WIll they get any of the 3?
Which guy do you think is more likely for the Cubs to get?
What will they have to give up?

I personally think Burnett will be the easiest to get. Sabathia derby could get very pricey.

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You may get Burnett, but does that really solve the problem. The Cubs need a guy who can match any #2 pitcher in the league or be a legitimate even pick on the road against any #3. That is not Burnett.

I think the Rays will get Sabathia.

Harden is interesting. He meets the needs stated above. I'd have no problem overpaying for him as you are really going all in for half a season. If they win a series and breaks down next year, it is still a good trade.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

who really knows at this point, but i had heard that burnett actually has a desire to play for the cubs, and if that is so, going for him could be wise. id love to see them get sabathia, and i wouldnt complain if they did, but for the price maybe they should try to land burnett and sign him if possible. he has had some rough outings, though. tough call. i really feel that if you have one goal in mind, win the world series, sabathia is the clear choice to do that. i ask because i just cant think of many right now, but how many times has a rent-a-player actually worked, and the team has actually gone on and won it all? im not thinking of any just this second, and that would worry me about clearing out all of the cubs prospects for sabathia or any one guy.

The Cubs should really push for Sabathia simply to keep the Brewers from getting him. If Milwaukee lands CC, better keep your eye on the rearviewmirror Cub fans.

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That is indeed true. Milwaukee is a good club that has had pitching injuries. They land Sabathia, and life gets a helluva lot more complicated for the Cubs. I don't know if STL is in the running either, but give them another #1 pitcher, and I'd be quite bummed.

I don't know if the Cubs have the minor league talent/ major league ready talent sufficient to outbid the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox (the usual deadline suspects), or their NLC competition. I did listen to Kaplan's WGN interview with a reporter for the Akron newspaper. She seemed to think that the Indians had plenty of lower level (A, AA) top shelf prospects and were more interested in ML ready talent.
That's a problem for the Cubs if true. We have every breathing body up here that even REMOTELY deserves to be here already. With the exception of Hoffpauir, I think the gang's all here.
See any bench talent that the Indians just can't live without for Sabathia?

I don't.

Knowing jackshit about the Brewers' and other teams minor league setups, I can only guess at the likelyhood of those teams having more juicy talent at the AAA level. I don't like the Cubs' odds at landing Sabathia.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

The Brewers have 2 of the top prospects in all of baseball in Mat Gamel and Matt LaPorta. It would be VERY hard for the cubs to make an offer to Cleveland that tops this without including Carlos Marmol. I don't think Hendry will want to change the major league roster so I don't see them getting a guy like Sabathia or Bedard.

Well then, the only question that remains is whether or not the Brewers are willing to part with one or both of those prospects. Time shall tell.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Bruce stated that the Cubs are the front runner if they need major league talent because they can offer Gallagher, Cedeno and one of the prospects, If the Indians are looking at prospects, the Brew crew are the front runner.

This isn't a two horse race, I was just pointing out what the Brewers have in the minors. There will be 8-10 teams going after C.C. Look for the Rangers to be a dark horse.

Doubtless the Yankees are in it as are the Red Sox. I merely meant to imply that should the Brewers offer those two, the Cubs would be sorely pressed to beat it. Gallagher, Cedeno and player X probably won't do it.
Plus, Sabathia has stated he want to go to the NL to bat and the Indians would love to be rid of him in the AL and loathe to trade him within the same league.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Cubs will get fleeced by Beane, but Harden should he stay healthy is actually the best of the 3, in my opinion

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Cubs WOULD get fleeced, and that's why I hope they don't deal with him. Long list of trades he's gotten the better of, and the Cubs don't have an overabundance of minor league talent anyway. It may be insufficient to entice the rapacious Beane.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

The interesting thing about Harden is that the A's are fully in the playoff hunt. That does not concern Beane though as he is a willing partner as long as the price is right.

Boston, on the other hand, has shown a reluctance to deal top prospects over the last couple of years.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Hanley Ramierez.

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see, the Cubs top level talent is not that good...what's the harm in losing more of it than we should have for a better shot at the WS?

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Feel free to correct me but I thought that was 3 years ago.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

As for Bruce's comment, didn't Baltimore balk at those names in trade talks for Brian Roberts? Why would Cleveland think about those names for CC?
I think Levine chugged some Blue and Red Kool-Aid right before making that statement.

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President of Blake Shetlon fan club

that's not entirely fair as in hindsight it would have been a pretty good trade for Baltimore and a fairly poor one for the Cubs...so that was more Baltimore's poor evaluation of their own talent (Roberts) or overestimating the need for him among other MLB teams...

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

On Baseball Tonight, Buster Olney just said the Indians have sent scouts out to look at the Brewers Double A team. He said right now its mainly the Brewers that are talking to the Indians.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

It would not surprise me at all if the Cubs settle for Burnett, simply because he's the only one of these 3 that can be had with what they have to offer. I think CC is too expensive, as some have said, Harden's GM won't allow him to leave without getting everything he wants in return for him. But who knows, Hendry has surprised the shit out of me before.

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Looks like the Cubs aren't even trying to get C.C. According to the Fox pregame, the 2 favorites are the Brewers and the Dodgers, with the Rays and Phillies a possibility if the other 2 deals fall through. Jim, your team is struggling, and you need another ace pitcher, and your going to let your biggest competition for the division trade for the ace? You better make sure you get Harden then, don't be a cheap ass and settle for Randy Wolf, that would be joke for a big market team.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

i think i speak for a VAST MAJORITY of Cubs fans not only here on CSFMB, but all over when I say - It (our "eye") hasn't been anywhere else - ever