- According to the Tribune the Cubs have interest in Takashi Saito. Saito is drawing interest from a lot of clubs and the Cubs should be interested but not for the price he will likely get. I think the Cubs need more bang in the lineup rather than pitching.
- The Cubs like Rick Ankiel and CoCo Crisp for CF next season. Ankiel would provide the Cubs the middle of the lineup type hitter and could come at a cheap price because of his bad numbers last season. He could bounce back by working with Rudy Jaramillo in Chicago. Crisp is another option but with his numbers decreasing since 2004 the Cubs may not want to take a gamble on him.
- The Cubs still are trying to convince the Mets to give them Luis Castillo for Milton Bradley but the Mets want to get another team involved.
- The Cubs have told Ryan Theriot to work at 2nd base just in case Starlin Castro makes the big leagues out of Spring or they make a move for a cheap veteran shortstop. Sources say Orlando Cabrera could be an option and may come with a price tag of one year 2 million. Another option is Miguel Tejada even though he is likely to seek a multi-year deal.
- My proposed trade for the week-
Cubs get Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo, and Oliver Perez
Mets get Carlos Zambrano, Milton Bradley, Sean Marshall, and Jeff Stevens
The money is almost even with Mets taking on 76 million and the Cubs taking on 74 million which is only a 2 million dollar difference. Beltran and Zambrano do have no trade clauses but I know for a fact that Z would waive it to go to the Mets. He said a couple times NY is one of the places he would consider pitching if he was not in a Cubs uniform. Beltran is unknown but I could see him wanting to get out of the bright lights of New York.
The Cubs would have Beltran, Castillo, and Perez for two years which is better than having all that money tied up in Zambrano for the next possible 4 and Bradley for the next two. The Cubs would get their middle of the lineup type hitter that plays really good defense and has a plus arm in Beltran. Castillo would provide them with good defense and a top of the lineup guy with decent speed. Perez could be used in the rotation and hope his arm gets better, but he is mainly a contract dump.
The Mets would get another ace to add to John Maine and Johan Santana. They would get a guy with attitude issues but could benefit from a change of scenery and could provide them with numbers he put up in Texas. The Mets also get some pen or rotation help in Marshall and Stevens. Affordable young pitchers are always a plus in the big apple.
I think this a good trade for both teams involved. What do you think? Discuss....
Til Next Time.....
5 comments:
no way if we did that trade then the cubs ace would be lilly or dempster. beltran is a great piece but not worth zambrano. if the cubs are so sold on castro then a one year deal with cabrera would be a great option.
If Saito is healthy again, he would easily be our closer, no questions asked. I would rather have another year of Miles than take on Ankiel. Many no thanks.
I love the rick ankiel idea.
Castillo would bring good defense?
Luis Castillo? Arguably the worst defensive second basemen in all of Major league baseball. That guy?
Come on now, please.
I like the Big Z beltran trade. Makes a lot of sense both ways. Z is getting paid #1 money well pitching like a 2. Beltran is an elite CF, which would bring a great bat and + range/arm and a position where those attributes are hard to find. Z's contract is quite bad, so instead I would bet teh mets would ask the cubs to up the offer a bit. I could see them asking for maybe Cashner instead of Stevens.
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