Cubs 2007-08 Offseason Thread

[A.J.]

-= original quote snipped =-



It's their pitching that makes you so confident, isn't it?

i wish,,,i wish we get prior, clement, and lieber...

[Ruben Douglas]

Date: December 12, 2007
Roberts update, dominoes are falling

By Phil Rogers, 12:25 p.m.

We'll see if Andy MacPhail was only waiting to make a Miguel Tejada trade before going to Peter Angelos to approve one sending Brian Roberts to the Cubs. According to major league sources, the Houston Astros are about to announce that they are getting Tejada from Baltimore for a package of four players, built around pitchers Troy Patton and Matt Albers. The other players are reportedly outfielder Luke Roberts and minor-league third baseman Mike Costanzo.

The departure of Tejada leaves the Orioles in need of a shortstop and would make them extremely thin up the middle if they also traded Roberts. That could mean the Cubs put Ronny Cedeno, Eric Patterson or even former Orioles first-rounder Mike Fontenot in a trade for Roberts.

If Sean Gallagher goes to Baltimore in a Roberts trade, that would mean Andy MacPhail has added three potential 2008 starting pitchers without trading one. Might that give the Cubs a chance to expand the Roberts negotiations to include Erik Bedard? Things are getting interesting.

This is obviously Phil's opinion but wouldn't it be great if this could happen?
What do you think it would take to get both?

[SportsWorld]

With the Orioles getting Patton from the Astros, Bedard is defiantly up on the trade block.

[A.J.]

cliff floyd might go to the rays

[Ruben Douglas]

cliff floyd might go to the rays

I was just joking with my Floyd reference.

[Posey H8er]

I think Floyd would be a good fit in Tampa. He would presumably play DH, so he could stay more healthy and show his power. He could also be a great leader in the clubhouse with those young guys.

[SportsWorld]

Tampa Bay could end up with a 3rd place finish but 4th place behind Toronto is more likely but Tampa Bay is heading in the right direction.

[A.J.]

I think Floyd would be a good fit in Tampa. He would presumably play DH, so he could stay more healthy and show his power. He could also be a great leader in the clubhouse with those young guys.

are you just saying that cause you guys are getting rid of him?

[Posey H8er]

Tampa Bay could end up with a 3rd place finish but 4th place behind Toronto is more likely but Tampa Bay is heading in the right direction.

You're always headed in the right direction when you have a lot of great prospects like they do. They may be like Florida soon (1997, 2003), but without a title. I don't see how they will get that far anytime soon with Boston, New York, Cleveland, Detroit, and Los Angeles ahead of you.

[SportsWorld]

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are you just saying that cause you guys are getting rid of him?

Floyd didn't do much here until August when he started to heat up. We have Fukudome, Pie, Soriano, and Murton in our outfield and all are better than Floyd.

[mattbulls]

http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_wiret ... e_to_deal/

Looks like Floyd is going to Tampa Bay. I wish him luck. I hope he's the DH because the turf won't be good for his knees.

[Posey H8er]

Got this info from another forum. Hendry was on ESPN 1000, which I missed myself.

-Try to add another piece or two
-Try to be aggressive in who they're looking at
-Can't predict whether trades will happen
-Hopefully we'll add another couple guys
-Fukudome WILL play Right Field
-Listed starters in this order:
Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, Dempster, Marquis, Marshall, Gallagher, Hart
-Says Gallagher get's most action on trades from other teams
-Non-committal on who the closer is
-Eyre, Wuertz, Wood, Marmol, Howry, Ascanio, Hart, Cotts all listed by him as likely bullpen guys
-Won't talk about Prior today, he'll answer any questions on Mark tomorrow
-CF will be either Felix Pie or Sam Fuld
-"May be looking for another outfielder that can play all 3 spots, maybe not a starter, but a RH bat that can play all 3 spots"
-"I'd be more than happy to se DeRosa starting at 2B on opening day"
-Murton "Unfortunately he's a right handed hitter, and I think we all feel Matt's a left fielder. We'll try to do what's best for the Club and Matt, and if that means finding a home for him on another club that's what we'll do"

[GYBE]

Fuld's even worse on offense than Pie right now. He couldn't even slug .400 in college.

[Posey H8er]

Piniella said that Hendry told him he would be happy by Christmas. This is more like Hanukkah right now.

[SportsWorld]

Piniella said that Hendry told him he would be happy by Christmas. This is more like Hanukkah right now.

Maybe a Bedard or Roberts trade by Christmas?

[Howling Mad]

I would love another trade before x-mas.

For a big market city like Chicago to not snag their top FA choice is a complete disappointment. Now that we got him, I don't really feel like Christmas. Not even when we traded for ARam.

The only time I really felt like Christmas right after a trade was August 31, 2005. The year we got Nomar. I know I know, that didn't turn out well, but we raped the Sox on that trade(at the time).

[Posey H8er]

LHP Neal Cotts agrees to 1-year, $800,000 deal with Chicago Cubs

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/b ... otts.0141/

CHICAGO (AP) -The Chicago Cubs and left-hander Neal Cotts agreed to a one-year, $800,000 contract Thursday and avoided salary arbitration.

Cotts began last season with the Cubs and was 0-1 with a 4.86 ERA in 16 relief appearances before he was sent to Triple-A Iowa on May 20. He never returned to the big leagues, going 2-2 with a 4.83 ERA in 24 appearances, including six starts.

Cotts was a key reliever for the 2005 World Series winning Chicago White Sox. He was traded to the Cubs for right-hander David Aardsma and minor league pitcher Carlos Vasquez on Nov. 16, 2006.

His deal includes performance bonuses of $25,000 for each plateau of 50, 55 or 60 games.

I would love to see him turn it around, we are pretty soft with the number of lefties in our bullpen.

[Ruben Douglas]

LHP Neal Cotts agrees to 1-year, $800,000 deal with Chicago Cubs

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/b ... otts.0141/

CHICAGO (AP) -The Chicago Cubs and left-hander Neal Cotts agreed to a one-year, $800,000 contract Thursday and avoided salary arbitration.

Cotts began last season with the Cubs and was 0-1 with a 4.86 ERA in 16 relief appearances before he was sent to Triple-A Iowa on May 20. He never returned to the big leagues, going 2-2 with a 4.83 ERA in 24 appearances, including six starts.

Cotts was a key reliever for the 2005 World Series winning Chicago White Sox. He was traded to the Cubs for right-hander David Aardsma and minor league pitcher Carlos Vasquez on Nov. 16, 2006.

His deal includes performance bonuses of $25,000 for each plateau of 50, 55 or 60 games.

I would love to see him turn it around, we are pretty soft with the number of lefties in our bullpen.

I don't expect much, if anything, from Cotts. So if he can contribute I'll be happy with it. With any luck he'll be able to pick up the slack if Eyre stinks up the joint again.

[Ruben Douglas]

It has taken over 5 years, but here's to post # 2,000.

[SportsWorld]

It has taken over 5 years, but here's to post # 2,000.

Congrats