12-05-2008, 02:55 AM
<i><b>If we can upgrade our offense AND land Peavy, I'm all for it. If it's one or the other, we need a RFer way more than another SP</b>.</i>
A key issue here is that the Peavy deal is available, and it insures we'd have 2 ace-quality starters for the next several years to go with Dempster (and Lilly for 2 more years). Having a solid 1-3/1-4 in the rotation is crtitical. The current state of things economically mandates that JH play a waiting game on the FA LH OF's (Ibanez, Abreu, Bradley, and even Dunn). If nobody is biting, or at very most, teams are offering tepid contracts, JH may be able to land one of those guys with a 1 year deal or a 2 year offer. I think the key to us signing any of those guys is years, not salary in 2009. I think a new owner would be happy to sweat payroll a touch to see an IMPROVED 97 win team fielded for the 2009 Cubs. I'm content to get what we can and wait & see. JH makes very, very few personnel mistakes.
<b><i>Olney thinks we'll get a deal done with the Padres with Vitters being the main piece.</i> </b>
Vitters being the centerpiece is fine, but it will take a lot more than that, as Vitters is likely 3-4 years away. I'd be surprised if Colvin/Thomas & a catcher like Mark Reed/Welington Castillo, along with Cedeno and Marshall, wouldn't be included with Vitters. If the deal shaped up as Vitters, Thomas, Reed, Cedeno, and Marshall for Peavy... it would be good for both teams. The Pads don't get their pitching, but they do get some fine prospects that could fortify their franchise for the next decade. And it would likely end up as a better deal than what the Twins got for Santana or the Indians got for Sabathia (an All-Star bat for a DH is still a DH).
A key issue here is that the Peavy deal is available, and it insures we'd have 2 ace-quality starters for the next several years to go with Dempster (and Lilly for 2 more years). Having a solid 1-3/1-4 in the rotation is crtitical. The current state of things economically mandates that JH play a waiting game on the FA LH OF's (Ibanez, Abreu, Bradley, and even Dunn). If nobody is biting, or at very most, teams are offering tepid contracts, JH may be able to land one of those guys with a 1 year deal or a 2 year offer. I think the key to us signing any of those guys is years, not salary in 2009. I think a new owner would be happy to sweat payroll a touch to see an IMPROVED 97 win team fielded for the 2009 Cubs. I'm content to get what we can and wait & see. JH makes very, very few personnel mistakes.
<b><i>Olney thinks we'll get a deal done with the Padres with Vitters being the main piece.</i> </b>
Vitters being the centerpiece is fine, but it will take a lot more than that, as Vitters is likely 3-4 years away. I'd be surprised if Colvin/Thomas & a catcher like Mark Reed/Welington Castillo, along with Cedeno and Marshall, wouldn't be included with Vitters. If the deal shaped up as Vitters, Thomas, Reed, Cedeno, and Marshall for Peavy... it would be good for both teams. The Pads don't get their pitching, but they do get some fine prospects that could fortify their franchise for the next decade. And it would likely end up as a better deal than what the Twins got for Santana or the Indians got for Sabathia (an All-Star bat for a DH is still a DH).
"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods." Albert Einstein