I’d make the trade. We could move Z back to the rotation where he belongs and we’d have a set-up guy who’s got a solid track record, this season notwithstanding. He does have a bit of wildness problems, but some years he’s fine and others he struggles.

We’ve got no need for Jamie Carroll, but I’d give him a chance to take Fontenot’s job and if he doesn’t, just release him.

Now regular reporters are doing this? Sheesh.

Jamey Carroll is Jose Macias.

Sherrill is off to a rough start and was terrible in the NLCS last year.

Surely, the mainstream media can do better than this. Or, maybe not.

Multiple reasons:

1 – SELL HIGH ON SILVA. For all you homer fans, his ERA+ of 492 this year isn’t gonna hold constant, like Penny is to Desmond (boo-ya, LOST reference). His 2006-2009 ERA+ of 78 doesn’t cut it. Look at facts and figures people, not extremely small sample sizes.

2 – This moves Zambrano back to the rotation. ’Nuff said.

3 – Sherrill is good. Again, his last 4 year ERA+ is

… that the Zambrano to the bullpen move was, in part, an opportunity to showcase Silva and Gorzelanny in an attempt to move one (or both). As great of a job as Silva has done, odds are that he’s going to end up being a #4/5 starter. Much as I’d love to see the Cubs land a key piece for him, I’d be thrilled to be able to see them shed most of his salary. The question is whether or not Silva turns into a pumpkin before anyone would be willing to take on most of his salary.

In a perfect world, the Cubs trade both Silva and Gorzelanny at their peaks, shed most salary, and land some middle relief. Zambrano moves back into the rotation and then Hendry/Piniella can decide if they want Marshall starting or someone from AAA.

I actually read this last night and laughed. Sherril is LEFT handed and not pitching well and why do the Cubs need ANOTHER 2B. I would look to shop Gorzo for a decent set up guy.

Silva has been fine so far and we can trade him later if he starts getting bad. Just wait to see what happens before we pull the trigger.

Gorzelanny for Trancoso makes a lot of sense. Ramon has struggled a bit this year. Any indications as to why? I wouldn’t want to deal for someone with a sore arm, since he already doesn’t strike anybody out. Can he give us a different look than some of our bullpen arms?

it is one thing for a sports writer to suggest Silva has trade value and another thing for a GM to think Silva has trade value. But it is one thing, and a necessary thing, before the latter can happen.

This is good.

Let’s look at some of the other notes to check on the author’s viability as a writer.

Could Jim Edmonds and Andruw Jones be sprucing already interesting Hall of Fame resumes?

Putting “Jim Edmonds” and “Hall of Fame” in the same sentence should immediately negate anything you have to say. Edmonds has had a nice career… but to consider, with ANY sincerity, the HoF? Uh, no. Jones? A far better case… but we’ll see.

They already have turned Kosuke Fukudome into a part-time player midway through a four-year $48 million contract.

While not “wrong”, this is an incomplete thought. The way the sentence is worded, suggests KF plays sparingly. He is the Cubs starting RF and sits against LHP.

Cubs officials threatened the playing time of the highest-paid player in team history, Alfonso Soriano…

Do we in fact KNOW that the Cubs THREATENED Sori’s playing time? Isn’t “produce or sit” the standard for a whole lot of players? Again, maybe not “wrong”, but a bit of an overstatement.

Zambrano had to switch, in part, because the five-year, $10 million gamble to buy Jeff Samardzija out of his football career has not worked, and John Grabow has been a waste so far on his two-year, $7.5 million contract.

The move of Z had absolutely nada to do with Shark. And Grabow has pitched 6.2 innings. Disappointing? Sure. But probably a bit early to declare it “a waste”.

On the first page of that article…

And another issue that worries me feeds directly into attendance: Lack of competition. Three weeks does not a season make, but does anybody think the Twins and Cardinals are not going to run away in the two Central divisions? The Phillies have pitching problems, but so does every NL East team, and no divisional foe can boast Philadelphia’s lineup or confidence/toughness. So a fourth straight division title already feels like a lock.

Uh… I think there are SEVERAL people who aren’t ready to concede one or both of the Central divisions. And, as Al noted, the ENTIRE NATIONAL LEAGUE is within 4 games. I would think that is “competitive”.

Oh… and he’s a writer for the NY Post… so there’s that to consider.

On the trade… doubtful the Cubs have any use for Carroll. They would probably take Sherrill, even though he is LHP, but they’d sure prefer a RHP. And, as others have noted, Gorz would be far more tradeable.

So put it all together… and I would say you could file this trade proposal under “random musings” instead of “realistic possibility”.

Putting "Jim Edmonds" and "Hall of Fame" in the same sentence should immediately negate anything you have to say. Edmonds has had a nice career… but to consider, with ANY sincerity, the HoF? Uh, no.

Edmonds is one of the best center fielders of all time. Using WAR, he is one of the top 100 players of all time.

You are massively undervaluing how good he was in his peak years, particularly on defense. He should be a shoe-in for the hall.