cubsfan26

Hopefully thats Mike Valarezo

If this is true and we also trust Churchil (and I do) then this is all fitting together... the "leaning towards yes" makes perfect sense in this context, and would also explain why the Cubs could be more optimistic than the Pads. If it indeed is in the Cubs' hands, and they're leaning towards yes, why would the Padres be so pessimistic? Maybe because the Cubs haven't given into their demands so far, so they might think what will change tomorrow?

If this is true and we also trust Churchil (and I do) then this is all fitting together... the "leaning towards yes" makes perfect sense in this context, and would also explain why the Cubs could be more optimistic than the Pads. I hope this is true, I guess we will find out tomorrow.

I asked who Mike was and he told me that he couldn't share his last name/position with the Cubs with me. Any guesses? As for the e-mail, it might make sense that the Cubs would be more optimstic. It sounds like the Padres are asking for more in return for taking on Marquis and that the Cubs are balking. Maybe the Padres guy doesn't think the Cubs will cave, while the guy on the Cubs side says "leaning toward yes", meaning theymight be willing to give in. Maybe I'm reaching... who knows. So when he said Mike texted me and said leaning towards yes, that means he thinks a deal will get done?

LOL at us taking on all of this longterm money and Towers hesitating over 2-3 million. Yeah I don't see us eating that much of Marquis contract, and the Padres not being ok with it. I think it's more we want them to take Marquis at least 5m, and they want more players back to do that. Otherwise it doesn't make sense because we can just keep Marquis if were gonna pay 7m of his 9.8m contract. It doesn't really save us much money, and not worth it. Especially if we wait to late January we will probably be able to get rid of Marquis without eating more then 3-4m.

It sounds like if Towers is gonna take on some of Marquis salary, he wants more talent in return. Hendry seems to have balked at that, and thats why Towers said they will probably need a 4th team to get something done. I guess we will find out by tomorrow if we can find a 4th team, or someone gives in.

You really need to stop blaming Hendry if he can't pull off a trade because another team is asking too much. Because you would be the first one to bash him if he gets ripped off in a deal. The Padres are not asking for "too much." There is no "too much" for Jake freakin' Peavy!. Vitters, Pie, DeRosa, and Hart??? That's too much for one of the best pitchers in baseball? Pie is terrible, and will be just like Corey Patterson. Hart gets rocked every time out. DeRosa can easily be replaced by Fontenot and is only ours for 1 more year anyways. Vitters is a great prospect, but will NEVER be as valuable as a Jake Peavy. Jim needs to stop f'in playin around and get the deal done. Give them whatever needs to be included. Leave Marquis out of it. Just get the trade done then worry about adding the RF then worry about trading Marquis separately. A team will pay 5 million dollars for Marquis. Just get the trade done first! The longer they wait, the more Peavy will want out of SD and likely accept a trade to NY or LA. How do you know thats all he's asking for? If Marshall also needs to be included in the deal, this hurts our depth. Peavy is a very good pitcher, but he also makes a decent amount of money. Trading Vitters, DeRosa, Pie, Marshall and others is ALOT. Not only does it take away our best prospect, and a very talented 23 year old outfielder who was a very good prospect. It also takes away our depth postion player wise. What happen if Soriano or Ramirez get hurt for a long period of time? With Milton Bradley possibly being in RF and missing a bunch of games? Do you feel comfortable with Ronny Cedeno at 3b? or and outfield of Hoffpauir, Johnson and Fukudome for a long period of time. DeRosa being able to play so many postions is very valueable to this team. Not to mention who starts if Harden goes on the DL? Mitch Akins? Randy Wells? Maybe Samardzija if he's not a late inning reliever. What if we need to make a trade midseason, who do we have to trade? Getting Peavy would be great, but giving up this type of package isn't a no brainer. Not to mention we will have to give away Marquis for nothing and eat most of his salary. I'd still make this deal, but I'll also understand if we can't make the deal. I think some get all excited about the chance of having an awesome pitcher and aren't really thinking clearly. Don't you think Hendry wants to get Jake Peavy? Obviously yes, but he has to do whats best interest for team, this isn't fantasy baseball. Because if we trade for Peavy, and win 89 games next year and miss the playoffs, everyone will be saying fire Hendry. We gotta make sure this move makes us a better team.

I thought Churchill said it was 50/50 chance of the trade happening, but the Padres say 20 percent chance? I thought Churchill source was with the Cubs?

At least we will know tomorrow probably if a deal can get done or not. It's alot better to figure this out now, then go into spring training, still wondering if we can get Peavy or not like we did with Brian Roberts. I'm starting to think a deal won't get done, and have kinda thought that the last day or two. It would be awesome to get Peavy, but honestly it's not the end of the world if we don't get him.

You really need to stop blaming Hendry if he can't pull off a trade because another team is asking too much. Because you would be the first one to bash him if he gets ripped off in a deal.

Maybe I'm being negative but, I wasn't really encouraged by Towers comments.

I think Jayson Stark proved over the last few days, that he's not a good sources of information on the Peavy trade. I'm still waiting for a article that has Kevin Towers quotes. With so many rumors right now, those are the only things I really find interesting.

Yeah he never said a deal had to be done by the end of the meetings. Infact it sounds like odds are pretty bad that a deal will be done by the end of the meetings. It just had to basically be going somewere, and look like it could possibly get done. If the reports are even close to true, I think we have made some progress.

Putz to the Mets? http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8922020/Wednesday-MLB-winter-meetings-blog

Taking to Hendry is worthless, he's not going to say anything of interest until a deal is offically done. The next Kevin Towers interview is what I'm waiting to hear.

I wouldn't mind signing Bako on a minor league deal, and let him battle with Koyie Hill in spring training.

And the Phillies like this deal? He actually said 1 of Carrasco or Happ with Jason Donald, that seems like quite a bit for DeRosa along and nothing else going back to Philly with, it is Steve Phillips so I don't how much I would put into it Yeah that makes more sense, because otherwise it would be a very high price for DeRosa.

Steve Phillips was just on ESPN, and mentioned depending on who you talk to the deal could be made later today or their not even talking at all right now. He said the potential trade could be Phillies get Mark DeRosa Padres get Josh Vitters Felix Pie Jason Marquis(with cash) Carlos Carrasco(from Phillies) JA Happ(from PHillies) Cubs get Peavy

Well, Gammons seems to be wrong about 100% of the time too. I still think he has better sources then Muskat. Remember her Cubs source said they would offer Kerry Wood arb.

I heard both Bruce Levine and Peter Gammons talk about a three way deal with DeRosa going to the Phillies today. Both think it's close and could go down today. I'll believe that report over anything Carrie Muskat says for now.

Plus the only reason the Cubs will have to pay so much of his contract is because they backloaded it. So the way I look at it is the Cubs owe Marquis this money anyways. If he was making 14m between 07 and 08, instead of 11m over the last two years. We wouldn't have to pay so much of it.

Outfielders to trade for could be Hermida(of course), Jason Kubel(reports were Hendry was talking to the Twins), Ryan Church, Randy Winn, Luke Scott and Mark Teahan/David DeJesus. But with so many outfield free agent still on the market I can't see him trading for a guy like Teahan this soon.

I would be surprised if Wood only gets 2y at 12m. He made over 7m last year, so I think he will get at least 8m a year with incentives. It will be interesting to see how much Wood actually gets, because Steve Phillips isn't a very good source.

I think thats whats going on. Hendry either wants a team to take on almost all Marquis salary for very little in return, or pay a chunk of it and get a decent player in return. Because I find it hard to believe that nobody wants Marquis at say 5m next year. But at this point of the offseason, nobody wants to give up anything of value in return for Marquis or pay him 8-9m(with the Cubs eating a little) for 09. I know we all want this deal done fast as possible, but Hendry as the GM needs to find the best value for Marquis. Especially with the Cubs really being the only team in talks for Peavy. When all things are said and done, and if it comes down to the Cubs getting Peavy. I think Hendry will give in and eat 5-6m of Marquis salary and give him up for very little in return, if he has to. But I think thats a last resort situation, and not something we will see him do until Towers is about ready to call quits on the deal or not.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3757369 Why does Stark completly ignore the words that acutally came out of Towers mouth tonight. I think he needs a new "source." Not to mention I saw Crane Kenney say that the Cubs can add a big deal to thier budget if they want to.