When it comes to Felix Pie’s potential and what he can on the major league level, fans are split with how much he could ever do for the ballclub. What if I told you Pie could be the guy that gives the Cubs an end of the 2009 season stat line that looks like this?
W 10 L 11 ERA 2.85 IP 173.2 H 146 HR 17 BB 59 SO 166
Would you be happy? I mean sure the 17 HR’s would still be less than preferred, but 173.2 innings pitched? Come on, for anyone never mind a center fielder, that’s impressive! Of course that’s ridiculous and it wouldn’t be Pie giving us those stats. How can Pie deliver these stats for the Cubs this year? As a key part of a three-team trade between the Padres, O’s and Cubs which in the end, lands the Cubs starting pitcher: Jake Peavy.
Familiar trade rumor partners surfaced today with the Orioles mentioned as the potential third team involved, necessary to complete a trade of Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres. Sweet Lou mentioned recently that fans shouldn’t expect any more deals to go down for starting pitching as we’re good to go there compared to other areas of the team. Zambrano, Harden, Lilly, Dempster and Marquis/Marshall have everyone feeling rather comfortable, including Piniella. This of course was before our old trade rumor partners of Winter Meetings ’07, the Orioles came calling with Garrett Olson up for grabs and all they want in return…Felix Pie.
Wow. Now, I have been a huge fan of Pie since he came up and I truly STILL believe he has a huge upside. However, the platoon of outfielders we have right now can more than handle center field for ’09 and if Pie can get us Jake Peavy? A guy who averages 12 wins a year, loves pitching in the national league and in 2007, put up a 19 spot in the win column and averages over 180 strike outs per season? That just may be more than I could possibly ever expect from him in the long run, especially considering pitching wins nowadays.
We send Pie to Baltimore. Baltimore send Olson to us. We send Olson to San Diego. San Diego sends us Peavy. It’s no DeRosa for Roberts. It’s better. We keep DeRosa (last year’s Cub MVP if you ask me, co-MVP anyway with Dempster) and get a rotation of Zambrano, Peavy, Lilly, Dempster, Harden. Sign another strong left handed hitter and throw him in the middle of the lineup and dare I say, I’d be even more excited about this team’s chances than I was last year’s. And I thought last year was THE year. I know Cubs fans say that all the time and I’m guilty of hoping that certain previous seasons were…2008 however, I truly thought was. Give me this rotation in 2009 and I have no words prepared as of now to describe my excitement.
It’s all still rumors of course, nothing official. Given the fact that Piniella said we’re done with Peavy talks, I’m skeptical to say the least. And given my new approach to being a fan (no expectations) I’m not getting my hopes up. Worst case, we keep a player I think has a lot to offer in the near future. Best case, we get Jake Peavy. Enough said. Can’t wait to see how this thing plays itself out! Go Cubs Go!
Prose and Ivy 