Backtobanks

With all of the negative comments that I've read about Pena, he should be very cheap. The Red Sox have been trying to dump him and basically gave up. I would offer a middle prospect and no way to Murton or Ohman. If you're going to trade Murton or Ohman, you can package them this off season and get something of value.

He is starting to hit, but don't mention catching the ball or throwing out runners.

My opposition to Dunn is that he doesn't help against lefties, he's horrible in the OF, he would probably cost way too much in trade, and he would have no position when Soriano comes back.

The Sox are pretty much screwed for the next few years. They are clearly not as good or as young as the Indians, Tigers, and Twins. Unless the Sox throw up the white flag and trade players like Garland/Vasquez, Dye, and Konerko now or during the offseason, they won't be doing much for the next few years.

Seems pretty safe to assume that KW wasn't proposing that as a straight-up trade. Contreras would simply be a salary-balancer. That's even worse, sending them a player that has no value and then making them pay $20 million. Why doesn't he just tell the Orioles that he will take Miggy off their hands and they can pay his salary.

Cubs Considering Outfielders Multiple readers have emailed me about a radio report on WSCR 670 The Score out of Chicago today. According to the report, the Cubs are considering multiple trade possibilities to fill the monthlog gap left by Alfonso Soriano's quad injury. On the radar: Craig Monroe, Matt Stairs, Jeff Conine, and Adam Dunn. Additionally, Cubs GM Jim Hendry came out and said today that he's working the phones to find some help. Contract situations of each player: Monroe - $1.5MM left in '07, should earn $5MM+ in '08 before reaching free agency Stairs - $267K left in '07, free agent after season Conine - $630K left in '07, free agent after season Dunn - $3.3MM left in '07, free agent after season if traded Monroe is the right-handed Jacque Jones, contract situation and all. He'd be a poor and mildly expensive addition. He'd probably clear waivers. Stairs is doing what he does best, mashing righties. He's having his best season since 2003. He's not earning much and has no '08 commitment. He played for the Cubs in '01 and did a decent job. The problem? He might be claimed off waivers before he gets to the Cubs. Jim Hendry really should've made this deal in July. Every AL team will have a crack at him first on waivers. Plus the Jays might fancy themselves contenders at six games out of the wild card. Conine is on the last leg of his career and doesn't really offer anything Matt Murton doesn't. I don't really see the point but this pickup seems most likely. Dunn is the most intriguing and also by far the least likely option here. The Cubs would have to give up some good players and pay out a decent chunk of salary for less than two months of Dunn. They'd also have to do something ugly like put him in right field when Soriano comes back. I don't see this happening. Nothing new, but some pretty miserable options. None of these players are worth trading for unless you're looking for bench help.

Tejada deal falls through with ChiSox GM Kenny Williams offered a polite "no comment'' Monday when asked about an ESPN report that the White Sox claimed Baltimore Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada off waivers. The Sox have shot down Tejada trade rumors the past few seasons. According to ESPN, the White Sox and the Orioles were unable to work out a trade after the waiver claim. Tejada, who recently returned from a wrist injury that kept him out a month, is owed $26 million over the next two seasons. If there was some interest from the White Sox, it likely was based on Baltimore taking struggling starting pitcher Jose Contreras, who is owed $20 million over the next two seasons. -- Daily Herald I think Kenny Williams ought to get a gig at Zanies. People think we come up with crazy trade rumors.

If Murt cant even get in the game after losing a starting OF and over a left handed 2nd baseman, then I think its safe to assume Murton isnt going to be seeing a lot of playing time. I still don't understand playing and calling up infielders (Derosa & Patterson) to play the OF while regular outfielders (Murton & Pie) don't play or get called up. I guess we'll have to wait and see since most of what Lou has done this year has worked out pretty well.

This is a hard argument to take sides on. I do think there are a lot of players where the mental part of the game is a big part, but there are some players that are blessed with so much raw talent that the mental aspect is almost nil. One player that comes to mind is Manny Ramirez. I guess the only point that I can make is that each player is an individual and what part of their game is mental depends on that individual, so you can't say that baseball is 90% mental or 40% mental.

Young Yunil Escobar will likely get most of the starts in his absence. Just goes to prove what an amazing job Schuerholz has done in Atlanta. Good players go down and they're replaced by great prospects. Trade great prospects and bring in a slugger, a loogy, and a closer. The bottom line is that they're have been contending for almost 20 years.

Link. I found it curious because I don't see how Dunn would clear waivers. A team claiming him would not be taking on a big contract, so I could see many teams making the claim to prevent someone else from getting him. Either way, I found the quote interesting. If he's still out there, I'd hope in light of our anemic offense, Hendry would make a run at him. If a team claims him, the Reds pull him off waivers and try to make a deal with the team that claimed him. The Reds certainly won't let him go for nothing.

1. Non-waiver trade deadline has passed, so all players would have to clear waivers. 2. WHY? You admit that Contreres has been bad, yet your willing to give up 2 players for him? Are you a Sox fan? Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

I hope he can teach them when and how to throw a slider low and away.

According to the Daily Herald, there's a good chance that John McDonough and Steve Stone could be in the front office of the Cubs: Regardless of which group winds up buying the Cubs — but especially in light of who's considered the frontrunner — it seems nearly certain that team president John McDonough will be somewhere in the Cubs' front office next year. Maybe even in the same chair he occupies today. Private-equity legend John Canning, of Chicago's Madison Dearborn Partners fame, has put together a roster of superstar partners such as Andy McKenna, Patrick Ryan, Rich Melman, Larry Levy, Michael Krasny, Ed Kaplan and Craig Duchossois, all billionaires or names that carry enough local clout to scare the daylights out of any other bidders. McDonough knows them all, and it would be illogical to make a change — or remove McDonough completely from the equation — considering McDonough's track record and their familiarity with him. -- Daily Herald For those hoping to see a Steve Stone return to Wrigley Field perhaps in a front-office capacity, which constitutes a huge percentage of Cubs fans, all-world restaurateur Rich Melman's name has been linked with John Canning for months. Melman and Stone go back to the mid-'70s. "Richard and I have been partners for 33 years. That's true,'' Stone said Thursday. "But who knows how any of this will turn out? There will be crazy twists and turns, and you never know because there's a long way to go in the process. "I do know, having been through the process myself, that baseball likes local ownership and experience in the game, not first-time owners.'' Canning owns 11 percent of the Milwaukee Brewers, and his group is loaded with Chicago power brokers. On paper, it looks like the perfect sell. -- Daily Herald

How about we help them by trading Koyie Hill for Estrada?

Yankees, followed by the Mets, Dodgers, Angels. Probably get $200 million.

The bottom line is that neither the Rangers or the White Sox have any hope in 2008. Daniels gave the Rangers hope for 2009-2010, while the White Sox look like losers for the next few years. The White Sox could have had some excellent prospects by trading Garland or Vasquez, Konerko, and Dye.

The Texas Rangers GM showed what to do with a team that wasn't going to contend for the next 14 months. He has stockpiled enough young talent to make them contenders for 2009-2010. Kenny Williams take note.

The Playoffs and the WS are a crapshoot. Someone like Aram, Dlee, or Soriano gets hot and they can carry you through a 7 game series. The same thing is true with a pitcher who could win 3 games in a series. It all depends on who gets hot when. That being said, we would all like to see another big bat in the lineup.

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner. Everyone knows that Hendry is busy shopping for "something" and the first person everyone wants in return is Pie. I doubt very much that Hendry is "shopping" Pie, especially for the like of Laird or some over-the-hill two month rental.

I'm one of those people anxiously awaited a deal, but I really am starting to think that our current platoon players (Fontenot, Derosa, Pagan, Floyd, Jones, Murton, etc.) are better than most of what's available especially when you consider the cost of giving up prospects to get them. Meanwhile, I'm still hoping for Griffey.

That Kenny Williams Kool-Aide is potent stuff.

I think if Z is the only 20 game winner and his ERA drops just a tad more he will win the Cy Young. Wins still mean the most to the voters Also, a lot depends on whether the Cubs get to the playoffs.

As much as we drool or groan over some of the rumored deals, looking over the players available and the cost (in players and salary) to get them, the best deal might be to not make a deal.

Dumb. JK. I'm not big in any way on trading Pie, but at the same time, if we think we can add that big piece that could make the difference between winning the division and playing golf in October, I say you gotta roll the dice. I'm sure Hendry, if these rumors are true, would probably do his best to hold on to Pie, but considering that he thinks Colvin is the second-coming of Jim Edmonds, I'm thinking he might gamble. If Pie goes, it better be part of a larger deal than just Griffey. If the Reds send Arroyo to ATL and we get Renteria, that might not be too bad. Both players are way under market because of deferred payment in Griffey's case and Boston picking up most of Renteria's salary. It would all depend on the other players involved, but "under market" or not Griffey and Renteria would be a huge pickup of salary for the new owners. Renteria is owed about 5M next year, Griffey about 9M. If I'm a potential owner the Cubs look a hell of a lot better of a team to me with both those guys on the roster for 2008 than a 14M cheaper payroll. Add in the fact that it could the reigning world champion cubs and it looks like a good investment to me. I agree with you, except we're not potential buyers and don't forget another $17-20 million for Zambrano.