Peavy to the Cubs? What does that solve?

No one is saying he solves the Cubs' problems. But he's Jake Peavy. You don't say no to a player of his caliber, regardless of your needs. Especially a pitcher who can fit more easily into an already stacked rotation. You couldn't do this if another great 1B or 3B came around because there's no room. Hendry knows there are other problems to be solved and he's still addressing them. The fact that the Cubs don't need Peavy as much as San Diego needs to unload him just means that the Cubs have more leverage in the negotiations.

OK Roman, let's not trade some spare parts for a Cy Young pitcher. You're right. That won't help anything.

Roman responds? The point - Mark - is he won't lead them anywhere if they don't address their other problems. I didn't say he won't help. An argument could be made he won't be as valuable as DeRosa, who may have been the team's MVP last season.

I agree with Mike. You just don't let a horse get away if its there for the taking. Cubs have a lot of options to move another less productive pitcher. Was a good move for Hendry.

Wish Kenny had signed him.

Why? Because its the Cubbie culture. As long as its the BIGGEST name and the most blab, that's all that matters. And therein lies the eternal reason why the Cubs haven't won and won't win in 2009.

Based on the blogs I've been reading in here and in other publications/websites, the "excitement" or hype over Peavy isn't coming from just Cubs fans, it is the attention from the media outlets and sportswriters. Most Cubs fans I know are still stinging over last season's playoffs and hating on Fukudome rather than being excited for Peavy. For me, acquiring Peavy doesn't solve the problem the team has in the playoffs, but it's not going to hurt getting him. I don't care about the Cubs spending the money or taking on the salary. It's their money. If anything, Peavy provides, as mentioned, the quality depth in the starting rotation, but certainly, the Cubs must still address many other areas of concern in a quality left-handed bat, a left-handed middle reliever or setup guy in the bullpen and of course, the dreaded leadoff position. As for Peavy's lack of playoff success, he's just 1 guy and really, I'm tired of people dwelling in the past. If the Cubs make it to the playoffs again in 2009, then that will mark as 3 years ago since Peavy made his last playoff start! Are you going to crucify Jake Peavy for the rest of his playing career for just 2 failed playoff starts on a San Diego Padres team that was never close to being a World Series caliber team?? Come on. The guy is still a talent and who knows, maybe experience will finally take over eventually to get over that hump or jinx, whatever people want to call it.

Plus, I'm not even sold on Ryan Theriot at shortstop again for a full season. In my opinion, he's a at best, a mediocre defensive shortstop and he's a better #2 hitter in the lineup than he is true leadoff guy. Theriot has terrible range and a lack of arm strength at short. I really think that shortstop position should be addressed as well. Is Rafael Furcal still an unsigned free agent?

yes, Peavy is not the answer to the Cubs' playoff woes, but Hendry has already said acquiring Peavy was NOT the last plan in improving the team. It's still December, folks. There's a long way to go in the baseball offseason. Just too much unnecessary hype and attention right now for baseball. Just let the deal play out, if it ever does or not. I'm still paying attention more to the Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks anyway....

It solves the question of who will have the best rotation in baseball and the best rotation in chicago in our lifetimes, sox fans lifetimes too although that means dividing by 7 or something doesnt' it?

As far as the other needs? Who cares, with this rotation you win the division, and you are in the playoffs, if need be pick up a bat during the season, and maybe make another trade for bullpen help.

The new owners get to the playoffs with their new toy, and maybe they get to win it all and be sports legends for all time.

That would solve a number of things. Course for sox fans they still will be trying to figure out what ozzie and kenny seem so happy about as their payroll is cut in half and the team gets too old and too young all at once. Kenny only has a couple more pitchers to go and he'll have dumped all the major league arms on the roster, that should solve the white sox for a few years.

Roman responds: Might be the best rotation as far as reputation, but I seem to remember four horses on the South Side in '05 who pitched four consecutive complete-game victories IN THE PLAYOFFS and led the team to the World Series title. Do that - better yet, win one playoff game - and tell me which staff is better.

Roman - come on, cubs had the 2nd highest run total and 5th highest batting avg. last year, and it wasn't soley because of DeRosa (who did bat a respectable .293).

Peavy will bring confidence to the team. Confidence they could have used during last year's playoffs.

Roman responds: Jim, my brother, they won 97 games and had the best record in the National League. How many wins do they need for confidence? And I'm not saying don't get him, I'm just saying don't tell me this solves their problem.

Roman, I'd be hard pressed if you could find ONE credible article that said that Peavy solves the Cubs' problems.

Roman responds: Kay, I started a poll yesterday asking people if they thought Peavy would lead the Cubs to the World Series title. Almost 400 people said yes, and nearly 900 said yes if they get a lead-off hitter or lefty bat. There's that perception.

Hey Roman keep living in the past LoL , talking about the white sox's 05 pitching staff lol, live for the future buddy

Roman, did you really just try to reason with Cubfan Otis? lol.. that's cute. He's going to fire back and say.. "STOP LIVING IN THE PAST! '05 is OVER. It was a fluke!!" I'd like to see the Cubs fluke their way to ONE playoff win too.. this three and out deal is getting boring.

It solves that bad taste that the Cubs left in their fans mouths last October and that is all that really matters.
Pack em in and fleece them wherever you can and that means the big money will continue to flow through Wrigley's gates like a Rod Blagojevich speech at a Turrets syndrome clinic.

A smart move would be to stop whining about Brian Roberts and actually make the deal but that is not sexy enough for the bitter Cub fans so they are going to get a player that they do not need but fills the bill as this year’s pacifier.
With the luster worn off of Fukudome for the time being and the never ending “Let’s keep Kerry Wood’s behind warm and wet” extravaganza finally over the Cubbie fans need a new shiny coin to have and hold and call their own.

Jake Peavy is what they have been told they must have and like good loyal Cub sheep they will get all excited about the possibility of having him. They will demand that the Cubs get this missing jeweled piece to the puzzle.
That way they will feel like they had a say so in getting what they want from the Cubs management and it will go down nice and easy as long as the beer is cold during another one of their “premium” games at Wrigley. Pony up that cash.

That is the confidence that the Cubs owners have in you Cub fans.

Pretty bogus there, Roman, pulling out the World Series card. We'd all kill for a championship and you damn well know it. What do you suggest? Which available player is guaranteed to "step up" in the playoffs?

well let's see if Peavy was in cub blue the rotation would look good on paper. B ut honestly the cubs have some holes they need to fill. 1 left handed bat 2. middle relief help. 3 . leadoff hitter. 4. bench help...... now we havent heard Hendry do any talking it's all been San Diego.. see the cubs have said if they where to land peavy they have to get rid of some contracts to make anything happen. well i havent seen hendry like in the past 2 years making deals or trades at winter meeting. what is he working on his tan?? so either hendry dosent want peavy and that contractor is the new so called owner telling him they cant afford any more money? see if the cubs didnt backload some contracts they could move players to free up money and also didnt have the no trade clause in them alsoi'm a die hard cub fan all my life, but 1 player dosen't make the difference. we where here last year also with the roberts rumorwell that didnt help now did it..see if the cubs unloaded some players to free up money and if they had a true leadoff man and right fielder and a solid bench and relief pitching then yea if i was hendry i pull the trigger for Peavy good pitching will stop good hitting point blank.....padres say this and that what they want in return for Peavy well if the cubs want to make the trade why not these players going to Padres
1 pie
2 hill
3 guzman
4.marquis
5 cedeno

now these to have done deals before so why doses towers want to bring in another team??/ this way the cubs can keep vitters and if they want to trade derosa then get some help that way for farm system this is my opion but i dont think this trade will resolve it's self. padres net reporting if he isnt dealt to cubs he will go to yankees thats what Mr. Peavy said

The problem with the Cubs for the last two years is that their lineup is too right-handed. How do you justify starting Edmonds and Fukudome for the first two games against the Dodgers when they both were in a slump going into the playoffs? I think Lou Pinella, consiously or unconsiously put those two in to balance the lineup. Look at our lineup for '09. Soriano, Theriot, Lee, Aramis, Soto, Derosa. Our first four or five hitters are all right handed. That is what the Cubs' problem is for the last two postseasons. What we need to do is trade DLee, even though he's a classy guy, and sign Texiera. Then mabye try to get Brian Roberts from the Orioles for Micah Hoffhaiur. Now we have a very balanced lineup. Imagine Roberts, Theriot, Texiera, Ramirez, Soriano, Soto, Fukudome(CF), DeRosa(RF). Please forward my idea to Jim Hendry. This is what we need!!!

You can never have enough pitching

You can never have enough pitching, period

Just because the Cubs don't have enough hitting, or the right kind of hitting, doesn't mean that we have enough pitching.

Jason Marquis was our fifth starter last season(enough said), and everyone of our starting pitchers has question marks coming into this season. Starting pitching absolutely gets you into the post season. After that it takes a special kind of a player, Manny, Jeter, etc. or pitcher, Beckett, Schilling, Johnson, etc. to advance. The Cubs don't appear to have any of these.

If you don't even make the playoffs then you can't even complain about the problems that the Cubs have had the past two seasons. Just ask the Yankees, who are about to corner the market on all the available starting pitching this offseason. If they had any prospects left in their system, they would end up with Peavy too.

At this point, I would trade some of our lousy post season hitters, or should I say any of them, for more quality starting pitching. Peavy seems like a solid quality starter, and he is still young.

If the guy wants to be here, this is a no brainer, which might be why you can't see the wisdom in it.

What exactly does this golden lefty bat fix? If we're signing Ted Williams or Lou Gehrig, OK, fine. But we're not. The past few years the Cubs have been flat out AWFUL against lefthanded pitching -- with a lineup primarily of righties (where the math says we'd have the advantage). Will they improve against lefty pitching with one more lefthanded bat in the lineup (where the math says we have the disadvantage)? I'm going to put my money on no.

Peavy in the rotation is a luxury. I wouldn't give up DeRosa for that though. He's too valuable to the team: he's spelled Soriano, Fukudome, Ramirez, Lee, and Theriot during injuries. He plays wherever he's asked to, no complaints. And he can hit for average and takes walks (something Soriano has never figured out).

Last year we "needed" Fukudome (aka lefthanded bat). He was the missing piece. He had a bad year and apparently he's done. Felix Pie was our centerfielder for the "next decade," a "five tool player" (also lefty). That lasted all of two weeks. We have Mike Fontenot who is used sparingly (and unless things have changed, also a lefty).

Do we need a real leadoff hitter? You bet. And if Soriano wouldn't strike out so much I'd be happy too. The St. Louis Cardinals -- hated rivals -- won the World Series in 2006 with a whole lotta righties in their lineup. But guess what? Those guys could actually hit in the clutch.

As even Lou said, the Cubs pitching is fine, at least for the 162 game season. They need a leadoff hitter who can deal with pressure. It doesn't have to be a superstar, just someone who won't get scared in the playoffs. I'm concerned about the Cubs hitting next year, not so much the pitching.

NP's idea and line up makes a lot more sense than bringing in Peavy.
Lee has been living off his 2005 season stats and has not come close to that since.
Adding Roberts and Texiera would make a big difference.
By the way.... if the Cubs are really going all out to win a title then why weren’t they even trying to bid for Sabathia?
If they wanted a Cy Young award winner in the rotation they could have had that one without giving up a single player.
They would have saved the money that they paid for one year wonder Ryan Dempster and had a much better pitcher in his place
The players that you would have to give up for Peavy could have been packaged for Roberts or anyone else.

NOW the gloves come off!! Listen Cub faithful - you don't get to criticize 05 when you have 100 years of impotence hanging over your heads. Like a guy with a bad pickup line - spending a fortune and can't even start a conversation. And that is what is wrong with a lot of you folks. Just not real baseball fans. Here is a little sports etiquette for yah - you get to talk about the PAST when you have WON!!! But its been so long for you guys noone is still alive that remembers when the Cubs last won. Don't get mad at the Whitesox because the Cubs have choked their chances down the drain even though they have more than PAID for a championship. And the hypocritic part about it all, is if the Cubs win you jokers will be celebrating that victory for the NEXT 10 years easily. Just quit hating.

Roman brought up the Whitesox pitching staff of 05 in factual context of the discussion. You want to discuss winning and pitching, then there it is. ONE of the best post season performances by a pitching staff in the modern era. RIGHT ACROSS TOWN!

I'd rather *see* the Cubs get Manny. You have to sacrifice his 10 or so games where he goes crazy for that clutch post season hitting that the Cubs so desperately need. At least he won't wet himself in a big moment.

Manny is old and will soon start his slide and he does not have what it takes mentally to make up for his lost physical skills.
Where would he play?
If you think that Soriano is a bad left fielder then what would you do with Manny out there?
Texiera or Adam Dunn is a much better option because of their age.

Gloves come off?? Keith, where did that come from? I don't see anywhere on this blog board about anyone criticizing the Sox in 2005. Seems to me that you're just trying to rile up the Cubs fans vs. White Sox fans pointless theme again. I went through this talk with Julie B. a few months back and I talked her down and left her speechless to reply back to my posts. Again, I'm a CHICAGO sports fan so I follow ALL Chicago teams and wish them all well every year. To me, these war of words amongst "Cubs fans" and "Sox fans" are so silly, and I'm putting that mildly without using expletives to get my point across. All of you who get involved in this nonsense just listen to yourselves sometimes... "Cubs fans are this or Sox fans are that..." I mean really, who really cares in the end?? If you don't want to root for the Cubs or Sox, then stick to their own blogs or just watch your own National League team or American League team and leave it at that! Is that so hard? Do Cubs or Sox fans always have to get jealous about something from each other and then argue about it? To me, it's just plain stupid. We're supposed be just discussing about Peavy possibly to the Cubs here, which is no longer happening according to recent news, but noooooo.... some of you have to bring up "Cubs fans" vs "Sox fans" again like it's a topic of racism again! It's pointless and endless!!

Settle down there Edgar. Cub-fan Otis is the one who dragged the WORLD CHAMPION 2005 CHICAGO WHITE SOX into this conversation.

Are you really starting to understand why Cubs fans and Sox fans can't get along now Roman? Otis brought up a dumb comment about the Sox, the Sox weren't even in the discussion. You lit him up like I woulda, and the funny thing is you're not even a Sox fan. It's haterade I guess. Back to the topic:

The main reason the Cubs lose every, and I mean every season, is because their owners don't care about players, just selling tickets.

Soriano for example, in NY, on the Yankees, playing 2b, he makes error after error after error, and he's treated like a hero here. Cubs call this a godsend, man can hit during the regular season, but still makes as many errors as home runs. Then he chokes in the playoffs. The point is you don't need HR's to win. Alou, R. White, both are much better left fielders hitting and defensively than Soriano, but they chose fonzie. Why, because the HR is sexy.

The main point is this, and I can write this because the Cubs won't listen, they need Manny (RPK), and/or trade for Ichiro, get a real 3b, Evan Longoria, or the kid from Cincinnatti for the right price, drop Z, he's a head case, unreliable in the clutch (might get Maine Lobster, might get Jewtown polish). Shuda got J Santana,a real #1, get a 2b, a real CF, a closer and 2 setup men. Another #2 starter.

Instead they got Soriano, Fukudome, A Ramirez, Z, Demp., De Rosa or Pie(whatever). The money they spent on these players could've got you top of the line stars, instead, they picked fan favorites that are limited defensively or offensively or both. The fans approve, Manny may be limited defensively, but he's a WAAAAAAYYY better hitter than Soriano, he can bat 3 and carry a lineup for about 80 games. I get scared watching him hit on TV, so imagine the starting pitcher. Peavy is not a #1, and they need a #1.