Little Slide Rooter

Hopefully it was pittsburgh, he can just change uniforms and start playing for them. Remember a few years back when Ray Durham was traded from the Giants to the Brewers while they were in the middle of a series together and since it hadn't completely gone though by the end of the series, at one point he was in the Giants dugout, though he was essentially a Brewer?

And even more exciting was that he hadn't struck out yet (0-3) when he was pulled from the game... But seriously, wouldn't make sense to call him up to take Reed's spot unless they're going to bench LaHair. Soriano's spot, on the other hand.... And benching LaHair's becoming a very real possibility.

Brett Jackson was pulled from the Iowa Cubs game around the same time as Gritty McGritterson was spotted shaking hands in the Cubs dugout. See you tomorrow Brett?

Perhaps more exciting is that Brett Jackson was just removed from the I Cubs game.

I expect a top 50 guy, but I'll settle for a top 75 assuming there's a high ceiling throw in as well.

Todd Walker for Jose Ceda was looking like it would be a good one. Then Ceda turned into Kevin Gregg.

The addition of Matt Szczur, Junior Lake's hot streak, and my mild intrigue in Logan Watkins suddenly make Tennessee very watchable.

Again, why do people keep acting as though 1 more year of for 12.5 M would be such an awful thing? Assuming we have any chance of contending, it would be great to come back with something similar to our current rotation and a big bat or two in the mix. Sure, I'd rather get a shiny new prospect or two, but I'd much prefer Dempster for a year than whatever junk the Dodgers want to give us. The 2013 free agent pitching class once seemed plentiful, but in the end, I wouldnt be surprised if it was highlighted by Marcum, McCarthy, and Peavy, all of whom have notable injury histories.

I fully expect for this to get [expletive] upon, but Darwin Barney currently has a WAR of 4.1, which I assume goes up if successfully moved to SS. To put it into perspective, Elvis Adrus, who is obviously a more attractive option has a WAR of 2.1. While your average fan would respond with something like that's why WAR is such a dumb stat, many new age GMs think otherwise, and Andrew Friedman certainly fits that mold. And a catcher they want? If Soto really is a NT candidate, may as well throw him in. If they're looking for a veteran middle reliever, 4th OF, or utility guy, we have one of each if they insist on a sweetener. James Shields is going to be 31 in December, and having a forgettable season but he does have team options for 2013&2014 of 9 and 12 MM respectively. Nice alternative to paying 3/45-50 or 5/65-75 for one of the remaining FA options. He also happens to fill one of our biggest needs. I am not disagreeing with the fact Barney could be a SS option for them (he was one up until he got called up) and Friedman certainly is a smart enough GM to look into it. But presumably if they traded for Barney/Soto they would be buyers and probably wouldn't be including Shields or any other pieces off their ML roster in return for those guys. It could be that they feel comfortable enough with their SP that they're willing to move Shields to fill their other needs. And even if they were sellers, again, Shields has team options for 9&12 MM the next 2 years, and they could pick them up, or buy them out for 1 mil a piece, but if they feel he's expendable, Barney's a guy who still has several years under team control and Soto is through 2013.

I fully expect for this to get [expletive] upon, but Darwin Barney currently has a WAR of 4.1, which I assume goes up if successfully moved to SS. To put it into perspective, Elvis Adrus, who is obviously a more attractive option has a WAR of 2.1. While your average fan would respond with something like that's why WAR is such a dumb stat, many new age GMs think otherwise, and Andrew Friedman certainly fits that mold. And a catcher they want? If Soto really is a NT candidate, may as well throw him in. If they're looking for a veteran middle reliever, 4th OF, or utility guy, we have one of each if they insist on a sweetener. James Shields is going to be 31 in December, and having a forgettable season but he does have team options for 2013&2014 of 9 and 12 MM respectively. Nice alternative to paying 3/45-50 or 5/65-75 for one of the remaining FA options. He also happens to fill one of our biggest needs.

More importantly, how are the Astros managing to dish off all of their spare parts for prospects? Wasn't that Theo's plan? Meanwhile, we have to beg our guys to accept a [expletive] lifeboat, and even the role players who should have long since shipped off for at least PTBNL continue to linger.

probably what fans of teams like the pirates, a's, and orioles would have said before this season The Pirates and Orioles have been packing away young players for years now. As for the A's, color me baffled. They have 2 big bats, and the core of their pitching prospects are still in the minors. Pirates are an interesting team to bring up. For years, they traded away anything of use for top prosects that continued to flop. Now, for the first time since the Killer Bs, they're seemingly relevant, but Bobby Hill, Andy LaRoche, and Craig Hanson damn sure have nothing to do with it. Where am I going with this? When you're a small market team, all you can do is keep packing in prospects and hope that enough of them pan out to open a window in which to contend. If not, you're forced to sell off those that do pan out and repeat process. When you're a big market team, you can also build a farm system, and put together a team that contend in the present. That's why everyone was so excited to have Theo on board. It simply wasn't realistic to expect him to turn the Cubs into the Red Sox overnight. Not without dishing out a whole new wave of bad contracts. Then again, nobody expected him to turn them into the Pirates either. I still don't, but whoever we trade or don't trade in the next 2 days, I'd love to see a very different team take the field in 2013.

I'm not sure who this is directed toward, but it could sum up the thoughts of most Cubs fans. Don't get me wrong, I have the utmost faith that by 2014 at the latest, we'll have the type of team that we've been hoping for, but damned if I know how we'll get there from here, especially if we don't make some big trades in the next few days.

According to my Iowa Cubs app, some guy named Jeff Frazier pinch hit for Lopez, and even it doesn't know who the hell he is.

That's something we havn't taken into consideration. Just because a team is interested in him doesn't mean that he'll be willing to go there. After the past 2 years with Aramis, Wood, and now Dempster, no longer do I assume that these veteran players will happily go wherever they have a chance to win.

If we don't make some big trades now, I really don't see how we can without some big free agent signings or trade prospects for big league players I really don't see how we can. The only help that we have coming from our farm in the next year or two is Vitters, Jackson, and Lake, as well as some relievers, none of whom are sure things by any means. Actually contend? Next season, meaning 2013. That is with or without Garza. Hopefully it is without. Get on board everyone, this vehicle is beginning to make its ascent. We certainly have to resources to turn this into a contender. The question is whether or not they use them or if they prefer to let the future hinge on a bunch of 18-20 year olds who may develope into stars, everyday players, role players, or career minor leaguers.

If we don't make some big trades now, I really don't see how we can without some big free agent signings or trade prospects for big league players I really don't see how we can. The only help that we have coming from our farm in the next year or two is Vitters, Jackson, and Lake, as well as some relievers, none of whom are sure things by any means.

Also with a SF and BB so far. They are routing CR 9-2 after 3.5 innings. =D> It's now 9-6, thanks to Justin Berg, who's still in the organization for some reason.

If nothing else, I'd like to see us go the Astros route and go all willy-nilly dumping unwanted veterans on anyone willing to give up any players in their early 20s for them.

I really can't imagine that. Even if we just get a bunch of PTBNL, there's really no benefit to keeping Johnson, Baker, and Camp, each of whom have had teams ask about at some point The only possible reason is that that there are many casual fans who have the whole seasons not over until the E# hits 0, or even until the last day of the season and the business side of the organization feel that if they were to dump the familiar veterans for "nobodies" like Josh Vitters, Alberto Cabrera, and Brooks Raley, it could hurt the already dwindling attendence and TV ratings, and unless they get back something of value, they dont want to risk it.

Probably a non sign. Most of the deals that have happened so far have been very sudden and unexpected.

#bullocks

Many people don't consider 'just making the playoffs a success' like you do. They did win the WS and that's still something we can't say. The failure of Hendry still hangs over this club and will until we dump Soriano, etc... I'm no fan of Kenny but he's managed on a smaller budget and is apparently a better judge of value than Hendry ever was. I've bolded the incorrect parts of this, just to save time. And again, Hendry-built Cubs teams made the playoffs 3 times. In that same timeframe, the White Sox have made the playoffs twice. They're basically the same GM. Same GM? One has a WS ring and is still employed. The other..outside looking in. You're incorrect again. After the last 6-8 years of playoff results it shocks me that there are still people who don't realize that the playoffs are a complete crapshoot. I had this discussion with someone a little bit back. Basically, Hendry and Williams have been very similar. Both had some good seasons, some awful seasons, and each team had 1 great season: White Sox in '05, Cubs in '08. Also, each gave out some awful contracts and got minimal production from their farm systems. But yes, Kenny got a ring, and perhaps that's why he still has his job. Anyone using the ring to say that Kenny was that much better of a GM than Hendry is judging him based 12 games. While it is the responsibility of the GM to build a team that can get to the playoffs, once they get there, all he can do is watch. Kenny's 2005 team is still very interesting to me. They'd just turned in Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordonez, and Frank Thomas was non entiry that year. In their place were a bunch of guys that nobody really wanted: Dye, Pierzynskie, and Podsednik. They picked up that Japanese short stop or 2nd baseman, whose name eludes me, out of nowhere. They somehow got a miracle season out of their bullpen, none of which are even in the league anymore.