the bad thing about the PEDs, the teams get cheated when these guys come off them. cheaters, cheaters never prosper..... Looks to me like a cheater (Gibbons) seems to be prospering.

I know there have been many discussions on the existence of "clutch" hitters, but if such a thing does exist, the Cubs need a few of them.

My theory is the Cubs will get rid of two of Marquis/Dempster/Lieber by the deadline and put Marshall back in the rotation. Some of you are forgetting that one strike against Marshall is that he's a lefty. Lou doesn't want 3 lefties with similar stuff in the rotation. I think somewhere down the line you will see Marshall traded.

Just their entire farm system :D Seriously, though, while Brandon Wood might hit for enormous power, given his terrible defense he is way too expensive. Remember we were looking at Willits to back up Pie but Willits for even Marquis would be a horrendous trade for the Cubs (unless they paid his contract in full, which wouldn't happen) Find out if the O's would like Brandon Wood and make a deal with the Angels and flip Wood to the O's as part of the Roberts deal.

hey dude...do me a favor! stop making sense! There isn't a lot there that makes sense. Why can't Cedeno sub for Aramis? How does the lack of a Roberts trade mean Murton gets traded for nothing? Cedeno isn't losing his trade value by making the team. Patterson will not be "wasting" another year in the minors -- he would be there with or without the trade. I have no idea what Gallagher, Patterson, Veal, Ceda, and Hoffpauir have to do with the roster "problem". To answer your points in order: 1. I suppose Cedeno could sub for ARam, but I don't think he's ever played 3B or even taken grounders at 3B. 2. It's pretty obvious that Murton won't be a Cub for long. Hendry even admitted that he promised he would try to trade him. Another stint in the minors only decreases his trade value. 3. Cedeno is out of options and he doesn't seem to be the type of player that is successful playing part time. Not getting regular ABs will probably hurt his ability to showcase his potential. 4. Patterson could have been a valuable piece of the trade package for Roberts. Patterson, like Murton and Cedeno, have very little to prove at AAA.

There are mixed reports on whether the deal is dead or they're still talking. Personally, I think they're still talking. Signing Johnson adds to the roster problem of what to do with Murton. Cedeno is out of options and can't sub for ARam. Gallagher, Patterson, Veal, Ceda, and Hoffpaur are all back in the minors. Again, the Roberts' trade just makes too much sense for both teams not to find a way to complete it. Trading for Roberts automatically gives you DeRosa to back up 2B, 3B, LF, RF, and possibly SS. Johnson backs up all 3 OF positions. Fontenot or Cintron would be available to back up SS. Without the trade, Murton gets traded for nothing, Cedeno loses whatever trade value he had by sitting on the bench, and players like Patterson waste another year in the minors.

But it does make you wonder where Murton is going and for whom.

Cubs just signed Reed Johnson from MLB Trade Rumors

1B - Lee, Ward, DeRosa 2B - DeRosa, Cedeno, Patterson SS - Theriot, Cedeno 3B - ARam, DeRosa LF - Soriano, Murton, DeRosa, Patterson CF - Pie, Fukudome, Patterson, Cedeno RF - Fukudome, Murton, DeRosa, Patterson C - Soto, Blanco Why do we need to pickup or trade for anyone else?

I totally agree. The one thing that Hendry and Lou share is that they have a habit of totally ignoring certain players (Murton, Cedeno, Marshall) and obsessing over others (Theriot, Roberts) usually without a good reason. As you posted, sliding Fukudome over to CF and using Murton in RF is 1000 times better than signing Johnson or trading for the likes of Payton, Byrd, Willits, etc.

I agree. I like that the Cubs are not talking about somebody like Crisp right now. He would be a guy who could be seen as challenging Pie for his starting job, and I think it is important for Felix to know that the job is his, at least in a platoon in which he sees a vast majority of the action. Johnson's splits against lefties are preferable to Davannon's and that is what really matters here. The Cubs have Ward as the primary pinch hitter against righties, and he's proven to be dependable. Murton is the 4th OFer and would take over RF with Fukudome in CF if Pie were to get injured. So considering who would make the better starting CFer between Johnson and Davannon is pointless. Go sign Reed Johnson, Jim. A bench of Ward, Murton, Johnson, Fontenot and Blanco ain't bad. Cedeno???????

Especially since it isn't opening day yet. I would think opening day will end the speculation until the trade deadline.

There is the problem with it. I looked throughout our system for players over 40 to include in the deal, but I couldn't find any.

Rajai Davis + Steve Kline for Micah Hoffpaur + Neal Cotts. Not earth shattering but, we get a 3-position, RH OF sub plus a loogy with a dirty cap. Giants get younger at 1B and bullpen.

I asked the same question on 3/12/08 (How about a deal with the Blue Jays?) before he was put on waivers. If the Cubs are committed to Pie, I think he might be a decent option especially since he's cheap. As I pointed out before, another good thing is that he's not a real threat to take Pie's job (so the Cubs would have to let Pie work through some of his problems).

I think the O's front office got Magic 8 Balls for Xmas. Make a decision, jeez.

If Hendry returns DD's call and gets laughed at for asking about Renteria, it probably won't be the first time Hendry got laughed at. On the chance he doesn't get laughed at, it might open a discussion with DD about a trade for Renteria. I think it's worth a shot. BTW, the reason it won't happen has nothing to do with Renteria, it is that Lou and Hendry are satisfied with Theriot.

Exactly. They contacted Hendry, not the other way around. If they want bullpen help, we can help them with that. If they need some salary relief to go along with bullpen help, we can help them with that as well. The salary relief allows them to spend even more to fix their pen. But, if Renteria is untouchable to Detroit, there's really nothing more to talk about. "Good luck, I hope you find the bullpen help you need from someone else." I can't see them dealing Renteria either, but you make a good point (they contacted Hendry, not the other way around). How about offering Marmol + Theriot + prospect for Renteria and Inge + cash. Saves them a ton of money and gives them their relief pitcher and replacement SS. They can afford the downgrade in offense. The Cubs get their starting SS and have Inge as a super-sub (including CF).

I do think Hendry is a man of his word and as such, I think Fukudome would only play CF on a temporary basis. Fukudome signed with the Cubs specifically to play RF.

It's great to cover your rear end, but a lot of the trade speculation for a backup CF seems to be on players that could take over full time if Pie flops. Isn't Murton a better option as a 4th OF than all of the rumored deals mentioned? This would mean Fukudome would slide over to CF (he stated that he would if asked) on a temporary basis. I'm sure Fukudome wouldn't object to playing 25-30 games in CF. Why would it be necessary to make a trade for a backup CF if you already have a solid replacement unless you're looking for a possible permanent replacement? :scratch: Murton>Willits, Payton, Crisp, etc.

I like. Is it that much less nasty with Piggy or Lahey instead of Marte? Or with Leiber in long relief and Hart in short relief? Especially when whoever gets the final pen spot will be basically the 25th man on the roster? Is it that much less nasty to pay more in money and prospects to upgrade it? That's the same point people make for not making the Roberts' trade. Getting Marte makes a good bullpen better. Of course, everything depends on cost. It's completely different. You are talking about getting better for 1 inning at a time, 70 games a year. With Roberts you are getting a 9-inning/ 150 game per year player. It's completely the same. You take a good situation and upgrade it to make it better. That 1 inning at a time, 70 games a year possibly could make a swing of 8-10 wins depending on the situation. I could argue the VORP of Roberts over DeRosa is less than the VORP of Marte over Pignatello or Cotts. I repeat, you make a good situation better in either case. lol Roberts in 2007 - 48.6 Derosa in 2007 - 21.3 Marte, in what was basically a career year, vorped 15.7 In other words, no. And Piggy/Cotts VORP is probably negative 70. Also, Eyre has more than his share of ups and downs in the bullpen. My original post was to check out the availability of Marte because he would add depth and a 2nd lefty to a good bullpen in order to give Lou more options. I agree that I wouldn't overpay for him, but it certainly wouldn't hurt having a good lefty in the bullpen regardless of the efficiency of the righties.

I like. Is it that much less nasty with Piggy or Lahey instead of Marte? Or with Leiber in long relief and Hart in short relief? Especially when whoever gets the final pen spot will be basically the 25th man on the roster? Is it that much less nasty to pay more in money and prospects to upgrade it? That's the same point people make for not making the Roberts' trade. Getting Marte makes a good bullpen better. Of course, everything depends on cost. It's completely different. You are talking about getting better for 1 inning at a time, 70 games a year. With Roberts you are getting a 9-inning/ 150 game per year player. It's completely the same. You take a good situation and upgrade it to make it better. That 1 inning at a time, 70 games a year possibly could make a swing of 8-10 wins depending on the situation. I could argue the VORP of Roberts over DeRosa is less than the VORP of Marte over Pignatello or Cotts. I repeat, you make a good situation better in either case.

Gee, and Baltimore fans wonder why they suck every year in and out. Until Angelos stop meddling around, Baltimore won't be a very good baseball team for awhile. Angelos is a George Steinbrenner wanna-be. Even if all the rumored players are involved in the trade, Baltimore will still suck even if they make this trade. When the smoke clears and Roberts is traded to the Cubs, all Baltimore will have gotten for Miguel Tejada, Erik Bedard and Brian Roberts is Adam Jones and a bunch of guys who may or may not piece together a decent major league career. There is plenty of reason for Angelos to balk on this deal. I say screw it if they don't like the offers currently out there. Promote Eric Patterson and let him platoon at 2b with DeRosa. This frees up DeRosa to sub at other positions and slowly grooms Patterson at 2b, mostly facing RHP. The combination of Patterson and DeRosa is probably not all that far off from what Roberts can provide, but for less money over less years. When Baltimore is in last place on July 31 and they still have Brian Roberts, and Roberts is miserable and is speaking loudly that he wants to be traded, maybe the demands will soften and maybe Patterson will have increased his trade value. I'm not ready to start thinking about backup plans just yet. I'm still sticking to an opening day deadline, but I don't have a problem with putting a little pressure on the O's to make a choice. Roberts Fukudome Any back up plan you can come up with won't match the production you would get with Roberts and Fukudome batting 1,2. That's a whole lot of OBP and speed on the bases with DLee, Aram, and Soriano to follow. We've been begging for OBP at the top of the order for a long time now. We are one transaction away from having it. I know people are getting impatient, but I also feel some folks are undervalueing what Roberts would bring to our offense. I doubt that Lou will bat Roberts and Fukudome 1, 2 because he wants to seperate the lefties in the lineup. I would think it would be Roberts and then Soriano, with Fukudome batting 5th. You're probably right. I could be wrong, but everyone 1-5 seemed to have pretty good splits. Soriano in the 2 hole will decrease the OBP in front of Lee and Aram. Fukudome will probably be more OBP than power, so he makes better sense in the 2 hole to me. Two table setters in Front of Lee, Aram, Soriano. If Lee doesn't drive anyone in, he'll clog bases with decent speed and a .400 OBP. The same for Aram with his .360 ish OBP. Soriano in the 5 hole can just mash, his low OBP and power would be a good fit here. I don't disagree that Roberts and Fukudome would be great at the top, but the Cubs seem to really emphasize splitting up the lefties.

Barrett would rake in that ballpark, I think. You mean they want him for the grounds crew? =D>

I like. Is it that much less nasty with Piggy or Lahey instead of Marte? Or with Leiber in long relief and Hart in short relief? Especially when whoever gets the final pen spot will be basically the 25th man on the roster? Is it that much less nasty to pay more in money and prospects to upgrade it? That's the same point people make for not making the Roberts' trade. Getting Marte makes a good bullpen better. Of course, everything depends on cost.