Trade Idea..

by cubsfan2883 on Jul 17, 2006 3:50 PM CDT Comment 40 comments

The Toronto Star reports that Vernon Wells, who has one more year left on his contract, could be moved by Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi. Ricciardi has locked up Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett and B.J. Ryan, and also has Troy Glaus signed through 2009, perhaps leaving Wells out of the team's budgetary plans. More

Yahoo! Sports' take: Wells, the AL's starting center fielder in the All-Star game, would be a huge coup for a contending team looking to shore up center field. It seems unlikely the Blue Jays would deal their young star while in the midst of a pennant race, but perhaps they could be swayed with an offer that includes starting pitching. Just a guess here, but doesn't Wells seem like the kind of guy who would look good in a White Sox uniform? Chicago GM Kenny Williams will not hesitate to make a blockbuster deal if he thinks it could result in another World Series crown

Okay so the Cubs do not have the Starting Pitching to give..

But what about Barrett and Walker the Blue Jays were rumored to be interested in both of those two..

Also the Cubs could give the Blue Jays, Juan Pierre in order to stop the bleeding they might have in CF.. or the Cubs could give up a Sean Marshall bottom line is.. Wells is a top tier talent and really could make the Cubs a better team by solidifying the CF area for the next 5 years.. he has one more year left on his contract and could be a very valuable addition to the Cubs lineup.. Discuss.

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.

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I saw that

I'm a dumbass though, so I won't make any comments about it.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 3:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Angels and Dodgers

We simply do not have what it takes to get Wells. The Cubs should have the Angels and Dodgers on speed dial, they have the deepest systems in baseball. The Cubs have to focus on ARAM. He can opt out of his contract this year. Trade him and Eyre to the Angels for McPherson and Kendrick. That would give us an infield of D Lee and three young, somewhat promising players.

by Gordrock on Jul 17, 2006 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Angels

"The Cubs should have the Angels and Dodgers on speed dial, they have the deepest systems in baseball."

Check out this article for a different perspective on the Angels and their prospects.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0716angelsplug0716.html

by jazzman56 on Jul 17, 2006 7:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Umm

I don't see where that article says that other teams don't like the Angels prospects, except the headline, which was just tacked on by some junior editor in Phoenix. The title of the original LA Times article was "Traders Take Aim at Top Pitchers" and the article does not say anything about other teams not liking the Angels prospects.

What that article is saying is that when the Angels offer prospects, the other teams are saying "No, we want Lackey, Santana or Shields." All that is bargaining. It's not that other teams don't like their prospects, but rather that they are hoping to get a lot more.

You can't read anything into a newspaper headline, which are not written by the author of the article and are often just whatever fits in that space.

by Josh77 on Jul 17, 2006 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ummmm

OK, that tells me opposing teams want the major league talent, not the minor leaguers. Of course they do. However, I think the Cubs could get more for less if they look at possible quality players that will arrive in 2008. Those types would also come cheaper.

by Gordrock on Jul 17, 2006 8:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the chances of Vernon Wells being dealt...

before the end of the season are virtually nil.

Perhaps in the offseason, but not while Toronto still has a shot at making the postseason, especially when they just spent all this money to bring in guys like Glaus, Burnett, and Ryan.

Must have been a slow news day in Toronto or they let an intern write a fill-in article.

Makes no sense for the Jays to deal Wells until the end of the season, if then.

by winstonwolfe on Jul 17, 2006 3:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I really want Toronto to get the WC

so we'd have Detroit, Boston, and Toronto in with NY and Chicago out, but I don't think it will happen.

Toronto is a really good team, they will make trades this month to make them better, but New York and Boston will just be too good for them to catch.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

...that there isn't much chance he'll be dealt.. BUT -

If he were dealt, he's a player. If we could lock him up for 4 more years, I'd give Pierre, Walker, Marshall, whoever the heck else they wanted...

by ontheuptick on Jul 17, 2006 3:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well it seems..

that Toronto had interest in both Barrett and Walker before the ASB.. and being the armchair GM that I am.. I would assume that we would have to

A). Give up SP

B). Take on the contract of either Shea Hillenbrand or Eric Hinske. (5.8. 4.3 mil respectively)

C). Give up a young talented player..

So Being the armchair that I am I propose this to the Blue Jays...

Cubs send:
C Michael Barrett
2b Todd Walker
LHP Rich Hill
RHP Jerome Williams
1b Phil Nevin

Blue Jays send:
CF Vernon Wells
1b Shea Hillenbrand
SS Sergio Santos

What do you think?

by cubsfan2883 on Jul 17, 2006 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hillenbrand

is a FA after this year, I'm not sure about Hinske or Santos though. We wouldn't have any need for him next year unless he will switch positions, right now he plays 1B and 3B.

Santos sucks right now, he's hitting .222.

I'd probably do it though, but I'd rather get a pitching prospect than Santos.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Santos..

Santos is a classic throw in minor leaguer who has had better grade outs and is failing on cashing in on his potential.. He has struggled now through two different minor league systems but is just 23 and could still yet have an impact if brought along properly..

He has nearly no value at this point but is a good throw-in option.

by cubsfan2883 on Jul 17, 2006 4:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

That Vito Corleone would have to send Luca Brasi to Toronto with an "offer the Blue Jays couldn't refuse" to get that one done.

by Josh77 on Jul 17, 2006 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right.

So the idea is, the Cubs send one good player, a purported "clubhouse cancer", and three crappy players, and get an All-Star center fielder?

Where do we sign? I'll drive these guys to the airport myself!

by Al on Jul 17, 2006 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can your Prius

hold six?

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure if that's enough pitching for the Jays...

At this point, Jerome Williams doesn't have a lot of value (4.74 ERA, unimpressive K rate at AAA), and Rich Hill is a pretty big question mark, despite the great AAA numbers. I think the Jays would be looking for someone more like Sean Marshall or Carlos Marmol, that's at least shown some success at the big league level.
If the Cubs could trade Barrett, Walker, Marmol, and Nevin for Wells, Hinske, and Bengie Molina, I'd do it. The Cubs would be set in CF for 2007, and Hinske would make a good backup at 1B and 3B. Molina would be the Cubs catcher for 2007. He'll be overpaid ($7.5M), but the contract would be up after 2007.
Then the Cubs could sign a good corner OF so that Murton and Jones can platoon - let's assume Carlos Lee for now (even though I think he'll be overpaid).
The main hole would then be leadoff and 2B... if the Cubs could somehow trade Pierre to the Twins for Luis Castillo, he'd fit into that slot very nicely for 2007.
This would give you a lineup like this:

2B Castillo
CF Wells
1B D.Lee
LF C.Lee
3B Ramirez
RF Jones/Murton
C Molina
SS Cedeno

It would be an expensive lineup, but several contracts would come off the books after 2007 (Castillo, Wells, Molina), assuming none of them were extended, so the total value of the contracts really is manageable.

Your bench would include:
Hinske (1B/3B)
Soto (C)
Neifi (SS)
Theriot (IF)
Murton/Jones (OF)
Pagan (OF)

The rotation would need some work:

Zambrano
Prior
Marshall
Free Agent?
Free Agent/Rookie?

There's a lot of free agent pitching this offseason, so maybe the Cubs could sign one good starter and give the 5th slot to a youngster.
I realize this is all a lot of a fantasy - it sure beats watching the Cubs this season!

by mportsch on Jul 17, 2006 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Vernon Wells is

going to cost a heckuva lot more than Michael Barrett and the cancerous Todd Walker my friend. The Cubs don't have the ammunition to acquire a player of Wells' credentials, not unless they part company with Carlos Zambrano or Derrek Lee.

by Mike63 on Jul 17, 2006 4:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Vernon Wells is still a shade

below Lee and Z.........but more than the Walker/Barrett Duo for sure...

by TheBeerBaron on Jul 17, 2006 4:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Besides....

The Toronto Blue Jays already have two above average catchers (Bengie Molina and Gregg Zaun.) They could use a SS (Barrett's former position) but Barrett wouldn't be their hope for SS.

by TheBeerBaron on Jul 17, 2006 4:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

theyve played

glaus at short and could put barrett at third...i love this trade discussion

by kylejo on Jul 17, 2006 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

true

Barrett could take over for Hillenbrand, who played 1B, 3B, DH.

Even if Barrett doesn't catch, they still could find a good place for him.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I put Barrett into the discussion..

because Barrett had been rumoured by the Blue Jays press to be a target of the Blue Jays... in a trade.

by cubsfan2883 on Jul 17, 2006 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh

I'm sure Ray Halladay would like that idea.

Any ball hit to the left side of the infield would be a hit.

That would be an infield to rival the Cubs' Kingman/Martin/Thompson outfield of 1980.

This diary has now gone from the silly to the bizarre.

by Josh77 on Jul 17, 2006 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

From silly to bizarre

is what I'm best at.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another trade

I just saw this and to make sure we get Lugo, we could do a trade and require a window to negotiate an extension.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 4:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Rich Hill, Williams and Restovich??

It would be wise for the Rays to move Lugo now......and we all know that the D-Rays #1 priority is starting pitching.......maybe they think that Rich Hill will be good????

Rich Hill, Jerome Williams and Michael Restovich

for

Julio Lugo and a throw in minor leaguer????

hey, the Nationals acquired Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns for peanuts

by TheBeerBaron on Jul 17, 2006 4:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tampa

would be after pitching. I'm not sure they'd need Restovich at all, he'd be a OF bench player. They have enough people in the OF now.

Hill and Williams would be a decent start with one or two more thrown in. I have no clue who Tampa has in their system to use as a throw in.

by colossus on Jul 17, 2006 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Son

My suggestion to you is to put down the hookah and enter rehab. Rich Hill, Jerome Williams and Michael Restovich couldnt' net a used infield rake, let alone Julio Lugo.

by Mike63 on Jul 17, 2006 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pop

Your ideas sound just the same

by Lablover on Jul 17, 2006 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right....

I mean the Cincinnati Reds didn't just make a trade involving two of their most talented players for practically nothing.......gosh, i can't believe i could be as stupid to think that the Devil Rays may have interest in a AAA starting All Star pitcher that is 6-1 with a 1.94 ERA and a whip under 1.00. What on EARTH was I thinking about?

by TheBeerBaron on Jul 17, 2006 4:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If you can convinve

any major league team to give you anything of value (to include a NEW infield rake or Gatorade cooler to be named later) for a package of Rich Hill, Jerome Williams and Michael Restovich, then you sir should be instantly paid a hundred million billion trillion dollars by the Tribune Company.

by Mike63 on Jul 17, 2006 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

However...

While I do think the Nationals got the better of the deal, Majewski is a solid RH setup and Bray is a former first rounder who just made his debut this year. He has looked good. The players that Cincy got have value.

Lugo could be had but I don't see it for useless players like Jerome Williams.

by rlpete on Jul 17, 2006 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup

Cincinnati is in the heat of the NL Central race. Gary Majewski is a quality relief pitcher with a rubber arm while Bray is viewed as having a solid future. It goes to show what I've said for weeks, and that is that playoff contending teams are willing to pay a king's ransom for quality relief pitchers. That is why Jim Hendry should put away his ego and actively shop Bob Howry and Scott Eyre to go along with Scott Williamson. Need I remind anybody that we are over 20 games under .500 and have a lousy team shaping up for 2007.

by Mike63 on Jul 17, 2006 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mike

You know very well that if Majewski and Bray were pitching for the Cubs you wouldn't think either one of them were worth a darn and you would be pissed if Hendry had made that trade.

Lugo is a free agent after this season and it makes a lot of sense for Tampa Bay to trade him since they likely won't sign him. Williams, Hill and Restovich would certainly be better than letting him walk and taking a draft pick. Could they do better? Sure, but as the Reds just proved they could do a lot worse too.

by pageian on Jul 17, 2006 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not so sure

that Hill, Restovich and Williams are better than a draft pick. The D-Rays have some good young guys so they know how to draft. Williams is totally screwed up, Restovich types are always available (see Nevin, Washington just released LeCroy) and Hill is still a question mark.

Unless the D-Rays think Hill has potential, a draft pick is probably better.

by rlpete on Jul 18, 2006 8:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's all hot air anyway..

...Mike63 thought that we should have gotten Jeff Weaver. He considers Ronny Cedeno to be a failed experiment but Jeff Weaver on the other hand. Maybe we could make Mike63 happy....after St. Louis DFAs him, maybe the Cubs could be next in line.

Mean people suck!!!

by santo for prez on Jul 18, 2006 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Which one is you?

http://www.myjokemail.com/content/modules/GoofyBastards/

by Mike63 on Jul 18, 2006 5:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Inappropriate

I have a pretty high threshold for B.S. and insensitivity, but you crossed so many lines here I am not even sure what to say.

That site is repulsive, and should not have been linked here.

by jcub on Jul 18, 2006 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, look at the past....

How many teams are REALLY in the market for a SS......Boston maybe, Toronto, San Diego, I would think that the CUBS could be at the front of that list. I don't think that the Rays are going to ask for the moon for Lugo, they just want to get something for him instead of a draft pick in the fall.

by TheBeerBaron on Jul 17, 2006 4:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

lugo

is having a heck of a season. i don't see the point in trading for him now, as he's going to want to cash in after the season. much like the other names discussed (lee, soriano etc), there's no sense giving up talent when we'll likely have just as much chance signing them after the season.

its not like he'll say, "well the cubs have been good to me the past month since they traded for me, so i'll just sign a contract now rather than possibly being involved in a bidding war between several clubs".

we need to trade away major leaguers, not bring them in.

by tomas21 on Jul 17, 2006 5:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If they are good

and under contract we need to bring them in. The problem with Lugo is that he's going to get paid and it probably won't mean a thing to him that the Cubs just traded for him, and rightly so. IF Hendry traded for him he'd have every intention of signing him, and he'd probably want a window before the trade was finalized to get an extension signed. Can't see Lugo signing with with one of the worst team in the majors on the eve of his free agency unless the money bowled him over. And how often do the Cubs bowl people over (draft picks not included)?

by pageian on Jul 17, 2006 9:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs