Jim Hendry

and Glavine will remain in the game in some capacity, the former serving as an assistant to Cubs GM Jim Hendry, and the latter as a special assistant to Braves President John Schuerholz.

How about Joe Mauer’s contract extension?  The eight-year, $184 million deal will ensure that Twins fans will see their hometown hero play half his games at Target Field through at least 2018, when Mauer will turn 35.  The contract is the richest in major league history for a catcher, but will be a bargain if Mauer keeps winning batting titles like he has the last two years (and three of the last four) and continues to be the five-tool star all General Managers would love to build a team around.  Gold Glove-winning catchers who can hit for both average and power don’t grow on trees.

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We acquired a true ace, and Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry could be up for sainthood should the deal prove to allow the Cubs to hold off the trailing Brewers and Cardinals. He’s ditched old time Cubs like Mark Prior and Wil Ohman, salvaged released players like Reed Johnson and Jim Edmonds, signed an import by the name of Fukudome, and traded for the pitcher Mark DeRosa calls the nastiest in the game.

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Jim Hendry's is rumored to be going after C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Coco Crisp. Those three potential tradable players are an interesting trio.  Burnett has all but courted the Cubs himself, and Coco Crisp is a moveable piece in Boston with the ability to play centerfield on the North Side. But do we need another Kerry Woodesque, injury prone, has-been in Burnett? No. Do we still need a lefthanded centerfielder in Crisp? No, Edmonds has shown that there is still plenty of tread left on the tires. So with the recent arm trouble of the heart of the ballclub, Carlos Zambrano, there is no way we should not throw everything we have at Cleveland for  pitcher C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia would be a huge acquisition for the boys in blue, and could be reminiscent of a trade that brought a certain someone from Cleveland in 1984 for Joe Carter. C.C has won the Cy Young, he's started games for the US National Team, he's won playoff games, and he's only turning 28 years old this month. He is a guy we can piece together with Zambrano, and finally give Z some protection. Lilly has been solid, but is he a cemented ace or #2 guy? No. Having Big Z and Big C.C. going back to back would be deadly. Carlos is the power throwing righty with the fierce demeanor, and C.C. is the cool, calm, competitive lefty that is as poised as anyone. It would be our own variant of Drysdale-Koufax, and Schilling-Johnson.

Continue reading "Cubs Crave Sabathia"