Countdown to the Trade Deadline (The Last Day)

Today's 4 p.m. deadline will mark the final opportunity for teams to make non-waiver upgrades to their rosters. Up until now, there has been little to no activity, with the exception of Bobby Abreu being sent to the Yankees. I was actually at the Phillies game yesterday when it was announced. Abreu was still in the dugout and wearing a Philadelphia uniform as the news was relayed to him. He came out, saluted the crowd, and was given a 5 minute standing ovation. If you were a Phillies fan, it was either a special or depressing moment, depending on your viewpoint. On one hand, they dumped a truckload of salary by demanding that the Yankees assume the rest of Abreu's contract. On the other hand, they did not receive the Yankee's best prospect, soon-to-be-star Phillip Hughes, or anything close to major league-ready talent for that matter. Oh yeah, and by the way, Corey Lidle was also sent to New York in that deal.

I understand that in order for the Phillies to be major players in the free agent market this off-season, they have to unburden themselves of some ugly contracts, and basically giving Abreu away was the first step in this process, but, come on, the guy's a perennial all-star. Couldn't the Phillies at least have asked for OF Melky Cabrera? The Yankees have an extremely crowded outfield, with Damon, Matsui, Sheffield, Abreu, Bernie Williams, and Cabrera all looking for playing time and it was a mistake for the Phillies not to capitalize on this. I have no clue what New York is going to do with all these players, perhaps they will send Cabrera to triple-A, but that still makes five, and I can't see Jason Giambi playing anything but DH, leaving one less spot to fill. So who sits when Matsui and Sheffield return healthy? There's no way that Abreu is the odd man out because then there would be no way that the Yankees could justify trading for him and absorbing all that money. Matsui, along with Derek Jeter, is the heart and soul of the team, and I can just hear Sheffield whining when he gets the news that he will be platooned in right field. In fact, that's the only way I can see this working. Envision this if you will: Matsui's a lefty and the majority of starting pitchers are right handed, so it appears that he won't have to share much time in LF. That said, Sheffield bats from the right side, Abreu from the left, so the only logical thing to do would be to platoon them together, with Abreu playing against righties and Sheffield against lefties. Abreu has also played some CF, so when Damon needs a breather, manager Joe Torre could pencil him in there. In addition, I could possibly see Sheffield being moved to 1B in order to get all the big bats in the lineup at the same time. At the very least, it'll be interesting to see the fallout from all of this. Anyway, my prediction is that after the Yankee's rental of Abreu has expired, he will resign with Philadelphia. From what I saw, he loves it there, and the feeling, from the point of view of the fans, is mutual. Remember, the only reason he agreed to waive his no trade clause is because New York is a two hour drive from Philly, making it easier for him to spend time with his family, then, say, if he was dealt to Detroit.

Anyway, with only hours until the deadline, let's review the latest rumblings and grumblings which involve players on the Cubs:

Greg Maddux
As of right now, ESPN.com is reporting that Maddux being traded, is no better than a 50-50 proposition. As of Sunday night, San Diego appears to be in the lead to acquire his services. The Padres have been actively trying to shop RP Scott Linebrink, in hopes of receiving a top-notch third baseman. They would then use Maddux to fill the pitching void left by Linebrink’s departure. However, considering the respect that Dodgers’ GM Ned Colletti has for Maddux, this could all change by 4 p.m. this afternoon. I say, if San Diego needs a starter and a third baseman, they should look no further than the Cubs. I’m picturing a larger deal, which would expand to include Aramis Ramirez. It could look something like this: Greg Maddux, Aramis Ramirez, and Todd Walker for Scott Linebrink, Adrian Gonzalez, and Mike Cameron. Just a thought...

Todd Walker
Speaking of Walker, the Seattle Mariners, looking for a left-handed DH, have sent scouts to watch him play. The Mariners think Walker could give them a reliable veteran bat from the left side. Carl Everett, who began the years as Seattle’s DH, is batting .172 in the months of June and July. It is being reported that the Rangers are also in serious discussions with the Cubs regarding Walker. It is hard to say exactly what the Cubs would receive in either case but more than likely, trading Walker, would yield no more than a C-level prospect. However, Chicago has asked the Mariners for SP Gil Meche in return, and if they refuse to lower their demands, the deal might fall through. If the Cubs were to deal Walker to Texas, the consensus around the league is that they would ask the Rangers for Mark DeRosa.

As for the other Cubs, such as Michael Barrett, Ryan Dempster, Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior, who make up my list of tradable players, I have yet to hear anything at all regarding potential deals. But, again, things can change very quickly from now, 12:18 p.m., until the 4 p.m. deadline. And by the way, phase one, the dumping of unwanted salaries, of my "plan to fix the Cubs" has yet to be put into motion, but to be fair, it could be done in the off-season, so no reason to panic in that regard.


On a side note, I wanted to talk a little bit about a minor altercation that I had at the first game of a Phillies-Marlins doubleheader this Sunday. The reason for the whole situation is a topic that I have been wanting to discuss for some time now and I would like to take this opportunity to do so. Allow me to describe the scene for you: My girlfriend, her sister, her father, and I, took our seats on the third base-side of the lower section about 30 minutes before the first pitch. The weather forecast called for rain, which, as usual was off the mark, and a high of 96 degrees. Fortunately, the row which we sat in was far enough back that the sun was blocked, so the weather was bearable.

Anyway, the Marlins go one-two-three in the top of the first inning and the Phillies come up to bat, when at which time, a small child, maybe six or seven years old, sitting directly behind us, begins shrieking, at the top of his lungs, every time a Phillies player swings the bat. For example, when Ryan Howard walked to the plate, this kid would scream, over and over, "LETS GO HOWARD!" right in our ears. Let me quickly say that this kind of chant is heard a thousand times a game, but it always involves a huge number of people cheering simultaneously, not one kid blatantly screaming. Now, at first, I thought nothing of it because I figured that he would wear himself out and get tired of yelling at the top of his lungs, oh, say by the third inning. As the game goes on, I begin to notice, more and more, that people, including other small children mind you, are turning around to give the kid’s parents dirty looks, hoping that this will force them to put an end to the noise. No such luck. In fact, one time I looked behind me only to see the mother and father laughing hysterically about how loud their son is being.

So, it’s around the sixth inning now, and people are becoming so irritated with this kid, that I begin to hear nasty remarks being made out loud, to no one in particular. "Will someone get that kid a muzzle," you know, things of that nature. It’s at this point when I turn to the parents and say, "Will you please act like parents and control your child. He’s being obnoxious and ruining the game for everyone" The father replies, "No, he’s not obnoxious, he’s just an excited Phillies fan." I then begin to realize that these are the type of people, who will go out of their way to make the situation worse if you argue with them, so I drop it, and turn my attention back to the game. Just as I thought, the kid restarts his routine, only louder, most likely acting on instructions from the parents. Well, at that point, I lost all patience and I say, "I don’t understand how the government let’s people like you even have children. I wouldn’t trust you with a guinea pig, let alone to teach a child the right way to act in public." Yeah, I know that was a little harsh, but, hey, the kid stopped, which, by the way, I began to feel awful about because in no way did I ever blame the little boy.

Children will act like children, it’s just what they do. I was happy that he was an excited Phillies fan, but there’s a thin line between excited and completely obnoxious. I never said "Can you please tell your kid to shut up" or anything remotely close to that. I simply asked for the parents to be just that, parents, and control their child. I only requested that they tone it down so that everyone could enjoy the game, and not feel like they wasted $180 to come to the park. Anyway, the kid turns into a mute, which, again, I felt really bad about, and the family decides to leave around the 8th inning, instead of watching the game in its entirety. As the mother is passing me, she taps me on the shoulder, and says "It was obnoxious of you to tell us that." I replied that I was not the only one in the section who felt that way, at which time I pointed to all the different people who shared my opinion. As I motioned to each individual they nodded, as to say that I was right, and it was then that the father became red in the face and scurried off in embarrassment.

But here’s my point: there are no parents anymore, only babies raising babies. The announced attendance that day was around 31,000. I cannot imagine taking my child to somewhere where there are thousands of people, and not explaining to him ahead of time, the proper way to cheer for your team without ruining the experience for those around you. In fact, I would be downright ashamed of myself for knowing that, as a parent, I failed my kid. But it was my fault that the game was ruined for this little boy? Nobody takes any kind of responsibility anymore. The parents have no one to blame but themselves for what happened because if it wasn’t me who spoke up, there were about fifty others waiting in line for their shot. And what worries me the most, is that when this kid has children of his own, he’ll teach them the same thing; that this type of behavior is OK. The trend of parents acting irresponsibly needs to stop. Allowing a child to act that way, is not only disrespectful to the game of baseball itself, but it also shows an complete disregard for the comfort and happiness of the fans around you.


Update: It appears that the Padres are set to acquire Walker, not Maddux, as it was previously reported. Apparently they want him to move to 3B. So in my opinion, nothing should change just because it’s Walker in the deal and not Ramirez. Package Walker and Maddux for Linebrink and Gonzalez. Walker would hold less value than Ramirez, so asking for Cameron in the deal would be expecting too much.

Countdown to the Trade Deadline (2 Days Left)

After taking a look at the Cubs' 40-man roster, I have decided to target Ryan Dempster as the subject of Today's post. Last year, it appeared that Dempster was ready and willing to take over the closer role, but watching him this year has left a lot to be desired. In fact, a few nights ago it got the the point where Dempster found himself in a jam with the bases loaded, and Dusty Baker brought in Bobby Howry, with two outs in the ninth, to clean up the mess. Nevertheless, Dempster could still be a valuable pickup for teams, such as Boston or even the White Sox, who are looking to strengthen their bullpen and as I wrote in a previous post, I believe that Kerry Wood is the Cub's closer of the future.

Here's something to consider: Why shouldn't the Cubs get involved in the Alfonso Soriano sweepstakes? Hendry should try a package of Dempster, Felix Pie, Matt Murton and Carlos Marmol for Soriano, Livan Hernandez, and Tony Armas. I believe that Dempster, if used properly, could be one of the best setup men in the entire league. His presence in Washington would create a bridge to closer Chad Cordero that the Nationals have never had before. They would also fill the void in LF, somewhat, by the addition of Matt Murton. At the very least, it would soften the blow of losing a superstar as well as creating one of the more young and promising outfield duos in the league, with Murton and newly-acquired Austin Kearns. The Nationals would also pick up their future center fielder in Felix Pie, as well as Marmol, who despite his occasional lack of control, has electric stuff. From the Cubs' perspective, they would add a proven superstar, who could play either LF or 2B as well as Hernandez and Armas, who would both solidify a shaky rotation. However, if it were me, I would be hesitant to take on Hernandez's contract because it appears as if his velocity as decreased significantly from all the innings he has been forced to pitch over the years. In order to complete the deal, however, I'm assuming that Washington would demand that the Cubs take him off their hands. Let's put it this way, if I had a chance to get Soriano, I would do whatever it takes. And anyway, Hernandez is a gamer who knows how to win, so it wouldn't be a total waste to add him to the roster. As for Armas, the Nationals have been actively trying to trade him in the last couple of weeks because they know his potential and realize that he is in line for a big pay day in the future.

Why it will happen: First of all, let's just get this out there: the Nationals do not have the money to resign Soriano, at least not at the price that he is demanding. If they did, he would have already signed an extension because Soriano has made it very clear that he loves the city of Washington, gets along great with his teammates, and wants to stay. That said, I don't think any other team out there could offer the Nationals a better combination of major league talent and minor league potential, than the one the Cubs could put together. I keep hearing names, such as Detroit's stud SP prospect, Humberto Sanchez, being tossed around in trade proposals, but does GM Jim Bowden really want to give up a player of Soriano's caliber for a minor leaguer? Especially Sanchez, who, although it has been kept relatively quiet, has a problem with chronic inflammation in his throwing elbow. It would be a public relations nightmare if Bowden traded for a "cant-miss" prospect, who could potentially be the next-coming of Mark Prior. I don't see him being able to pull the trigger on a deal such as the one which the Tigers have proposed. Could you imagine the Nationals having nothing to show for dealing Soriano? It ain't happening, plain and simple. The Cubs however, could offer good players with major league experience (Dempster and Murton) as well as minor leagues with potential such as Pie and Marmol, who, has showed that he can perform well at the highest level (despite the fact that he has played in the major leagues, it has been for such a short period of time, that I still consider him a prospect).

Why it won't happen: I still think that Soriano will be gone before, or right at, the deadline. I believe a team such as the Tigers or Twins who say to themselves that they are one player away from winning it all, will go all out and include who ever they have to in order to get the deal done. If this happens, there is no way that the Cubs can compete with the packages that contending teams could put together and offer to Washington. A more realistic way for the Cubs to be able to acquire Soriano would be to hope that whatever team he is traded to cannot work out an extension on his contract, allowing Soriano to become a free agent when the season is done. If this happens, I would hope that Hendry would jump at the opportunity and throw major money his way in the offseason.

Prediction: I haven't heard any rumors at all which involve Dempster and I would be very surprised if his name suddenly pops up, unless the Cubs initiate the discussions. I think that Dempster would be a great setup man for Kerry Wood, who in two years, would be properly trained to take over full-time closer duties. So my prediction is that Dempster is staying put. However, it can't hurt to look at the list of contenders and see who might need some help in the pen...

Boston could be a possibility, with the Cubs receiving Willy Mo Pena in return. Boston has been shopping Pena, who the Cubs tried to acquire when he was playing for Cincinnati. The Red Sox have had a susceptible bullpen for years and Dempster could provide some desperately needed help in the 8th inning, getting the ball to young closer Jonathan Papelbon.

What about a swap of Dempster for Freddy Garcia of the White Sox? Adding Dempster would give the Sox two options, along with Mike MacDougal, in front of Bobby Jenks and Garcia, who looks like he needs a change of scenery, could fill out the bottom half of the Cubs' rotation.

The Cardinals are another option. Dempster would go to St. Louis is return for super-utility man, Hector Luna, who would fit perfectly in the Cubs lineup as the number two-hitter. Luna would add great defense and blazing speed to the top of the order, while Dempster could be used as a backup plan for the unreliable Braden Looper.

I just finished dinner, I'm full, and it's a hot day outside, so I am going to take a nap. Hopefully, when I wake up, I will have some comments to read. Do you guys think Dempster is going anywhere? Let me know...

Update: Cubs 4, Cardinals 1...Dempster comes in. Pujols singles, Rolen walks, Duncan singles in a run. Cubs 4, Cardinals 2. Edmonds then walks to load the bases. Luckily, Desmpster gets out of this one with a strikeout of Aaron Miles. You just never know what you're getting this year when this guy comes in the game. I guess all's well that ends well, but you have to wonder how much longer the Cubs will use Dempster if he keeps creating these situations for himself. By the way, not that anyone has noticed, but the Cubs have won three out of their last four series. Progress at last...

Rosenhaus Visits Training Camp, but Status of Jones, Briggs Still in Limbo

Seeing agent Drew Rosenhaus pull up to the Bears' training facility seemed to be an exciting turn of events in the eyes of Bears fans. Could he be there to work out an extension for Briggs? Did he orchestrate a trade for Jones? Turns out he was only there for client visits, so, for now, there's nothing really to report.

However, there was something which I read from ESPN.com that left me shaking my head, although I should come to expect things such as this from Chicago sports teams. If you recall, in a previous post that I had written, entitled "Will the Bears Show Up Next Season?", I proposed that the Bears trade Thomas Jones to the Denver Broncos for WR Ashley Lelie. And I quote... "I personally think that Jones is expendable and the Bears should take a gamble by sending him to Denver for disgruntled WR Ashley Lelie. This would satisfy both teams in that Denver would be getting the feature back they have been looking for and the Bears would get a bona fide 2nd WR who could learn from Mushin Muhammad and one day blossom into a star receiver. I read an article about Lelie on ESPN.com the other day which basically talked about how teams put too much stock in WRs who were chosen in the first round and never let them develop into 2nd receivers. Instead, these teams force them to be the focus of the offense right away. Lelie averaged 17.2 yards per catch in Denver, yet the Broncos always expected more out of him. The article gave me the feeling that Lelie could be something special. The Bears already have plenty of depth at running back with Benson, who showed flashes of why he was picked fourth overall, and Peterson, who I happen to think could start for a number of teams in the league."

Today, it comes to my attention that it was the Broncos who came to the Bears with this exact deal and it was the BEARS who turned them down. Ummm, yeah, wait, what? Are you kidding me? I thought, if anything, that it would be Denver rejecting the trade, not Chicago. The Bears actually turned down the opportunity to get a potential superstar receiver in return for a guy who no longer wants to be on the team? They turned away a player who had 17.2 yards per catch in favor of a former number seven pick who, before last year, had never rushed for over 1,000 yards? What am I missing here? Ok, they say they need depth at running back to play "Bear Football," and that would be a fair argument if not for the fact that they already have Benson and Peterson. I understand that Benson is unproven, but he, along with Lelie, has star potential, and by adding Lelie, the Bears would have improved their overall offense, rather than having their strength, that being the running game, concentrated in one position. Chicago GMs, with the exception of Jim Paxson, are the most cowardly group of men on the face of the planet. To be great you HAVE TO TAKE CHANCES, CALCULATED RISKS. The Bears just blew a chance to take that next step. They blew a chance to be great...

Thoughts? I need someone else to add their perspective to this whole mess. Maybe it will calm me down and keep me from throwing up my dinner. I'll be back later, maybe...

Disgruntled Porter Wants Out of Oakland

From ESPN.com Insider's NFL Rumor Central:

"Just 17 months after signing a five-year contract that could net him as much as $15 million, Jerry Porter is demanding a trade, the Contra Costa Times reports. The 28-year-old has already fallen out with new coach Art Shell. The two exchanged heated words during a get-to-know-you meeting soon after the Raiders hired Shell to replace Norv Turner on Feb. 13. The confrontation ended with Shell booting Porter out of his office."

"There's guys every year that might not want to be on a team," Shell said Wednesday, "but, hey, part of this business is you play with who you've got."

Good morning, Mr. Angelo, this is your wakeup call. It has come to our attention that one of the top receivers in the game wants to be traded, and it just so happens that you could really use some help offensively. If our records are accurate, Thomas Jones wants out and you have a pool of talented young wide receivers that Oakland could pick from. Why not try this, offer the Raiders Jones, Bernard Berrian, and a 4th round pick in next year's draft.

That would be an offer that Oakland could not refuse. I know that I previously said the Bears should go after Ashley Lelie, but that was until I woke up today and read that Jerry Porter is on the market. The stats don't lie. Last year Porter caught 76 passes for 942 yards and 5 touchdowns, and that was with the awful Kerry Collins under center, so imagine what he could do with Grossman throwing to him. And, trust me, it won't get any better for Porter with Aaron "INT" Brooks taking over QB duties. Not only would his addition to the Bears give them a Randy Moss-like big play threat, allowing the offense to stretch the field, but it would also take some of the pressure off Muhammad by moving him into the 2nd WR slot. Having Mark Bradley, who is having a great training camp, as the 3rd WR would make the offense a strength instead of a weakness.

This is a no-brainer. In fact, if Angelo is so worried about Briggs leaving the team next year, include him in this trade. I would ask for Derrick Burgess, a DE who was drafted as a LB, and kicker Sebastian Janikowski in return. Last year, Burgess registered 16 sacks, and Janikowski led Oakland with 90 points. Players like Porter do not become available very often, especially in the NFL. Angelo needs to take a page out of the Mighty Ducks' book and pounce on the opportunity the way Anaheim did when Chris Pronger wanted out of Edmonton. Do whatever you have to, Angelo, because Porter's addition would, in my opinion, automatically catapult the Bears into the Super Bowl.

So to recap, the Bears send Thomas Jones, Bernard Berrian, Lance Briggs, and a 4th round pick to Oakland for Jerry Porter, Derrick Burgess, and Sebastian Janikowski.

What do you think? Will Angelo be able to pull it off or will he stick with the players he's got? The power went out last night and I didn't get much sleep, so I'm going back to bed.

Update: After reading the comments you guys left, which by the way I appreciate, I thought more about my trade proposal. Originally I envisioned Jones and LaMont Jordan as a thunder-lightning combination, similar to Dunn and Duckett in Atlanta. That said, I went back and looked at Oakland's roster and realized they are pathetic on defense, something which the Bears have in abundance. So I'm changing the trade to this: Bernard Berrian, Chris Harris, Ian Scott and a 4th round draft pick for Porter, Burgess, and Janikowski.

I agree with "anonymous" that the Bears should try to hold on to Briggs, because he is, after all, a potential superstar and I think Jones would be just as unhappy with the RB situation in Oakland as he is with the Bears. If the Bears and Briggs can't come to an agreement during the season, then the team might have to evaluate trade options at the deadline, so they don't lose him without getting anything in return. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Rookie Danieal Manning looks like he will take Harris' spot and Dusty Dvoracek, another rookie, appears primed to win the DT spot over Ian Scott, reuniting him with his former collegiate teammate, Tommie Harris. This makes both Chris Harris and Scott expendable.

Even though Thomas Jones was not included in this trade, I still think he should be moved, but to a team, Denver or San Francisco perhaps, that needs a proven starting running back. Maybe the Bears could still coax the Broncos into trading Lelie, giving Chicago the best receiving corps in the league with Porter, Lelie, and Muhammad. However, Denver is looking for a tight end, so including Desmond Clark in the deal might be necessary to get something done. That shouldn't be a problem because Angelo signed two free agent rookies, Tim Day, who I thought was a steal and would of won the starting job from Clark anyway, and Cooper Wallace. On the other hand, the 49ers could offer Tony Parrish. It would be his second stint in Chicago.

Ok, I'm done with this topic. It's probably wishful thinking but the Bears are so close to becoming an elite team, that I hope Angelo will consider making another major move. Will he? Or will he play it safe? Let me know...

Countdown to the Trade Deadline (3 Days Left)

As usual, a quick run-through of the day's headlines

Today, Chicagosports.com reported thst Jim Hendry announced that Dusty Baker will be allowed to finish out the season. This does not come as a surprise to me and it was about time that a decision was made, one way or another. I'm not even going to add a link to the article, because, honestly, I don't really care. As long as Baker is not the manager next year, I'm happy.

Apparently, Ozzie Guillen and Ken Williams are satisfied with the current state of their roster and have warned fans that they should not count on any big names being added before the deadline. Wait, it gets even better... Guillen actually believes that the White Sox have improved themselves by adding Mike MacDougal and backup catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. Reading that made me giggle a bit, but it was the quote which immediately followed that had me rolling on the ground hysterically. Here, see for yourself: "If you look at this group of guys, and you saw MacDougal [Tuesday night] and the way Sandy handled the pitching staff, I think what we need we got," Guillen said. I'm speechless. There's literally nothing to say. Mark Gonzales, the author of this particular article, suggests that the Sox could go after RP Scott Linebrink of the Padres. Sometimes I wonder where they find these writers, because most of them have no idea what they are talking about. First of all, the only thing that San Diego is looking for is a third baseman and unless Williams is willing to give them Joe Crede, and trust me he's not, there is no deal to discuss. In addition, Linebrink is a fly-ball pitcher who was born to throw in spacious Petco Park, not the southside of Chicago, otherwise known as Coors Field part two. But yeah, keep the roster just as it is right now and see if you're singing the same tune, when in two weeks you find yourself eight games out of the wild card spot.

Anyway, next on the list are Kerry Wood and Mark Prior...

Wood & Prior
The thing about Wood and Prior is that, since they have been injured so many times over the past couple of seasons, their value has plummeted so dramatically that it would be hard to get anything of value in return. I was reading an article on ESPN.com the other day where the author polled different GMs around the league, asking them what they would be willing to give up in order to get either pitcher in a trade. The response? For Prior, a B-level prospect, because every now and then he shows flashes of brilliance, and Wood, nothing more than a C-level minor leaguer. I'm not even going to go into the whole "why it will happen, why it won't happen" routine because, for Wood, no team in their right mind, given his fragile throwing shoulder, would take on his salary and I don't think the Cubs are willing to give up on Prior, especially after outings such as yesterday, where he took a no-hitter into the 6th inning. That said, my "prediction" segment will be short and sweet.

Prediction: First off, Mark Prior isn't going anywhere. His stuff, when healthy, is as good as it gets. However, something has to change in regards to his off-season routine, because whatever it is he is doing doesn't seem to work. When I first saw the size of his calves, I couldn't help but think to myself that something was a bit off, but right now I am going to give Prior the benefit of the doubt, and not jump the gun with the steroid accusations. I mean, he is the president of the Player's Association after all, so would he be that stupid? You never know, and if he continues to have long stints on the DL, the questions are sure to come. Nevertheless, performances such as yesterday allow Cubs fans to be cautiously optimistic, at least for the time being.

As for Wood, I think that Hendry should decline his option for next year and resign him at a low price... a very low price. As a free agent, the chances of Wood being offered a lucrative contract are slim to none. When he realizes that no one else wants him, he'll have no choice but to re-up with the Cubs, this time as a relief pitcher. Last year, Wood showed how good of a setup man he could be, averaging almost two strikeouts per inning. If it were up to me, next year should be used to groom Wood as the eventual closer of the Cubs. In 2007-2008, he would be prepared for the role and the Cubs could use Dempster in the 8th inning, where he would be better suited.

So to recap, Hendry will keep Prior and pray that he is healthy for the start of the year. If he begins the season injured again, then the team will seriously have to consider cutting ties, but that's something to discuss in a post much further down the road. Wood will then be resigned, at a greatly reduced price, and placed in the bullpen where he will thrive, eventually taking over the closer's role in two years, a la John Smoltz.

Sound realistic? Any other ideas about what Hendry could do with these two? Let me know. I'm tired and MTV's "Run's House" is on, so I'm going to watch. I'll look forward to reading your comments. Bye for now...

Benson at Top of Bears' Depth Chart

After being pressed by the media, coach Lovie Smith finally admitted what everyone was waiting to hear: Cedric Benson is ahead of Thomas Jones in the starting rotation. Jones, who skipped organized team activities because of disatisfaction with his contract, also made it abundantly clear that, despite running for 1,335 yards, he was tired of having to look over his shoulder.

On Thursday, Jones broke his silence and spoke to the media for the first time since skipping voluntary team workouts and losing his job to Benson.

"Anybody who has done what I've done the last couple of years is a guy who should be a starter," Jones said. "I think I was the leader on the offense the past two years. I think I've been very productive despite some of the situations I've had to be in. I've worked hard. I've kept my mouth shut. I stay out of trouble. I do what I'm supposed to do and what the coaches ask me to do. As far as me being a starter, I was the starter the past two years. So we'll see how it goes."

Smith's policy of demoting players who hold out will also equate to Leon Joe being placed ahead of Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Brings on the depth chart, since Briggs failed to show up to OTAs. However, I don't see that lasting for too much longer.

It does not come as a surprise to me that Benson is listed ahead of Jones. What did everyone think was going to happen? GM Jerry Angelo did not use the fourth overall pick in 2004 and then throw $16 million of guaranteed money at Benson to have him occupying the end of the bench. Last year, when Jones went down with an injury, Benson came on strong. He played a prominent role in the Bears' OT thriller against Detroit, ran for 79 yards the following week versus the Saints, and then tore ligaments in his knee against the 49ers after racking up 50 yards in the first half.

Confidence is definitely not a problem for Benson. When asked whether he would eventually relinquish the job to Jones, he replied without hesitation, "No."

Through his own self-admission, Benson struggled the most in the area of pass protection. He has, however, put in many extra hours with Bears coaches to improve this aspect of his game. Ron Turner, the Bears' offensive coordinator, doesn't seem to think it's an issue anymore. "He worked hard at it and [running backs coach] Tim Spencer spent extra time with him," Turner said. "The running part of it, that comes naturally. That's easy. The protection part and passing part is what we have to put a lot of work into. And that's where he made his greatest strides."

I don't know how popular the ESPN series "Playmakers" was, but if you watched even a couple of episodes you would realize that the Benson-Jones saga mirrors what went on with the Miami Sharks, the fictitious team that the show was based upon. In "Playmakers," Leon Taylor, the veteran running back, has been demoted because hot-shot rookie Demetrius Harris was drafted to take his place. Harris shines and Taylor becomes increasingly upset as the season goes on, demanding a trade so he can have more playing time elsewhere. Anyway, I thought it was a great series, I own the DVDs to prove it, and it's amazing how the Thomas Jones situation is identical to the one on the show. I'm not sure why I felt compelled to mention that. Maybe watching the re-runs will provide everyone with a better insight into what is going on with the Bears right now.

Anyway, if Jones doesn't want to show up, then grant him his wish and send him on his merry way. As I talked about in the last Bears post, Jones is expendable and the Bears could really get a valuable piece (Ashley Lelie) to their offensive puzzle in return. I have a good feeling that Benson will have a breakout season, and the team always has Peterson, the best third-string RB in the game, to fall back on if anything goes wrong.

As for Briggs... give the man whatever he wants, well within reason of course. Just don't let him wear another uniform next year, Angelo. Trust me, you'll regret it.

Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? Is it fair for Smith to put Benson ahead of Jones? Will Benson keep the starting job or will Jones win it back? I look foward to hearing what you guys think. I'll be back tonight with only three days left until the trade deadline...

Countdown to the Trade Deadline (4 Days Left)

With only four days left to the deadline, it's surprising how little has happened up to this point. However, as demonstrated in the past, that should change in the next day or so. In the meantime, let's do a quick review of what has transpired over the last 24 hours.

The Minnesota Twins swept the White Sox today, winning 7-4. By doing so, they moved into a three-way tie, along with the Yankees, for the wild card spot in the AL. The Sox haven't won consecutive games since they took three straight from July 4th to July 6th. Still waiting on GM Ken Williams to make a move of some significance... because we all know Mike "DL" MacDougal is exactly who's going to turn this team around. Give me a break. Williams is eerily beginning to resemble Jim Hendry. Ouch.

By the way, Phil Rogers, a columnist for Chicagosports.com, seems to think that the White Sox shouldn't be ashamed of earning a wild card spot. Yeah, he's right, because right now the Sox would have to consider themselves lucky to do even that.

The Cubs, not that it matters, took two out of three from the New York Mets, dropping the series finale 1-0 in 10 innings. Mark Prior gave fans a sliver of hope for next year, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before having to leave because of a high pitch count. Jose Valentine's bases-loaded, two-out single off of Glendon Rusch (who else?) was the decisive play in the game. Michael Barrett was quoted as saying, "For me, it was a great series for us as a team, [Greg] Maddux gutting it out, pitching a great game for us, getting a win the first night, and then [Carlos] Zambrano [Tuesday], and now Prior sort of [followed] suit." So let me get this straight, the Cubs, who haven't swept a series since their opening homestand against the Cardinals, failed once again to take all three games, and Barrett is happy about it? Even Rusch, the one responsible for blowing the game, said, "It would have been nice to get three games here." Oh, Mikey boy...we'll get to you in a minute.

In some exciting news, the city of Chicago has been named as one of three finalists to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. The U.S. Olympic committee has narrowed its choice down to Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Chicagosports.com thought that Brian McBride retiring from international soccer was worthy enough to be front-page news. As a soccer fan, trust me, no one cares.

Now on to the third player on my list of tradable Cubs...

Michael Barrett
Let me start by saying that Barrett is an amazing offensive catcher, as his .330 average would demonstrate. That said, defensively it does not get any worse. Throwing out runners, locating fly balls, handling a pitching staff, it doesn't matter, Barrett is ranked at the bottom of every category. A smarter strategy, that I would hope Hendry might actually consider, is to build up offense in other positions and allow a catcher such as Henry Blanco to take over everyday catching duties. Yeah, a one-legged Pomeranian named Armani could hit better than Blanco, but his defensive stats are always in the top 3rd of the NL.

To me there is only one solution and that is to trade Barrett to an AL team where he could be the permanent DH. He would thrive with no added defensive pressure and it would also keep his knees in tact, a common problem for catchers because of the constant squatting motion they have to make, prolonging his career. Now I've had this idea before the season ever started, so let me throw it out there and see what you guys think: The Cubs send Michael Barrett, Ronny Cedeno, Matt Murton, Sean Marshall and Felix Pie to Baltimore in exchange for Miguel Tejada, Ramon Hernandez and Daniel Cabrera. In the off-season, the Cubs tried to pry Tejada away from the Orioles by dangling Mark Prior as trade bait. However, Baltimore demanded two of three following players, Cedeno, Hill and Pie. When the Cubs refused, the deal fell through. I believe this could be Hendry's chance to redeem himself. The Cubs have almost no marquee names left on their roster, with the exception of Derek Lee, and adding Tejada would bring a level of excitement to Wrigley that hasn't been felt since the glory days of, dare I say it, Sam-ME Sosa. Ramon Hernandez is a good hitter, although not the caliber of Barrett, plus he has a good reputation for the way he handles a pitching staff. Cabrera has unlimited strikeout potential, 90 Ks in 85.5 innings, but it seems as if he can't find a way to turn that corner. He has never truly figured it out, and maybe a change of scenery will do him some good. It appears that he was simply rushed to the majors too soon, a la Corey Patterson. He is only 25 years old and you would have to think that his best years are ahead of him.

Why it will happen: Every time I read an article that has to do with the Baltimore Orioles, someone is complaining about Tejada never being on time for anything. His tardiness is starting to rub some of the Baltimore executives the wrong way. The team is going nowhere and the Orioles do not have the farm system to turn it around quickly, whether it be by trading prospects or calling them up. It is looking and feeling more and more like an Allen Iverson or Kevin Garnett type of atmosphere over there in Baltimore, meaning that the superstar wants to win now, but is not on a team that can fulfill his need for a championship. The only hope for the Orioles is to blow it all up and start over fresh and the Cubs should be more than happy to oblige. By acquiring Barrett, Baltimore kills two birds with one stone. First they get a player who should be more than happy to be the backup catcher, moving Javy Lopez, who complained about sharing backstop duties in the off-season, into the starting lineup. Barrett would not only give them a great DH, but would also pacify a grumpy Lopez who was forced to play a number of games out of position at 1B. Baltimore would also be receiving a good defensive shortstop, despite what his stats may indicate, in Cedeno as well as outfielder Felix Pie, the Cubs most highly touted prospect. Murton appeared promising last year and at the beggining of this season, but the more and more you watch him, it looks like he will never be more than a good to above-average player. Even so, he does have potential and Baltimore is thin at the OF position. Marshall would be a more than adequate throw-in. He performed at a reasonably high level this year considering he was rushed to the majors from double-A.

Why it won't happen: I seriously doubt that Hendry has, for lack of a better word, the marbles to give away his "golden boy" in Felix Pie. I'm also not so sure that he is ready to give up on Cedeno, Marshall or Murton just yet, even though I think they should be traded now before anyone else in the league realizes that they aren't that good. What ol' Jimbo doesn't seem to understand is that to get a great player you have to give some sort of value and somewhere along the line, now make sure you're sitting down Hendry, actually take a risk (gasp; the room falls silent). It's possible that Marshall might not be enough for the Orioles, he wouldn't be if I was their GM. I think they would ask for Rich Hill or Angel Guzman instead, but if I had my way, those guys would already be gone in previous trades (see the previous deadline posts). Murton, more than likely, would also not be adequate enough for Baltimore. Instead, they would probally want Jacque Jones, who in my opinion is one of the few guys the Cubs should keep. On top of that Barrett's offensive numbers are somewhat misleading because with runners in scoring position he is hitting .215. In addition, his power numbers are above-average at best, something which AL GMs might be scared off by if they invision Barrett as a DH. I also think that this is similar to the A-Rod situation where the only way that the Orioles would trade Tejada is if he comes to them and asks out. It appeared that he did so in the off-season, which is why the rumors were flying rampant, but then he quickly rescinded his demands. A team that wants to acquire Tejada would either have to wait it out until he hits his breaking point in Baltimore, or gut their entire farm system and half of their major league roster. I could see Tejada being traded, but I don't think it will happen for another three years, when the asking price would have to be lessened considerably.

Prediction: I don't think Barrett is going anywhere. I think that Hendry actually considers him part of the solution rather than the problem. So until he comes to his senses, Cubs fans will have to be exposed to Barrett's horrible defense. This year he's thrown out only 20% of potential base stealers compared to Blanco's 39%, which is third best in the NL. That said, here are some minor possibilities:

Detroit is looking for another bat, but if they aren't willing to give up any of their top pitching for Soriano, they definitely won't do it for Barrett. Whatever they might offer the Cubs would more than likely not be equal value. The only trade with Detroit the Cubs might accept would be to get Nate Robertson in return, but it's unlikely that the Tigers would agree to that.

When looking at the list of contenders, Minnesota seems like the only other team where Barrett would fit. Perhaps Barrett for Louis Castillo would work. It could give the Twins a top-notch bat and it would reunite Pierre, again that is if the Cubs resign him, and Castillo, giving the Cubs a potent one-two punch.

Hold on a minute, let me catch my breath. That was the longest post I've done so far. I'm going to exercise and work off some of this energy. But what does everyone think? Should Barrett go or stay? Let me know. Come back tomorrow, I'll be discussing Kerry Wood and Mark Prior and what, if anything at all, Hendry could get in return if he tried to trade them. Until tomorrow...

Hinrich Selected to National Team

Yesterday, it was announced that Bulls' PG Kirk Hinrch will be traveling with Team USA to the World Championships in Japan. Despite playing through an injured hamstring, Hinrich was one of fifteen players named to the squad, demonstrating his ability to efficiently run a team as well as guard his position. Team USA will train in Las Vegas and play their first exhibition game on August 3rd against Puerto Rico.

In contrast to "Dream Teams" in the past, where it was arrogantly assumed that natural talent would be enough to bring home a gold medal, coach Krzyzewski has emphasized that team defense and aggressive full-court play will be the game plan. Perhaps this change in philosophy is because of Team USA's lack of size, Brad Miller, the tallest player, measures at 6-11. Regardless, it seems to play right into the hands of Hinrich's game.

"Our strength has got to be depth and athleticism," Krzyzewski said. "More full-court, up-and-down. No one has to pace himself. If someone is pacing himself, we'll get someone else in. The game is 40 minutes and goes by fast. There won't be a starting five, and if we do a great job this summer, the players who are with us will have built up equity [for the 2008 Olympic team]. We have no excuses. Everything is there. Now we have to do it."

The first week of camp was used for allowing the players to become accustomed to one another's playing style. Krzyzewski, who once was the head coach of the basketball team at West Point, went as far as to bring in military veterans who served together in Iraq, with the purpose of opening the players' eyes to the bigger picture; representing the United States.

Krzyzewski also mentioned that the players showed an excellent level of commitment.

"All of my surprises have been good ones," he said. "I expected the players to work hard. They worked harder. I expected them to cooperate. They cooperated better. I expected them to listen, and they listened better. I expected them to show enthusiasm, and they showed enthusiasm at a higher level."

"They showed a spirit of cooperation. I didn't realize the friendship they already have because I'm not around them, but a lot of these guys are really close friends. That helps with our team building."

I was in Holland, and was able to witness, first-hand, the pathetic performance of Team USA in 2004. They finished third place that year because, despite having superior individual talent, they looked as if they had no clue about what it means to play like a team. From what I'm hearing, this particular Team USA should breeze through the tournament, by combining skill with sweat, and return the title of "world's best" to the country where it truly belongs.

And again, congratulations to Kirk Hinrich, the first Olympian to represent the Bulls in a very long time.

Any predictions about the up-coming World Championships?

Countdown to the Trade Deadline (5 Days Left)

I woke up this morning, eager to read the latest happenings in the world of Chicago sports, only to find that there is nothing really news-worthy to report. The White Sox lost... again, invoking memories of their nearly devastating collapse last year, and Sam-ME Sosa can't believe that he is not a "hometown hero." I guess you tend to fall out of favor with the fans when you skip out on the team 3 innings early on the last game of the year because you know you're not going to the playoffs, get caught on camera, and then still lie about it, saying you never left, the next day. My father argues that Sosa, with his fifth grade education, should not have been expected to handle all the pressure in an intelligent way, and that it is unfair to ask him to be the bigger person when Hendry and McPhail (by the way, I think his last name is ironic...think about it, McPhail) have 50 years of education between them. Huh??? Even if Sosa didn't finish middle school, that's exactly why these guys hire agents to be smart for them. Sosa's agent should have immediately got on the phone with his client and told him "come clean, apologize, and maybe you can still retire as a Cub." No way, I don't buy it. Sosa had some great years, but it's like Zinedine Zidane headbutting Italian defender Marco Metarazzi in the last game of his career. Are we supposed to forget the lasting images that these guys have left for us just because they performed at a high level in the past? Absolutely not. Michael Jordan didn't punch Karl Malone in his last game and Wayne Gretzky didn't skate into the locker room because his team was out of contention. Get off your high horse, Sammy. You might have been included in the list had you not acted like an moron, but I forgot, you couldn't help it because you have the IQ of a duck-billed platypus. Yeah, right. Now that I got that off my chest, let's move on to the second player that I feel can bring the Cubs some major value in a trade:

Aramis Ramirez
The most interesting rumor that has been circulating as of late has Ramirez, Jacques Jones, and Rich Hill headed to the Yankees in exchange for Alex Rodriguez and promising outfielder Melky Cabrera. Yes, you heard me right, A-Rod. Although, at times, Hendry appears to play the role of village idiot, he has a tendency to surprise you every once in a while, such as in 2004 when he pulled off the four-team deal which brought Nomar Garciaparra to Chicago. Of course Nomar went on to have two injury-riddled seasons with the Cubs and where is he now? Playing 1B for the Dodgers and having an all-star caliber year. Hendry's poor decisions always seem to get me sidetracked, so let's get back to the topic at hand.

Why it will happen: I'm not ready to say just yet that A-Rod is the second coming of Chuck Knoblauch, the star second baseman who the Yankees acquired in 1997 from the Twins; he was supposed to put them over the top, but instead wilted under the pressure of the New York media, earning him the nickname "Knob-Blockhead," but I am not ready to dismiss the notion either. It seems as if booing Rodriguez has become the popular fad in New York and with Yankee fans, when the booing starts, it doesn't stop. Players say that it doesn't bother them, but it does, especially when it happens in your own stadium and you can see how it has affected A-Rod's performance in the last couple of weeks. Things have gotten so bad for him defensively that manager Joe Torre actually played A-Rod at DH. Have you ever heard of an AL MVP having to be hidden away by making him the designated hitter? I haven't. And it didn't help because Rodriguez earned himself a golden sombrero in that game, meaning he struck out four times. I honestly think that there is no other solution but to trade him and if Brian Cashman, the Yankees GM, does indeed put A-Rod on the market, the Cubs are one of the few teams who could realistically pursue a deal due to their financial flexibility and the fact that they have players at positions which the Yankees are looking for. By acquiring Ramirez, Jones, and Hill, the Yankees would only have to deal with one team to fulfill all of their needs. The contracts of Ramirez and Jones would also match up with that of A-Rod's, thus avoiding awkward negotiations regarding how to split the cost of A-Rod's salary.

Why it won't happen: As I mentioned before, A-Rod is the reigning AL MVP and I seriously doubt that he wants to give in and say that he wants out of New York, which would most likely be the only way he is dealt anywhere because I don't think the Yankees front office will do it without him asking first. I think that doing so would scar him emotionally for the rest of his career, because it will provide him with doubt about whether or not he is as mentally strong as he thought he was. If this happens, any team that gets him in a trade might be receiving damaged goods. A-Rod also has a no-trade clause in his contract, although I do not think this would be an obstacle for the Cubs because in 2003, when Rodriguez was a free agent, he made multiple trips to Wrigley Field during the playoffs, saying that he would love to land in Chicago.

Prediction: A more realistic deal would send Ramirez and Rich Hill to Oakland for Barry Zito and Milton Bradley. Eric Chavez, Oakland's regular 3B, has really been struggling as of late, so perhaps moving him to DH for a while would benefit his confidence. Chavez is much better defensively than Ramirez, so this move would only be temporary. I see Ramirez as a perfect fit playing DH in the American League. In fact, from what I read, the entire AL West is interested in him, especially Seattle whose DH, Carl Everett, is only batting .230. I don't think the Mariners are an attractive trading partner, unless they are willing to include Rafael Soriano, a dominating relief pitcher, which I don't see happening. With that said, let's break down the rest of the teams in that division and see exactly what the Cubs could get in return...

How about Texas? They seem more than willing to trade Hank Blalock and have been actively trying to move Kevin Mench over the last couple of weeks. They have always been desperate for pitching, so including Hill and maybe Angel Guzman would more than likely get the deal done and bring the Cubs two excellent everyday players.

And let's not forget the Angels who have the deepest farm system in the league. They could offer the Cubs a number of cant-miss talents such as SP Ervin Santana, SS Erick Aybar, and 2B Howie Kendrick.

A quick side note: A deal with the Padres is also possible with the Cubs getting Jake Peavy, Scott Linebrink and Terrmel Sledge. Peavy has been struggling lately and the Padres are still in the hunt for first place and the wild card, despite his poor play. However, he is still considered an ace and San Diego actively shopped him around the league, looking for a third baseman, and almost reached an agreement with Boston for Mike Lowell. Linebrink is one of the top relief pitchers in the league. However, being a fly ball pitcher, he has thrived at the spacious Petco Park, something which might not translate into success at Wrigley, although that was the concern with Howry, who is one of the few bright spots on the Cubs this year.

So that concludes day two of the countdown to MLB's trade deadline. Up tomorrow is Michael Barrett. I will explain why I think he should go and talk about where he might end up.

What do you guys think so far? Are any of these trades, including the ones I mentioned for Maddux, realistic? Let me know. Hopefully I'll have a couple of more posts later today, depending on whether or not anything happens. I get the feeling it is going to be a slow day, but you never know...

Countdown to the Trade Deadline (6 Days Left)

With Major League Baseball's trade deadline less than a week away, I will dedicate one blog a day to possible trades the Cubs can make with the goal of assembling a better team for next year.

In my "master plan for fixing the Cubs," which I came up with because I have way too much free time on my hands, the first step is the dumping of unwanted salaries. In these trades, it doesn't really matter who the Cubs get back in return, so long as they have little to no major league experience and they earn a minor league salary. Players who fall under this category include Scott Williamson, recently traded to the Padres for two minor league pitchers, Glendon Rusch, Neifi Perez, and John Mabry. I would have put Phil Nevin and Todd Walker on this list, but I thought about it and realized that Nevin has been such a good hitter in his brief stint with the Cubs that he could at least bring the team a B-level prospect from a club desperate for some power down the stretch and Walker could be a vital left-handed pinch hitter for a contender, allowing the Cubs to get back an individual who somewhat resembles a professional baseball player. Ridding themselves of these players listed above would clear roughly $30 million dollars, allowing Jim Hendry to be a player on the free agent market next off-season. I'm not sure if the idea of Hendry with money to spend is such an enticing proposition given the awful signings he has made in the past, but I guess having some money is better than having none at all.

Now that step one is out of the way, let's shine the spotline on the first truly tradable player, who would actually yield someone useful in return...

Greg Maddux

The most common rumor has Maddux headed to the Dodgers for stud prospect Andre Ethier.

Why it will happen: The Dodgers have one of the deepest farm systems in the league and they feel that the only thing standing between them and the playoffs is a more experienced pitching staff. What better way to bolster your roster than to add one of the most successful playoff pitchers ever? From the Cubs perspective, this trade gives them a future can't-miss superstar to build their team around. With the edition of Ethier in LF along side Pierre, hopefully the Cubs resign him, and Jones in right, all of a sudden the outfield, which was a weakness going into the year, becomes a strength. Tonight Ethier went 4-5 with two HRs and 3 RBI. In only 70 games he is batting .349 with 8 HR, 36 RBI, and 3 stolen bases.

Why it won't happen: Ever since the Dodgers brought Ethier up from the minors with the intention of showcasing him for a trade, he has done nothing but hit. The Dodgers front office is now wondering whether or not this would be the right player to give up, especially for a pitcher who has gone 3-9 with an ERA of almost 5, after starting the year 5-0.

Prediction: I think the reality of the situation points towards two possible outcomes. First, the Cubs send Maddux to Arizona in exchange for gold-glove second baseman Orlando Hudson. This trade wouldn't create the same kind of buzz as the one mentioned above but Hudson would fit perfectly into the Cubs' middle infield and give the team a perfect number two hitter behind Pierre (again, that is if the Cubs resign him, something which I feel they must do to have any chance next year). Arizona, a team which came within minutes of signing Maddux as a free agent before the Cubs stole him away, finds itself only 1 1/2 games back of the wild card spot and has been looking for pitching since the season started. I don't think Maddux, and his tendency to give up the long ball, would be a good fit in Arizona, but hey, that didn't stop the Diamondbacks from signing Russ Ortiz did it?

The second scenario again involves the Dodgers with the Cubs receiving disgruntled shortstop Cesar Izturis who, with the addition of Rafael Furcal, finds himself asked to play out of position at 3B or 2B. He has made it very clear that he either wants to move back to SS or be traded elsewhere. Izturis was sidelined for the majority of last season and most of this one because of a sever injury to his throwing elbow. However, when healthy, he is a gold-glove caliber shortstop. In 2004 he hit .288 with 62 RBI and 25 SB while batting leadoff for the Dodgers, earning him a spot on the NL's All-Star roster. He would also be insurance in case Pierre bolted for another team. I have also heard rumblings of the Brewers being involved. I don't think that Hendry would be foolish enough to trade Maddux to an NL Central rival, but you never know with this guy. On second thought, it wouldn't be the worst thing to ship Maddux to Milwaukee, ONLY if they offer a package which blows the other teams out of the water. You wouldn't have to worry about him coming back to burn the Cubs because Maddux has maybe one year left in him after this season and perhaps Milwaukee, with their loaded farm system, could send an attractive package of prospects to the Cubs. If such an offer is on the table then I wouldn'thesitate to shop him within the division.

This is the first player who I think the Cubs should trade. What do you guys think? Should he be given the boot or should the team keep him and hopefully have him retire as a Chicago Cub?

Come back tomorrow when I talk about Aramis Ramirez and what jersey he could potentially be wearing come July 31st.

White Sox Acquire MacDougal; Will Soriano Follow?

Today the White Sox acquired Kansas City Royals closer Mike MacDougal in an attempt to strengthen their unreliable bullpen. The Sox sent minor leaguers Tyler Lumsden, who was 9-4 with a 2.69 ERA in double-A, and Daniel Cortes, who was 3-9 with a 4.10 ERA in single-A, to the Royals. It looks as if MacDougal's role will be the primary setup man for Bobby Jenks. MacDougal missed the first 3 1/2 months of the season due to a right shoulder strain, but did not allow a run in four relief appearances after being activated from the 60-day DL. Last season, he pitched in 70 1/3 innings, a career-high, and went 5-6 while posting 3.33 ERA. From May 19 to Aug. 20, MacDougal converted 15 consecutive save opportunities. As a rookie in 2003, he earned a roster spot on the AL All-Star team, while setting a club record with 68 appearances and 27 recorded saves.

MacDougal is a solid pickup for the Sox, but this move is not nearly enough if they seriously want to contend for the Wild Card. Yes, let me make myself prefectly clear, I do not think that the White Sox can overtake the Tigers for the division crown, not even if they acquire Alfonso Soriano, which brings us to the hottest rumor floating around right now. According to ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, the White Sox are "extremely close" to pulling off a deal that would send Soriano to the Sox in exchange for a package which would include Brandon McCarthy. According to sources, Soriano's first choice is to stay with the Nationals, but he doubts that his agent, Diego Bentz, and the team will agree to a deal before the deadline (July 31st). A potential roadblock in any deal involving Soriano would be his recent demand for a no-trade clause. Any team looking to trade for him would have to be willing to add this to his already existing contract. Soriano will also be a free agent at the end of the year, so if the Sox were to add him to the team, there is no guarantee that he would remain in Chicago beyond this season. I think that the Sox would also have to give up Brian Anderson in the deal but it is looking more and more as if he is a bust and I see Soriano as a perfect fit in LF, moving Scott Podsednik back to CF where he began his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. The big question is whether or not this is a good move in the long run for the Sox meaning if the trade does happen to propel them into the playoffs. With Soriano in left and Podsednik in center, there is no doubt that the Sox are much worse defensively than they were last year. Not only that but Ozzie Guillen would then be forced to change his entire lineup. Podsednik is the most comfortable when he is batting leadoff but so is Soriano. You have to remember that Soriano struggled when the Nationals slotted him into the middle of their lineup. It was not until he was moved to the leadoff spot that he bagan to really turn it on. So let's say Guillen bats Podsednik first and Soriano second. Where does that leave Tadahito Iguchi? He is a classic number two hitter and moving him down to the bottom half of the lineup might take him off his game. It seems that there are plenty of reasons to both trade for Soriano or forget the idea all together.

That said, I think that if the White Sox manage to pry Soriano away from the Nationals, this automatically makes them a lock for the Wild Card. I stay true to my statement above, that Detroit will win the AL Central, because the Tigers are more than willing to make a move which will put them over the top, especially if they feel backed into a corner by the White Sox getting Soriano. If the slugging Dominican does indeed sport black pinstripes before the trade deadline, look for the Tigers to step up their persuit of Bobby Abreu. With this, I think that both teams would be back to square one as far as the amount of talent on their respective rosters, the edge slightly nudging its way toward the Tigers due to their superior all-around pitching staff, starters and bullpen included. That is unless Williams has something else up his sleeve... It should be an interesting 7 days to say the least.

This just in: The White Sox are refusing to give up McCarthy in the potential deal for Soriano. This appears to be a huge snag and may cause all talks between the two teams to cease. This could possibly allow the Tigers to swoop in and steal Soriano away at the last second.

The White Sox also lost 7-4 tonight to the Minnesota Twins. The Sox now move 7 1/2 games out of first place while the Yankees, 1 1/2 games behind, and the Twins, 2 games behind, inch closer to the wild card spot which the Sox currently occupy. Let's just say, with the White Sox closer to third place than first, they better make a splash at the trade deadline or they'll be home watching the playoffs this year. Stay tuned.

Bulls Headed Towards Elite Status

Since I started this blog later in the summer, there have been plenty of headlines regarding the Bulls and the moves that GM Jim Paxson has made. Since I have to play catch-up, why don't I do an overall review of what has transpired thus far:

For starters, what a great draft for Paxson. On many draft boards Tyrus Thomas was ranked as the best prospect available, and to get him from Portland while picking up the promising Victor Kryapa (6-9, 210 lbs, from Russia) was a serious steal on the Bulls' part. Every description of Thomas that I have read to date, includes the phrase "freakishly athletic". I think you can get an idea about his athletisim by watching this clip (ignore the highlights after the dunk, although I think it is ironic that to end the clip Ronnie Brewer misses a jumpshot, allowing LSU to steal the game. I later talk about how the Bulls made the right choice by not taking Brewer in the draft because of his poor shooting). Let's not forget that Thomas was also the leader in blocks in the SEC. Portland failed to realize that the player they coveted, LaMarcus Aldridge, would have still been there when they picked at number 4, but they panicked, maybe because of some bad information, and cut a deal with the Bulls, slotted in the second spot, to pick for them. But the Bulls weren't done dealing just yet. Somehow, they persuaded Philadelphia to pick Thabo Sefolosha, who, by the way, would have greatly improved the 76ers, and then send him to the Bulls in exchange for the rights to Rodney Carney, who's described as "an excellent defender when he wants to be." Had the 76ers kept Sefolosha, he would of been a perfect compliment to Allen Iverson and selecting him would of put a stop to all of the trade rumors surrounding A.I. Sefolosha was regarded, along with Ronnie Brewer, to be the best perimeter defender in the entire draft and the 76ers instead chose to draft Carney, whose game and physique are identical to that of a player already on Philly's roster, Andre Iguodala. I have heard the argument that Brewer would have been a better fit for the way the Bulls play, but I could not disagree more. While both are relentless permiter defenders, Sefolosha is superior offensively, averaging 16 ppg, only second to Thomas' 16.2, in five Orlando summer league games, while showing a silky touch from mid-range. Sefolosha also added 6.4 rpg and a mind-blowing 5.6 spg. That said, the scouting report on Brewer states: "His Achilles' heel is his shooting. His stroke is a little bit broken. Brewer needs a lot of work in this area at the next level." A well-documented problem regarding Brewer's shooting is that he broke his right arm as a child and it never healed properly, resulting in his inability to fully extend it while shooting. Needless to say, throughout his career as GM of the Bulls, Paxson has built a bright future for the team, selecting players such as Gordon, Hinrich, Deng, Thomas, and Sefolosha.

On a side note, watch out for Aaron Miles, the former Kansas University star and cousin of the Trailblazers' Darius Milies. He looked very impressive in the summer league and might be a darkhorse candidate for one of the two remaining roster spots. I seem to remember watching him on TV a couple years back, when Hinrich was still playing at Kansas, and the announcer saying that there is no way that Miles is not a top ten pick if he enters the draft. He's not very tall, but he's a natural scorer and wouldn't be the worst guy to have sitting on the end of your bench. He would easily fill the void left by the departure of free agent Jannero Pargo. I wonder why his draft stock dropped so dramatically? It should be interesting to follow him.

Next is the Bulls' signing of Ben Wallace (4 years, $60 million). I was watching ESPN2 one night when the breaking news flashed across the bottom of the screen and I think I almost fell off the couch in amazement. Not only does this catapult the Bulls into elite status in the Eastern Conference, but it weakens a division rival at the same time. Some may argue that this was way too high of a price tag for a "defensive specialist," but I would have to argue against that for a couple of reasons. First, you have to put things in perspective and compare the amount that Wallace was given with other contracts around the league such as Samuel Dalembert, who's still owed $52.6 million, ex-Bull Tyson Chandler ($57 million), and Kenyon Martin who, in 2011, will have accumulated a whopping $70 million dollars. Personally, I would rather have Wallace over these three any day and in my opinion his contract was a bargain, especially when you understand the structure of the deal which brings me to my next point. Wallace's contract actually leaves the Bulls with the financial flexibilty to resign their young core in the near future. This is because Wallace will receive most of his money up front, meaning in the first couple of years. With each passing season his annual salary will decrease, thus allowing Paxson to offer extensions to Hinrich, Gordon, and Deng. In addition, if in a couple of years, for some reason, Wallace does not fit in well with the team, his contract will not be hard to move.

The third major headline this summer for the Bulls was the trading of Tyson Chandler for PJ Brown and JR Smith, who the Bulls later traded to Denver to make room for Adrian Griffin. This was a vital move for a number of reasons. First, it would not have been a good marriage to pair Wallace with Chandler in the front court. They are both defensive-minded players and having them both on the floor would have put too much pressure on the other players to carry the scoring load. Second, the combining of the two salaries would have left Paxson without the luxury of resigning his young soon-to-be stars, as I previously mentioned. PJ Brown brings an expiring $8 million contract, which seems like peanuts when compared to the money that Chandler will be owed. Listen, Paxson deserves all the credit in the world because he took the chance of signing the best available free agent despite the risk that he might not have been able to move Chandler. He went to win now and I think this is best summed up by White Sox GM Ken Williams. He was asked about whether or not he would trade young pitching to get Alfonso Soriano and he replied, "What year is this? Can you win the 2008 championship in 2006?" The situation with Wallace reminds me of when the Cubs refused to go after Carlos Beltran or resign Moises Alou because they claimed they couldn't take on any salaries until Sosa had been traded. So what did the Cubs do? They offered Beltran a low-ball contract of $75 million when everyone knew he was going to sign for at least $100 million. In the end, the Cubs trade Sosa for (gulp) Hairston Jr., Beltran signs with the Mets, and Alou leaves to play with his father in San Francisco. It seems the Cubs just do everything the wrong way, but let's save that for the next Cubs post.

On another side note, it is my opinion that Paxson made his first wrong move in trading away JR Smith, especially after watching his highlight-reel dunks, specifically the one at the end of this clip which takes place at Rucker Park. I understand that he wanted the roster to have more veterans mixed in, and I welcome Adrian Griffin with open arms, but I have a feeling that given the right situation Smith could be a special player. We shall see.

I also wanted to mention that I did not agree with Paxson hiring his brother as a consultant. Paxon's brother was fired as the GM from the Cavaliers for a reason so I'm not sure that was the smartest move. It usually does not work out when you hire a family member and time will tell if this backfires on Paxon.

A quick tidbit, I don't think Paxson is done dealing. I think he will package Deng, Tyrus Thomas, Sweetney, for his expiring contract, and their first round pick in 2007, which can be swapped with the lowly Knicks, for Kevin Garnett. What do you guys think about that idea?

I think my right hand just fell asleep, so I am going to go work off some of this energy at the gym. I will anxiously await to hear your opinions and/or comments about the Bulls so far this off-season. I'll be back later this afternoon....