George Sherrill Rumors

Just have Sabathia pitch every day, then you will never need a bullpen again.

Assuming the Orioles would be willing to trade within their own division, would they take Jed Lowrie for Sherrill? If they specifically want a SS, he's probably the most major-league ready one who could be available right now. Would it take more than just Lowrie?

I don't think anyone can argue that the Brewers are gearing up for a postseason push. Makes total sense to sure up the bullpen...

That may be true but if I was the O's I would take a hardy straight up for sherrill.

Aduncaroo, I completely respect your opinion and everything you said, and im definitely looking forward to the series coming up, but you have people like cubs land who make cubs fans look like idiots. Im sorry that there are so many cubs fans that make normal cubs fans look that much dumber.

Just curious - what are the obvious position needs of the Cubs? Is there a specific position (besides pitching) that they really are looking for? Either for this year or in the future? Don't follow the Cubs much, just was curious.

The Cubs are looking good. Don't sell the entire farm for a so-so reliever who is out of his prime (Sherrill or Fuentes). Our boys are just starting to get healthy and when we are healthy, there isn't a roster west of Beantown that can compete with us. My prediction is that the Cubs WILL win the Central division by 6.5 games. Second place is iffy. If the Cardinals get healthy (esp. Carpenter) they will win it hands-down (sorry Brewers' fans). The Cards are just plain better than the Brewers. Hell, LaRussa alone makes them 10% better than the Brewers. He's a hell of a manager.

Anywho, GO CUBS and let's get ready to watch the best season of Baseball in twenty years!

Later 'gators.

"Im sorry that there are so many cubs fans that make normal cubs fans look that much dumber."

Yeah...me too. Oh well..at least we will all get to watch some great baseball!

thehoagster07,
It's comments like yours that really show the lack of thinking in some fans.

Sherrill isn't worth as much as the Orioles are asking? How much IS Sherrill worth? How much ARE the Orioles asking for?

The whole idea of 'value' is overstated by people who don't really get the idea of what it means.

George Sherrill represents a certain value to teams he would be traded to. Difficult to quantify that value before a trade. But Sherrill also represents a value to the Orioles. Right now he is closing games. Something that a) the Orioles have had issues with in the past and b) something nobody else seems ready to step up to do.

Let's not forget Sherrill is under control for three more years (I believe). THAT represents increased value (at a cheap rate).

George Sherrill is a nice commodity, regardless of whether he is traded or not. Whether you think he is 'worth' what the Orioles are asking for is irrelevant. The Orioles SHOULD ask for a lot for Sherrill. They have no pressing need to move him.

It turns out that if you want something, you have to pay the piper. The career numbers speak for themselves:

170IP, 130H, 182SO, .213 BAA.

"i am assuming T Unit14 thinks the brewers have already made the playoffs in July?"

So what, you are saying they should't make a move planning for the playoffs because it is only July? You make trades like this assuming you make the playoffs, you don't just assume you won't make them. Besides, 2 weeks ago you more then assumed that the Brewers would miss the playoffs, and that the Cubs would make it, you gaurunteed it. You dont think about what you say or do before you do it, do you?

delaware_bird --

You just made a snide comment to thehoagster07 about some "lack of thinking in some fans," but then you spent the next several paragraphs of your post essentially agreeing with his point that Sherrill's value to the O's is such that another team would have to be stupid and overpay to pry him away from BAL.

So the O's are in a position where to them, a decent LOOGY is really an irreplaceable closer. Don't take out your frustrations over that unpleasant situation on the rest of us.

Davearm- a decent LOOGY? God I'm sick of idiots on this site. Yes, he WAS a LOOGY. Now, he's a closer. An All Star at that (regardless of what you think of the selection process, he had to at least beat out Markakis, BRob, and Huff on his own team...all arguably deserving for their first half performances). To call him a LOOGY at this point denigrates the difficult transition he's made and the success he's had and only highlights your own ignorance.

delaware bird- you make an excellent point as to value; it's too bad some folk out there have such a hard time with comprehension. Whether it would be 'stupid' to 'overpay' for Sherrill is beside the point; several teams with a chance to make the postseason seem to think Sherrill would aid that cause. While Davearm knows better than these lifetime baseball men, I tend to side with the GMs. If the price is too high...THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT. If someone does, well, that IS Sherrill's value...whether one thinks it stupid or not.

nrmax- sign another one up.

As for cedeno/pie...that would be laughable if I weren't so tired of ridiculous low-ball proposals out of Cubs fans: Adun- you're not the only one with a bitter taste left over from the Roberts non-deal.

The Lowrie/Sherrill swap seems considerably closer. I think, were the Sox to add a second, lesser prospect- say Chris Carter (near MLB ready, but hardly an elite prospect), that would get it done.

For the fun of it, I wonder whether the Sox would be interested in a Sherrill/Huff package (I guess with Ortiz reportedly close to returning, it negates the need for Huff, but...). Wonder what it would bring...you know...if Papi ISN'T able to get it going.

BTW- In an effort to unite the MLBTR crowd...I REALLY hate TypeKey. Can we all agree on that, at least?

I can agree on a Rays possiblity with Sherrill on match ups. I don't know about Brignac though. Value does get inflated about this time. Also, I second the TypeKey hate-hate fan club.

The Cubs should do everything they can to get another reliever (by this I mean a GOOD reliever). As it stands now, the Cubs no longer have a shot of winning the World Series (or even going to it). There, I said it. BTW, I've been a die-hard Cubs fan my whole life, but one must not let one's emotions cloud one's judgment. With the exception of Wood and Marmol, the Cubs' bullpen is UTTER GARBAGE. Except for Wood/Marmol, not a single Cubs reliever can be counted upon to either HOLD a lead, or to keep a losing game from falling beyond the reach of redemption (and the last few Cubs losses are perfect examples of this). This is an especially important factor on the road, where, if the Cubs bullpen gives the other team even a slight lead, the Cubs offense will never gain it back. If the Cubs have to give up the farm for a guy like Sherill, they should do it, for that's the ONLY way they will have a chance to go all the way this season (and even if they do, I no longer personally believe their offense--which has been declining with the passing of every month of the season--has got the juice to CONSISTENTLY get the job done, especially now that the AL will have home field advantage in the WS--thanks a lot Dan Uggla/Clint Hurdle for not having the humility to try bunting in the All Star Game with, in TWO situations, a man on third and one out!).

Hopefully the Cubs could at least FINALLY win the pennant. That would satisfy me at this point.

As for XCal1bur, I'm sorry but, unfortunately, the Cubs ARE NOT LOOKING GOOD. If you watch their games closely you can see some deep cracks in their foundation. They do, however, have a much better chance to win than the Cardinals. Their true test will come with the Brewers, and seeing how their offense does when Soriano starts to heat up. Anyway, it should be an interesting (perhaps very frustrating and depressing) next couple of months.

GO CUBS (and get a good reliever!)!

The Cubs are not going to make a move prior to the trade deadline unless Wood is shelved longer than anticipated, but even then it will still be hard to make a move without deteriorating the club. Eventhough the bullpen has struggled, I think the strength of this team is the starting rotation and the deep bench. The bench of this organization might be the best in baseball. I think the Cubs have what it takes to get it done in the Central and obtain the homefield advantage. It is not necessarily going to come down to the bullpen, but the ability to win games on the road. 16 of the last 25 games come on the road in the month of September with visits to Milwaukee (where the Cubs have had success in the past) and Houston where they mightily struggle. The last 7 games could be detrimental to the security of the Central when they face off against the Mets in NY and Milwaukee in Wrigley North. Could it be '04 all over again or will they be the "resiliant" team that Piniella coined them? Stay tuned and fasten the seat belt....the best race in baseball starts now!

I guess all the Cub's fan's didn't catch on at the begining of the year when the O's did not want anything to do with Pie/Cedeno. I don't understand why people can't figure that out.

I agree on the Micah part bigfreak. I know Daryle Ward is supposed to be a pinch hit specialist...but really isnt doing too hot with the .115avg and 11 SO. Its killing me to see him come into situation foul off a bunch of pitches and then brrrt called third or goes down swinging. Give Micah a chance he seems to have a good stick from what he as shown. And as for the bullpen. The cubs have the jekyll and hyde syndrome. they can either come in a dominate big time or lose the game in a heartbeat. gets pretty irritating as a cub fan. so if they can get a guy to come in throw strikes when they are up 4 runs or shut people down when they are up 1 run, would be nice. but I guess every freakin' team wants that.

Top Ten Reasons why the Cubs will not win this year (btw, I'm a Cubs fan and deeply want to be wrong in this--permit me the use of this blog to voice my frustrations):

1) Their bullpen is TOTALLY UNRELIABLE (especially the mid-relievers);
2) They can't hit on the road;
3) The Cubs sluggers no longer "slug". Instead, the way they get runs is usually by stringing together walks and singles. When they get to the playoffs and start playing good teams with good pitching, these walks will not be forthcoming and its unlikely a good pitcher will give them 2-3 hits in a row. Thus, they'll score low--and in this type of close game, their bullpen (especially the midrelief and second-string end-men), honestly can't be counted on to keep them in the game;
4) Fukudome needs some rest and retooling;
5) Ted Lilly. He gives up WAY TOO MANY homers for any Wrigley Field pitcher (a situation made worse by the fact that if he's taken out in the middle of the game, the relievers put in will make matters only worse). If the Cubs go to the playoffs and play big homer hitting teams (especially in Wrigley), the Cubs are screwed. Lilly would be better suited to playing in a home park that has a deep outfield and no wind;
6) Pinella is stubborn and will never change the 3 & 4 spots in the order (or will move Soriano out of the leadoff position and, perhaps, make him the three hitter). No matter how much Lee and Ramirez may struggle, he will never move them;
7) Lee and Ramirez spend a hell of a lot more time "struggling" then they do "getting hot";
8) Pinella refuses to give Hoffpauir a chance to show his stuff (and he does have stuff). He'd much rather have a guy like Ward pinch-hit his way into a strikeout then give this potential star a chance;
9) Soto isn't given enough rest;
10) Nobody seems to be willing to give bunting a chance (at the very least the pitchers should!).

The Cubs should try to sign Bonds. He's desperate and willing to be paid the league minimum, and if it doesn't work out, no biggie. He would be no worse than Ward as a pinch-hitter, and even if his reflexes aren't all that good anymore, he still has an intimidation factor that may psyche out many pitchers.

Hendry, get another reliever, and then go out and hire a sports-hypnotist (or Tony Robbins) to convince the Cubs players that there's absolutely no physical reason they can't win on the road.