ARM ON THE WAY?

 

Seeking a boost for their middle-relief corps, the Marlins are discussing a deal with the Chicago Cubs that would net them enigmatic right-hander Juan Cruz.

 

According to two National League sources, the Marlins would give up Double-A shortstop Josh Wilson in a straight-up trade.

 

Cruz, 25, has a mid-90s fastball, will make around $350,000 this year and could become eligible for salary arbitration after this season. He is 8-19 with a 4.43 ERA in 78 career big-league outings, including 23 starts.

 

He may have fallen out of favor with the Cubs, who sent him back to Triple-A for nine starts last season. Cruz retired just four Colorado batters in his last spring start, allowing eight earned runs and pushing his ERA to 21.60.

 

Cruz, one source said, is a "big-time arm that has not been able to harness his command and control. He's inconsistent, but a lot of these guys are."

 

Wilson, 22, is a former third-round draft pick who fell to No. 21 on the Marlins' prospect list this winter, according to Baseball America. ...

 

Link: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...-sports-marlins

 

I'd do this deal in a second. Cruz has a great arm. Maybe he just needs a change of scenery.

I'd also do this deal.

I'd ONLY do this deal because we have Hooper and Medrano up the middle of the infield. Wilson's gonna be a stud, but Cruz coul be too. Not to mention, we could REALLY use him in middle/long relief.

I'd ONLY do this deal because we have Hooper and Medrano up the middle of the infield. Wilson's gonna be a stud, but Cruz coul be too. Not to mention, we could REALLY use him in middle/long relief.

We don't have Medrano anymore.

I don't think I'd do this deal :thumbdown ...Cruz is a loose cannon with his arm and hasn't shown too much in the way of control....I like Wilson a lot and think we should keep him.

 

Cruz would fit in though with this bunch because when he came in I'd be hitting the antacids.

Are we always dealing with the Cubs or what?

 

Anyways, I like the deal, I really don't see Wilson doing much in the big leagues.

The Sun Sentinel has no credibility in baseball anymore.

 

Why is it always that the Marlins will trade with the Cubs in a deal where the Cubs would gain more?

 

The Cubbie Sentinel is owned by the Cubbie Tribune and yet they never disclose it like they should.

I went to the Chicago Sun-Times site and pulled a bunch of stuff on Juan Cruz. Here it is:

 

.....

OUCH: Juan Cruz is a candidate to replace Prior early in the season if need be. But Cruz didn't help his case Thursday when the Colorado Rockies blistered him for eight runs on eight hits and two walks in 1-1/3 innings.

"It's a bad start, but my arm feels great,'' Cruz said. "I don't have any excuse. But I don't think I had bad stuff.''

....

Hendry probably wouldn't spend a lot to pick up another reliever in trade or sign someone released elsewhere. Right-handers Juan Cruz and Todd Wellemeyer and left-hander Jimmy Anderson are three of the top candidates for the two bullpen vacancies.

....

Juan Cruz helped his chance to claim one of those bullpen positions when he held the San Francisco Giants scoreless Saturday in his two innings. He allowed three hits and struck out one.

Cruz would have been the top candidate for No. 5 starter if the Cubs hadn't signed Greg Maddux. Baker was impressed that Cruz reacted so well to Maddux's signing, but he also views Cruz as an enigma.

''He is a bit of a puzzle,'' Baker said. ''The ability is there, but the results haven't been there. You don't know if it's because he's young or inexperienced or the fact he was rushed through the organization out of necessity. We are backing him. We need him. The rest is up to him.''

Cruz is showing an even temperament and focusing on improving his ability to locate pitches, especially breaking balls.

''There is no reason to get mad because I don't make the decisions,'' he said. ''I can only do what they say I do. It doesn't matter what I say.''

Have Cubs fans not seen the real Cruz?

''That's a good question,'' Cruz said. ''I know I can do it better than last year. I know that. That's why I'm still working. Last year, I didn't do my job.''

....

You wonder if Hendry now should trade Juan Cruz, the would-be No. 5 starter, to fill any holes that come up during the season.

Wilson for Cruz?

 

I would do that in a heartbeat, you would be dumb not to

I'd do this deal for sure.

What ramp and Admin said. This is quite obvious. A double-A shortstop that won't do anything in his career or a triple-A pitcher with stuff that can rival 85% of baseball?

If that's the deal, I'd do it.

 

Cruz as a 7th inning guy and insurance starter, to fill our biggest weakness: middle-relief, as far as I'm concerned it's a no-brainer.

 

Besides, who cares about a middle-infield prospect, if the team gets a stadium and the FO has their way, it'll be Castillo and Gonzalez up the middle for a while anyway...

Are you people serious?

 

Juan F'n Cruz?

 

This guy sucks so bad in real life and video games. :lol

 

O my lord this is a stupid deal. :notworthy

 

Even if we get him and he turns his career around alittle he is still gonna be in the minors.He is not gonna make it to the pro's this year and if he does than he has to have one great F***ing spring training.

 

His record sucks, ERA sucks, Control sucks, and all that = he sucks.

Are you people serious?

 

Juan F'n Cruz?

 

This guy sucks so bad in real life and video games. :lol

 

O my lord this is a stupid deal. :notworthy

 

Even if we get him and he turns his career around alittle he is still gonna be in the minors.He is not gonna make it to the pro's this year and if he does than he has to have one great F***ing spring training.

 

His record sucks, ERA sucks, Control sucks, and all that = he sucks.

you're joking right? He was going to be the Cubs #5 starter until a guy named Maddux signed with them. He pitched against us last year (pretty effectively) and had more K's than innings pitched last year 65:61, that's a damn good ratio. He'd be a perfect fit for the 7th inning...

Are you people serious?

 

Juan F'n Cruz?

 

This guy sucks so bad in real life and video games. :lol

 

O my lord this is a stupid deal. :notworthy

 

Even if we get him and he turns his career around alittle he is still gonna be in the minors.He is not gonna make it to the pro's this year and if he does than he has to have one great F***ing spring training.

 

His record sucks, ERA sucks, Control sucks, and all that = he sucks.

you're joking right? He was going to be the Cubs #5 starter until a guy named Maddux signed with them. He pitched against us last year (pretty effectively) and had more K's than innings pitched last year 65:61, that's a damn good ratio. He'd be a perfect fit for the 7th inning... but he is not gonna make the team.

but he is not gonna make the team.

Granted we do have alot of pitching, but he'd definately make the team.

but he is not gonna make the team.

Granted we do have alot of pitching, but he'd definately make the team. unless somebody does horrible in the majors we are not gonna see much of cruz.

wow fishfan get some knowledge...who the hell do we have? our pen is not our strong point! Cruz would be awsome. He reminds me of a lil Dotel. He has mid 90's stuff and when hes on hes unhittable

id do it ... middle relief ... long relief ... much better than Neu ... please do it

 

lets steal some more from the cubbies

 

first

D-Train

 

now

Chop Chop and Cruz

 

i like it

 

goooo beinfest

I suspect Beinfest, Jennings and Hill know better than any of us what the value is both players. What may be driving this is Cruz is eligible for arbitration next year and with Maddux there Cruz is may just be the odd man out. Or there may be a personality conflict between the kid and Dusty who seems loathe to nuture young ballplayers.

 

Frankly it comes as a suprise to me on a couple of levels. With Prior's problems you'd think they'd hedge their bets and secondly, a team like the DRays or even Pittsburgh (better know as the Cubs minor league affiliate) which I've read is on the threshold of trading Benson would surely want to take a look at Cruz with something better than a mediocre 2B prospect.

 

If we get him, fine, if not, no harm done.

why the heck not? even if Juan Cruz is still a work in progress, Wilson's fallen to like 21st on the Marlins prospect list.

 

it's a no-brainer IMO.

I don't know if I'd do this. Is Juan a lefty? We have plenty of pitching unless they are still concerned about AJ. We also have Justin Wayne who has pitched good this spring. Nannini as well. I don't know if we need Cruz. Wilson has hit good this spring and might be a decent backup incase Alex struggles. I guess Wilson Valdez could become a SS then.

If the Marlins are serious about acquiring him they are going to have to offer more for Cruz than Wilson. The more I think about it the more I perceive this as yet another BS Sun-Sentinel rumor.

 

Maybe this is where an Abraham Nunez comes in (meaning a guy that has to either make the roster or be traded because he's out of options), or a Tejera (a lefty equivalent of Cruz) or even a Banks comes into play as tradebait.

If it's true, I don't mind in the least.

Juan Cruz reminds me of AJ Burnett