Wolf and Looper on Cubs Radar?

Pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park in Mesa in 20 days and Jim Hendry is still looking to add pitching. When the announcement came on Thursday that The Ricketts Family was the winning bidder to become the new owner of the Chicago Cubs many speculated the addition of Jake Peavy would soon follow....but not so fast.

The Cubs might be having internal discussions about Peavy, but according to the Sun-Times, they have also discussed the possibility of adding Randy Wolf or Braden Looper....

According to the Sun-Times, "the Cubs may instead turn their attentions to more modest veteran pitchers such as lefty Randy Wolf and right-hander Braden Looper....with whom they've already had discussions...as shorter-term, moderately priced alternatives. Ownership approval still would be required for players at this level."

The Sun-Times mentioned the fact that Jake Peavy is still owed a lot of money ($63 million guaranteed over the next four year) and he will probably require his $22 million fifth year option to be picked up. Not only is Peavy expensive monetarily but also in the amount of prospects the Cubs would have to send San Diego's way.

Reports earlier in the week from Lee Hamilton on XM Radio indicated a 4-for-1 or 5-for-1 deal for Jake Peavy that would not include Josh Vitters. The Sun-Times on Saturday morning reported trading for Peavy could cost the Cubs "a large, high-end chunk of the farm system, including 2007 top draft pick Josh Vitters, rated the 14th best prospect in pro baseball by Baseball America."

The Cubs are also concerned about the health of Jake Peavy. The Sun-Times mentioned "the Cubs have had internal discussions about the wisdom of taking on a highly paid pitcher for four years who has had elbow and shoulder problems in recent years (albeit, no surgery)."

Stay Tuned....

Mike

Great leadership from Lee. Im sorry but did we watch the same team last year. I dont recall anyone on that team getting off their butts and trying to get their team goin while the Dodgers were whooin them. Thats what leadership and a desire to win does. Everyone sat on the bench and hung their heads. Our pitchers are our best leaders, Demp, Lilly, Z, they have emotion and desire to win. Thats why Milton Bradley presence in the dugout is sooo much more important then wether or not he plays 140 games, which dont get me wrong would be great. They horribly need to sign Hudson for that reason as well. They need real leaders who refuse to lose. Lee is not one. He is a wonderful player but is one of the most softspoken on the team. Move him out of the 3 hole to the 6 spot and ask him for a list of teams he would waive his clause for. Maybe that will lite the fire under his butt.

Brandon D

Lee is not a guy thats going to yell to get the club going. Lee is the type of guy that works hard and probably the most respected guy on the team, and thats a leader too. What do you want him to hit 400 and 50 hrs come on now. No he's not the best guy on the team anymore, but he would be a hard guy to replace in the lineup this year. Mitch is still a year away from being a starter if it is how they go to replace him.

Brandon D

Y does everyone what to get ready of Lee? I don't understand it. Every time Neil reports a rumor we have all these people saying that we should trade Lee. Lee is a leader on this team just because he not hitting 40 homeruns which he has only done once. I agree that he needs to be taking out of that 3 spot but come on .291 avg, 90 RBI,41 doubles, amazing D, and Great leadership is not something you can just replace. The guy had a .545 avg in the playoffs last year. Some just give me a good reason why he should be replaced.

Brandon D

Were not getting Roberts. Pie was a big trading piece to that deal. They already have him. If the cubs wanted him they would have asked about him. If we needed a second baseman which we don't Hudson is by far the better choice.

Barry

Bobby

Thanks for correcting me on Gregg. I have no idea why I thought he was a lefty. Nonetheless Lee had more HIDPs than anyone else on the team. He didn't GET us to the playoffs he only hit during.

Again I reiterate that we will not get as much for him ever again. But you may be right..... I hope we at least talk to the O's about what they want to pry him loose.

bobby

Barry-

First, Gregg is a righty.

Second, I don't think the O's would accept that trade. They have Pie, Jones, and Markakis in OF, Huff at first.

Third- I don't know if Hoff is ready for full time if we are trying to win now. LEe is definetly a better option as he was our best playoff hitter and one of the most clutch hitters.

Barry

I failed to mention that we will most likely have to give Josh Vitters up in the Peavy deal and I am not for that at all.

As far as the Dero trade maybe it was in an effort to get BR. I mean having BR out there everyday is far more important to adding to our already National League best SR. BR will win more games for us than Jake Peavy would.

Just my opinion.

GO CUBBIES!!

Barry

Well, well, well, once again under the direction of our GM Mr. Jim Hendry, we are carefully weighing our options with regard to Jake Peavy. Randy Wolf and Branden Looper would be a really nice addition to the pen.

I really like this idea because we really do not need JP to win. We do however need a pen that has a veteran flair to it. I personally am not sold on Gregg albeit he is a left hander for substitution purposes but I just don't know about him.

Now I do see that BR is wanting a 4 yr extension whereas Baltimore only offered three. What do my CCO brethern think about a straight up swap: Lee for Roberts and give 1st to Hoffpauir already. DLee is worth more now than he will be ever again. I say another lefty in the lineup cannot hurt and he was ripp'n it up in the Minors last year.

Here's my lineup now!!

Roberts 2B

Theriot SS

Fuks/Johnson CF

ARam 3B

Bradley RF

Soriano LF

Hoffpauir 1B

Soto C

That looks pretty damn intimidating to me. What say you CUB NATION!!

GO CUBBIES!

Jared

I sure hope this is a statement by the cubs to pressure the padres into dealing Peavy quicker and for not as many prospects. There is no way Hendry traded Derosa for 3 pitching prospects unless he had Peavy on his mind. This deal will still get done.

Rich

I am all for Peavy. I do think that if he wants to come here so bad he should waive part if not all of that 22 million. Or else stay and play with that piece of crap team with a 40 Million dollar payroll that doesn't have a shot at the playoffs.

If he wants to come here he has to help us out a little.

cliff

I'm not biting on the wolf/looper rumors... this last 30-45 days JH has been preparing for Peavy (derosa trade, gathright signing, pie trade, rickets, etc.) In my perspective JH leaked a couple names to a buddy at the newspaper to gain more leverage on a Padres team that MUST deal Peavy and it's becoming more apparent the only team to work this out is the Cubs. In return for breaking a bunk rumor JH probably promises to let that reporter/newspaper break a story in the future (peavy?). This crap happens all the time.

Having said that, don't bother looking at stats and possible rotations... wolf/looper isn't going to happen in my opinion.

Just a perspective from a lincoln park baseball conspiracty theorist.