Here's the latest from Wrigleyville….
- "We need more talent. We lack impact talent,” Theo Epstein told reporters (including MLB.com's Carrie Muskat) in regards to his team's minor league system. "We have a number of interesting guys, especially at the lower levels. Every organization has interesting guys at the lower levels….We need some more impact talent and we need some guys who have the ability to break through. It'd be nice to get a breakthrough player or two this year and have someone move from that interesting prospect category to that potential impact category."
- If the Cubs trade one of their current outfielders, there is no guarantee prospect Brett Jackson will be automatically called up to fill the spot, writes ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine as part of an online chat with fans. The Cubs want to make sure Jackson is "completely ready" to play in the majors, and Levine says the Cubs may also be thinking about service clock considerations.
- The Cubs have spent the last few weeks looking to acquire a left-handed reliever, writes Levine.
- Also from Levine, he predicts Matt Garza is looking for a five-year, $65MM contract extension akin to John Danks' new deal with the White Sox. The Cubs said they wanted to discuss a multiyear deal with Garza during Spring Training, though there has been little news about the status of these negotiations.
just trade garza.. after the hauls latos and gio brought back, I’m not sure why garza wasn’t moved
Garza was moved for a ton. So sign him long term. He deserves the extention more than Danks, no offence but the Cubs have a better pitcher in Garza than the Sox do in Danks.
but garza wont be useful to the cubs for another 3-4 years.
What they need is prospects, high end talent that can help grow the system.
Just because he is extended doesn’t mean he can’t be traded.. depending on the terms it could increase his value.
A more expensive and older Garza does not mean a more tradeable one.
Whoops, also saw that you said “depending on value”, so I take some of that bad, but my point still stands.
desperation kills a players trade value. If the Cubs are talking extension it lets them negoiate from a position of strength, especially mid-season when thay can say “we’ll listen to offers” instead of “Starting pitcher for sale!”
If they don’t HAVE to trade Garza, the team that wants him is the one who has to make the Cubs interested… which means better prospects.
desperation doesn’t kill a players value really, being quick to a decision and not getting a bidding war going does, but not the pressure to move someone.
Everyone knew Gio was for sale, you can say Beane was ‘desperate’ to move him, but he involved some teams, and got the deal he wanted.
Maybe sans Latos (4 years of control) Garza would have been the second best pitcher available for trade, cubs could have probablyy gotten similar to the deal Beane got for Gio, and didn’t.
didn’t this off-season. There’s always this years deadline if they’re still lookin’ to move him. But the point is still the Cubs don’t have to go out knocking on doors and making a big drama out of this.
every other team in baseball knows he’s available for the right price, and if the Cubs really are negotiating an extension, know the asking price isn’t going down any time soon. If somebody’s willing to meet that price, then you can do a deal.
Never seem eager to do a deal, you get less in return that way. Even if everybody knows you’re rebuilding, never seem eager.
A left handed reliever, eh? Like Sean Marshall? They should have at least held on to him until the trade deadline and ripped off a desperate team.
Teams staring down the barrel of a 90 loss season have no business playing setup men who are going to leave at the end of the year top dollar. Three controllable young players was a better fit.
I think if Garza was only seeking $65mil / 5yrs then he’d be signed by now.
Epstein is drooling over the 3 top prospects Boston sent down.. Lavarnway, Iglesias and Middlebrooks. Especially Iglesias and Lavarnway who both could play there way onto a team not quite ready for a playoff team and both with just minor flaws right now.
C, SS would come in handy right now for him also with the projections those 2 have as well. Give him some time and he will build a top farm system in Chicago, but it’s going to take some time and just hope Cub fans don’t lose patience 1st. The old system is going to have to be completely over hauled have a feeling into something that works and he brought the right man with him (Hoyer) to help him bring about the correct changes.
I would think if he can pay enough of Byrd’s contract that they can get a fair prospect back for him, but it’s not going to be any kind of game changer.
I’ve got to believe Matt Garza will be on the block come the July trade deadline. He should be attractive to a host of contending clubs. Theo is right…the Cubs need to build up a failed farm system.
I think Theo is a little frustrated. Before the new slotting restrictions in the draft went into place, he would’ve had a much easier time rebuilding the farm. The Cubs have relatively deep pockets and Ricketts is willing to give Theo whatever he wants when it comes to signing prospects. Its why they are putting so much money into Latin America right now.
Too bad. The rebuild will take a few more years than it would’ve otherwise.