Hot Stove Tease: Roy Halladay

Two years ago, it was second baseman Brian Roberts.  Last year, it was Jake Peavy.  This year it will be Roy Halladay.

But unlike the last two offseasons, count me out of the Hot Stove's hottest topic.  Over the summer, Roy Halladay received more interest on the open market than a well-developed teenager at a R. Kelly concert.  The rumor mill will rotate more quickly this winter as there will be more teams interested that will not be battling stringent demands and a deadline at the same time.

Let's thank the Daily Herald prematurely for crushing our souls with the latest tease:

One interesting scenario has new Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos indicating he'd be open to trading ace pitcher Roy Halladay, who becomes a free agent next fall after he's scheduled to make $15.75 million in 2010. 

Halladay has a no-trade clause in his contract, but he's said he'd like to play for a contender, and the Cubs seem closer to getting back to the playoffs than do the Blue Jays. To get Halladay, the Cubs must move money.

Could Hendry package Bradley and prospects for Halladay? Bradley could thrive in the relatively quiet environs of Toronto, and Halladay would provide an instant jolt to the Cubs' rotation.

Cubs fans, you'll be let down this offseason when Roy Halladay is pitching in Toronto and Milton Bradley is starting in right field.  I won't be, for I have begun to prepared for the worse.

Some suggest Ted Lilly to be back in April after his offseason surgeryl, but recent history suggests if Prior Wood Lilly returns at all, it will be sometime in August.  So, I have prepared for 20 Tom Gorzelanny starts.  And thanks to the folks at HJE, I'll do so without getting alcohol poisoning.

As for Bradley, don't come crying to me if he enters spring training with the team.  Thanks to Jim Hendry's thoughtless season-ending suspension, teams should have no inspiration to acquire a malcontent coming off his healthiest, yet, least productive season.

Do I expect the Cubs to make changes in 2010?  Yes.  They have a new owner who is bringing a fresh philosophy to the table.  And even though Hendry is the GM that brought Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez through the trade market, he's also the same guy who bid against himself for Bradley and Aaron Miles while trading a once untouchable commodity that will be under team control for years to come for one shitty year of Kevin Gregg.

In Hendry I trust?  No.  In a real GM, I lust.

Hot Stove Hopefuls: Joe Nathan

Editor's Note: Nothing says playoff baseball like the MLB hot stove.  The only thing more amusing than fans playing GM is when beat writers do it.  Usually they do it with more pizazz and insight than Joe Blogger -- myself included.  Hot Stove Hopefuls highlights some of the hot names on the market and tries to find a spot for them on the Cubs.

Today's feature: Joe Nathan

Is Terrell Owens The Missing Piece In Chicago?

 Photo via

The good news is that there is a player on the open market that can help the Chicago Bears.  He has averaged more than 1,100 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns per season over the last three years.  And in the biggest game of his career, he caught nine balls and racked up 122 receiving yards.

The bad news is that his name is Terrell Owens.

Hot Stove Hopefuls: Curtis Granderson

Editor's Note: Nothing says playoff baseball like the MLB hot stove.  The only thing more amusing than fans playing GM is when beat writers do it.  Usually they do it with more pizazz and insight than Joe Blogger -- myself included.  Hot Stove Hopefuls highlights some of the hot names on the market and tries to find a spot for them on the Cubs.

Today's feature: Curtis Granderson.

Cubs Interested In Shipping Zambrano? Here's Your Irresponsible Blogger-Turned-GM Post Of The Day!

The story of the day in Chicago baseball was the Cubs' 2-0 win against the Milwaukee Brewers.  The win would have meant something a year ago at this time as the Cubs and Brew Crew were duking it out for NL Central supremacy.  Right now, the Cubs' biggest battles are against themselves and mediocrity.

And now we bring you to the buried lead in the story brought to you by Chicago Tribune Cubs beat writer Paul Sullivan:

Now that Hendry is assured of returning in 2010, he'll have to decide which players to bring back. Dempster, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal last winter, is assured of returning. [Carlos] Zambrano, who signed a five-year, $91.5 million deal in August 2007, is not.

Despite the fact that Zambrano has a full no-trade clause, the Cubs plan on shopping him this off-season, sources said, believing he'll waive the clause to go to the right team, as Jake Peavy eventually did when the Padres consummated a deal this summer with the White Sox.

According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, Carlos Zambrano has $53.75 million coming his way from 2010-12, with a vesting option worth $19.25 million in 2014.

Let the record show that despite a mediocre season by Zambrano (8-6, 3.77 ERA), pitching has not been the Cubs' downfall.  The North Side staff ranks in the top-5 in strikeouts, ERA+, WHIP, H/9 and K/9.  But with a weak free agent market awaiting, now might be the best time to move Big Z.

But where?

The Dust Settles & Rich Harden Remains A Cub

Rich Harden will be making his scheduled start against Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros after all.

Harden, who was placed on waivers and claimed by the Minnesota Twins, will remain a Cub for the rest of the season as the two teams were unable to strike a deal.  Somehow, the Cubs are only 5 1/2 games out of the NL Wild Card spot, which would require a miracle for the North Siders to capture.

Long story, short: There's nothing to see here until November, when the Cubs will have 15 days of exclusive negotiating rights to re-up with the very talented righty.

The Cubs' options are simple:

• Re-sign Harden to a multi-year deal.
• Offer him salary arbitration, collect two picks when he signs elsewhere
• Decline arbitration, collect nothing when he signs elsewhere.

In a year muddled by Milton Bradley's lunacy injuries, Harden has stayed relatively healthy.  Despite a stint on the DL early in the season, Harden has really turned it on in the second half with a 3-1 record, 1.80 earned run average, a 0.82 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 50 innings of work.

Kinda makes you forget about his 5-6 start to the season, in which he posted a 5.47 ERA and 1.541 WHIP.

Overall, Harden is 13-8 with a 3.18 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 232 strikeouts in 195 innings.

Based on those numbers, and the fact that it is a very shallow market when it comes to free-agent starting pitchers, the Cubs should pull out all the stops to re-sign Harden.  This is a franchise that threw $52 million at Ryan Dempster after one good year as a starter, why wouldn't they re-sign someone with a good track record despite a past that has (at times) been plagued by injury.

In a somewhat related story, Aaron Heilman wasn't traded either.  As if you really cared about Aaron Heilman.

So, Tell Me Again Why Does Josh Fields Want To Get Traded?

Rumors floated around yesterday not involving Roy Halladay involved Chicago White Sox third baseman Josh Fields, proving to me there are other players on the trading block. It wasn't too long ago when Fields' name being tossed around the rumor mill in association with a blockbuster trade.

And maybe, it still could be.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Fields has asked to be traded. And while the once-prized prospect who was supposed to make South Side fans forget about Joe Crede has been usurped by Gordon Beckham, I am hardpressed to find a reason to want out of Chicago.

(Well, other than having to drive through the South Side at night, of course.)

His numbers are disappointingly underwhelming, batting .220 with a .301 on-base percentage while slugging .354. It looks like the Louisville Slugger he once carried to the plate in 2007, when he hit 23 home runs, drove in 67 runs and slugged .480, has turned into a wet newspaper overnight.

(And no, I'm not going to make a "nobody reads newspapers anymore" joke.)

Had Fields played his cards right, he could have re-emerged as an option at third base if manager Ozzie Guillen shifted Alexei Ramirez to second base and moved Beckham to shortstop.

Could the former prospect need a change of scenery, perhaps? It's possible. But to me, it looks like he needs a change in plate discipline (71 strikeouts in 71 games/251 plate appearances) more than anything.

Roy Halladay Ain't Comin, But The Cubs Could Fleece The Pirates Yet Again

Upon hearing trade rumors, Ryan Doumit is begging Zach Duke to take him with if he gets traded to Chicago.

Roy Halladay has been ticketed to go anywhere and everywhere that isn't the North Side of Chicago. It's almost sad, too, seeing that each of the Chicago Cubs' top four starters has spent time on the disabled list.

But off in the distance, help might be on its way. And if the Washington Nationals are baseball's starter girlfriend, that means the Pittsburgh Pirates are baseball's neighborhood pusher. Because whenever you need it the Pirates got it and are willing to give it to you.

Not long ago, the Cubs turned Bobby Hill, Matt Brokeback Bruback and Jose Hernandez into Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton. Lofton turned into the lead-off man the Cubs still haven't had since 2003 and Ramirez has become a franchise cornerstone.

And no one has ever heard from those "prospects" ever again.

Fast forward to 2009 and the Cubs have their eyes on another coup of the Pirates' ship.

With Ted Lilly hitting the DL, there is an apparent interest in lefty starters Zach Duke and Tom Gorzelanny. Duke has come across some rough times since going 8-2 with a 1.81 earned run average as a rookie, but that's to be expected from a franchise that hasn't won anything since Roberto Clemente roamed right field.

After going 18-37 after his freshman campaign, Duke has posted a 9-9 record, 3.42 ERA and 1.227 WHIP for the bottom-feeding Bucco's. As for Gorzelanny, the Evergreen Park, Ill., is wasting away in the minors somewhere -- like most Pirates prized prospects.

The Cubs also might have an interest in Freddy Sanchez, as the team is in search of offensive production out of the second base slot. Same can be said about lefty specialist John Grabow and probably closer Matt Capps.

The purging of the Pirates is already underway (as Phil Rogers points out) as Pittsburgh has already traded Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche for a 1970s Pinto and a steaming pile of garbage to be named later.

So, here I am, wondering whether or not Jim Hendry can take Neal Huntington to the woodshed for one more Pirate heist.

My prediction: Duke, Grabow, Capps and Sanchez for Aaron Miles and David Patton.

Let's get it done, Jimbo!

Memo To Carlos Boozer: Don't Tease, Please

Carlos Boozer's teases aren't pleasing this Bulls fan.

It was just last week when disgruntled Utah Jazz forward Carlos Boozer charmed Bulls fans on the Waddle & Silvy Show on ESPN Radio 1000. He loved the idea of playing in a big market, with a budding superstar and a franchise regaining the buzz it lost when Michael Jordan retired the second time.

The truth is Boozer just wants to get out of Utah, as his latest interview, a piece in the Miami Herald, which confirmed something I didn't need Sherlock Holmes to tell me to validate its truth.

"We first came here for tax reasons and fell in love with it,'' Boozer said, taking a break from his campers. ``We love the palm trees, the laid-back attitude, the sun, quality of life. It's like paradise here, and I would love to be part of the Heat. They're a very good team, and I'm real close to some of the guys. Dwyane and I started to get close at the Athens Olympics in 2004, and I'd love to play on his team. Plus, I already live here. I'm just waiting to see what happens.''

The 6-foot-9-inch forward is exactly what the Bulls need in a sidekick for defending NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose. Not only would Boozer be an inside presence to balance the Bulls' outside marksmanship, he would be the the sign from Chicago management signifying The House That Jordan Built is open for serious business.

But when it comes to Boozer, it seems to be a classic case of buyer beware. Part of it is because of his injury-riddled past that caused him to play in only 37 regular season games last season. Or his bait-and-switch tactics that were the reason he ended up with the Jazz in the first place.

Boozer's desperate pleas for a team to save him from Utah are eerily similar to nearly every Disney movie damsel in distress who is searching for her Prince Charming and her happily ever after storybook ending. But in Boozer's case, "happily ever after" entails an alternate ending in which he holds Utah's management for ransom before parting ways.

He's like the runaway bride on 'roids. He'll tease you with the possibility of a 20-10 low-post presence. He'll please you with such a performance ... if he ever gets on the court. And eventually, he'll bolt at a moments notice if he sees a whiter horse with a shinier chariot.

I'm not saying I don't want Carlos Boozer in Chicago. I just would prefer he not bring his baggage to the Bulls

The Carlos Boozer Rumors: Will The Bulls Bring Booze To The Party?

The Bulls need Booze. And fast.

The Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz have apparently hit several snags in a trade that would send Carlos Boozer to the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich to the Trail Blazers and Tyrus Thomas to the Jazz.

Even though the deal seems to be dead for now, at one point, a deal seemed nearly certain. But in a situation which reeked of June's Amare Stoudemire-to-Golden State deal, it happened to be a lot of smoke without much fire.

There is no dispute that the Bulls need to make something happen, especially after a pair of lackluster draft choices and losing their leading scorer to the Detroit Pistons, their arch division rivals. And that "something" would be acquiring a big man, whether it be Carlos Boozer or Chris Bosh.

In his three years in Utah, Boozer has averaged 19.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game at a position Chicago has been desperately looking to fill since it inexplicably traded the ultimate 20-10 guy (Elton Brand) for an unproven, untested commodity (Tyson Chandler).

Adding a premier post presence such as Boozer or Bosh would be significant on so many levels, beyond being that guy the Bulls have searched high, low, far and wide for. It would ease the pressure on star point guard Derrick Rose, who is coming off a dazzling freshman campaign in which he earned Rookie of the Year honors and an eye-opening seven-game playoff series against the Boston Celtics, in which the Bulls dropped fell short in Game 7 in one of the most well-played playoff series in NBA history.

Rose averaged 19.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists in the series, and the Bulls need to capitalize on that kind of talent by adding building blocks around him. As of now, Chicago is banking on Luol Deng to return to his 2007 form in which he averaged 18.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. John Salmons is in the fold too, and will likely be starting alongside Rose in the backcourt. He averaged 18.3 points per game last season, but is not the explosive scorer Gordon was as a Bull, but he could counter that burden by being a better defensive presence as he stands 6-foot-7.

Personally, I would rather have Chris Bosh don the red, white and black of the Chicago Bulls. The three-time All-Star is younger, taller, less prone to injury and statistically better. But he might be harder to pry away from Toronto now that Hedo Turkoglu is on his way north of the border.

Opening tip is months away, and the summer of 2010 is even more off in the distance. The Bulls need to better themselves quickly, not only to secure better playoff positioning, but to also make itself look like a contender to make themselves look like one of basketball's premier landing spots as a free agent.

If not, the Bulls will be bouncing around mediocrity.

Allen Iverson To The Bulls?

Is Allen Iverson the superstar the Bulls have been searching for since MJ's second retirement?

Since 1998, the Chicago Bulls have looked near and far for a superstar, a legit superstar, to step into the limelight.

The Bulls have had a revolving door of max-contract players that have failed to step into the slot Michael Jordan vacated after the Bulls' 1998 championship. Let's take a moment to revisit the failed careers Ron Mercer, Brent Barry and Eddie Robinson had in Chicago.

(Moment of silence)

Thank you.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the Bulls lost the closest thing to a go-to-guy as Ben Gordon verbally agreed to a 5-year, $55 million deal with division rival Detroit Pistons. So, Allen Iverson would be fit for a sign-and-trade to Chicago, right?

Well, not really.

Iverson will be 34 next season and is coming off career lows in scoring (17.5 ppg) and steals (1.5 spg) in a tumultuous season that started with high expectations in the Mile High City and ended in bitter disappointment in Motown.

On the other hand, how good could a motivated Iverson be for Chicago?

The 6-foot guard has a lot to prove this upcoming season. Prior to his stint in Detroit, Iverson had a pretty good reputation as a league star with a no-quit, never-ending motor. Yet, it seemed as if his motor died when he got to The D, which happens to be a common occurrence in that city. (See General Motors, Ford & Chrysler.) Iverson's star, and reputation, could ascend again alongside Derrick Rose and a resurgent Bulls franchise.

And while A.I.'s glory years of scoring 30 points per game are behind him, he could fit a need for the Bulls if the price is right.

Gordon Revisited: Sign And Trade For Iverson [CBS Sportsline]

Your Problem Child For Mine: A Ben Gordon Sign-And-Trade Proposal

Chicago Tribune scribe K.C. Johnson thinks Portland could be a sleeper in the Ben Gordon sweepstakes. I think we might have a match if the Jail Blazers are willing to make a deal.

The biggest "duh" statement of the offseason is that the Bulls should re-sign Ben Gordon. Despite being undersized as a two guard and underwhelming as a defender, it is hard to fathom why anyone in Chicago would not want to bring back the team's leading scorer.

Gordon averaged 20.5 points per game. And could take that big-bucket making ability to rival Detroit to the tune of a 5-year $50 million deal. Which is similar to what the Bulls offered him right before his rookie contract expired.

$50 million in Detroit is different from $50 million in Chicago, I suppose.

Gordon returning to Chicago could be a key in what could be the next Bulls postseason run. Some think his presence in the backcourt will stunt the growth of Derrick Rose. I guess being able to spot up beyond the arc and drain threes after getting the kick-out from D-Rose is really detrimental to the team's well-being and to Rose's growth as a player.

And if Gordon does leave Michigan Ave. for 8 Mile Rd., how will the Bulls replace his numbers. They're not getting Hedo Turkoglu, and Shawn Marion would have fit the system three years ago. Drafting Wayne Ellington would have been nice, because if you expect guys like John Salmons , who is coming off a career year, and the unreliable Luol Deng to carry the offensive load, then you're going to be very disappointed.

That's why the Bulls need to desperately find a sign-and-trade partner. Rumors of a Gordon-for-Rip Hamilton swap came up not too long ago, and that seems like a realistic, if not ideal move. But here's an idea from outside the box.

How about Gordon to Portland for Greg Oden and leftovers? There are a few salaries that could work, here.

The Trail Blazers are hot on Turkoglu's tail, but might be left in the dust ... which is why they are apparently also targeting Gordon. And if there is any truth to the rumors that Portland tried to swing a deal for Shaq, that shows how much faith they have in the former Ohio State Buckeye center.

So, Portland, on behalf of Bulls GM Gar Foreman, I propose your problem child for mine.

Gordon would be another quality scorer you could team in the backcourt with Brandon Roy, while ridding the team and that town of Sam Bowie, Jr.

Meanwhile, the Bulls could add a true center who projects to be a 14-point, 11-rebound guy per 36 minutes, and if he stays healthy, could be a 20-10 guy that any team would want to build around.

Adding Oden would also allow Chicago to move Joakim Noah to his more natural position, power forward, and possibly help facilitate moving Tyrus Thomas out of town, as Chicago seemingly drafted his clone in Wake Forest forward James Johnson.

Oden isn't going to be a Hall of Famer right now, but adding an inside presence to a team that lived on the perimeter last season wouldn't hurt.

My Pitch To Jim Hendry For Matt Holliday

Jim Hendry should rent A's OF Matt Holliday by any means necessary.

Cubs GM Jim Hendry is due for a good move, right? Through 73 games, Hendry is 0-for-the-offseason as Milton Bradley, Aaron Miles, Kevin Gregg and Ryan Dempster have flopped or fell short of the lofty expectations that come with multi-million dollar deals or, in Gregg's case, being traded for a prospect once deemed untouchable.

And just like last season, Cubdom is up in arms over a move by one of its arch division rivals in an attempt to unseat the Cubs from their perch atop the NL Central. I've seen this movie before. And as a Cubs fan, I like where this movie ends. But for some reason, I always fall asleep whenever the part about October rolls around. Funny how that works.

Hendry can make his detractors (mainly yours truly) by making one brash move that could push this team over the top.

Trade for Matt Holliday.

I know this seems like more of a stretch than Prince Fielder's waistline, but here me out. This would be the ultimate rent-a-player scenario, which could appease Sam Zell and the fools at TribCo that are basically holding the Cubs and the Ricketts family hostage. Adding Holliday would make the Cubbie faithful forget all about Mark DeRosa playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Stick Holliday in left and move Alfonso Soriano to second. Take note that any move the Cubs make to acquire an outfielder will likely bump Soriano to second base. And I don't want to hear about how bad his defense is there, because if it's bad one place it is bad other places too. At least at second, his numbers will generally out-perform the average second sacker.

Back to Holliday, whose big bat is the boost the boys in blue need. Now, how's that for alliteration?

There are a handful of things Hendry should take into consideration when acquiring his next big bat.

1. How he hits at Wrigley/day games.
2. How he hits on the road against NL Central teams.
3. Production in the second half.
4. Playoff production.
5. The bounty.

And how does Holliday stack up?

1. Well, the numbers at Wrigley aren't pretty where he is a a career .229 hitter with only one homer and four ribbies. However, things look a lot better when the sun is out. Holliday owns a career .319 average, .391 OBP, .531 slugging percentage and .922 OPS.

2. While Holliday has struggled against the Cubs at Wrigley, he hits pretty well against the rest of the NL Central. He's got a career .292 average against the Reds, but has an underwhelming .269 average at The Great American Ball Park. Against the Brewers, Holliday has a ridiculous .342 average and 1.082 OPS. At Miller Park, he owns a .928 OPS. At Busch Satdium II, he has hit an absurd .385 with 5 homers in 11 games against the Cardinals.

3. The most encouraging stat backing Holliday is his .314/.388/.568/.967 slash stats in 1,380 second-half plate appearances.

4. The second most encouraging stat could be his career .289 average and .919 OPS in 11 games. Holliday makes Mark DeRosa look like a bum with numbers like that.

5. It's easy to use baseball-reference.com to back my argument, but it means nothing unless there is a match between the GMs. And there is no harder GM to deal with than Billy Beane, and if you've read Moneyball (or its bad-ass movie script) then you know what's up. Luckily for the Cubs, Hendry and Beane have worked together before, as recently as the deal that brought in Rich Harden.

When it comes to Beane, all trade talks begin with starting pitcher. Which means all trade talks must start with left-handed starter Sean Marshall and right-handed hurler Jeff Samardzijia. Maybe one of the pitchers the Cubs got from the Indians would intrigue Beane. I'm sure if Phil Rogers read this blog, he would have a suggestion of his own. As for hitters, Josh Vitters is as close as to untouchable as they get, if only because he will be with the team in two years when he takes over third and Aramis Ramirez takes over first. Everyone else is fair game.

It's up to you GM Jim. The Cardinals have thrown down the gauntlet and could be poised to run away with the division if the Cubs continue to slip down the slippery slope. But the GM of the two-time defending champs wouldn't let that happen, right?

North Siders Rejoice: Jake Peavy Isn't Coming To Chicago

Photo Credit: Deadspin

Yeah, we bitched about Jake Peavy not coming to the Cubs all winter long. Now White Sox fans can share in our misery of not having an ace pitcher while watching our respective teams lose to our most bitter rivals.

Speaking of which, off to see the Cubs limp sticks try to get up against "Jesus" Wainwright.

In the meantime, I'll have what Jake's having.

Sources: Jake Peavy Rejects Trade To White Sox [Chicago Sun-Times]

Jake Peavy To The White Sox? Pardon Me While I Scream In Rage

San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy was the Brian Roberts of the 2008-09 offseason for the Chicago Cubs and their fans.

He was the carrot dangled in front of a fandom that had just seen its team bow out of the NLDS without a fight for the second straight season. Peavy was rumored to be singing "Go Cubs Go" and packing his bags for a trip to Chicago and North Side vendors were tailoring No. 44 jerseys with Cubbie blue pinstripes ... not shirts that mentioned a St. Louis lawn care expert.

And Peavy still might be headed to Chicago ... but instead he might be heading to the South Side.

Grumblings last night turned into confirmed reports that the Padres and White Sox had agreed to a deal for the 2007 NL Cy Young award winner.

If Peavy waves his no-trade clause, it will say one thing about both of Chicago's general managers.

It would bring major props to White Sox GM Kenny Williams, who was much maligned this offseason for failing to get a lead-off man, centerfielder while also failing to get rid of the team's old, slow softball sloth-like players.

As for Jim Hendry, it would confirm what I've written here many times: A major disappointment. After getting an extension this offseason, he allowed popular players that actually were part of the team's 97-win core walk. Bye-bye Henry Blanco and Kerry Wood in exchange for absolutely nothing but frustration. Hendry would go on to trade the oh-so-versatile Mark DeRosa for minor elague pitchers that were once rumored to head to San Diego for Peavy but now are toiling in the minor leagues without much fan fare.

In exchange for three of its most popular and most productive players, Hendry brought in Paul Bako, Kevin Gregg and Aaron Miles. Bako is no longer with the team, while Gregg and Miles make their case on a daily basis to join Bako in the unemployment line.

If this trade does go through, expect a good chunk of Cubs fans to leap off various tall buildings while there will be celebrations in the projects. I'll also expect a letter of resignation on the desk of Tom Ricketts, Sam Zell or whoever is running that joint.

So, Jake ... for the love of Cubdom ... Just Say No!

Is Chris Bosh Chicagobound?

With all the talk surrounding Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire, the Chris Bosh-to-Chicago rumblings have slowly become a little bit louder.

While I feel Stoudemire is a better fit for the kind of system the Bulls look like they want to run, Bosh is a better all-around talent. He is a better defender, and by all reports, a better teammate. Not to mention CB4 is a four-time All-Star, and at the age of 24, an Olympic Gold Medalist.

That's got to count for something.

I won't complain either way if Chicago can somehow find a way to bring a low-post presence to aid the ascending star of Derrick Rose.

I'll only complain if nothing happens.

Because if the Bulls can find a sidekick for the next great NBA point guard, Vinny Del Negro can't possibly find a way to screw it up and keep both players on the bench in a key late-game situation, right?

NOTICE: Jake Peavy isn't coming to the Cubs

Jake Peavy is not a Cub.

He is a San Diego Padre.

Chances are very high Peavy will be the Padres' opening day starter. He will wear No. 44 on his back with SD on his cap. OK?

I don't want you to dissect every move he makes and every word he says and twist it to the point where it sounds like a Peavy-to-Chicago deal is imminent.

It isn't.

So if you the Cub fan isn't happy with Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden and Nameless McFifthstarter manning the rotation, then, well, get prepared for a season of underachieving on the North Side.

Not that you're not accustomed to that anyhow.

Pax should pull the trigger

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

Chicago has the necessary pieces to acquire this franchise-changing star athlete.

Jim Hendry tantalized and teased Cubs fans with the idea of Jake Peavy manning the front line of the North Siders' rotation and Peavy is still in San Diego.

Someone needs to tell Bulls GM John Paxson he cannot afford to make the same mistake.

The Suns' championship window is rapidly closing and that could mean star forward Amare Stoudemire could be on the trading block. And since 6-foot-10-inch forwards that are entering their prime and can average 20 points and 10 rebounds don't grow on trees, Mad Pax needs to throw the kitchen sink at counterpart Steve Kerr and see what sticks.

Need to deplete the frontline of Drew Gooden, Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas? Fine by me. Phoenix likes Ben Gordon and Luol Deng? Bye-bye Benny. Deng-nabbit why couldn't you be gone sone?

Teaming Stoudemire with Derrick Rose has been running around the minds of Bulls fans who have seen tandems such as CP3 and Tyson Chandler or Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer become wildly successful. So why not reward them?

Not only reward the fans, but reward your franchise as a whole.

Right now, the Bulls are on the outside looking in. If they add Stoudemire, they become a playoff-worthy team with the ability to pull off a first-round upset. Then, when his time comes when he wants to become a free agent, you hand over a check with a max contract on it and you don't leave the room 'til he signs it.

A Rose-Deng-Stoudemire triangle of basketball goodness is playoff worthy with the right supporting cast (such as a three-point sniping shooting guard and a rockin' rebounder in the post) would turn the Bulls from good to great.

And if my name was John Paxson, I'd be looking for that date to be great moment. The acquisition of Amare Stoudemire could be it.

Our long national nightmare is born again

The words "pitchers and catchers report today" could not be uttered by local sportscasters soon enough.

Just when you thought the Jake Peavy drama was over, recent moves by the Chicago Cubs have brought back whispers of a potential deal to the forefront. The Cubs recently dumped the salaries of pitcher Jason Marquis and second baseman Mark DeRosa, while adding three quality young arms that could be used to sweeten the pot for San Diego Padres GM Kevin Towers.

Ugh. Remember when the deal was said to have been dead? Well, I wish it was like that again. Either that or get something done.

MLBTradeRumors will no longer hold me hostage as I await breaking news that the 2007 National League Cy Young winner will or will not be joining the Cubs starting rotation. I will stay away from Eli's MLB Rumors page not only because I am jealous of the publicity some high school blogger is getting, but also because I do not want Peavy rumors to run my life. As for Hot Stove Cubbies, I will avoid that site too not only to avoid the eventual Jockin' of Jay-P, but also for the poor grammar and spelling that site offers.

But if someone hears something, tell me.

Breaking? Jermaine Dye to the Reds

ESPN's SportsCenter just reported that the Chicago White Sox have traded right fielder Jermaine Dye to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Homer Bailey.

Um, not so fast my friend.

There's no news of that on ESPN's front page or anywhere on their site, for that matter. Nothing on either the White Sox's or Reds' web pages. That's of 11:31 CT, of course.

Reds GM Walt Jocketty is already denying the Winter Meetings' first big rumor.

"Wrong. It's not even close," Jockety said. "We haven't had any discussions with the White Sox since before Thanksgiving."

Postmarked at 9:46 CT from Mark Sheldon.

The Chicago Tribune's Mark Gonzalez's sources (postmarked at 11:25 CT.)also are denying a done deal.

Meanwhile, ESPN is going to replay this edition of SportsCenter that says Dye-for-Bailey is, in fact, a done deal all night long until SC Live airs.

I hope the World Wide Leader learns its lesson. These taped Sports Center's will not fly!