Little Slide Rooter

Why? It's not like the Phillies are going to do a full on rebuild. We're talking one of the best young pitchers in baseball here. Is this a serious post? Amaro has been awful and has basically doomed the Phillies to high-payroll suckitude for the foreseeable future. And all they got was 5 lousy consecutive division titles, 2 stupid pennants, and 1 crappy World Series.

Why? It's not like the Phillies are going to do a full on rebuild. We're talking one of the best young pitchers in baseball here.

Speaking of age appropriate prospects, in game 2 of the Smokies DH, Nick Struck went 6 shut out innings with 0/7 BB/K and 3 H. He's now sporting a 3.34 ERA. Should he get another crack at AAA just yet?

I really hope he becomes a star. Nay, the savior of our Chicago Cubs. The type of player everyone can have faith in. Do I really need to go further?

This I have to give Chris Volstad: every time it looks like he's hit rock bottom, he keeps drilling.

If he keeps this up maybe, but even then I think they will likely think he's a PCL monster. Maybe not though. A lot of the experts, including Goldstein and Law are beginning to warm back up to him, but not to the point where they're ready to put him back in the top 100.

Thanks. Interesting that Almora's ahead of Soler.

I know it's politically fashionable to let someone else pay for everything, but is an industry that prices out its users (i.e., the fans) really sustainable? Salaries went down in the early 1930s. It is hard to imagine, but absent hyperinflation it will happen again. The vast majority of fans watch their team on TV, which is really inexpensive to do and the source of most of the revenue. Can we imagine that TV contracts will not be so flush in a Depression? Maybe, hear me out here, but maybe, we aren't actually in a depression. We're Cubs fans. We're always in a depression.

Any insiders? The tease doesn't get me past #1.

Cubs can't dump Soriano until they get someone in a trade that can play LF that can actually hit. The only in house option would be Vitters but it would be a double mistake to rush him to the majors and take him off 3rd where he has more value. I'd agree with this arguement if Soriano weren't 37, in need of knee surgery, and a lot more likely to decline that improve or even sustain. This could be why Theo is interested in Ryan Sweeney, and if we could get him without giving up anything of real value, I'd be OK with using him as a stop gap. We then could give Vitters the rest of this season and all or part of next to continue his development and learn LF.

@mlbtraderumors: Cardinals Continue To Seek Pitching http://t.co/M3KKnM9c #mlb Now here's a deal with the Devil that I'd certainly be willing to make.

Padres would probably need to be getting 2 of Lake/Candelario/Jackson/Szczur and probably Lee instead of Gould for them to consider that. Perhaps take Quentin off the table and the Dodgers prospect away from the Padres. Looks like the Dodgers are getting screwed, but again, this is what they were willing to give up for Carlos Lee, and here they're getting an upgrade over Loney and a front end starter, giving them the flexibility to trade Harang for another bat, assuming that they trust Eovoldi with the 5 spot and/or expect Lilly back by the post season. We get a quality bat at an in need position. We could then thing about moving Vitters to left long term, assuming he continues to progress and a decent pitching prospect, who would probably immediately slot into one of our top 3-5 pitching prospects. Padres get a potential top 100 pitching prospect, a very good, young back end reliever, and a decent prospect.

Candelerio 0-4 w/ 3 K negates it :(

You have the Cubs giving up and taking a similar prospect which basically means they're getting Chase Headley for a couple months of Dempster and Russell. Then the Padres are giving away their best two trade chips a reliever and a good, but not great, prospect. I'd say the Padres are getting screwed pretty hard. They'd want more than that just from Headley alone. You beat me to the edit, in which the Dodgers get LaHair and the Padres another top 20 guy. Padres were supposedly interested in Rusell in the pre season talks for Headley. Rusell's been great in parts of 3 seasons aside from his ill advised stint as a starter. He's 26 has 3 years of team control and is looking like a legit back end reliever, and the left handedness is a bonus.

Dodgers get Ryan Dempster Carlos Quentin Bryan LaHair Padres get Garrett Gould Junior Lake or a Cubs top 15-20 prospect James Russell Dodgers top 20 prospect Cubs Get Chase Headley Dodgers top 20 prospect, ideally pitching Nobody seems to be getting screwed. Dodgers getting a hell of a lot more for essentially what they were willing to trade for Carlos Lee. Yes? No?

Depends on the situation. I can't see the Dodgers giving up too much, since they already have a very solid rotation. Hed basically be gravy for them. Then again, perhaps their plan is to trade prospects for Dempster, and then Harang for offense. Maybe even some sort of 3 team deal. However, a team like the Yankees or Tigers, who are more in need for pitching could overpay, especially now when the market's limited. However, as I said before, the more options that hit the trading block, the less leverage we have.

Nice to see Vitters getting some love from Law.

Again, it appears to be interpretation of his tweets and no real confirmation yet. From what I saw of Dunston, I would not label him as a flop. He was rushed, but I think that he is still someone to keep an eye on. Be patient. That and the fact that he's 19.

I still have to wonder if so many teams are interested in Dempster because at this point in time, the market is limited to Dempster and Garza. It might not be long before they're joined Greinke, Hamels, Marcum, McCarthy, and Rodriguez, who I'm a bit shocked that he hasn't been involved in any rumors or not. Regardless of who's having the best season at the time, once more guys hit the trading block, it will take away from our leverage.

I wonder how willing they would be in parting with Eovaldi since he's contributing to the big league squad. I'd love to get Zach Lee, if possible. I'd love Eovaldi but I agree. A team that needs SP probably isn't looking to move a current SP. If not, he's either going to the pen of AAA. Dodgers already have a strong rotation with Kershaw, Billingsly, Capuano having a great year, and Harang having a decent year. There's also Ted Lilly, who was doing very good until he hit the DL, though I don't know when they expect him back, being on the 60 day. It could be argued that they really don't need a starting pitcher. They're certainly not as in need of it as some other contenders like the Yankees and Tigers.

You don't know that teams are willing to pay a premium. davell, I don't like to make guarantees, but I guarantee we will not be trading 8 guys off our major league roster in the next 3 weeks. Yeah, you're probably right to make it. The returns on Garza and Dempster could affect our immediate team, but I doubt we receive anything from the other guys that will. Dempster, Garza, Russell, and DeJesus would have to be dealt by July 31st. My guess is Soto, Maholm, Camp, and especially Marmol, could all be August deals, if dealt. Maholm has a 6 mil team option for 2013, and for a productive 4-5 starter, without a definite replacement there's no reason to move him unless someone gets desperate at the last minute. Soto and Marmol should each get a decent return if traded. If nobody wants to give anything of value for them, I'd just as soon keep them both in hopes of them either A. contributing to a contender in 2013 or B. building their trade value between now and next winter or summer and if not, count our losses. I'm also thoroughly convinced that Soriano will be moved for little to no salary relief, and a low level guy and a reclamation type. Camp, Johnson, Baker, and Corpas could all appeal to contenders, and whether they're part of bigger packages or traded for PTBNL, we should get what we can.

Any chance of getting Eovaldi and Gould for Dempster and LaAllstar?

Weren't all those guys like 4-6 years older than Vitters when they were ripping up the PCL and also repeating the level for at least a second time through (if not 3rd, 4th or 5th)? A few notables who were 21-22 with at least a half season in AAA. Vitters: 348 PA 302/.356/.509 13 HR Moustakas: 2010: 236 PA .293/.314/.564 15 HR Moustakas 2011: 250 PA .287/.347/.498 16 HR Adam Jones: 2006 416 PA.287/.345/.484 16 HR Adam Jones: 2007: 469 PA .314/.382/.586 25 HR Andrew McCutchen: 2008: 590 PA .283/.372/.398 9 HR Ian Kinsler: 2005: 597 PA .274/.348/.464 23 HR

You don't know that teams are willing to pay a premium. davell, I don't like to make guarantees, but I guarantee we will not be trading 8 guys off our major league roster in the next 3 weeks. Dempster: Almost definite Garza: I'll say 65/35 Soriano: If we're really willing to eat 95% of his salary and take what we can get in return. Marmol: For the right offer. Teams look for back end relievers at this time, and Marmol has a year left of team control LaHair: for the right offer. No reason to rush him off though Soto: For the right offer Johnson: PTBNL or throw in Camp: PTBNL or throw in Baker: PTBNL or throw in If not in the next 3 weeks, it's not out of the question for all of the above to be gone by Septembet 1st, or whever the waiver trade deadline is this year.

1B Rizzo 2B Barney SS Castro 3B Vitters/Stewart LF Soriano/Sweeney (if at the right price, why not) CF Jackson RF DeJesus C Castillo/Soto SP___________ SP __________ SP Samardzjia SP Wood SP Maholm CL Marmol BP Russell BP Dolis BP Cabrera BP Beliveau BP: 2 of Bowden, Jackson, Parker, Mateo, Maine, reclamation Bench Clevenger Bench Sappelt Bench LaHair/Campana Bench Valbuena Bench Cardenas Soriano will be gone and why would you start Sweeney over LaHair? Sweeney is a 27 year old journeyman with a career high 6 homeruns. LaHair will have better numbers this year than Sweeney will have in his career. If LaHair continues to work on defense and even puts up a .250 BA against LH's next year he will be a more than viable left fielder next year and in the future. I really don't have much interest in Sweeny,but Theo seems to, and I'll assume that he'd start, at first anyway. I'd prefer something better comes along, and frankly, I'd rather spend the FA $ on pitching. Again, if we can get Sweeny as a 2nd piece in a Dempster package or 3rd in one for Garza, why not.