Roundtable: Deadline Deals?

Realistically, what can the Cubs do at the deadline to improve the team? Wreckard: Realistically, nothing barring injury. There just aren’t enough obvious holes to fill, other than maybe getting a guy like Danys Baez or BJ Ryan to fill out the back of the bullpen. berselius: Add to the bullpen, and that’s about it. Would be nice to get a 2b, but I don’t think the Cubs have the horses to trade for an impact player there (i.e., the never-ending Brian Roberts debacle). I don’t think they’ll lay guys out for an expensive Proven Closer but I could see them going after a set-up man type. That’s about it though. The Cubs recipe for making the playoffs involves the current players hitting. Women’s Fitness: You know what would realistically help this team? Kidnap Aaron Miles, take him to a basement with a great echo, torture him, record his screams, and use that to drown out every Yellontastic douchebag that wants to boo Milton Bradley for going 1-2 with an RBI and 3 BB for not “hitting with enough power.” Legally, I think trading for Freddy Sanchez and some bullpen help would be just fine. Trajan: Well the qustion i have about the cubs and their payroll. Is how were we able to add both peavy and bradley, but now we don’t have payroll to add players? Why can’t the cubs go after Halladay? I know the ownership quandary, the neverending sale have impacted the payroll. But i don’t understand why they can’t get more. The Cubs already have invested 140 million into a team that is .500 at the all-star break, what the heck is holding them back from spending more? Hopefully the cubs have the go-ahead to add SOME payroll at the deadline, so we can bolster the bullpen and possibly go after a legit 2B(freddy sanchez?) those are the oly real improvments we can make outside of trading for Halladay(which isn’t happening) DylanJ: Get a loogy. Make a trade at 2B if you can find the right deal. Suburban Kid: Even before that, I’d like to see Samardzija replaced with a lefty so Marshall can be the fifth starter while Dempster is out. I don’t know if BJ Ryan is viable, but he’s going to be cheap. I just don’t think Hart is the answer for either starting or the bullpen, so Marshall’s services are in high demand all over the place (including left field (dying laughing)). Outside of bullpen help, I honestly don’t think there’s anything to do unless Ramirez needs surgery. I’m comfortable with bench roles and spot starts for Hoffpauir, Fox, Blanco and even Fuld. I know there’s a logjam when Miles comes off the DL and if he forces one of those more useful players or even Fontentot down to Iowa then I guess things will look a little weak. I wanted to make a play for Tejada to play 2B but the Astros are too close to consider dumping him now. ******* NLC parity. johnny_abrego: Deadline improvements. Either add Casey Fossum (and his 9BB per 9) or BJ Ryan to the bullpen as another LOOGY. That’s it. Then Marshall’s in and out of the rotation. I won’t be sad if the Cubs stand pat. I also don’t mind if they just use Fox as the backup catcher. If someone gives Koyie Hill the Lee Harvey Oswald treatment, then they can scrounge up someone from the backup catcher camp, which is directly adjacent to the punter camp, and behind the long snapper camp. But until such time, they should just go with what they’ve got. The last thing this Cub team needs is another ****** hitter. Mercurial Outfielder: Nothing. This team should win as constructed. I suppose you could add a bullpen arm, but given the depth in the minors (Stevens, Gaub, Archer, Cashner, etc.) and the young players already contributing, I don’t see the need or the space to add. nittany cub: They can do a lot of things to marginally improve their team, but to drastically improve their team? **** to nothing. I still feel that this is the best-assembled Cubs team I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m holding true to that until the season ends. Even if they could realistically get a player, I wouldn’t want that to happen. The Cubs, last time I saw, have the most quality starts from their pitching, they’re decent in the ‘pen, and I’m really banking on their hitting to come alive. **** it, man, they’re good as is. MB21: The Cubs appear to be interested in BJ Ryan as soon as he clears waivers. I expect they’ll sign him, send him to Des Moines and if things go well there he would be up with the club in 2 to 3 weeks. I think that may be the one piece I’d like to see the Cubs go after (another LOOGY). The rest of the team is set, but an additional reliever would always be nice for a team that hopes to play deep into October. scarymonsters85: Heath Bell would look good in a Cubs uniform although it wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for a division title this year. shawndgoldman: There’s lots they can do but very little I think they should do. They should get a catcher, obviously, but Hendry seems to be on that already. The bullpen could use another arm or two, but there seem to be enough minor league guys that are ready for a shot at a bullpen role that you can throw them at the wall and hope one or two stick. They could upgrade SS, but I don’t think it would be worth the costs to do so. I think getting Baker really helps 2nd, as a platoon of Baker and Fontenot should get production out of that position that’s top 5 in the NL. cwolf: They have to get another catcher on the roster. I don’t think it is a good move to throw Fox back there and I don’t even think it’s fair to ask Fox to step in and catch a few times a week. I’d love to be wrong and have it turn out that he’s adequate back there because he’s hitting well so far but I think his defense would be a big liability back there. They aren’t going to get a stud catcher but they do need somebody so Hill is not out there every day. Getting another lefty for the bullpen is another possible move and there’s been talk of signing that Ryan guy TOR just cut. I don’t follow the AL (or even the other NL teams) enough to know if he has anything left. I don’t see any big moves being made for several reasons including the Cubs having a pretty good team as is and the ownership/payroll situation. I think Hendry put a good team together and the Cubs should just play the hand they have. thisyearcub: Add some bullpen help for the 6th/7th innings. I’m still on the fence about B.J. Ryan, but I guess it’s a risk worth taking. I’m not sold on Heilman, jury’s still out on Stevens and Samardzija just doesn’t have what it takes for the bullpen. I also have this pipe dream that the Cubs would trade for Freddy Sanchez, but the salary seems like a lot to take on and Dave Littlefield is no longer around. But I’m still hopeful. Perkins: Probably a relief pitcher. Much as we’d all like to see a Halladay or Holliday, I don’t think it’s going to happen.