It's sad about Vitters going down, as he's had a hand issue in the past, and this can't possibly help matters.

However, as was pointed out, he's just 20 years old (will be 21 August 27th). And while he hasn't been phenomenal at AA, his bat was starting to come around, and as one of the scouting magazines aptly pointed out, he usually takes about half a season to adjust to the new league he's playing at before he catches fire, but he does figure things out, which is what you look for in young hitters---can they make adjustments? And he clearly can.

Moving onto other things...I thought I'd keep the trade season talk going, and wanted to throw this nugget out to you all:

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Compliments of AZ Phil at TCR,

The Cubs could probably trade Kosuke Fukudome for Chone Figgins right now.

While it would cost the Mariners more in the short term (Kosuke is making $5M more than Figgins in 2010--or about $2M more pro-rated at this point in the season--and will get $13.5M in 2011 while Figgins gets $9M), the M's would save money after the 2011 season by not having to keep Fukudome while the Cubs are paying Figgins $9M per year in 2012 and $8M in 2013 (with a 2014 $9M vesting option that would kick-in only if Figgins is playing well enough to be able to accrue 600 PA in 2013).

So the Cubs would save about $2M in payroll in 2010 and $4.5M more in 2011 (about $6.5M total) that could be applied to Figgins salary in 2012 ($9M) and 2013 ($8M), meaning they get Figgins for at least 3+ years for what they were going to have to pay Fukudome through 2011 anyway, plus another $5.5M in 2012 and $5M in 2013, which is not really that much unless Figgins turns out to be a total stiff.

And unlike Fukudome, Figgins would actually fill a need for the Cubs even if he isn't used as a starter, because he's a speedy switch-hitter who can play multiple positions.

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That's a great trade analysis right there is what that is. I'd argue that Figgins, while we'd be paying for him for 2 years longer than Fukudome, would be FAR superior to Fukudome in so many different ways, including:

1)Figgins plays 2B, SS, 3B, and OF

2)Figgins averages about 40 SB/year

3)Figgins has a career .286 avg, .360 OBP, as well as 57 RBI/yr

4)Figgins is a switch hitter

5)Figgins is 2 years younger than Fukudome

Fukudome's averages are:

.257 avg, .365 OBP, 9 SB, 56 RBI. Oh, and he pretty much can only play RF (even though he played CF last year, he wasn't good at it), AND he can't hit lefties to save his life.

I like moves like this. It's a win-win situation for both teams. They get another fairly marketable Japanese player for their team, and they get rid of a player that just had a brush up in the dugout. Figgins never had problems before, so it wouldn't be like we were getting Bradley all over again.

These are the deals we absolutely have to look into going forward:

Soriano for Vernon Wells

Soriano for Rowand

Soriano for Zito

Those are the types of deals we're going to have to look at to improve this team. We have Lee ($13.25mm), Lilly ($13mm), Nady ($3.3mm) and likely Theriot ($2.6mm), Fontenot ($1mm), Baker ($975k), Hill ($700k) all coming off the books this offseason.

That's $34.825 coming off the books. In addition to those players in the final years of their deals, in all likelihood it seems like Grabow ($4.8mm next year), Fukudome ($14.5mm next year), Zambrano (18.875mm next year), and Silva ($7.25mm we owe him next season) might all be traded/released this offseason.

Grabow, we'd have to eat all of his deal. Fukudome, we'd have to probably eat over 1/2 his deal, unless it's a swap like the one for Figgins outlined above. But Zambrano and Silva are interesting cases. We might not have to eat any of Silva's contract if he can pick up his first half pace he had going on, and Zambrano, we might just have to pick up a small portion of his deal.

If that's the case, it'd save us another $30 million potentially, even after eating money, and would bring our payroll down to somewhere around $80 million or so, and we could start the rebuilding process. But make no mistake about it, the Ricketts family's number one priority is NOT winning. It's all about marketing and making a huge profit on the team. Therefore, they'll slash payroll, and try to increase amenities at the ballpark instead of improving the product on the field through trades/free agency. We just have to hope that in the process of unloading bad contracts, we'll be able to get some guys like Wells, Rowand, Figgins, that might turn it around in a new environment.

As much as some of us want them to at least look into Dunn and Uggla this offseason, I just don't see it happening.

They already stated they want to build this team through the farm when they took over, and that's absolutely the right approach...problem is, that can sometimes take several years.

For starting pitchers, we have:

Archer, Rhee, Antigua, Carpenter, Dolis, Jay Jackson, Kirk, Coleman, Samardzija, Chen, Bibens-Dirkx, Rusin, McNutt, Struck

**and that's not even including guys drafted this year, or guys having down years

For the OF, we have:

B Jackson, Snyder (older), Campana, Guyer, Fitzgerald, Spencer, Burke (having down year, but still just 22), Sczur, and the recently drafted Golden that seems to have unlimited potential

For the IF, we have:

Camp (older), Marquez Smith, Tony Thomas, Barney, Vitters, Hak Ju Lee, Watkins, Flaherty, LeMahieu, LaHair, Richard Jones, Ridling, Lake, Cueno, LePage (though both the latter 2 were just drafted, so who knows?)

For catcher, we have:

Chirinos, Castillo, and Brenly

If we were to look for anything via trades, it should ABSOLUTELY be depth in the OF, depth at corner IF, and catcher...so, yeah, pretty much everything, even though we have solid middle infield depth.

J.R. Mathes should be considered for a spot in the big league. He works hard and is a dedicated player. He set a franchise record in wins. And he's a lefty. What else does it take? The Chicago Cubs could use him, especially if Ted Lilly is on the way out.

I love Sandberg, he is the ultimate cub but and for me its a big but is he ready. Larussa would be my number one if Duncan came over with him. I don't see that happinging. I just think that Bobby V would demand the players be accountable and he is known as one of the smartest guys in baseball. Should be exciting!

Anyone see Bobby V. wants a shot at the Cubs job. Love it! Where does everyone rank him on the list of canidates?

for me, its LaRussa or Sandberg if we can get LaRussa great, then we cam Sandberg bench coach

if we bring in LaRussa we could possibly bring in Puljos, just spectulatioN!

LaRussa and Pujols are Cardinals, not Cubs. Winning is much more satisfying when done with your own farm system, not by bringing in your natural enemies.

Why don't you just get Ozzie Guillen over here while you're at it? And Paul Konerko. How about A.J. Pierzynski?

Jim Edmonds was the rare exception. Look what Aaron Miles did to us.

You should read the story of Dr. Faust sometime. Selling your soul to the devil never worked in the past and I suspect it never will.

LaRussa said earlier this year he couldn't manage the Cubs in good conscience, because of his relationship with Jerry Reinsdorf, and has been rumored to be interested in an upper management position with the White Sox when he retires.

As for Sandberg as bench coach, while that's an ideal situation, and logical thinking for most Cubs fans, it's also not going to happen. Sandberg, himself, has already come out and said he's not interested in a coaching position at the MLB level, and says he's already paid his dues in 4 years in the minors and wants to be a manager, and nothing less than that.

Pujols also isn't going to happen, given his interview earlier this year where he said he couldn't see himself playing in a Cubs uniform, and I can't recall exactly, but I think he said something about not wanting to play day baseball (well, not in those exact words, but he said something regarding how he saw how difficult it was for our players, etc.)

All of that is wishful thinking, and I have to admit, VERY intriguing, but based on what these guys have said THEMSELVES, there's absolutely NO way any of these scenarios plays out unless a miracle happens. The miracle might be LaRussa realizing after the season, and after a cold beer with Piniella that taking on the challenge his buddy failed at, would be fun, and would commit only on a short-term basis. Then, bring over Duncan, then have a chat with Sandberg about how he's just keeping the seat warm for him, blah blah blah (and have a sort of contract, much like Jason Garrett has with the Cowboys, and other college and NFL assistant coaches have where it's written in a contract that they'll be the successor after a certain # of years)

thats why i want Sandberg, he paid his dues and knows our minor leaguers

but if we could get larussa i want him, but its most likly NOT happeing

If Lee refuses to accept a trade it just goes to show that he's a me first type player. He doesn't fit into the future plans and he has to know that. It also shows he doesn't care about winning because any team he would be traded to would have a shot a the play-offs. I hope if approached he accepts to be traded.

I read where some people are shocked and how little Ariz got for Dan Haren, who is a hell of a starting pitcher.

They got Joe Saunders, who is decent but I guess the prospects were nothing special.

Something tells me Lilly is not going to bring back a king's ransom if cubs decide to deal him.

Just sayin...don't get your hopes up too high. Nobody is throwing top prospects into any of these deals.

Josh wont turn 21 until thee end of the month relax. He was slowly getting back on track the last two/three weeks and signs were improving. Im sure Grant is right about him playing AFL ball which he did last year and hit near 350 which everyone forgets as a 20 year old in a dominant 2a and 3a league.

i think the AFL would help him a ton, hopefully him and Hak-Ju Lee go there, then can both start out at AA next year (if Hak excelles)

Vitters seems to be heading the way of our other former "top" 3B prospects ... Kevin Orie, Gary Scott, Pedro Castellano.

Not good news on Josh Vitters

From Jonathan Mayo: Just found out that prospect Josh Vitters broke his hand on Sunday.

Crap, seasons done?

Nothing official but I would imagine with just over a month left in the Minor League regular season.

The Smokies are in the playoffs so six weeks tops and I think it would be doubtful ... really no reason to rush him back.

Tht really sucks he wa starting to come around

It's a broken middle finger, caused by a hit-by-pitch according to Mayo

Or maybe AFL ball?

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/2537394,CST-SPT-cubnt27.article

Class AA third baseman Josh Vitters, the third overall pick in the 2007 draft who was in big-league spring training this year for the first time, is out for the season after breaking the middle finger on his left hand. He was hit by a pitch in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday. The hard-luck hitter also missed much of the 2008 season with an injury to the same hand. He's hitting .223.

Excellent point

He could be back mid august then