By Phil Rogers
Assuming the Tigers will trade center fielder Curtis Granderson for the most attractive package of minor-league prospects they're offered, the Cubs could land him. That's the opinion of Baseball America's Jim Callis, a storehouse of knowledge on talent throughout the minors.
I asked Jim to rank the Angels, Cubs and Yankees in terms of their ability to swing a prospects-rich deal, and here's his reply:
Assuming the Tigers will trade center fielder Curtis Granderson for the most attractive package of minor-league prospects they're offered, the Cubs could land him. That's the opinion of Baseball America's Jim Callis, a storehouse of knowledge on talent throughout the minors.
I asked Jim to rank the Angels, Cubs and Yankees in terms of their ability to swing a prospects-rich deal, and here's his reply:
"I'd rank them Cubs 1, Yankees 2, Angels
3.
"A huge factor in this is how far the clubs would be willing to get him,
but the Cubs would be in a better position to put together a Granderson deal
than the Yankees and Angels. If the Cubs wanted to include Starlin
Castro, which might be a little crazy but they do have a lot of middle-infield
talent on the way up, they could easily get a deal done. Even without Castro,
they could put together a bat like Josh Vitters with an arm like Andrew Cashner,
Jay Jackson or Chris Carpenter. If the Tigers were willing to take a talent
further away from the majors, they could ask for Hak-Ju Lee, if the Cubs didn't
want to part with Castro.
"The Cubs have enough interesting young players to put together a package
and still have talent remaining. The Yankees' best prospect is slugger Jesus
Montero, but I'm not sure they'd part with him. Even if they would, I don't
think he's going to be a catcher, so you're betting 100 percent on his bat. The
Cubs could offer someone with much more positional value as a centerpiece and
better secondary players in the deal.
"The Angels don't have the same depth as the Cubs. I assume they'd try to
build a deal around Brandon Wood, but I don't think they could match the Cubs if
the Cubs decide they have to have Granderson. And the Angels already have Torii
Hunter, so I don't think they'd want him as badly."
All Bears news delivered to your mailbox on Friday and Monday mornings. 
When sports news breaks, be the first to know. (To get alerts on a mobile device, text CHISPORTS to 31286.). 
Get our updates on 
Hi, thank you for this excellent post, a really great start for the 2010, keep up the wonderful work, Rachel.
Brandon Wood A-, Chris Pettit B+, Hank Conger B+, Peter Bourjos B-, Mark Trumbo B, Trevor Reckling A, Jordan Walden B+, Trevor Bell B-, William Smith A-, Tyler Chatwood B-, Ryan Chaffee B-, Mike Trout B, Randal Grichuk B and Carlos Ramirez B.
Umm...no. This is Harvard-style grade inflation. Will Smith an A-? Trumbo a B?
The Angels have a bottom 10 system. None of these guys are elite prospects. They have a bit of depth, but nothing to write home about.
The Cubs have more elite talents with Vitters, Cashner, Castro and Jackson. They don't have an elite system either, but I'd probably take theirs over the Angels.
Larry wrote on November 16, 2009 11:41 PM
[M.Fontano, package with Fukadome,and 2 prospects OTHER than Castro and Vitters and I bet you any white sox player that Granderson is in Chicago next year.]
Larry, the Tigers are trying to cut payroll, Fukudome makes $28.5 million over the next two years. Granderson makes $13.75 million over the next two seasons.. I'll let you do the rest of the math. Your idea makes absolutely so sense.
[Are you guys NUTS! Why would you trade D. Lee who CARRIED our Cubbies last year both defensively and offensively?]
Larry, Lee is OLD. He turns 35 next September and the Cubs are going to lose him because he's a free agent after 2010. Lee is no longer a gold glove 1st baseman, he's about average now in terms of defense, and the likelihood of him ever repeating his offensive numbers from last year are pretty slim. Its time to move him and get something in return while he still has value. How do you think the Patriots always remain good in football? They know when to trade aging players for draft picks and restock with younger, cheaper talent. That’s how you stay GOOD and CHEAP.
Bill wrote on November 16, 2009 5:25 PM
[Granderson will average about $9 million over the next 3 years, then will be a free agent (or get a $13 million club option for 2013).]
Granderson's contract averages $9 million including the $13 million option year over 4 years, not three...
If you take information from one of my past posts make sure you use it correctly.
M.Fontano, package with Fukadome,and 2 prospects OTHER than Castro and Vitters and I bet you any white sox player that Granderson is in Chicago next year. Are you guys NUTS! Why would you trade D. Lee who CARRIED our Cubbies last year both defensively and offensively? The Cubs DO NOT need to rebuild! Soriono will come back strong next year, as will Soto. How many stolen bases did the Yankees have? Home runs, good itting and solid pitching win every time. Ask the Yankees!
Some people are arguing to give up whatever prospects (e.g., Castro & Vitters) it takes to get Granderson because Granderson is a star, and the prospects are only possible future stars. But this ignores the huge issues of salary and years of control.
Granderson will average about $9 million over the next 3 years, then will be a free agent (or get a $13 million club option for 2013). If a prospect becomes a star, the team has him locked up for 5 years at very low cost before his free-agency payday.
Right now the Cubs' off-season possibilities are really constrained because of all the expensive commitments to veteran players. Having some cheap young stars would give them huge flexibility in spending the big bucks patching other holes.
IF THE CUBS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRADE FOR CURTIS GRANDERSON and MIGUEL CABRERA, then I don't give a rats behind who we gotta give back in compensation. Surely for C.G., that would indicate a FT CF instead of a platoon system, and an exit for guys like REED JOHNSON and AARON MILES.
I would have to be a keeper of JAKE FOX though, as he would be the air-apparent in RF in 2 years, when we can finally rid ourselves of the FUKUDOME experiment.
If the TIGRES are serious in a desire to trade MIGUEL CABRERA, then THE RICKETTS FAMILY has to pull out all of the stops and make sure that GM JIM HENDRY lands that PRIZE, as he could immediately assume control of 1st base. Then HENDRY would have his work cut out for him to convince D. LEE to waive the NO TRADE clause in his contract and move him to the WHITE SOX, or BREWERS, or whichever team LEE would approve a trade to. If CABRERA is truly available, then there simply can be NO IDLE RUMOR TALK of woulda, coulda, shoulda; as in past off seasons like with BRIAN ROBERTS and JAKE PEAVY !!!
GET IT DONE RICKETTS AND HENDRY, and watch how quickly fans are to FORGET ABOUT THE PAST SCREW UPS !!!
I want to see Castro at shortstop (and Theriot at second) that's an awesome infield, both hitting and defensively.
Vitters can go, he has a great bat with high potential, but you can't have a defensively challenged 3rd baseman. Plenty of arms to deal.
Has Miguel Cabrera fallen out of favor in Detroit, or become unnafordable for Mr. Illitch??? Now that is something interesting!!
Homer sports writer. I'm not even an Angels fan and even I know the Angels have more depth than the Cubs in their minor league system, and it isn't close either. Just looking off their minor league roster, here some names:
Brandon Wood A-, Chris Pettit B+, Hank Conger B+, Peter Bourjos B-, Mark Trumbo B, Trevor Reckling A, Jordan Walden B+, Trevor Bell B-, William Smith A-, Tyler Chatwood B-, Ryan Chaffee B-, Mike Trout B, Randal Grichuk B and Carlos Ramirez B.
The Angels literally have 15 minor league prospects that are a B grade or higher. The Cubs have a grand total of 6. Next time try checking your facts before you make statements like that.
The Angels could group together any combo of 3 of these players, land Granderson and still have one of the top 5 minor league systems in baseball. I WISH MY CUBBIES HAD THEIR DEPTH.
make this offer. pick any 5 for Granderson.
Colvin, D. Lee, Fukudome, Phil Rogers, D. Vandyck, Bradley, A. Miles, and Fox.
Ricketts has already said you plan for now, next year, year after, etc., not just for next year as Hendry does.
Does Cubbies fan just toke out from the hooka all day long? Even your writers are high if you think second rate talent is going to make Dave Dombrowski get rid of the best five tool player in the MLB right before he hits his prime. The only offers that make any sense will include at least two players like Marmol and Derrick Lee.
Curtis Granderson hit 30 Home Runs in '09 22HR in '08 and 23HR in '07...If we could give up Fontenot, Fox, Fuld, Heilman & a prospect then bon voyage! Castro & Vitters are the opposite of Patterson & Pie...there good players MUST KEEPS!
Curtis Granderson hit 30 Home Runs in '09 22HR in '08 and 23HR in '07...If we could give up Fontenot, Fox, Fuld, Heilman & a prospect then bon voyage! Castro & Vitters are the opposite of Patterson & Pie...there good players MUST KEEPS!
The person who scouted Castro and determined he has Dunston like potential was a WRITER for the Chicago Tribune. Real BASEBALL SCOUTS project him (Castro) as a cross between Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes. I said it before, trade anyone except for Castro or Vitters. Cashner, Colvin,even Marmol or D Lee. Granderson is a good player who Might help us but he is not worth giving up Castro or Vitters. Do it, but for the right package.
Starlin Castro, John Vitters, et all are maybes, maybe they'll be big leaguers, maybe not. A recent description of Castro as having Shawn Dunston-like potential is not exactly a ringing endorsement; the next slider low and away that Dunston hits will be the first.
But Curtis Granderson is a definite big leaguer, one of the better ones around.
So I say yes, do the trade, if Detroit will accept the maybes and give up a definite.
As a general rule, the more prospects, the more likely one of them is to make it. If the Cubs gie up three of them, the odds are good the Tigers will get one good one. But since that means they will have already given up an established good one, the worst that happens is the Cubs get better for sure.
Andy,
Stop drinking during the day. Granderson would fit 3 needs with one transaction.
Matt
Are you crazy? Two of our top three prospects plus a 2nd tier prospect for a fairly expensive platoon player? The guy is basically an automatic out against left handers. They make this short sighted, b.s. deal and I officially quit. It's guys like you Phil Rogers who suggest this crap who make me want to jam pencils in my eyes.
Why can't the Cubs be in a rumor to get a leadoff hitter that can steal 30+ bases and bat over .300. Granderson would not make this team better. We need runs and hitting a solo shot now and then did not get us where we needed to go (See: Soriano).
I would love for the Cubs to get Granderson and please don't package Castro and Marmol to get him. I would love for the Cubs to dump Fukudome, Miles and Koy Hill for a solid reserve infielder or outfielder too.