Actual, Real Cubs News (Jason Marquis Edition)

do we take a chance on the Unit to man the 5th starter’s slot? Or do you just pencil Marshall in right away? I’m personally in favor of signing him, I think the team could use a nasty veteran like that. Plus, Marshall becomes your insurance plan rather than your Plan A. If Randy does get hurt, he’s only on the payroll for one year at a reasonable rate, so life goes on.

I don’t understand how the Rockies “risk losing him” if he is already gone and why/how we would trade for a guy already on the roster.

He can pinch run, hit as a pitcher, and pitch every 5th day (and hasn’t been half bad this past season or 2).

No brainer, take whatever you can get for him b/c theres little chance they’d resign him anyway.

for getting rid of Marquis at almost all costs.

And all this talk of Adam Dunn is just silly to me. I live in Ohio and my peeps who are Reds fans would all be glad if the Cubs picked him up. He’s one of those guys who either strikes out or hits a HR. He’s an average fielder at best, he has no speed. He should go to the AL and DH, that’s all he’s good for.

I’d much rather see Milton Bradley in Cubbie Blue.

But yeah, back to the topic at hand. Marquis needs to go. He’s alright as a fifth starter, and he did much better in the second half of ‘08 than the previous two years, but I’m not a fan of his at all.

1) Payroll Issues - If the Cubs had to let Kerry Wood go for a $20.5 million, two-year contract, how in the world are they in a position to eat any more contract unless they are in the position to really get some one so essential to the club that’s going to fill a gaping hole? If money is that big an issue, then cutting Marquis loose and letting us pay him makes absolutely no sense whatsoever .. and no one mentioned here (from Dunn to Peavy and especially Milton Headcase Bradley) is really worth that much.

2) Newsflash: The Cubs HAVE A Good Staff – Randy Johnson’s presence in the rotation won’t make Zambrano, Lilly, Gaudin or Dempster any more “legitimate tough guys” then they already are. 6 million to toughen the Cubs for one year is a joke. However, Gaudin, as good as he might be, is another trainer’s bread and butter case in the rotation. Did anyone forget how much nursing Gaudin needed to get through just 1/2 of a season .. or his past? And Marshall, who is on the verge of what I think could be a breakout year for him, still is the unknown X factor here. Will he be a legitimate 5th starter or a Rich Hardenesque flame out? We’re going to need him in Spring training, especially if Harden somehow makes it back there.

3) We Have A Center Fielder And Reed Johnson Is His Name-O – I don’t think he was signed to platoon. He’ll be given a shot at getting the job this spring and I believe he’ll be the man to earn it. Pie is trade bait since Joey Gathright was signed. And Gathright, of all three, is the second best man. If Kosuke, God bless him, struggles again with consistency then Gathright should be considered for RF since according to Hendry, he can play all three positions. So the need for elaborate trade deals and exotic financing for getting an Adam Dunn or a Milton Bradley is moot – the Cubs should tinker with what they have if their money problems are that tight and bloom what they planted.

Now that the Cubs stupidly let

A Giant……….. I trust Henry on passing on him…….. would like Dunn but rather have Bradley and maybe a multi position gamer like DeRosa. Bako would be fine too as the backup with his LH bat….

is the Phil Rogers of the mountain west.

take that for what it’s worth.