Cubs rumors

Since I know you beasts are dying to gossip...

Will Carroll tweets that Mike Quade will get the manager job for 2011 with Ryne Sandberg being promoted to bench coach.

In related news, I've registered firequade.com.

In future news, calls for Mike Quade to be fired will start around game 5 of next season.

That's the story on NBC Sports citing Talking Chop of SB Nation, which isn't what I'd call a go-to news source. But alas it's out there and if the Braves do put in a waiver claim, I'd like to hope Hendry just lets him go to the Braves and saves the money for the rest of this year and most likely next.

With less than 48 hours to go on the trade deadline and the Cubs season over long ago, Hendry seems on the brink of not being able to move any of his overpriced talent.

Well-done sir.

The Cubs go for 3 in a row. 3 WINS in a row!!!! It's the start of something big, like starting to trade players away.

I don't know about you guys, but I've haven't been this disinterested in a Cubs team since the mid 90's. It might just be continuing resentment over how 2008 ended or the fact that I disagreed with the majority of their moves since then and since most of it's not working, I just feel no connection to the team. But personal feelings aside, the Cubs are 5 games below .500 and 6.5 back in the division and 7 out of the wild card. They could turn it around, of course, but they probably won't. Knowing Jim Hendry and the Cubs desire to sell seats, they'll wait far longer than most of us would like to pull the plug on 2010, but if they do, here are some possible trade partners with my reasoning. I'm sure you guys will have your own ideas.

We're about three weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting and Hendry still has at least two moves to make and possibly up to four if the latest from Jon Morosi is to be believed.

From the Toronto Globe and Mail:

The Blue Jays will have a scout at tomorrow's workout by free-agent pitcher Ben Sheets, but he's all but signed by the Chicago Cubs.

Transmission will give his left nut for this to be true (thanks to navigator for the tip).

- The Hardball Times has put up their top 10 Cubs' Prospects:

1. Starlin Castro
2. Josh Vitters
3. Brett Jackson
4. Jay Jackson
5. Hak-Ju Lee
6. Kyler Burke
7. Andrew Cashner
8. Chris Archer
9. Chris Carpenter
10. Ryan Flaherty

Archer's not a name you see on a lot of Top 10 or even Top 20 lists so far.

The Cubs are going to have a full house in Mesa this spring, inviting 19 non-roster players to camp. To the list:

Pitchers:

LHP: J.R. Mathes, James Russell

RHP: Andrew Cashner, Casey Coleman, Thomas Diamond, Jeff Kennard and Vince Perkins

Catchers: Robinson Chirinos, Steve Clevenger, Blake Lalli and Chris Robinson.