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. Since when?? And why not?

 

Was I asleep?

yea, I guess I missed it too... I dont remember him being moved

The Red Sox picked him up after the Marlins didn't place him in on their 2004 40 man roster.

thanks 03

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.

You can never have enough pitching. :thumbup

This deal will=awesome,i look at juan cruz as a ugeth urbina for some reason,i think he will fit perfectly in this organization...

I say go for it.

Let's do it. It's an upgrade...and also could give us another option as the trading deadline nears.

This deal will=awesome,i look at juan cruz as a ugeth urbina for some reason,i think he will fit perfectly in this organization...

 

Cruz has always been a starting pitcher, I don't know how he'd do pitching an inning on back to back nights or not pitching for five or six days, and then just for an inning or even just to one batter. Not all pitchers can go back and forth being a starter and then in the pen the way Helling, for example, could.

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't try to acquire the guy because I'm certainly in favor of giving the guy an opportunity to succeed here but he may not have the arm or makeup to come out of the pen night after night the way Uggie could.

 

Urbina for all his baggage really has/had that fire in his belly to be thrown into pressure situations whenever call upon. If we get him, let's hope Rosie can instill some of that in Cruz.

Found this in the Chicago Sun-Times this morning. The complete piece is available through the link below. The Cubs deny the rumor but one fascinating this is their need for a lefty (did I hear someone say Micheal Tejera for Juan Cruz?). Hope this helps the discussion:

 

Cruz-for-prospect trade talk with Marlins just a rumor

March 15, 2004

BY MIKE KILEY STAFF REPORTER

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Cubs denied a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel claiming they were discussing a trade with Florida in which pitcher Juan Cruz might be dealt for shortstop prospect Josh Wilson, a Marlins minor-leaguer.

 

The Cubs and Marlins have spoken in the last couple years about various trade scenarios that might involve Cruz, and the Cubs' organizational needs are for a shortstop. But no matches have been found to make a deal, and even though Cruz was recently smacked around in his latest Cactus League start, the Cubs don't consider this an opportune time to entertain offers for a pitcher manager Dusty Baker recently described as ''a puzzle.''

 

The Cubs' pitching situation remains somewhat unsettled with the club still unsure when Mark Prior can begin pitching in Cactus League games and left-hander Kent Mercker recovering from back pain. Mercker will pitch a simulated game today.

 

With two scheduled days off in the first two weeks of the season, manager Dusty Baker could start with a four-man rotation or choose to plug in Cruz as the fifth starter behind Kerry Wood, Greg Maddux, Matt Clement and Carlos Zambrano.

 

With left-hander Mike Remlinger hoping to be ready to pitch by late April, that leaves two bullpen openings behind the relief corps of right-handers Joe Borowski, LaTroy Hawkins, Kyle Farnsworth and Mercker. Baker said Sunday it seems more likely the Cubs will fill those positions from within rather than making a trade.

 

Todd Wellemeyer solidified the consensus opinion he will be on the team with his performance Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. Wellemeyer pitched three scoreless innings and has a 0.00 ERA through seven innings this spring.

 

''Every team is trying to find that same guy we are at this point and looking for left-handed pitching,'' Baker said. ''Sometimes you have to do what you have to do in-house. We are looking for a late-emerging surprise person.''

 

Link to Sun-Times complete piece

According to the Herald today, Beinfest says that they are interested in acquiring pitching, but he refused to comment on Cruz or anyone in particular. Looks like they will add an arm or 2 to the pen before breaking camp.

According to the Herald today, Beinfest says that they are interested in acquiring pitching, but he refused to comment on Cruz or anyone in particular. Looks like they will add an arm or 2 to the pen before breaking camp.

Too bad they didn't think of this when guys like Mike Williams and Danys Baez were still on the market, because those are about the quality of guys I expect us to go after at this point...

 

 

Urbina after May 1?

Scott Sauerbeck is still out there and is a very solid lefty....Something this team sorely lacks.

Scott Sauerbeck is still out there and is a very solid lefty....Something this team sorely lacks.

Sauerbeck is out for the year with either arm or shoulder surgery.

Urbina after May 1?

Urbina won't back down from his salary demands, especially to not even be the closer.

This has got to be one of two things:

 

a) a rumor

b) brain damage running rampant within the Cubs FO

 

If we can flip Wilson for Cruz - that would be a bigger upset than the Willis deal. By far. Cruz has top-of-the rotation stuff. Hell, last year I was calling for us to deal for him or Zambrano (when we were rumored to be shopping Penny or Lowell - and I wanted Blalock too...). If this deal happened, I would just shrug and laugh because the Marlins would be raping the Cubs - again.

 

I think Marlins2003 speculation about Nunez for Cruz would be more in line with probability - but still unlikely. The Cubs are getting Patterson back, they already have Sosa and Alou. Nunez has a better shot playing for us. This deal seems unlikely at this point.

Dudes, we're gonna trade Cruz. But it's gonna take a hell of a lot more than some guy named Josh Wilson to make it worth or while. We may see a deal for Kendall or a ML shortstop sometime this year.

I can't believe I find myself agreeing with RippyO on this but even incompetents like Hendry and Baker aren't going to trade Cruz for a nobody like Josh Wilson. Cruz may be an enigma, and unless he's hurt, and there's no reason to believe he is, he's worth more than that.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Kendall with the Cubs sucking up another $11 mil per of their money. Pretty soon they'll bump up against the luxury tax cap and start paying the Marlins for the right to be the perrenial losers Chicagoans know and love.

Juan Cruz does have some great stuff

 

his only problem is that he has had control problems

 

 

I think Rosenthal can do good things with this kid