Options I'd like to see the Cubs explore.
by Cub Style on Nov 15, 2009 12:40 PM CST
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PrintThis doesn't really mean I want them to make these moves, but just to see the market so they can fully evaluate their moves.
You kind of have to at least call them. It most likely won't happen unless we send some nutty offer that includes Vernon Wells. I remember hearing a Bradley-Z for Halladay-Wells swap but I highly doubt it has legs or would even work.
He'd free up bench space by letting us get rid of 2-3 of the 4 utility players we have at 2B and give us a decent top of the order hitter.
I'm not a fan, but we are kind of committed and I see very good reasons including the lack of CF depth in the system.
In my opinion a cheaper, older, short-term fix for CF in comparison to Granderson.
Provides power off the bench. Theoretically, a home run or K guy.
Probably my favorite RF option. High OBP and SLG, his UZR is kind of scary though. Of course Fukudome would have to play CF. Also has a very reasonable contract. His splits are also pretty balanced in Home/Away terms.
Chieng-Ming Wang
If he rebounds, we have ourselves a gem with an incentive-laden deal. In my opinion, he'd be a better number 1 than Zambrano is.
If his option is not picked up.
He would give us a dynamite set up man, which I love.
Bullpen depth.
He'd be a good mentor to Marmol-aid.
Hell of a #2 hitter and 2B, he'd cost us some money though.
Good 2B. Plays good D.
Any offers involving Soriano, Bradley, and/or Zambrano
The only one that's worth anything is Zambrano, so that's the only one I'd expect to get anything for. Bradley is worth something if we pay the most of his contract. Soriano, oh boy.
I'd like to see what the rest of you have to say.
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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“Any offers involving Soriano”
is what I put on the top of my Christmas list (ie- it’s not happening).
Dotel or Calero would be worth bringing in if the cost was low. Granderson would fill a few needs, albeit at a likely high cost. Castillo is, in my mind, the best trade matchup for Bradley from our perspective, although I don’t think the Mets would like that deal. The others I could do without.
I just had to put it on there
I’d cry in joy if we even got a bag of waterlogged balls for him.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
Don't get me wrong- he's got his strengths.
He has good power, a strong arm, and seems to be a really likable guy. But the strikeouts, the mental errors, the poor defense, the inability to adjust, and, most of all, the albatross contract, make him a liability in my mind. Of course, that is exactly why trading him would be so hard. If only Isaiah Thomas ran an Major League team so we could pawn off our disappointments on him!
I believe Omar Minaya is his Latino cousin.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
My image disappeared
There was an image with the post I just made and now it’s gone. Is anybody else having that problem?
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 15, 2009 1:48 PM CST reply actions
IMO
IMO spend big money on Holliday .. great power , good glove , next I would trade for Granderson for long term fix in centerfield , great glove ,power , speed .. If both have career years that could be almost 100 homeruns between them . Career years though .. and get Castillo for second base .. Now the Cubs could have a scary lineup … I know the Cubs don’t have a lot of money .. But this addition would cost big money for Holliday .. But I think that lineup would bring the Cubs to the promise land ..
How about DeRosa?
What, you don’t want the Cubs to at least explore him? I think he is more likely than Roy Halladay or Luis Castillo. Why shouldn’t the Cubs take a look at him? He’s available and even though he wasn’t that great last year, he still helps his team.
by braziliancubsfan on Nov 15, 2009 2:57 PM CST reply actions
I agree
with Braziliancubsfan .. BUT DeRosa would be only a short term fix .. DeRosa is in his mid-thirties and IMO his best years are behind him . Would take him for short term fix though
Short term fix may be useful
2010 is probably the last run for much of the core of the current Cubs. At the end of the year, contracts start expiring and it is time for a major reassessment.
DeRosa would need to agree to a fairly cheap one year deal for it to work for the Cubs.
DeRosa belongs on the Cubs
The Cubs need to at least talk to DeRosa about what he is looking for. He’d be excellent at 2B and as an insurance policy in case Ramirez gets hurt. Jeff Baker is NOT the answer. He hit decent, but he’s not a starter. Not on a championship team anyway.
DeRosa was one of the hearts and souls of the last two divison championship teams (along with Wood, before both of them were kicked to the curb for no reason). The Cubs should be looking for a way to get them both back. Now.
Good grief
Will the man love for Wood and DeRo ever stop.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 18, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions
No. I have to confess I watched
the 20 strikeout game on the MLB network over the weekend.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
Still my favorite Cub
"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher
Not ever going to happen again
Marmol will be as good a closer for a lot less money, and as for DeRo, he had a career year in 2008. He is a good player, nothing more, and I suspect his best days are behind him.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Nov 18, 2009 4:19 PM CST up reply actions
Knew I forgot someone.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
Personally, I'm sick of hearing about DeRo
He was great while he was here, but I wish we would just move on. A player who I would be interested for our 2b dilemma is Alberto Callaspo. Anyone else interested?
by Mulhollandmania on Nov 16, 2009 9:20 PM CST up reply actions
They just got Getz from the White Sox
And said they want to add more speed. So, their projected 2b 3b and ss, would likely be Getz, Gordon/Fields, and Yuniesky Betancourt. Callaspo is the odd man out, and he had a great year, so they probably are banking on getting a lot for him
by Mulhollandmania on Nov 17, 2009 12:58 AM CST up reply actions
Callaspo had a good year, not a great one.
I’d be leery about getting someone like that and expecting him to repeat his one good year.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Is something wrong with the image posting function?
I posted an image earlier and it disappeared. Now I can’t get any images to post and it’s really starting to p*ss me off. Does anyone know what’s going on? Thanks!
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 15, 2009 3:04 PM CST reply actions
I don't know.
Send an email to support (at) sbnation (dot) com
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Thanks
For whatever reason, the picture was there for a few minutes and then just disappeared. I’ve tried again with the same picture and others, and when I do a Preview, the box is empty.
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 15, 2009 5:49 PM CST up reply actions
Did I count 3 2B?
Can we put three guys to defend 2B at once?
That’s not true!!! WHY THE F*CK WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU AHOLE!! Ok maybe your right but you gotta give a little something here for it to work. I don’t know what I’m going to do this is the worst thing I’ve ever read, this day could not get any worse. Fine, F*ck it, you’re right.
by Ditkavsworld
he said explore, not get...
Bob Brenly on Leo Nunez "Dan Uggla just saved Nunez’ life because Koyie would break him into a million pieces"
by Zakh on Nov 15, 2009 10:14 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Forgot him too
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
We already have Matt Stairs...
his name is Jake Fox.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Nov 16, 2009 12:04 AM CST reply actions
Well played sir, and he's at least half the cost, if not more.
if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand
But... but.... but.....
… Fox isn’t lefthanded.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Image test
I see that the image link function is working for Al, but it’s still giving me fits. This is just a test post to see if the image link works.
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 16, 2009 1:15 PM CST reply actions
Obviously not
I don’t know what the hell is going on now. I’m waiting on a reply from tech support, so maybe they can figure it out. In the meantime, here’s a link to the image I wanted to put out with my Vernon Wells post if anyone’s interested.
http://www.cinemaisdope.com/news/films/roadwarrior/lordhumungus-wez.jpg
by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Nov 16, 2009 1:17 PM CST up reply actions
Sorry, but I really don't like the risk
in your Bradley-Zambrano for Wells-Halladay proposal. Within two years, Bradley’s contract is done and Halladay is a free agent, so the Cubs could end up swapping Z for a wrist-gimpy Vernon Wells.
I think of players recently mentioned as available, Hendry needs to take the hardest look at Granderson. They need a stronger CF to put next to Soriano and to create easier options to platoon Fukudome (no platoon for Granderson – against lefties he just has to be a defensive replacement).
If they are spending on short-term middle IF, I’d rather see a SS than a 2B. 2B really is easier to fill.
platooning fukudome would be better imo
fukudome can atleast walk to get on base against lefties
"hey
by jesus christos on Nov 16, 2009 3:43 PM CST up reply actions
Not sure
What is the trade-off between Fukudome’s BBs and Granderson’s defense, especially with a healing Soriano needing cover in left? Also Fukudome’s splits were pretty evil against LHs in 2009 – .164/.277/.255. Granted, those weren’t over many ABs, but with that kind of start, who would want to give him more ABs? Any LH with a good slider owned him.
It's not exactly my proposal
I’ve seen it pop up in various places. I’ll try and look for one, but I doubt I’ll find anything.
Plus I’d believe that it would only go through if the Cubs re-upped Roy.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
OK, but I'm still wary about Wells
Wrist injuries take a long time to heal properly, and don’t always come back 100%. Look how long D Lee took – he wasn’t really all the way back from his 2006 injury until this year.
True.
If Wells can put up maybe .280 and 15 Hrs with average D, we could pawn him off while paying a good chunk of his contract. I mean it frees up a roster spot.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
Don't want to go down this blind alley
Using your scenario, there is a good chance the Cubs are looking to ditch the contracts of Wells and Soriano at the same time. That is going to leave a mark……
I would much rather take whatever ugly contract the Tigers are trying to tie to Granderson. Granderson is younger, healthier, and the Tigers’ bad contracts are shorter in duration.
So the Tigers bad contracts, Bradley, Soriano, and Zambrano
Or Wells and Soriano.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
Bradley will be gone before ST
It will cost, but he will be off the books no later than the end of 2011. Zambrano comes off in 2012, unless he is a top tier pitcher that year. Soriano, well…….:-(
The problem with Wells is that he is signed for big $ on a contract that doesn’t run out until the sun has cooled to a blackened cinder. He also gets really, really expensive starting in 2011 – $21M+/year. And, to get value out the Toronto deal you have to re-sign Halladay, which is probably a minimum of 5 years at $20M+. And over the term of those contracts the Cubs will need to re-sign or replace Lilly, Dempster, Lee and Ramirez.
If anyone is still in this thread
I read this and wanted to throw it out there,http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10357594, and my interest would be in Molina. Good defensive catcher, can hit and would allow us to trade Soto or have him back-up Molina. He would be a huge upgrade over Hill, the dollars would make sense of course if we could purge Bradley, and or Miles.
I wonder what kind of haul we'd get for Soto.
Randy Wells. A product of the Roy Halladay School of Pitching, located in Toronto, Canada. Possible relocation.
Mostly Sativa.
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Nov 17, 2009 7:32 AM CST up reply actions
A box of sunflower seeds and a couple 32 year old minor league pitchers is my guess
"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)
You have to give Geo a chance to bounce back next year.
As tough a year as Soto had at the plate in ’09…
1. Soto’s walk and strikeout rates actually improved very slightly over ‘08 (backed up by slightly improved plate discipline numbers and contact rates), and the power dip was significant but didn’t leave him powerless (.168 ISO). Soto’s BABIP fell off the table, which is probably somewhat related to loss of power and injury, and probably somewhat just plain bad luck.
2. By wOBA, Molina wasn’t any better than Soto. Sure, Geo batted .218 and Molina hit 20 bombs. Geo still managed to wOBA .310 to Molina’s .308. Molina is an out machine whose offensive value is considerably less than his triple-crown stats would suggest. To be fair, when talking about slow-running catchers hitting down in the order, wOBA probably overvalues OBP a little bit. But avoiding outs is still one of the most important offensive skills… and Geo could out-OBP Molina even if he spotted him something like 80 points in batting average.
3. Molina is getting old. Geo is still young. If someone offers Molina a multi-year deal the Giants are probably right to let him walk.
The Cubs would be nuts to sign Molina. And they’d be nuts to sell Geo low. Geo is still one of the Cubs’ best chances to get a lot of production for little money, even after his poor 2009 campaign.
(That all said, Molina is hardly a bad baseball player. He’s been pretty durable and his offense is good for a catcher. I would not bet on him having a better 2010 than Geovany Soto.)
by aldimond on Nov 17, 2009 9:03 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed and Rec'd.
Fangraphs has a great article on Soto up right now. I’ll post it as a Fanshot.
Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.
Why trade Soto for a 35 year old version of Soto?
As a back-up/co-catcher I’d be OK with him. But he is likely to command too much money for that role with the Cubs.
I do agree that more teams need to pay attention to the 2nd catcher slot. Guys who keep catching 120+ games a year tend to fall off offensively at age 30.
What about pitching?
Anyone want to take a chance on Ben Sheets??? He could come relatively cheap.
I'd want JH to look into the medical records
of Sheets, Schmidt, Bedard, etc. but I can’t tell you which looks like the best bet to be healthy and good.
Is he traded yet?
Brad Hawpe
Worst defensive outfielder not named Dunn. Do not want!
http://www.fivetoolfans.com
by mykalmorgan on Nov 18, 2009 9:50 AM CST via mobile reply actions
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