Everybody Loves the Cubs

Baseball Prospectus's Transaction Analysis column has finally reviewed the Cubs' deadline deals. The reviews are not glowing. To begin with, Caesar Izturis stinks. Any illusions to the contrary are attributable to the lingering stench of former prospect-dom. And while a team can absorb the weak bat of one no-hit, slick fielding middle infielder, as BP puts it: "If [the Cubs] . . . think that, because Izturis is under contract through 2008 (counting a team option the Cubs might forego), they'll have a particularly slick-fielding middle infield combo of Izturis at second opposite Cedeno, then they're just begging to suck." Really the upside for Cubs fans is that with Maddux out of the way, the team has more slots to spend sorting out which guys will contribute to the rotation next year. That's not a veiled shot at the team. They're out of contention this year, and they need to sort through the likes of Mateo, Prior, Marmol, Hill, Ryu, Gallagher, Wells, Shaver and Guzman. That's actually a lot of passable options.