The Chicago Cubs made an unsurprising move at today's trade deadline shipping starting pitcher Ted Lilly and infielder Ryan Theriot to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Blake DeWitt and minor league pitchers Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit.
In Lilly, the Dodgers add a veteran arm that will fit nicely into the middle of their rotation behind Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley.
This has been Lilly's worst year record-wise in his four seasons with the Cubs, posting a 3-8 record but boasts an ERA of 3.69 and 1.14 WHIP.
Lilly's numbers have not been as great as they have been in previous ...
The New York Yankees are close to making the biggest splash of the winter meetings, thus far, by acquiring center fielder Curtis Granderson in a three-team trade that involves the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Detroit Tigers.
In the trade, the Yankees would receive another offensive weapon to add to their lineup and a great defensive center fielder, but it also brings up an interesting question.
What happens with Melky Cabrera?
This is where the Chicago Cubs come in. The Cubs are in need of a center fielder so they can move Kosuke Fukudome over to right once Milton Bradley is shipped out of ...
It has been reported most of the week that Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson could be had if the right offer were to cross general manger Dave Dombrowski's desk.
It has also been mentioned that two teams that would be interested in the services of Granderson would be the New York Yankees (of course) and the Chicago Cubs.
It is not surprising that the Yankees would be interested in Granderson because of the turnover in their outfield with the likely departures of Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, but also because they are the Yankees, and who aren't they interested in bringing ...
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting that Chicago Cubs pitchers Rich Harden and Aaron Heilman have been claim off of waivers by a National League team.
Placing players on waivers is not a strange occurrence in baseball, but it is interesting that both players might have been claimed by the same team.
Rich Harden has pitched very well as of late and would seemingly have very high value. Heilman, on the other hand, would seem to have little if any value to a contending team as he has been a blown save machine with the Cubs.
Teams who might have put ...
As most of my friends and family will tell you, I am one of the most optimistic Chicago Cubs fans around. After these last two games against the San Diego Padres, I realize that the Chicago Cubs are going nowhere in 2009.
I am sure many Cubs fans had drawn those conclusions after the sweep by the Phillies, but I thought it might be the Cubs struggling without the likes of Aramis Ramirez.
Now, I realize that the Cubs are dead. They're only 5.5 games out of the Wild Card and six games out of the division, but they're just not a ...
It has finally happened, Lou Piniella has come to his senses on Kevin Gregg as the Chicago Cubs closer.
After last nights game against the San Diego Padres, in which Kevin Gregg gave up four runs in the bottom of the ninth for his sixth blown save, Lou Piniella stated that, "I think we're going to make some changes as far as what we're going to do late innings."
Piniella also said of Gregg's performance that, "[The tough losses] all end the same way—with a home run ball. We'll see what we'll do. I'm going to think about it tonight."
Cub fans have ...
The Chicago Cubs have traded pitcher Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio, and third baseman Josh Harrison to the Pittsburgh Pirates for left handed reliever John Grabow and left handed AAA starter Tom Gorzelanny.
By completing this deal with the Pirates the Cubs add a much needed left handed reliever to their bullpen that only features lefty Sean Marshall. Grabow has pitched well for the Pirates this season with an ERA of 3.42 and 41 strikeouts in 47.2 innings pitched.
In Gorzelanny the Chicago Cubs recieve a depth starter for the minor leagues and has had success in the major leagues. In ...
After tonight's disappointing loss to the Houston Astros, general manager Jim Hendry should consider designating pitcher Aaron Heilman for assignment.
In the game against the Astros, Heilman allowed his 14th and 15th inherited runners (of the 30 he has inherited) to score and gave up an earned run himself to boot. The timing of this flap was rather terrible, as the Cubs were only down one run at the time with two outs in the eighth inning.
I have not been as outspoken as some Cubs writers about Heilman and his inability to pitch, but tonight was the straw that broke the camel's ...
Various media outlets have confirmed that the Chicago Cubs are interested in Toronto Blue Jays left-hander and former closer B.J. Ryan. Last week Ryan was placed on waivers by the Blue Jays and the Cubs will wait for him to clear waivers to pursue him.
Ryan has had a solid major-league career, in which he has complied an ERA of 3.37 and has 117 career saves. The reason for Ryan's major decline could likely be attributed to him having Tommy John surgery in 2007 but was very good for the Jays in 2008 with 32 saves and an ERA of 2.95.
This ...
When Chicago Cubs catcher Geovanny Soto went down with a left oblique strain after Monday's game against the Atlanta Braves, I assumed that this would be the perfect opportunity for rookie standout Jake Fox to find his way back into the lineup.
But I was wrong.
Instead of going with the hot hitting Fox, Lou Pinella decided to insert backup catcher Koyie Hill. Hill has hit poorly, much like the rest of the Cubs lineup.
But Hill is known as a good defensive catcher and bottom of the lineup hitter.
So why has Lou decided to insert Hill over Fox into a lineup that ...
