Drum beat a little louder for Cubs deal

[nyjimbo]

I would prefer EPat over Ceda and Colvin personally(when I talk about them as players)..Colvin's upside is intriguing but I think he ends up being a bust. But, at the end of the day, for upside reasons, i probably take Colvin over EPat..Not sure about Ceda.

EPat is much of a sure thing and represents a big need and I think both you and RZ are too hard on him.

I usually appreciate your insite but I feel the bolded part is a huge stretch. As a 4th player in a deal he would be fine. Murton would also be ok if we somehow unload Payton somewhere else.

[33rdst]

Epat plus Veal, Gallagher and Cedeno makes the deal for me. He was just optioned to AAA. That makes Gallagher, Veal and Epat as three who have been reassigned. Cedeno is out of options.

[crawjo]

The more I think about this deal, the more it seems like a bad one for the Orioles. The iffy reports on Gallagher make me think that the Cubs don't really have anything worth trading Roberts for. Are any of these guys going to become future stars? Probably not. One or two of them might become useful major leaguers, but the rest seem to me to be guys destined to bounce between AAA and the majors.

The question to ask in these deals is whether any of the players we would be acquiring could contribute to the next good Orioles team. Of all the pitchers they are offering us, maybe one or at most two will meet that standard. Cedeno in all likelihood would just be a stopgap.

If the Cubs included Pie, that would change the dynamics, of course, but it doesn't look like that will happen.

That said, there is no good excuse for having Luis Hernandez as the starting shortstop. There are better options out there, and the Orioles should make a move quickly to fill that hole.

[RShack]

What makes EPat a sure thing? We're not sure if he can hit or field at the ML level.

Well, except for hitting and fielding he's a sure thing...

[theobird]

Well, except for hitting and fielding he's a sure thing...

Now this makes me laugh. Shack, you think his his arm is a sure thing?

[Sports Guy]

What makes EPat a sure thing? We're not sure if he can hit or field at the ML level.

I don't see much reason to question his bat...He has shown he can hit for a good average, can take a walk, has decent pop and has very good speed.

His defense can be average or slightly above IMO, based on what I have read.

And i didn't mean to say he was a sure thing, i meant that he is more of a sure thing than Colvin or Ceda.

[Moose Milligan]

Are we going for 1,000 here? Really?

[PoorMike]

The more I think about this deal, the more it seems like a bad one for the Orioles. The iffy reports on Gallagher make me think that the Cubs don't really have anything worth trading Roberts for. Are any of these guys going to become future stars? Probably not. One or two of them might become useful major leaguers, but the rest seem to me to be guys destined to bounce between AAA and the majors.

The question to ask in these deals is whether any of the players we would be acquiring could contribute to the next good Orioles team. Of all the pitchers they are offering us, maybe one or at most two will meet that standard. Cedeno in all likelihood would just be a stopgap.

If the Cubs included Pie, that would change the dynamics, of course, but it doesn't look like that will happen.

That said, there is no good excuse for having Luis Hernandez as the starting shortstop. There are better options out there, and the Orioles should make a move quickly to fill that hole.

These are my thoughts for the most part.

I will add that I'm not against the deal and that I'd take it if that's what AM wanted.....but if not, you have to defer to his knowledge of the Cubs organization and infer that these guys don't have high ceilings.

I don't think the Cubs should be asked to part with Pie if he's really their OD CF. I just don't. However, if all the guys look like they will be AAAA players, why bother?

[theobird]

These are my thoughts for the most part.

I will add that I'm not against the deal and that I'd take it if that's what AM wanted.....but if not, you have to defer to his knowledge of the Cubs organization and infer that these guys don't have high ceilings.

I don't think the Cubs should be asked to part with Pie if he's really their OD CF. I just don't. However, if all the guys look like they will be AAAA players, why bother?

Now that the Cubs got Johnson, they have no need for Murton. The new deal should be Gallagher/Veal/Cedeno and Murton. I just wanted to say that, and push this thread 1 closer to 1000.

[clapdiddy]

Are we going for 1,000 here? Really?

I think it needs to happen. We need this thread to get to 1,000!

Its wild how both SG and Bruce Levine said that they thought this thing was still going on around the same time. Has anyone ever seen SG and Bruce Levine in the same place together??? Makes you wonder....

[square634]

I think it needs to happen. We need this thread to get to 1,000!

Its wild how both SG and Bruce Levine said that they thought this thing was still going on around the same time. Has anyone ever seen SG and Bruce Levine in the same place together??? Makes you wonder....

I know you're just kidding, but I think it's just common sense that they are still talking. If it were already decided that, come opening day, Roberts and DeRosa would be the starting second basemen on the O's and Cubs respectively, then one of the GM's would have said something by now to end the speculation once and for all.

[theobird]

I know you're just kidding, but I think it's just common sense that they are still talking. If it were already decided that, come opening day, Roberts and DeRosa would be the starting second basemen on the O's and Cubs respectively, then one of the GM's would have said something by now to end the speculation once and for all.

I agree with this 100%. Until I hear Hendry or MacPhail say the deal is dead, then the deal is still alive.

[hoosiers]

I agree with this 100%. Until I hear Hendry or MacPhail say the deal is dead, then the deal is still alive.

IMO, the only reasons this deal will die are the following:

- the Cubs start off the season hot

- DeRosa starts off the season hot

- BRob is injured

[Roll Tide]

IMO, the only reasons this deal will die are the following:

- the Cubs start off the season hot

- DeRosa starts off the season hot

- BRob is injured

I guess I agree ... But I'd like to see it go one way or another. The thought of this thread going on after opening day is well...Painful

[CubbieMD]

Now that the Cubs got Johnson, they have no need for Murton. The new deal should be Gallagher/Veal/Cedeno and Murton. I just wanted to say that, and push this thread 1 closer to 1000.

Here's what you don't understand, most of my fellow Cubs fan brethren like to hoard players, especially Matt Murton.

See we want to see a log jam of talent for no particular reason than to have a log jam of talent.

No one really cares if we ever win this thing, it just makes the majority of Cubs supporters really happy to know that they have an over-abundance of #5 pitchers and #4 outfielders, for some strange reason.

Maybe they feel that there's some kind of moral victory for winning the AA or AAA championship, or even having a top 10 minor league system according to Baseball Prospectus.

This trade should've happened a long time ago. Heck, we could throw 6 decent prospects at you for Roberts and it's not going to make a difference anyway. Now that we have Johnson, there are quite a few expendable individuals in the Mesa dugout.

Cubs fans don't realize that 100 years of losing means your minor leagues pretty much sucked as well. So why bother now? There's no evidence that suggests success with our farm system.

The Cubs draw over 3 million each year AND rake in rooftop revenues, all the while, jacking up average ticket prices, second only to the Boston Red Sox.

Do you think we can go out and buy free agent talent to keep this team fresh every year? Well, Cubs nation does not. I, on the other hand, excluding the 4 fingers and 1 thumb, do!

Roberts SHOULD be in a Cubs uniform, and the Cubs should be outfitting a quarter of your MLB roster. These guys are just going to rot in our system; it's time to let them thrive elsewhere, because the Cendenos, Pattersons, Gallaghers, Marshalls, and especially the Murtons of the world certainly have the skills and deserve the shot.