Well that's a start

Obviously, trade rumors have been flying around quite a bit for the past week or so. Well, this morning it seems that finally the Cubs have made an actual trade, perhaps kicking off what could be a pretty active trading season in the MLB.

I read on MLB Trade Rumors that the Cubs have traded Michael Barrett to the Padres for Rob Bowen, a backup catcher. Also included in the deal was a minor league player. Now I've read conflicting things. ESPN sources say that the Cubs got an unnamed minor league pitcher. However, MLB Trade Rumors says the Cubs got an outfielder who was drafted 35th overall last year, showed good power in high school and has a solid right field arm. Sort of a low-risk possibly high-reward type of player, if he can show anything against professional pitching, which so far he has not. Perhaps I can scout him during a Chiefs game and give my two cents, since I obviously know many things about scouting players. And people care what I think. But, it looks like it has since been updated that the Cubs did in fact receive an unnamed pitcher, and perhaps Buster Olney (who broke the trade) was had wrong information. So perhaps I won't be scouting Tyler Burke (the player originally rumored to be in the trade).

So so long Michael Barrett. I can't say that I'm surprised your gone, and I also can't really say that I'm sad to see you go. But you've been relatively good to us, and while your numbers have been down this year, offensively you've been pretty damn solid in the past.

Rob Bowen. Well, he's a backup catcher, but he's hitting better than San Diego's starter, Josh Bard. He's only got 82 at-bats though. Does that mean he's bad at handling a staff, but he can hit? Because we kind of just had a guy like that. He'll definitely be cheaper though. I think I almost would have rather gone with Josh Bard. Just because he seems to be able to handle the staff--well--and that sort of relegates Barrett to backup. And he was just a starter. And he's not really a backup catcher. I don't know the Padres' motives, but hell, if they want him, fantastic.

So, now with Barrett gone, we've got Koyie Hill, who, while not hitting much, is doing a solid job with the staff, Henry Blanco when he gets healthy, and Rob Bowen, whom I still know nothing about. What else could we do?

I read one incredibly unfounded rumor that the Cubs and Reds were discussing a trade involving Ken Griffey Jr. The trade would be Jacque Jones and Sean Marshall to Cincinatti, and Griffey comes over.

Now, as I said, incredibly unfounded, probably not even true. But what would be the point in that if it is true? Sure, Griffey is performing pretty well, and he'd definitely provide power from the left side. And we could use lefties in the lineup. And we definitely need to be rid of Jacque Jones. I just don't see this trade being even. And we need another outfielder when we'd still have too many guys to get at bats? Throw in Cliff Floyd, and Matt Murton. We've got a surplus, and we don't need it.

In addition to that, I still want to be rid of Scott Eyre and Cesar Izturis. They both suck and are dragging this team down. Izturis has lost his job to Mike Fontenot (or Theriot), and we're still going to need to get both Theriot and DeRosa at bats when Aramis comes back. I actually would not be terribly surprised to see DeRosa get traded. If we hadn't just signed him to a 3-year deal he absolutely would be on the block. He seems like he needs to be in the lineup in order to produce, as he's shown by going on a tear since the Cubs were in San Diego.

I still see a ton of moves that can be made, so hopefully Hendry will continue to remain active.