The Cubs sent reliever Aaron Heilman to Arizona today for a pair of minor-league prospects.
Heilman didn't figure into the Cubs 2010 plans, and was likely to be non-tendered by the club next month.
In return, the Cubs received left-handed reliever Scott Maine, who went 4-5 with seven saves and a 2.90 ERA at Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno, and first baseman Ryne White, who hit .266 with six homers and 52 RBI at Class-A Visalia.
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"Garrentt Olsen" or Garrett Olson as he prefers to be called went 3-5 with a 5.60 ERA in 31 games (11 starts) with Seattle in 2009. What about those numbers makes you think the Cubs should have kept him? Heilman actually had a better season than Olson, and our two lefties in the pen now (Grabow and Marshall) are both better. Olson is basically Tom Gorzelanny, except Gorzelanny has actually had one solid MLB season.
As for the rest of you, it is fair to say that Hendry should not have traded for Heilman in the first place (although we really didn't give up anything for him so this trade doesn't even enter the conversation about the worst trades in Cubs history). However, being able to identify that Heilman didn't work out and get two mid-level prospects for him is a good move no matter what moves preceded it. Hendry could have said Heilman finished the year strong so we're going to bring him back in 2010. That would have been a mistake. Hendry could have said he stunk and we're going to non-tender him and let him go as a FA. That would have been fine by me, but anytime you can get something for junk it's a good trade.
One of Tom Ricketts goals as owner is to make the minors better. I don't think these two prospects will make the Cubs minor league system #1 in baseball, but it sure does help the depth of their minor league system. And if these guys ever make it to the majors, or even if their presence in the minors pushes others to stay ahead or pass them on the minor league depth charts, then that sounds like a good deal to me!
Cubs should have kept Garrentt Olsen ...one of the kids they gave Seattle for the Domer Dud
FYI.....Ryne White graduated from St. Rita HS on the south side......One day he'll make it up!!!!!!
Mike P. Bobby Hill went back into the draft the following year and was drafted by the Cubs in the second round. He was called up and eventually was included in the A-Ram/Lofton deal. Bobby Hill is out of baseball.
Bobby Hill still in baseball? I remember when Hill was drafted number 1 by the White Sox and Hill's agent Scott Boras tried to rob Reinsdorf of 5.8 million on a signing bonus.Reinsdorf told Hill and Boras to not let the door hit them on the way out.Sox gave up their draft rights to him,and I think he signed with Cleveland.
I bet Heilman is way better next year away from the Cubbies.
Paul, Hendry traded for Heilman. Heilman didn't work out here in Chicago. I thought, at the time of the trade last year, that it was a solid move by Hendry. Heilman was just too inconsistant last year. Everyone looks at the negative in saying that Heilman shouldn't have been traded for in the first place, but I say that Hendry spun a bad trade into a positive one.
Now let's get rid of Miles.
"Great Move By Hendry". And Who's The Jerk That Signed Heilman In The First Place?
The trade of Heilman on top of resigning Grabow is a great move by Hendry. Grabow was the best lefty coming out of the pen after the trade last season. Hendry needs to trim payroll and get younger in the pen hence the trade of Heilman. I believe that the Cubs will have one of the more improved bullpens in the N.L. in 2010. I believe Marmol will have a bounceback year who I think was hurt because of the Classic. One reliever I hope they don't lose is Caridad. The kid impressed me toward the end of the year. I'm still not sure why they haven't released Miles yet.
Any prospect for Heilman?
We got something to thankful for on the Thanksgiving.
How do the Cubs get these suckered teams to always take their useless dreck (Bobby Hill, Hundley, Choi, etc) ?!