If acquiring the 2 pitchers (Lowe or Peavy) involved only a contract, I’d rather have Peavy of course.  Since acquiring Peavy is beginning to look expensive I’d much rather have Lowe as well. 

What I’d like to see the Cubs do is wait until tomorrow.  Then tell the Padres they need an answer and if it’s no, which it probably will be, offer Lowe a 3 year deal for $50 million.  Supposedly all he wants is 3 years.  Let his agent know you’re willing to negotiate and want a deal done as quickly as possible.  If that’s not possible, then re-sign Dempster and move on to the offense.

Ryno, I’ve been following along over at NSBB the last couple of days.  That place is hilarious.  It’s even funnier than BCB.  I can’t believe I’ve missed it all of this time.

If the Cubs were planning to have both Peavy and Dempster in the rotation then I’d say go after both. 

i wonder how expensive Furcal is going to be.  A lot of teams appear to be after him but not sure if they have limitations.  Most teams might only be willing to do 2 years and so the Cubs go very well offer 3 and that might snag him.

Did someone post a blurb about DeRosa being quoted saying he would prefer to move to SS since he came up as one and so it’s natural for him?  After Lou mentioned having to be creative this might be an option they are considering and bringing in Hudson for 2B.

I’m telling you… That place is my second stop every morning. If you want a lot of fun, check out the game threads during a losing streak.

Everytime meph posts he usual condescending BS I just want to reply with “JR Towles, ROY…book it. Done:”

Everytime meph posts he usual condescending BS I just want to reply with “JR Towles, ROY…book it. Done:”

He cracks me up. He posts opinions as if they were facts and calls people stupid or retarded for disagreeing with him. I recently learned he’s a student at Texas, which really bums me out. I wish I were back there so I could kick his “King Message Board” ass all over Austin.

He cracks me up. He posts opinions as if they were facts and calls people stupid or retarded for disagreeing with him. I recently learned he’s a student at Texas, which really bums me out. I wish I were back there so I could kick his “King Message Board” ass all over Austin.

Oh yeah…done deal. Sealed.

Maybe Hendry and Towers were talking about a Giles deal and Hendry agreed to help drive up the price on Peavy.

That’s certainly possible.  The two are good friends and I don’t see the Padres holding onto Giles.  Cubs want a lefty with some power to play RF.  Giles was one of the best RF in baseball last year. 

Then sign Lowe and Furcal and trade for a good reliever or two.

speaking of relievers to round out the team, how about Joe Beimel and Juan Cruz?

I highly doubt Giles goes anywhere. He was already quoted saying that he thinks they can compete. With his full 10/5 rights he will pretty much veto any trade unless the Padres tell him outright that he has no purpose on the team.  Giles did mention he’d be open to a trade if they were out of the running at the trade deadline so it might take until then to get him.

On what planet is Raul Ibanez considered athletic?  Is the quote being mis-construed that Lou wants the team to find a LH hitter for right-field and then get someone younger and more athletic to play SS or 2B?

why would the Padres exercise his $9 million option when they’re trying to cut payroll in half?  I’d be surprised if he’s a Padre in 2009, but who knows?

It doesn’t make senes to me either.  So either they’ve talked to him and told him they were trading him and thus the reason it took almost up until the deadline to exercise the option.  Or they figured they could trade him at mid-season and save money as well as get some more major-league ready talent for him.

At this point I’d rather the Cubs go after Giles. He’s exactly what they want and has 1-year left on his deal.  In fact I’d love it if they could pull off a Giles/Greene trade but the Cubs would need to jettison Marquis first.

I updated the post.

I KNEW IT!

how about Joe Beimel and Juan Cruz?

  I’m definitely all for Cruz.  The nice thing is that this year there are a lot of relievers so the mid-tier market should be semi-sane.

Apparently it’s Ceda for Gregg.  Yikes, that seems steep.

The Chicago Cubs have acquired Florida Marlins reliever Kevin Gregg, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney.

The Marlins received 22-year-old right-hander Jose Ceda in return, according to sources.

Gregg, who was Florida’s closer for most of the 2008 season, saved 29 games last season and was 7-8 with a 3.41 ERA. He blew nine saves for the Marlins in 2008.

Could this mean that we have seen the end of the Kerry Wood era ???  Or is he a replacement for Bob H…  ??

No agreement, says Yahoo’s Tim Brown, but “some movement” in talks with the Braves. Brown’s source also says the Cubs’ offer was much better than reported.
—mlbtraderumors

Hendry is awful.

One of the worst GMs of the past fifty years.
—NSBSer in response to the Ceda/Gregg trade

Personally, I dont’ really care. He’s either a Cub for a year before he walks for—I would assume—at least a sandwich pick after this year or he’s flipped to SD or some other team.

Personally, I dont’ really care. He’s either a Cub for a year before he walks for—I would assume—at least a sandwich pick after this year or he’s flipped to SD or some other team.

that’s why I love NSBS.  They whole-heartedly over-react to the smallest trades.  Obviously the Cubs don’t feel Ceda is ready to be at the ML-level for a championship team and so they got a guy that stands the chance of having a pretty good year as a reliever.

Blah. Like the new layout guys, I’m back from my Cubs depression hiatus

Gregg was a nice pick up. If Gaudin, Gregg, Marmol, Wood. Thats a nice bullpen.

assuming they resign wood.

I don’t see Gregg as our closer next year - Marmol is next in line for that job. But I do think this is insurance against Wood leaving.

Both Gregg and Marmol are more useful in a fireman role. The question is does Woody really need the money anymore? Hes lived in Chicago for 10 years now and gotten plenty of cash and he has a son now. He is essentially settled in here.

My belief is that as long as the cubs make a remotely reasonable offer he will stay. (ala Roy Oswalt in Houston)

Hendry said that Wood and the Cubs will part ways. 
From a pure fan perspective that really sucks.  Wood is one of my favorite players.  From a logic, team building standpoint I am fine and maybe a little happy to see the Cubs use that money for a player that will probably a bigger impact on the team’s success overall.

this says wood is gone but doesn’t back it up

We’ll see, but that’s going to really suck. I know that letting him go and getting two draft picks is good in the long run, but our bullpen just got a lot weaker. Our closer spot MIGHT have been upgraded, but our “fireman” role just went from Marmol to Gregg.

If Hendry brings in Cruz and a lefty I think overall the BP will be better.

new thread up