- Jon Heyman says the Cubs are still the favorite to land Jake Peavy.
- Execs around baseball are keeping an eye on Jake Fox as a possiable cheap DH option for them.
- In a related rumor the Cubs are looking at other pitchers and some hot off the stove are Erik Bedard and Cliff Lee. The Cubs are in need of a dominate lefty in the rotation if the cannot acquire a right handed ace like Peavy. The Cubs once turned down a trade that had Mark Prior and another player going to the O's for Tejeda and Bedard. Wow! What a mistake that was! This is only the 2nd time I have heard Cliff Lee's name related to the Cubs in 2 years. He would be a great top of the rotation pitcher for the Cubs and would not cost as much as Peavy, prospect or money wise. Both the Mariners and Indians like Jake Fox and some of the Cubs young pitching.
Guys like Sean Marshall, Randy Wells, Kevin Hart, and Angel Guzman could really intrigue both teams that are looking to get younger and less expensive. Jake Fox would benefit from a DH role for either team and provide each team with stability where players like Hafner and Beltre have not been stable.
Keep an eye on this one, I will update you with the latest as the Hot Stove gets hotter!
4 comments:
The Cubs would be stupid to get rid of Wells or Guzman. Also, theres no way that we should give up anything for Cliff Lee. Haven't we learned our lesson already? Lee is an average pitcher who had a big year last year and now he is back to just being an average pitcher that eats up innings. He's not bad but not worth what the Indians will ask. Same as Bradley was, he came with baggage and signed after a big year. Soriano too, 40/40 year then a bunch of ridiculous money. Time to learn our lesson and go after the sure thing. Bedard would be nice Peavy even nicer. Both better than Lee. But in the end the Cubs need to put Marmol in the closer role and Guzman setting him up. Gregg has average stuff and will not save games consistantly. Marmol will throw better once he gets in the closer role, I'm not too sure he's not frustrated right now that he isn't closing at the moment. Put him in that situation, he will shine. Again, learn your lesson Cubbies, if you're going to give up talent, get the sure thing, not the flash in the pan.
I would love to land Peavy, Bedard, Cliff Lee, or Oswalt. But the names you guys are throwing into the hat will hurt the Cubs more than they will gain from getting one of the above.
Marshall, Wells, Guzman. Considering how are bullpen has been with the exception of Marmol, you are going to subtract from the biggest weakness to add to what has generally been the lone positive?
If we can swing a deal for those top of the line SP with a package led by Vitters, ok. But if we trade those pen names, we'll be in more trouble and have nothing left to deal for replacement bullpen help.
What I have found most frustrating at this point in the season is the low cost high reward options that would have fit into the Cubs budget during the off season and current ownership limbo such as O Hudson, T Hoffman, and to a lesser extent, Pudge Rodriguez. I say lesser extent because I dont think any of us regulars on this blog thought Soto would be struggling as much as he did. But for a little more than Aaron Miles money we could have had O Hudson and have Fonty take the back up IF role that he excelled in last year. If Hudson doesnt pan out cause of the wrist injury he was coming off of, we are no worse off than we are now with Fonty and the minor league kids splitting time at 2B while Miles is struggling and on the DL. With Hoffman, if he struggles, we have Marmol and Gregg, assuming the deal for Acevedo was still made after the hyptothetical signing of Hoffman.
Cubs pitching is starting to show some signs of life. Harden comes back in a week or so. Ramirez next month. June we play 24 more games 6 are against teams with winning records the other 18 are teams under .500. I would put Bradley on the injured list so he can get totally healthy for next month. Then show case Fox and Hoffpauir in RF. I'm not sure we need another pitcher since Wells came up he has been the best pitcher in the majors, stat wise. To bad we can't get him a win.
Braves Get Nate McClouth, unbelieveable. The Cubs hot stove is never really HOT. They just like to create a smokescreen and throw big ideas around and never do anything. I really don't think any of the other GM's around the league take them serious. I know McClouth wouldn't be the answer to all of our problems but after all the Braves gave up to get him, the Cubs could have easily gotten him. I'm a former player in the Nats organization and have played against 2 of the 3 of those guys. They are talented obviously, but they aren't then second comings of Maddux or Kenny Lofton.
Post a Comment