Interesting trades today...

[Arlo]

Today's deals came as a bit of a surprise - I was fairly certain the A's would hang on to Koch, and Karros to the Cubs doesn't appear to make much sense unless he'll be dealt elsewhere soon. Where does this leave Hee Seop Choi?

[cheferic]

you have to think the cubs are unsure of choi...last year they sign father time in mcgriff and this year they are trying to deal for karros. ( whom i think will be better in wrigley then in dodgers). dealing for mark gruds does not make any sense. it gives the appearance of a salary dump for 2003 but doesnt fit into baylors style.

im still steaming mad about thome! long long time indians fan. he obviously went for the cash. i have to think he is going to regret going to philly...worst place for a sports player (sorry no offense).

[BumpWills]

I think this deal will hurt the Cubs. Dusty Baker is likely to play Karros and Grudz. while letting Choi and Hill sit on the bench. Karros and Grudz. aren't going to win anyone a pennant at this stage of their careers.

[EugeneStyles]

Looking at the Cubs' current infield situation, I can't say that I think this is a bad deal. For one thing, Hundley has not been happy or productive in Chicago, and getting rid of his salary was obviously a high priority after the Cubbies picked up Damian Miller and Paul Bako.

Meanwhile, the infield at Wrigley looks thinner than it's been since Matt Stairs and Ron Coomer were holding down the corners (although I'm not sure I would have called them thin, exactly). With McGriff's option declined and no chance in hell that he'll be re-signing, Hee Sop Choi is really the only 1B choice they had. If he turns out to be a bust (and some of us here still remember the Gary Scott fiasco), then they've got nothing but Mark Bellhorn keeping pick-off throws from flying into the dugouts. Not that Bellhorn isn't a capable first-baseman. I actually think that the guy is great. But taking a look around the infield shows that he may be needed elsewhere. As a true utility man who can play any position as needed, Bellhorn has been a godsend for my home-town team, but as an everyday 1B... that's just probably not the best place for him.

As far as 2B goes... if Bobby Hill develops into the hitter that we fans think he can be, Baker will have no problem sitting Grudzielanek on his .384 lifetime slugging-percentage rear-end. If Hill goes through major slumps, Grudz is there. Not a bad backup to have around. Plus, Hill has the ability (if possibly not the experience) to play 3B, where the Cubbies are extremely thin, while Grudz could conceivably move there or at least cover SS if Alex Gonzalez continues to be injured.

And speaking of thin at 3B, the Cubs pretty much sit with Chris Stynes (slow, poor average, little power? where do we sign up? - at least he's a decent fielder), Kevin Orie (didn't we already give him a shot a few years back?), Augie Ojeda (a light hitting shortstop really, but he can field any position like a pro), and Mark Bellhorn. The only choice among those that doesn't give me fits is Bellhorn. Ojeda is a nice stopgap choice, or a late-inning defensive replacement, but hardly a starter even at shortstop.

So getting a few more options in the infield is not a bad thing at all. And even if the Cubs' hopeful starting infield is still likely to be something more along the lines of Choi, Hill, Gonzalez, and Bellhorn... well, it makes you feel a little better for the alternatives to include Grudzielanek and Karros (who probably won't be a backup even if Choi explodes - either one of the two will be moved to a different position, they'll be platooned, or Karros will be traded) rather than Stynes and Orie.

[tallmike]

The first thing that occured to me when I saw the Cubbies deal was that I-Rod was the next in line - simply freeing up some room. Karros and nice insurance policy at first. Have to agree with Eugenestyles that this is nice depth for a team that looks like it wants to make a push with Dusty this year.

I like the other trade from the A's perspective. Foulke's numbers weren't that bad last year and A's seem to find a way to get it done with pitchers. Those of us up here in the frozen north remember the palpitations that Billy can cause and he has always worried me as and injury risk - he's had elbow trouble in the minors.

[Brokentusks9]

The worst move the Cubs made recently was letting Miguel Cairo go.

But being a Cards fan I say "HA!" to that..

Seriously, obtaining Grudzielanek and Karros was a pretty good move. They're veterans, they know how to play and they know their role on a ballclub.

With Alex Gonzalez at short, the Cubs should have a pretty decent infield (and Mark Bellhorn doing whatever Bellhorn does..)

Their pitching staff is shaping up too. Remlinger, Gordon and Alfonseca out of the pen. (Do they still have Farnsworth?) Geez, they LOOK tough... but we'll see. Their still the Cubs, no matter how many players they have.

Whacka whacka - maybe this year they wont lose 95 games (ouch)