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Cubs acquire Lawton, deal Gerut


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http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs on Sunday acquired left-handed-hitting outfielder Matt Lawton from the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Jody Gerut.

Lawton was batting .276 in 100 games with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs with the Pirates this year. He was hitting .315 in July, and batting .328 with runners in scoring position.

 

The Cubs have scuffled with runners in scoring position, and Lawton could help in that department.

 

Gerut started Sunday's game in left field, and was pulled as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning, shortly after the 3 p.m. CT trading deadline had passed. Acquired from Cleveland on July 18 for rookie outfielder Jason Dubois, he was primarily used off the bench and was 1-for-14 with the Cubs. He hit .275 with Cleveland.

 

The Cubs will make a bigger move on Friday when they activate shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and pitchers Kerry Wood and Scott Williamson from the disabled list.

 

"That could be a tremendous, tremendous boost," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said about having the trio return.

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QUOTE(KevHead0881 @ Jul 31, 2005 -> 04:49 PM)
Something tells me that Pirate fans will get over the loss of one Matt Lawton.

Something tells me that Cubs fans will like having a guy with a .380 OBP leading off when they think they have a shot at the playoffs.

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QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jul 31, 2005 -> 04:51 PM)
Something tells me that Cubs fans will like having a guy with a .380 OBP leading off when they think they have a shot at the playoffs.

the cubs need alot more than a leadoff man to make a run.

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QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jul 31, 2005 -> 04:51 PM)
Something tells me that Cubs fans will like having a guy with a .380 OBP leading off when they think they have a shot at the playoffs.

um you don't go to the playoffs with a s*** bullpen the way they have it. Dempster is good however who do you have to set him up. Their Rotation is average at best so the only reason they are in contention is cause the national league is bad.
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The Cubs turned a guy they had no use for, because he can't field to save his life, into a top 3 leadoff hitter in the NL.

 

Jim Hendry might be the best GM when it comes to trades in the majors. He has turned a reliever who was horrible for the Cubs and had a bad contract into 2 very solid young pitchers, and turning a person of no value for your team into a top 3 leadoff hitter is excellent.

 

They will be a very scary team in the 2nd half. If the team in general can stay half way healthy, I see them taking the Wild Card.

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QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Jul 31, 2005 -> 06:34 PM)
um you don't go to the playoffs with a s*** bullpen the way they have it.  Dempster is good however who do you have to set him up.  Their Rotation is average at best so the only reason they are in contention is cause the national league is bad.

 

Since their bullpen was awesome in 03. :rolly

 

And their rotation is not 'average at best'. I'd say average at worst. Prior-Zambrano-Maddux-Williams is a very solid 1-4 and then Rusch or Hill is a solid 5. If Prior and Zambrano can stay healthy, they are a very solid and very underrated team.

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QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Aug 1, 2005 -> 05:53 AM)
They will be a very scary team in the 2nd half.  If the team in general can stay half way healthy, I see them taking the Wild Card.

 

I agree. They have a great shot at the wild card. In the playoffs, they could give San Diego or Atlanta a run for their money.

 

I think that Atlanta just made one hell of a move in acquiring Farnsworth to set up Reitsma. It sounds stupid, but that could be the difference in a Braves vs. Cubs first round matchup. Farnsworth has been murder on hitters this year. The numbers are just beautiful.

 

Lawton is one hell of a pick-up, though. Previously thought of as a stroke in my world, those OBP numbers don't lie...he's been kicking a little ass out of the leadoff slot. Huge pick-up.

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QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ Aug 1, 2005 -> 02:04 AM)
I agree.  They have a great shot at the wild card.  In the playoffs, they could give San Diego or Atlanta a run for their money. 

 

I think that Atlanta just made one hell of a move in acquiring Farnsworth to set up Reitsma.  It sounds stupid, but that could be the difference in a Braves vs. Cubs first round matchup.  Farnsworth has been murder on hitters this year.  The numbers are just beautiful. 

 

Lawton is one hell of a pick-up, though.  Previously thought of as a stroke in my world, those OBP numbers don't lie...he's been kicking a little ass out of the leadoff slot.  Huge pick-up.

Too bad WCW isn't in ATL anymore or Farns could moonlight at another job.

 

;)

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QUOTE(knightni @ Aug 1, 2005 -> 06:11 AM)
Too bad WCW isn't in ATL anymore or Farns could moonlight at another job.

 

;)

 

There's nothing wrong with a bruiser. :D

 

We could have used him in the 2000 Detroit brawl. Instead of Foulke having to take on like 10 dudes at once, Kyle could have charged head first and taken down like half a dozen of them. Karim Garcia should have been body-slammed repeatedly, but we didn't have the man for the job. :crying

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QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Aug 1, 2005 -> 01:06 AM)
Good deal for both teams imo.  Lawton's a great fit for the cubs and a solid player but atleast Pitt got something, if he stays then he walks in the offseason and they get nothing.

 

Not sure if I'm seeing this as a good move for Pittsburgh. Gerut's a solid player...but he is all they got? They should have gotten more than just a 4th OF type.

 

I mean, Baltimore has no interest? Minnesota? New York? Washington? Los Angeles? Shop him around...I'm sure you can get more than just Jody Gerut.

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QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Aug 1, 2005 -> 01:25 AM)
Not sure if I'm seeing this as a good move for Pittsburgh.  Gerut's a solid player...but he is all they got?  They should have gotten more than just a 4th OF type.

 

I mean, Baltimore has no interest?  Minnesota?  New York?  Washington?  Los Angeles? Shop him around...I'm sure you can get more than just Jody Gerut.

Considering the deal was announced right near the deadline, I assume there were no takers for Lawton, pitt just got desperate and took a deal. Not saying it's great in terms of what they recieved but atleast they got something.

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They will be a very scary team in the 2nd half.  If the team in general can stay half way healthy, I see them taking the Wild Card.

 

 

Wite, didn't you learn your lesson last year? :D

 

I admit, Lawton for Gerut is a nice move for the Flubs. But how bout that pen? Way too many inexperienced guys that simply aren't that good. Also, their offense is very inconsistent. If it's not Lee or Ramirez doing it for them, it's basically not gonna get done. As for their starters, they really only have 2 guys they can count out in Prior and Zambrano. And even then, Prior has yet to get back to his sick 2003 level, and Zambrano isn't pitching at the level he did last year.

 

They won't overtake the Astros. They've got 3 dominating starters who are all in the top 10 in era. They've got a filthy closer. They take advantage of their homefield. And, they don't have a billy goat curse hanging over their heads.

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QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Jul 31, 2005 -> 06:34 PM)
um you don't go to the playoffs with a s*** bullpen the way they have it.  Dempster is good however who do you have to set him up.  Their Rotation is average at best so the only reason they are in contention is cause the national league is bad.

STFU. What does their bullpen have to do with consistantly getting the better of the Pirates in trades...

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From a cubs message board

 

 

I'm 100% satisfied with this trade. Sure we didn't get to see what Gerut was capable of, but Lawton is a bonified leadoff man, one of many things this club desperately needed. I'm still kind of pissed that Hendry didn't get any bullpen help and is relying on Wood and Williamson to come in and give the pen a boost (didn't he learn his lesson in the offseason by relying on what he already had?), but this deal is defenately going to have more of an impact then Soriano would have had in this lineup.

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QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 1, 2005 -> 12:10 PM)
From a cubs message board

I'm 100% satisfied with this trade. Sure we didn't get to see what Gerut was capable of, but Lawton is a bonified leadoff man, one of many things this club desperately needed. I'm still kind of pissed that Hendry didn't get any bullpen help and is relying on Wood and Williamson to come in and give the pen a boost (didn't he learn his lesson in the offseason by relying on what he already had?), but this deal is defenately going to have more of an impact then Soriano would have had in this lineup.

 

Consider the source.

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