....at the highest price possible. A Columnist suggested this yesterday. “Go let him pitch in a pennant race….don’t let his last year be with this mess…”

Offer then Sean Marshall or Felix Pie. Seriously.

Maybe, Maddux might express an interest to the Padres in wanting to be traded to the Cubs, if the Padres continue to struggle and the Cubs continue to contend. It’s all about what the Cubs would have to give up. We don’t know how Hill and Marshall are going to be down the line. For the rest of 2008, I would rather have Maddux than those guys. I believe it’s still a bit early for the Padres to want to trade Maddux, but Hendry should still put out feelers for how much the Padres might want for Greg.

Hey, a man can dream can’t he?

And BTW this will not be his last year. I suspect he has 10-12 wins in his tank this year, and would be a fine #4 pitcher in the rotation, hopefully matched up with the opponents mid to lower rotation pitcher.

Mad-dog would also bring that knowledge that the staff and club would love and need. Again the price would not be horrific, E-Patterson and Huffpauir might bring him here sooner than later.

I see him pitching next year and eclipsing the 363 wins mark of Warren Spahn and then moving him in the Christy Matthewson/Grover Cleveland Alexander level of 373. Right now he is 3-3 in 8 GS, 3.60 ERA and 1.16 WHIP figure he has 28 or so starts left, especially with a contender….I can see him winning 12-13 wins with a good team. That puts him beyond Galvin and Nichols, both 19th century pitchers and coming up to the rubber armed Spahn who is at 363.

A good season and Mad-Dog will find another club next year, possibly the Cubs again, who knows. Let us presume he wins 12 more bringing him to 362 and a year of 12 more wins and he is at 374 and only behind Cy Young 511 and Walter “THE TRAIN” Johnson at 417.

If Mad-Dog surpasses Mathewson and Alexander’s record of 373 he would be considered the greatest modern day pitcher, hands down. He will probably also surpass 3500 K’s in the next two seasons, where this season he will pass 10th place Phil Niekro at 3342 (he has 3299 right now) and close in on Johnson’s 3509 who is currently 9th.

Ironically the K is a modern day record and not wins, as it goes: Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry and then Johnson are 1-9. After Johnson it is modern day pitchers again,Maddux, Niekro, Jenkins, Gibson, Martinez, Bunning, Schilling, Lolich, Cy Young (18th), Tanana and Cone.

I say bring Greg home.

The problem is he might not want to come back to Chicago. After all, he wants to stay on the West Coast. He has a no trade clause and can veto the trade if he wants to. Also, if we were to pick him up, it would definitely mean that we are in a win now phase. Patterson and two other prospects could get it done, but I don’t know if that is worth giving up having a mid 40s pitcher with MAYBE 1.5 years of service for us..

Greg Maddux, Home: 1.42 ERA
Greg Maddux, Road: 4.94 ERA

I love Greg Maddux! In fact, I think he is the greatest pitcher who has ever pitched. What he has done over the last 20 years is incredible. Its even more so when you realize that his best years where during the roi era. While I think he is awesome, I don’t think he is ever going to come back to the Cubs. Even if the Padres are out of it, I have a feeling he won’t be leaving the team. His home is out there, and he likes them because he is close to home. If we had the chance for Maddux to be our number 4 or 5, AWESOME! But I doubt we have that chance….

and got flamed for it. al said there was no way maddux would come back.

... that Maddux will be on the block if the Padres continue to suck. Most likely, it wouldn’t be till closer to the trading deadline. Yes, I’d love to have him back, too, if it didn’t cost too much in terms of players. Just as in 2006, I’m sure Maddux would love to be part of a pennant race if the Padres aren’t in one, and as Jessica has said here, there are only three teams he’d likely agree to go to: the Dodgers, Braves and Cubs.

Stay tuned.

Lets get A.Gonl.while we are at it…lol