Forget Roberts...add a #3 pitcher

by cubbiesrule on Mar 26, 2008 10:43 AM CDT

Having attended many spring training games and reading for months about how to upgrade our beloved Cubbies, I say it's time to move on and forget about Roberts. DeRosa is fine. What we need is a quailty #3 startrer. I am really nervous with Dempster or Marquis or even Lieber (even though he is now coming out of the bullpen). If we had 1 more reliable pitcher, I would feel a whole lot more confident with this team!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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whom

do you have in mind?

by elgato on Mar 26, 2008 10:44 AM CDT 0 recs

Joe Blanton

He would be a perfect fit and not cost us 4 prospects like Roberts would.

by cubbiesrule on Mar 26, 2008 10:50 AM CDT 0 recs

You must be joking.

You think Billy Beane is going to trade Blanton for anything less than three or four prospects?

Further, Blanton is a flyball pitcher. He'd be terrible in Wrigley Field.

Next?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 26, 2008 12:27 PM CDT up 0 recs

Let me make sure that I follow...

In a year in which the Cubs have 7 legitimate starters in camp, you propose to add another?

So, considering that :

Zambrano (lock)
Lilly (lock)
Lieber (can't be traded till June)
Marquis (no trade market whatsoever for him)
Dempster (much club love)
Hill (won't be traded under virtually any circumstance, if only due to salary)

I'd really love to hear what you propose. Blanton BTW is league average outside of Oakland, and Beane asked for BOTH Hughes and Chamberlain when asked about by the Yankees. Let's try again.

by Damen Jackson on Mar 26, 2008 10:53 AM CDT 0 recs

You're probably right, but I don't care

how much people love Dempster, and how much of a great teammate he is, and that he was promised a spot...if there's a better option (which I think Lieber is) then Lou should go with it!

BRob, DLee, Fuke, ARam, Sori, Soto, Pie, Theriot - Done.

by Canadian Cubs Fan on Mar 26, 2008 10:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

No trade market for Marquis

Gimme a break, there are plently of teams that would like a guy that always throws upwards of 190 innings and gets you 12 wins.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Mar 26, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up 0 recs

Really?...

From Jayson Stark, which I believe is now the third time that I've heard this.

"Other Cubs rumblings: They've made no headway on the Brian Roberts front. They've got no takers on Jason Marquis. And there is zero chance they'll be dealing Michael Wuertz to the Tigers, as was rumored last week. One club that checked in on Wuertz says he's available only in "a very big deal." "

The quiet rumbling for weeks now is that everyone expected Jason to be dealt by now. I don't know why there isn't a greater market, although I suspect that it's the second year on his deal. But there isn't.

by Damen Jackson on Mar 26, 2008 11:26 AM CDT up 0 recs

Cool

Ill bet the Cardinals wish they have him, well maybe not him but the numbers he put up last year probably would have made him their 2nd best starter

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Mar 26, 2008 11:38 AM CDT up 0 recs

I bet many teams do...

albeit not at this pricepoint. Well, I take that back. I think he burned some bridges in St. Louis, so maybe not them.

by Damen Jackson on Mar 26, 2008 11:41 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'm sure there's a market

Just not a great one. I don't think we could get more than a couple of fringe prospects for him without eating most of the contract. Even then, probably not that much.

by berselius on Mar 26, 2008 11:54 AM CDT up 0 recs

You know...

a market is loosely defined as a target demographic who considers your product interesting and valuable enough to purchase at a profitable rate.

There is a difference between those that are interested, and those who've expressed willingness to pay.

by Damen Jackson on Mar 26, 2008 12:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

Not unlike Murton...

...Marquis does not have the value most think. If he did, he would be out the door by now as would Murton.

I understand the shortage of pitching, but even with him eating up innings, his 2nd half failures of the past couple of years and his big contract are real life barriers.

Marquis will go at some point and so will Murton. With Marquis, it will boil down to how much money the Cubs will need to eat on the $16 mil he has coming.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Mar 26, 2008 12:28 PM CDT up 0 recs

Get Roberts Now...

...and a #2 starter in July.

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 10:53 AM CDT 0 recs

I see your point

I am just frustrated that we are stuck with Leiber, Marquis and Dempster. I can live with 1 of them being a # 5, but 2 of them? I would love to get Roberts, but Mc FAIL, is asking WAY too much!

by cubbiesrule on Mar 26, 2008 10:56 AM CDT 0 recs

I have no idea why....

the season hasn't even started yet. The pitching staff looks better than most teams in baseballs. And many people actually involved in baseball think the Cubs may be championship caliber.

Maybe we should wait till Memorial Day to really see how this situation looks.

by Damen Jackson on Mar 26, 2008 11:00 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agreed. Be patient

Maybe they will get a stud.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Mar 26, 2008 11:20 AM CDT up 0 recs

That pitcher

that would have been worth getting is a Seattle Mariner now. Not much else out there.

Damn Nutrisystem...I'm freakin dyin for some Italian beef!

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 26, 2008 10:57 AM CDT 0 recs

Not sure who to get...

but we need a strong #3 for the post-season IMHO

Stats spelled backwards is statS!

by digitalbenjamin on Mar 26, 2008 10:59 AM CDT 0 recs

Strong #3...

...is that an oxymoron?

And please don't call me moron.

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 11:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

wow..post season planning already..

I admire your optimism even if I don't share it.

Wood for closer.

by wicubfan on Mar 26, 2008 2:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

There's no

good SP out there. We have enough of depth and good options. Our rotation will be fine, if we start the best pitchers who deserve to start.

by cubsfan25 on Mar 26, 2008 12:52 PM CDT 0 recs

How about

forget Roberts and add no pitcher.

Poor Matty Murton....

by Keystone80435 on Mar 26, 2008 1:21 PM CDT 0 recs

Now that it's unlikely any major move will happen now

Let's see Jimbo do a July, 2003 only this time instead of Lofton and Ramirez, it's a middle IF and a SP.

by blackhawk24 on Mar 26, 2008 1:29 PM CDT 0 recs

I agree

you never see any big trades in April or May. Teams like to see what they got and if they have a chance at contending. So if opening day pass, we shouldn't expect any major trades until mid June.

by cubsfan25 on Mar 26, 2008 1:38 PM CDT 0 recs

yadda yadda......

yadda!well the cubs have only had about 1 year to think about the pitching which blew up in the playoffs last year.i have said all along they should get another "quality" pitcher.so what do they do....they get lieber!wow what an upgrade.look...relying on dumpster and marquis just won't get id done.........period.

by goatstew on Mar 26, 2008 1:44 PM CDT 0 recs

dear hendry:

please wave your magic wand and poof there will be a pitcher. gimme a break people. i'm sure hendry went all offseason and didnt comb over the market for a top SP. breaking news they dont grow on trees. these crazy posts never cease to amaze me.

GO CUBS GO!!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Mar 26, 2008 2:27 PM CDT 0 recs

Oh he tried, I know he tried

Blanton, Bedard, Santana, Haren and likely many more. I mean look what it took to eliminate the Cubs for Santana. He wanted an East coast team that also ST's in Fla. When players hold that many chips, demands like that are met.

For the longest time, I was hoping and praying for a Bedard/Roberts combo to come here. That boat has long since sailed. Now it's on to the NWT deadline, think that's now "only" 127 days away.

by blackhawk24 on Mar 26, 2008 2:45 PM CDT 0 recs

Hey, there's plenty of time.

We can project and predict all we want. But one thing we do know, or should, is that there will be surprises -- good and bad -- once the season starts.

And there will be players available by trade in July who are not available now.

The roster's pretty good. They seem to be coming together. Let's give them a couple of months and see what happens, before we panic and say "GETASTARTERNOWHENDRY!!!!!11!!"

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 26, 2008 7:56 PM CDT 0 recs

If Hendry is truely done...

...you lace em up and see how things pan out.

I do agree there will always be surprises along the way; players will have poor starts and others will do better than expected. Chances are, some key player may go down as well.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Mar 26, 2008 9:02 PM CDT 0 recs

Like Escobar?

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 9:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

Loud, sustained applause.

n/t

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 27, 2008 12:39 AM CDT up 0 recs

someone's

gonna be calling hendry soon. brew crew are minus gallardo and capuano and sheets cant stay healthy. angels starters are almost obsolete. marquis will be an ace afterall lmaoooooooooo

GO CUBS GO!!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Mar 26, 2008 10:10 PM CDT 0 recs

I don't think...

...you will see the Cubs trading someone that could help a team that finished 2 games behind them last year, and is likely to be the number one challenger in 08.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Mar 27, 2008 10:47 AM CDT up 0 recs