Update 3-15-08, 1:20 pm- According to MLBTR, the Cubs did not offer Ceda and a deal is not close. Although I have been hearing the deal will get done by next weekend and still believe Roberts will be a Cub before Opening Day.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/842384,CST-SPT-brian14.article
According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times the Cubs have offered a 4 player package for Brian Roberts that includes Jose Ceda, Ronny Cedeno, Sean Gallagher, and Donnie Veal. He expressed that the Cubs and Baltimore have talked during the last few weeks and both camps think a deal will get done before opening day if not sooner. He also stats that Marquis and Payton could be in the deal, which would give the O's a nice veteran presence along with the "Human Rain Delay" and Payton would give the Cubs that 4th outfielder who can play all three spots.
As far as the package for Roberts, I do think it is a little much for the all star 2nd baseman. It is always hard giving up young talent but the Cubs need a legitimate base stealer at the top of the lineup with Soriano's legs not being 100% and Theriot tendency to go through slumps during the season. Plain and simple they need Roberts more than the O's need to trade him and I think that is why the Cubs proposed this package to the Birds.
I do not agree with Gordon on saying that the deal could go down to the day before opening day. The sooner it gets done the better, Theriot and Roberts would have to get use to each other, turning double plays, taking the bag, etc. I feel this will get done within the week( which we have already been hearing). I do agree that this recent lineup change feels like it is preparing for Roberts. Here is what it would look like-
Roberts 2b
Soriano LF
Lee 1st
Aram 3b
Fukudome RF
Soto C
Theriot SS
Pie CF
Pitcher
That lineup is tough! Double leadoff man, speed at the top, 2 through 6 can hit 20+ homers, 80+RBI, and avg .300. Not a lot of teams in baseball can say that.
8 comments:
Ceda, Gallagher and Veal!!!!!!!!!!???? WTF are they thinking? Why don't they just give the O's the whole pitching future and throw in Jeff Samardzija, too!!! This is a travesty if it happens. McPhail will have pulled off one of the biggest lopsided trades on the Cubs in many years. Let's hope this is just a smoke screen. What do the Cubs hope to do if Big Z, Lily or Hill has a season or carrer ending injury? GEEZ!!!
el gigante
What ever happened to trading position players for position players and pitchers for pitchers?
I say do it. Ceda is good but our bullpen is stacked and we have alot of other great relievers in AAA.
Veal and Gally are good, but come on cubs prospects barly pan out. And i doubt either will be a #1 or 2 pitcher. i doubt both would pan out.
Cedeno just sucks honestly. I fucking hate him. he is horrible. there is no need for him to be on this team, he has had his chances.
Roberts is great face it as long nothing more gets added to this trade i say do it.
If this happend i would love for dero to try at short. Honestly he may suck there but oh well. Our defense is amazing already at every position. Pie/Soriano?Fukudome in the outfield is amazing defensivly. Lee at first base and Ramirez could have gotten the GG last year. Roberts is a great defensive player and soto behind the plate is great. We can ahve one weak defensive position and i doubt he will be that bad.
Gallagher is probably the center of the deal. I dont mind giving up Ceda after his Spring results. Not saying he is a bust... but as a Single A kid he is still some time away and I would say our bullpen has more depth than the rotation... assuming we resign Howry and Wood after 08.
I dont think we should include Veal though. If Marshall isnt enough upside for them, do Marsh and one more young bullpen arm, maybe even the Rule 5 guy since it looks like Hart is going to take a bullpen spot and we stand to lose the Rule 5 guy anyway if we dont keep him on the MLB roster, something the O's can afford to do as they rebuild.
How come we dont even have rumors of Cubs looking into Hudson of the DBacks? He is in the final year of his deal and I think I read that the DBacks have an up and coming 2B... not to mention Augie Ojeda as a solid back up. Maybe we can get Hudson cheaper? Although I dont know if he is as good a lead off option as Roberts. But at the very least leverage the two options to try to lower the price for Roberts.
I was on st louis paper website reading about the Cardinals pitching woes and it suggested Cubs may be willing to deal Sean Marshall as a "nice fit" in the Cardinals rotation. St louis has some nice trade prospects. Do you think the Cubs would be willing to deal him? thanks, Jimbo
this is plain stupid
no no no reason to do this
stick with the farmhouse, hendry
forget roberts
fat*** mcphail wants to much for him.
This is a good deal, but I dont expect McPhail to make it happen any time soon. Ceda, Veal, Gallagher, and Marshall may all come back to bite us in the ass, but this team is built to win now. NOW. We have backloaded contracts, we have 30+ sluggers (Ramirez, Soriano, Lee) and this move is a difference maker. This moves makes us a contender in the NL, not just the NL Central.
I keep reading that everyone is happy with what we have. Well a year ago, I would have said NO WAY, but Soriano doesnt have the legs anymore to lead off, and Theriot had an OBP of .329 last season. Not good enough. Like I said before, we are good enough to win the worst division in baseball, but not good enough to go any further than we did last year.
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