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Note To Hendry: Do Something!

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1060West is a Cubs blog not afraid to tell it like it is.  In this post, they compare Jim Hendry’s situation right now to Mark Shapiro’s: two teams that were expected to compete but now have no chance.  Both clubs have plenty of veterans, and Shapiro has done a good job getting young players in return so far.  Hendry, on the other hand, has two mediocre A-ball pitchers to his credit.

Is there any good reason for the Cubs to hang on to Jones, Ramirez, Maddux, Eyre, Howry, Barrett, Dempster, and the rest? 

Source: Cubs Turned Down Kendry Morales For Aramis Ramirez

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A trusted Angels source gave me the scoop on the team’s inquiries concerning third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

Word is that Los Angeles offered first baseman Kendry Morales straight up for Ramirez and the Cubs turned it down.  Morales, a 23 year-old Cuban defector, was called up to start for the Angels after hitting .311/.352/.463 in 42 Triple A games.  He responded by hitting just .240/.302/.388 in 183 ABs between the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th spots in the batting order. 

According to Baseball America, Morales’s defensive deficiencies limit him to first base or DH.  Still, a team could probably get away with sliding him down one more notch on the defensive spectrum to left field.  If the Cubs decide to retain the hot-hitting Ramirez this month, they’d better be sure he’s not planning on exercising his out-clause and testing the free agent market.

My source also indicates that Morgan Ensberg is unlikely to be traded given his shoulder condition. 

L.A. Times: Angels Inquire About Ramirez, Tracy, Ensberg

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We’ve heard Miguel Tejada as well as various mid-tier firstbasemen bandied about as possible trade targets for Bill Stoneman and the Angels.  Mike DiGiovanna’s article for the Los Angeles Times today also indicates that the Halos could pursue various slugging third basemen.

Specifically, DiGiovanna mentions that the Angels have inquired about Aramis Ramirez, Chad Tracy, and Morgan Ensberg.

Ramirez is on fire, hitting .329/.391/.763 this month with nine home runs.  What some folks may not realize is that Ramirez has every reason and the ability to test the free agent market this winter.  He would most certainly top the money he’d make staying with the Cubs under his current contract.  Ramirez has said he wants to stay in Chicago, so we’ll see.

The Angels would have to offer an excellent young player to pry Tracy away from Arizona.  The 26 year-old has slipped a bit to .279/.343/.454 this season, which is below average for his position.  Still he’s locked up for $13.25MM for 2007-09.  That’s more than fair value.

Ensberg turns 31 next month, yet free agency is still a few years off.  He hit the DL on July 10th with a shoulder contusion.  After a torrid April, Ensberg hit just .194/.355/.382.  The Padres have also expressed interest, but this acquisition would be a gamble.   

Mariners Trade Rumor: Todd Walker

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According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the Mariners are scouting the Cubs’ Todd Walker.

Walker would be platooned with Eduardo Perez at DH and would be used against right-handed pitching.  From 2003-05, Walker has batted .290/.346/.458 against right-handers.  The 33 year-old impending free agent makes $2.5MM this season.  The Cubs have been trying to trade him since spring training.

Donald Trump Interested In Buying Cubs

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Interesting note from BenMaller.com this afternoon:  Donald Trump would consider purchasing the Cubs, if they became available.

The Donald is currently building a Trump International Hotel and Tower, a condo/hotel thingie, on the former site of the Chicago Sun-Times building.  It should be completed in 2009, just one year after the 100th anniversary of the last time the Cubs won a World Series.

If the Cubs ever become available, Trump would have competition from Mark Cuban.  There’s already a petition going. 

Trade Rumor Roundup: 7 Days Left

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Here’s the latest from around baseball…

Dejan Kovacevic mentions that the A’s are considering Sean Casey.  Casey’s doing his usual good batting average/low slugging thing and he’s getting $8.5MM for it.  The combined efforts of Dan Johnson and Nick Swisher have been inadequate at first, but would Casey really help?  Johnson is hitting .485/.575/.848 in 33 Triple A at-bats; maybe he deserves another look.  The Athletics, who are dead last in the AL in slugging, wouldn’t be helped by adding the powerless Casey.  They need Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee, Pat Burrell, or even Raul Ibanez to make a difference. 

The Yankees have decided to hold on to Philip Hughes, and the Phils aren’t biting on whatever else they offered.  According to George King, the Yanks think assuming Abreu’s contract and exercising his option should be enough.  Still, it would be cool to see a nasty young Phillies rotation in 2008 with Hughes, Cole Hamels, Gio Gonzalez, and Scott Mathieson.

Also, I’m hearing that WPEN in Philadelphia has mentioned a trade rumor: Tom Gordon for Trot Nixon.  Nixon is a good hitter (.400 OBP), though he’s 32 with declining power numbers.  Given that Flash would be hands down the best reliever on the market, I’d expect the Phils to get more.   

Kenny Williams didn’t deny the recent Soriano rumor, so now you know it’s legit.  Kenny has been pretty shrewd with the media, so this is probably all part of his plan.  Despite word of a possible contract extension with Washington, Buster Olney all but assured us of a Soriano trade in today’s blog.

Also, Olney nixed the A-Rod to the Cubs idea, explaining that Rodriguez is a bargain in the Yankees’ world.  This column is kind of weird to me.  Phil Rogers almost seems like he’s just cooked up a brilliant scenario or something, with Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones being swapped for A-Rod.  Thing is, Bleed Cubbie Blue broke out this exact trade rumor three weeks ago.

RotoAuthority has a look at which pitchers have been abused this season.

Trade Rumor Roundup: 8 Days Left

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To begin with, this just isn’t true.  With the Kearns deal and probably Soriano trade, the 2006 deadline just can’t be classified as a dud.  That honor belongs to 2005 for sure.  The trading action never matches the buildup, but this year’s still a good one.

Read Ken Rosenthal’s latest.  The White Sox are in the Soriano game, the Rangers have interest in Luis Gonzalez, the Braves could add another reliever, Julio Lugo still might become a Blue Jay, and the Brewers look like sellers.  In my opinion, some Brewers besides Carlos Lee that could be unloaded: Geoff Jenkins, Corey Koskie, Brady Clark, and Dan Kolb.  Koskie will need to recover quickly from his concussion, however.

Still hearing that the Cubs like Willy Taveras, which would definitely fit their m.o. of players who don’t get on base.  Phil Rogers also mentions that Seattle’s Rafael Soriano is being asked about. It would be surprising to see the Mariners deal that kind of young talent.

Tons of great rumors coming from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  He’s got a rundown of the Red Sox, all sorts of teams scouting Humberto Sanchez, and more. 

Buster Olney mentioned in his blog today that the Astros are among various teams scouting Elmer Dessens.  The Astros are also looking at Damaso Marte.

Unfounded rumor department: Could the Dodgers be after Aramis Ramirez?  Ramirez has picked a fantastic time to heat up, and L.A. has some top shelf young talent…is there anywhere Julio Lugo could go besides Toronto?  How about the Rockies?

Padres Acquire Scott Williamson

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The Padres picked up 30 year-old reliever Scott Williamson from the Cubs today.  In return the Cubs received some Class A pitchers: Fabian Jimenez Angulo and Joel Santo. 

Santo was ranked 16th among Padres prospects coming into this season, while Angulo was not in the top 30. 

Williamson is making $2MM this year.  He was one of Jim Hendry’s Tommy John rehab projects.  This season, Williamson has dealt with a problem similar to tennis elbow.  Speculation is that the Padres acquired Williamson to set up a trade of Scott Linebrink for a third baseman.  The deal marks Jim Hendry’s first with Kevin Towers.

Rumor Roundup

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Another day, another rumor roundup.  Let’s throw everything fresh into the mill.

The Orioles are thinking about taking on one of Philly’s huge outfielder contracts, for some reason.  I guess this could help next year’s push for third place.  Baltimore is one of baseball’s most baffling teams to me.  Abreu rumors have been floating around the Orioles since at least November.

The Cubs and Yankees may have something cooking, with Scott Williamson the likely candidate to be dealt.  If the reliever market is really so inflated, why don’t the Cubs trade Howry and Eyre?

The Pirates are offering up all sorts of non-difference makers, but Mike Gonzalez could actually get them something decent.  The 28 year-old southpaw has a 2.27 ERA in 39 innings this season.  Fantay leaguers should start thinking about Matt Capps as his successor.

Trade rumor All-Star Ken Rosenthal is getting into the game more lately, with a full plate of whisperings posted an hour ago.  Jose Vidro could become a Giant, and the D’Backs would love to trade Shawn Green (of course).

Unfounded rumors: Billy Beane may be shopping Mark Ellis and Jason Windsor, with possible interest in Brian Roberts…the Angels could be after David Dellucci…teams are calling the Mets about Alay Soler…Dallas McPherson is definitely on the block…there’s a decent chance Jon Lieber ends up a Yankee…the Mets and Nats are still talking about Livan Hernandez.

Todd Walker To The Giants?

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According to a source of Bleed Cubbie Blue, Todd Walker will be traded this month.  The source indicated that the Giants are the likely suitor and that they would use him at first base.

First base has been a black hole for San Francisco between Lance Niekro, Mark Sweeney, and a few others.  The average NL first baseman is hitting .284/.364/.500 this year, while the Giants have gotten .251/.310/.393 out of their first basemen.  You need a Lyle Overbay just to be average while the Giants have essentially been suffering through the offensive equivalent of Yuniesky Betancourt at first.

At .290/.361/.392, Walker still makes for a pretty lousy first baseman.  However, he is a career .437 slugger so maybe that’ll pick up a bit.  The Giants are 2.5 games out in the NL West and 1.5 games out of the wild card.  The team will probably lose Jason Schmidt, Barry Bonds, and Moises Alou this offseason, so the time is now.  In it this deep, Brian Sabean needs to acquire Pat Burrell, Alfonso Soriano, or Carlos Lee if he wants to actually gain some ground in the next two months.  Adding Walker would just be an aesthetic change.

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