Chicago Cubs Winter Trade and Free Agent Rumors 2008-2009
This Article is from 2008-2009!
Oh man, it’s a long cold winter when you’re a Chicago Cubs fan.
If you’re like me and you live in Chicago, it’s FREAKING COLD. And sometimes wet, and slippery, gray, and cloudy, and usually WINDY. Winter Sucks.
And even if you’re not in Chicago but you’re still a Die Hard Cubs Fan, it means you’re in some various stage of anger, grief or acceptance over the latest post season disappointment.
And maybe you’ve even moved on to looking forward to the new season. You’re wondering what free agent will get signed, who will be traded and what the Cubs will do to get better for next year.
It’s Baseball’s Silly Season, and even this guy can pretend to be a General Manager. Don’t get me wrong, this guy is awesome and I would drink Old Style tall boys with him in the bleachers any summer day, but he probably doesn’t have what it takes to be a GM. And realistically, neither do you, and neither do I. We’re just delusional cubs fans, and like baseball fans around the country, we’re speculating what our team will do. We’re thinking about what WE would do if only the put us, the fans in charge. JUST PUT ME IN CHARGE AND THIS TEAM WILL BE A WINNER!
Easier said than done. It’s really easy to sit on the sidelines and just put together your dream team and sign every free agent and trade your mid level prospects for other teams all stars. It’s easy to second guess moves before the season has even begun. In 2007 people thought it was ridiculous when Jim Hendry signed Mark DeRosa to a three year contract at around 12 Million; but now he’s one of the most revered players on the team. You just don’t know how things will play out until they, well…. play out. And so many people on blogs and forums just want to propose ridiculous and unrealistic trades like “Why doesn’t Jim Hendry just trade Ronny Cedeno for Jake Peavy?”Umm… because no general manager is retarded enough to trade an all star in his prime for a bench warmer.
So here is where I will start keeping a record of all the trade rumors for the 2008-2009 winter off season. Someday we can look back and laugh at them.
2008-2009 Chicago Cubs Winter Offseason Rumors
Free Agent Rumors
The Cubs will sign free agent Randy Johnson (unlikely because they don’t really need him)
The Cubs will sign free agent Raul Ibanez (it’s possible but he was offered arbitration)
The Cubs will sign free agent Bobby Abreau (it’s possible but may want to much money and years)
The Cubs will sign Adam Dunn (that guy? i don’t really see it)
The Cubs will sign Rafael Furcal (mmmmm…. nope)
The Cubs will sign Derrick Lowe (nope, to old for a long term big money contract)
The Cubs will sign Milton Bradley (big upside, low price, but potential for problems so maybe?)
The Cubs will sign Andy Pettite (who started that one? no)
The Cubs will sign Mark Teixeira (sign someone who wants even more money and years than Soriano while the Tribune goes bankrupt? now who’s delusional?)
The Cubs will sign Manny Ramirez! (that would be a fun ride but no)
The Cubs will sign C.C. Sabathia (I don’t think that’s really a rumor, just wishful thinking)
The Cubs will sign Alex Rodriguez (No wait, that was last years rumor. Doesn’t that seem ridiculous in hindsight? This should give you an indication as to how accurate these rumors turn out to be)
Trade Rumors
The Cubs will trade for Brian Roberts (sound familiar?)
The Cubs will trade for Jake Peavy (sure would be nice, but i don’t think so)
The Cubs will trade for Mark Teahen (who? no, i don’t see it)
The Cubs will trade for Jermaine Dye (that would be kind of cool but no)
The Cubs will trade Derrek Lee (nope, are you crazy?)
The Cubs will trade Alfonso Soriano (no way at all, you are crazy!)
The Cubs will trade Ryan Theriot (why?)
The Cubs will trade Mark DeRosa (again, why?)
The Cubs will trade Sean Marshall (he’s the future 5th starter so probably not)
The Cubs will trade Ronny Cedeno (nobody really wants him that bad)
The Cubs will trade Kosuke Fukudome (he’s a really expensive question mark, so no way)
The Cubs will trade Jason Marquis (this guy gets no respect from anyone so probably not)
The Cubs will trade Felix Pie (it’s possible but i don’t see getting much back)
The Cubs will trade Josh Vitters (well, he’s about the only real prospect they have left besides Samardzija)
The Cubs will trade Carlos Zambrano (whoa! This is the first time I’ve heard Big Z’s name ever come up in a trade rumor and I don’t believe it one bit)
Sure rumors are crazy, and so is talking about baseball in December, but it’s a long, cold winter and what else do we have to do?
———-
Actual Offseason Moves the Chicago Cubs Made during winter 2008-2009:
11/13/08 -Acquired reliever Kevin Gregg from the Marlins for minor league pitching prospect Jose Ceda.
12/11/08 - Paid the Cincinnati Reds to select Double-A right-hander reliever David Patton from the Colorado Rockies with the seventh pick of the Rule 5 draft.
12/16/08 - Cubs sign free agent outfielder Joey Gathright, a speedy left handed hitter who can play all three outfield positions to a 1 year/$800,000 contract.
12/31/08 – Cubs sign free agent Aaron Miles, a switch hitting infielder/outfielder who in 2007 played all three outfield positions as well as second base, shortstop and third.
12/31/08 – Cubs trade second basemen Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians for three minor league pitchers; right hander Jeff Stevens, right hander Chris Archer and left hander John Gaub.
1/06/09 – Cubs trade starting pitcher Jason Marquis to the Colorado Rockies for relief pitcher Luis Vizcaino.
1/17/09 – Cubs resign Ronny Cedeno to a one year contract for $822,000.
1/18/09 - Cubs trade OF Felix Pie to the Baltimore Orioles for left-handed pitcher Garrett Olson and right-handed pitcher Henry Williamson.
1/20/09 – Cubs re-sign right-handed reliever Michael Wuertz to a one year $1.1 million contract.
1/28/09 – Cubs trade infielder Ronny Cedeno and left handed starting pitcher Garrett Olson to the Mariners for right handed reliever Aaron Heilman.
1/30/09 – Cubs sign catcher Paul Bako to a one year contract for a reported $500,000.
2/02/09 – Cubs trade pitcher Rich Hill to the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named later.
2/02/09 – Cubs trade reliever Michael Wurtz to the Oakland A’s for Minor League outfielder Richie Robnett and infielder Justin Sellers.
2/06/09 - The Cubs sign outfielder Milton Bradley for to a reported 3 year $30 million dollar contract.
Anything else is just a rumor!
The HOT Chicago Cubs rumor all winter long was that the Chicago Cubs would trade for Jake Peavy. I was never really convinced that the Cubs had the pieces to make this trade happen unless the Padres really really needed to cut payroll. Also, both teams were in the midst of changing owners and that could easily effect the whole situation. But we’ll see…..
GO CUBS!!
——
A few points on the rumored trade of Mark DeRosa: I love Mark DeRosa but everyone is talking about him like he’s Babe Ruth or something. He has NEVER finished a season hitting .300 or more (unless you count year 2000 with the Braves when he hit .308 in 22 at bats) and he’s NEVER hit 25 home runs in a season, and NEVER driven in 100 RBI’s in a season or even 90. Seriously, I love the guy, and he’s really valuable to this team but everyone is talking him up way too much. If you can trade him, a bench player who’s never hit over .250 (Pie), a AA guy without a single major league at bat (Vitters) and a #5 starter (Marquis) for a freakin CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER, that seems a good trade! Also, I know Soriano can be maddening at times, but he’s led the team in home runs two years in a row and the Cubs have made the playoffs each year he’s been on the team, so he’s no a bum. Overpaid, HELL YEAH, but don’t talk about him like he’s Jacque Jones or something. Without that broken finger because he got hit by a pitch he probably would have driven in 100.
Think of that rotation: Zambrano, Peavy, Dempster, Lilly and Harden! (or whatever order, doesn’t matter) Throw in Abreau, Ibanez or Bradley into left field and this team wins the division for the third year in a row! I know, doesn’t matter if they don’t go anywhere in the playoffs, but the Braves won the division 13 years in a row and only won the world series ONCE. The Yankees went to the playoffs every year from 2001-2007 and DIDN’T win the World Series once in those seven years. But nobody said they sucked. (besides Red Sox fans) The Cubs have a great team that is weighed down by history, imaginary curses and fan expectations. Relax Cubs fans, IT’S GONNA HAPPEN!
I would have loved to have seen Peavy in a Cubs uniform. It’s a rare opportunity to get an ace under a long term contract that will lead your staff for years. I would have hated to see DeRosa go but you have to give up something of value to get a Cy Young award winner. We don’t really know the whole story on this though, only rumors from news guys trying to sell papers and rumors from “unnamed sources”. I trust Jim Hendry. He has his reasons. We don’t know what Towers was actually asking for, even though the guy can’t seem to shut up. Towers should try and fly under the radar a bit more because blabbing to every person who will listen about his plans doesn’t seem to be working. He’s tried to trade Jake Peavy to two teams now and hasn’t made it happen. Even the Braves would rather pursue the high priced Burnett than deal with Towers. That should tell you something. I’m going to assume the Cubbies have budget now for a left handed hitting right fielder, so I can’t wait to see who they pickup. GO CUBS!!!!!
[...] lighten up. Cubs, Absence From World Series, Agree To 4-Year Extension (Let’s hope this Chicago Cubs rumor is false!) Tampa Bay Rays: “F*** You, Cubs” (Sounds about [...]
Take Raul Ibanez off of the Cubs Rumor Mill. Ibanez signed with the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies on 12/06/18 for 3yrs $31.5 Million. Considering he’ll be making less per year than Fukudome but with twice the home runs and RBI’s, it looks like a good deal from Chicago. You would think the Cubs could afford that, so either they didn’t want him, he didn’t want to play for the Cubs or they couldn’t actually afford him.
This move has caused Milton Bradley to become the most rumored Cubs free agent signing. Hmmmmm….. we’ll see!
Wow, so the Cubs really traded DeRosa! I’m surprised, I really didn’t think it would happen. Mark DeRosa has been a valuable member of the team for the past two seasons and you’re always initially shocked when a player in his prime gets traded. I’m still trying to make sense of it. I know Aaron Miles fills in at all the same positions as DeRosa but I sure don’t see Miles hitting as well. DeRosa made a lot of big RBI’s throughout the course of the season. There has to be more to this. There’s definitely another trade or signing in the works. The Cubs didn’t get any big prospects in return. Maybe there’s something behind the scenes about DeRosa that we don’t know about. Hmmmmmm….
Many Cubs fans finally got their wish: the Cubs dumped Jason Marquis to the Colorado Rockies for journeyman relief pitcher Luis Vizcaino. You kind of have to look at this as one of those “addition by subtraction” moves. Vizcaino isn’t worth too much and takes the place of Bob Howry (circa 2008) as a guy who doesn’t really look too dependable but you might put in the game when you have a decent lead. Maybe he’ll bounce back and have an okay you but I don’t think anyone is expecting too much.
Jason Marquis was a decent fifth starter but very overpaid this year and it’s amazing somebody took him without asking the Cubs to eat most of his contract. The Cubs will only have to pay about $875,000 of his $9,875,000 contract. He can be relied on to “eat innings”, usually stay healthy and occasionally look good in between his frustrating outings. I think Marquis basically punched his own ticket out of town last year when during spring training he said “If I don’t start I want to be traded”. Who did he think he was? Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster and Sean Marshal all spent time in the bullpen when they would have rather been starting. You do what you gotta do for the team. You may also remember a game where Pinella went to the mound after Marquis walked the first two batters with no outs and gave Marquis some VERY “choice” words about it. See ya!!!!
[...] was rumored over much of the winter that the Cubs were interested in Bradley, and unlike some many delusional cubs rumors (Jake Peavy trade) this one [...]
[...] there will be baseball. We’ve spent the winter talking about Cubs free agent trades and rumors. We’ve tried to find other things to think about. Some of us have anguished over [...]
[...] Delusional Cubs Fans, but your favorite Cubs winter trade rumor for the last two seasons has still not come [...]
Spring Training has begun!
Soon it will be time for summer baseball.
There could still be some moves made over the next few weeks before the season starts but the Cubs have the roster in place which they’re likely to start the season with.
Last year Reed Johnson was a late spring pickup and Jim Edmunds joined the team about six weeks into the season, so changes could still happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone under the radar becomes available like those guys did but your 2009 Cubs roster is almost set.
plotki, celebryci, gwiazdy…
[...]Chicago Cubs Winter Trade and Free Agent Rumors 2008-2009 | DELUSIONAL CUBS FAN[...]…