Clark & Addison Blog - CubHub.net

Now I am willing to reconsider my position on Jim Edmonds as a Cub.  My original assertion was that he had to beat his old team, the dreaded Cardinals to ‘make his bones’ as it were, in Cubs pinstripes.  With today’s two HR day, along with a sparkling diving catch, I now finally accept Jim Edmonds as a Cub.  He has made an impact. He has proven he does in fact have more baseball in him. He has made GM Jim Hendry look awfully, awfully good in picking him up for basically nothing.  In fact, the Cards still pay millions of his salary. That sweetens the deal as the Cubs pound a nail in the 2008 Cardinals season.

When the Cubs got Edmonds, I wrote comparing it to the Bulls acquiring Dennis Rodman. The guy played a key role for years in a heated regional rivalry (Detroit Pistons) and now we are being asked to accept him as our own. Then, like now with Edmonds, I felt like the onus was on the player to prove his worthiness before I truly accept him. Edmonds has been steadily building a case since joining the Cubs but today, for me, pushed him over the top. He even got a curtain call from the Wrigley faithful following his second HR today.  So, welcome to the Cubs, Jimmy Ballgame!  

Even though Jim Hendry denies it, trading for Rich Harden clearly serves the purpose of an answer to the Brewers getting CC Sabathia for the stretch run. The fans are invigorated, the team seems charged by the news, the beat writers are all over it. Not since the Cubs acquisition of Nomar Garciaparra has there been such excitement over a mid-season trade. Fun stuff.

In giving up Sean Gallagher, it figures the Cubs had to give to get. He will probably be a good pitcher for years to come, but sure worth the gamble to get 15 starts out of Harden. When the Cubs got Rick Sutcliffe in 1984 they had to give up Joe Carter and Mel Hall, a hefty price to pay. At least as of today, the Harden trade doesn’t look all that balanced. Eric Patterson has certainly showed flashes, but there really was no room for him in the Cubs infield plans. He was a butcher in the outfield so certainly worth letting go of. Matt Murton is a good role-player, but again no room for him on this Cubs team. Hendry made the statement that everyone wanted to hear: The Chicago Cubs are going for it all this year.

Soon enough, a headline somewhere is going to read “Cubs start Harden, finish with Wood”. And really, what’s not to like about that?

The Milwaukee Brewers’ acquisition of CC Sabathia is being rejoiced widely in Cheeseland. Not unlike the day the Cubs acquired Nomar Garciaparra in a trade deadline deal, the Brewers fandom is now making plans for the ticker tape parade down Suds Boulevard come the end of October.  ‘Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpfeffer incorporated’, indeed.

But in reality, I don’t know how many games the brew-crew will pick up due to the Hefty Lefty. If you’re trading up your fifth starter for Sabathia, you are probably trading a guy who might go 5-10 for a beefy guy who might get you 10-5.  That’s just a five game pickup.  So if CC Rider is truly the difference maker, you would have had to have the Cubs winning the division by less than 6 games over the Brewers.  Sure, it puts some heat on the Northsiders, and there’s a lot of PR collateral generated by a small market team landing a big (really big) fish.  But Cub fans should just hold on tight and realize - all else being equal - that the Cubs will likely win the division by fewer games as a result of Milwaukee getting Sabathia.

Of course, had Jim Hendry landed CC for the Cubs, that would have been a deal-killer for the rest of the NL Central.  But instead we will likely have a race to the finish line.  The Cubs are presently on pace for 98 win season, which should put away the Brewers & Cardinals by plenty. Anything can happen down the stretch, but I for one am not hanging my head with the news that Prince Fielder now has a running mate at the post-game buffet.

I was stunned this morning to learn the biggest prize in this year’s anticipated trade deadline sweepstakes would be going to the Milwaukee Brewers. This is clearly a warning shot across Jim Hendry’s bow that the Brewers intend to challenge the Cubs for the division and perhaps more. So much for the argument that so-called small market teams can’t compete.  The Brewers were able to put together a package that brings them the Hefty Lefty, CC Sabathia from Cleveland.  Not good news for our beloved Northsiders.

How could Hendry have let the Hefty Lefty Land in our division?? Not only did Hendry fail to land the biggest fish, but now that CC is in our division the Cubs will likely have to face him a few times this year. This could be pivotal for the Cubs, especially if the division race comes down to just a game or two - CC Sabathia could very well be the difference maker for Milwaukee.

In my view, the pressure is on Hendry to find another legit starter for the playoff push. Not only will the Cubs be looking for the consolation prize player, but the other seven-odd teams rumored to have been wanting the Hefty Lefty will also be scrambling for whats left, even if only to save face with their fans. I mean, how can a team looking to make a serious push to October not make a July deadline deal?  Doing so can be a boost in the clubhouse in sending a message they are expected to win, but the fans also expect some blockbuster deal as a sign from the font office.

Jim Hendry is now on the clock to make a move to improve his own club as well as to counter what the Brewers have done. Rumblings have Rich Harden, AJ Burnett, Randy Wolf, and Eric Bedard all on the block. Will he get one of these guys or perhaps someone else? Any way you dice it, the Hefty Lefty is far and away the best of the this bunch. And those who remain are all a distant second.  Let’s hope the Cubs don’t end up a distant second come Oct 1 because of this…

With Soriano on the shelf until late July, looks like the team will call up Micah Hoffpauir again. This will give them a corner outfielder with (so far) a decent stick. I think we will see plenty of Mark DeRosain Left with Mike Fontenot at second, and Reed Johnson in Left with Jim Edmonds in Center.  This injury pretty much assures Edmonds will stick with the Cubs at least a few more weeks.  As I’ve written in the past, I want to see what Edmonds will do against the Cardinals when we play them July 4th weekend in St. Louis - now without Pujols or Soriano.

What will be interesting to see is how this may affect Jim Hendry’s trade deadline (July 31) strategy. While the Soriano injury shouldn’t be the kind that lingers or will dampen his abilities later in the season, it does thin out the depth of bench and minor leaguer options for the Cubs GM.  This could impact Hendry’s ability to make a deal late in July when some high-salary players will become available and the Cubs will have to move some young talent to get them.

No doubt the Cubs will try to fill some needs through trade deadline dealing. Starting pitching is a concern; the patchwork center field position could benefit from a legit everyday player; and always a left handed bat off the bench is on the shopping list.  Plus, if there are more injuries…there could be other needs not apparent right now.  The Cubs can trade from a place of strength right now with some major league ready young arms. As usual they have few if any position players that would interest many teams.  But with Soriano’s absence, Hendry will have to take another look at where he is and what’s available.

FOR GOD’S SAKE, DON’T PICK UP STEVE TRACHSEL FROM THE SCRAP HEAP!!!  (Again.)

O’s designate Trachsel for assignment (AP)

Steve Trachsel was designated for assignment Tuesday by the Baltimore Orioles, who couldn’t count on the right-hander in the bullpen after he struggled as a starter. The 37-year-old Trachsel was 2-5 with an 8.39 ERA in 10 games this season, including eight starts. After losing his spot in the starting rotation, he yielded six runs in two relief appearances totaling six innings.