2008-2009 Cubs Offseason Thread

[GYBE]

I agree. Marshall is a solid back end of the rotation option and he's incredibly cheap. That's a really valuable thing to have. Giving him up along with Vitters and more pitchers is too much at this point. I'd pass unless the Padres are willing to take a different package.

[illiance]

Just give up a combination of Olson, Vitters, Indians prospects, and Cedeno. That should be enough for Peavy. We have all the leverage since we aren't desperate to get Peavy and the Padres need to unload his salary at some point in the near future.

[SportsWorld]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... Id=rss_chc

A previously discussed trade of All-Star right-handed pitcher Jake Peavy from the Padres to the Cubs is expected to be revived once the sale of the Chicago club is finalized later this spring, sources close to the situation told MLB.com.
Neither team, however, indicated Monday that the sides are actively re-engaged on the topic. Nevertheless, other highly placed sources suggested the move looks like a matter of when, not if, based on various developments.

Negotiations toward a deal, widely publicized these last two months, previously involved additional teams. But as the Cubs have buttoned up other moves, they now appear prepared to acquire Peavy in a two-team transaction with the Padres. As part of the deal, San Diego could get Garrett Olson, the starting pitcher the Cubs just obtained from the Orioles in a trade for left fielder Felix Pie. The Padres had "identified" Olson as a possible component when the teams extensively talked during the Winter Meetings.

On Thursday, it was announced that investment banker Tom Ricketts had emerged as the top bidder to complete an exclusive agreement with the Tribune Co. to purchase the Cubs, Wrigley Field and a 25 percent stake in their regional sports network for a reported $900 million. Cubs management, naturally, would want signoff from new ownership before further advancing trade talks that ultimately would mean taking on the $63 million remaining on Peavy's contract.

[SportsWorld]

Sunday Night Baseball's 1st Half Schedule:
April 5
Atlanta at Philadelphia (ESPN2)

April 12
Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee

April 19
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs

April 26
New York Yankees at Boston

May 3
Chicago White Sox at Texas

May 10
Tampa Bay at Boston

May 17
New York Mets at San Francisco

May 24
Milwaukee at Minnesota

May 31
Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs

June 7-July 5
TBD

July 12
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs

[Posey H8er]

Levine says the Cubs will sign backup catcher Paul Bako to a one-year, $750K deal once they clear a spot on the 40-man roster. The 2-for-1 Heilman trade takes care of that.

Decent signing. Blanco signed with San Diego and Bako is a small upgrade over Koyie Hill.

[SportsWorld]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/c ... s-lik.html

5:58pm: MLB.com's Barry Bloom heard from Cubs assistant GM Randy Bush that the Cubs have had "no talks about Jake Peavy since they were well-documented during the Winter Meetings." However, this doesn't mean that talks won't restart.

Bush said the Cubs could go into Spring Training without further changes, but sounds open to adding players if they come at the right price.

5:16pm: In an ESPN.com video Buster Olney says, "at some point you can expect the Cubs and Padres will again start talking about a Peavy deal" now that the Cubs have added pitching in trades.

Earlier in the winter, the Padres wanted more young arms than the Cubs could offer. Since then, the Cubs added pitching to the organization in the Mark DeRosa deal and created flexibility by trading for Aaron Heilman.

The Cubs could structure a deal for Peavy around prospect Josh Vitters and young pitching.

[Posey H8er]

It looks like the Bako deal is official. 1 year for $725,000.

http://myespn.go.com/s/conversations/show/story/3872799

[SportsWorld]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball ... 09.article

Sources tell the Sun-Times that the Cubs continue to be interested in San Diego's Jake Peavy.

[The Sheik]

Updated - 5:09pm C.T. - Richie Robnett was added to the Cubs 40-man roster and more information on the trade with the Oakland A's for Michael Wuertz.

Update - 5:09pm C.T. - Richie Robnett, 25, was the A's first round pick in 2004 (26th overall). Robnett is a left-handed hitting outfielder and spent most of the 2008 season in Triple-A. He played in only 82 games after surgery early in the year to remove a tumor from his stomach. Robnett will be in big league camp.

Justin Sellers, 23, is a right-handed hitting middle infielder and was a sixth round pick of the A's in 2005. He played almost as many games at second base (60) as at short (63). Sellers will report to minor league camp when Spring Training opens in a couple of weeks.

With the trades of Michael Wuertz and Rich Hill and the addition of Richie Robnett, the Cubs 40-man roster stands at 39 with just 10 days before pitchers and catchers report to Mesa. The moves also saved the Cubs nearly $2 million for 2009.

http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2 ... 1.php#more

[Posey H8er]

The Padres have reached an agreement with the sale of the team. I doubt this has any significance towards any Peavy talks, but its news.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

[nykfan757]

The Padres have reached an agreement with the sale of the team. I doubt this has any significance towards any Peavy talks, but its news.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

I could be in the minority...but I think the Cubs played it right in trading for Heilman and waiting to see what the competition will bring out.

Think about it...you have your top 4 set...

Now you tell Marshall, Heilman, Shark and Gaudin to fight it out for the last spot...

This creates serious competition within the staff and that matches the identity of the manager.

DeRosa was traded because Pinella clearly thinks the world of Fontenot...but they signed Miles (who is versatile as well) to create the competition and keep Fontenot at his best.

Wood was let go because the Cubs brass felt like Marmol could handle the duties...but they still traded for a proven closer to create the competition and keep Marmol at his best...

I could go on but I hope you have gotten the picture...this team really doesnt need Peavy...he is strictly a luxury at this point.

[SportsWorld]

Rockies Acquire Matt Murton
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/02/r ... quire.html

According to a press release, the Rockies acquired outfielder Matt Murton from the A's for infielder Corey Wimberly.

Murton, 27, has a career line of .288/.354/.438 in 1002 plate appearances. He's been involved in two big trades - the Nomar Garciaparra deal in '04 and the Rich Harden trade last year. Murton spent most of '08 in the minors and did not show much power.

Wimberly, 25, ranked as the Rockies' 26th-best prospect in the '09 Baseball America Handbook. He went unclaimed in the Rule 5 draft in December after hitting .291/.370/.345 in Double A. The speedster is said to be in the Bip Roberts mold, according to BA.

[SportsWorld]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9176 ... o-deal-ace

The Padres' sale to a group led by Jeff Moorad does not change the team's position on trading right-hander Jake Peavy, according to a source with knowledge of the club's thinking.

The odds are the same," the source said.

The Padres maintain that they only will trade Peavy if the deal makes baseball sense. However, their season ticket sales have dropped from about 15,000 in 2008 to "well below" 10,000, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The increasing financial pressure might compel the Padres to move Peavy, particularly if they could land a package from the Cubs headed by minor-league third baseman Josh Vitters, a top hitting prospect.

[SportsWorld]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/02/c ... ate-1.html

Cubs, White Sox, and Dodgers are lined up for Orlando Hudson; however, the transfer of ownership may have temporarily tied the hands of Jim Hendry to do anything until Tom Ricketts takes over.

[GYBE]

Just into the third year of an eight-year, $136 million contract, it is becoming clear Alfonso Soriano has no leg to stand on—so to speak—in insisting he bat leadoff.

It is even becoming clear to him, given his age, injuries and diminishing speed. Soriano says he will go to spring training in three weeks with a fresh attitude, maybe even a new commitment.

"I feel comfortable batting leadoff and any [place] in the lineup," he said recently at the Cubs Convention. "It's not about me, it's about the team and what [manager Lou Piniella] wants to do this year because, I'm 33 now and they think I can't run anymore."

Link

There's one funny thing and one said thing in this article.

It's funny that the reporter (and Soriano?) think speed is the only quality to look for in a lead-off guy. All he talks about is stolen bases. Listen van Dyck, we don't care that he doesn't steal as many bases as he used to. He sucks in the leadoff spot because he doesn't get on base.

The sad thing is the realization that Soriano is 33...and he's under contract for 6 more seasons.

[hermes]

let's bat him 8th see if he's fine with that

[Posey H8er]

From the wiretap-

-Angels sign Abreu for 1 year/5 million, great deal financially imo.

-Adam Dunn signed with the Nats. There were rumors that the Astros were going to sign him. I'm surprised he didn't sign with an AL team.

[SportsWorld]

Yeah I thought Dunn was surely going to Houston. Thank goodness he's out of our division again.

[The Sheik]

So what is it now...Rich Aurilla and ???

[hermes]

DeRosa was traded because Pinella clearly thinks the world of Fontenot...

who doesn't