Wednesday, April 21, 2010

In Z Bullpen and Out of the Loop....

- Carlos Zambrano is officially in the Cubs bullpen. The Cubs struggling pen and Zambrano struggling in the rotation with his pitch count and cramps, it is not that bad of an idea. I think Zambrano as a reliever is interesting in that he will have new challenges but in the end I think you will see him do very well. I think Lou is looking at what Barry Zito went through and is trying the same thing on Z. Should be very interesting seeing a 18 million dollar set-up man.

- Braden Looper pitched for the Cubs but that is the closest he will come to becoming a Cub. Carrie Muskat said she does not expect Looper to sign with the Cubs.

- MLBTR has a interesting take on if the Cubs become sellers. I think if they become sellers they will not become full blown seller just like they said on MLBTR but I do expect them to shop guys like Fukudome, Nady, Tracy, Soriano, Grabow, Shark, Zambrano, Theriot, Fontenot, and Baker. I also assume they will listen to offers for Lilly, Lee, and Aram but only if they think they will not be back next season.

- Would the White Sox trade the Cubs Juan Pierre, Scott Linebrink, Mark Teahen, and Alex Rios for Soriano, Shark, Nady, and Ryan Theriot? The money really is not that far off, Cub players=98.6 million and White Sox players=91.5 million. Only 7.1 million difference. Both offenses are struggling and in the trade both teams are acquring players that are struggling and doing decent. I honestly think this trade is very fair and if Williams or Hendry is out there, get this trade done.

Cubs lineup-
1. Juan Pierre LF
2. Starlin Castro SS
3. Derrek Lee 1st
4. Aramis Ramirez 3b
5. Kosuke Fukudome RF
6. Marlon Byrd CF
7. Mark Teahen 2b
8. Geovany Soto C

Bench-
Fontenot IF
Baker IF
Hill C
Colvin OF
Rios OF

Rotation-
1. Dempster
2. Lilly
3. Wells
4. Silva
5. Gorzelanny

Pen-
Marmol C
Zambrano SU
Marshall SU
Linebrink
Grabow
Berg
Russell

Released- Chad Tracy

This trade would make the Cubs a better balanced team with a better bench and bullpen. Of course this is just my thought and this is not even a rumor but hey, this is what you do when the Cubs are sucking....

On a side note, I think if the Cubs reach 20 loses before 10 wins.... Lou should be gone!

Until Next Time...

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I agree that changes need to be made. My question is different. It is about contracts and lengths but it is about our sorry announcers. I thought after '04 I was just spoiled because Chip and Steve Stone were freakin awesome. How long is Kasper and Brenly gonna be announcing? They are dry, boring, and I honestly don't get the feeling that they are Cub fans. Like I said before, I thought I was just spoiled, but this year I bought the MLB Extra Innings package so I can listen to all of the home team's announcer's and they are much more intrigued by the game and the players. Even when the Cubs were good 2 years ago, they just don't seem into it. How much longer are they going to be around???? Anyone???

Anonymous said...

Always enjoy your blog with the exception of 'fantasy proposals". I hope your Cubs/White Sox trade scenario is just that. As long as you know that it's fantasy and a waste of time.

If Piniella continues to make stupid decisions during the course of the ballgame, I feel he should go at the end of the season if not before. I would love for Sandberg to be the next skipper and would like for it to be for an entire season.

Peace out and Go Cubs!!!!

allan jb said...

Good God,didn't you seen enough of Pierre in a Cub uniform a few years ago?
When you mention virtually the whole team,it is wholesale .Nice blog,but I have to question your baseball acumen.Sorry buddy,but that is just what I read.

Unknown said...

I agree with Z in the pen. He historically struggles in April (which is why I don't understand why we adjust the rotation to make sure he goes every five days due to the extra off days in April) and biggest hole right now is a bullpen in front of Marmol that has no presence. A reliever via trade won't be available until late May at the earliest, so why not put Z in there to try to stabilize the bridge from our starters who have been performing to Marmol. Come May, if the younger arms finally start to come around after having Z as a crutch, we send Z back in the rotation and see if we can keep afloat until June when we can start dealing for relievers. If the pen continues to struggle, then we may see a fire sale. Lilly, Lee, and Nady will be pending FAs, maybe there is a taker for Fuku with only 2011 left on his contract as a platoon OF, even Silva has shown so far he has some value (unlike Bradley, which STILL amuses me that the M's got bamboozled), even "spare" IF parts like Theriot, Baker, and Fonty that could help fortify benches of contending teams.

Then 2011 we are looking at an even better mix of young and vet with Colvin in RF, Castro at SS or 2B, and maybe a young arm or two being able to hold down a rotation spot. Hopefully the purse strings would be opened far enough where the Cubs could go after a deep FA class at 1B to replace D Lee (including resigning D Lee even after we traded him in 2010) as well as resigning Lilly.

Still early in April, despite the fact that I am not a happy fan, but at this point those are the two paths we are looking at.

Nick I Cub Fan said...

Could someone PLEASE tell Hendry that Castro is now hitting over 400

Nick I Cub Fan said...

Just my 2 cents worth but i think all the reporters are wrong. Wells and Theriot are both going to be traded over the next couple weeks, for relevers. And Castro will be brought up. Also Samardzija gets sent down today.

allan jb said...

Trade Wells for a rliever?
You gotta be kidding.