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The Tipping Point
Another day, another loss and this season has somehow become even less interesting than last season. Incredible.
The trade deadline won't even give us much to peak our interest, the players that could net anything interesting are paid too much and few teams have the money or the willingness to take on that type of salary. Carlos Pena could make sense for the Rays or Giants and possiby Mariners or Angels, but how willing are they to take on his $5M balloon payment for next year or the remaining $2M or so he's owed this year and then how interesting will the prospects be that the Cubs could get back? Aramis has warmed up and 3b always seems like a tough position to fill, but he'd have to waive all his options that kick in($1M if he's traded plus his 2012 $16M option) if he's traded along with his no-trade clause. I'm sure he sees the writing on the wall that he won't be back with the Cubs at $16M next year so he may be willing to do that, but that's gonna take a lot finessing to happen and then to find a team to move him to. Some contending teams with black holes at third base include the Mariners, Tigers, Brewers, White Sox and Pirates.
The other options that the Cubs may consider moving would probably be Jeff Baker, Reed Johnson, Kosuke Fukudome and if any dumbass team would want Zambrano or Soriano's contracts, but good look with that. None of those will really net more than minor league filler though. I suppose Kerry Wood as well, but my feeling is that Wood is pretty much committed himself to being a Cub for the rest of his career and Hendry will respect that.
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Recent comments
Raisin101 (view)
Hi Arizona Phil!
Exciting to see Naz Mule in box scores a few times. What's his stuff like now after the TJS?
Childersb3 (view)
Mastrobuoni can't come back, yet
Wisdom does have an option left. He can hide in Iowa if Jed DFA's someone else
Does Brennan Davis get shown the door? I know it's too early for that, but these injuries are crunching the roster of a 12-7 team playoff demands and BDavis isn't going to help anytime soon.
Someone has to go to add Peralta. And Canario isn't going to get to play everyday regardless of RHers or LHers. Neither is Tauchman. Also don't see PCA getting a chance over Peralta.
If Jed does those moves:
4 OF: Belli, Peralta, Canny, Tauch
2 C: Gomes and Amaya
2 DH: Cooper and Mervis
5 INF: Busch, Nico, Dansby, Morel, Madrigal
Little short on OF depth but two injuries will do that
Arizona Phil (view)
I have had the pleasure of watching some of the young A's pitchers lately (first Joe Boyle the last day of Minor League Spring Training in March, and more recently Luis Morales last week and Steven Echavarria yesterday at Extended Spring Training), and it reminds me of the Miami Marlins a couple of years ago. A really nice collection of young pitchers. It will be interesting to see what the A's will get for two years of ex-Cub Paul Blackburn at the Trade Deadline (there should be a robust market for Blackburn).
Childersb3 (view)
Good deal
MB needs some talent infusion!
Arizona Phil (view)
Childersb3: Very possible. Suriel, too.
Arizona Phil (view)
DJL: if a pitcher is recalled to be the 27th man for a doubleheader and then is optioned back to the minors the next day, the 15-day "clock" does NOT reset. The one day call-up for the doubleheader is treated like it never happened with respect to a pitcher having to spend at least 15 days on optional assignment before he can be recalled.
Arizona Phil (view)
Probably the only reason David Peralta is still in the organization (he is at AAA Iowa) is to be available in case anything bad were to happen to Ian Happ (which it just did). So if Happ needs to go on the IL, the Cubs can select Peralta to play LF, DFA Wisdom (and hope he and what remains of his $2.725M salary gets claimed off waivers), and recall Mervis to platoon at DH with Cooper (with Canario / Tauchman sharing RF), at least until Suzuki and Happ are back...
crunch (view)
i'd just like to take a moment to express to the world i'm still pissed willson contreras is not a cub when the pricetag was 5/87m (17.5m/yr).
it would be nice to have a legacy-type player to stick around, especially one with his leadership and the respect he gets from his peers. cubs fans deserved more than 1 season of contreras + morel...that was gold.
crunch (view)
happ, right hamstring tightness, day-to-day (hopefully 0 days).
he will be reevaluated tomorrow.
Childersb3 (view)
I guess I'm not looking for that type of AB
Just a difference of opinion