Tigers Interested In Wuertz

Michael Wuertz is a stud coming in and locking it down with runners on. One of the better 'shut them down' guys in the game. If he goes back out to start the next inning, his stats fall. He could be a closer on some teams. He usually has bad ST stats and turns it on during the season. Though this ST he is doing well. He has been over used in the past by the previous manager (if you want to call him that). Decent fastball and above average, nasty slider and a good guy out of the pen. Thames would mean Murton is gone in a deal somewhere. Then someone else (maybe Fonteno? Cedeno since he has been hurt?) would be sent down or traded to make room for Inge.

Maybe the Cubs can trade Wuertz to the Tigers, Inge goes to the Orioles, and the Cubs get Brian Roberts.

Wuertz has never been a favorite in Chicago for some reason even though his numbers have never been too bad. I don't think this works, but if the Tigers would take back Marquis along with Wuertz for Brandon Inge then maybe a deal could get done.

This offer is asanine. If the Cubs even consider it, I would be convinced I can run the Cubs better than they are run now. Even if Murton is traded, I don't see how either of those players helps the Cubs. Thames is a poor man's Craig Monroe, and Inge, although powerful, cannot hit for average or get on base to save his life.

Detroit would have to be estatic to make this trade. Remove the worn out, overpriced crap from their team, and add a very useful player in return.

Once again, I just don't understand why the Cubs are so desparate to make moves.

Hell with that, Wuertz is a beast. I'd try to offer up Howry instead.

No way. This is terrible idea for the Cubs. You are right he hasn't been popular, but he has been important to the Cubs. Thames and Inge offer nothing to this club. We need someone to play center if we are conviced Pie isn't going to get it done, or an upgrade at SS. I like ziola's idea, with some obvious additions on the Cubs part, but doubt there is any chance of that happening.

How is Thames any better than Murton? And why would the Cubs want Inge? Id rather see Cedeno or Derosa as the backup 3rd. Assuming Roberts doesnt come, Fonteno at 2nd and DeRosa at 3rd when Aram isnt in there seems like a better option than Inge. He isnt happy on the bench in Detroit, why would he be happy on the bench in Chicago? Plus, he makes a lot of money to be a backup.

Sqweeek,

I disagree. I would still rather have Marquis and Wuertz then Inge and Thames. What do those two offer the Cubs? Inge's career OBP is .304, and Thames is .306. That is unacceptable.

Game is exactly right. Extremely underrated player. Absolute monster with guys on base. Cubs would be morons to let this guy go.

Wuertz has a career 1.328 WHIP. I'd personally rather keep Inge and Thames for that. Give Yorman Bazardo a chance in the pen.

I am a Cubs fan and I love Wuertz. I never realized he was never that unpopular. Must be my ignorance! His slider is gross and he comes through in some huge situations. Maybe we Cubs fans (as a whole) don't appreciate him, but they sure as hell better not trade him!

It makes even less sense to trade Wuertz because Howry and Wood are in the last year of their contract. We will probably resign one of them, but not both. Then Wuertz can be the new setup man instead of going out and giving an average reliver Scott Linebrink money.

I'm with jax...since when is wuertz not popular? i mean, he does tend to get some garbage innings, but he's very solid. i'd say he's the second best reliever on the team behind marmol.

Calm down guys...nowhere in this article does it say that the Cubs are looking to deal Wuertz, it just says the Tigers are interested in him. Why wouldn't they be? They need bullpen arms and Wuertz is an extremely effective one who never seems to get the credit he deserves. For so many years, the bullpen was a black hole for the Cubs, and now it might be their biggest strength. Wuertz, Eyre, Howry, Marmol, and Wood is an imposing set of arms to make it through in the last 2-3 innings of a game for any lineup. And what would the Cubs want with Brandon Inge or Marcus Thames? If they wanted Thames, they could'be just kept Craig Monroe or Angel Pagan. And Inge? Where is he going to play? The Cubs are set at catcher and 3rd base. They have no reason to make a deal like this.

Stat of the Day:

Michael Wuertz was second in the NL last year at stranding inherited runners at 87& . . . second only to . . . Carlos Marmol at 88%.

*Minimum 30 inherited runners

Wuertz and very little more would get us Crisp. There is no one that the Tigers have that we need unless they want to give up Granderson, which they OBVIOUSLY aren't going to do. They may like Wuertz, but I think thats as far as it goes, unless a third team gets added to this deal. Inge to Texas, Byrd to Cubs?? Doubtful.

I rather get Byrd from Texas for Murton rather then Wuertz for Thames or Inge. Wuertz is underrated and has a nasty slider. It would be dumb to give away his talent for a decent LF. Byrd could bat some runs in since he had 70 RBI's last year. Also he has defense and he's a vet so he can teach Pie some things.
Byrd 2007 Stats-
G- 109
AB- 414
R- 60
H- 127
2B- 28
3B- 8
HR- 10
RBI- 70
SB- 5
with .307/ .355/ .459

Thames 2007 stats
G- 86
AB- 269
R- 37
H- 65
2B- 15
3B- 0
HR- 18
RBI- 54
SB- 2
with .242/ .278/ .498 averages

So if Cubs want another outfielder get Byrd from Texas.
Offer Murton and if they want more offer a low level minor leaguer.

Another dumb rumor if it's true. Why don't we just give away all of our good players for junk?

Everyone knows that Thames is out the door in Detroit, so why give up a good reliever for him, especially when Murton is 5 times better.

Then you want to give up more than Murton for Byrd, who will be another Damon Buford? Give me a break.

Do the other GM's know that they can fleece Hendry easily or something? And why is he waiting so long for MacPhail to make a decision about Roberts? I think the delay, similar to what he has done with other teams, is completely unprofessional given that the season starts in a week. It's been what, almost 4 months? Make up your mind already.

I can't believe that GM's get paid so much to be so stupid.

studio..."If they are trying for Thames then Murton must be in a trade elsewhere"...why is that an upgrade?

By the way "MMONTICE"...you could run the Cubs better than the people there right now. Just thought I'd give you your props for the day...

This rumor makes no sense at all from the Cubs' perspective. It's because of guys like Wuertz, Marmol, Howry, Hart, and Wood that we may very well have the best bullpen in the major leagues. With how bad Hill has been in ST (I personally think he's feeling a bit too comfortable with being given a spot in the rotation before ST opened up and three vets competing for the other two spots), and the potential of two of either Lieber, Dempster, and Marquis in the rotation... we're absolutely going to need a great pen. With Wuertz as the go-to guy with runners on in a tight situation, he's a great setup man to the back end of the pen (Marmol, Howry, Wood).

Plus, what is it that the Cubs could possibly get back? Marcus Thames? Give me a break. We already have a guy on our bench that is twice the player of Thames in Matt Murton... and we're trying to trade him to Texas for yet another player that beats the hell out of Thames in Marlon Byrd! Brandon Inge? A guy who has spent all of 137 innings in a 7-year career in CF! If/when the deal for Roberts finally goes through, we'll have the best super-sub utility guy in the game with Mark DeRosa. Why do we need another with Inge, who has already spent a lot of time whining about not being good enough to break into the Tigers' current lineup? Guess what. He's not good enough to break into the Cubs' lineup either.

Now, if the Tigers wish to offer up Curtis Granderson or Placido Polanco... some sort of deal may be reachable. However, I don't think one of the best (if not the best) GM's in the game is going to give up one of his vital weapons for a high-grade middle reliever and a couple of prospects.

On the Tigers' end, this would be the biggest steal of the offseason if they were able to pick up Wuertz for essentially nothing (Thames or Inge). They may be best suited to trying to get Inge over to the Dodgers.

If this trade is seriously being considered, I am hoping it is part of a 3-way trade. We don't need another infielder with Cedeno, Fontenot, and Ward all as IF backups already. We also have a huge reserve of Minor leagers with Hoff, E.Patterson, Cintron, and A. Blanco that all looked good this spring and can step up. Where does Inge fit for us?

If you are considering to trade him to SF, LAD, or BAL as part of something bigger, then OK. I can not understand giving up Wuertz for another utility player. The bullpen is more important than that and he is a proven arm. If this is in effort for a genuine lead-off hitter or right-handed CF player, then he is not off the table.

Yeah, Jrf, good call. I was going to post that stat about Wuertz. I heard it about a month ago. I knew he was stud-good with runners on.

I think Cubsfan is right. Detroit being interested does not mean Hendry does that move. I hope not. Murton is already a righty off the bench and neither Inge or Thames are backing up CF. Not unless there is another trade ahead.

Grinch, it is not an upgrade. All I was saying is Thames would be an extra corner OF back up. Kind of like Murton is now. Hendry has said he would like to trade Matt to a place where he gets a chance to start. So I assumed Murton would be gone. But that has not happened yet, so it might not. No, I would rather have Murton over Thames.

The Cubs could use Inge as their right-handed CF if they wanted. He has started in CF this spring a few games. In fact, Inge has played everywhere on the field this spring except 1B and obviously pitcher. Still, this rumor really doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the Cubs. To me Inge is kind of like a worse offensive, more athletic Mark DeRosa.

As a Tiger fan though, I hope they can pull something off to get Wuertz.

Just another rumor. The names mentioned make no sense for the Cubs based need. If something like this were to happen or if this rumor is in fact legitimate, then there has to be a 3rd team involved.

Why trade for a disgruntled employee (Inge) to make him your disgruntled employee? He thinks his .241 career avg entitles him to a starting position and has no fit on the Cubs roster. Furthermore, Wuertz had one of the best (if not the best) numbers in relief with runners on. Seems like a valuable guy I'd like to keep unless THE RIGHT deal is proposed. At least, a win-win.

cfrezz, I'm a Cub fan, but I'm also a quasi Tiger fan having lived in central Michigan from 2000 till about this time last year. I watched the Tigers go from a nearly competitive team to one of the worst teams in MLB history to AL champions... to AL favorites for the upcoming season. I watched Inge play. I met the man on a few occasions during the Tigers' Caravans in recent years when it visited Bay City and Saginaw. I like Inge. He happens to be my son's favorite player, mainly because of the interaction in the meetings stated above.

With this in mind, I've also watched Inge play. I'm sorry, but he's not an adequate CF... not even for a backup role. He's also not a "more athletic Mark DeRosa". Inge has his qualities as a player, but he would play second-fiddle as a utility man if the Tigers had DeRosa on their roster.

Inge, nor Thames... nor the two combined, are worth Michael Wuertz. However, if the Cubs had a need for someone like Inge (which they don't)... I'd say he'd be worth a couple of relief prospects like Billy Petrick and Jesse Estrada, or maybe Carmen Pignatiello alone. You may be able to get something more from the Dodgers, who happen to need a solid 3B. It's that whole supply and demand thing coming into the mix there. The Dodgers demand a 3B, the Tigers have a supply of Inge. The Tigers demand relief help. The Dodgers have a good supply of arms.