**OFFICIAL CUBS REGULAR SEASON THREAD**

The big question is trade value. Is there any right now. I think the Cubs need to start selling. I think there are a few pieces that are good don't get me wrong, but maybe the best value for the long run is in those pieces. I have seen where some think trading Castro is a possibility. I don't see it, I think he has struggled lately, but I also don't think he's a 3 hitter right now, or possibly ever, but in this lineup he probably is. I don't know who has value for trade right now. I think if LaHair comes back around and you can move him you do. Rizzo is coming and the cubs could find an outfielder that can equal LaHair or hopefully be better in the near future. move marmol if he comes back strong from injury. Garza, yeah I like him, but if you can get a few good prospects I say you have to move him.

I'm just not sure where the value is right now.
 
I think starting pitching is the Cubs best trade commodity right now. IMO, the recent losing streak has to have the Cubs management breathing a sigh of relief as no way were the Cubs meant to win this season. I think the last thing Cubs management wanted to see was the Cubs get closer to the division lead and get the fans thinking they are buyers at the trade deadline.

LaHair - The time to trade him was 2 weeks ago, now I think you ride him out and see how well he does in left field after Rizzo comes up. You will not get much in return for him and if he pans out you have him under control for a long time. He is not eligible to be a free agent until 2018.

Castro - Still only 22 years old and can drive odd pitches for base hits. He is maturing and will only get better. My asking price would be high if I look to move Castro.

Soriano - Cross your fingers and hope the hot streak continues. A couple more home runs and hitting around .280 will at least get some AL team interested in him as a DH. The Cubs will be stuck paying for 80 to 90% of his salary but perhaps they get a B level prospect out of the deal. They cannot keep wheeling him out in left field as his legs cannot do it anymore on a daily basis. If no one bites then he ends up platooning with LaHair in left.

Soto - He will be back in a couple of weeks, hopefully he can make a decent return for the Cubs to be able to move him for a couple of prospects. Soto is a free agent after next season and I think the Cubs want to see what they have in Castillo and Clevenger. He just needs to help us out a little and get his average up.

Dempster - As a 10 & 5 guy no trade clause limits the moves you can make with him but I think a contending team would be interested. He is 35 years old and is not part of the long term solution, with each quality start the Cubs lose should make being traded more appealing to him as well.

Garza - The asking price should still be high for him and you might be able to get a contending team to overspend. Everybody needs good starting pitching and I am glad the Cubs did not pull the trigger to soon this spring. Come July I think the offers become more attractive.

Samardzija - Think about it for a second. If you ever thought to trade him you could sell high right now. Is he part of the long term plans?

R Johnson - If he can get his average back up there you might get a little something for him. Once Rizzo comes up either he or Mather will be the odd man out in the outfield if they are unable to move Soriano. Good hitting bench player could be of interest to a contending team. He is 35 years old so no way is he part of the Cubs long term plans.

Barney - I don't know what you would get for him but he is cheap and I cannot imagine he is part of the long term plans.

Koyie Hill - Once Clevenger and Castillo come back he will be the odd man out. With his hitting abilities and strong defensive skills some team will want him and give up big time prospects to get him. Or he ends up being the bullpen catcher. :D
 
lahairs value is not appreciably different now than two weeks ago.

barney will not be moved, he's solid defensively and can swing it a little, and 2b is not a deep FA position. the only way he moves is if someone unseats him internal or Castro moves over.

smardjza and castro are untouchable as they should be.
 
DuffMan said:
lahairs value is not appreciably different now than two weeks ago.

barney will not be moved, he's solid defensively and can swing it a little, and 2b is not a deep FA position. the only way he moves is if someone unseats him internal or Castro moves over.

smardjza and castro are untouchable as they should be.
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Agree on Barney. He is a place holder until someone develops, perhaps Junior Lake.
Also I agree on Castro, but no Samardzija, if you can get enough quality propsects, but I wouldn't give him a way by any means.
 
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The only reason why I listed Barney is I keep asking myself if he is part of the Cubs long term plans at 2nd? He is an average hitter and average defensively.

I doubt Samardzija is on the trading block either but you look at his age compared to Garza (27 & 28), I think if you would be willing to trade one you would trade the other. Personally, I think you keep both and build the pitching staff around them unless another team gives me an irresistible offer.

Again, I doubt they do anything with LaHair anyway. A lefthanded power hitter that can play both 1st and outfield is someone worth keeping around who is not a free agent until 2018.
 
ssckelley said:
The only reason why I listed Barney is I keep asking myself if he is part of the Cubs long term plans at 2nd? He is an average hitter and average defensively.

I doubt Samardzija is on the trading block either but you look at his age compared to Garza (27 & 28), I think if you would be willing to trade one you would trade the other. Personally, I think you keep both and build the pitching staff around them unless another team gives me an irresistible offer.

Again, I doubt they do anything with LaHair anyway. A lefthanded power hitter that can play both 1st and outfield is someone worth keeping around who is not a free agent until 2018.
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I again agree with Barney, doubt he is part of the future, but he really has little trade value so I think you keep him since you need soembody out there until someone else is ready.

On Garza and Smard. I think if you get the right offer you trade them. If not keep one or both. The cubs are in a good position with those 2.
 
There's nothing wrong with trading guys for good prospects, provided they are legit prospects and not just another franchise's spare parts, but at some point you have to start keeping some of the good players you have. Otherwise you end up being someone like the Pittsburgh Pirates who have basically been the farm system for the rest of MLB the past decade or so.

If you have young guys that can play (Castro, Simardzija, Garza), those are the types of guys I'd like to see stick around.
 
hawkfarmer said:
I again agree with Barney, doubt he is part of the future, but he really has little trade value so I think you keep him since you need soembody out there until someone else is ready.

On Garza and Smard. I think if you get the right offer you trade them. If not keep one or both. The cubs are in a good position with those 2.
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Pretty much agree with this. If it's someone who has little trade value and you also are not paying a big salary, then you may as well hang on to him until you have a better option.

Regarding Garza and JS - agreed as well, but it needs to be a REAL good offer IMO.
 
1977Hawkeye said:
There's nothing wrong with trading guys for good prospects, provided they are legit prospects and not just another franchise's spare parts, but at some point you have to start keeping some of the good players you have. Otherwise you end up being someone like the Pittsburgh Pirates who have basically been the farm system for the rest of MLB the past decade or so.

If you have young guys that can play (Castro, Simardzija, Garza), those are the types of guys I'd like to see stick around.
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They will never be like Pittsburgh as the Cubs do have money to spend. The difference is knowing when to spend it and on who. Until the farm system starts producing and they shed some of these bad contracts, spending it right now makes no sense. Right now the Cubs farm system is pathetic, I went to a Peoria vs Kernels game Saturday and nobody on the Peoria roster got me excited. They got this ginger for a 1st baseman that can hit and I seen a pitcher throw in the mid 90s, but that was it. Once the Cubs build this up by trading for more prospects and making good draft decisions then they can go out into the market and spend big bucks to fill in the remaining gaps.

Castro might be untouchable as I think it would take an overwhelming offer to get the Cubs to move him. He is still learning how to play at the major league level and is only 22 years old.
 
ssckelley said:
The only reason why I listed Barney is I keep asking myself if he is part of the Cubs long term plans at 2nd? He is an average hitter and average defensively.

I doubt Samardzija is on the trading block either but you look at his age compared to Garza (27 & 28), I think if you would be willing to trade one you would trade the other. Personally, I think you keep both and build the pitching staff around them unless another team gives me an irresistible offer.

Again, I doubt they do anything with LaHair anyway. A lefthanded power hitter that can play both 1st and outfield is someone worth keeping around who is not a free agent until 2018.
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1) You need average players too. You can't have a superstar at every position. Moving Barney just gives you one more need on a team full of needs.

2) It's not about age it's about service time. Garza has 7 years in MLB. Smardgzzzgaja has 5. That is an ENOURMOUS difference. You NEVER trade young pitching under team control. Those guys are just too hard to find and the FA pitching market means big bucks and long guaranteed deals.
 
I'd keep Barney. I think he can be a solid .280+ hitter and I think he is much better than average in the field. Plus he is a smart ballplayer, something that has been a rarity for the Cubs lately.
 
DuffMan said:
1) You need average players too. You can't have a superstar at every position. Moving Barney just gives you one more need on a team full of needs.
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I agree, again the only reason why I listed him was because I question if he is part of the long term plan. Plus there is always the possibility of Castro moving to 2nd.

2) It's not about age it's about service time. Garza has 7 years in MLB. Smardgzzzgaja has 5. That is an ENOURMOUS difference. You NEVER trade young pitching under team control. Those guys are just too hard to find and the FA pitching market means big bucks and long guaranteed deals.
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Yep, I looked at the contract situation before I replied the last time. If you think Samardzija is really this good then they have him under control for quite a while. I bring his name up because during the off season nobody would have thought much of it had the Cubs traded him. Are the Cubs catching lightening in a bottle or is he really this good? Remember, we have been through this before with him. Are the Cubs going to get consistent results from him or could he revert back to 2009 & 2010 where he could not get anybody out. I bring their age up because they are only a year apart yet Garza is the proven commodity, which is why he has more service time and is eligible for free agency after next season. While Samardzija has been up and down over the course of his career, thus why he has less service time and is not eligible for free agency until 2016. In the game of money ball you buy low and sell high.

I am trying to stir up trade discussion and all you guys want to do is tell me what won't happen versus what could happen. I brought up a lot of names in my post for conversational purposes, how about some of the other ones? Dempster is one that really stands out right now, I would be shocked if he didn't get traded.
 
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I think if Soto can bounce back and have a mini "good" period where he gets back to .225 and belts a few HRs then he could look pretty good to somebody who needs help at catcher. I still think LaHair could have some value for an AL team but Soriano would be a much better trade IMO for the cubs.
 
I think it is damned considerate of the Cubs to score their one run early in the game so I can go on to more entertaining endeavors like solitaire or clipping my toenails.
 
I saw the I-Cubs today. Not much hope here. Rizzo had a double, but the whole team looked pretty bad today.
 
DJL said:
I saw the I-Cubs today. Not much hope here. Rizzo had a double, but the whole team looked pretty bad today.
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The I-Cubs are proof at how bad Hendry and his staff was at judging talent and player development.

What really concerns me is the top prospect, Brett Jackson, is really struggling at the plate and has already struck out 60 times in only 166 at bats. That is not the kind of plate discipline you want from someone you hope can hit at the top of the lineup.
 
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