Angry at a Clown

The MLB trading deadline passed yesterday afternoon.

And I'm even more angry at Cubs GM Jim Hendry. Remember that guy? He's the fellow who signed Alfonso Soriano to a crazy deal and brought the Milton Bradley/Carlos Silva fiasco to the Friendly Confines.

I will credit him with dealing Fukudome to Cleveland for two prospects before the deadline. Of course, the Cubs had to eat a ton of the right fielder's salary, but the deal frees up roster space for younger players to get more experience. Then again, I suspect Quade will platoon Reed Johnson and Tyler Colvin in right field. Sigh.

But there were three guys on the current roster who other teams had interest in: Aramis Ramirez, Marlon Byrd, and Carlos Pena.

With Ramirez, sure, he has a no-trade clasue. But the way his contract is structured is that if he had been traded to a team (such as the Angels who were interested), then his option year (2012) vests. Ramirez would have been guaranteed a one-year contract over his market value even at a position (3B) of limited depth. But ole Hendry signed A-Ram to a deal with a no-trade clause, and he couldn't sell him on waiving it even though he'd be guaranteed a fat contract next year with a different ball club.

But let's look at the guys who the Cubs front office might have had some control over in a deal. That clown Hendry decided that they weren't going to trade either Byrd or Pena. That makes sense, right? The Cubs have been out of the NL Central race for quite some time, but let's not deal any veterans who would have given the current roster and/or farm system a needed boost.

As much as I like Byrd, if there was a decent deal that would have sent him somewhere, it makes sense to deal him and call up Brett Jackson or heck let Campana play there for the rest of season. What do they have to lose except more games?

But Hendry not dealing Pena really pisses me off. Sure, Pena is probably the back-up plan if the Cubs don't sign Prince Fielder in the off-season, but if you deal him for a prospect or two now, it's not like you can't sign him for next season since he has a one-year contract. Jesus H. Christ...

While Pena stays put in Chicago, Baltimore deals Derrek Lee, who has a one-year contract, to the Pirates for prospects.

Knowing my luck as a Cubs fan, Hendry will be retained as GM, and he'll sign Pujols to a ten-year contract, a Soriano-like deal that is good for the first few years but becomes awful later on.