I do not like this move at all, even if it is for middle relief. We could have signed Borowski and kept Ceda and been in a better boat. I hope this is a precursor to Gregg being flipped somewhere else, but I can't see anyone else wanting him either. Don't get me wrong I hope it works out, I just don't see how this was good for us.

Should neither the Braves nor the Cubs trade for Peay--we face another bidder for Dempster. That would be the Braves. I still think we can sign D for something like 4 and $54 mil, but the Braves are a good organization to work for. So, if we can't get Peavy, here's hoping the Braves can resolve their differences with the Pads.

This is more of a typical Jim Hendry-style move: picking up a guy and hoping for lightning-in-a-bottle. Think: Michael Barrett, Jeremy Burnitz, Steve Trachsel, Jacque Jones, Jim Edmonds.

Sometimes it works for a little while, like Barrett. Sometimes it seems like a great move, like Edmonds. Other times, it just seems like the Cubs are being cheap for no good reason.

Gregg doesn't do much for me, but he will be better than Howry, and hopefully Marmol can keep it together mentally, as he has better stuff then Wood does at this point in Wood's career.

I don't sweat losing anyone from the farm system, though. The guys that have panned out (Soto, Theriot, Marmol) far outweigh the supposed "can't miss" prospects of ours that never seem to pan out (Patterson, Choi, Guzman, Rich Hill, Pie).

So don't worry about Ceda at all.

Gonna get ya foo

You have too much time on your hands and we at the CCO take the site and postings serious, so please if you can't grow up, please log on to nickelodeon.com and play.

Thank You

BB Rumors.com reports at 9:40 p.m. eastern that Pads' G.M. Towers told the San Diego Union ... that he now feels there can be no deal with the Braves OR the Cubs for Peavy. The indication is that Towers will open discussions with the Yankees and the Angels. That statement likely has some bargaining aspects to it, but it could well be true. Possible reasons: Towers didn't get all he wanted, Peavy didn't get his option year guaranteed or wouldn't sign off on the deal, and/or the Braves drew their own line in the sand.

Yep...true rumor...I posted the article from the Union Tribune on the Community Blog....

actually it my boyfrans PIC=]

it is true my frans BILLY THE F***ING GOAT SAID IT HIMSELF DAMMIT!!!!!!!!

HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH

If this rumor is true,

Jim Hendry is a f#$#$ moron.

The only valuable arm in our farm system for a washed up Bob Howry replica, and CARLOS FIN MARMOL GONE!!!!!!!!

Tell me this isn't true!!!!

If that's true, I hate JIm Hendry and the Cubs are screwed.

However, I doubt that's true and I'm pretty sure you made that up. I really hope you die soon and really wish we went back to viewing these before they got posted.

Boseph...I think goan get ya's profile picture is up in the page and his real name is Robert, 24! LOL!!!!

I love Wood. But this is a money move. Wood is probably going to get a 3-4 year deal at 12-15 mil a year. We have other areas to spend that.

As for Ceda, Cubs fans are hilarious. Someone was actually complaining about losing Willis and Mitre. Willis had 1 great year, and one half good year. He is so good now that he was sent TO THE MINORS. As for Mitre, I'm not going to even go there.

Ceda is unproven, and Marmol is ready to close. He is dominant.

BREAKING NEWS:

A report from ESPN 1000 states that the cubs have completed the deal for Peavy and the package includes Peavy and Gonzalez for lee marmol,hardden and vitters!

very exciting new my franns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

is that crack you use?

I can't say I am upset at this, I never felt quite at ease with Wood closing, but again, his numbers were pretty good. My problem is that we have paid him how much for how many year and he pitched exactly how many innings over the past few years? He actually had a full, successful season last year and now we let him go? It just doesn't make that much sense, unless there is information that we simply just don't know about. It is sad to see him go, really sad...but I just don't know how I feel yet. Gregg is a quality reliever no mater what anyone says. But the decision process is suspect, especially if we don't get Peavy.

Tough to see Wood go, but I thought he would--for a multiple year deal. It is, IS, better than even money that Marmol is a better closer than K-Wood. So it depends on what else happens before we can conclude whether we will be a beter team. Those CCOers who advocate getting draft choices while you can for older and iffy standouts/favorites should be pleased.

My gut now says maybe JH is in process to do Lou's bidding--that is get an important lefty bat. If we can squeeze another $4 or 5 mil out of our payroll, maybe we have a shot at Abreu or a similar skills guy to hit 3rd and play RF. Best of all would be a deal with the Dodgers for Soriano--if they don't sign Manny--that would bring us Ethier + a lesser bad contract.

It appears, with the Ceda for Gregg deal, that JH is in the win now mode.

The next critical step is to sign Dempster (or someone else capable of winning more than 15 games.) We have some depth (even surplus) to go with Z, D, Harden, Lilly and Marmol. Samardzija, Gaudin, Gregg, Marshall and Cotts can be pretty good. Marquis, Guzman, Hart, Wuertz and Hill are behind them.

The surplus pitching (say Marquis and Hart) along with Castillo could get us Greene and a mid-level prospect. Don't quit now, JH!!!

You know I see the Chi Sox traded Nick Swisher today to the Yanks....if he was on the block he would have been an interesting player for the Cubs....switch hitter with power.... I know he tanked with the Sox last year..but has always been decent....and we could have got him relatively cheap....

I know Woody could get a big mutli-year deal but he passed on that last season. Who's to say that he doesn't come back for another year? Hendry said that the Cubs can't give him a 3-4 year deal. Well what if he wants to stay and takes a 2 year deal with options?

This instantly makes our bullpen worse. Gregg is a good replacement for Howry and not Wood.

This was an awful move and people will be complaining about this all year. Jose Ceda for this chump?????????????? Marmol IS NOT READY to be the closer.

Re-signing Wood is a must. Hendry should know better.

just wanted to add....how, exactly, does this make us a better team?

If you want to talk leadership, hardwork, etc., heart of a champion, Wood possesses that. He was very very good in the closer's role, a role he had never had before this year.

so, again, how does this make us better?

If we resigned Wood, I'd say if you were the other team, you could kiss your chances goodbye after 7 innings. Gregg, Marmol, Wood....That would've put us over the top, but now we have Gregg, and an untested Marmol. Gregg was HORRIBLE, and reminds me a lot of Dempster prior to last year. Marmol can be electric, but if he doesn't get his slider over, he's screwed, as we saw last year during July I believe...

Hendry needed to be creative, and I've suggested this before with Wood. Give him a 3 year deal with escalators in the $21 million range, and you cover your ass.

Anyway, at least for the moment it seems the Cards, Brewers, Astros, Reds, and Pirates all have their own issues.

For the moment, we are still the best team in the Central----at least on paper, but the offseason is far from over, and Hendry has started it off with a bang------------errrrrrrrrrrrrr, I mean, "DUD", and it doesn't look good for us

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone or something, and this can't really be happening.

Hendry, c'mon man, are you kidding me?!?!?! Kevin freakin' Gregg for a much younger stud that throws 100mph?!?!?! Gregg will be 31 next year, walks a lot of batters for a reliever, and totally bombed last year in the closer's role. I can't even agree with this trade if it's for middle relief. Ceda was much cheaper, and had greater upside. Either he's got something up his sleeve we don't know about, or he just morphed into a horrible GM yet again (first time was trading Hamilton when we needed an outfielder)

I just shake my head sometimes at the ineptness of our franchise. The reason we can't develop anyone is because we trade our good young talent for guys that haven't done much, and we sign veterans to FA deals when they're past their prime. WOW!!!!! is all I have to say

Aaron:

Yeah, I know what you mean about Gregg.

No way does he close! Maybe a 7th inning guy at best. Our bullpen just got weaker

if Gregg is there and Woody's gone.

Hate to see it because every Cub fan loves Kerry Wood, but it is not a bad business decision. Kerry would want too much money and too long term a contract to be the second best bullpen arm. I'm not sure Pinella was too fond of Wood anyway.

One thing Cubs fans and former GMs were guilty of is following their heart, not their heads. Looks like Jim Hendry may have been forced into this decision due to payroll constraints and decided that money is better spent elsewhere (Furcal, Ibanez, Abreu).

I'm sure this isn't the final move Hendry will make so I will reserve judgement until the team is totally put together.

So not cool...

I hope to God Woody is back..

Cubs and Wood are synonymous..

Maybe the Cubs can make some more stupid moves today!! Kevin Gregg for our #1 pitching prospect and then not bringing back Wood. Jim Hendry is on a roll!!!

This trade makes me curious. As I noted on the community blog, the Cubs have stated they are parting ways with Kerry Wood. So, that leaves to question, was he brought here to be the closer? Is he the set up man for Marmol and insurance if Marmol is not ready to close? Or maybe, just maybe as others have mentioned he is someone the Padres wanted for their bullpen.

I just hope out of all those ideas it's not that he is the new closer. It would suck that we downgraded from Kerry Wood for him.

All we heard from Pinella last spring training was how great Ceda's arm was, and the tremendous fastball...and that all he needed was a bit of refinement. Gee, maybe Lou and Hendry didn't discuss this deal either.

Just keep getting rid our young prospects. Way to go Jim.

My favorite Gregg memory was that 3 run homer he gave up to Ward.

Why is it that other teams see value in some of young prospects (like Ceda) yet we can't (or won't) invest the time to fully develop them and have them perform...in our uniform.

Well ya know,The Padre's MIGHT be in the market for a replacement for Trev.

Maybe this is part of the three waythey were talking about to get Pevey.

You never know.

OH YEAH, Howry's going to go.......Man, if we keep Wood and Marmol with Gregg? Aw baby, let's go!!!!

So Hendry just announced that Wood and the Cubs are parting ways. Sad to hear.

Report on www.chicagotribune.com

What is with Hendry and trading good young pitchers to the Marlins? Is he secretly trying to restock their minor league system? Two years ago Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto and sergio mitre and before that it was Dontrell Willis. Now he is trading a 21 year old who is ranked 4th in the Cubs minor league system for a guy who is 30 and is probably washed up. He has a career era of 4.00 with nothing lower than a 3.41. Someone said something about innings but why trade one of your best prospect for innings, that doesn't make sense. If you want innings sign a free agent or something like that. I hope I'm wrong but this is probably the biggest move he plans on making this year because as everybody keeps saying, this is a 97 win team.

I like the move, who knows what Ceda would have turned into.

These are the kinds of deals that go unnoticed, but have major impacts.

Gregg is Howry's replacement. If Woody leaves then he's a setup guy for Marmol.

Good move Hendry.

...and I don't see this as a "Wood is leaving" move - I see this as more of a covering the bases in the pen with Howry leaving.

I disagree - here's the scoop on Gregg (cut and paste from "the sports leader")

(quote) Gregg, who was Florida's closer for most of the 2008 season, saved 29 games last season and was 7-8 with a 3.41 ERA. He blew nine saves for the Marlins in 2008. In 72 relief appearances for the Marlins last seasons, he held batters to a .203 average. (unquote)

OK - he's not going to close here obviously - it'll either be Wood or Marmol if Wood leaves... but Howry left and we needed a rubber arm out there in the pen. Guy has 70+ innings both of the last two years.

The Cubs are in the mode of a "win now" team (or at least the next couple of years) and Ceda wouldn't be contributing until 2010 at the earliest.

I like this move. Good ERA - innings guy - low batting average against.... all good things.

This guy went 29-9 in save opportunities.

Kid K went 34-6 and has the kind of overpowering stuff that you want to see in a reliever, as evidenced by his K/IP ratio.

Don't know much about Ceda, but I hate to see young talent traded away for fear of losing our longest-tenured Cub. Hopefully, this was a set-up move in order to put together a better package to offer SD for Peavy.

Well, there's probably something going on that we don't know already. Wood's definately going to go somewhere else now. I agree with you guys, I don't know if I like it. I just hope Peavy in on a plane over the Gulf of Mexico and saying to himself,"Atlanta? AW MAN, I'm ONLY going to Chicago. I want to go to a contender! Atlanta??....huh!!"

If it's Ceda, I don't like this deal at all. Ceda was one of the few standouts in our weak minor league system. Gregg is solid, but I would have wanted more for Ceda. If it's Acevedo, Guzman, or another midling prospect, then I think it makes sense.

The Cubs gave up Jose Ceda for him. This move makes little to no sense. Ceda is one of our best prospects and we gave him up for a decent late reliever. Ceda is cheaper and has huge upside. This is absurd.