jersey cubs fan

I don't think that should be considered a "pro" to the trade.

I was thinking the same thing. Worse pitchers than Jason Marquis have been traded in post deadline/ desparation deals (Jeff Fassero for example) The Tigers seem like a good fit. It would be a low risk acquisition that could help stabilize their pitching to see if they really do have a chance this year. If he's terrible or they fall out the race anyway all it cost was money. Marquis could also be useful to a rebuilding team like the Indians as an innings eater to protect their younger arms. Not many of those guys were owed $12m.

No need to hold out for a prospect. Getting his awful contract off the books would be more than enough value. His level of performance can be filled by guys making $400,000, and then you'd have money to apply to actual players of worth. The problem is they probably can't get anybody to bite on that contract.

That's a good thought. Put him on waivers. He'll clear, and if some one is silly enough to claim him, give them the Randy Myers treatment and let them have him, salary and all. is there anyway to find out if that has already been done (the putting him on waivers part)? If he clears waivers do we still have to pay his contract as-is? yes

Voted Brewers take 3 of 4, hopefully Cubs manage a split.

http://peoriachiefs.com/news/current/index.html?article_id=835

It is important to be nice.

My guess is Angelo told the agent to tell Devin, "Remember when Urlacher showed up to OTA and then they signed him?" They probably refused to sign him while he was holding out, and told him, show up, and then we'll sign.

This is an embarrassment, especially considering the game coming up at Wrigley. Ryno is not running a tight ship. He seems to take pride in fighting and getting thrown out. His replacement reportedly shoves another manager? A pitcher repeatedly throws at hitters' heads and then at fans. You almost have to wonder if the higher ups consider cancelling the Wrigley game.

I gotta think Howry' nearing a DFA, most especially if Gaudin and Samardzija prove to be effective. I would be shocked if Howry was DFA. The only way I see that happening is if he continues his most recent suck job for a full month

Hester reported to camp.

Agreed. It bugs the heck out of me that he's still on the 40 man. Get someone else on there for once! He's not taking a space from anybody, there is already an open slot available. It would be better to put him on the 60-day DL. That's consistent with what they both said, since putting him on the 60-day DL would take him off the 40-man roster. Actually 60-day DL keeps him on the 40-man but allows the team an extra spot. Taking him off the 40-man means releaseing him entirely. While that may be fun, it really doesn't help the Cubs.

He's moved to and from the bullpen on multiple occasions over the past two years. And it's probably for no more than a week - when Wood returns. It's much better to call up a guy already on the 40-man roster, than to put a guy on the 40 and then burn an option for what may amount to no more than 1 or 2 appearances.

More than an hour away, right? Not that late.

How Cubs-like would it be to waste a roster spot for 12 days before putting somebody on the 15-day DL, and then not have his replacement in Chicago in-time for the game?

Now that Wood's on the DL might as well send him straight to Chicago.

I agree with your 2nd sentence. As for your first one, that's some fuzzy logic. Technically, it's true. He didn't say, if you have success in AAA you will have success in the majors. He said you can.

not to sound like an ass and maybe i'm misremembering, but who on Earth is Castilla? I assume that's meant to be Welington Castillo.

I like seeing them show-up and reading the stories, but the minute-by-minute updates of practice, and fan reaction to practice, is a bit much. It would be impossible not to follow it at all until September though.

Agreed. It bugs the heck out of me that he's still on the 40 man. Get someone else on there for once! He's not taking a space from anybody, there is already an open slot available. It would be better to put him on the 60-day DL.

Reminds me of my first day of practice senior year. Stretching before the first two-a-day, I managed wrench my back, how embarrasing.

Wuertz has been walking a lot of guys this year, and he just gave up 3 more in his last outing. I can see why they'd hesitate to bring him up. Between Samardzija and Ceda, I'd probably prefer Ceda. However, that requires adding Ceda to the 40-man, and likely means burning an option when they send him down in a few weeks. This could be a setback to Samardzija's development, however, to equate it to the stupidity of signing Neifi Perez is just plain wrong. He's over the 110 IP mark right now and he threw 140 last year. Even if he comes up and stays in the major league bullpen through the end of the year, it wouldn't be hard for him to match that 140 level, giving him back to back solid totals for a guy still learning to pitch. He's been in the bullpen off and on a couple times the past two years, show there shouldn't be much of an adjustment. I think the Cubs still view him as a front end starter longterm, so I doubt there's a lot of risk they will keep him locked into the bullpen - unless he pulls a Marmol, in which case I can't say I'd be disappointed. If he comes up and struggles, then you send him back down in early August and he still gets enough minor league starts to have 140-150 IP for the year. And at that point you have Lieber coming back, hopefully Wuertz figuring it out, and maybe Howry finally improving. I don't see a lot of downside to calling him up.

Ceda could always take Fox's spot. Although i was thinking they might be saving that for Guzman. Don't we still have an open spot on the 40 man right now after trading Murt, EPatt and Gally for Harden and Gaudin? As mentioned before, we've got several guys that could be dropped from the 40 man if needed with no worry. Ceda makes sense as he'll need to be added in the offseason anyways, or we'll end up losing him. Our farm is too thin to risk losing any of our few decent prospects, I think the 40 man is going to get quite a shaking in the offseason. There are 40 names on the current 40-man, with one on the 60-day DL (Guzman) and another who probably should be on the 60-day DL (Fox). At this point they could add somebody. But if they add Ceda, and then send him down, they will have used an option year and maybe they don't think it's the right time to start burning his options (although I don't see why that would be the case).

No. This was just a Gorden Wiittenmeyer article. Nothing to see here, move along now... Trib has a story about it too.. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080723-kerry-wood-blister-chicago-cubs,1,6972131.story Why are you guys ignoring Bruce? I will say, I don't have a problem with it. I'm baffled by the Samardzija situation. He was so bad, but he's been pitching well for a little bit, and brief stints in the bullpen have appeared to do him well. He's still under 300 IP as a professional and will need to go back to starting again at some point to keep learning how to pitch, and develop his arm. But this would be interesting.

Yes he has leverage, but no, they don't need him more than he needs them. He needs them a lot. He's not anywhere close to becoming a free agent. He's not making any significant money outside of football. It's not like he's a lock to be a great receiver. So, let's say the hold out goes until early August (when he'd have to report or risk losing service time for free agency purposes). The Bears can just slot him back into a return man only job, and the effect on the team may only be negligible. Meanwhile, Hester would have to play this year at significantly less than the $415,000 he doesn't deem acceptable right now. And he's still be a long way away from free agency. I completely agree with Hester that he deserves more. I don't have a big problem with him sitting out the first day and making a stink. But anything beyond that and he starts to lose the benefit of the doubt. The Bears have shown over and over to be completely fair with their players who are being underpaid. Only the ill-informed or ignorant can call them cheap. Any reasonable person would think there's an agreement to be made if they keep negotiating. As others have said, it's a tricky point between a hybrid KR/PR/3rd receiver (which Hester is now) and a KR/#1 receiver (which Hester may become). I think they need to negotiate a deal that protects the Bears if he fails to improve as a receiver, and rewards him if he does do well as a receiver. But that's not easy to do with salary caps and the CBA.