ESPN Insider?

[waldo7239117]

Does anyone have ESPN Insider? I know it's ESPN and that's usually not a good sign but when it says something bout' the Cubs, I'm still curious and want to know what the article says. That goes for any Chicago team...

Articles:

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Thanks!

 

[poodski]

Look for the Chicago Cubs to be as active as most of the other teams in the next few weeks, and one of the targets could be third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

Gordon Wiitenmyer of the Sun-Times says general manager Jim Hendry already is fielding calls from contenders interested in some of his players.

Ramirez has expressed little interest in waiving his no-trade clause and Hendry doesn't seem to have ruled out bringing him back next year, with the sticking point his $16 million club option.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says the hottest interest seems to be coming from the Angels, while the Giants, Braves and Diamondbacks might make overtures.

Ramirez would be a nice fit in Anaheim, where the Angels have been getting by with Alberto Callaspo and Maicer Izturis at third base. Atlanta seems less likely since either Ramirez or Chipper Jones would have to be displaced at third base.

Matt Garza has not tossed in the towel on the Chicago Cubs' dismal season, even if his club is a dozen games out of first place in the NL Central at the All-Star break.

"They say we're down and out, but I don't think so," Garza said after the Cubs' comeback from an eight-run deficit on Thursday night in Washington. "We're right where we need to be right now to make a good run."

We call that wishful thinking, especially since Garza (4-7, 4/26) could be among the players on the trading block, even if the righthander is under Cubs' control through the 2013 season.

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers hears the Red Sox have Garza high on the list of pitchers they're pursuing for an injury-depleted rotation. Rogers says the Cubs would have to get a lot in that trade, including a majors-ready arm.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe chimes in and says the battle-tested Garza would appeal to the Yankees and Red Sox.

A main holdup would be whether GM Jim Hendry views Garza as a key component of the Cubs' long-term future. But with starting pitching at a premium this month, Garza could fetch plenty in return.

there ya go.

 

[waldo7239117]

Yeah I expect the rumors to start up soon and fast. Def with A-ram...with his latest stretch, he'll become very popular. But the NTC may be the hold-up.

I highly doubt, the Cubs trade Garza. His stock is down and they won't get what they traded for him. It'll actually be a dumb trade...keep him and hope for a better year next year. He's still young too.

 

[poodski]

Yeah I expect the rumors to start up soon and fast. Def with A-ram...with his latest stretch, he'll become very popular. But the NTC may be the hold-up.

I highly doubt, the Cubs trade Garza. His stock is down and they won't get what they traded for him. It'll actually be a dumb trade...keep him and hope for a better year next year. He's still young too.

Not sure why you think his stock is down. Before his last start his ERA was below what it's been the last few years, and he has gone from a pitchers park with a great defense to a hitters park with a meh defense.

I would imagine it's still pretty high, but unless we get similar to what we gave up I wouldn't do it. I would want a couple top 100 prospects from a team in order to move him.

 

[waldo7239117]

Not sure why you think his stock is down. Before his last start his ERA was below what it's been the last few years, and he has gone from a pitchers park with a great defense to a hitters park with a meh defense.

I would imagine it's still pretty high, but unless we get similar to what we gave up I wouldn't do it. I would want a couple top 100 prospects from a team in order to move him.

It's down from what and when we traded for him during the offseason. But if a team is desperate and under pressure, maybe a good offer will be made.

 

[poodski]

Maybe. I don't know. I think we can still get good value for him.

Trading him though would make me think its going to be a few years before we try to compete again, as in order to compete we need him.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

Honestly.. Garza is probably our best shot at raiding another system..

If Boston or someone else would really pump up an offer.. I'd have no problem pulling the trigger.

 

[dabynsky]

We actually gave up a top 50 and a top 100 prospect to get Garza plus another decent prospect (he was a top 10 for us, but while our system is deep, it doesn't have a lot of impact guys). If another team was willing to trade us something like that for Garza then sure we would have to listen. I am just not sure another team is going to make that offer.

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

We actually gave up a top 50 and a top 100 prospect to get Garza plus another decent prospect (he was a top 10 for us, but while our system is deep, it doesn't have a lot of impact guys). If another team was willing to trade us something like that for Garza then sure we would have to listen. I am just not sure another team is going to make that offer.

If Boston is in desperation.

 

[dabynsky]

If Boston is in desperation.

But they gave up that type of package to get Adrian Gonzalez. The prospects were better to get Gonzalez than Garza, but I am not sure that they have those pieces anymore. And if they do have them, I am not sure they want to trade them at this point.

 

[poodski]

We actually gave up a top 50 and a top 100 prospect to get Garza plus another decent prospect (he was a top 10 for us, but while our system is deep, it doesn't have a lot of impact guys). If another team was willing to trade us something like that for Garza then sure we would have to listen. I am just not sure another team is going to make that offer.

Using him for 2/3'rds of a year I wouldn't expect to get quite the deal we gave, but it would have to be pretty good in order to honestly consider it.

 

[dabynsky]

Using him for 2/3'rds of a year I wouldn't expect to get quite the deal we gave, but it would have to be pretty good in order to honestly consider it.

But it isn't for a 1/3 of the season. It is for 2 and a 1/3 seasons that we are trading him. And you can make a pretty compelling argument that the Red Sox need him more now then the Cubs did at the beginning of the season. That is why a lot of teams hold onto players to the deadline because often times their value increases because of the need of the team trading for the player.

 

[poodski]

But it isn't for a 1/3 of the season. It is for 2 and a 1/3 seasons that we are trading him. And you can make a pretty compelling argument that the Red Sox need him more now then the Cubs did at the beginning of the season. That is why a lot of teams hold onto players to the deadline because often times their value increases because of the need of the team trading for the player.

Well I was thinking we traded him for 3 years and are now trading him for only 2 and a third years.

Meaning I wouldn't think he would be worth quite as much as he was back in the off-season.

You could definitely make that argument that the Red Sox need him more now than we did then.

 

[dabynsky]

I guess I just don't see the need to trade him unless we are getting back something similar to what we gave up. I have doubts about the Red Sox wanting to move anything close to the package we gave up since they traded prospects 1 and 3 in their system, and their number 2 prospect is doing less than stellar in AAA right now.

 

[bobferg]

But lets be real here..... the only untouchable person on this whole roster is Castro.

 

[poodski]

I guess I just don't see the need to trade him unless we are getting back something similar to what we gave up. I have doubts about the Red Sox wanting to move anything close to the package we gave up since they traded prospects 1 and 3 in their system, and their number 2 prospect is doing less than stellar in AAA right now.

I completely agree, but no one on this team should be untradeable.

 

[waldo7239117]

But lets be real here..... the only untouchable person on this whole roster is Castro.

For the most part...and Marshall (according to reports).

 

[cubsneedmiracle]

No way Castro gets moved.

 

[Jntg4]

I completely agree, but no one on this team should be untradeable.

Castro should definitely be, and is, untradeable.

Even if we got something for him, it would be a step backwards in the rebuilding process.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Castro should definitely be, and is, untradeable.

Even if we got something for him, it would be a step backwards in the rebuilding process.

Evan longoria says hi.