Specifically, San Francisco's. The Cubs today traded LaTroy Hawkins to the Giants for Jerome Williams and David Aardsma.
Since the Giants are my #2 team (thanks to The Lovely Wife), I'm pretty familiar with these guys. Williams came up in 2003 and had a real nice rookie year (88K, 49 BB in 131 IP) but struggled in 2004 and had to have elbow surgery at the end of the season. He hasn't put it back together since - he started this year on the active roster but struggled and was sent down for a few starts to work on his mechanics, and hasn't come back up yet. This is why:
2005, Fresno: 15 K, 17 BB, 30 2/3 IP, 9.39 ERA
He is having trouble finding consistency with his delivery, and I he's also had to deal with some pretty serious family problems, so he's far from a sure thing, but he's still only 23. When he came up in '03, he looked remarkably poised for a 21-year-old and displayed great control. He's a project, but he's also got a pretty decent upside.
Aardsma, John Sickels' #4 Giants prospect, was the Giants' #1 pick in the 2003 draft and made his major league debut less than a year after being drafted. He was a closer in college and has continued in that role in the minors and in his brief time in the majors. He's also notable for replacing Henry Aaron as the first player, alphabetically, in major league history.
I like this trade. I wasn't as down on Hawkins as some, but given that he had been reduced to pitching mop-up (loss of confidence? loss of talent?), I think the Cubs got a good return for him. I think we'll enjoy Jerome Williams' pooka-necklaced presence on the mound if he gets things turned around (and who knows, being back with Dusty might help), and Aardsma can be a solid piece of the bullpen puzzle.
Urlacher retiring from NFL
http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/9301402/...
Cubs prioritize Vitters' development over Stewart
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130521&c...
Dave Duncan has took a leave of absence back in January 2012 (wife has cancer). So I don't know how much he's around these days.
Something to keep in mind about Michael Bowden, is that even if he clears waivers, he can refuse an Outright Assignment to the minors & elect free-ageny because he has been outrighted previously in his career.
JOHN B: Exactly. I think if the Cubs make a deal with the Rangers, it's Texas who would want some of the Cubs ISBP value, not the other-way around.
And remember too that the best 16-year old international prospects usually sign right at the start of the ISP on July 2nd, so there could be a flurry of trades on July 2 that would allow a club like the Rangers to add ISBP values that would enable them to sign the #1 Venezuelan or Dominican prospect.
JOHN B: 2012-13 International Signing Bonus Pool (ISBP) values ($2.9M per club) CANNOT be traded, and 2013-14 ISBP values (which are divided into 1/4 values of unequal amounts and which vary depending on the club's 2012 winning percentage ranking) cannot be traded until the start of the 2013-14 International Signing Period (ISP) on July 2nd. (The 2012-13 ISP closes on June 15th, and no international players can be signed during the period of time extending from June 16 to July 1.
Thank you. It sounds like the Cubs could maybe even be more logical sellers of an ISBP share than buyers. Packaging a share with Garza or Feldman might increase the eliteness of the in-system prospect(s) coming back to the Cubs.
Scouting Report, Sanchez:
"A fastball and slider specialist, Sanchez has been a lights-out reliever in the minors and now appears fully cooked and ready to help with an MLB squad. He didn't look his best during a stint with the team in 2012, but if he stays healthy, he can still be a nasty late-inning weapon for the Cardinals in 2013, and probably for many years to come."
How is it that the best organization, with Dave Duncan, would waive this guy?
He seems to be a solid prospect. As good, or better than any bullpen shit the Cubs have currently. Oh wait...
Cubster - did you see this about Josh Conway?
“I thought maybe some scar tissue had ripped, but it was a ligament anchor for the UCL. Basically, I have a fractured elbow right now.”
http://articles.herald-mail.com/2013-05-19/sports/...
I hope he had a tampon on him!
Harley?
from CBS sports and Tribune...
CBS...To make room for Garza on the roster, the Cubs earlier Tuesday designated RHP Michael Bowden for assignment. Also Tuesday, Chicago claimed RHP Eduardo Sanchez off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals and assigned him to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
Trib...The 24-year-old Sanchez had a 3.72 earned-run average in nine appearances at Triple-A Memphis. He made 43 appearances for the Cardinals in 2011 and '12, compiling a 3.40 earned-run average. Last year he had a 6.60 ERA in 17 outings for the Cardinals.
m.trout gets his 1st cycle...
cubs sure are good at these late/last-inning comeback teases only to fail...
4-5, final...men stranded on 1st and 3rd.
make that 4/4 (.223)