Ted Lilly at Wrigley. (Brian Cassella/Tribune) By Paul Sullivan
DENVER -- Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday as the Cubs began the deconstruction of their 2007-'08 playoff teams.
Lilly, Theriot and $2.5 million went to he Dodgers for infielder Blake DeWitt, and minor league right-handed pitching prospects Kyle Smit and Brett Wallach.
"In a way no, and in a way (I was)," Lilly said. "I kind of thought that at this point it had gone so far maybe it would all pass. But I think I'm going to a really good place and to a team that has aspirations of winning the World Series, and that's a fortunate thing for me to be a part of."
Photo galleries: Ted Lilly | Ryan Theriot
"Short of winning a World Series here I couldn't have asked for a better experience in my career, I couldn't have asked for a better place to play, teammates to play with, fans to play for, all the way from the coaching staff to the front office. I can't say enough. The media, from my experience, was great. I know everyone has different experiences and different opinions about that, but as much as I enjoyed talking to the media.
"I really enjoyed my experience all the way around and I will never forget the times I had here. This is a tough concept to grab right now, and in a way, I was just telling Koyie Hill, it's not something I'm overly excited about. I'm going to miss a lot. But I think when I go over there and put a Dodger uniform on and meet my new teammates and start competing with them, I'll really enjoy it."
Lilly said he wanted to stay a Cub.
"I voiced my opinion as to what i prefer, but there are reasons that go into it," he said. "Certainly money is one of (the reasons)."
Lilly said they never exchanged salary parameters for bringing him back.
"It was nothing every like that," he said. "Obviously this organization is committed to winning, and I can only imagine they would try and do what's necessary to put themselves in position to win in 2011. Maybe I'm a part of that, maybe I'm not. I have no idea... I was certainly interested in trying to stay here, but whatever the reasons were, it didn't work out."
General manager Jim Hendry was happy with the deal, and wasn't concerned about paying $2.5 million in the trade.
"It was something we felt like (money) wasn't going to be a detriment," he said. "We put a value on the players we got back. Obviously the money Teddy had coming and Ryan were already budgeted for this year. When you have to throw in cash to pick up the extra players you're going to get, we put a high value on that.
"It happens all the time in the industry, like Cleveland did a few years ago with (C.C. Sabathia's trade to Milwaukee). You can't get a chance to buy extra draft picks or pay for certain amount of players you value. We looked at it as if it cost extra money to get a better package (of players), that's what we did."
DeWitt makes only $410,000 and will be the Cubs starting second baseman for the immediate future.
"We've certainly liked him for years," Hendry said. "He's a tough kid. He's 24 years old, so his better days are way ahead of him....He's got a chance to be a complete player. he's got to be better offensively. Greg Maddux spoke highly of him, when Greg pitched for the Dodgers, and my discussions with Greg about him a few weeks back. He's a guy we've always had our eye on and have asked about him in the past."
Carlos Zambrano may eventually get a shot to move into the rotation now that Lilly is officially gone, though Hendry said it was too soon to speculate.
The Cubs asked for Homewood-Flossmoor pitcher John Ely in deal, sources said, but were turned down.
DeWitt, 24, is a career .262 hitter (176-for-673) with 31 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs in 230 games the last three seasons with the Dodgers. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound DeWitt has mostly played second (107 games) and third base (109 games), but can also play shortstop in a pinch.
A left-handed hitter, DeWitt hit .270 (69-for-256) with 15 doubles, four triples, one home run, 30 RBI, 29 runs scored this season, along with a .352 on-base percentage. He's also solid defensively, making only seven errors in 358 total chances at second base this season, good for a .980 fielding percentage.
The Cubs received two top prospects in Smith, a reliever, and Wallach, a starter who is the son of former major league Tim Wallach. Smit, 22, combined to go 5-3 with six saves and a 2.35 ERA (14 ER/53.2 IP) in 37 combined appearances at Single-A Inland Empire and Double-A Chattanooga. He's 2-0 with five saves and a 0.72 ERA in his last 18 outings.
Wallach, 21, went 6-0 with a 3.72 ERA (35 ER/84.2 IP) in 17 starts for Single-A Great Lakes, with 92 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched, an average of 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. he limited opponents to a .230 batting average, including a .209 mark by right-handed hitters.
"We like both players," Hendry said. "Wallach comes from tremendous stock. His father was a tremendous character and a quality big-league player for a long time. Our following of Smit the last two years has shown a tremendous improvement... We're pleased with it. It's a good baseball trade for both clubs."
Lilly went 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts with the Cubs this season, though he was hurt the lowest run support in the league. He went 47-34 with a 3.70 ERA in 113 starts with the Cubs after signing a four-year, $40 million deal.
Lilly said he would consider returning to the Cubs as a free agent, and Hendry wouldn't "close the door" to the idea.
"We'll wait and see how that goes," Hendry said. "He's got to go out and do the best he can for the Dodgers, and we'll worry about the offseason in the offseason."
Theriot batted .284 with 10 doubles, two triples, one home run and 21 RBI in 96 games with the Cubs, and was switched from shortstop to second after Starlin Castro's arrival in May. He took the Cubs to arbitration last winter, which utlimately sealed his fate with the organization, even though he lost.
Originally selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2001 Draft, Theriot batted .287 with 91 doubles, 16 triples, 15 home runs and 174 RBI in 609 games. He'll be a starter at second for the Dodgers.
"I really enjoyed my experience all the way around and I will never forget the times I had here. This is a tough concept to grab right now, and in a way, I was just telling Koyie Hill, it's not something I'm overly excited about. I'm going to miss a lot. But I think when I go over there and put a Dodger uniform on and meet my new teammates and start competing with them, I'll really enjoy it."
Lilly said he wanted to stay a Cub.
"I voiced my opinion as to what i prefer, but there are reasons that go into it," he said. "Certainly money is one of (the reasons)."
Lilly said they never exchanged salary parameters for bringing him back.
"It was nothing every like that," he said. "Obviously this organization is committed to winning, and I can only imagine they would try and do what's necessary to put themselves in position to win in 2011. Maybe I'm a part of that, maybe I'm not. I have no idea... I was certainly interested in trying to stay here, but whatever the reasons were, it didn't work out."
General manager Jim Hendry was happy with the deal, and wasn't concerned about paying $2.5 million in the trade.
"It was something we felt like (money) wasn't going to be a detriment," he said. "We put a value on the players we got back. Obviously the money Teddy had coming and Ryan were already budgeted for this year. When you have to throw in cash to pick up the extra players you're going to get, we put a high value on that.
"It happens all the time in the industry, like Cleveland did a few years ago with (C.C. Sabathia's trade to Milwaukee). You can't get a chance to buy extra draft picks or pay for certain amount of players you value. We looked at it as if it cost extra money to get a better package (of players), that's what we did."
DeWitt makes only $410,000 and will be the Cubs starting second baseman for the immediate future.
"We've certainly liked him for years," Hendry said. "He's a tough kid. He's 24 years old, so his better days are way ahead of him....He's got a chance to be a complete player. he's got to be better offensively. Greg Maddux spoke highly of him, when Greg pitched for the Dodgers, and my discussions with Greg about him a few weeks back. He's a guy we've always had our eye on and have asked about him in the past."
Carlos Zambrano may eventually get a shot to move into the rotation now that Lilly is officially gone, though Hendry said it was too soon to speculate.
The Cubs asked for Homewood-Flossmoor pitcher John Ely in deal, sources said, but were turned down.
DeWitt, 24, is a career .262 hitter (176-for-673) with 31 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs in 230 games the last three seasons with the Dodgers. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound DeWitt has mostly played second (107 games) and third base (109 games), but can also play shortstop in a pinch.
A left-handed hitter, DeWitt hit .270 (69-for-256) with 15 doubles, four triples, one home run, 30 RBI, 29 runs scored this season, along with a .352 on-base percentage. He's also solid defensively, making only seven errors in 358 total chances at second base this season, good for a .980 fielding percentage.
The Cubs received two top prospects in Smith, a reliever, and Wallach, a starter who is the son of former major league Tim Wallach. Smit, 22, combined to go 5-3 with six saves and a 2.35 ERA (14 ER/53.2 IP) in 37 combined appearances at Single-A Inland Empire and Double-A Chattanooga. He's 2-0 with five saves and a 0.72 ERA in his last 18 outings.
Wallach, 21, went 6-0 with a 3.72 ERA (35 ER/84.2 IP) in 17 starts for Single-A Great Lakes, with 92 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched, an average of 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. he limited opponents to a .230 batting average, including a .209 mark by right-handed hitters.
"We like both players," Hendry said. "Wallach comes from tremendous stock. His father was a tremendous character and a quality big-league player for a long time. Our following of Smit the last two years has shown a tremendous improvement... We're pleased with it. It's a good baseball trade for both clubs."
Lilly went 3-8 with a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts with the Cubs this season, though he was hurt the lowest run support in the league. He went 47-34 with a 3.70 ERA in 113 starts with the Cubs after signing a four-year, $40 million deal.
Lilly said he would consider returning to the Cubs as a free agent, and Hendry wouldn't "close the door" to the idea.
"We'll wait and see how that goes," Hendry said. "He's got to go out and do the best he can for the Dodgers, and we'll worry about the offseason in the offseason."
Theriot batted .284 with 10 doubles, two triples, one home run and 21 RBI in 96 games with the Cubs, and was switched from shortstop to second after Starlin Castro's arrival in May. He took the Cubs to arbitration last winter, which utlimately sealed his fate with the organization, even though he lost.
Originally selected by the Cubs in the third round of the 2001 Draft, Theriot batted .287 with 91 doubles, 16 triples, 15 home runs and 174 RBI in 609 games. He'll be a starter at second for the Dodgers.
the chicago dodgers? didnt they just get pod from KC as well? think its a good move they need to blow that team up and get younger.. a good start!!
Trade Piniella, Hendry and Ricketts for fifty cents.
And this is a perfect example of why the Cubs are the Jonas Brothers of baseball.
Listen to their giddy moronic fans scream and squeal like 12 year old girls over their new players.
Not much different than the limp wristed idiots that screamed over Carmen Fanzone in the 70s.
This is where the "knowledgeable" Cub fans sit back and say "Who the f**k is Carmen Fanzone?"
2010.... 1988... 1979..... It does not matter.
Editor, please.
Tim, they can always be White Sox bandwagoners, not like they don't have any. Sox won a World Series but will always be the 2nd class baseball team in Chicago.
Inland Empire what a cool name.
No the real idiots are the "fans" threatening to switch teams becuase they got two young, power arms and a young IF for a 35 year old pitcher that has a contract that runs out in eight weeks and a 30 year old, bad middle IF.
Are they idiots? Cant believe it. getting close to switching teams...
Cubs could trade for the best players in baseball but alot of "fans" would still bitch just because Jim Hendry is Jim Hendry.
Julia.. my sentiments exactly. They say in the story " HE said" after talking about Theriot, Lilly and the guy traded for. Juvnenile editing at best. We should expect more from the Tribune, but we don't. EDIT YOUR FREAKIN copy ..
hendrysux, are you one of those fans who thinks that these guys put up those stats in the MINORS but at the same time can rattle off tons of names that you think the Cubs should bring up from their system NOW because they are ready and deserve a chance? Theriot never once made this team better, and Lilly is at the end of is contract anyway. So in return -- and with the possibility Lilly comes back next year -- the Cubs get a couple of good arms.
Look at the stats, oh, what a concept! Wallach has given up five earned runs in his last four starts and has thrown six shutout innings in back-to-back starts. Smit throws hard and at 22 looks like he has figured something out. DeWitt has a great arm and can play three infield positions. I can guarantee one or all of them will have a bigger impact on the Cubs in the future than Theriot ever will.
Smit, 22, combined to go 5-3 with six saves and a 2.35 ERA (14 ER/53.2 IP) in 37 combined appearances at Single-A Inland Empire and Double-A Chattanooga this season. He's 2-0 with five saves and a 0.72 ERA in his last 18 outings...
yeah, he really sucks...he's 22 years old, and has been good ALL year wherever he's pitched as he makes PROGRESS. HendrySux, take your pseudo-fanhood over the south side because fans like you don't deserve the Cubs. GO. Enjoy it. They won't like you either. Maybe you can become a Yankees fan...stop threatening and just leave. Thanks for joining the Cubs fans after the 2003 run. It's about time lukewarm fans like you left anyways.
Getting anything for Theriot is a win. So sick of his weak pop ups to the right side. And is it possible for a "fast" guy to be a worse baserunner than he is?
Good riddance.
Jack, Did you see the minor league pitchers? Smit blows, Wallach has only decent stats in the MINORS. Theroit is a trade off at best for Dewitt. Check the stats. So Lilly gets you a couple of pieces of crap...okay, nice job, we're moving in the right direction.
So glad football season is here.... (and I don't have tickets to Cubs games)
I feel this was a good trade for the Cubs, about as good as could be hoped for, and a step in the right direction in terms of the organization's philosophy to start building from youth.
Lilly is 34, coming off MAJOR surgery, lost some zip on the ball, and gives up a lot of HRs. His best days are behind him, and it's only a matter of time before he gets hurt again. Just about ANYBODY would be an improvement at 2B; Theriot has no power at all, is average defensively, and can't get on base. DeWitt is 25 and will only get better. Plus we get two solid pitching prospects; I understand that Wallach has great stuff and could be in the Bigs full time within 2-3 years. Cubs also save about 4 million on the deal for not paying Theriot next year.
For you so-called "fans" who are bashing Hendry and this trade, you need to wise up and get a clue. Did you think we were gonna get Pujols or A-Rod for Lilly and Theriot???
2 minor league pitchers Mad Dog can work with and the Cubs still could bring back Lilly as a free agent in the offseason, Cubs made a good trade. I'm happy.
Jack, I like your sentiment about other Cubs fans being stupid. Oh, and you spelled considerably wrong.
hendrysux on July 31, 2010 5:12 PM
I've had it!!! 41 years and this is it! I refuse to give my support to an organization whom I have grown to despise.
The team on the south side is so much easier to like. They also have a competent general manager, and a field manager whom I respect. I am very close to jumping ship, and taking my children with. Does anyone else feel this way as well?
_____________________
Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out....
You're leaving because they traded a 35 year old pitcher whose contract expires in two months and one of the 5 or so worst everyday players in the league?
Good, and take the rest of your family, too, the average IQ of Cubs fans will go up. Conciderably.
I've had it!!! 41 years and this is it! I refuse to give my support to an organization whom I have grown to despise.
The team on the south side is so much easier to like. They also have a competent general manager, and a field manager whom I respect. I am very close to jumping ship, and taking my children with. Does anyone else feel this way as well?
Living in Albuquerque which is the triple A team for the Dodgers I saw DeWitt play alot as an Isotope, great player I'm glad we got him, he's been one of my favorites.
Paul Sullivan writes, "Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot were traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday as the Cubs began the deconstruction of their 2007-'08 playoff teams."
I admire Sullivan's writing, but I dislike the occasional lapse into faux grad-school discourse. Rather than attempt to invoke deconstructive criticism in the analysis of the Lilly trade, why not simply write what should be written: "the dismantling of their 2007-'08 playoff teams."
Oh, but it sounds so positively hep to write "deconstruction," doesn't it?
Thank you, Jack...I promise, we're not all like these nimrods who post here. It's a max-return move. Upgrade at 2nd and two potentially successful minor leaguers. Smit's 22 and finally getting it, and Wallach is 21, and OWNS righties!
GarPaxDorf on July 31, 2010 4:14 PM
So we paid 2.5 million dollars and got rid of 2 decent players for a sucky 2nd basemen with a bad year.
______________
Lilly, and who exactly is the second of the "2 decent players"?
The one who has a lower obp than the "sucky 2nd basemen" as well as a lower slg pct than the "sucky 2nd basemen", is a worse fielder than the "sucky 2nd basemen", and gets paid more too!
The cluelessness of Chicago fans is actually entertaining.
Theriot seemed like an arrogant guy who, in spite of his young career, decided to phone it in for a good part of this season as per Cubs' protocol, circa 2010.
Chicago will like DeWitt.It's a good fit both on the field and personality.
Well, DeWitt's OBP is nearly 60 points higher than Theriot's so that's an upgrade...
chirp chirp chirp chirp..chirp chirp chirp
empty seats
Those cricketts sure are loud...and echo in this vacant hulk.
Maybe Colorado can chalk up 12 hits in a row tonight!
If only they could rid themselves of wee, fckadummy and jissmirez..continue the purge.
Hendry is the Matt Millen of baseball
GO SOX!!! Lower Payroll better team? Hendry is the real problem!
FIRE HENDRY RIGHT NOW! This guy is unbelievable instead of helping the team he keeps screwing them over with his signings and trades. He gave away Lilly and Theriot for crap. This organization is so screwed and what the hell did the fans do to deserve this crap. Boycott them and make this crap go away
I'm glad Jim Hendry was able to pull this trade off. It should help the Cubs down the road. Ted Lilly was the Cub's only valuable trade commodity. Hopefully he will entertain re-signing with the Cubs next year. Theriot did not fit into the Cubs future. Castro is the 2nd baseman of the future, and Lee ( a minor league shortstop ) is the ss of the future. Plus, Theriot was not a smart baseball player. I saw him twice in one week, get thrown out at third, with no runners on first, on balls hit in front of him to a short stop. Good riddance Riot.
Why are people so upset over dumping Ryan TheOUT?
Are you going to miss the sub. 320 obp.?
OR the 15, or so, extra base hits over the course of an entire season?
Or is it the incredibly weak arm?
What I am going to miss most...his inventing new ways to make outs on the basepaths those very few few times he did get on base.
Who the hell is quoted in the first paragraphs of this story? It says he said. Who's he? Does anybody copy edit this crap before it gets posted.
It's called rebuilding people. There was a very good chance Theriot and Lilly would not be back next year, so to get something for them now makes sense. Do you really want to pay Lilly 40 million over the next 4 years to resign him? I wouldn't, but you know somebody will. Keep building the farm Jim. Too bad nobody wants Z, Fukudome, or Soriano's contracts or they would be next. I would take a used bag of balls for Z if somebody was willing to pick up even half of his deal. Hopefully there' a chance someone will want Ramirez for prospects. This is where this team needs to go, clear out overblown salarys, pick up prospects, and allow them to develop.
Wow...I think the Cubs maxed out with this deal. Wallach is going to be a stud. He comes from a professional pedigree and Smith has been lights-out after a few mechanical adjustments...before you criticize the move, read up on what the Cubs got in return. Two potential future contributors who are about two years out from making waves in the show...they traded a pitcher with 3 wins and a powerless middle infielder with OBP of .320, only 40 points higher than his BA...i guess now it's time for the clueless to make a legend out of theriot now too, in the mold of DeRosa, Reed Johnson and Sam Fuld. Haha!
It sure looks like Joe is hoping to blow someone. Typical Sox fan.
Nothing to do with the story, but are newspapers so broke they can't afford spell-check? These stories lately are written worse than if Pauly had texted them in. I'd be embarrassed.
Hate to see Lily go, a gutsy player. Glad to see Theriot go.
Maybe Dewitt can blossom at 2nd. With Castro at short Byrd in Center all they need is a good catcher to be solid up the middle.
I hate to see lily go, but he was going to leave anyway via free agency. We certainly go an upgrade at second base. I am glad to se theriot gone. He is a terrible fielder and a worse base runner.
Typical Cubs fans who didn't like the trade of the-Riot". They look at the guys personality and if he a nice guy or not. Production is the key and Dewitt is 6 years younger, has better stats and better fielder the The Riot. He couldn't do anything better than anyone else. Get on base, forget it, higher average-nope, average fielder. Young pitchers were the key to the trade and Lilly did good job but he is on down hill side of career. Good trade by Hendry. See how the young pitchers do in the next 2 years, thats the key.
Addition by subtraction. I was hoping the Cubs could trade somebody to get an everyday second baseman. Well, DeWitt isn't the stud I was looking fur, but he seems better than Theriot and Fontentot. Those two were a disaster. Theriot and Fontenot both cost the team with their defense. Fontenot could only hit #5 starters pitching at Cincinnati. Theriot was a lousy singles hitter to right field.
I would have kept Andres Blanco, at least he had defense.
Anyways, a good trade by Hendry, a couple of good prospects and a starting 2nd baseman.
This is a fair trade. At least we get something in return for Lilly. From a fan standpoint I am sorry to see Lilly and Theriot them leave, both good guys who gave it there all.
Ted Lilly is 3-8 and never got any run support period. And Lou has to take some blame too. Having all year the starters talk him out of removing them in the 7th or 8th. Such as Lilly’s start at Wrigley last week against Houston when Lilly came back in the 8th inning when Sean Marshall was ready in the pen with a 1-0 lead and Lilly gives up the home run to Pedro Feliz in the 12 inning loss.
Ryan Theriot on the other hand has been more recently a defensive liability at 2B making bad throws and costing games, and not hitting as effective as he did in the past. I thought he would be a good no 2 hitter like Sandberg, but never developed.
Remember Blake DeWitt is 24. and is signed for the long term. Ryan Theriot is 30 and will be a free agent next year. And Fox’s Ken Rosenthal mentioned that the 2 minor leaguers are quality prospects
Are the Cubs officially done with trades? Too bad. Can't trade Fukodome, Zambrano, Soriano, or Ramirez due to the size of their contracts. D. Lee invoked his no trade contract with the Angels. Basically Cubs are the same only 1 good pitcher less in Ted Lilly. When you're stuck with those dumb contracts, you're stuck.
This just goes to show that the Cubs are the worst-run organization in all of professional sports. Tom Ricketts is just a clueless frat boy who just doesn't understand how to properly run an organization and his first mistake was retaining Jim Hendry. This is a very strange trade he made and really they get nothing good back in return. Seriously, if he wants to keep his job from here on out, he neds to start unloading these other guys like Fontenot, Fuckadome, Ramirez and whomever else they can get some value back for, even that nutjob Zambrano. And yet Ricketts thinks this is the guy (Hendry) to get them over the hump? Good luck, they'll need it and need it in the worst way possible.
Couldn't you have made a deal with anyone else? Baltimore?
"Did you see the Brewers? They are like a game ahead of us and aren't trading anyone because they said that they are still in it. "
If the Brewers are "still in it" then I am Mother Theresa. Brewers never were in it despite the nonsense that their fans spew. Must be from all that cheese. Clogs up the brain.
cub fans!
Not to worry -- if I remember my Contract Law 101 class, no contract is legal unless there is consideration on both sides. So, I think a class action suit by cub fans to void this trade might hold up in court.
Sir Dragon of Mulberry
STICK WITH THE SOX
Going to miss Ted but would he be here next year? Theriot good guy, O.K. player but I have heard Castro might but moving to 2nd in a few years.Some Korean kid in the minors is considered a better SS.
I think Theriot is an upgrade for the Dodgers. The Cubs had to give them something to absorb Lilly's salary.
I'm going to miss him and thought he seemed liked the most popular player when I went to Wrigley. I thought Fontenot was kept on because of Theriot, so maybe he'll go, too.
Overall, a step down for the team, but at least Smit looks like a good pickup.
Still, I hope Hendry's next.
Do any of you people watch the actual games. The "riot" has no power, don't walk, hits singles to right with 2 outs & can't play defense. My grandma could have 20 RBI's at this point in the season. Ted Lilly has been a good player but not worthy of another contract at his age.
It's hard to let a productive left hander go, but I don't thinking resigning Lilly was a good option - he'll get a raise and be in decline over his next contract. And Theriot seems to have leveled out. It's time to break this team up, and build around Colvin, Castro, and, hopefully Cashner, but after last night....
Lilly, at this point, is a mediocre pitcher whose contract is up. Theriot has 13 extra base hits. 13! He's also overpaid and would have gotten a raise next year. DeWitt can be used as a solid utility guy. I don't know much about the pitching prospects they received, and you probably don't either. Although Wallach looks promising. I like the trade a lot.
Not saying Hendry doesn't deserve to be fired, but this wasn't a bad trade by any means.
This is a good deal for the Cubs. Theriot is overrated. He is poor defensively, low OBP, and little power. I really like Lilly, but we get a promising pitcher to build the foundation. Besides, Cashner will probably take his spot as a starter next year as he is better suited to that role. Blake DeWitt is OK. Better defensively, a wash as far as offensively with Theriot. Bottom line, we need to build a younger nuclues, and with Castro, Colvin, and Cashner next year we are starting on the path to a more stable and better run franchise.
Finally get these bad attitude guys out of the clubhouse. I expect we could make a push in this division race yet. Sometimes sweeping out the old and bringing in some new players is all it takes.
Glad to see Theriot gone. Anyone else notice how much he was struggling on defense the past week? Also, how many times has he made outs trying to be a hero? I don't like heroes who try to stretch doubles into triples and kill rallies. Plus, I saw more than my fair share of "aggressive" at-bats that killed rallies. Bye.
That's not to say Jim Hendry doesn't suck, because he does.
Disclaimer: I am a Cubs fan.
But here is what irritates me, most of the fan base gets attached to "fan favorites" (I left out the "talented" part because few fit that bill) who are great guys who try really hard but don't produce. What has Theriot or Fontenot actually produced over the last two seasons? Nothing more any other big league utility player would have. The fact that I saw someone on here last night say we should trade away Castro just hammers that theory home.
Theriot sucked and Lilly was going to be more than likely gone anyway. And if he doesn't get an offer he can come back next year. It looks like the Cubs got younger with DeWitt (who might still be decent) and a couple of decent arms. After all these years they are finally loading up the farm system and that will play out in the future.
According to most fans, here is the infield the Cubs should field the rest of the season (sitting Lee and Rami of course)
1B-Hoffpauir
2B-Fontenot
SS-Castro
3B-Vitters (yeah I know he is hurt but you get the point)
Why the love fest for a guy who did not walk at all, who kept hitting the first pitch thinking he had homerun power, who took the Cubs to arbitration hearings for the first time in a long time, who still receives way too much salary in my opinion. On and on we could go... I guess some people are more attracted by his easy going, bayou accented drawl than by his baseball abilities, which were not that great to begin with, lest we forget how long it took him to become a MLB player.
So we traded our "ace" plus a useful infielder for someone who is not even as good at Fontenot. We even sent them money, too. The "centerpiece of this trade" was a left handed version of Theriot, with a little bit better defense, a worse average, and less speed.
Lilly was a Class A type free agent, so we should have tried to get something that would account for the draft picks that we are losing. That won't happen, and it looks like we got pretty much nothing for Lilly. Great moves by the Cubs as usual.
Did you see the Brewers? They are like a game ahead of us and aren't trading anyone because they said that they are still in it. They say that because there are 2 1/2 months of baseball left and anything can happen (just look at the White Sox). Their manager didn't announce them as "sellers" a few weeks ago, thus waving the white flag. Their manager doesn't sit all of their starters either on the same night, or allow Triple-A pitchers to pitch multiple innings in a must win games against the Cardinals, especially when they've already been knocked around in the first inning they pitched.
I had no confidence in our management getting anything good for Lilly, and now I see why. There were several clubs wanting him, and this is the best that we could do? Plus we paid Theriot's entire year salary.
This team is a complete joke. Blake DeWitt has to feel like the floor of a taxi cab coming from a winner to this sorry team (from top to bottom).
This is actually much more than I thought they were getting. They get two good, young pitchers who have been very affective this year. Lilly has been classy, and has pitched better than any other for the last four years. With that said Lilly will likely cost more as a free-agent next year and he is due to decline through the life of what will likely be his final long-term contract. He is also more likely to be injury-prone. The Cubs wouldn't likely resign Lilly, so it was good for them to get some good value.
DeWitt was the Dodgers number five prospect according to baseball America in 2008. He gives us a better fielder than Theriot and can back up Ramirez if/when he gets hurt again. Theriot is due to become a free agent next year and would definately cost more to re-sign. They will have DeWitt's rights for atleast four more years. Not to mention that Theriot is 30 and DeWitt is 24.
From a Cub-fan standpoint I am sorry to see both of them go. They each gave all they had every game out, which is more than most of this Cubs' team has done. Theriot was my favorite Cub. But, this trade helps the team in many ways. Hendry actually got one right. Hopefully he's not done.
Wow, hard to see why this trade was made. The Cubs are eating most of Lily's salary anyway, so why not hang on to him and see if you can sign him? Dewitt's better at second, but we should've been playing Fontenot there anyway. Those pitching prospects better pan out (but they won't).
Doug, how dare you bring reason to these boards? The Cubs traded a guy with two months left on his contract and another who is currently posting an ops of less than .650 and people are moaning about the return, as if they have any clue about the players the Cubs got. Why? because Theriot has a funny name and runs real hard when he pops out to second.
I've been saying all along that Rickett's needed to get rid of Hendry and any other front office and baseball operations people with the Tribune mentality or the fate of the Cubs will not change.
Hendry is already responsible for much of what is wrong with the Cubs. Lilly and Theriot were two of the very few good things he did. Now they are gone for more of Hendry's strange trades.
You'll regret this! And, I'm tired of the Cubs keeping the dead wood while trading away talented fan favorites like them.
Sounds like a few more boring years are in store at Wrigley! And, Ricketts is beginning to look more and more like just another Tribune!
rdog1
mehhhh. Does it really matter all that much?? This team needs to be turned over and won't be any good for another 3 or 4 years anyway. Thanks guys for your service. You were 2 pretty classy guys on a team full of selfish primadonnas.
Wow, the Cubs got shafted in this deal. Seems to me that they only wanted to cut costs. Odd since the Cubs are among one of the wealthiest teams in baseball. They have money to spend. Trading Lilly and Theriot for DeWitt? Compare his stats to Theriot and they are pretty bad. I feel like we traded Lilly for nothing. So who goes in the rotation now? Marshall? Pffffffft, he isn't rotation material.
If the Cubs want to win a World Title they might want to hold on to their players that produce and get rid of the ones that do not. Oh wait, nobody will take them so they have to trade their best players to make fans think they are doing something.
Note to the new owners: New bathrooms and clubhouses are fine, but they don't win championships. Maybe Wrigley could use some new things but players are what the Cubs need.
I just hate this because i love "the-riot" and Lilly would be good to have as we move forward... Dewitt is just not enough... oh well....
Who did you think Hendry was going to get for Lilly & Theriot, Andre Ethier & Clayton Kershaw? There is no way you can say whether this trade is good or not until the two minor league pitchers either make it to the majors or fizzle out. Also DeWitt is only 25 and is a former first rounder, so while his numbers don't look great right now, there might still be room for improvement.
Any way we can just trade Jim Hendry for a bag of baseballs?
And this guy is supposed to be "baseball savy". Geez...ever here of getting SOMETHING in return when you make a trade? Something...anything?
Disgusted, as usual, with my Cubs. I give up. Just the same old, same old.
Pathetic!
His defense has really slipped over at 2nd; The Riot is not the answer. Of course, neither is DeWitt. We were gonna lose Lilly anyway. I felt sorry for him. Working for Torre, he now has a chance to be with a winner.
thank god we got rid of Theriot! The guy can only occasionally hit singles or usually pop out
Well Haap got Philly Oswalt, so that wasn't going to happen, anyway.
DeWitt is younger, cheaper, and better than Theriot. With DeWitt, unlike Theriot, there is potential to improve.
Horrible trade, I knew Lilly was gone but, in my opinion, Blake Dewitt is nothing more than what we have already in Fontenot and Baker, utility players off the bench. Bad form Jim, Bad form.
I would have rather picked up Happ from the Phillies.I wish it would have been Silva that was traded. Lilly was a real good pitcher he will be missed. Thanks for the good years Ted. You are the only Cub in recent years that earned your contract from start to finish.
I'm not really clear why Theriot and DeWitt were part of the deal. Is Theriot an upgrade for them? Couldn't it not get done without him? Really like The Riot as a Cub, even though a .280 average isn't much to cheer about. Don't see DeWitt helping, hope Fontenot gets a shot over him.
Hate to see Lilly go. But that's the business. They can try to sign him as a FA in the off season, if they want to, and still keep the players.
Getting rid of Theout is a plus. He is beyond useless.
Please please please tell me this is an April Fool joke 4 months too late...
I hate you jim hendry. I used to stick up for you, but not anymore. Theriot deserved to stay... and so did Lilly.
Stark tweets that the pitching prospects going to the Cubs are Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit.