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Hendry needs to try to inquire about guys there's no doubt about that. I never said Hendry should just sit back and not try to fill the hole. I'm just saying in this postion it's very hard to fill that hole and have it make sense. So I don't expect anything to get done at this point in the year. If you could get Branyan for a guy like Kevin Hart you make the deal. But if the Mariners want something like Wells and a good prospect I think it's too much. Wells has pitched great so far, but I know his potential is 5th starter/long guy. The problem is I think the Cubs really need a guy to fill that role right now so I don't like giving up Wells. Unless were adding another starter and putting Marshall in the pen. You're "go with what we got and suck it up" comment made me think you were opposed to even attempting to fill the hole. Sorry. Wells' results have been good, but I wonder just how long it will continue. He's been getting hit hard and has walked 5 guys in 11 innings. He could continue to be solid, or the balls could start falling in and he won't be as productive as he's been. If we could get a good bat like Branyan's for him, I'd be very inclined to sell high and take my chances with Hart or Shark as the fifth starter. Keep in mind, Z will be back soon meaning one of Marshall/Wells will move to the pen anyway.

Why would it be stupid? He's only signed through this year, but there is a club option for 2010. He is 30, but they could give him an extension to take him to 32-33 and should be fine. Is there a reason he may drop off quickly?

I addressed that in another post, but it is a concern. If he's stayed in good physical shape while out, it may just take a week or two of AAA at-bats to get back into good game shape. Or it may take longer. It's a good option to at least explore, though. Durham would be a long term (in terms of the rest of this season) option, though, and not just a stop gap filler until Aramis got back. If we signed Durham, that would relegate Fontenot to the bench for the remainder of the year - which is one reason why I think Hendry would be reluctant to do it.

Were gonna have to give up decent talent to even get Wigginton or Branyan at this point of the year. Wigginton is signed for next year as well, and wouldn't have a spot on the team when Ramirez came back due to Hoffpauir and not really being able to play good defense at 2nd(is horrible at 3rd to). Wigginton can play either corner outfield spot better than Hoff and he's a decent enough second baseman (1.8 UZR). I didn't realize how awful he was at third, though. This is true, but that's why you look into the trade. Perhaps their version of trading high for Branyan is acquiring Randy Wells or Kevin Hart. But you don't just assume they'll be asking too much and not even try. I don't if Hendry has inquired about him or not, but I hope he has/will. That's a legit point and something to consider. If Durham has kept himself in good shape, however, it may just be a week or two in AAA that he needs and then he'll be ready to go. Again, without at least exploring the options, we don't know the answers to these questions.

Sounds great despite the fact that were not gonna get those players for nothing. Where either gonna have to take on a high salary or trade away quality talent that will stop us from making other moves. It sucks but fans just need to accept the cards that were dealt. Until Ramirez comes back were gonna have Fontenot, Freel and Scales over there and who knows we might add another bad back up 3rd. But guys like Huff, DeRosa, Wigginton, Mora, Beltre, Blalock and others aren't realistic. If Aramis does get back in early July, what is stopping us from acquiring a guy now (say Branyan or Wigginton) and then shipping that player off when/if Aramis gets back fully healthy? It may not be a likely occurence, but it'd be something to consider.

Seriously? So you're saying that when a team expecting to contend loses one of its best hitters for what could very realistically be 2.5 to 3 months, they shouldn't look to fill that hole? I have heard 1.5 to 2 months(Ramirez had the same injury before and came back after 6 weeks) and if it happens this early in the season it's not much you can do. Teams out of the race might be just droping salary so you might get some average veteran to fill that role. But teams right now aren't giving away 3rd baseman and you can't go trade good propsects when Ramirez is coming back. Like I said before the Yankees had the same issue with A-Rod and the Mets would have the same issue with David Wright if he got hurt. When a guy gets hurt early in the season and is scheduled to come back you can't really do much. Sure if the Orioles wanna give up Huff or Wigginton or the Indians wanna give us Mark DeRosa for Kevin Hart and other crap in the minors. Then sure fill the hole, but teams at this time of the year just aren't giving away players for nothing. So like I said your just stuck and have to deal with having crap, unless you get really really lucky. Or you can get a guy like Wigginton or Branyan who can fill other roles after Aramis is back (assuming he's fully healed). Or you can sign Ray Durham and upgrade the entire team.

Those guys are versatile but they will all play postions in which Hoffpauir will need to get AB's at. So if there not at 3rd you would be taking away playing time with Hoffpauir by playing them. Right now if anything Hoffpauir should be getting more playing time instead of less. They can all play the outfield and despite his bat, Hoff shouldn't be getting too many appearances out there. Wigginton (120 games) has also played a decent amount of second base in his career, something we'll need if Fontenot's bat doesn't begin to warm up. Like I said, though, I'd be more in favor of signing Ray Durham and playing Fontenot/Scales at 3B rather than trading for someone. Then when Aram comes back, Fontenot becomes a very solid hitter off the bench.

He is paid quite heftily, though, and that's not a good thing for our currently shoestring budget.

Everybody but Helms or Crosby doesn't really make much sense. Because were do they play when Ramirez comes back? If Ramirez was gone for the season then adding one of those guys might be a good idea. But the guy is coming back in a month or a little after that and were not gonna have a spot for those guys then and just gave away quality talent to get those guys. When a team loses it's star 3rd baseman you just need to suck it up and go with what you got. Branyan would make sense, if he's available.

I would agree with that - especially since he's a free agent - but Hendry may not be willing to give up on Fontenot as a starter just yet.

Aramis might be back by early July. I've seen estimates where he could very likely be out til August and the shoulder may not be fully healed (meaning potential smaller DL trips, or at least more off days to rest it). Most certainly, a guy who can only play third would be further down the list, but that's why guys like Branyan, Huff, Wigginton (if available for the last two), etc. are more appealing to me. We could acquire them for better production than what we're getting now and then when Aramis gets back, they are versatile enough to still have great value even if he's fully healed.

What's to like about Beltre? Stellar defense and the very, very slim possibility he reclaims his 2004 Dodger magic (1.017 OPS). He may also be a bit cheaper because the Mariners simply want rid of him.

That's the biggest question I'd like answered about him. I can't imagine any reason he's not signed, unless it's just simply that no team really needs a second baseman. The Dodgers were the last team that really needed one and for them it was between Orlando Hudson and Durham (given that, I'd take Hudson every time despite my fandom of Durham).

Okay, your next assignment is to find that guy. The thing is, Peavy is available, and all reports indicate he'd prefer the Cubs over anybody. Utley and Kinsler aren't exactly available. I shall take the assignment. Rake may not be the right word, but Ray Durham has posted an .800+ OPS in two of the past 3 seasons. In 2006 he was two points off from a .900 OPS. And he's a free agent. Yea at this point, Ive got to believe hed be better than Fontenot, and it really cant cost that much to sign him can it? How old is Durham? 37 this year I believe. He may well drop off offensively and I don't think he's stellar defensively, but he's been very productive two of the past three seasons. I think he'd be a good enough bet to produce for the limited amount of time we'd need him to.

He's played 329 games there in his career. He has a career -10.0 UZR at third base, though. Offensively, though, he's OPSd .850 or better four times in his career (one of those was .849, though).

Okay, your next assignment is to find that guy. The thing is, Peavy is available, and all reports indicate he'd prefer the Cubs over anybody. Utley and Kinsler aren't exactly available. I shall take the assignment. Rake may not be the right word, but Ray Durham has posted an .800+ OPS in two of the past 3 seasons. In 2006 he was two points off from a .900 OPS. And he's a free agent.

I'm going to keep beating the dead horse: Ray Durham.

What a joke. Eff Hendry if this is the deal that get's done. That's like Marshall, Wells, and Fontenot. Eff Hendry for what exactly? If he rejected Peavy for the Cubs equivelant of Poreda, Lillibridge, and Floyd and that is the trade that comes (which it probably isn't). That's not the trade. It was one Ping brought up before the actual offer was revealed. The actual trade sounds like Poreda, Richard and two PTBNLs.

I heard a number of offers tossed around by the Cubs in the offseason that could probably top it. Though O_O mentioned on the last page that it was Poreda, Richard and two PTBNLs. It was then mentioned Beckham would not be one of them.

Lillibridge really hasn't been productive save for his 22-year-old season in the minors. OPS isn't a great way to judge prospects, I know, but a career .773 OPS doesn't inspire confidence.

65/100, though I knew about 8-10 more but couldn't think of them. I'd say at least 40 are just the title of the film Yeah, I was chuckling as they basically handed a number of them away.

This sounds like a lot less than Towers was asking from Hendry. I'm not sure there's a Josh Vitters-type prospect in this deal (unless Gordon Beckham is indeed involved).

Huh? Everything I read said Hendry just didn't want to pay as much as was on the table. I was under the impression the deal couldn't go through primarily because the Trib wouldn't take on that kind of contract in the middle of the sale. The secondary factor was Towers continuing to add extra players to the deal at the last minute (I think the breaking point might have been Angel Guzman). I thought there was a deal on the table that Hendry didn't want to take, and then shortly after that the trib instructed them to put any sort of deal on the backburner due to the ownership issues. I think Towers' jacked up demands strung Hendry along enough for the Trib to pull the plug. I do remember a deal basically being complete and then Towers deciding he wanted Angel as well and that pissed off Hendry. It was likely a combination of money issues and Towers asking for too much.

Huh? Everything I read said Hendry just didn't want to pay as much as was on the table. I was under the impression the deal couldn't go through primarily because the Trib wouldn't take on that kind of contract in the middle of the sale. The secondary factor was Towers continuing to add extra players to the deal at the last minute (I think the breaking point might have been Angel Guzman).

This site is such a great idea to pass away the boring times at work. Here's another good one: 100 greatest movie characters I got 50/100.