Great post Jason. Your comment about the Prior/Tejada deal reminded me that the pitcher Hendry wanted with Tejada was Bedard ... who now significantly better than Prior alone!

Phil,

Pods would be nice for his speed, but if he has leg injuries still, then there is no speed to be had. He wouldn't be a starter, and his bat is subpar, so he doesn't make a good bat off the bench. So I would pass on Pods.

I would take Andrew Jones, because he could have a good rebound year with the avg, and he is a gold glove. I have seen enough of Pie...trade him and other prospects for Crawford. Crawford, Jones, and Soriano...nice!

This view of the future (2011) that John Sickels has is a bit odd. We still have Ted Lilly after his contract runs out and he is up there in years? Unlikely. Also, I doubt we have Lee and Ramirez both in 2011 still...they are both probably replaced by then. Finally...he has Cedeno at SS???

It was nice to see some other posters on the trade-now-while-they-have-value angle recently.

Too often, fans, and GM's (ok...really just referring to Hendry here) fall in love with their draft picks and farmhands.

As Aaron pointed out, when traded with high value, farmhands can earn you great dividends, such as Choi for Lee, and Bobby Hill for Ramirez, etc...

Examples of not getting much Return on Investment: Farnsworth, Corey Patterson, Mark Prior (remember the Tejada talks...Hendry had the nerve to want Tejada and a pitcher for Prior...insanity!) Michael Barrett, Cedeno, Murton, Pie, etc...

All of those guys could have been traded when their values were higher, netting the Cubs some better prospects, or proven veterans. Instead, we have either received little or nothing to this point.

Farm players are assets. If they can pass muster and play on the big league squad, then great! They will be less expensive, and under control, giving you stability and financial flexibility to sign more expensive proven players via free agency or trade.

If they can't make your big league team, or are blocked by a star player at that position, then trade them when they are a hot commodity!

I cringed when I heard the Cubs were interested in a one-year wonder such as Kaz Matsui, and that the move would free up DeRosa to play OF. Ugh...shades of Todd Hollandsworth, Batman!

How about the Cubs act like a major market team with gobs of money, and they get Crawford and either Jones/Hunter for the OF, and they resign Wood...without flinching at the cost.

The Cubs have plenty of young blood on this team...no excuse not to add more established players in their prime.

Please Jim Hendry...no reclamation projects like Michael Barrett, courtesy of your "scouts feedback"!

We have Theriot, Pie (possibly), Rich Hill, Sean Marshall (possibly), Soto, and Marmol representing our youth...that is plenty. Keep bringing the young blood up through the pitching staff, if needed. Let the farmhands earn their stripes out of the bullpen. Old and mediocre pitching free agents rarely work out. I think hitters are easier to gauge in free agency, and are priced more appropriately, than pitching.

Sox jus got rid of podsednik, do you see the cubs get him, or just think he is no good no more?

Mark, Thanks for including your first paragraph with worthwhile discussion on Jones ... that is the back and forth of ideas and opinions that makes this site great. As for your second paragraph ... it seems you enjoy making continued sarcastic comments about my posts. Feel free to keep it coming ... it gives me and my buddy at work who also checks the site a nice laugh at the office.

David...I doubt that Andruw Jones is on Hendry's radar. His better years are well behind him. The guy has little plate discipline, still can't lay off the breaking ball, and has lost a step or two defensively. Just because he's "out there" doesn't mean we're interested.

But then again, you likely know better.

Phil,

The Cubs are interested in adding an OF so I'm sure Jones is on their radar. It will all depend on the marketplace. If Hendry can get Jones for $15 mill for a few years, Jones may end up a Cub. I don't think Hendry will give him many more years or much more money so if other teams offer more (which is likely), Jones will end up elsewhere.

do you think the cubs would be interested in Andrew Jones? I know he had an off year last yr, but he put up good #'s beside his avg. But Dan Perry wrote an article on him saying how he had to deal with nagging injuries all year, and that whenever he recieved a cortizone shot, his numbers were great. And he also mentioned how he is 30 while other free agents are 32+. As well as that, Perry mentions that Jones can't command a high salary contract like what Rowand and Hunter want due to his off year last year. So i'm wandering what do you guys think? And is there anything out there that the cubs might be interested?

Just saw that John McDunough (SP) is leaving the Cubs to be the Blackhawks new President. What is going on there?