How The Cubs Should Approach The Trade Deadline

A lot has been made over the past few weeks of the Cubs potentially becoming sellers for this year’s trading deadline. However, the Cubs are still within shouting distance of getting back into the contention in their division. At 31-38, the Cubs sit 7 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for first place, and 5.5 games behind the Cincinnati Reds for second place. But Lets face out, the Cardinals without question have the more talented roster than the Cubs,  meaning it is highly unlikely that the Cubs will be able to claw their way back into contention.

With the trading deadline being little over 6 weeks away, the Cubs have not yet determined whether they are going to be “buyers”, or “sellers” at this years trading deadline. Over the past few seasons the Cubs have been buyers, but that does not appear to be the case for this year’s team. Jack More, of FanGraphs, takes a look at what the Cubs should do at the trade deadline. He says that while it would be “premature” to begin selling, the Cubs are probably not going to be buyers at the trade deadline.  As everyone knows by now, More mentions that the two primary selling chips for the Cubs would be Derrek Lee and Ted Lilly, and he goes on to name Tom Gorzelanny, and Ryan Theriot as other trade candidates.

My stance on both Lee, and Lilly is that if you have no intention to re-sign the two when they hit free agency after the season, then you would be best served to try and get some type of compensation for them. I am in all favor of the Cubs bringing back both Lee and Lilly. However, if the Cubs could get a good package of talented prospects for Lilly, then they should at least take a possible Lilly deal under consideration.

Another misconception that is going around amongst Cubs Fans and certain media outlets, is that the Cubs do not have the farm system to become Sellers at the trade deadline. However that is not the case, as the Cubs have a plethora of players that have a bright future with the Cubs. Among pitching prospects, the Cubs have Andrew Cashner( Recently Called Up),  as well as Thomas Diamond and Jay Jackson in triple A- Iowa. As for position players, the Cubs obviously have Tyler Colvin and Starlin Castro, who are both with the team; Also, they have triple-A infielder Darwin Barney, and outfielder Brett Jackson, who was their 2009 first round pick, and appears to be on similar path that Starlin Castro was on.

Personally, I see the Cubs becoming Sellers, barring any unforeseen turnaround. Keep an eye out for July 1st, as that is the date that many people feel Jim Hendry will decide whether or not the Cubs are buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.