With the Cubs having there drama with Barrett and Z, one if not both will depart from the team next year. The cubs are more concerned with Z leaving than Barrett. Barrett has had terrible defense year and not to mention his offense hasn't been to great either. The cubs do have HANK WHITE over the next few years but to me he is simply a backup. Koyie Hill has shown promise in his short stint with the cubs but he wont be a catcher who catches 140 games a year. The Cubs do have some decent catchers in the system in Geovany Soto and Jacob Fox. Soto has been anything but consistent with his defense and offense. Fox on the other had has been playing OF, 1b, and C. He needs to work on his catching before he gets the call to the big leagues.
With this delimma the Cubs I think should look to aquire a catcher via trade rather than signing on out of the free agent class next year. The free agent market for catchers is very weak, the good ones are gonna get huge deals( such as Ivan Rod, Posada, and Lo Duca) The others have options as like Posada, Bennett, Barajas, and Valentin. Short of getting a Ivan Rod, Posada, or Lo Duca for a good price and low years, I think you would have to go the young route.
The Braves have a good dilemma on there hands. The have 3 great offensive and defensive young catchers( Saltalamacchia,McCann, and Pena). They have been experimenting with Jarrod at 1st but he hasn't done that well, he is definitely a catcher and a good one. Not to mention Thorman isn't doing that bad at 1st for this first full year in the big leagues. The Braves just assume trade either Jarrod or Byran for there holes that they will have next year. They will undoubtedly lose Andruw Jones to the free agent market and there pitching is getting either older. In my opinion the Braves need a solid lefty in the rotation and a good young outfielder.
The Braves are not just gonna give away Jarrod Saltalamacchia, they will get tremendous talent for him. The Cubs do have some young pitching they could part with to get the talented catcher and I think they should push very hard to get this guy! He is hitting .300 with 2 hr, and he is a switch hitter who is only like 22 years old! You get this guy, you have a solid catcher for many year to come. Not to mention this move would cost you nothing but players and you can save your money for other needs such as pitching and SS.
The Cubs should have some players to get this deal done, and they need to try hard to get this guy. If that means trading a young pitcher or two not named Rich Hill, or trading a young position player not named Theriot or Pie then so be it. If the Cubs can get another team involved that would make things a whole hell of alot easier, a team like Tampa Bay( Rocco Baldelli or Delmon Young) or the Dodgers( Ethier, Kemp, Delwyn Young, or Lonely) who is stockpiled with young talent. The Cubs need a good young catcher on this team and Jarrod Saltalamacchia is that guy!
2 comments:
I like this thought. I like it a lot. Saltalamacchia looks like a good young receiver. I am curious what it would take to pry him away from the Braves.
It would cost alot of our young talent and maybe even more. I would think that the cubs would need to get another team invloved to make this deal a little easier. Like I said the Braves need a young lefty in the rotation and a young outfielder.
The cubs have young pitching to give up except Hill. The Braves might be intrested in Marshall, Murton, Guzman, Veal, or Gallagher.
All I know is a young up and coming catcher is what we need on this team before next year.
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