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Who Will The Cubs Trade By The Deadline?
by Al Yellon on Jul 29, 2010 8:00 AM CDT
in News
734 comments
For the first time in a few years, the Cubs are in a position to be sellers at the non-waiver trading deadline. Even an eternal optimist like me admits that barring an absolute miracle, this season is best left in the dust.
There have been people here who accuse me of wanting to quash any trade talk. Nothing could be further from the truth. This site is a place to discuss anything and everything relating to our favorite team.
What I've tried to do, with limited success, is to point out that the trading process isn't as simple as saying, "Well, this guy's going to be a free agent, he either won't be back or we shouldn't have him back, so let's cherrypick a team and a handful of prospects and be done with him!"
It's not that simple. As we found out yesterday when we learned that Derrek Lee had invoked his 10-and-5 rights to reject a couple of possible trades, making deals involves real people with real lives beyond baseball. Of course, we'd like to see the Cubs improve in future years, and I believe they will, whether it's by dealing right now or in the offseason. Incidentally, if you want to continue the Lee discussion, use this FanPost from yesterday; I don't want this post to become another rehash of the Lee story. The topic here is different.
Please also keep in mind that much of the Twitter and other talk you hear around this time is just that -- talk. Some of it may be sent out by teams' baseball people as disinformation. We know that Jim Hendry doesn't like negotiating in the media, and Kenny Williams suggested the same the other day. That's why I tend to look at most of this kind of thing with a real skeptical eye.
I'll admit that I am not well-versed enough in other teams' farm systems to suggest possible returns for Cubs players in trade. Most of the tradeable players aren't going to bring major league talent in return; such is the state of the Cubs right now. (I assume, though I have not heard specifics, that low-to-mid-level minor leaguers were to be the return in the proposed deal for Derrek Lee.)
So, follow me past the jump to see who I think could be tradeable by Saturday's deadline, and some of the teams that have expressed interest. Remember that apart from Ted Lilly, who almost certainly would not clear waivers, virtually the entire team would clear waivers after August 1 and could be traded during the month of August.
Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 28
by Josh77 on Jul 29, 2010 1:37 AM CDT
in Minor Leagues
18 comments
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs were nuked by the Albuquerque Isotopes, 8-4.
J.R. Mathes started and went five innings, giving up six runs on nine hits. Three of the nine hits were home runs in the thin New Mexico air. Mathes waked one and struck out two.
First baseman Micah Hoffpauir was the only I-Cub to go deep, hitting a solo shot in the fourth inning. Hoffpauir was 1 for 5. He now has 17 homers on the year.
Marquez Smith was a perfect 3 for 3 with a walk and a double. Smith scored once.
Center fielder Sam Fuld was 2 for 5 with an RBI. Shortstop Darwin Barney and left fielder Jason Dubois were both 2 for 5 with a double.
Tennessee Smokies
The Smokies were buried by the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, 8-5.
Starting pitcher Chris Carpenter took the loss. He pitched six innings and gave up six runs on nine hits. One of the six runs was unearned. Carpenter walked one batter and struck out five.
First baseman Blake Lalli had two doubles in a 2 for 4 game. Lalli scored once. Right fielder Matt Spencer was 2 for 4 with a double. Spencer scored twice.
Right fielder Brandon Guyer went 2 for 3 with a double and a triple. Guyer scored twice and batted two in. He was also hit by a pitch.
All Is Not Wells: Cubs Lose Another Series To Astros
by Al Yellon on Jul 28, 2010 4:27 PM CDT
in Recaps
284 comments
The Cubs have now played eight series against the two worst teams in their division: four each against the Astros and Pirates.
They have lost all eight series and their combined record against these two clubs is now 7-17; having dropped back to 10 games under .500 again with today's dreadful 8-1 loss in Houston, that means that the Cubs' record against every one else in the major leagues is 39-39.
Does this make any sense to you? Usually a team that's struggling like the Cubs are plays up to or down to its competition -- meaning they'd dominate the bad teams and play .500 ball against the good ones. They've lived up to the second part of that old saying... but not the first.
It got so bad during the telecast that Len & Bob started talking about random things that had nothing to do with the game. Len sounded depressed and Bob sounded bored, like both of them couldn't wait to get to Denver to spend their off day there. And I can hardly blame them.
The Cubs started a spring-training type lineup with Derrek Lee, Geovany Soto, Marlon Byrd and Alfonso Soriano all sitting it out. Soto had a doctor's note, and the rest were given the day off by Lou, and they played like a spring-training squad.
First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Astros, Wednesday 7/28, 1:05 CT
by Al Yellon on Jul 28, 2010 1:00 PM CDT
in Game Threads
289 comments
Pitch good today, Randy.
Looking For That Elusive Series Win: Cubs vs. Astros Preview, Wednesday 7/28, 1:05 CT
by Al Yellon on Jul 28, 2010 11:30 AM CDT
in Game Threads
137 comments
This afternoon's game should end around 4 pm Central time.
And after that, the Cubs don't play until Friday night in Colorado, game time 8:10 Central time -- that would be 52 hours later. Even in a season that's been an extreme disappointment, that's a long time to go without Cubs baseball when July hasn't even closed up shop yet.
This likely means that the next two days will be filled with trade rumors, since the non-waiver deadline comes up at 3 pm CDT on Saturday. (And remember, just because you personally have not heard about a trade by precisely 3 pm doesn't mean one isn't happening right at that moment -- if the teams finish up a deal at that time, it could take a couple hours to announce it.)
With all the rumors swirling around the Cubs right now, I would not necessarily expect them to make a major (meaning: starting pitcher or starting position player) deal; more likely, a minor trade or two may happen.
In the meantime, regardless of what it means, I'd like to see the Cubs win this series.
Lineup via tweet from Carrie; it resembles a spring training lineup:
#cubs lineup for wed is 2b riot, ss castro, cf colvin, 3b ramy, lf nady, rf fuke, 1b baker, c hill, p wells
Pictures Of Lilly: Lefthander Solid, But Cashner Blasted In 6-1 Cubs Loss
by Al Yellon on Jul 28, 2010 7:30 AM CDT
in Recaps
330 comments
If this really was Ted Lilly's final appearance in a Cubs uniform (and I'm betting it's not), at least he leaves us with something good to remember him by.
Ted matched Brett Myers for the first 5.2 innings but had to leave after reaching 113 pitches in the last of the sixth. Andrew Cashner finished off that inning... but then blew up in an ugly seventh that "featured" two hit batters, a squeeze bunt, and the final indignity, a grand slam from Lance Berkman.
The Cubs lost 6-1 to the Astros Tuesday night, and were spared the indignity of a shutout by Brett Myers because Tyler Colvin led off the ninth inning with a solo home run, his 16th. One more and he'll tie Mel Hall for the most by a Cubs lefthanded rookie batter since Hall hit 17 in 1983.
Lilly threw well enough, but if I were one of the many scouts in attendance last night in Houston, I'd go back to my GM and recommend acquiring Brett Myers, who was dominant and shut down the Cubs on two hits before Colvin's HR. Myers threw his second complete game of the season and lowered his ERA to 3.10, 12th in the National League.
Cubs Minor League Wrap: July 27
by Josh77 on Jul 28, 2010 12:28 AM CDT
in Minor Leagues
43 comments
Really short night tonight. But everyone who played, won. Tennessee, Peoria and Boise had the night off.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs atomized the Albuquerque Isotopes, 14-12.
Starter Jay Jackson picked up the win tonight. That was the good news. The bad news was that he gave up seven runs on eight hits, including two home runs, over five innings. Jackson walked three and struck out one.
The good news for Jackson was that he was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored at the plate. The other good new is that it's Albuquerque, or "Coors Field on Steroids" as I like to call it.
Carlos Zambrano also had troubles in New Mexico tonight. The Big Z pitched one inning and gave up three runs on three hits and a walk. Zambrano had one strike out.
Jeff Stevens got his first save of the season by pitching the ninth inning and only allowing one run on two hits. That's good tonight.
Catcher Welington Castillo hit a grand slam tonight as part of a six-run fifth inning. It was Castillo's 11th home run this season. Castillo was 1 for 4.
First baseman Micah Hoffpauir hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. Hoffpauir was 2 for 4 with a double and three RBI. He now has 16 homers this year.
Shortstop Darwin Barney went 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Barney had one RBI and scored three times. Right fielder Brad Snyder had two doubles in a 2 for 4 game. Snyder had four RBI and scored once.
Someone will kill me if I don't mention that center fielder Sam Fuld was 2 for 3 with two walks and two stolen bases. Fuld scored four times. He now has 13 steals this year.
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs beat the Palm Beach Cardinals, 7-5.
Brooks Raley evened his record at 6-6 by tossing 6.2 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. Raley walked one and struck out two.
Mike Perconte got his sixth save, although he did give up two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings. Perconte didn't walk anyone and he struck out three.
Third baseman Junior Lake stayed hot, going 2 for 3 with a double. He also walked once. Lake had one RBI and scored once.
Shortstop DJ LeMahieu went 2 for 5 with a stolen base. He scored once and knocked one in. Second baseman Ryan Flaherty was 2 for 4 with a walk. He also scored once.
First baseman Rebel Ridling rounds out the infield's big night by going 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI.
AZL Cubs
First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Astros, Tuesday 7/27, 7:05 CT
by Al Yellon on Jul 27, 2010 7:00 PM CDT
in Game Threads
151 comments
Go get 'em, TRL.
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati
|
57 | 46 | .553 | 0 | Won 2 |
|
St. Louis
|
56 | 46 | .549 | 0.5 | Lost 1 |
|
Milwaukee
|
48 | 55 | .466 | 9 | Lost 2 |
|
Chicago
|
46 | 56 | .450 | 10.5 | Lost 2 |
|
Houston
|
42 | 59 | .415 | 14 | Won 2 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
36 | 65 | .356 | 20 | Lost 1 |
(updated 7.29.2010 at 10:07 PM CDT)
Current Series
3 game series vs Rockies @ Coors Field
|
Chicago Cubs
Friday, Jul 30, 2010, 8:10 PM CDT Partly cloudy,rain. Winds blowing in from right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 90. |
||
| Sat 07/31 | 7:10 PM CDT | |
| Sun 08/01 | 2:10 PM CDT | |
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