**Follow-up** The deal is dead. Haren is a free agent, Marmol is back on the team. Cubs fans, put our heads back in the sand, nothing to see here. In the grand scheme of things trading a reliever, even an elite one, for a quality starting pitcher would strike most as a move worth making.Starters are so infinitely more valuable than relievers, even more so in the payroll department.Yet Carlos Marmol is no elite reliever, and hasn't been for a handful of seasons now. While Dan Haren was far from stellar last season, the 32-year-old is a near-Ace caliber pitcher when ...
While it tends to be quite difficult to root against the long shot, the underdog and the Cinderella story, sometimes the plug gets pulled on the dream and there's nothing left to be said.Twenty-nine-year-old rookie Bryan LaHair's tale did not end like he had planned, but it follows the tale of virtually all players in his position. Cubs fans know this version of it all too well, having already played through non-factors like Micah Hoffpauir, Jake Fox and a host of other heavy-hitting corner infielders who just can't make it when the at-bats pile up.These other guys along with LaHair ...
Boy, things could not have gone worse for Ian Stewart as a Chicago Cub.Not only was he arguably the worst everyday third baseman in the league, but he has dealt with nagging injuries all season long. Today, he was placed on the disabled list with a left-wrist injury that's been bothering him for a while, according to the Associated Press.The Cubs were expecting mediocre offensive production from Stewart, and that would have been enough to get him the starting job all season long with a team playing this dreadfully. Yet on the worst team in Major League Baseball, Stewart was nearly ...
In a move that was predicted by many, the Chicago Cubs have let go of their hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. While they remain arguably the worst offense and worst team in baseball, moves like these will tend to happen. Stepping into the interim role will be 35-year-old James Rowson, the Cubs minor league hitting coordinator, according to Doug Padilla of ESPN.com.The tenure of Jaramillo shed a bit of light onto the whole concept of a "high profile" hitting coach. When it comes down to it, there was absolutely zero evidence of any impact over his time on the north side. ...
Money talks and, well, that other thing tends to walk. Right now, the Cubs are in year one of a rebuilding process that could be alleviated as early as 2013 and as extended as the kind-of-distant future. It's one thing to cut and run on the previous general manager's mistakes and begin the process in theory, but boy, has it been hard to watch this current Cubs roster when the rubber hits the road.Shoddy defense. A downgraded and terrible bullpen. A mediocre rotation with more unknown commodities than you can shake a cane at. When it comes to the offense, however, it may ...
After the official rotation was released and discussed, today is the day that Dale Sveum has announced what the official Opening Day lineup should be, barring injury, according to the Chicago Tribune.While a lot of stock can be put into things like lineup order as well as spring training production, taking these facts with a grain of salt is putting it lightly.Promptly pour the entire salt shaker into your mouth.Spring training statistics don't hold a bucket of water next to the ocean of the season. While it may be nice that guys like Joe Mather produced like Albert Pujols injected ...
Sometimes I think many Cubs fans like myself forget that the 2011 season ever really happened. Never fear, I don't believe this to be an outbreak of city-wide mass amnesia (although that idea does sound like a concept that should be pitched in a new Kiefer Sutherland TNT drama). The 2011 season itself was simply the definition of forgettable.Matt Garza pitched admirably in a doomed season. Usually consistent Ryan Dempster was getting blown-up all year long. Young talent Andrew Cashner was held to a single start due to injury. The biggest issue was the rag-tag C-squad that took over the ...
This is about the time of the year when baseball fans are budding with anticipation for the upcoming season. Spring training is nearly here, and with MLB's decision to add even more playoff teams to the mix, franchises on the cusp of contention have even more to be excited about.I still doubt that it adds to the hope of many Chicago-based fans. When it comes to the Cubs and White Sox this season, some are postulating it's much more of a race to the basement.The Cubs are coming off a more-than-forgettable 71-win campaign, and their offseason of small acquisitions while ...
USA Today reports Cubs starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano is about to be traded to the Florida Marlins,in an unexpected offseason deal.Maybe "unexpected" is the wrong choice of word, as the deal has been a long-rumored one over the past few months. It is still another clear step in newly appointed Theo Epstein's march to remake the make-up of his Cubs franchise.Dave Kaplan of Comcast news reports that the deals specifics should be finalized in the next 24-48 hours. Although there is some finality to the pieces involved.Jon Heyman, ESPN sports news, Twitter.com that the Cubs will be receiving starting pitcher Chris ...
According to the Associated Press, the Cubs and Rockies have orchestrated a move that sends versatile third baseman Ian Stewart and 26-year-old reliever Casey Weathers to Chicago for outfielder Tyler Colvin and infielder DJ LeMahieu.There have been enough rumors bouncing around the mill over the last week or so about the Cubs' apparent interest in Ian Stewart that this move will come as no shock to many. The only thing that might give pause is the addition of DJ LeMahieu in this package, although many don't see him as ready for prime-time in any serious role in the majors at the moment.Just in this past ...
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