Hendry's a busy boy. I don't like the idea of turning 2B over to a Fontenot/Miles platoon.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3802342

The cubs will recieve minor-league pitchers Jeff Stevens, Chris Archer and John Gaub. Looks like Hendry went for quantity over quality. Not sure any of these guys are going to blow Towers hair back.


None of these guys is listed by BA as being any of the the Indians top 10 prospects.

Stevens(25) in half a season at AAA; 29.2 IP 3.94 ERA 19H 44k's.

Archer (20) in low A; 115 IP 4.29 ERA 92 H 84 BB and 106 K's

Gaub (23) in low A; 3.38 ERA 64IP 44H 100K's

It just seems that we traded a proven commodity in DeRosa who can play 5 different positions, who I admit can't be expected to put up the same kinda numbers this year, for Miles and some quanity. The minor leaguers have to be a set up for a bigger move that Hendry is working on I gotta think. Hopefully this move will make a lot more sense in a week or two once another deal or two has been made.

I am hoping this is a part of some bigger plan/deals yet to be made, because this move alone makes NO sense to me.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

One thing that cant be argued...DeRosa is being sold high

His stock will never be higher

agreed 100%. I'm gonna be patient and see what comes from this. Really tough guy to loose in terms of his versatility, offensive production and from everything I read he was extremely popular among teamates in the clubhouse. Think he was even voted the team mvp last year if I remember correctly.

This trade suck ass and I bet there is nothing bigger on the horizon. F this move.

I disagree with the nothing bigger on the horizon statement. Hendry HAS to upgrade in RF. He may also have to upgrade the rotation and maybe the middle infield. So far he's downgraded...

Rotation (Marquis)
Bullpen (Wood)
2B (DeRosa)
CF (Edmonds)

I just hope he's not robbing Peter to pay Paul.

one word bull shit. an everyday multi postion player for nothing total bullshit

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

I don't know, in the last off-season after Kenny Williams traded a bunch of guys every kept expecting there'd be a bigger move to follow, but there never was and they won the division anyway. You can only start eight guys in the field every game.

Miles is a good plan B, if Fontenot does not produce on a daily basis, as well as he did in more limited at bats. I agree with the assertion that DeRosa's value was at it's Zenith. However, I do not feel real enthusiastic about the Cubs trading away a guy who was able to give them protection against injuries at so many positions. I understand that they had to free up some money to pay Bradley-who will be signed in the next 2 weeks. But I am sorry to see this happen. I would have preferred they trade D.Lee and his 13.5 million dollar contract and put Hoffpauir at first instead. The fact that they signed Miles, seems to indicate that it's real unlikely they will be going after Roberts any more. That also, is bad news. Gotta wait until Hendry brings the team out of spring training, before judging too much. I do believe more moves will be made.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Only one word describes this trade, horrible.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

it seems pretty clear that something big is up, hendry seems to be gathering up pieces to ship out, possibly out west for peavy. if they sign bradley (as i have read), and are able to complete the deal for peavy, i think the whole thing is a big plus for the cubs. now that opinion depends on what else the cubs would have to ship out for peavy, but if they can package up prospects without hurting the current cubs team to get peavy, this is some good work by hendry.

derosa did great for the cubs, but the cubs will have upgraded the outfield with gathrait (good fielder with great speed) and bradley (much needed accomplished switch-hitting bat, IF he stays healthy), kept the infield depth intact with the addition of miles (a good professional hitter who also switch hits), and completed a stout starting rotation with peavy. i think the moves will have addressed some needs.

if all of that happened in that way, the cubs still will have to address another proven bullpen arm for that pen.

They had to move salary to take on salary. I think that's the big difference between this off-season and others.

I wonder if the guys they got back from Cleveland might end uip in SD as part of a deal for Peavy.

Guarantee we don't get Peavy for 2009. All this did was to get the oft injured Milton Bradley. Big fuckin' deal. I'm not buying it this time. There is no "grand move" that will become of this. I hope I am dead wrong.

Entirely possible, but I still lean to Peavy ending up here since SD needs to move him.

What do we know about these prospects acquired from Cleveland?

you may very well be right, but unless you are a front office insider for either team, how can you possibly "guarantee" this? i always am skeptical of people who confidently "guarantee" things they have no control over.

Well, maybe I do have an insider.

Here's what we know about those prospects. NONE of them are in the Indians TOP 20 farm prospects. Not even one franchises top 20 prospects, horrible. I'm sorry, you guys can all hold your dreams on Milton Bradley and start drinking the Cub Kool-Aid. I will remain my realistic Cubs fan self.

The Stars Align in 2009, WR!

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Haha. We've won the division title two years in a row. We' ve had, for the most part, no major injuries in that time. I'm willing to bet this year the Cubs finish second behind the Cardinals. How about that Frank?!

there has to be more to this. hendry is not THIS stupid.

Yes, the more to this is Milton Bradley. I am hoping to God I can get back on this topic and say I was dead wrong about Peavy. PLEASE GOD, let me be wrong.

Hendry backed himself in a corner with the way he's handled the payroll. He has no wiggle room to fix the holes on this team so he has to downgrade some positions to upgrade others. So far this off season he's lost 34 saves (Wood), 11 wins (Marquis) and 40 home runs (DeRosa and Edmunds). That's quite a bit of production that needs to be replaced.

I know its only Jan 2, but the Cubs look like about a 75 win team to me right now.

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Keyser, kudos to you for mentioning Marquis. I find it funny that Cubs fans can bitch about Jason Marquis. He was there #5 pitcher last year. Go ahead and name all the #5 pitchers last year that started as many games as Marquis and had a winning record. It's so funny to hear people bitch about this guy like he was ruining the Cubs and he was underperforming. It's not his fault Jim Hendry overpayed for him. He did more than what a lot of baseball analysts thought he would do for the Cubs. Just to piss off MOFP, I'll guarantee the Cubs will have a losing record in the #5 pitching spot of the rotation for 2009.

Bad deal for Marquis too. I'm sure he's looking at an ERA in the 6 area with his new home in Denver.

Marquis also did not throw a single pitch in the playoffs, right?

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i mentioned the topic of marquis having value during last season, and stated he was possibly the best 5th starter in baseball on this board, and was basically laughed at and told he sucked, was worthless, and had to go. now he is gone, and for now, i guess we will see the great sean marshall.

Pretty sure he wasn't even on the 07 playoff roster and didn't pitch in 08

So 2 years of being left off the Cardinals playoff roster, and one year of being left off the Cubs playoff roster, and a year of not being pitched. Why does Marquis get no respect from his coaches?
Now is a good time to move Marquis. Decent ERA, (a little high in WHIP at 1.45), solid 5th. He does not have irreplaceable value. I won't miss him.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

His numbers are fine as a 4th starter, stats that are ,as you alluded to Darko, fairly easily replaceable. His trade value will probably never be higher.

That said, everybody that blamed him for Cub struggles in 2007 and 08 are idiots.

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Every Cubs playoff team has to have that guy. In 2003 it was Shawn Estes.
Marquis did what you hope for out of a 4th, 5th guy. He was good for the Cubs.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014