By Phil RogersTalking baseball while studying the NCAA bracket:
1. You want a whopper of a trade rumor? ESPN's Buster Olney threw one out over the weekend. How about Albert Pujols for Ryan Howard?
Sure, the Phillies' Ruben Amaro Jr. labeled the report "a lie,'' and in it Olney said only that the Phillies were having internal discussions about the possibility, but it still has been white hot on the Internet. It's reasonable to speculate about Pujols deals, as the Cardinals are going to be stretched to re-sign him if he wants market value -- that would actually be in excess of the $27.5 million a year the Yankees are paying Alex Rodriguez -- but would the Cards really want another slugger with a similar resume, and equally high demands?
Part of the proposition is that Howard is from St. Louis. So, essentially, is Mark Buehrle. How about this, if we're throwing names against a wall -- Buehrle, Carlos Quentin and prospects for Pujols?
Tony La Russa, who earlier this spring said he
could picture himself working for Jerry Reinsdorf in a non-managerial
capacity, could then follow Pujols to Chicago.
2. Remember when Brian Roberts was a regular feature of Cubs trade rumors? It's that time again, but not for the same reasons. The Orioles are starting to wonder if Roberts' back injury is more serious than they expected, and have begun to consider outside offers. Both the White Sox and Cubs have second basemen they can discuss, thanks in part to the emergence of the versatile C.J. Retherford in Glendale. The White Sox could make Jayson Nix available. The Cubs could offer Jeff Baker or Mike Fontenot -- perhaps either if they're ready to play Starlin Castro and move Ryan Theriot to second. That appears a long shot at this point, but a significant trade could help the Cubs address their biggest weakness -- the bullpen. The Orioles have overhauled their bullpen around new closer Mike Gonzalez. They have moved Koji Uehara, owed $5 million in the last year of his contract, to the bullpen. Would they be willing to talk about Cla Meredith or Jim Johnson, both of whom could be useful parts? A White Sox deal for Nix likely would target prospects. Billy Rowell, a disappointing first-rounder, is the kind of guy that would have appeal.
3. Only Ozzie Guillen could manage two losses and then turn his guns on a manager who wasn't there -- the Cubs' Lou Piniella. Guillen had his tongue in his cheek when he said Alan Trammell showed his ability in managing the Cubs to two victories over the White Sox in Las Vegas while Piniella stayed home in Mesa. He was sticking a barb into Piniella, all in the name of good fun, but he was hitting on a situation that is soon to be a problem for Jim Hendry and the Cubs -- between Piniella, the deserving Trammell and the deserving (and popular) Ryne Sandberg, there are three choices to manage the 2011 Cubs. Club president Crane Kenney wants as much time as possible to evaluate the situation. That's fine. But it's not going away.
2. Remember when Brian Roberts was a regular feature of Cubs trade rumors? It's that time again, but not for the same reasons. The Orioles are starting to wonder if Roberts' back injury is more serious than they expected, and have begun to consider outside offers. Both the White Sox and Cubs have second basemen they can discuss, thanks in part to the emergence of the versatile C.J. Retherford in Glendale. The White Sox could make Jayson Nix available. The Cubs could offer Jeff Baker or Mike Fontenot -- perhaps either if they're ready to play Starlin Castro and move Ryan Theriot to second. That appears a long shot at this point, but a significant trade could help the Cubs address their biggest weakness -- the bullpen. The Orioles have overhauled their bullpen around new closer Mike Gonzalez. They have moved Koji Uehara, owed $5 million in the last year of his contract, to the bullpen. Would they be willing to talk about Cla Meredith or Jim Johnson, both of whom could be useful parts? A White Sox deal for Nix likely would target prospects. Billy Rowell, a disappointing first-rounder, is the kind of guy that would have appeal.
3. Only Ozzie Guillen could manage two losses and then turn his guns on a manager who wasn't there -- the Cubs' Lou Piniella. Guillen had his tongue in his cheek when he said Alan Trammell showed his ability in managing the Cubs to two victories over the White Sox in Las Vegas while Piniella stayed home in Mesa. He was sticking a barb into Piniella, all in the name of good fun, but he was hitting on a situation that is soon to be a problem for Jim Hendry and the Cubs -- between Piniella, the deserving Trammell and the deserving (and popular) Ryne Sandberg, there are three choices to manage the 2011 Cubs. Club president Crane Kenney wants as much time as possible to evaluate the situation. That's fine. But it's not going away.
Get our updates on 
Yo Yosh, you are just a bit outside as usual. Besides Mark Buehrle, I wonder what system Daniel Hudson, Gordon Beckham, Dayan Viciedo and Carlos Torres came up with. Quite a few others were used to acquire Jake Peavy, John Danks, Freddy Garcia, Carlos Quentin, Juan Pierre, Tony Pena, Matt Thornton, Ramon Castro, Paul Konerko, Mark Kotsay and Mark Teahen. You would be right except for the 16 players I mentioned. Stick to the laughables. o back to the dorkside.
Why can't the Cubbies jump in there and deal Soriano for Pujols and Reed Johnson. I don't know how Cardinals are going to get R.J., but if they want this trade, they will make it work.
The only reason the Phillies are talking about Howard is because the Yankees exposed Howards glaring weakness,he can't hit an off-speed pitch.This wasn't lost on NL pitchers.Bet Howard doesn't get above .250 and 20 HR this year,he'll be lucky to see a fastball once a game.
Roberts has a bad back and cubs are supposed to take the damaged goods off Andy McFail's hands? Sounds crazy, but Hendry is capable of all kinds of stupidity and he never met a bad contract he didn't like so maybe it will happen and Roberts can spend his time on the DL in Chicago rather than Baltimore. Go get him, Jimbo, you meathead!
Doug,
I was not trying to account for the Cubs problems with the farm system, just that its ridiculous to mention Buehrle as trade bait, along with 'prospects' for the person who might be the best hitter in baseball.
The fact remains, the Sox couldn't come close to putting a package together that the Cards would give serious thought to, because unless it contained Peavy and Beckham, they don't have the players to make it possible. And its due to the absurd unproductive farm system they have.
Buehrle being the only player on their ML roster that was produced through it.
Don't forget a potential, though possible longshot, 4th candidate for Cubs manager, local hero Joe Girardi...my personal choice.
Yosh, is the Sox overhyping their prospects any different than the cubs with Pie, Patterson, etc etc? Both teams in town have done a horrible job drafting and developing talent. But both teams seem to be on the rise in that department.
And come on people, Rogers isn't reporting an actual trade rumor here. Just making the comparison of Howard and Buehrle being home town guys that could be appealing to the Cards. Anyone who takes these type of ideas seriously probably did the same thing with all of Sam Smith's crazy ideas.
Thank you KWF.
I guess that means Buehrle is the ONLY player on their likely MLB roster, that actually was developed thru their minor league system.
That is a complete joke, and something that maybe some writers and sportstalk folks, should take notice. Well of course, that would never be mentioned on the 'Sox' lap dog station.
Yosh on March 15, 2010 1:04 PM
Prospects?
T
The last I can come up with, are Buehrle and Jenks.
'''''
Jenks came up through the Angels system, he was released because of a drinking problem and for lighting himself on fire one too many times. The Sox had the first rights to pick up his claim and did.
Prospects?
The Sox overhype every minor leaguer possible, who might be having a 'career' year, so they can trade them as fast as possible.
Name the Sox 'prospects' who came thru their minor league system and are on their current roster - don't say Beckham, he was already developed when he got drafted- and spent less than a year in their 'system'.
The last I can come up with, are Buehrle and Jenks.
Teams should refuse to trade with the Sox, unless of course you want to get ride of a terrible salary mistake - Alex Rios.
Their minor league system is terrible!
The deserving Alan Trammell and his 186-300 managerial record.
Phil Rogers: The Biggest Moron on the Face of the Earth
Buehrle and Quentin for Pujols? Ha! Yeah, a pitcher who isn't even the best on his team and an OF with only one good season that is always injured in exchange for the best player in the game. You can't even start a discussion for Pujols without Peavy AND Beckham.
"Buehrle, Carlos Quentin and prospects for Pujols"
Seriously? No really. You seriously think that is an offer that would be considered?
You know, I am all for helping out the less fortunate, but this Tribune giving their baseball columnist jobs out to Make a Wish foundation candidates thing should probably come to an end.