Monday, November 24, 2008

Hot Stove

Okay. So far, I'm not overwhelmed by the off season activity. We've not gotten any better. At best we have stayed the same by keeping Dempster. Perhaps a little worse by getting Kevin Gregg. I don't understand letting Ceda go -- everything I've read says that he'll be a stud. We wouldn't part with him in the Roberts deal a year ago. I also heard that he'd have been an important part of the Peavy puzzle...is that dead now? Carrie Marshrabbit says so. I hope not.

It seems that right now it's a sellers market. Until a couple of the big names are signed and/or traded, it will be quiet, and then the reactionary deals will kick in. You know, if Boston signs Teixiera, the Yankees will quickly overpay for two pitchers...that kind of thing.

Anyone think Garrett Anderson would be a good one year rental? Is he too old to play right field in Wrigley?

I hear talk of Marshall and either Cedeno or Fontenot for Peehat. Ridiculous. Horrible trade idea. Royal friends of mine (that's friends who are Royal's fans, not friends who are part of the Royal family) would love that deal. They are not big on Peehat. As a hitter or an outfielder. Plus, I'd keep both Marshall and Fontenot unless someone was giving up something significant (think Peavy) because they are both young and talented. I'd be okay with Marshall as our number 5 pitcher all year and Fontenot as our everyday 2b. We need another bullpen arm...unless we bring back Woody, and we need a right fielder -- I personally don't care which side of the plate he bats from...

I worry about CF -- will it be a three headed monster? Pie, Fukudome, Johnson? Pie is out of options -- I think he'll be traded before the season...especially as no one wants to take Fukudome off our hands. Berghoff's Cafe at O'Hare offered a sandwich and some chips for him, but Hendry turned it down.

Reed Johnson is a serviceable fourth outfielder -- but he's not an everyday player anymore.

Milton Bradley is available. Thoughts on that headcase?

How about this? Lee, Pie, Cedeno, Marshall, Fontenot, Marquis and a top minor leaguer for Peavy and Giles? And some cash to help defer Marquis' salary for a year.

Then we get Teixiera for first base and are set.

Giles takes RF. We suffer through Fukudome in CF, but have the best rotation on earth and a much improved lineup.

Canada was cold and snowy. And TV there sucks. I'd go to check sports highlights and get nothing but hockey and Canadian Football. It must not be curling season yet.

Welcome to the blog, J Southsider -- readership increased 20% when you commented. And so it grows.

best to cb

Sherm

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Garrett Anderson is slow on D and is much less productive these past few seasons than his consistent hey day, he had a good decade for sure but is now dealing with arthritis that seems to be debilatating him. Edmonds is much better than Anderson, I like the Edmonds in RF idea.

I like the Lee, Pie, Fontenot, Marshal and MArquis deal for Peavy and Giles but it will never happen. We would have to eat Lee and Marquis salary and pay Peavy $11M and then get Texiera at $15M a year, it won't happen but I like the way you think little Johnny.

Milton Bradley? are you serious? Please no, he will slug one of Chicago's finest before the all star break and get locked up for the remainder of the season.

Unless skiing or on a hockey roadtrip who would go to Canada in the winter or even late fall?

Anonymous said...

No on Garrett A. He is washed up. A definite no on Peehat. He is not an upgrade over what we already have...Derosa. It's fun to think about Big Z and Milton B. in the same dugout. A fistfight would ensue in the clubhouse tunnel before May 1st. So no. I have a bad feeling we're stuck with DPLee...and I think Hendry is stupid if he still isn't trying to get Peavy. I agree with Sherm...Murnyak could play center and we'd win games with that rotation.

Anonymous said...

Hey Der! Glad u made it up to Canada der hey. Do not understand dat baseboll stuff. I live in Montreal.
Our baseboll team left a couple years ago.

There were more players den fans der hey at teh games. I wore my hockey jersey wid da Grettzky's autograph on it.

Nun of da baseboll players would sign my jersey What gives?

Den again, Sherm signed da jersey when he was here. He also gave me his autographed baseball card from Hundley camp.

It's cold in Canada. Glad da Sherm kept me warm. We talked baseboll and hockey der hey. He kepy his hands warme between my "pillows".

My brudder pretended like he was a skier with Sherm's ski pole.

Later!

Anonymous said...

Okay. That's just a little creepy. Anyone seen Smitty's straight jacket?

69 fan said...

It's boat loads of fun to see how to make our team better over the winter, and stiflingly boring to realize that we have a damn good line up already. So lets look at the free agents out there that would be an improvement over our current crop.

Of the 334 players on MLB.com's free agent tracker, only 2 1/2 (Sabathia and Teixeira with the half being Furcal) are Offensive and Defensive upgrades over what we have. 2 others (Manny and Donkeydick) would be offensive upgrades, but offensive in the field.
3 of these, we have no realistic shot at landing,(fat tub of goo, Tex whatever, and Manny). Donkey dick's D is so bad he might be a push, which leaves only Furcal. He's an older version of the guy we tried to sign 3 years ago who has spent most of his dodger life on the shelf. Pass.
So, no free agent splash, change will only come thru trades. I'm OK with one left handed bat that can rotate in right. I also think as time goes by we may yet still keep Wood. But by and large, we can't get past the fact that this team won 97 games in the most competitive division in baseball last year, they don't suck. How often in our lives could we say that.
Don't trade any starters or Marshall. Stay the course.
Boring, but it might win us a lot of games.

Come on... Milton Bradley???...you are just playing games.

Anonymous said...

Yes...we have a DARN good team. I'll hold back DAMN good until we add a few key people.

Say what you will about how good we are, we are still somewhat deficient at CF, RF, SS and 2B -- depending on where DeRosa starts.

Theriot, while serviceable, is merely serviceable. Forget the average. He doesn't walk enough and his defense is below average. For crying out loud, he has Mark DeCarlo's arm.

Our bullpen is good. Not great.

That spells highly competitive to me. Not championship.

Anonymous said...

yes, but... he has Betty Davis eyes.

Anonymous said...

Darn good yes, I will hold back from Damn good until we win a game or two in October.

Anonymous said...

I hope they don't follow last year's approach in waiting to see what the rest of the central does and then they decide if we're good enough to beat the central and leave it at that. Didn't fair so well in the playoffs times 2 years. they keep talking about needing a lh bat. Must we remind them they spent 30 or so million on a can't miss/hit japanese guy who it seems they have completely given up on. I say they just get what they got up off their ass, stop coddling and make them earn their money.I have it from good sources that Hendrey read this blog in the shitter.