Jason, I agree that we could get Zito if Hendry added Pie (or even Pawelek) to the package of Hill and Guzman, but not Jerome Williams.

As for the packages the A's got for Mulder and Hudson:

Mulder - Barton is one of the top hitting prospects in all of baseball (better than Pie) and I think he's only 20 years old. At the time of deal, Haren was a top starting pitching propect (more highly rated than Hill is today). Haren already had a pretty good 2006 for the A's (ERA was in the high three compared to Mitre who had an ERA over five) and is younger than Hill. Calero is a decent middle reliver, but nothing great.

Hudson - Cruz always had a lot of upside (by the way, I think the Cubs got Richie Lewis and a picher named Pratt who's out of baseball now for Cruz), but never put it together in the majors. The A's were hoping he could. Meyer, at the time of the deal, was one of the top left handed pitching prospects in the game. Charles Thomas was a decent prospect who had come off a pretty good half season with the Braves.

So maybe we're on the same page as I do think the deal gets done with Pie or Pawecek added to the package. I just didn't realize that was what you meant as your original post just said Hill and Guzman.

Trevor, I think this is a reporter making things up. I read that this morning and I just shook my head the entire time.

Ok there was a short blurb in a Philly newspaper saying that Piazza "might be better suited for the Cubs"...Has anyone heard anything about this at all? Where would we put Piazza and why would the Cubs want to do this?

Hey Jason, i agree with you that Hendry is all over the map with what he is saying. I have never understood even before Hendry why prospects are so valiable if you are not going to play them. I can't name the last two homegrown position playuers that have made a huge impact. Hopefully since Cedano and Murton weren't suppose to be the next big thing, they have less pressure and can just go out and perform.

I have been hearing the name Guzman for the last couple of years, but i have a feeling that the only time we are going to see him is in spring training, and the only way we will see him during the season is if he has an outstanding spring or some one gets hurt. Oh but wait we have good ol reliable Rusch (remember the last year he actually was a starter for the whole year with the Brewers, 1-13 or something horrible like that) And Williams who as far as i am conserned is no better the Hill or Guzman. Hopefully (theres that word again) Woody and Miller can be healthy for a whole year and we don't have to worry about the names Rusch and Williams as starters after May.

Hey Jeff,

I know a lot of people think I am negative on the Cubs...but that isn't really true. I am a true-blue Cubs fan. I am not a fan of their management, though.

The Cubs don't have to win a World Series for me to be a fan. All I want is a competitive team, year after year, and an honest and open management team that has a plan that makes sense.

If they are going to cry poor and follow a strict budget, then do it wisely, just like Oakland and Minnesota has done for years.

That is all I ask. Year after year those two teams put out consistent winners...competitive teams that play team ball and don't whine to broadcast booths. I also never hear anything about their manager (as he is probably too busy managing to cause controversy).

Those 2 teams play their youth and prospects...they want to see if they have a Dontrelle Willis...if not, they trade or pick up free agents that fit in well.

The Cubs do stuff like sign Jacque Jones to 3 years, after picking up Pierre, with Murton already penciled in at LF....so I scratch my head and say, "why is Felix Pie untouchable?"

Hendry's plan seems all over the map...I don't like his common philosophy of picking up a player and hoping they do better than they did last year, or ignoring the fact that they are backup players and they had a career year, such as; Jones, Wade Miller, Hollandsworth, Hairston, Barrett, Williams, Rusch, etc..

Barrett has turned out ok...but that is almost a bad thing, because it emboldens Hendry to constantly try to catch lighting in a bottle. Probably the worst thing that happened to Hendry's psyche was that Nomar didn't stay healthy. Just when Hendry finally gets a marque name, the guy is a bust, due to injuries. So now we are back to seriously considering Neifi Perez as a starter...ugghh.

I want the Cubs to start Guzman and Hill, and see if they are any good. I also would like Cedeno and Murton to start, and not platoon under ol' Dusty. Unfortunately, I think we are going to get a very large dose of Mabry, Hairston, Neifi, Williams, and Rusch, and we will be at or below .500 at the all-star break...because of management/coaching, and not because I don't want the Cubs to succeed.

Micah the reason I see the signing of Miller as being a win-win is because of the contract. Would I rather see the Cubs trade for Zito, yes! Would I rather see Woody pitch like he is capable of pitching, yes! I hope Miller can provide another arm with experience that could help the Cubs. I see this as a move the Cardinals would do. The Cubs have made a lot of signings of pitchers coming off of arm problems the past 2 years and to sound like Jason, it has been very frustrating. I guess I remember what Miller used to be and the thought he could be that good again in a Cubs uniform gives me hope for the upcoming season. I like the fact that Hendry has realized he needs as much pitching as possible, I do wish there was not so much doubt surrounding his choices.

Signing Wade Miller a Win-Win?? I agree with almost everything you say, but not this. This signing to me is just another hurt pitcher. Instead of going forward and trying to get SP's who are healthy, Hendry is taking a step back. Are there any MLB clubs that stockpile injured pitchers like the Cubs Have?

One more note: Prospects. Everyone knows their the future. If we've given up prospects for good players, why cant we give up a few more for a REAL chance to get to the WS? maybe it wouldnt be Zito but it could be somebody almost as good.

Go all the way or don't go at all.

I was happy with almost all the signings till yesterday when I heard about the Miller signing. Miller? Jones??

I'm starting to believe the Cubs and the Tribune dont want to win. They only want us to believe we could win.

I'm ALREADY saying it. "Wait till next year."

David,

I have to disagree with you on what the A's would ask for in return for Zito. Zito, despite his past Cy Young award, is considered the 3rd best of the "Big Three" that Oakland had in Zito, Mulder, and Hudson.

You don't think a package of Hill, Guzman, and another player (Jerome Williams, Felix Pie, or another prospect) would have been a good enough price for Zito? Look at what they got for Mulder and Hudson:

Atlanta got Tim Hudson from the Athletics in exchange for Dan Meyer, Juan Cruz and Charles Thomas.

Meyer has pitched 2 innings in the majors...none in 2005.

Thomas has 282 career MLB at-bats

Juan Cruz...you probably heard of this guy...problem is, can you think of who the Cubs got for him?

In return for Mulder, the Cardinals received righthanders Dan Haren, Kiko Calero, and Daric Barton.

Calero is a bullpen guy

Haren had 19 starts before the trade, with a Sergio Mitre-like ERA

Barton has yet to play in the majors.

Sorry David...but I tend to think the Cubs don't have Zito because Hendry wouldn't part with his precious prospects, and not because the asking price was too high.

I've been lurking and reading the posts on this great website for about 2 months now, and congratulations, Jason B., you have inspired me to write a post of my own. I understand your frustration with the health of the rotation, and I also understand your views on trading some youth for bigger names. In the case of Miguel Tejada, I agree, this would have made perfect sense, but, when you are talking about trading the farm for Zito, keep in mind he could wind up being a one year rental, as the cubbies and the tribune may not offer him the money he is looking for in a new contract. Furthermore, when I look at the Cubs off-season moves to this point, I like what I see. We can all be upset that we didn't over pay Furcal, but we all know, had we signed Furcal, Hendry would not have tried as hard to land Pierre, we would have lost out. There never was a realistic chance of landing both of these guys. That being said, looking at what the cubs have actually spent since they passed on Furcal, Pierre possible 6.75 million after arbitration, Jacques Jones 5.3 million, Wade Miller 1 million, there is your Furcal money. (Yes we traded Corey's 3.5 million, but that will be more than paid out after arbitration with the 5 eligible) The Cubs never intended on spending much more if they had landed Furcal, it was a pipe dream for everyone to think that we were going to spend pass the 100 million Tribune budget. As far as trades go, I don't really have a problem with the team we have, and there is no reason to get fleeced for a guy like Lugo when we have walker, or a guy like Zito who can walk away after 2006. The cubs have changed 4 position players from the 2005 starting line-up including one of the best leadoff hitters in the national league, and added some much needed depth in both the bullpen and starting rotation. I'm really not trying to bag on you Jason, I've read a lot of your posts and agree with you most of the time, but I guess I just see a lot of positive moves here, I personally don't think we need to get a "big" name to get better, just fill the gaps, which Big Jim has done. Finally, take a look at my take for the Starting 5 of 2006:

Prior - Solid #1 on any other team.

Zambrano - We all agree on Z.

Maddux - Past his prime but good for 5

Rusch- Sucks out of the pen, but above avg. when starting.

Williams- Proven he can pitch at the Major League Level.

I am a Chicago Native. Southsider, but I bleed Cubbie blue. I love the Cubs, and appreciate all of the posts from you diehards on this website. You do a nice job Neil. Keep up the great work!

Rich Hill is ranked so low because of where his progression is for someone who will be 26 on opening day. There are many other prospects that may not get to the majors as soon as Hill, but have a much higher upside due to what they have accomplished at younger ages. As a means of compatison, Zito will be 28 on opening day yet has already pitched 5.5 seasons in the majors. It will take more than Hill and Guzman to get Zito ... if that's all it would take, Hendry would have made the deal already.

So Rich Hill is the 71st best prospect in the minors?

This is just one analyst's opinion, but if he is correct, that means that there are 70 players that are more likely to make an impact on the MLB level than Rich Hill.

That is almost 3 teams worth of players...

This is why I bury my head in my hands, and then lift my head up and smile in a this-would-be-amusing-if-it-wasn't-so-frustrating-and-sad kind of smile.

I don't mean to promote the success of the Wrongsiders over and over, but I really believe Kenny Williams has the right idea: either start your prospects or use them as currency in a trade to get a proven player in return.

This philosophy helped them win a World Series, and I don't see how their farm system is suffering, as the farm contains hundreds of players, and for every no-brainer Mark Prior-prospect there are probably 100 prospects that make it to the Majors who weren't expected to.

If you are a small market team, like Oakland or Pittsburgh, then you do need to hold onto your prospects, and even acquire prospects, simply because they have cheaper salaries. That makes sense.

The Cubs, however, are not a small-market team!

If your team consists of 22-32 yr old established players, in their primes, or approaching their primes, and they are all under contract for 2-3 years...then you do not need prospects in the next 2 years!

So if the Cubs filled their holes at 2B and added a quality starting pitcher (or two) and the vast majority of players are under contract for 2-3 years...why are we obsessed with Rich Hill?!

Hill is 25 now. If Wade Miller works out, and Wood is healthy, and you have Prior and Zambrano in the rotation...then you have 1 spot open (after Maddux retires) to fill with your farm.

Are you telling me that we have to hold onto every single pitching prospect...right now...to fill one spot next year?

Don't we draft more players every year? Of course we do. The Cubs are always adding new pitchers and players to their farm...every single year.

We acquired Murton in a trade, and only have Cedeno, Zambrano, Prior, and Wood as home-grown farm products that are making an impact. That is 4 guys out of 24. Don't get me wrong...that is 4 very important guys!

The point is that either you start your propects, such as Guzman and Hill, and see if they can make your roster now. If not, then trade them while they have better value than Corey Patterson.

We have a manager in Dusty Baker who will not start Guzman or Hill over Rusch and Williams, so why bother letting these prospects rot & age in our minors, when they could be used to acquire Zito, and other similar proven talents?

I truly believe the MLB GMs sit around and have scouts talking in their ears everyday about 'how great this guy is' and 'what great stuff this pitcher has' and how 'this guy can't miss' etc... So the GMs can't help but hold onto their prospects like gold, and we are always living for 2 years down the road, and, guess what...in two years we will still be looking two years down the road. The cycle just doesn't end.

Bobby Hill = Aramis Ramirez

Hee Sop Choi = Derrick Lee

Hill & Guzman could = Zito

Get the idea? I just wish Hendry would get it more often. The papers today confirmed my worst fears, as Hendry admitted that he is pretty much done tinkering with his starting rotation, and that no trades are in the works. What you see is what you get. Just like the past two years, we will be waiting for pitchers to "get healthy" sometime after the season starts. So instead of getting off to a fast start and taking the lead in the division, ala the Cardinals, we will be hoping and hoping for this starting 5 to lead us to the promised land:

Prior - great, if healthy

Zambrano - great

Maddux - well past his prime, unfortunately

Rusch - meant to be in the bullpen

Williams - unproven

David - Thanks for catching this. I've updated the post. I meant to put the disclaimer on and while I was writing the post it slipped my mind.

Nolasco is no longer a Cub as he was sent to Florida in the Pierre deal.