Ok I just read this on foxsports.com from Ken Rosenthal

"The deal is cash-neutral, according to one source. The Cubs will pay the balance of Gathright's $800,000 salary for 2009 with the O's paying the balance of Freel's — about $3.3 million."

This is great if I understand it correctly, I mean the Cubs don't have to pay his 3.3 million.

Mike, the info from Rosenthal is in my article...thanks for adding it here.

For both Sides what a dumb trade.

WHY?????

Ryan Freel Traded For Joey Gathright

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [May 8 at 3:38pm CST]

3:38pm: The Orioles have traded Ryan Freel to the Cubs for Joey Gathright, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. Gathright has already cleared waivers and will be assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Cubs trade Joey Gathright for Ryan Freel.

I don't really understand the huge need for a 3B right now. We have already gotten thru what we hope to be Aram's only injury stint. Fontenot has shown he can spot start if needed. I understand he wasn't exceptional there but he was able to make due.

Secondly, Freel isn't a 3B Man anymore then Fontenot is. He is 2B and outfield. I believe that if Aram goes down we should give Vitters a shot and if that doesn't work go find a real 3B that has power from the right side for pinch hitting. Lose Gathright but bring up Fox to pinch hit!

On a side note, Has anybody heard anything about Sheets lately. I want the cubs to pick him up second half with an incentive based deal and use him as closer (K Wood style). I know he probably wouldn't be able to go back to back games, but we still would have Gregg and Marmol. A bullpen going into the playoffs with Marmol, Gregg, Sheets & Marshall sounds awesome!!

Who is with me?? Probably not Sheets agent?

Thanks for your reply Aaron.

Maybe it's time for JH to start thinking outside the box...perhaps an approach

to Curt Schilling and see what he would

want to unretire for half a season?

I've seen Freel play 2nd for the Reds but he's mostly an outfielder and a poor man's Reed Johnson if you ask me. I doubt the Orioles would want Gathright considering that's why they're looking to dump Freel, they are logjammed in the outfield and want to loose his 4 mill salary....which I hope the Cubs don't take on!

Ryan Freel from 3 years ago would be great. 09 Freel not to sure about and since when is he a 3Bmen. Thought he was an OF'er

Whoever asked about Pie he has 57 AB's and is batting .158. Still would play better D than Gathright.

I'd swap Miles for Freel.

mlb trade rumors says the cubs and orioles are talking about a Ryan Freel Trade.

what do you think of that?

I really hope that Lily is alright or we might have to start thinking about a Jake Peavy trade or some kind of help.However, we should be grateful that Rich Harden is still healthy.

sorry to bring potentially bad news, but according to The Chicago Suntimes, Lou Piniella mentioned tightness in Lilly's elbow on Thursday night. Perhaps that's why we saw so many off-speed and breaking balls thrown from him. I knew something was wrong, and even mentioned on here how he seemed to be leaning back on his pitches like Rich Hill...

If that's the case, that's very bad news, because we don't have anybody at the minor league level other than maybe Ascanio who has stood out.

To be quite honest, he doesn't have much. He's the lesser version of Carlos Marmol---also a converted catcher. His pitches don't have much movement, yet he does strike out a few batters because at times, he has pinpoint control. When he doesn't, however, he gets lit up, and has given up a good amount of long balls (in minor league standards anyway).

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/pitching/W/Randy-Wells.shtml

*in case you were curious about his stats.

Now, in 5 1/3 MLB innings, over 4 appearances, he has yet to give up a hit. However, he also walked 3 batters vs 1 K, so he's got to be careful.

sorry, this was in reference to SuzyS's question...for some reason it didn't reply correctly

They need to send Soto down as well. Tell him to lose some weight and get his act together. He couldn't throw my mom out and he'd be better off stepping in the batter's box WITHOUT a bat that way he could just as easily let strike 3 go by right down the middle and not have the temptation of swinging and hitting into ANOTHER doubleplay!

Dave Kaplan was on our local sports talk radio show recently and when asked what's wrong with Soto he simply said "He's fat!"

I remember Jerome Walton and I don't want to see that happen to Soto. After the Cubs gave up on Walton I remember Grace being asked about him and he said that after he won R.O.Y. when he came to camp the next year "The only thing more swollen than his head was his gut!"

Koy Hill is more than serviceable and the kid down here, Chris Robinson, is hitting .361! Send a message!!

Cory,

A number of years ago, I heard Grace say the same thing about Walton. I still remember all the hype about Walton, and I really thought he'd amount to something. Sometimes the work ethic just does not follow, as there are so many former ROY out there that flame out in 1-3 years, never to be heard from again.

Soto reminds me of that. He's always been pudgy, and without Blanco there to keep him in check, he's ballooned. Remember how Fat Walton got later in his career? And Walton started out skinny, so go figure. I'd hate to see how big Soto might get. 300 lbs?

Anyway, Piniella needs to give him an ultimatum...either get his ass in shape, or he becomes backup to Hill. Unfortunately, Soto is out of options, so we cannot send him down, and since he won the ROY last year, he's kind of hand-cuffed the team. He can sit on his lazy ass all day, and know that it'd be a PR nightmare for the Cubs if they option a guy that won the ROY the year before.

Yeah. Our Bullpen has some big problems. I believe in Heilman, and I think Guzman can be OK. . . but Marmol and Gregg can't pitch everyday. - we need more good arms. It was really discouraging to see how bad Samardja was this last call up.. . Now, we'll have to believe in Ascanio.

Farming Gathright out is the right move. If he's smart, he'll take the assignment. I don't think he'll accept it.

Now Chad Fox has to produce quickly or else he'll be released. He's had what--four years--to get it together. He looked like John Lieber last night--just awful. I predict Lou will not have much patience with him. The answer to the bullpen woes have not yet been found.

WOW! This would be shocking. I feel bad for Gathright, but it is even more sad to see how often he got picked off first base and caught stealing at second. His game isn't multi-dimensional enough to allow for that. I also think it's interesting to compare his production vs what Felix Pie has been doing for Baltimore (about the same).

Neil:

Thanks, I think that Scales might be more valuable.

Does Scales play 3B, SS and 2b?

Jim, he does. I liked what I've seen of him at third the past two springs.

I agree with all about Gathright...didn't

like it when they signed him and be's not performing in the limited role they envisioned.

Neil, Nate, Aaronm,...what can we expect from Wells...what type of pitcher is he

and what is his upside?

Is Gathright going down to the minors for 1 day or for a long period?

Gathright cannot go down for just 1 game...he must remain in the minors for 10 days, unless there is an injury at his position, then he can come back up. My guess is he won't. He's flat out terrible, and looks worse than Corey Patterson up there with his awkward swings.

I wish the Cubs would sign me to a couple million and watch me fail then get rid of me.