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Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Rosenthal says the Braves are growing impatient...
The Padres are still weighing offers for right-hander Jake Peavy, and
on Friday discussed the possibility of keeping the pitcher if they fail
to receive a satisfactory proposal, according to a major league source.
The Braves, after weeks of discussions, are growing impatient, another
source said, and soon might push for a resolution. The Braves and Cubs
remain the front-runners, with the Yankees and Dodgers on the
backburner. ...
That has to be good for the Cubs, Hendry has no problem waiting it out.
- Jeff Passan returns with his tail between his legs.
They had hoped for the Cubs to include pitcher Jeff Samardzija as part of a deal that could include outfielder Felix Pie, pitcher Sean Marshall and infielder Ronny Cedeno, but Samardzija has a full no-trade clause that he has no intent on giving up, said his agent, Mark Rodgers.
“Under no circumstances are we going to waive the no-trade provisions,” Rodgers said Friday.
The Cubs are tinkering with other players – pitcher Kevin Hart,
minor-league pitcher Donnie Veal and, according to various reports,
perhaps top hitting prospect Josh Vitters and minor leaguers Mitch
Atkins, Wellington Castillo and Jose Ceda.
Chris DeLuca hints that the Padres certainly would certainly love Samardzija, but it would be a deal-breaker for the Cubs.
- Supposedly Kevin Towers was on the radio with Bruce Levine and talked about how well respected Jim Hendry is among other GM's and that it may give the Cubs the leg up in the Peavy sweepstakes.
- The rest of the NL Central is still open for business and Rosenthal says the Cards are offering Skip Schumaker, Ryan Ludwick and RHP Mitchell Boggs and possibly more for the Matt Holliday. The Brewers are awaiting a counter-offer from C.C. Sabathia's camp.
Comments
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
For the Braves, why the rush? You'd think the Cubs would be the ones to be anxious to get a deal done with Dempster's contract demands.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
The Braves are looking to add two starters, so they want to get this done before they can trade numbers with the FA's, and probably they feel like they're being toyed with.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Looking at the list of Free-Agent Eligible and Arbitration Eligible, I see 4 maybe 5 guys that it is imperative to take care of. Kerry Wood, not only because he was better than I expected as a closer, but also because he is and should forever be a Cub. Ryan Dempster proved that he can do anything asked of him, and he can do it above average. He was a stabilizing factor in the rotation when the others were hot-and-cold. Michael Wuertz just gets the job done any time he is brought in and should be a high priority (sign him before arbitration for a slight discount). Reed Johnson... If only because I really like his day-in, day-out effort (I was at the game in Washington when he dove into the wall to make that catch). That effort saved Dempster at least 2 runs and the game. Also, for the "maybe" guy... Jimmy Edmonds. His contribution throughout the season as a lefty to be contended with cannot be measured by numbers. Without him, we'll have to spend a lot more money to replace him.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Wuertz is decent but not as good as you make out. Edmonds would be a mistake. Too much to ask him to repeat what he did last year. We would have to overpay too whereas last year we got him for league minimum.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Well said.
I think some people don't give Wuertz as much credit as he deserves. He's very good for the price, right now, and can be lights out at times (he can be really awful at times, too, when he's wild). I'm beginning to wonder who is behind him throwing almost exclusively the slider, though, Wuertz or Rothschild? He can get away with throwing lots of them, but he's going to need to throw the fastball too.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Brewers hire Willie Randolph as bench coach. More signs of a tough job market.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8771614/Brewers...
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
With the exception of Soto and Marmol, there isn't any player without a 'no trade' clause that I wouldn't trade for Peavy. That includes Vitters, W. Castillo, and any other 'prospect' in the Cubs minor league system. Zambrano, Peavy, Harden, and Lilly is a helluva rotation with or without Dempster. If they can afford Dempster and Peavy, then the can afford to re-sign Wood or Fuentes to be the closer and let Dempster go elsewhere. Save the rest of that money to trade for Brian Roberts, or better yet, sign Furcal to play SS. Then finally move Theriot to 2B to platoon with Fontenot. Soriano, Johnson, Fukudome, and DeRosa can play OF.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Blue Jays talked to Demp's agent
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.200...
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
I'm really shocked that the Cubs are interested in Peavy, I wasn't counting on starting pitching as something they were going to try to work on, I pretty much penciled in losing Dempster and having to go from there.
I don't care about Dempster if they are able to get Peavy.
The priorities for the off season for me are still bullpen, center field and right field.
Peavy is just some kind of great gravy.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Yeah, of course, Samardjiza would be a deal-breaker because he just maybe... might be... awesome in 5 years. Totally worth it to junk a trade for Jake Freaking Peavy for that reason.
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
Are you kidding me? He's awesome NOW. Didn't you see that mullet?
Re: Saturday Cubs Hot Stove Round-Up
He's pretty good now, although I agree I'd part with him if it meant getting Peavy. Unfortunately he's got a NTC and Samardzija's agent said they won't waive it for any reason.
Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2008/11/cubs...
Towers calls Hendry the easiest to work with of the teams in discussions and might give them the edge.
Hendry asked D-Lee after season if he would consider waiving his NTC and it isn't happening.
Cubs asked about McClouth at deadline, but cost was a big power arm, i.e. Samardzija
Cubs talked with Marlins at GM meetings for Hermida and Olsen but will revisit after Peavy situation is resolved. Don't consider Hermida an everyday player...
Cubs had a deal in place for Brian Giles before trade deadline last season but he nixed it
Cubs have heavy interest in Furcal
Hendry talked to the agent of Ibanez and Bradley (same agent).
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
might I add, I hate you Brian Giles....
what kind of ass turns down a trade to the best team in the league with a chance to win the World Series?
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
it is also well known that he turned down going to boston
f dlee
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
Can you blame him? He knows that if he gets moved, it won't be to a contender. He's getting up there, his numbers are down, and he wants to win another one before calling it a career. He's got his money, he likes the town and the team. I can't blame him for that. What's the point of having a NTC if you don't use it?
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
Exactly. You get the NTC so that you have some say in your future.
I think Lee will bounce back at least a little next year and we'll be happy he wasn't traded at the lowest point of his value in a while.
Oh, and Giles is a moron. His tan is more important than playing for a contender. What a body waxer.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
I love how DLee is excused for not wanting to waive his NTC, but Giles isn't, all in the same post.
To quote you, but in regards to Giles:
You get the NTC so that you have some say in your future.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
Giles could have been playing for a ring and I'm sure he was told the Padres would be rebuilding in 2009, Lee would likely be going to a worse team.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
But that isn't the point.
Players earn NTCs, and in turn have the right to determine their future.
Players have more concerns than winning, including family.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
it is the point, it was for 2-3 months and Giles had a team option going into the offseason. Padres have picked it up, but he didn't know that when the trades were being done. He could have been playing for a ring. Lee has 2 yrs on his deal and no idea where he was going...big difference. Now I agree, maybe Lee should wait until he finds out what team he could possibly going to...but then I'd argue that Hendry should probably have waited to ask him until he had a better idea of what teams or cities.
of course, maybe Hendry did do that....
but I don't know how you pass up playing for a pennant....
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
Well, maybe Giles just thought the Padres were having an off year and were going to be back in contention like they'd been the previous two years.
Lee is 5 and 10 now anyway.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
What Rob said.
But also, hypocrisies sometimes arise in that my player likes and dislikes are not always dictated by reason but I like to pretend they are.
I do, however, approve of Lee's likely reasons for wanting to stay in Chicago, especially since the Cubs are likely to be good again next year. I can't understand staying on an awful Padres team when you could play for a team that had the best record in the NL and you'd really only have to stay there until they were eliminated from the playoffs or won a World Series.
But, you're right, Giles had the right to refuse a trade and he did so. I mostly just dislike him for completely irrational reasons, though I'd love his OBP skills in the lineup (but not at much expense).
I think when he was a free agent he reportedly didn't really want to sign with Chicago because he didn't like the city, the ballpark, the fans, or some such thing.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
fwiw, Lee is now a 10/5 player, so all the criticism of giving him a NTC is pointless. Can't blame him for wanting to stick around...just stop batting third.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
Who bats third: Ramirez? The yet to be determined RF?
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
right now? still Lee
if they can sign Furcal and a new RFer, I'd love to see
Furcal, Lee, Soriano, Ramirez, Bradley or Ibanez, Soto, DeRosa, Fukudome/Johnson
bit of a pipe dream, but we'll see
I think Lee's more of a 2 or 6 hitter imo...but much like Soriano batting leadoff, it depends on the rest of the team.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
I hope we get Furcal as well, but do we really expect we can trade for Peavy, re-sign Demp and Wood and get Furcal? Plus, Furcal and the Dodgers reportedly have mutual interest. Ned'll do one of his patented more money for less year deals, and the Cubs will have Theriot starting again Opening Day 2009.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
So it's all about DLee then. Under your scenario, it makes him a selfish jerk.
Why do you want to play for a team that doesn't want you?
I understand 10/5 but no matter how they get them, a NTC that extends beyond 1 or 2 years is terrible.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
I doubt the Cubs went to Lee and said we need to go a different direction, probably just asked if his name came up would he consider waiving it. Lee still has 2 years left on his deal, so I see it a lot differently than Giles's situation. Not to mention the only reason they'd trade Lee is to sign Teixeira and that's hardly a slam dunk that the Cubs could do that.
Giles had an option for '09, if he was worried about it not getting picked up, he could have asked to get it guaranteed before agreeing for it. If he didn't want to stay with Chicago or Boston, he could have made them guarantee the buyout and search for a new job his offseason. Something that he was at risk of anyway if the Padres didn't pick up his option.
The padres have picked up his option since then, but that certainly was guaranteed 3 months ago. Basically Brian Giles wanted to play for a loser for the last 2 months of the season. I'm sure his family would have understood if he went for a ring the last couple of months of 2008.
Re: Thorough run-down of Bruce Levine
there's more people playing baseball that don't really care for the glitz and glamor of the ring than people would suspect (though they work hard and stay in playing shape). hell, some could care less they actually play baseball...they just do because they're good at it even though they work hard to play the game in proper shape. adam dunn would probably trade 1/2 his $$ worth to play football for a last place team if given the chance to play everyday.
that said...i got no idea what could be giles's issues aside from his heavy community, family, and friendships in the area.
honestly, it's probably more about 2009 than it was about the last 2 months of 08.
the guy came a long way for a near AAAA type player who finally got a callup to do platoon work. took til age 28 before he became an everyday player even though it probably should have happened around age 25/26.
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