Cubs trade Wellemeyer to Marlins

by wicubfan on Mar 28, 2006 10:42 AM CST

...get minor league pitchers Lincoln Holdzkom and Zach McCormack..they don't look all that hot..both single A guys...Holdzkom is 24 and has had Tommy John surgery..McCormack is also 24 and is left handed. I guess the deal is better than nothing. Holdzkom had the lower era despite the surgery. With Welley struggling this spring, I guess it made it tough to get much for him. Maybe one of these 2 will pan out. It would have been nice to get a position player prospect though since the Cubs are so thin there. Any thoughts?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

Tweet Comment 32 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

meh

its not like we can ask for much for welly

KSUCubbie

by ksucubbie on Mar 28, 2006 10:46 AM CST reply actions

Glad to see

the Cubs get something for him without cutting him outright and getting nothing. I'm very curious to see how the pen shapes up now.

One day, the dream will come true.

by brianp88 on Mar 28, 2006 11:24 AM CST up reply actions

Update on Leicester

Apparently, the Rangers will have to try to sneak Leicester through waivers. He has only pitched about 4 innings this Spring, and not done well. He has no shot at making the team, and may still be hurting a bit.

by cubzfan on Mar 28, 2006 10:53 AM CST reply actions

Leicester...

... did pitch a scoreless inning against the Cubs on Friday night.

by Al Yellon on Mar 28, 2006 10:55 AM CST up reply actions

Who?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/transactions

According to ESPN's Transaction wire, the Cubs traded someone named Scott Wellemeyer.

DmL

by dmlichte on Mar 28, 2006 11:06 AM CST reply actions

I note...

... that same transaction page shows ex-Cub Felix Heredia signing with the Indians.

by Al Yellon on Mar 28, 2006 11:08 AM CST up reply actions

glad to see it

it's a lot better than retaining him in the cub bullpen.

anyone think this means ryu will come north?

by gaius marius on Mar 28, 2006 11:13 AM CST reply actions

Maybe...

... with Novoa now healthy, there's another body in the mix as well.

I think you'll see both Ryu and Novoa get quite a bit of work in the next week. Wuertz, too.

by Al Yellon on Mar 28, 2006 11:27 AM CST up reply actions

Novoa

He may be pitching again, but I imagine its not out of the question that it will take him a few weeks to get back into pitching shape, especially if he lost some weight. I'd be surprised if he didn't stay for some extended spring training.

DmL

by dmlichte on Mar 28, 2006 12:02 PM CST up reply actions

that's what i would assume

and, i have to say, i hate the idea of pushing ryu into the cub pen after his tentative progress in west tenn as a starter almost as much as i hate the idea of launching marshall into the rotation from daytona.

maybe koronka and hill aren't world-beaters, but do we really have to do this?

and another thing -- wouldn't jermaine van buren look pretty goddamn good right about now? dumping him for a ptbnl was as stupid a thing as hendry has done in his time as general manager.

by gaius marius on Mar 28, 2006 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

You mean

the guy who couldn' t make the Red Sox pen and may already be on the trading block?

It's a shame that we don't have him....

The only spot right now is for a swing-man/long reliever. I'd pick Koronka over Ryu cause I don't see the point in wasting Ryu on the bench and wasting any service time/options on a guy who isn't going to pitch very often. You can waste Koronka all you want....

I would even consider Rich Hill although a few starts in the minors where he continues to concentrate on his secondary pitches and the mental aspects wouldn't hurt him.

Visit The Cub Reporter!

by RobG @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Mar 28, 2006 2:46 PM CST up reply actions

he'd make our pen

even if he can't make boston's, which is quite probably the best pen in baseball.

there he's fighting off papelbon -- here, he'd be fighting off... well, no one.

by gaius marius on Mar 28, 2006 3:19 PM CST up reply actions

Van Buren

is not special. He's a gimmick pitcher, nothing more. Granted the circumstances of his trade were gross mismanagement, he wouldn't have had much spot on this team either.

Dempster
Howry
Eyre
Williamson
Ohman
Wuertz
Long reliever

Unless Van Buren could magically start pitching multiple innings, something he was never been groomed for he had no place on this team. You may believe he'd be better then Wuertz, but there's nothing to justify it other then maybe this year's spring training numbers which mean a whole lot of nothing.

Could he have been a useful part later in the season if injuries or ineffectiveness hit the bullpen? Certainly and I wasn't fond of the trade at the time because of the circumstances, but he would have had no place on this team on Opening Day.

Visit The Cub Reporter!

by RobG @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Mar 28, 2006 5:28 PM CST up reply actions

Van Buren...

... with that odd arm motion, is an arm injury waiting to happen.

Forget it.

by Al Yellon on Mar 28, 2006 6:19 PM CST up reply actions

i beg to differ

we need bullpen help. van buren -- however you want to paint him now that he's outside The Collective -- was the best relief pitcher in the cubs system two years running. he dominated from the moment he moved into relief as few pitchers in the cub system have. i suggest you folks remind yourselves of how he ran riot in the pcl last year.

his iowa line 2004-5:

55 g, 59 ip, 36 h, 22 bb, 70 k, 26 sv

he's not tom seaver, granted. but you don't think he'd be just a little bit useful right now?

van buren is a built-to-order major league reliever, hendry made a very poor strategic move with him, and now the team is paying for it by hauling kids out of west tenn to be immolated.

by gaius marius on Mar 28, 2006 9:23 PM CST up reply actions

Going with your attitude Gaius...

"he's not tom seaver, granted"

There is no way we should play his ass! He isn't Roger Clemens-to-be or Tome Seaver-esque, so send him to the minors for the rest of his career.

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 28, 2006 9:26 PM CST up reply actions

hyperbole

is a refuge for those who have no valid argument.

by gaius marius on Mar 28, 2006 9:31 PM CST up reply actions

As is

word play and over-intellectualization my friend.

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 28, 2006 9:52 PM CST up reply actions

if

he is such a made to order pitcher he would have made bostons pen or another GM would have traded for him

KSUCubbie

by ksucubbie on Mar 28, 2006 10:13 PM CST up reply actions

You better watch out KS...

or he's gonna throw some fancy words your way!

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 28, 2006 10:19 PM CST up reply actions

Wellemeyer was done....

They got a bag of balls that will fill in the A rosters, although the lefty might blossom (Rich Hill) offering something of a possible.

I am interested to see if the Cubs make a move for another utility player (IF/OF'er).

Bill Veeck planted Ivy during 'The Depression', and over time the Ivy Walls has become the most distinct symbol of Wrigley Field.

by Ivy Walls on Mar 28, 2006 11:27 AM CST reply actions

It's funny

how some people actually thought Wellemeyer had some trade value not too long ago. Although to be honest, I thought they might be able to get something a little better than 2 pitchers who'll never step foot on a MLB field. HIs Demise this Spring didnt' help much either, but he still is a dime a dozen pitcher who had zero trade value.

I personally thought they sould've taken their chances on him passing waivers. What point is it trading him for pitchers who'll never see MLB game action?

by escapegoat on Mar 28, 2006 11:41 AM CST reply actions

He'd never have cleared waivers...

... because of his arm and "stuff". GM's love that. Someone would have claimed him.

About the two guys the Cubs got -- well, even the minor league teams need roster filler.

by Al Yellon on Mar 28, 2006 11:47 AM CST up reply actions

I don't think

he would've actually cleared waivers but landing on a 25 man roster for the majority of the season is another thing. He hasn't been able to do that with the Cubs Bullpen and that's saying a lot.

by escapegoat on Mar 28, 2006 11:52 AM CST up reply actions

Bye Welly!

I wish him well.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes.

by sparkles721 on Mar 28, 2006 12:05 PM CST reply actions

I wish him well too

I was really behing this guy when his pitched his brains out in a marathon extra inning game in Milwaukee a couple of years ago. I hope he does well against everyone except the Cubs.

One day, the dream will come true.

by brianp88 on Mar 28, 2006 4:03 PM CST up reply actions

New Opportunity

I really did like Welly ... not always the guy you wanted to depend on, but i thought he would continue to develop into a good pitcher.

What this tells me is the staff feels confident in a new guy to take his place ... Ryu likely. Maybe Novoa.

11 days until I need to be in bleacher shape

by Critical Fanatic on Mar 28, 2006 12:13 PM CST reply actions

Developing pitchers

You bring up a good point..how many pitchers have the Cubs really developed? Zambrano would be one...Many others with huge potential have either ended up hurt or ineffective. Who should be held responsible for this?

by wicubfan on Mar 28, 2006 4:05 PM CST up reply actions

Hey Come on Now....

The Cubs got a guy named Linc Holds'em. What better name for a pitcher?

by BeerCub on Mar 28, 2006 4:57 PM CST reply actions

WOW Gaius uoght to LOVE this one!

"Baker indicated that Marshall -- who will start Friday in the first of two exhibitions against the San Diego Padres in Las Vegas -- has a chance to be slotted fourth in the rotation, which would set his major-league debut for April 8 at Wrigley Field against the St. Louis Cardinals. Carlos Zambrano, Glendon Rusch and Greg Maddux are scheduled to pitch the first three games."

Not only will Marshall be a starting pitcher, but he may be the fourth starter!!!

Thoughts Gaius????

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 29, 2006 8:03 AM CST reply actions