You be the GM, would you do this trade?

Cubs get Igawa and Arod
Drays get Veal, Hughes, and Gallager
Yanks get Zambrano, Iwamura, and Marshall

They cubs get a decent pitcher who does have a high walk total and high era. But was giving hardly a chance to get adjusted to the ML. He does have good stuff and the Yanks would be willing to give him up since he is now in the minors. The cubs also get a HOF player in Arod. It is hard to think the Yanks would give him up after the MVP April Arod had but the Yanks have always been a " what have you done for me lately team" so that could change quickly if he cools off and doesn't come up with big hits. It would be a dream to see Arod in a cubs uniform and reunited with sweet lou. By getting Arod you add 40 Hrs, 20 sb, and he was a gold glove at SS( which where he would be playing). The cubs would of course release Izzy or trade him. Igawa would take the place of Z in the rotation( he cant pitch any worst than Z did so far). Yes the cubs wouldn't have a solid #1 starter but they haven't had one all year so what is the difference. You would have a solid starting 5 for the first time this year. I honestly think this trade for the cubs would put them in the playoffs.

The Drays get more young pitching talent in which they need desperately. Veal is a year away and is very good prospect with tons of upside. Hughes (who is recovering from a hamstring injury) showed why he is the Yanks top pitching prospect by taking a NO-No into the 7th before being taken out. He would fit in right away with the Rays young starting rotation. Another player that could fit in the rotation this year or the next is Sean Gallager. He is another top prospect in the Cubs organization and could really help the rays. The rays do give up there steal of the off season by getting Iwamura for really cheap. Paid a 4.5 Mil posting fee and are paying him 3 years 7.7 million with an option for the 4th. This wouldn't hurt the rays that bad considering how Upton, Cantu and Wigginton are playing.

The Yanks would have a really dominate rotation that would send them to the WS. Have Mussina, Clemens, Wang, Zambrano, and Pettite for there rotation would be a dream for Yankee fans. Zambrano doesn't come cheap tho but nothing does for the Yankees. They give up there disappointing LHP Igawa which isnt that bad. They also give up there top prospect Hughes and the HOFer Arod. But the thing that eases that pain is having the 5 big horses in the rotation and acquiring a decent left-hander in Marshall who showed promise last year fo the cubs and a really good 3b in Iwamura that takes Arods place and is a sixtenth of the Salary so maybe they can throw more money at Zambano next season to make him stay while still have a really good defensive and hitting 3rd baseman.

To me this is a win for all the teams above. Drays get young pitching, Cubs get a HOFer and a decent pticher, and the Yankees get the best rotation in baseball and a young talented 3b to replace AROD and dump his salary and risk losing him for nothing in the off season when he opts out.

What do you guys think?

Z to be free agent next year or traded this year?

Thanks to mlb trade rumors-

Ken Rosenthal says of Carlos Zambrano:
"Imagine him wearing another uniform next season. Barring a sudden, unexpected twist, that's where this is going."
He goes on to run through various Zambrano suitors for the upcoming offseason: the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Astros, Angels, Dodgers, and Tigers. Rosenthal throws the Rangers, Orioles, Mariners, and Phillies into the mix as well. Might as well include the Blue Jays on that list as well.
As a lifelong Cubs fan, obviously it would be hard for me to see Zambrano depart. The biggest blunder in Cubs history was letting a 27 year-old Greg Maddux become a Brave.
Still, I do wonder whether unlike Mad Dog at the time, Z's best years are behind him. His climbing walk rate is scary, and you can't help but question the long-term health prospects for a power pitcher with his mileage. What can we expect from Zambrano's age 27-31 seasons? I really like the Mark Gubicza comparison. Both are big righties who logged roughly 1,000 Major League innings before their 26th birthdays. Gubicza was a horse up until his age 28 season, when the wear and tear started to catch up with him.
If Zambrano straightens himself out and wins 15 games and the Cubs make the playoffs, fans will be clamoring for his retention. However, the big picture outlook says to let him walk and take the draft picks, or even trade him in July. The contract will be for a minimum five years, and perhaps as many as seven if he hits the open market. $17MM annually might be below market value, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea.

While I still believe its too early to trade Z, its not out of the realm if we trade him this year. If he indeed is going to test the market, you have to trade him to get a ML ready starter and a decent MI. While his trade value is down because of his slow start, I think things will start heating up at the deadline. Expect those Arod for Zambrano rumors to start flaying around. Also a Three way deals that could involve a lower market team with young talent. It is said that Crawford could be available and that could be an interesting situation, but another team would have to be involved because the Drays wouldn't want or need Z or his contract for the last months of the season.

Wouldn't be interesting to get a deal working with the Rays, Yanks, and Cubs?? Throwing around big name players like Igawa, Iwamura, Arod, Zambrano, Jones, Crawford, and hot prospects in a 3 way deal. Its just a thought, nothing set in stone.

There looks to be many teams who would want Zambrano's services so if the Cubs do want to trade him they shouldn't have a problem doing so. Lets just hope these teams get in a trading war and the cubs get some good young players for Big Z.

Cubs Notes

-Right-hander Wade Miller, who has been on the disabled list since April 23 because of back spasms, has been throwing from a mound and is expected to make a rehab start for Class AA Tennessee on Tuesday in Knoxville. He'll have 30 days to earn back his roster spot or the Cubs will have to make another move with him.

- Pagan got the call and Pie got sent down yesterday. Pagan hit a homer in that game.

- Zambrano trade talk starting on message boards. Mets, Yankees, Rangers, and Red Sox are just a few of the teams that are interested if the Cubs deal him.

Kei Igawa sent to AAA, could the cubs make a trade?

Thanks to MLB-rumors-

The Yankees called up Matt DeSalvo and in order to make room for him, sent down struggling rookie Kei Igawa. The Yankees originally planned to send down Darrell Rasner but after his impressive start, have decided to keep him. Rasner is 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA in four starts. After spending 46 million to bring over the Japanese sensation, Igawa, has been a bust, going 2-1 with a 7.63 ERA in six games, including five starts. Igawa was optioned to Class-A Tampa.

This is pure speculation on my part but interesting points I believe. If you haven't heard Clemens is now a Yankee, again. With this addition it makes the rotation Mussina, Hughes, Clemens, Petitie, and Wang. Pushing and leaving Igawa in AAA. Of course since Roger might not be ready by June he could come up again. The Yanks are very frustrated with there 46 million dollar man. I guy worth that much shouldn't have a 7.63 era but how would he do somewhere else? and would the Yanks trade him?

I honestly believe the Yanks would love to dump his salary on someone else and not worried about having the highest paid player in there minors that is in there system. Don't get me wrong Guzman has shown he could handle the 5th spot but for how long? So I say why not ship some prospects to the Yanks for Kei? How about Marshall? Mateo? Marmol? the list goes on. I think he would do well as the 5th starter in the Cubs organization and Larry has proven he can take a 6+ pitcher to a 4-1 2.50 pitcher. Its just speculation but interesting.

Cubs news and rumors

- The cubs have sent Cedeno to Iowa and called up Guzman for today's start. Ronny who was hitting .097 and 2hr will get more playing time in Iowa and should benefit the Cubs and him. Guzman pitched very well today and got a no decision. He had alot of movement on his fastball and hit 97mph today. He looks good as a 5th starter.

- More trade rumors about Jones are swirling. His stock should be allot higher since the beginning of the year. He showed he can play great CF and decent RF. He also has shown he can still hit the ball with the trade rumors going around. He is hitting .297 with 1 hr and 10 rbi and a stellar OBP of .366. Now the cubs have to think, do we really want to trade him now? and if you do what is he worth and want does the team need? The Angels remain interested.

- Here is an interesting tidbit from MLBtraderumors.com-

According to John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus:
"Speculation is mounting that Seattle is ready to swallow hard and release right-hander Jeff Weaver after his going 0-5 with a 15.35 ERA after five starts."
The handiwork of Scott Boras, an inflated pitching market, and playoff heroics earned Weaver the same one-year, $8.325MM deal he got from the Angels the previous offseason. At when the Angels signed him, he was coming off a solid 14 win season. The Ms signed him after he posted a 5.76 ERA in 31 starts.
I'd be surprised to see the Ms release Weaver. Couldn't they pay $6MM of his salary and virtually give him away to some NL team? Even that would be better than releasing him. Maybe the Padres would take a chance on him if the salary risk was minimal.

Don't be surprised to see if the cubs want to make him there 5th starter. Especially if he is released. Could he do for the Cubs what he did for the Cards last year? For around 6 mil it wouldn't be bad to take a chance on him.

- The Yanks and Mets are a list of several teams who would want Z for the big push this year. They are watching the situation closely. Unless they want to give us a young solid mlb ready starter and a good MI that can hit. If the come with any less than that I say no way. We would certainly take a Arod and Hughes fro Zambrano and Izzy lol