Ken Rosenthal reports that Cubs have traded Pie to Orioles

[cold5]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9097 ... to-Orioles
The chances of Felix Pie becoming a fixture for the Cubs in center field are over.
The Cubs have reached agreement with the Orioles on a deal that will send Pie to Baltimore for left-hander Garrett Olson and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson, according to major-league sources.
Pie, rated the Cubs' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America in 2007, has yet to prove he can hit in the majors, batting .223 with a .284 on-base percentage in 287 career plate appearances.

Olson, the 48th overall pick in the 2005 draft, could fit for the Cubs as a middle reliever if lefty Sean Marshall moves into the team's rotation.

Olson, 25, is 10-13 with a 6.87 ERA in 33 major-league starts, but probably needed more seasoning before the Orioles promoted him to the majors in 2006.

The Cubs' signing of free-agent right fielder Milton Bradley to a three-year contract effectively squeezed out Pie. Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome likely will alternate in center, with Fukudome also playing right.

But Pie, who turns 24 on Feb. 8, remains a player with rare speed and athleticism. In 2007, Baseball America said that his tools were "reminiscent of Carlos Belran's," calling him a "power-hitting center fielder with basestealing ability."

The Orioles could start off Pie as a backup at all three outfield positions. They also could play him in left while using Aubrey Huff at first and Luke Scott as their DH.

Pie would add to the Orioles' core of young players, a group that includes center fielder Adam Jones and right fielder Nick Markakis.

The team is close to signing Markakis to a six-year contract between $64 and $66 million, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Sounds like a good deal. Get a solid pitching prospect in Olsen and land another relief prospect. But is it an accident that the Padres wanted Olsen, we land him, and on the same day Crane Kenney says the Cubs sale is imminent?

[Posey H8er]

Beat me to it.

I don't think these prospects are necessarily for the Cubs' future.

I think this deal will start up the Peavy talks again. Olson along with some of the prospects from the Cleveland trade should be the missing pieces in the deal. If this does not get Peavy, then Hendry is even more dead to me.

It's sad too, because Pie was never really given a fair opportunity in the majors. He saw inconsistent playing time and during the time when he did struggle with his at bats he would finally come around with some good ball games then get sent back to Iowa.

[Posey H8er]

Granted Pie was out of options and this deal could just be the best Hendry could find...

[Howling Mad]

Great, no more Roberts talk!

Thank you Pie.

[SportsWorld]

Yawn this was expected.

[Howling Mad]

Not exactly boring SW, haha.

Garrett Olson is the guy the Padres had their eye on isn't it? Hmmm.....

[SportsWorld]

Garrett Olson is the guy the Padres had their eye on isn't it? Hmmm.....

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ba ... 8164.story

Sean Marshall will join the rotation and also get about 25 starts, Piniella said, while Jeff Samardzija, Chad Gaudin and rookie Mitch Atkins will get opportunities to start this spring. Piniella also declined to anoint Carlos Marmol as his closer over newcomer Kevin Gregg, despite Marmol's dominance as the set-up man.

Yawn.

[Posey H8er]

If Peavy is dealt then we can say goodbye to Marshall and the 5th spot. But Harden's shoulder could be a big concern.

I like that Marmol isn't being given the closer role. I would rather keep him in the spot he is in. It is more valuable than pitching the 9th.

[Howling Mad]

Peavy, Z, Harden, Dempster, Lilly is instant salivation.

But my feeling is anything from Harden next year is a positive. I think you always have to look at it like that. I'd say the end result is the Peavy trade. How are we without Harden..

Peavy
Z
Demspter
Lilly
Marshall/Guzman/Atkins/Gaudin/Shark

I think that's still pretty potent.

I left Olson out on purpose, I just don't see Olson pitching in Chicago next year. Him and Marshall and Lilly are all too similar. Lilly is automatic in the roation but included him in because of the long arm-lefty comparison. Do we really need three on one team. Even if two end up starting, we don't need a long arm in the pen, we need a short arm lefty, like a Scott Eyre, oh yea...we did have him. I say Hendry lays out the options and lets the Padres have their picking, probably even including the option to take both Olson and Marhsall. Screw it, gimme Peavy.

[Posey H8er]

Can someone explain Christopher Reina's grading system? If Pie wasn't going to play for the Cubs anymore and the Cubs received two prospects in return, how is that a C+ and lower than what the Orioles received? In my eyes Olson is the pitching equivalent to Pie. Both were dominant in the minors but really have struggled at the Major League level.

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

[SportsWorld]

Well the Cubs shouldn't have used up Pie's options.

[Posey H8er]

Peavy, Z, Harden, Dempster, Lilly is instant salivation.

But my feeling is anything from Harden next year is a positive. I think you always have to look at it like that. I'd say the end result is the Peavy trade. How are we without Harden..

Peavy
Z
Demspter
Lilly
Marshall/Guzman/Atkins/Gaudin/Shark

I think that's still pretty potent.

I left Olson out on purpose, I just don't see Olson pitching in Chicago next year. Him and Marshall and Lilly are all too similar. Lilly is automatic in the roation but included him in because of the long arm-lefty comparison. Do we really need three on one team. Even if two end up starting, we don't need a long arm in the pen, we need a short arm lefty, like a Scott Eyre, oh yea...we did have him. I say Hendry lays out the options and lets the Padres have their picking, probably even including the option to take both Olson and Marhsall. Screw it, gimme Peavy.

I agree. The Cubs have many potential 5th starters that could to a sufficient job. But just getting Peavy makes life much easier.

[Posey H8er]

Bruce Levine-

This certainly sets up the possibility of a trade. Hendry has no idea who the new owner will be, but once that happens, the internal talks will begin. If the money is there, Hendry will pursue Peavy and do so with a lot of energy. Of course, it takes two to make a deal. The Cubs are half the equation. The Cubs do feel they have enough inventory to make a deal.

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1261

The bolded part is the key part to any possibility of a Peavy deal. Hopefully Zell is done trying to squeeze every penny he can out of these potential owners and a sale can take place soon.

[The Sheik]

I doubt the Peavy trade is back on. If we learned anything from Brian Roberts its dont have hope.

[WAYSA]

Jim Hendry is an idiot. If I was 80 years old and didn't have much to live for I would consider taking him out for the sake of all us Cubs fans.

I cannot wait to see how awful this one turns out. Talk about totally botching a super talented top prospect.

LF - Felix Pie
CF - Adam Jones
RF - Nick Markakis

That is how you rebuild an OF. Sick. I cannot wait to see that OF defense.

[hermes]

Pie wasn't going to get much of a chance here, so i guess i'm ok with this
hopefully its building into a Peavy deal

[ChicagoTRS]

Pie should have been traded a couple years back when he had real value. He never showed in the minors or majors that he had any kind of batting eye. I predict he will never be more than a 4th/5th outfielder in the majors as he will never hit with consistency.