Backtobanks

Assuming the trade for Roberts happens, all of the discussion centered on DeRosa being a "super sub" and getting about 400 AB. Short of an injury to a key player(or becoming a starting SS), I would think that Roberts, ARam, Soriano, and Fukudome are all penciled in for 150+ games each. How is DeRosa going to get 400 AB? This is one reason that I think the Cubs ought to use their resources to target a SS rather than Roberts. Replacing DeRosa with Roberts only improves the team minimally while replacing Theriot with Greene or Peralta would be a huge upgrade. While we're not sure whether Greene or Peralta are available, I would think that by offering a package that might be considered overpaying might do the trick.

Yu Darvish On Yankees' Radar? Yu Darvish is a 21 year-old Iranian-Japanese starter for the Nippon Ham Fighters. Darvish backs up his celebrity status as perhaps Japan's best pitcher. His Wikipedia page is a good read. Today, East Windup Chronicle speaks of a thirdhand report indicating the Yankees' intent to acquire Darvish after the 2008 season. Apparently the Dodgers, Mets, and Cubs are on his trail as well. According to the report, Daisuke Matsuzaka's $8.6MM salary would be the floor with Darvish. And I'm guessing his posting fee would easily exceed Dice-K's $51.1MM. Two huge questions remain. Are the Fighters actually considering posting Darvish after the '08 season? The loss of such a popular player would be a huge hit for Japanese baseball. Also, does Darvish even want to play in the U.S.?

Cedeno's got the potential to be a good fielder, but Hu is already GG calibur. With both, you get the chance they hit for something, and if they don't you atleast get premium defense at the position with Hu. Just what we need, another Dodger SS who drives in runs with his glove. In many of my posts, I've been trying to propose getting a "real" SS as opposed to spending resources on a 2B (which we don't need). As I wrote in an earlier post, I don't think Cedeno will be given the opportunity to be the starting SS under Piniella, so we might as well try to obtain someone who can hit and field better than Theriot. Obviously, nobody knows how well Hu will be able to hit, but his minor league stats seem to be favorable plus he can field the position. The end result is that the proposed trade offers another potential option at SS while not giving up a vital part of the team.

Cedeno's got the potential to be a good fielder, but Hu is already GG calibur. With both, you get the chance they hit for something, and if they don't you atleast get premium defense at the position with Hu. Plus the fact that I think Cedeno is falling into the same category as Murton and Marshall......players that Lou doesn't believe in and won't give them a fair shot at a starting job. I think all three of them have a good chance to be successful, but it won't be with the Cubs.

Well, he split his time between AA and AAA last year and hit a combined .325, 14 HRs, 40 doubles, slugged .505, and was selected Dodgers' Minor League Player of the Year. Sure sounds like he has the potential to be a very good major league SS. As for Crede being garbage, the Dodgers are rumored to be thinking about Rolen (expensive, injured garbage). Also, getting anything out of Crede would be worth ditching Pierre (plus $15 million) and the other $21.5 million owed to him. a sub 850 OPS in Vegas is pathetic. I wasn't looking at Hu to replace ARod, but more for the old-fashioned middle infielder who can hit for average, run, and field his position. We'll leave the slugging to Soriano, DLee, and ARam.

Well, he split his time between AA and AAA last year and hit a combined .325, 14 HRs, 40 doubles, slugged .505, and was selected Dodgers' Minor League Player of the Year. Sure sounds like he has the potential to be a very good major league SS. As for Crede being garbage, the Dodgers are rumored to be thinking about Rolen (expensive, injured garbage). Also, getting anything out of Crede would be worth ditching Pierre (plus $15 million) and the other $21.5 million owed to him.

While waiting for the baseball offices to reopen, here's a deal to contemplate: Dodgers get: Crede (White Sox) White Sox get: Pierre & $15 million (Dodgers) and Marshall (Cubs) Cubs get: Hu (Dodgers) If Hu isn't ready to take over at SS in 2008, he certainly should be ready in 2009.

If memory serves, the only published offer from the Tribe was Lee, Shoppach, and Gutierrez. The offer was Lee, Shoppach, Gutierrez, and a minor league pitcher for Bay and Paulino. They don't need a lefty pitcher making $3 million (Lee) coming off a horrible year because they have 3 lefties in the rotation now. Murton's stats are much better than Gutierrez' stats. Shoppach might be a slightly better option than Barrett, but they have been after Barrett. Cedeno saves them money at SS and Gallagher gives them a young RH starter. Paulino and Marshall would be an attractive trade package for a future deal. As another poster pointed out, you're never sure what the Pirates are trying to do when they make a deal, but loading up with a starting C, a young SS, a young LF, and 2 young starters, while shedding quite a bit of payroll sounds like a good move for a low-budget, bottom-of-the-division team.

I'm getting bored waiting for these GMs to get back to work. I still think I would rather go for a SS than another 2B. How about a 3-way deal: Padres get: Jason Bay and Jack Wilson (from Pirates) Cubs get: Khalil Greene and Scott Hairston (from Padres) Pirates get: Michael Barrett (from Padres), Murton, Cedeno, Gallagher, and Marshall (from Cubs). With a little bit of tweaking, I think it looks pretty good. I know Greene isn't a lefty and doesn't bat leadoff, but I still think it would be more efficient to use our resources to obtain a SS rather than another 2B. Getting Roberts removes DeRosa from the lineup and I still don't see how DeRosa would get 400 AB as a utility man unless there is a major injury (ARam, Fukudome, or Soriano) or he can play SS regularly. Soriano Fukudome DLee Aram Greene Soto DeRosa Pie =D> =D> =D>

He really must think he is going to come back and pitch well, since the Padres are paying him quite a bit less than what the Cubs would have paid him in 2008. As for him being "soft", Tom Shaer (sp?) was on CLTV's Sports Page Sunday night and said that two veterans on the Cubs told him that Prior wasn't respected by his team mates and that they thought he was soft. That's the first time that I had heard any "official" confirmation that team mates thought he was soft. Of course there's been a ton of discussion from fans and sports radio on his wussiness.

Quite a while ago, I mentioned something about trying to get Keppinger and most of the responses pointed out that Keppinger isn't any more of a SS than Theriot. I thought his offensive numbers looked pretty good, but apparently his defense and range aren't up to par. Also, I imagine cooperating with a team in our division on a 3-way trade might be difficult.

He's not a lefty, so we don't want him.

Today Kenny is saying that they've filled their holes, albeit not with "stars" or "who the fans wanted". =D> =D> =D>

Well said! Pie should get every chance to succeed in CF, but if a deal comes up that significantly improves the Cubs, trade him.

That's what I'd like to see. Cleveland wants Jason Bay really bad and they haven't made an offer yet that Pittsburgh would be satisfied with. A 3 way deal that sends Bay to Cleveland, Peralta to the Cubs and major league ready players go to Pittsburgh would make a lot of sense, IMO. Cleveland has Cabrera to step in and play SS. Cubs could use a SS. Pittsburgh wants players that will, well, I've never really understood what Pittsburgh wants, so I'll just say a package of players. :D The thing with Cleveland is that they only want to trade prospects and spare parts for Bay (fortunately for them they are so good that their prospects and spare parts can get close to doing it). They DO NOT want to start subtracting from their team. A downgrade from Peralta to Barfield (via Cabrera moving across the bag) is not what they want to do. The only way I could see it happening is if Jack Wilson goes to the Indians to replace Peralta. Shapiro made a ton of noise about Peralta's defense last offseason and would probably be interested in an above average defensive shortstop like Wilson (Chone has him as a 1.5 wins over Peralta on defense). Indians get Wilson, Bay, and Paulino Cubs get Peralta Pirates get Shoppach, Cliff Lee, Franky Gutierrez, Theriot, Patterson, Murton Theres your realistic 10 player trade :D It's okay by me, but as I said before it would be nice if somehow the Cubs could squeeze out Jason Michaels or Damaso Marte in the deal. With Gutierrez going (in the proposal I made), they aren't going to give up Michaels. I'm sure you could convince the Pirates to give up Marte. I realize they probably wouldn't give up Michaels in your trade scenario, but trading Murton leaves the Cubs a little thin in OF depth and RH pinch hitters.

That's what I'd like to see. Cleveland wants Jason Bay really bad and they haven't made an offer yet that Pittsburgh would be satisfied with. A 3 way deal that sends Bay to Cleveland, Peralta to the Cubs and major league ready players go to Pittsburgh would make a lot of sense, IMO. Cleveland has Cabrera to step in and play SS. Cubs could use a SS. Pittsburgh wants players that will, well, I've never really understood what Pittsburgh wants, so I'll just say a package of players. :D The thing with Cleveland is that they only want to trade prospects and spare parts for Bay (fortunately for them they are so good that their prospects and spare parts can get close to doing it). They DO NOT want to start subtracting from their team. A downgrade from Peralta to Barfield (via Cabrera moving across the bag) is not what they want to do. The only way I could see it happening is if Jack Wilson goes to the Indians to replace Peralta. Shapiro made a ton of noise about Peralta's defense last offseason and would probably be interested in an above average defensive shortstop like Wilson (Chone has him as a 1.5 wins over Peralta on defense). Indians get Wilson, Bay, and Paulino Cubs get Peralta Pirates get Shoppach, Cliff Lee, Franky Gutierrez, Theriot, Patterson, Murton Theres your realistic 10 player trade :D It's okay by me, but as I said before it would be nice if somehow the Cubs could squeeze out Jason Michaels or Damaso Marte in the deal.

And Peralta is a SS (which we need) and Roberts is a 2B (which we don't need).

This morning's Tribune hinted that the White Sox might be interested in Roberts.

As long as you have a good, rational reason not to like a trade that would improve the Cubs. :lol:

That's what I'd like to see. Cleveland wants Jason Bay really bad and they haven't made an offer yet that Pittsburgh would be satisfied with. A 3 way deal that sends Bay to Cleveland, Peralta to the Cubs and major league ready players go to Pittsburgh would make a lot of sense, IMO. Cleveland has Cabrera to step in and play SS. Cubs could use a SS. Pittsburgh wants players that will, well, I've never really understood what Pittsburgh wants, so I'll just say a package of players. :D I totally agree with that deal, even if the Cubs don't make the Roberts deal. In fact, I would drop the Roberts' deal and send those players (Gallagher, Murton, Patterson) to the Pirates in this 3-way instead. SS is the position the Cubs most need to upgrade. It would be great to expand the deal to include Jason Michaels (maybe send Cleveland Marquis/Dempster or a young player), who can play all 3 OF positions and would be a RH bat off the bench. How About: Pirates get: Gallagher, Murton, Patterson, Theriot Indians get: Bay, Dempster/Marquis Cubs get: Peralta, Marte Soriano LF DeRosa 2B DLee 1B ARam 3B Fukudome RF Peralta SS Soto C Pie CF Bench: Michaels, Cedeno, Ward, Blanco, ????? =D> =D> =D> Just a few things here... 1. Did you want Marte or Michaels? Cause you put Marte in the actual trade proposal instead. Cause depending on if that's Damaso Marte or Andy Marte, that could change things quite a bit. 2. Any way you want to cut it, the Pirates would not be getting enough for Bay. 3. DeRosa shouldn't be batting #2. If we have to go with a semi-typical lineup (i.e. Lee not batting 2nd), Fukudome is our best option there. Damaso Marte. Fine, we'll put Fukudome 2nd, Peralta 5th, DeRosa 6th. As for the Pirates not getting enough for Bay, throw in Veal/Pignatello or tweak it however we need to tweak it to get it done. I still like this deal better than the Roberts deal.

That's what I'd like to see. Cleveland wants Jason Bay really bad and they haven't made an offer yet that Pittsburgh would be satisfied with. A 3 way deal that sends Bay to Cleveland, Peralta to the Cubs and major league ready players go to Pittsburgh would make a lot of sense, IMO. Cleveland has Cabrera to step in and play SS. Cubs could use a SS. Pittsburgh wants players that will, well, I've never really understood what Pittsburgh wants, so I'll just say a package of players. :D I totally agree with that deal, even if the Cubs don't make the Roberts deal. In fact, I would drop the Roberts' deal and send those players (Gallagher, Murton, Patterson) to the Pirates in this 3-way instead. SS is the position the Cubs most need to upgrade. It would be great to expand the deal to include Jason Michaels (maybe send Cleveland Marquis/Dempster or a young player), who can play all 3 OF positions and would be a RH bat off the bench. How About: Pirates get: Gallagher, Murton, Patterson, Theriot Indians get: Bay, Dempster/Marquis Cubs get: Peralta, Marte Soriano LF DeRosa 2B DLee 1B ARam 3B Fukudome RF Peralta SS Soto C Pie CF Bench: Michaels, Cedeno, Ward, Blanco, ????? =D> =D> =D>

First, how many upgrades at SS are readily available? Personally, I don't see any upgrades at SS as being available. We've kicked around the idea of Greene, but I don't remember seeing any serious speculation that he was available. If the Cubs get Roberts and Blanton (or the equivalent), they certainly should be favorites to win the NL Central and have a shot at the WS. As I have pointed out before, all that a GM can do is put together the best possible team on paper so that you can get to the playoffs. After that it's a crapshoot.

We already have a bunch of "insiders" except our "seemingly accurate inside information" tends to be in our imaginations. =D>

My interest in obtaining Cabrera is that he's a SS, which is a position of need for the Cubs. That's why there's all of the discussion about Greene from SD. Getting Roberts is an upgrade, but only a slight upgrade over the incumbent DeRosa, while Cabrera or Greene is a big upgrade over Theriot. As for which players the Cubs could offer the White Sox, it doesn't really matter because Kenny Williams still thinks his team is a contender this year. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I suggested that in another thread a while ago. How about Murton, Marshall, and Cedeno for Cabrera.