It's closing in on Thanksgiving and baseball circles are starting to heat up with discussion about players moving from one city to another.
The wonderful part of being a fan at this time of year is the speculation that comes with rumors, whispers, and just throwing junk at the wall to see what sticks.
In the spirit of discussion, I present to you an idea for discussion: the Cubs should explore trading third baseman Aramis Ramirez to the Phillies.
First, let's walk through the foundation of why this deal would even be a consideration for either side.
From the Phillies perspective, this could be a bold gamble to get them back to a third consecutive World Series. Adding Ramirez to a predominantly left-handed lineup would give the Phillies a batting order that rivals the best of all-time. With Jimmy Rollins leading, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez are the heart of the order. Putting a consistent 100-RBI guy like Ramirez in the middle of that from the right side of the plate would be incredible.
The Phillies are actively entering the market for a new third baseman after not renewing ties with Pedro Feliz. However, the free agent market at third is soft and could force a team like the Phillies to over pay. Adrian Beltre leads a class that includes Mark DeRosa, Feliz, and not much else.
The Phillies showed a willingness to trade aggressively by bringing in the right players in the blockbuster deal to acquire Cliff Lee this past summer. A trade for a marquee player like Ramirez isn't out of their imagination.
Other trade options for Philadelphia could include Colorado's Garrett Atkins, but Ramirez is a former Silver Slugger who undoubtedly brings an elite bat to the plate.
From the Cubs perspective, it would be naive to not begin looking into the future. This coming season is the last year that Derrek Lee and Ted Lilly are under contract, and the new ownership group has not committed to GM Jim Hendry. It's also the final year of manager Lou Piniella's contract.
Another reality the Cubs need to deal with is that Ramirez has a player option after the 2010 season. If he feels that his services are worth more than $16 million on the open market, he could opt out and become a free agent in another weak class. If Lee, Lilly, and Piniella are on their way out, Ramirez might see the changing clubhouse dynamic as enough of a catalyst to try the market and leave Chicago.
There's a very real possibility that Ramirez could be gone after the coming season.
The Cubs are also trying to keep up with the Cardinals, who continue to push the envelope in the division. With a soft farm system and some awful contracts weighing down the major league club, the Cubs would have to be open to adding some younger, less expensive talent to the mix.
With those factors in mind, let's make a deal!
The Phillies are such a deep organization. There are a number of routes the Cubs could pursue if they wanted to explore a trade with Philadelphia. One would be to explore a deal that centers around a major league player or two, while the other would be an effort for the Cubs to stockpile prospects.
If the Cubs were to make an offer centering around major league players, there are two players I think the Cubs could, and should target. One is left-hander Cole Hamels, the other is outfielder Jayson Werth.
Hamels had a rough season after being named the World Series MVP in 2008, and lost some favor with the fickle fans of Philadelphia when he made a comment about wanting the World Series to be over. He's still young, and has great experience on his resume.
Werth will need a new deal after 2010, but would bring a legitimate 30 homer, 30 steal guy to the Chicago order.
Remember when Hendry sold Chicago on Soriano being "that guy" in the Cubs' order? Yeah... about that...
Werth could come in and replace Milton Bradley in right field for significantly less money and, with a long-term extension, could be a corner outfielder for the Cubs for the better part of the next decade.
The other route the Cubs could pursue in a trade of Ramirez would be a bounty of prospects. Obviously, the top tier of the Phillies farm system has been fairly well documented since the rumors began swirling around a potential Roy Halladay deal in July.
Back then, the Phillies weren't apparently willing to move Kyle Drabek as part of a package for the former Cy Young winner. If the Cubs didn't ask for Hamels, Drabek would likely be part of the equation.
Other possibilities would include pitching prospect Jason Knapp or outfielder Domonic Brown.
It would be a bold step for the Cubs to consider moving Ramirez, but bringing in a package of top prospects, or younger major leaguers with small contracts, could be another step in changing the organization's culture from huge contracts to the right mix of players.
Disclaimer: I'm not saying I would dump Ramirez for nothing, or that I'm even a fan of the idea of moving the best offensive player on the team. However, there is historical precedent for trades between Philadelphia and Chicago changing the history of the two franchises.
The young third baseman the Cubs picked up named Ryne Sandberg turned out pretty well.
I look forward to the discussion this idea brings.
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