New York Nine

This series of moves by the cubs have been puzzling to say the least. As you might remember last week they traded away one time untouchable outfielder Felix Pie for a so so arm in Garrett Olsen and a single A pitcher. Well I guess they felt like they didn't quite get the crappy offer they were looking for a five tool prospect, they traded Olsen, and Ronny Cedeno for New York's fan favorite, Aaron Heilman. Yes we all know Aaron around these parts, the oftentimes horrible set up man for the Metropolitians with the penchant for giving up home runs (Yadier anyone?) who did nothing but complain that he wasn't starting his entire time here. Yes this same guy, and to think that the cubs traded away felix pie, ronny cedeno (a very useful middle infielder) and garrett olsen all to get this guy.

I mean come on, seriously Cubs? At least Olsen is lefty and only 25, Heilman's got nothing going for him. He's already 29 and he's coming off a simply atrocious year. In 76 innings he gave up TEN home runs and a 5.21 ERA, that's pretty lousy, that makes Professor Kyle Farnsworth look pretty good with his 4.48. Add in the fact he's moving the pitcher friendly Shea to Friendly Confines where a lot more of home runs get hit, you have to have to wonder if this is a recipe for disaster.

Now there's a chance that this was just a bad year, the guy did have ERAs in the low 3s prior to that and his walk to strikeout ratio wasn't bad 48/80, but its a lot to give up for a guy that's just okay. As I said earlier, Pie is a five tool guy who's still only 24, and cedeno was an important of their team last year and they gave him up for a guy that the mets would have gladly given away last year.

Now I have heard that these moves are precursors for bigger moves, namely for one Jake Peavy. Maybe that is the case and if they get Peavy as a result of these moves they certainly got a hell of a pitcher in his prime, but wouldn't these guys been more attractive to the padres to be involved in a potential trade than Aaron freaking Heilman? Further, they already have a pretty good back end of the bullpen with Kevin Gregg, Jeff Samardzija, and Carlos Marmol in place, where does he fit in?

I think the Cubs are tinkering a little too much with an already good team, they caught a bad break with a hot dodgers team last year, but they proved to be the best team in the national league for the most of the year, why mess with a good thing? Sure you can always improve a team, but sometimes you can try to do too much, I think this is the case for the Cubs and it will hurt them in the immediate future as well as beyond.