Source: Cubs agree to Garza deal

[crc21209]

Source: Cubs agree to Garza deal

Updated: January 7, 2011, 1:22 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs have agreed to a multi-player deal that will bring right-handed pitcher Matt Garza to Chicago, according to a major league source.

The deal, which has been agreed to pending physicals, sends right-handed pitcher Chris Archer, outfielder Brandon Guyer, catcher Robinson Chirinos, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee and outfielder Sam Fuld to Tampa for Garza, minor league outfielder Fernando Perez and another minor leaguer.

Archer, 22, combined to go 15-3 with 2.34 in 28 games between Single-A Daytona and Tennessee, and was the Cubs' 2010 minor league pitcher of the year. Archer was acquired by the Cubs in a trade that sent popular utility man Mark DeRosa to the Cleveland Indians.

Guyer batted .344 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs for Double-A Tennessee in 2010. The 24-year old was the Cubs' minor league player of the year.

Lee batted .282 and stole 32 bases for Single-A Peoria.

Fuld played in 98 games for the Cubs between 2007-10. He batted .299 in 65 games in '09.

The Cubs and at least three other teams had been negotiating with the Rays about Garza since the December winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Garza, 27, is coming off his best season, compiling a 15-10 record with a 3.91 ERA. Garza averaged 6.6 strikeouts and 2.77 walks per nine innings. Hitters batted .248 against Garza in 2010.

Tampa, in the mode of retooling the next few seasons, was willing to trade Garza for top young talent. The Rays were looking to get a shortstop, catcher and some top-caliber young pitching in return for Garza.

Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5998431

[Phillip]

wtf rangers

[JamStone]

I'm trying out for the Rays this spring.

My fastball tops out at about 68 MPH. But I think I got a shot.

[yavozerb]

wtf rangers

I am pretty positive that the rangers inquired about Garza, but it seems the cubs were willing to give up some of there top prospects to get Garza and the rangers were not. Garza would have been nice addition but for some reason I would rather the Rangers hold onto their top prospects for future call ups or maybe even a better option come midseason.

[yavozerb]

I'm trying out for the Rays this spring.

My fastball tops out at about 68 MPH. But I think I got a shot.

You may be able to follow up Price in the rotation, wait a minute, your name isnt jaime moyer is it?

[AFBlue]

The Rays had 6 legitimate starters and still lack depth in the bullpen and 1B/DH. They can take the chunk of money that he was expected to get in arbitration and address those needs. It was the same with Jason Bartlett earlier this off-season, though Garza appropriately returned more than did Bartlett.

I don't know much about the Cubs prospects they got in return, but the Rays' current front office has done a very good job scouting and developing talent, so I trust they received fair value.

I do think Garza will enjoy a lot of success in the NL Central, so this trade may look lopsided, but it served both teams' purposes.

[yavozerb]

The Rays had 6 legitimate starters and still lack depth in the bullpen and 1B/DH. They can take the chunk of money that he was expected to get in arbitration and address those needs. It was the same with Jason Bartlett earlier this off-season, though Garza appropriately returned more than did Bartlett.

I don't know much about the Cubs prospects they got in return, but the Rays' current front office has done a very good job scouting and developing talent, so I trust they received fair value.

I do think Garza will enjoy a lot of success in the NL Central, so this trade may look lopsided, but it served both teams' purposes.

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2010/10/24/2011-cubs-top-15-prospects
Archer is #1 prospect on list
Guyer is #4
Lee is #8

[AFBlue]

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2010/10/24/2011-cubs-top-15-prospects
Archer is #1 prospect on list
Guyer is #4
Lee is #8

Thanks...more coming out on various sites/boards as well. Keith Law of ESPN is suggesting that Lee is the real "get", though he's probably the farthest from the majors of any of them.

[bostonguy]

Rays will be fighting with Toronto and Baltimore for 3rd place.

The AL East is back to being about the Yankees and Red Sox again.

[AFBlue]

Rays will be fighting with Toronto and Baltimore for 3rd place.

The AL East is back to being about the Yankees and Red Sox again.

On the surface it certainly seems that way, but I think the Rays still have an outside shot.

The fact that they let go of Garza says a lot about their confidence in Jeremy Hellickson, who was spectacular in his ML stint as a starter last year. They're also backfilling Carl Crawford with a speedy, defense-first contact hitter in Desmond Jennings. Obviously he won't duplicate Crawford's production, but he does more than fill a hole.

They still have needs to address in their bullpen and 1B/DH, but the off-season isn't over yet. You're probably right, but I still think it'll make for an interesting race next year.

[crc21209]

Rays will be fighting with Toronto and Baltimore for 3rd place.

The AL East is back to being about the Yankees and Red Sox again.

Yup. The Rays completey blew up their team, it'll take them 2-3 years or so to be really "competitive" again...

[BanditHiro]

please cubs just win a fucking world series this year...

[yavozerb]

please cubs just win a fucking world series this year...

:lol

[sribb43]

Peter Gammons is reporting that the Rangers offered Engel Beltre, Derek Holland, Frankie Fransisco