Friday, January 22, 2010

Players Flying Off Market...

- Free agents continue to find homes and many of them were targets for the Cubs. Rick Ankiel is a Royal and Jose Contreras is a Phillie.

- GROTA runs down what is left for the off season. The three areas they have the Cubs targeting are a backup outfield, reliever, and maybe an infielder. They pick Xavier Nady, Felipe Lopez, and Kiko Calero. They also mention a starter but I do not see that as that big of a deal. They of course label Ben Sheets as their pick.

Here is my targets-

Outfield Free Agents- My Pick- Gary Sheffield
Xavier Nady
Jermaine Dye
Eric Byrnes
Rocco Baldelli
Jonny Gomes
Randy Winn
Reed Johnson
Gary Sheffield

Outfield Trade Targets- My Pick- Rajai Davis
Ryan Spilborghs
Rajai Davis
Cody Ross
Ryan Raburn
Josh Willingham

Infield Free Agents- My Pick- Felipe Lopez
Felipe Lopez
Orlando Hudson
Adam Kennedy
Miguel Tejada
Orlando Cabrera

Infield Trade Targets= My Pick- Luis Castillo
Alberto Callaspo
Luis Castillo
Jose Lopez
Stephen Drew

Reliever Free Agents- My Pick- John Smoltz
Too many to list

Reliever Trade Targets- My Pick- Heath Bell
Too many to list

- Here is my trade scenario for the week. It is a three way trade-

Cubs get Luis Castillo, Gary Matthews Jr., and Brad Hawpe
Mets get Fukudome, Sean Marshall, Micah Hoffpauir, and cash from Cubs
Rockies get John Maine, Angel Guzman, and Marcos Mateo

Cubs get their top of the lineup guy that is a switch hitter and plays good defense at 2nd base. They also get their very versatile, good defensive fourth outfielder in Matthews (who should benefit from getting Jaramillo back as his hitting coach), and a starting RF with good defense and a better bat in Hawpe. He would fill the need for a left handed power bat the Cubs have been searching for the past three years.

The Mets would get a good defensive outfielder who could use a change of scenery in Fukudome. He could fill in at CF with Beltran recovering then go to a platoon partner with Francoeur when he returns. They also get another guy they can plug in at first in Hoffpauir in Murphy does not do well. Sean Marshall would be inserted into the rotation in John Maine's spot.

The Rockies would be getting pitching which they need. All they give up is Hawpe for three good arms. John Maine would be inserted in the already decent starting rotation. Then they can add two fireballers in Mateo and Guzman for the back end of their pen.

Here is the Cubs lineup with the trade-
Theriot SS
Castillo 2b
Lee 1st
Hawpe RF
Aram 3rd
Byrd CF
Soriano LF
Soto C

What a tough lineup with speed and power!

What you guys think????

Until Next Time....

6 comments:

Shivits said...

C'mon now man. I think you're stretching it now. Hawpe? Not going to happen.

Why haven't you pushed for Kiko Calero so much? Would be great in the back of the pen.

What about Gomes? We don't want to spend much so take him because this guy kills lefties and would be the perfect platoon for Fukudome. We'd get loads of production out of RF with him included.

Saving money on Gomes, beg Rickett's for a few mill more and get Sheets. Then, instead of testing the market for relievers, just put Cashner in our BP. Cash is money!

All you'd have to sign was Gomes and Sheets and could rely on our farm for anything else we may need. Seems a no brainer to me but Sheets would be the tough catch. Tough catch as he may be, ...if Ricktett's wants to win, I would think you could persuade him to shell out a few more mill to make it happen if you buy cheap with Gomes and settle with our farm for the BP.

Shivits said...

C'mon now man. You don't even consider Gomes or Colero?

Get Gomes, he's cheaper, murders lefties and would be a perfect platoon with Fukudome.

With the saved money, push Rickett's to shell out a few mill, which we know he has, to get Sheets.

Instead of going for someone to fill the back end of the BP, just call up Cashner. Cash is money!

If no Sheets because he's too expensive, get Colero with Gomes and forget about it. Let the farm fill the rest.

Anonymous said...

Here is my targets-

Outfield Free Agents- My Pick- Jermaine Dye
Xavier Nady
Jermaine Dye
Eric Byrnes
Rocco Baldelli
Jonny Gomes
Randy Winn
Reed Johnson
Gary Sheffield

Outfield Trade Targets- My Pick- Brad Hawpe
Ryan Spilborghs
Rajai Davis
Cody Ross
Ryan Raburn
Josh Willingham
Brad Hawpe

Infield Free Agents- My Pick- Miguel Tejada
Felipe Lopez
Orlando Hudson
Adam Kennedy
Miguel Tejada
Orlando Cabrera

Infield Trade Targets= My Pick- Jose Lopez
Alberto Callaspo
Luis Castillo
Jose Lopez
Stephen Drew

Reliever Free Agents- My Pick- Kiko Calero
Too many to list

Reliever Trade Targets- My Pick- Jason Frasor
Too many to list


3 way trade:
Cubs Get: Jose Lopez, Jason Frasor
Mariners Get: Mike Fontenot, Robert Hernandez, Tyler Colvin, Micah Hoffpauir
Blue Jays Get: Brandon Marrow
Here is the Cubs lineup with the trade-
Theriot SS
Lopez 2b
Lee 1st
Aram 3rd
Byrd CF
Soriano LF
Fukudome RF
Soto C

Nick I Cub Fan said...

The problem is the Cubs only have about 6-8 million left to spend.
I would like Gomez but we can't afford him, so my pick is Snyder from AAA Iowa. He can play all 3 outfields. I would love Tejada or Hudson, but again we can't afford them. So my pick is Raburn. He makes less than 1 mil. plays 1B 2B 3B and the corner OF's. 261 AB'S HE HAD 16 HR'S .291 BA .359 OBP.
Also giants just cut Jesus Guzman he plays same positions as Raburn at AAA last year he batted .321 with a .379 OBP. I could live with your picks if we could afford them. Except Sheffield hes a DH at best. Hes so old he played before steroids, when a beer at the ball park cost 2 bucks. Let him go Cubs already have one of the worst defencive teams in basebal. I enjoy all the baseball rumor sites even though most don't come true its fun wishing and hoping.

Anonymous said...

Fukudome has a no-trade clause. Why don't you look that stuff up before pitching these trades?

And Gary Matthews isn't versatile. He flat sucks.

Nate B. said...

dont mind acquiring Hawpe but why would the Cubs unload so much for so little. Fukudome keeps putting better numbers up consistently and this could be the year where he stays on track all year and doesn't fall off towards the end of the season. Hoffpauir is a waste of talent in my eyes because he just doesn't fit anywhere with the Cubs so he is valuable trade bait. they can get a lot more for Marshall and Guzman so in my opinion why would you shake the whole team up like that, its good how it is unless a quality lead off hitter appears on the market for the Cubs they just need to keep their current team with a few free agents added to help the back end of the pen and the bench. Other than that keep the team and let the new hitting coach work his magic with the youngsters.