DeRosa to Play in WBC
Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated, but I am finally feeling somewhere close to normal finally. I know you were all worried.
A whole lot of nothing going on, but Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Mark DeRosa will play in the WBC. I know we were alll waiting for that shoe to drop. Kosukue Fukudome had already been named to play for Team Japan.
In two-day rumors news, Dave Kaplan on WGN radio reported that Adam Dunn's first choice is to play with the Chicago Cubs at a "fair offer". The Cubs first choice is to have Adam Dunn play somewhere else and sign Milton Bradley. The other rumor is that somehow Tim Redding is possibly holding up Jason Marquis getting traded. It seems whomever "loses out" on signing Tim Redding between the Rockies and Mets may pursue our dear fifth starter.
I'll slowly get back in the flow as the week goes on...otherwise enjoy the holidays.
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#1 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
When the choice is between Tim Redding and Jason Marquis, can you call anyone a "loser"?
The answer is "yes. yes, you can". You could probably call all the teams involved "loser". It becomes tricky, however, when you try to decide the "winner".
#7 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
I thought my use of quotes around loser implied all that...get with the lingo.
#2 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Tim Redding: 10-11, 182 IP, 120K/65BB, 4.95 ERA, 1.429 WHIP
Jason Marquis:11-9, 167IP, 91K/70BB, 4.53 ERA, 1.449 WHIP
Pretty silmilar...Redding's ERA is a bit higher..Of course Redding's was his best seson in 4 years, Marquis has won double digit games the last 5 seasons.
For a fifth starter, Marquis is decent. It's not his fault Donut Jim backloaded his contract.
We coulda had Carlos Silva: 4-15, 153IP, 69K/32BB, 6.46 ERA, 1.598 WHIP for $8.2 mill...
#3 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Redding did his work for close to MLB minimum.
#4 Re: A whole lot of nothing going on
Well, Carrie Muskat has taken off until Jan 5, so there probably won't be much Cubs news til then....
Seriously, good to hear you're feeling better.
#5 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Gratz...look at Redding's last 3 seasons prior good Dr. aaron b
#6 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Inebriated Phil Rogers suggest Brewers trading JJ Hardy to Twins for pitching and prospects.
Think Brewers would consider trading with Cubs?
#8 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
By that I mean that Redding has been less than reliable over his career, and missed 2006 with injuries. Last year, his $1 mill was well worth it.
A career of 34-51, 4.92 ERA, 1.502 WHIP? Not so much.
For all of Marquis' faults, he is at least consistent, and will give you 11-14 wins, n ERA around 4-4.50, and 165-210 Innings, with last year being a low waer mark of 167.
#9 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Just putting it back out there... would really love for the Rockies to trade us Jeff Baker for Marquis.
#15 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Who wins this hypothetical trade
Rockies get : Jason Marquis and assume his full salary
Cubs get: Half empty can of Simoniz and a used infield rake
Discuss!
#16 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
How many miles are there on the rake?
#17 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
^ Cubs win! Cubs win! Go Cubs go! Go Cubs go......
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I'll give you one better and make it a three-way trade. Who wins?
Rockies get Jason Marquis and assume his full salary.
White Sox get a humidifier to store their Cubans.
Cubs get Barack Obama's campaign manager.
#21 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
You must be the kind of fan who always sees the Simoniz can as half empty instead of half full.
#10 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Nah.....JJ Hardy isn't really scrappy enough...hits too many HR's...I'd take him off their hands though..
#11 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Where would Jeff Baker play? I am just asking...
#14 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
You tell me. The guy mashed lefties last season (926 OPS).
He could platoon with our soon-to-be-named LH RF. He can play 2B when DeRosa has to play 3rd. He can play 1st when DLee needs a day off. He can play left when Soriano goes down for a month.
I just like him because you rarely see a guy so versatile who can potentially develop power.
#12 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
How can a guy named "Hardy" not be scrappy?
#13 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
For an answer to that see Oliver Hardy (Stan Laurel far scrappier) and Thomas Hardy (dying of pleurisy a month after contracting it shows little scrap)
#18 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Dr. Aaron....did Jason Marquis forget your birthday or something? Lol....
#22 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
No problems with Marquis.
My problem is more to the point about Hendry and management every year. They consistantly overpay guys like Marquis,Neifi,Burnitz,Fukudome,Hank White,Glendon Rusch,Etc.
Then they turn around and cry about budget limitations, when a guy like Beltran or Peavy become available. Basic economics should tell you that you pay replacement level guys minimal money. Then you spend real money on proven dependable stars.
#28 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
Hear hear!! I've been ragging on this very point about Hendry for years, you pegged it to a tee, Aaron. All those "little" contracts to nobodies add up to real money, and then the Cubs can't afford impact players because of "budget" considerations. What crap.
Look at just the last couple of weeks. I challenge anyone to justify the $2MM Hendry spent on Neal Cotts and Joey Gathright. In Gathright's case, there isn't even an open roster spot for him! Can someone tell me how there's room on the roster for Gathright when (a) the Cubs will certainly carry 12 pitchers again this year, (b) which leaves room for 4 non-catchers on the bench, (c) of which Fontenot, Johnson/Fukudome, and Cedeno/other backup SS are guaranteed spots.
You have to go with Hoffpauir for that last spot as he's your Ward replacement, and the only guy other than DeRosa (in a pinch) that can do backup 1B. And all this assumes Pie is toast.
So where is there room for Gathright again? There's not any? Then how can you justify the nearly $1MM Hendry just wasted on him?
/close rant/
#36 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
neal cotts is left handed, throws in the mid-90s, and is relatively cheap imo.
he showed up mid-season with an improved arsenal, though it's not tight yet.
he's always gonna get hit some, probably, but if he can keep his control he should be fine.
#53 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
cheap hard and tight. are you talking about a ballplayer or something else?
#19 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
He is versatile...he'll be 28 in June...kinda like DeRosa, but 4 years younger?
#20 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
There is nothing wrong with Jason Marquis as a 5th starter. He is probably the best 5th starter in the league. If we do not trade him, however, we would probably be the only team in the league paying our 5th starter close to 10 Mil. per year.
#23 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
If we trade him and $5 million, then sign Johnson to replace him for $8 million - then we'll be paying out 5th starter $13 million!
#25 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
At this point 10 mil is our sunk cost for the 5th starter spot, so in essance it only be 3 mil to upgrade from Marquis to the Unit, which is a good move IMHO.
#34 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
No, why not just dump Marquis after eating $4MM, and give the job to Sean Marshall? Now you have equally as effective performance at a cost of negative $5MM. I like that a lot better than old man Unit at positive $3MM. Or do you think Unit would be $8MM better than Sean Marshall?
#39 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
With Rich Harden you still need 6 good starters. Given that Shark or Gaudin is going to be 7th inning guy it takes one of them out of the mix for spot starting duty and Guzman is too injury prone to be jumping roles, Hart doesnt have a 3rd pitch and Atkins has no MLB expirence. So I think the real question Unit 8 milion dollars better than Gaudin or Shark as a SP? I would say yes on Shark and no on Gaudin, but you dont know if you need Gaudin for the pen if Shark and other young guys cant make it in the 7th. Honestly if we trade Marquis I would like to get a LOOGY better than Cotts so the need for a 7th inning guy is decreased, but the scenerio I laid out in my last post is a good alternative.
#35 Re: DeRosa to Play in WBC
1. That's what I just said
2. Player contracts are not sunk costs. It could be argued that a contract with a NTC is, but we see those moved all the time.
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