Cubs Close to Acquiring Aaron Heilman

[savant]

<!--quoteo(post=14275:date=Jan 28 2009, 01:10 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Jan 28 2009, 01:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14271:date=Jan 28 2009, 12:03 PM:name=savant)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (savant @ Jan 28 2009, 12:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I agree with Tom on this one. Cedeno and Pie were out of options, and had very little chance of contributing anything to this team. I also find it hard to believe that Olsen (and his career era of almost 7), is the deciding factor in the Peavy acquisition. Hendry had no interest in Olsen, I never saw where anyone involved with the Cubs had the normal fluff quotes about him. From the Padres perspective why on earth would they show any interest in Olsen with Marshall here?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's not the Cedeno/Pie stuff that makes me mad, I'd much rather have Heilman than them. It's trading Marquis and DeRosa to also help set up all these moves that bothers me. Contracts aside, I don't know that I'd rather have Heilman than Marquis. I thought Heilman also had thrown more innings than he has. I just checked out his stats and see his high in a season is 108, and he hasn't started since 2005. So scratch my he'll be the #5 crap. I have no clue whatsoever what's going on anymore. Fuck me.
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I know I am in the minority on this, but I like this team as it stands much more than last years team. If you look at the payroll as it currently stands there was no way to make the changes Lou wanted without moving Marquis(also don't forget the marquis Lou blowup last spring training) and his salary. Fontenot has hit everywhere he has been including with the Cubs in a part time role it was time for him to get more ab's, so DeRosa had to go. Also with DeRosa having his career year with one year left on his contract what do you do with him at the end of the season? Offer arbitration and hope to get a prospect further away than Stevens or Archer. Sign him to a multi-year contract at age 35.

I am not a huge fan of what has happened with the bullpen. I am a fan first, and Woody was my favorite player on the team. But again Hendry was able to get similar production at a savings of $6 million a year with a better track record of health. Vizcaino does nothing for me, and the the lefthanders without Marshall in the pen are frightening to say the least.

With the rotation I find it hard to believe that a combination of Gaudin, Marshall, Shark, Guzman, Heilman, or pick a random minor leaguer won't be able to give us results similar to Marquis. The rest of the rotation is fine.

With Soriano, Fukudome, and Bradley our outfield is going to be just as productive offensively as it was last year, and better defensively. I would still like to see someone added on the cheap that could provide some production in the corners, but at the end of the day i guess that will be Gathwright with Fukudome sliding over.

I know on message boards handedness has become fodder for Cubs stupidity, but it is probably the single post predictive stat out there. We had the platoon advantage in less than 50% of our AB's last year, as this team is currently constructed we should be much closer to 60% this year. This team is going to score a ton of runs in the regular season, just get to the postseason with with Bradley and Harden healthy and there is a great chance of this team doing great things.