Here come the Pirates!

by SonnyJ9 on Jun 1, 2006 3:05 PM CDT

The Pirates who have won four in a row and are 6-4 in their last ten have tied the Cubs in wins with 20. The Pirates still trail the Cubs by percentage points since they have two more losses than the Cubs. This leaves KC and Florida as the only clubs with less wins than the Cubs.

Given that the Cubs may soon have to climb over five teams and that in my opinion they do not have the talent to do it, I would support a "sell now" strategy.

The first person I would attempt to get rid of is Juan Pierre.

Who, if you agree with this strategy would you want to move in hopes of getting some decent talent in return?

Poll

Who should we move as sellers?

Juan Pierre

41 votes

Kerry Wood

7 votes

Todd Walker

2 votes

Aramis Ramirez

5 votes

Carlos Zambrano

1 votes

Greg Maddux

4 votes

Eyre, Howry or Williamson

2 votes

Mr. Other

4 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

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 31 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Pirates, indeed.

The Cubs could easily find themselves in last place on Monday. Is everyone prepared for the possibility?

by chmcneel on Jun 1, 2006 3:07 PM CDT reply actions

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I could say more but I'm too busy banging my head against my desk.

by koramcub on Jun 1, 2006 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Not

gonna happen!

Wouldn't be prudent.

she

by Sarah Hope on Jun 1, 2006 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions

At this juncture!

n/t

Poppppppppped it up...

by nextyearcub on Jun 1, 2006 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Not ganna dooit

n/t

"People are too hung up on winning. I can get off on a really good helmet throw." -Bill "Spaceman" Lee

by elscorcho0682 on Jun 1, 2006 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

You can squat on a pitbull, but that don't get you

rhubarb pie.

Whoops, same actor wrong politician.

by FukudomeAtLarge on Jun 2, 2006 9:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Inconceivable!

"we got motherf'in snakes on our motherf'in plane!" -Samuel L. Jackson

by DTJchris on Jun 2, 2006 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

You keep using that word

I do not think it means what you think it means.

she

by Sarah Hope on Jun 2, 2006 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

I have never understand fire sales...

You get rid of your best players, for young players that may or may not pan out a few years down the line. WOuldn't it be better to keep your best players and build around them? No one is going to take your garbage anyhow. Can you say Cole Liniak anyone? How about Michah Bowie? THese were "Hot" prospects the Cubs got in fire sales in the past. I say no to a fire sale.

Kasey

by kaseyi on Jun 1, 2006 3:27 PM CDT reply actions

Who on this team

do you consider "worth building around"? Outside of Lee and Zambrano I really don't see anyone that valuable. Unless you think one or two free agents will turn this club into a contender they need to rebuild.

by pwhalen on Jun 1, 2006 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Firesale

is generally used when a team is dumping salary. Since the Cubs don't really need to dump salary for the sake of saving money it wouldn't be a true firesale. Probably what they would do is get rid of players who they already know they aren't planning to bring back next year, which could include Pierre, Walker, Maddux, Wood, Williamson etc. I doubt we move too many more than that. Ramirez probably isn't going to be traded, Jones probably can't be traded and it's doubtfull we'd get enough value in return for Prior considering his medical condition. I wouldn't use the term fire sale, I'd use the term "giving up" on this season and preparing for 2007.

by pageian on Jun 1, 2006 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions

The poll needs adjusting to allow multiple choices

...not to mention write-in candidates. I agree with your assertion that the Cubs cannot climb over 4 and possibly soon to be 5 teams to win the division and neither will they climb over 10 teams to win the wild-card berth. The only problem with the fire sale approach is the Cubs don't have anyone to engineer a smart trade for prospects and, if by fluke, they did obtain a hot prospect, they don't have anyone to properly instruct him.

"I was not in optimum condition to manage ," Dusty said. "I regret that lapse in judgment."

by Reverend Jim Ignatowski on Jun 1, 2006 4:40 PM CDT reply actions

I agree

What's the use of bringing in a bunch of prospects if Dusty won't use them? And Hendry has a good track record of making trades when we need something for a playoff race, but not so good on other trades. He seems to be willing to make useless trades just to get a player out of his hair and not get much back in return, except for Todd Hundley of course. He turned Dubois into Gerut, Gerut into Lawton, Lawton into.... who, I don't even remember. Who'd we get for Hollandsworth? He wasn't worth much, but how about eventually coming up with something to show for all these smaller trades?

by pageian on Jun 2, 2006 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Pierre was brought in to help take us to the

playoffs. It's not looking like that's going to happen. If we're not going to re-sign him, we should trade him and get whatever value we can for him.

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" -Homer J. Simpson

by Whitebacon on Jun 1, 2006 4:46 PM CDT reply actions

That's exactly right.

The problem, of course, is that based on his performance to date, who would want him?

by Al Yellon on Jun 1, 2006 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm sure tons of teams would

It's just a matter of hoping that they don't look at this season in a vacuum.

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" -Homer J. Simpson

by Whitebacon on Jun 1, 2006 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions

OK...

... go look at all the major league teams that are legitimate contenders -- because those are the only teams that would likely be interested.

Name me even one that would NEED a player like Pierre, given that he's playing poorly now.

by Al Yellon on Jun 1, 2006 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I did this

The only teams that MAY have ANY KIND of interest are Oakland (no speed, 2 average OFers) and SF (no speed, oldest OF in baseball).

And Oakland may be sellers and SF is very iffy.

by grifdog on Jun 1, 2006 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions

the Rockies might take him back..

Pierre would be an upgrade over Cory Sullivan in CF and would get back to his roots.

by cubsfan2883 on Jun 1, 2006 6:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Right now...

... Sullivan is hitting way better than Pierre. I can't see them doing this, nor can I see the Giants -- who have Finley, a decent CF -- doing this.

The A's aren't even in the mix. Pierre is absolutely, positively NOT Billy Beane's type of player.

by Al Yellon on Jun 1, 2006 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions

The A's don't run

so he'd be useless there.

I could see the Angels being interested, if they got off the schneid. They are not getting great production out of the outfield, and Figgins/Pierre would be reminiscent of Castillo/Pierre with the Marlins. I think I've heard rumblings of them maybe trading Kennedy, maybe JoshinLA can C/D.

It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility that the Dodgers could be interested if something happened to Kenny Lofton, which is entirely possible.

Luis Gonzalez is showing his age, and should he break down, I imagine the Dbacks could be interested as well. When Byrnes cools down and regresses to the mean, that could play a factor too.

And never count out the Yankees (Or the Red Sox, for that matter). Damon has a broken foot, and it's not healing, if it requires surgery that could put him out for awhile, and Steinbrenner would want to make a move.

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" -Homer J. Simpson

by Whitebacon on Jun 1, 2006 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions

This just in...

via Rotoworld

Yankees placed outfielder Gary Sheffield on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Tuesday, with a torn ligament and dislocated tendon in his left wrist.

Pierre/Damon in left/center, move melky to right. Also, we may be able to unload JJ on them in two weeks.

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" -Homer J. Simpson

by Whitebacon on Jun 1, 2006 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions

hmm

A torn tendon and dislocated ligament sure doesn't sound like a 15-day DL type injury to me. I'm thinking closer to 60-day DL. And JJ has been hitting better recently...

Then again, the Yankees have been on a slash and burn strategy in their farm system, so I'm not sure what kind of prospect we might be able to get for JJ or JP.

Jacque Jones-doubled-off-second-o-meter: 3

by jrm78 on Jun 1, 2006 8:30 PM CDT up reply actions

And the White Sox

They need a center fielder pretty bad, along with some bullpen help. We've got both. Pierre's numbers are an abberation! Convince Kenny to take him on.

by MikeJ on Jun 2, 2006 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Al's right

Let's pretend that the Marlins were in contention and needed a center fielder. At this point, would they trade us back even one of the three that we gave them for Pierre? Would he even be worth one of the three?

by pageian on Jun 2, 2006 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions

why trade

look he has the skill and speed to be great, its kinda pointless to get rid of him already its early he has to get use to to new mangement and teammates if you want to get rid of someone get rid of freakin' Nefi he is worthless though. But why is he starting instead of of Wolmack who is on fire right now. ask yourself that instead of trading people.

by Lord Helmet on Jun 1, 2006 6:55 PM CDT reply actions

Pierre is no good to us if we're not going to the

playoffs. If we're not going to extend his contract (and it appears we're not) we should trade him to get whatever we can. If that doesn't involve getting an outfielder back, then we can play the on fire Womack.

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" -Homer J. Simpson

by Whitebacon on Jun 1, 2006 7:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Just lucky this is a secret ballot

or the two people who voted to trade Maddux
would have to start looking over their shoulder

Just to depress me SI already has the first rumour
( not even ) re this.

Good thing I still have a whole bottle of ambien left

by jessica on Jun 1, 2006 7:12 PM CDT reply actions

thanks

thanks a lot. I have been successfully avoiding looking at most overall rankings and win-loss numbers because I knew I wouldn't like the outcome.

So now that my little bubble has burst spraying my hopes of ending the season on a high note over everything are you going to clean up the mess? I didn't think so

"In this life there are nothing but possibilities."

by flyball on Jun 2, 2006 8:06 AM CDT reply actions