Outshined_One

Thome would come cheaper than Overbay in terms of what the White Sox would have to give up. The Sox have managed to get a good amount of playoff revenue to play around with in this offseason, so they potentially could afford to add Thome's salary. Thome is problematic. He turns 36 some time next season and is well past his prime. He's had some injury problems that are troubling. When he's healthy, he's one of the best sluggers in baseball. I don't see the White Sox trading Chris Young, as much as the Philles would likely covet him. The Phillies need young pitching with some experience, so McCarthy fits the bill pretty well. The White Sox also have some intriguing pitching prospects (Liotta, Gonzalez, Tracey) who could make an attractive package. Interestingly, while looking up Thome, I found a news story from the Minneapolis Star Tribune that had a Thome to the Twins rumor floating around. Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

This Felix Hernandez kid must be the second coming. I knew he was highly touted, but I recall Baseball American saying they would take Felix or Prior for the career, this is the same site that said Prior would definitely win a Cy Young or two this decade. Based on what I've seen of him, the Doc Gooden comparisons are legit. If he can stay healthy throughout his career...wow.

If this is true... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Yet somehow they managed to be one of the hottest teams in baseball in the second half and managed to knock the Yankees around on a regular basis. What an odd team. Other than Huff, who do they end up trading?

The Rays boy wonder Andrew Freidman was discussing a 6-year deal with Baldelli before it was put on the back-burner until the GM/Manager searches were complete. I wouldn't be surprised if he signs a long-term deal in Tampa this winter. Let's see. In TB's outfield, the potential guys who could be seeing action there next season includes: Delmon Young (depending on what ownership decides) Jonny Gomes Joey Gathright Rocco Baldelli Aubrey Huff Carl Crawford Interesting. Combine that with the talk that they might move BJ Upton into the OF and the fact that Elijah Dukes could do well enough in AAA to merit a callup at some point next season, they have a decidedly bizarre (yet enviable) OF situation.

I call Billingsley!

I saw this trade on another board referred to as "Typical Kevin Towers dumpster diving." Needless to say, now we know what to say when Jim Hendry's "lemons" turn out to be rotten. :D

DKWG, as much as I enjoy battling with ya, that post was directed more towards the sentiment I've seen in this thread and elsewhere around NSBB. Also, I am legitimately giddy about next season thanks to Pawly and Veal.

Glad to see the faith everyone has in this organization to develop players. As we have seen in the past, guys like Carlos Zambrano and Mark Prior are nothing but complete and utter failures. How many Top 100 prospects do the Cubs have in their system now? Off the top of my head... No Questions Felix Pie -Typically ranked in the Top 25 in most Top 100 lists. Mark Pawelek -Still has only scratched the surface, but is incredibly mature and developed for his age. I'd say Top 50. Few Questions Angel Guzman -Yeah, yeah, we all know about his injuries by now. His ceiling still remains one of the best among young pitchers in baseball. Top 75 seems apt, given his ceiling. Sean Marshall -Kinda strange not hearing anyone batting his name around again. He's easily forgotten for whatever reason, but he's produced quite well everywhere he's gone. Top 75, imo. Rich Hill -If you don't want to count him as a prospect any more, that's fine. But the fact remains that he pretty much blew away all minor league competition and has one of the best curveballs in all of baseball. He was not given much of a chance in the majors, but if he hones his change he could end up a good #2. Top 75. Matt Murton -Again, you might not count him as a prospect any more, but you can't deny that he's incredibly advanced at the plate and could become a very good everyday LF. Top 75. Could Be In, Could Be Out Donald Veal -Shhhhhhhhhhhhh... He's my sleeper for next season's breakout pitcher. He could crack the Top 100 on some lists based on his performance down in Boise. Ryan Harvey -Didn't have the breakout Brian Dopirak-like year everyone expected of him, but still put up solid numbers to go with jaw-dropping power. He still is a five tool guy last I checked and is still young enough to improve on his game in big ways. Ricky Nolasco -You want production? Check out his numbers the past 2 years down in the Southern League. He might not be an impact guy, but he's a solid workhorse with great control. If he can finally settle into AAA and produce like he has down in AA, he'll have a very nice future. Renyel Pinto -See: Ricky Nolasco, only replace "great control" with "great stuff he has yet to fully harness". Scott Moore -He displayed all of the five tools a third baseman needs prominently...except for defense. Apparently he can iron out these issues with time, but we'll see about that one. So, what does the above list signify? Well, the Cubs may not have the combination of depth and impact talent that teams like Anaheim and Los Angeles have nor might they have the sheer number of high quality impact young players that teams like Milwaukee and Seattle have, but the Cubs do have solid depth with some guys who could have good futures in baseball. Yeah, it hurts that guys like Pie, Marshall, and Guzman all battled injuries, but to reject these guys outright by saying the Cubs should just trade them all away because they'll never amount to anything? That's just pure lunacy.

BA wasn't very specific on this, but both Billek and Holliman are already pretty much fully developed from a physical standpoint. They were collegiate pitchers, so their age is already somewhat advanced. Also, as T2E mentioned in his excellent analyses of the Cubs' draft picks, both of them project to be in middle relief. The Cubs won't surprise anyone if they fast track those two.

If you can improve the team, you make the trade. Now, I remember Tim being a fan of the idea of trading Zambrano for Abreu (was it a year ago or two years?), but something tells me he might be backing off of that sentiment at the moment. Let's face it, Zambrano is arguably either #2 or #3 on the list of most talented young pitchers in baseball (behind Felix Hernandez and/or Mark Prior, depending on your perspective). He's a workhorse. He has an arsenal of devastating pitches. He's an extreme groundball pitcher. He's insane. He's one of the best hitting pitchers in baseball this side of Mike Hampton; and a switch-hitter with power from both sides of the plate at that. He has a history of success. The only thing holding him back in most people's eyes is how healthy he'll be down the line. In other words, he is quite possibly one of the most coveted players in baseball. He's a special player. The Cubs should do everything in their power to keep him on this team, imo. Would I trade him? There are incredibly few one for one deals in which I'd give thought to trading Zambrano. Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Vlad, Felix Hernandez, are in that group. Were Abreu a few years younger, he also would be in that group, imo. But right now? No. It would require one heck of a package to get a deal done with the Phillies. Abreu, Utley, Myers, and some prospects would be a good starting point, imo.

I'd be all for a trade that would benefit this team in any way, even if it involved Derrek Lee. As much as people love being pessimistic on this board, the NL was quite weak this past season. Heck, if the Cubs had a competent manager, they could have actually nabbed the Wild Card slot. No one's doubting that this team has plenty of talent and potential. Even if Wood goes down again, Prior and Zambrano are two of the best young pitchers in baseball today. The Cubs have a lineup that is potent and could do damage. But, trading Lee away would immediately remove one of the most important pieces of that lineup. What's more, while Lee is a very good offensive threat, he is also an excellent defensive first baseman who makes our middle infielders look waaaaaaaaaay better than they already are. We can find plenty of guys out there who are good offensive threats at 1B (and have one in our system in Brandon Sing), but who can do both? That's a bit harder to find. So, I'd only advocate trading Lee if we got a true impact bat out of the deal. We're talking an elite-level hitter who could put the Cubs over the top. Otherwise, I would not do it.

If he ever made the Houston or St. Louis rotation, I wouldn't complain...

In all fairness, if Carlos had made that behind the back between the legs toss to DLee for the out, I don't see any way Z wouldn't have won this award. That particular play would have been on highlight reels for decades to come, imo.

I was unaware Paul Sullivan lives in Sugarland.

I thought he had one of the best arms in RF? Granted, he might be wearing roller skates in RF, but hey...

If he unloads Bell's contract, who do the Phils have to take over at 3B for him? No, I'm not advocating the Cubs should trade Aramis Ramirez; that'd be foolhardy unless it were in a blockbuster sure-fire trade that improved the Cubs without much doubt. However, I am talking about Scott Moore, whose value is probably at its highest in his career. He put together some very nice numbers at 3B in a tough pitcher's league this season and is playing a position which the Cubs have sealed up for the forseeable future. He will be playing at AA next season and could conceivably be ML-ready some time next season. I'd have to think he might be a useful trade chip this offseason.

We do, but the price would be ludicrous.

It's remaining at $92m. Accounting for the changes listed in the thread, STL might only have about $20m to play around with despite having some big need positions. They don't have the farm system to effectively fill those holes from within, so if they get Giles, they will potentially be short-changing their potential to fill holes in the rotation, bullpen, and in the lineup in a big way.

Apparently the Reds are going to be sold to new owners by the end of the year. Link 1 Link 2 One wonders what effects this will have on everything.

Funny, I was thinking other side of the age spectrum: Pat Gillick. Is Depodesta still unemployed?

It'll be really interesting to see what direction the Red Sox take in hiring their new GM. Will they continue with a Moneyball-type of approach? Also, I was starting to think one of these two deals with AZ was going to happen if Epstein hadn't quit: Conor Jackson & Luis Gonzalez for Manny & Cash or Chad Tracy, Carlos Quentin, & Luis Gonzalez for Manny, Cash, & Prospects But now? I'm not so sure about that.

And thus life gets really interesting for Boston.

Remind me again how long we had Moises Alou in left.

It's subscriber-only content, so I'll sum it up in my own words. Best Pro Debut: LHP Mark Pawelek & CF Davy Gregg -Pawelek was on limited pitch counts but performed well. Gregg showed excellent speed on the basepaths and good contact for Boise. Best Athlete: SS Dylan Johnston & C/OF Yusuf Carter -Johnston is toolsy, but needs polish. Carter is rather athletic. Best Pure Hitter: SS Dylan Johnston & OF Johnny Defendis -Defendis doesn't stand out tools-wise, but he makes consistent contact into the OF. Best Raw Power: C/OF Yusuf Carter -Strong frame could see him develop into a good power threat. Fastest Runner: CF Davy Gregg -He has plus-plus speed. Best Defensive Player: C Jake Muyco -Excellent catch-and-throw, needs to work on his hitting. Best Fastball: LHP Mark Pawelek, RHP Scott Taylor, LHP Donald Veal, and RHP Mike Billek -Pawelek pitches at 94-95 and can hit 97. The other three can hit 93-94. Best Breaking Ball: RHP Mike Billek, LHP Mark Pawelek, and RHP Mark Holliman -All have good curves. Most Intriguing Background: C/OF Yusuf Carter, C Michael Brenly, IF Kyle Reynolds, and 3B Brandon Taylor -Carter's uncle is Joe Carter. Brenly and Reynolds both have fathers who were former all stars (Cubs' broadcaster Bob Brenly and Craig Reynolds). Taylor hit for the cycle twice in one season at BYU. Closest to the Majors: RHP Mike Billek, RHP Mark Holliman, C Jake Muyco, or LHP Mark Pawelek -Billek and Holliman are already pretty much fully developed. Muyco's D is good enough for the majors and he could shoot up if his bat comes around. Pawelek has a "special left arm". Best Late-Round Pick: RHP Michael Phelps (11), and LHP Jayson Ruhlman (23) -Phelps has three potential plus pitches and slipped in the draft due to a horrifying Matt Clement-like accident this past season when his catcher accidentally plunked him in the head in the season opener. Ruhlman could be a crafty lefty and showcases a 90-93 mph fastball. The One Who Got Away: OF Tyler Graham -The Cubs signed 28 of their first 30 picks. Graham will re-enter next year's draft as an eligible junior. Assessments: Veal and Pawelek are "dynamic". The hitters the Cubs selected need time to develop, though. If you want a more detailed report, as well as reports on other teams, click here.