Saturday, December 5, 2015

Say It Isn't So

I've been pretty much on-board with most of the recent moves by the Cubs brass, but the rumor that the team is looking to trade for a first-class closer strikes me as a bit odd, unless that closer is Aroldis Chapman.  Even then the price is likely to be pretty high.  If is is Papelbon, well, that is bizarre unless you are trying to reconstruct the 2007 Red Sox nine years later.

Relief pitchers are a notoriously fickle bunch with a few exceptions, so giving up serious prospects or serious money is a risky business,  By and large, these players pitch in relief because they are not good enough or consistent enough to start.  Also, I would not identify closer as an area of weakness for the Cubs.  Rondon was really outstanding through most of the season with the exception of a two week stretch in May when he lost his closing role.

Maybe the guy they are looking at is Drew Storen, who is not a bad acquisition in general, as the Nationals are shopping him and he will not cost much in a trade.  Lets hope this doesn't turn out to be a big mistake.

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