Wednesday, July 14, 2004
So it's Nomar to the Cubs for prospects, who the Red Sox will trade to Arizona for Randy Johnson. At least, that's according to...to whom, exactly? I'm pretty sure this is just a pipe dream, but it's a very pleasant pipe dream, is it not? And at least it's pervasive, and seemingly more substantial than it was yesterday, which is always a good sign. Of course, we also know how jumpy the Red Sox can be when it's time to close a deal. I'd give this like a 0.003% chance of actually happening.
There's a lot of wild speculation out there about who the Cubs should trade, and to whom, and who they should get for next to nothing. All I can say is that the Cubs "prospects" must be awfully promising, because they never seem to be giving up anybody from the major league roster about to get guys like Nomar, or Carlos Beltran, or Randy Johnson, or whomever. Look, I'd love to see a Nomarish lineup, so much so that I will happily write it out:
1. Todd Walker 2B
2. Derek Lee 1B
3. Sammy Sosa RF
4. Aramis Ramirez 3B
5. Nomar Garciaparra SS
6. Moises Alou LF
7. Michael Barret C
8. Corey Patterson CF
9. Prior, Wood, Clement, Zambrano, Maddux (yes, I rate them in that order)
THAT is a damn good lineup. That lineup reels in the Cardinals by late August. It's very seductive to imagine such a lineup. But a few caveats: 1) It's not going to happen, and 2) Who are we giving up from the farm? Because there are some damn good guys down there, guys I really want to see filling out Cubs unis for years to come. They include:
Francis Beltran - Could be the better-known Beltran in the league, in a few years. This guy has an excellent arm, a pretty good makeup (came back nicely from that 50,000-foot homer he gave up early in the season to Richie Sexson), and great stuff. Beltran should stay, although it's not a must.
Bobby Brownlie - Another good young arm, probably the most major-league ready in the system, not an untouchable but close.
Angel Guzman - Dead arm right now, live arm in the future? I've heard great things about him, and good young pitchers do not grow on trees.
Brendan Harris - Already had his cup of coffee this year, playing a position he doesn't usually play. Looks like he can actually hit, which is positive, and not a bad-looking 2B, I wouldn't think.
I don't know that I'd trade any of those guys to get Nomar for 80-odd games. It's nice actually trusting the Cubs' GM to make a good choice, though. It's Hendry Time. It might not be Nomar, but let's get us a bat.
There's a lot of wild speculation out there about who the Cubs should trade, and to whom, and who they should get for next to nothing. All I can say is that the Cubs "prospects" must be awfully promising, because they never seem to be giving up anybody from the major league roster about to get guys like Nomar, or Carlos Beltran, or Randy Johnson, or whomever. Look, I'd love to see a Nomarish lineup, so much so that I will happily write it out:
1. Todd Walker 2B
2. Derek Lee 1B
3. Sammy Sosa RF
4. Aramis Ramirez 3B
5. Nomar Garciaparra SS
6. Moises Alou LF
7. Michael Barret C
8. Corey Patterson CF
9. Prior, Wood, Clement, Zambrano, Maddux (yes, I rate them in that order)
THAT is a damn good lineup. That lineup reels in the Cardinals by late August. It's very seductive to imagine such a lineup. But a few caveats: 1) It's not going to happen, and 2) Who are we giving up from the farm? Because there are some damn good guys down there, guys I really want to see filling out Cubs unis for years to come. They include:
Francis Beltran - Could be the better-known Beltran in the league, in a few years. This guy has an excellent arm, a pretty good makeup (came back nicely from that 50,000-foot homer he gave up early in the season to Richie Sexson), and great stuff. Beltran should stay, although it's not a must.
Bobby Brownlie - Another good young arm, probably the most major-league ready in the system, not an untouchable but close.
Angel Guzman - Dead arm right now, live arm in the future? I've heard great things about him, and good young pitchers do not grow on trees.
Brendan Harris - Already had his cup of coffee this year, playing a position he doesn't usually play. Looks like he can actually hit, which is positive, and not a bad-looking 2B, I wouldn't think.
I don't know that I'd trade any of those guys to get Nomar for 80-odd games. It's nice actually trusting the Cubs' GM to make a good choice, though. It's Hendry Time. It might not be Nomar, but let's get us a bat.
