As predicted, now that Anthony Rizzo has been promoted to the big club and has failed to single-handedly vault the Cubs into first place, the fan base has moved on:
Now that Rizzo is with the big league team, how long until Jackson gets called up? Does it make it easier if Alfonso Soriano is traded?
– Matthew W., St. Peters, Mo.Jackson’s promotion has nothing to do with Soriano, but depends on whether Jackson can show he’s earned a spot on the big league team. In 75 games, he’s hitting .254 with 11 homers, 16 doubles and nine triples. Jackson has an OPS of .822, but has also struck out 111 times. In a three-game stretch from June 22-24, Jackson was 4-for-12, scored four runs, hit three homers, walked three times and struck out six times. Cubs manager Dale Sveum has been keeping tabs on Jackson’s at-bats and likes the outfielder’s bat speed, quickness and athleticism. But the strikeouts are a problem.
”It’s very alarming,” Sveum said. “It’s almost a strange occurrence how many there are. Even if he’s 3-for-5, the outs are strikeouts. … He’s on pace to strike out 200 times in a Minor League season, which is not easy to do.”
Matt Garza, RHP: Grade A trade bait, given that the in-season need for starting assistance is always abundant, and Garza, under arbitration control through 2013, is more than just a short-term solution. The Cubs do have the option of retaining and extending Garza, who is 3-6 with a 4.06 ERA, but his timetable for pay raises and their timetable for contention might not mesh. And if the interest in a guy who has had success in the American League East is overwhelming, who are they to say no?
Ryan Dempster, RHP: Everything was aligning for a Dempster deal, as he was compiling, wins aside, his best statistical season since 2008 and had already begun discussions with Epstein about potential scenarios. Then Dempster, who is 3-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 12 starts, suffered a sore lat mid-month, so any deal will have to wait until after he comes off the disabled list. As it stands, he might not be back before the All-Star break.
Alfonso Soriano, LF: Here’s one instance in which the monetary costs to get a deal done would be punitive, but it might be worth it. Soriano is owed roughly $45 million through 2014, and the Cubs would have to foot the vast majority of that bill to move him. But as the Zambrano deal demonstrated, the Cubs’ main motivation is talent acquisition, not fiscal frugality. Soriano is a free swinger best suited for the AL at this point, but he provides power and consistency against left-handed pitching.
LaHair, 1B/RF: A 29-year-old late bloomer who waited a long time for his first real Major League opportunity, LaHair opened a lot of eyes earlier this year. Whether or not the Cubs dangle him rests in their own internal evaluation — would they be “selling high” (his bat has cooled over the past two months and he’s not trusted against lefties) or simply selling LaHair short? Either way, there might be interest.
Castro, SS: A long shot for a swap, given that he’s under wraps through 2016 and has become a key contributor at a cornerstone position. The Cubs would have to be overwhelmed. We must not rule out the possibility, however faint that they will be.
Samardzija, RHP: Another long shot, as he’s under contractual control through 2015. The Castro comment applies, but Samardzija’s struggles this month obviously don’t help his value.
I would say that Reed Johnson, James Russell and Geovany Soto are also significant trade candidates.
By “Great White North”, do you mean Canada?
Did Julie ask anyone if she could go to Canada? She should stay here in the sweltering US and suffer like everyone else…:)
Northern MN. Same thing.
My dyslexia kick in momentarily and I saw NM. For a second there I thought I was going to half to go stalking.
I meant have…Geez how did I come up with that. Celeb shock I guess
Didn’t the Yankees just lose a starter? If a deal was worked out to send Garza to the Yankees, would it be the first Theo-Cashman deal?
(I realize Jed is the GM, but still)
They lost 2 starters.
Who would the Cubs want in exchange for Garza? The Cubs need pitching like everyone else….
I don’t know what other people are saying, but my guess is that in order for Jed to pull the trigger on a trade of Garza, they Cubs would have to get 2 of the top 4 prospects from a decent farm system(not the White Sox or Brewers) and probably 1 to 2 other mid level prospects. I agree with you, I would assume that they would be focused on acquiring pitchers.
The Blue Jays are the team I’d most like the Cubs to try to make a trade with. I like their prospects a lot and they are kinda desperate for pitchers right now, so they might overpay.
I could see Vitters getting the call up way before Jackson especially with our need for a solid 3B, I like Valbuena but he needs a break too and someone to platoon with. I don’t see Ian Stewart in the mix for much longer. IMO
Unfortunately, Josh Vitters, while vastly improved as a hitter lately, has one major flaw that makes him no more useful than Valbuena: Bad defense. He’s been quite horrible defensively for a few years now.
That is really the thing that will hold Vitters back right now, and unless he fixes that, his future might be as a corner outfielder or first baseman.
With that said…I think Vitters will definitely be a September call-up this year.
Agreed Doc, he played first base yesterday. He’s smashing the ball right now and his OPS is getting pretty strong but his fielding is “we stinks” but I’m not really convinced that his bat is any better then Valbuenas so we might as well just throw him in the trade bait scheme of things
His defense has improved to where he can stick at 3b. The main problem with Vitters is that he swings at everything. He needs to learn to pick his pitch.
I thought the reports out there were saying that he’s actually improved his plate discipline over the last couple months.
And I haven’t heard that much saying his defense had vastly improved. I’ll have to look that up, though.
5.7% BB rate for the season.
He’d be one of the top walk drawers on the Cubs!
Great the one day I could really use something to do while sitting in the office and the game is in rain delay. This day started shitty anyway. GO CUBS!!!
rain delay? but its hot and sunny outside
blah, now I have to find something else to listen to today
Game on, Rizzo walked first at bat
Muy Muy Valbuena!!! HR #3 speak of the devil lol
Cleavage with a 2 run homer. Woohoo.
I’m on the verge of benching Starlin Castro on my fantasy team.
He’ll be upset to hear that, I’m sure
I’ll give you Troy Tulowitzki for him.
No…I’ve got my replacement. I’m just thinking about benching him, not releasing him or trading him.
Maholm has a 1 hitter through 7 innings.
Randy Wells cleared waivers with all the pitching shortages out there. That says a lot about his ability and value.
Wooo!!! I just finished my last EVER trial as a divorce lawyer!
I hope you got half
Here is a quick quiz who was the last pitcher that the Cubs allowed to pitch a full game?
If memory serves me right, both Garza and Wells had complete games late in the year last season (with one of them being a loss…but I don’t remember which one).
If I were to guess…I’d say Randy Wells.
The reason I ask is because I really don’t no for sure either. It just shocks me that we haven’t or can’t even remember one of our pitchers going a whole game. There have been several opportunities for a few of our pitchers to go all the way and management (without saying any names) yanks them and we suffer a loss by our bullpen.I’m not complaining I’m a Cubs fan this is just what we do. But when in the fuck are we going to let a pitcher complete a game after throwing a killer session? Would you be pissed if you threw a 3 hit game with no walks and no runs to be pulled in the 8th with the lead? I would be…..
Got home…looked it up. Late last September Randy Wells pitched a complete game lose.
Garza September 21. Wells August 29
Cubs win! I can now breathe easy at least until tomorrows game.
I missed the whole game- it figures the Cubs win…
Sloan once again I feel for you
I wouldn’t say Brett Jackson isn’t near ready to face MLB pitching. His strikeout rate is quite high and a huge concern, but the guy continues to hit and players have shown an ability to be valuable despite high strikeout rates. Brett Jackson is never going to be a contact hitter. He struckout a lot in college and has throughout the minor leagues. That’s just who he is.
Where is everybody? Did the heat melt down LOHO?
I’m hear waiting for the game thread.Hope one comes out before we lose this game
I meant ‘here’. I’m a mess and don’t even know it
We need to keep Barney
RIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Jinx….
Rizzzzzzzzo!!!!!!!!!!!!’
Now the Cubs are are ahead! Let’s hope Garza doesn’t give it back….
Sutcliffe was hilarious doing the stretch…
Not liking he sound of Bremley’s “hiatus” . I wonder if he’s making himself available in case any coaches are fired at the break…
Cubs win!!!! Good-night Chicago!!!’!’
Great win today! Every day should be Anthony Rizzo Day!!!!
Man! When Julie takes a day off, she takes a day off. She promised she would be AROUND.I’m wandering aound like a lost little kid at the mall.”mommy”