If the Cubs were to make a move...

by Poloplaya14 on May 22, 2009 9:16 PM CDT

What would be the most help to the Cubs? The Cubs clearly need help hitting right now, but I'm still convinced Jake Peavy could be a difference maker at the end of the season and in the postseason, especially with Zambrano, Harden, and Dempster sporting ERAs in the mid-4s right now. The bullpen hasn't magically become better either. Gregg is still spotty, and other than Guzman and Marmol, there is little in the way of consistency. That said, the Cubs clearly need some more offense; the question is where to get it. Would a third-baseman be a good pickup right now, even though that move only adds a bat for the two months until Ramirez comes back (meaning the trade would burn prospects for a guy who might not factor signigicantly come the postseason)? Or would the Cubs be better served adding a second-baseman to take over for Fontenot? Or pick up an outfielder to do something creative involving moving Soriano to second? Or should we just stand pat and ride out the slump.

Poll

What should be Jim Hendry's priority right now?

Get Peavy now that we have a concrete comparable offer.

17 votes

The bullpen still sucks; find a good LOOGY and another setup guy.

16 votes

Get a third-baseman. The Cubs won't stick around for two months with Freel/Fontenot/Scales there.

17 votes

The league's caught up to Fontenot. Replace him.

16 votes

Let's try something fancy.

11 votes

The current roster is getting paid $125 million. They should be able to weather this storm.

23 votes

100 votes | Poll has closed

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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Comments

There

is no move the Cubs can make. The Cubs have sunk.

"You can't take life to seriously, you don't get out of it alive"

by wild bill on May 22, 2009 10:09 PM CDT reply actions

They havent been scoring runs, plain and simple

Lilly and Dempster couldve easily won their starts against Stl. We’re not getting any production anywhere outside of Soriano, Fukudome and finally Soto…..thats all I have to say about that

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on May 22, 2009 11:26 PM CDT reply actions

They will have to decide soon

Harden is on the DL.

Get another starter and you can move Wells and Marshall to the bullpen.That will help them out.

Then learn to hit better.

I’d rather see a slump now than in October…if we get to October this year.

by ak123 on May 22, 2009 11:38 PM CDT reply actions

Harden's DL stint

smells like a total sham. The team is buying time to figure out Wells/Marshall.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions

It might be.

He’s only going to miss two starts. He could use the rest.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 23, 2009 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions

I just heard Hendry interviewed on ESPN...

…and, while he obviously didn’t admit to Harden’s DL stint being a sham, he did say that, were it later in the season, Harden wouldn’t have been DL’d. He’d just have been pushed back a start. I think they’re just being extra cautious, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And, this way, they can get another chance to see what Wells can do as a starter.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 23, 2009 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions

So, in other words...

… it’s mostly a sham.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 23, 2009 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions

Pretty much.

Call it “a convenient sham.”

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 23, 2009 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions

not much you can do

This is getting into ridiculous slump territory though.

The true test I suppose will be tomorrow night vs Geer, he hasn’t fooled anyone else in the league lets see what the Cubs can do.

It’s a lame excuse to think that Piniero, Carpenter, Wainright and Peavy were all ‘unhittable’ to some degree. This team is just pathetic at hitting at the moment.

by jeff_pico on May 22, 2009 11:51 PM CDT reply actions

A LOOGY?!?????

THIS IS THE LAST OF OUR CONCERNS.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."

--Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on May 23, 2009 1:48 AM CDT reply actions

That was 'vintage' Peavy

10K’s, boys. He’s going to help some NL team, eventually. The Petco ‘effect ’doesn’t matter if teams can’t hit the damn ball. His slider was nasty, and it would be nasty in Wrigley Field, or Miller Park, or anywhere else.

But that’s not going to happen. Prior to the season, I thought it to be inevitable. However, this team has more problems that signing another expensive starter.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 23, 2009 2:03 AM CDT reply actions

Zambrano

Call all four contending AL East teams and say, “He’s available and we want him in the AL. The line forms to the right”

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 9:36 AM CDT reply actions

Z has a NTC and would probably want to stay in the NL to hit.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 23, 2009 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions

Sigh... you're right

I just looked it up. Hendry passes those NTC’s out like M&Ms, doesn’t he?

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions

Yup.

I happen to be listening to ESPN radio and Bruce Levine was just talking about it. I’m not necessarily opposed to trading anyone at this point, but it’s really doubtful Hendry could move Z.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 23, 2009 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions

OK, here's the plan

We start making Zambrano WANT to leave

1) Put on the bunt sign every time he’s up
2) Fine him $1,000 every time he has a three-pitch strikeout
3) Refuse to pinch hit, pinch run or otherwise use him on the bases
4) Take away his favorite snuggie

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions

5) Give him the silent treatment in the dugout.

6) Post YouTube videos of Carlos eating his daily allotment of bananas.

Seriously, are hitting coaches allowed to disrupt an at-bat? Because the next time Carlos goes up there swinging for the fences in a key situation like that, I’d like to see Gerald Perry run out there and tell him to calm down.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 23, 2009 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Like he listens to Perry

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions

Actually come to think of it...

…Mike Quade should’ve pulled him aside.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on May 23, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions

I thought of another one

7) Push back starts to where Zambrano always lands in an interleague game in an AL park … and then refuse to DH him

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions

big z

amazing anyone would want to lose big z.. amazing. no m,atter what this guy is a huge assett to this team. huge.pretty much the face of the franchise.

by NOMAR on May 23, 2009 11:47 AM CDT reply actions

Anyone who wants to trade Z

loses all respect from me as a Cubs fan. Honestly, is there any player in the game today with as much energy and passion as him? Yes, he sometimes gets overheated, but I’d rather see that than a guy who’s not putting in enough effort. When a guy gets his big contract, and then continues to show this kind of passion, he wins my respect for life. I hope he retires a Cub, winning multiple Cy Youngs along the way.

by Poloplaya14 on May 23, 2009 1:36 PM CDT reply actions

You respect that at-bat last night?

That was “passion”???

That was stupidity, ego and phoniness. He’s a clown.

Carlos will never win a Cy Young with his attitude. He’ll take the money, break our hearts and move on.

I’d rather see us expedite the process and get something for him, while other teams are still fooled into thinking they can cure his 5-cent head.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 23, 2009 9:59 PM CDT up reply actions

What about trading for Holliday?

If we agree that the problem lies with the offense, and not the starting pitching, why not try and trade for Matt Holliday? His value is depressed due to his poor start, but he has looked better as of late, the window to buy low might be closing. A return to the NL might also help Holliday get going as well. I’ve seen threads on mlbtraderumors.com that Billy Beane is frustrated with his team and is ready to start making moves. This would require moving Soriano to 2B for the rest of the season, but at least Holliday would be a big bat to replace A-Ram. Any ideas on what this would cost in terms of prospects? Unless I am mistaken, this is Holliday’s last year under contract so he would not create a long term logjam in the outfield, and we could potentially receive picks to help replace the prospects required for the deal.

by neifiisgreat on May 24, 2009 7:52 AM CDT reply actions

If Matt Holliday could play third base, I'd be all for it.

Where do you propose playing him?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on May 24, 2009 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions

Left Field

This would of course move Soriano to second, downgrading our defense at two positions. I’m not necessarily advocating it, I think upgrading the bullpen, perhaps from the farm system, would improve the team as much as another bat. I can’t think of any impact 3rd basemen available, except maybe Aubrey Huff, so I suggested an upgrade that wouldn’t cause a problem after this season. I personally am not confident that Aramis wll be be back in anything close to his regular excellence, so a big bat would be a welcome addition. If Milton Bradley starts hitting, that would be “trading for an all-star”, so maybe we don’t really need to add a bat, just hope the one we signed this offseason acts like one.

Hopefully the A’s could be persuaded to part with Holliday for salary relief and a few lesser prospects, definitely not Vitters, like Peavy would probably cost. I think if it can be done, it would be worth the defensive downgrade, but if it costs too much, we could probably do without.

by neifiisgreat on May 24, 2009 4:32 PM CDT reply actions