Post latest rumors on the Roberts trade here...

[Birds08]

What are Cedeno's chances of becoming at least a league average major league SS?

[Hank Scorpio]

Here's what I was told as of last evening:

For the most part the FO does not feel the Cubs are a great match a this time.

They like Gallagher alot and he will be included in any deal.

Any deal will most likely require Payton going to the Cubs.

Gallagher is really the only pitcher we would look to get for the Cubs. They Cubs are giving away Mutton and Cedeno for the most part. They would moist likely be included in any deal.

For the 4th piece we would be looking for a non 40 man roster player. Colvin is the guy we've wanted. After Reimold the minor league system is pretty weak concerning outfield prospects. We feel we already have over a dozen young pitchers in the system better than Veal who is projected to be a reliever by many.

No word on a 5th player.

Bottom line is if the Cubs would take a deal of Gallagher, Murton, Cedeno, and Colvin for Roberts and Payton there is a chance of it happening.

My guys personal opinion is Roberts remains an O and we try to extend him.

Read into this as little or as much as you want.

This is exactly the type of stance we should be making in this situation.

I'm not quite sure why Hendry seems so bent on Roberts, but we're obviously not dealing from a desperate position here. I can't imagine that the Cubs feel that they are, either... but remember when Bavasi came out in the paper and said, (paraphrasing here) "We feel we need to make one more addition...."

Obviously Hendry feels a sense of urgency. Why? Who knows....

After the way the Bedard deal played out, I think you have to just sit back and watch this one. If this deal goes down, it SHOULD be on our terms.

Colvin doesn't exactly drop my jaw, but if we could convince them to take back Payton.... whatever, I'll take him.

[Insomniac]

Thats a fair trade for both sides.

It would certainly be a fair trade for both sides. To me, though, the real question is whether a "fair" return is enough to justify trading Roberts at this time.

Trading Bedard for Jones, Sherrill and Tillman would also have been a "fair" trade for both sides, but AM decided that "fair" wasn't enough and he eventually received two more excellent prospects.

IMO, the intangibles that BRob brings to the table in the short-term for the Os justifies holding him until we are overwhelmed by an offer, and AM should not accept the first (or even second) "fair" offer that comes our way.

We need a lead-off hitter. We need someone who can play a solid 2b. We need a veteran who can teach Adam Jones how to steal bases. And, last but not least, we need to keep Cindy happy for as long as possible!

Personally, I would wait for the first "overwhelming" offer.

[rolliefingers]

Here's what I was told as of last evening:

For the most part the FO does not feel the Cubs are a great match a this time.

They like Gallagher alot and he will be included in any deal.

Any deal will most likely require Payton going to the Cubs.

Gallagher is really the only pitcher we would look to get for the Cubs. They Cubs are giving away Mutton and Cedeno for the most part. They would moist likely be included in any deal.

For the 4th piece we would be looking for a non 40 man roster player. Colvin is the guy we've wanted. After Reimold the minor league system is pretty weak concerning outfield prospects. We feel we already have over a dozen young pitchers in the system better than Veal who is projected to be a reliever by many.

No word on a 5th player.

Bottom line is if the Cubs would take a deal of Gallagher, Murton, Cedeno, and Colvin for Roberts and Payton there is a chance of it happening.

My guys personal opinion is Roberts remains an O and we try to extend him.

Read into this as little or as much as you want.

That would be an outstanding deal for us. If we can get Bunny Colvin (as a high risk project) AND get rid of Payton, I don't see how you can turn that down.

[33rdst]

What are Cedeno's chances of becoming at least a league average major league SS?

This is a good question. Does anyone have any EQA+ information on Cedeno. Doesn't this STAT project his ML numbers off of his minor league performance.

[El Gordo]

What are Cedeno's chances of becoming at least a league average major league SS?

Very good IMO.

[rolliefingers]

And Colvin does not qualify as a premier prospect. Keith Law thinks, at his best, he is a fourth outfielder. Good point.

He also has a lot of upside. He's a classic boom-or-bust prospect. If he's the fourth part of a deal, especially if Murton and Gallagher (who, IMO, are pretty much sure things) are coming as well, and ESPECIALLY if we can unload Payton, that's a very nice deal.

[Cubsfan]

Hey, welcome to the board. I am not attacking you at all here, but you said that, "McPhail will have to pick from 3 of the usual names mentioned." No offense but AM doesn't HAVE to pick from those names. He can easily hold on to Roberts and I think alot of us would understand. I really think that we need to get atleast ONE premier prospect and if the Cubs will not even give up someone like Colvin then we just need to look elsewhere for a deal. My point here is that he doesn't HAVE to take below market players. I think we have all learned to trust AM a little more after the last few deals. If he wants to wait for something better now. I am waiting with him.

No offense taken. I guess what I was trying to say is that if McPhail wants to complete the trade with the Cubs, I think it would be 3 for 1 for Roberts only. After reading some more posts, I think OH posters are underestimating Gallagher when you say you need to get a top prospect. Platooning Murton with Scott in LF would give you great production. I had proposed getting Scott to platoon with Murton before we got Fukudome. Given the right situation, Murton is going to have a very long, solid career, but unfortunately he doesn't fit with the Cubs. As one of your posters pointed out, this is not a trade that needs to be made on either side, but one that could benefit both teams in their current situations. I know some of you are hoping McPhail walks away from the deal if it's not what you want, but there are many Cub fans who wouldn't mind keeping Gallagher et al or using them in another deal. I do think McPhail has done a great job so far, but he might as well complete the job of rebuilding by trading Roberts.

[El Gordo]

It would certainly be a fair trade for both sides. To me, though, the real question is whether a "fair" return is enough to justify trading Roberts at this time.

Trading Bedard for Jones, Sherrill and Tillman would also have been a "fair" trade for both sides, but AM decided that "fair" wasn't enough and he eventually received two more excellent prospects.

IMO, the intangibles that BRob brings to the table in the short-term for the Os justifies holding him until we are overwhelmed by an offer, and AM should not accept the first (or even second) "fair" offer that comes our way.

We need a lead-off hitter. We need someone who can play a solid 2b. We need a veteran who can teach Adam Jones how to steal bases. And, last but not least, we need to keep Cindy happy for as long as possible!

Personally, I would wait for the first "overwhelming" offer.

One of the many intangibles that can't be dimissed. This trade looks like the addition of Marquis for the Cubs side,and/or Fontenot for the O's might work. But I like the idea of BRob teaching Jones his base staeling secrets. I think that ST is a real deadline. Out of deference to BRob I don't think they trade him after that, until the trade deadline.

[McNulty]

He also has a lot of upside. He's a classic boom-or-bust prospect. If he's the fourth part of a deal, especially if Murton and Gallagher (who, IMO, are pretty much sure things) are coming as well, and ESPECIALLY if we can unload Payton, that's a very nice deal.

Eh, I saw him play in person about 10 times in college. I'm certainly no scout, but he didn't impress me, and that was against college pitching. Obviously, I could be way, way off here, but I really don't see it with him.

[Greg Pappas]

While there hasn't been much mention of it, besides a few of us here at the OH, a deal of Roberts to Colorado for Ian Stewart and SS Chris Nelson seems to be a no-brainer for both sides.

[McNulty]

While there hasn't been much mention of it, besides a few of us here at the OH, a deal of Roberts to Colorado for Ian Stewart and SS Chris Nelson seems to be a no-brainer for both sides.

Couldn't agree more.

[WebLink21]

While there hasn't been much mention of it, besides a few of us here at the OH, a deal of Roberts to Colorado for Ian Stewart and SS Chris Nelson seems to be a no-brainer for both sides.

Is this a possibilty? I would do that deal in a second. I think that Nelson is going to be a very good SS one day. I haven't read this anywhere else. I like that much more than the Cubs deal.

[TheBee]

While there hasn't been much mention of it, besides a few of us here at the OH, a deal of Roberts to Colorado for Ian Stewart and SS Chris Nelson seems to be a no-brainer for both sides.

YES - excellent idea, Greg. Both seem to be quality but blocked in Colorado. Nelson's batspeed being compared to Sheffield is very exciting...so are his 19 homers and 42 2bs

[thundercleetz]

While there hasn't been much mention of it, besides a few of us here at the OH, a deal of Roberts to Colorado for Ian Stewart and SS Chris Nelson seems to be a no-brainer for both sides.

Stewart and Nelson are both top 100 prospects, I don't know if Colorado would trade them both, even if both guys are blocked by young, talented players.