During Talkin' Baseball on ESPN 1000 Saturday morning, Bruce Levine indicated the Cubs would still like to add an arm to the backend of the bullpen.
With Carlos Marmol going into camp as the closer, the Cubs are looking for a pitcher to replace Marmol as the primary right-handed setup man. If they go outside of the organization, there are two realistic options.
According to Bruce Levine, the Cubs have serious interest in two pitchers ... Jason Frasor and Luke Gregerson.
The Blue Jays could be willing to trade Jason Frasor after signing Kevin Gregg earlier in the week. Frasor will be a free agent following the 2010 season. He avoided arbitration last month by agreeing to a $2.65 million contract for the upcoming season.
Bruce Levine thinks the Blue Jays might be willing to send a little money along with Frasor in a deal with the Cubs. Levine said the Jays are not planning on keeping Frasor's entire salary for the upcoming season after signing Kevin Gregg ... the addition of Gregg is what makes Frasor more available than before.
If the Cubs trade for either Jason Frasor or Luke Gregerson, one of three pitchers could be moved ... Angel Guzman, Sean Marshall or Tom Gorzelanny.
Marshall and Gorzelanny are viewed as the same pitcher with the exception that Marshall can pitch out of the pen. Gorzelanny has tried to be a reliever but has not been as successful as Marshall. Another factor in one of the three pitchers possibly being moved ... Angel Guzman and Tom Gorzelanny are out of options. Sean Marshall would have to clear optional assignment waivers in order to be sent to Triple-A, basically making him out of options as well.
Sean Marshall avoided arbitration on January 27 by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $950,000 ... Tom Gorzelanny and Angel Guzman avoided arbitration on January 19. Gorzelanny inked an $800,000 contract and Guzman signed an $825,000 deal.
If the Cubs do not make a trade, Angel Guzman has the inside track to be the Cubs right-handed option in the eighth inning. Other candidates include Jeff Gray and Esmailin Caridad according to Levine.
The Padres have been interested in Angel Guzman for a while (at least rumored interest) ... and view him as an option to be a closer if they trade Heath Bell.
Luke Gregerson's Page on Baseball Reference
Jason Frasor's Page on Baseball Reference
Stay Tuned ...
If Gregerson and Frasor are the options I would rather stick with what we've got. I know Guzman is an injury risk, but Gregerson's home/road splits are horrendous. Marshall is solid out of the pen. Gorzellany should be a starter at least for the beginning of the season with Lily out, we need a lefty starter, and if he performs well we have a solid trade chip for July, if Shark,Cashner,Jackson,Coleman, or Carpenter are ready. Also I don't think he will but insurance for Wells, should he go through a sophmore slump is wise. Guzman has electric stuff, and he is a solid set-up man if he can stay healthy, If the cubs don't have faith in Guzman then Gregerson would be my choice, he is young and still has upside and options, Jeff Frasor is older and has had one good year. I see another Heilman on the horizon if we get frasor. he would also be a free agent after this year. Where as Gregerson will be under team control for a long time. I think that Marshall wants to be traded though so he can have a better oppurtunity to be a full-time starter. If that is the case start him at the beginning of the year, and if he is successful, he has more trade value than Jeff Frasor or Luke Gregerson. Gorzellany and Marshall need to be showcased as starters not given away for nothing, as starters their trade value goes way up. If JH trades them away for nothing he is an idiot.
Heres what ya do... Trade for Frasor...
If the trade requires either Marshall, Gorzo, or Guzman, the choice should be obvious: Gorzo.
Guzman has too much upside and weve been investing in him for years and hes finally bearing fruit.
Marshall has been a great team player and actually has been awesome out of the pen as a lefty specialist, late reliever, mop up guy, and long reliever. And he has been loyal throughout the past few years of basically being in limbo positionwise.
Gorzo seems a lil unsteady (solid one game, horrible the next) him and Marshall are basically the same player as far as a LH 4-5 starter but Marshall has proven more durable and successful as a reliever.
While Frasor's ERA in the mid 2's and the whip of just over one look good its not like he is missing a lot of bats. Since June thre were 21 innings where there was a base hit of 38 total innings appearred in. This is not really as bad as it might seem because during those 38 innings only 9 innings with at least one walk. (Marmol was 19 innings with hits and 19 innings with at least one walk during the last 38 appearances) Frasor is from Chicago which seems good but probably is bad because there will be a lot of pressure. Caution... 5.11 ERA in September and 32 Years old. Probably a decent pick-up but certainly not for Guzman or Marshall.
How about trading some salary somewhere to free up money for Felipe Lopez. This team will never contend with Fotentot/Bake at 2B.
Whom do you suggest we trade?...You'll need at least 3-4 million...and find a taker when most camps are bulging with personnel...that they want to assess.
I agree Lopez would be great...BUT.
If Toronto is the trading partner...it will take either a 3 way trade...or a preliminary trade...because Toronto has an overload of both Bullpen candidates and young starter candidates.
I don't see Marshall/Gorzelanny/Guzman
as a fit for Toronto.
What I read in the few Toronto related articles is they are seeking prospects...
and really desire ss prospects. I would assume none of our higher rated ss
prospects would go...just for a reliever.
The other part of it...is Toronto will not be looking to add payroll...bur lose
payroll...and we all know where the Cubs
stand on that.
Last year, we were stuck with Neil Cotts
as the only other viable (questionable)
candidate in the pen.
So JH overcompensates and we now have Marshall/Gorzelanny/Gray/Grabow/Gaub/
Papelbon...and a couple of other lefty arms we acquired.
So we are awash in LH bullpen candidates...when most teams only carry 2.
So Frasor/Downs from Toronto willtake some doing.
1)Find a trading partner that needs LH
arm (s)
2)Dumpsome payroll of our own.
3) Settle on a lesser package of
prospects for Toronto.
Lou/JH...stated they wanted an experienced veteran arm to anchor the bullpen....Gregerson has only one season
at spacious Petco with terrible splits.
If that is THE VETERAN arm to anchor the back of the pen...I'd pass...seems to me Guzman has a much experience...Caridad looked darn good....and we have a bevy of in house arms to try...before I'd turn to Gregerson.
There has to be other candidates.
I'd go to spring training and have my scouts fan out toall the other camps
before making a move at this stage.
Suzy, I would not 'worry' about John Gaub not to mention Jeremy Papelbon.
Gaub and Gray have options and Papelbon is not on the 40-man.
I would be a little surprised if Marshall and Gorzelanny are still on the roster by the time the team leaves Mesa.
With that said, I feel Marshall has more value than Gorzelanny.
As for the shortstops in the organization, I do not see them moving any of those for a player like Frasor.
As for the scouts going out during Spring Training. They are already at work and will be at camps in Florida and Arizona when pitchers and catchers report.
I agree Marshall has more value....
I always assumed either Marshall OR
Gorzelanny would be traded...not both.
What makes you feel both will go, Neil?
Do you think we might get another starter
candidate?
Re...the other guys...Gaub etc...I'm not worried...just saying we have a ton of options.
Suzy, I should have explained (typed) my thoughts a little better ... sorry.
I do not think both Marshall and Gorzelanny will be on the team. One will be traded.
Unless someone else stands out, I like Gorzellany for the 5th spot in the rotation (4th until Lilly is out, but I have explained this before, the 5th starter is not needed until April 19th, 24th, 29th and then not until May 8, 18th, 23rd, etc.). I like Marshall for the 2nd lefty in the pen. Compare Gorzellany to other teams #5. Most teams would take him, some teams even as a #4. If one of the other leftys is ready to break camp, then I'm fine with trading one, but let's wait until near the end of spring training.
Isn't Jeff Gray RH?
I wouldn't trade for another bullpen arm, at this time.
Lopez must be asking for more than he is worth, since he hasn't signed.
Also, do you really want a bullpen arm that Toronto would be willing to give up, when their judgement just signed Gregg?
Tony,my bad...having a bad day I guess. :) Time to take a hiatus :)
Blue Jays might not be in the market for a LH starter.
MLB Trade Rumors posted -
According to a team press release, Toronto has acquired left-hander Dana Eveland from the A's in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Eveland was DFA'd by Oakland on Monday.
In nine starts for the Athletics last season, the 26-year-old posted a 7.16 ERA with 4.5 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9. However, Eveland had a strong 2008 - posting a 4.34 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 29 starts.
For some reason I was thinking he was left handed as well, but I pulled up his page to look at his info, and noticed he was RH. So, I was wondering where I had seen that he was LH.
Jeff Gray is right-handed ... I misread the comment that was made and did not realize he was listed among all of the southpaws.
either send a AA prospect or A for gergerson or frasor or forget it.
guzman is worth 1 more shot.
unless i'm missing something no way gorz or marshall gets traded w/ lilly out up to a month. silva sucks and smardz really needs 3 good months of starting only in AAA unless he has a lites out ST. gorz/marsh are the 4/5 starters till lilly gets back.
cashner is too raw and diamond can never stay healthy.
last year they traded weurtz becuz he had no options and look what a great yr he had.............they need to not trade any potential starters till lilly gets back.
Let's see: what DID we get for Michael Wuertz? Oh yeah, 27 yr old Richie Robnet--OF who hit .000 because the Cubs released him in May 2009; and they also got Justin Sellers,28, a utility infielder in the minors. Cubs' dumped Wuertz to keep Aaron Heilman, Chad Gaudin, Kevin Gregg and Smardzija.
This is another Hendry trade of 2009 . . . .
Rip, don't be making fun of Chad Guadin, he has a World Series ring for his finger.
Just saying!!
Oh yeah, one more comment: since the Cubs are looking for RHP outta da bullpen, do you think Michael Wuertz might fill the bill? And yes, the kept Cotts over Wuertz last year, too.
Sure, I know, I know: there will be some ChiCubOnline folks who won't approve of me mentioning another JHendry trade. The Truth is the Truth.