13 replies to this topic

[Mike Taylor (no relation)]

Jayson Stark via Twit machine, says that the Astros are willing to listen on any 2(or 3)-for-1 deals and lots of scouts (hopefully the Cubs) are eyeballing Lucas Harrell, who won't be arbitration eligible until 2015 and was 38th in WAR for qualifiers (as well as 38th in xFIP). Remember, the Cardinals were interested in Bud Norris when it was learned that Chris Carpenter would miss the season.

All I can say is, "Get this done, Theo." With Garza and Baker's injuries, Feldman and Villanueva's ineffectiveness as starters, trading for Lucas Harrell makes a ton of sense for now and in the future. Wouldn't mind seeing Matt Dominguez in a Cubs uniform, either.

April 2013:
SP Samardzija
SP Harrell
SP Jackson
SP Wood (L)
SP Villanueva
LR Feldman
LR Rusin (L)
RP Rondon
RP Camp
SU Russell (L)
SU Fujikawa
CL Marmol

Villanueva goes to the pen when/if Baker/Garza become healthy and whoever is stinking up the pen (unless Marmol gets traded) goes down to AAA.

April 2014:
SP Samardzija
SP Harrell
SP Vizcaino
SP Jackson
SP Wood (L)
LR Villanueva
LR Rusin (L)
RP Struck
RP Bowden
SU McNutt
SU Russell (L)
CL Fujikawa

[calicubsfan007]

I would be in support of going after him. Provided that we don't spend / give up too much.

[MichiganGoat]

I'd have to look further into their players but I'm certain that Theo and Co. have been working and researching these players before any of us considered them.

[MichiganGoat]

I would be in support of going after him. Provided that we don't spend / give up too much.

that is always the concern, how many prospects are we will to deal.

[calicubsfan007]

I would be in support of going after him. Provided that we don't spend / give up too much.

that is always the concern, how many prospects are we will to deal.

The reason why this is always a concern is that there are always going to be teams that overpay in prospects for established players. Until the day comes when teams calculate the formula right, we will always be struggling with that.

[fromthemitten]

I'd love to get my hands on Altuve. I doubt he'd be traded

[Mike Taylor (no relation)]

I think we match up well with the Astros. They have 3 first basemen that will split time batting DH / platoons. They have a lot of needs, especially in the OF.

LF J.D. Martinez (career .252 AVG / .705 OPS)
CF Brandon Barnes (AAAA type player, could break out this year)
RF Rick Ankiel (NRI, tearing up ST)
OF Justin Maxwell
OF Fernadno Martinez
1B Brett Wallace
1B Chris Carter
DH Carlos Pena
2B Jose Altuve
3B Brandon Laird (NRI who's tearing it up in ST)
3B Matt Dominguez (should break out, possible platoon vs. LHP)
SS Tyler Greene (Career .224 AVG / .647 OPS)
SS Jake Elmore
C Jason Castro

Matt Szczur, Junior Lake and Darwin Barney for Lucas Harrell.

[fromthemitten]

They're putting Chris Carter into LF according to HardballTalk. I'm surprised Pena's DH-ing. Wallace is a crap offensive 1B and I recall Pena, while no D-Lee, being a good glove over there when he played for the Cubs.

[Cubbie Blues]

Pena is a good glove with a great eye at the plate. However his average sucks and last year it went even further down the drain. Accompany that with his loss of power and I see a player on his way out of the league.

[TWC]

Pena is a good glove with a great eye at the plate. However his average sucks and last year it went even further down the drain. Accompany that with his loss of power and I see a player on his way out of the league.

Peeeeeeeeen-ya

/Moreland

[hansman1982]

Pena is a good glove with a great eye at the plate. However his average sucks and last year it went even further down the drain. Accompany that with his loss of power and I see a player on his way out of the league.

Peeeeeeeeen-ya

/Moreland

That is the singular reason why, even if I knew he was going to mash 1.000/1.000/4.000 in a season, I would not want him on the Cubs.

[calicubsfan007]

I love his attitude, but he is digressing.

[Kygavin]

Harrell Id be ok with if it wasnt that expensive, but hopefully they have no interest in Dominguez. He has 1 full season in the minors hitting over 260 and 1 full season with an OBP over 335. He has a great glove but his bat is awful. Even in his "breakout" last year he still had an OBP of 310.

[Mike Taylor (no relation)]

Dominguez was a "September" call up. Only played 31 games, 113 PA. He had 31 hits in those 31 games w/a .787 OPS.

I just have a feeling that Garza and Baker are going to be out for so long that they will not have enough time to build up any trade value (and Feldman's numbers out of the rotation won't build him any trade value, either). If Nick Struck and Chris Rusin can do what they did this Spring out of the bullpen next year, we'll have a solid pitching staff (assuming Fujikawa and Russell dominate) and plenty of young, starting depth (plus, a '15 club option on Carlos Villanueva if Arodys Vizcaino needs more time to put starts under his belt in the minors).